Morning Press: Murder suspect in court; Pied Piper for sale; gun seizures surge

Rain? Wind? Sunny skies? What’s in store for the weekend? Check our local weather coverage.

In case you missed them, here are some of the top stories of the week:

Clark County Sheriff’s Office: Missing man’s body found in Washougal River

Clark County law enforcement arrested a man Tuesday morning on suspicion of murder in the death of a man who went missing in early February in Camas.

The body of Michael Chad Holmes was found Saturday near Washougal’s Hathaway Park, according to the Clark County Sheriff’s Office.

• SWAT officers take 47-year-old man into custody on suspicion of second-degree murder
• Day 2: Murder suspect appears in court days after man’s body recovered in Washougal

Pied Piper Pizza in Orchards seeks new ownership

The owners of a more than 50-year-old Vancouver pizza restaurant are hoping to sell the business and retire, but they want to make sure Pied Piper Pizza sticks around.

According to Pied Piper Pizza co-owners Ray and Cheryl Eggert, Pied Piper was recently relisted but has actually been on the market for about two years. The husband and wife team have jointly owned and operated the restaurant for more than five decades, and they’re both now in their 70s and hoping to retire.

• Longtime owners say they’re hoping they can retire soon

Gun seizures in Clark County surge in law’s 2nd year

The number of extreme risk protection orders issued in Clark County has increased since lawmakers passed legislation two years ago allowing law enforcement and family members to file petitions seeking to confiscate firearms from people who may be threats to themselves and others.

The uptick in orders happened in most counties statewide in 2018, from King to Walla Walla.

Clark County Superior Court judges granted three extreme risk protection orders in 2017. Last year, they issued a total of seven orders, according to Washington Courts data.

• Voters approved law in November 2016 ballot initiative

Vancouver Public Schools may face $17 million deficit

Vancouver Public Schools’ projected budget deficit keeps growing, with the district now announcing it could be facing $17 million in cuts for the coming school year.

That’s up from the previous estimate of $14.3 million, with the district of about 23,000 students pointing to “a lack of legislative progress in state funding for special education and increasing employee health benefits costs” in a news release on Tuesday.

• District considering eliminating professional and technical staff positions, two deans of students, 15 custodial positions and four maintenance positions

The hidden gems of St. Johns

There’s a working-class sensibility to Clark County’s St. Johns corridor.

This six-mile industrial road runs from the outskirts of downtown Vancouver to Five Corners. You’re probably one of thousands of people in any given day who have hurtled down this arterial, maybe on your way elsewhere, maybe to breakfast at Carol’s Corner Cafe — a worthy if well-known stop.

• Businesses have emerged along the heavily traveled Clark County corridor that are worth a visit