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Here is a look at stories that particularly resonated this week with columbian.com readers.
A Battle Ground man suspected of killing his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son Monday night allegedly beat and stabbed the boy to death after the child started crying over a movie that he didn’t want to watch, according to court records.
The boy, identified in court records as Jose Castillo-Cisneros, but who went by Pepe, later died of his injuries at an area hospital. Police arrested Ricardo Gutierrez at the scene.
Crews from Clark County Fire District 6 were called to a fire alarm at the First Congregational United Church of Christ, 1220 N.E. 68th St., about 3 a.m., according to agency spokesman Dave Schmitke.
The congregation said it would remain strong in the face of this tragedy.
The next day, a fire struck a Salmon Creek-area church, triggering its sprinkler system, which put out the blaze but caused extensive water damage.
Arson is suspected in both blazes.
A Vancouver man suspected of dragging his dog behind his pickup, killing the animal, made a first appearance Thursday in Clark County Superior Court.
David Kadow, 52, appeared on suspicion of first-degree animal cruelty in connection with the Sunday incident.
Kadow’s wife, Wendi, attended the hearing and said afterward that her husband would never intentionally hurt their dog, Hailey, a 10-year-old pit bull.
Read the complete story.
Joel Mattila, an evangelical minister turned residential real estate agent, peeled the Donald Trump bumper sticker off his white Ford F-150 pickup.
The decision wasn’t made out of a lack of love for the GOP presumptive nominee.
“I don’t want to lose a deal over it,” said Mattila, who left the “I love my wife” sticker.
Trump would understand, probably even respect him for it, he figured.
Read the complete story.
YACOLT — On May 17, the final day of their five-month stint at Larch Corrections Center, nine Western pond turtles lurked out of sight near the bottom of their tanks, just as wary of people as they were on day one.
The turtles went to the Yacolt-area state prison in December, not for society’s protection, but for their own. There they completed a final phase of rehabilitation from a mysterious disease that caused a number of quarter-sized lesions to grow on their shells and those of other endangered Western pond turtles.
Read more about the inmates’ turtle program.
