Cheers: To good detective work. A 57-year-old Oregon man was arrested this week in the 1994 rape and murder of a Vancouver woman, Audrey Hoellein. After submitting DNA evidence from the long-ago crime scene to Parabon Nanolabs, Vancouver police were pointed in the direction of a suspect who lived in the Portland area. They conducted surveillance for months, and at one point collected DNA from a cigarette the man threw away at work. On Tuesday, the suspect was booked into Clark County Jail.
Vancouver Police Assistant Chief Mike Lester said: “As you know, DNA alone cannot solve any case. To solve a case requires investigative work, and this case involved amazing work and dedication by our outstanding detectives.” The most gratifying part of the story is that officers were able to inform Hoellein’s family of the developments, including meeting in person with a son who still lives in the Vancouver area. We hope the case leads to some peace for the family.
Jeers: To vandals. Within a day after a group of volunteers picked up trash, planting saplings and placed signs near protected wetlands at Austin Point in Woodland, vandals destroyed much of the work. “A few bad apples can ruin it for everybody,” said Jennifer Wray-Keene, executive director of the Port of Woodland, which had organized the work party.
Wray-Keene said the area has been the site of increased damage in recent years, with garbage being dumped and staff finding an average of 50 syringes a month. We hope those who perpetrate damage can be identified and prosecuted. “This is for generations after us to enjoy,” Wray-Keene said of the wetlands.
Cheers: To the end of an outbreak. Clark County health officials have declared an end to the region’s measles outbreak, meaning there have been 42 days without any newly identified cases. In the end, 71 cases were confirmed in an outbreak that cost more than $850,000 to address.
Clark County is not alone in seeing a revival of measles. More than 700 cases have been reported in 22 states, the result of a growing anti-vaccine movement that is based upon fraudulent science. Once again, we encourage all who are able to receive vaccinations and protect the health of our community.
Jeers: To a sales tax change. As part of a package of budget bills passed last weekend by the Legislature, Oregonians who shop in Washington no longer will be exempt from paying the state sales tax.
The Columbian long has editorially opposed removing the exemption for Oregon shoppers, arguing that it will be detrimental for businesses on this side of the river. But that is not the only reason to jeer the move. The Legislature also deserves jeers for including the measure as part of a last-minute budget agreement without inviting input from the public and business owners who will be affected.
Cheers: To Ed Barnes. After decades of being a fixture in the community, the 85-year-old Barnes has been honored as the 2019 Clark County First Citizen, selected by the Community Foundation for Southwest Washington.
“People have dreams all their lives. And I never dreamed I would become First Citizen of Clark County,” Barnes, a retired union official, said during a fete in his honor. He also paid tribute to his wife of 64 years, LuAnne. Never one to slow down, Barnes used the occasion to speak about civic projects he thinks are important to making Clark County an even better place to live — just as he has been doing for decades.
