Rain? Heat wave? Snowstorm? Anything could happen. Check out out local weather forecast before you head outside.
Here are some of the stories that were most popular this week with Columbian readers.
Monday gave spring cleaning a new meaning for Clark County residents after several unexpected inches of snow created a mess of fallen trees and downed power lines.
The National Weather Service said Monday marked the first measurable snowfall in the area in the month of April. The agency reported 12 inches of snow near Yacolt, 11 inches of snow in Washougal, more than 7 inches in Camas, more than 6 inches in Ridgefield and 2 to 3 inches at Pearson Field in Vancouver. All this after the area reached temperatures in the 70s last week.
When Clark County Public Works announced in February it was moving forward with plans for a two-mile road project along Northeast 179th Street east of Interstate 5, residents living south of one of the main intersections in the project were stunned.
“We found out about this happening just a month-and-a-half ago,” said Vanny Him, adding there has been a lack of transparency and communication with neighbors.
Human remains found in September north of Dougan Falls in Skamania County have been identified as those of a Vancouver woman who has been missing since 2018.
Ashanti A. Conde, then 29, was reported missing March 11, 2018. Her family reported to the Vancouver Police Department that they hadn’t seen her in a few weeks, according to a police news release. Investigators determined Conde was last seen Feb. 22, 2018, leaving Brush Prairie with Michael Conley, who was reported missing Feb. 27 of that year.
“I came in with the roar, you know I had to go out with one too.”
For nearly 20 years, Tony Jacobs, a resource officer in Vancouver Public Schools, has let his voice ring throughout the halls, typically singing the sounds of Motown. Though his main role is to keep students safe and help prevent disruption between classes — most recently at Vancouver School of Arts and Academics — it’s safe to say he’s a man with many hats.
Mentor, peer, adviser, singer, friend.
A proposed systemic change to Vancouver Public Schools’ Highly Capable Program — a districtwide gifted-and-talented equivalent — was met with confusion and disapproval during Tuesday night’s board meeting. Both board members and parents cited concerns about communication and transparency regarding the research that prompted the proposal.
As it stands, elementary students identified as Highly Capable (HiCap) are given the option to enroll in one of two schools — Eisenhower Elementary School and Truman Elementary School — to participate in a self-contained program where they have class alongside other HiCap students. Alternatively, students may attend their neighborhood school and be provided with materials appropriate for their advanced level.
