Top Stories: WWII veteran; Joe Kent town hall; Felida park not for sale

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Here are some of the top stories of the week on columbian.com.

1. ‘I would do it all again’: Vancouver WWII veteran of Merchant Marines invited to 80th anniversary of D-Day in France

Many fought hard on the front lines of World War II and paid the ultimate price.

Many also labored behind the scenes to keep those front-line soldiers alive, fed, supplied and fighting the good fight. Their job was less celebrated, less glamorous and supposedly less dangerous — but many of them paid the ultimate price too.

• Julian “Thorne” Hilts, now 95, signed up at 16 because because he was too young to join the Navy

2. Rep. Monica Stonier, Clark County educators rally to protect Washington capital gains tax

Leaders of Vancouver’s early-childhood programs gathered Wednesday to warn voters that a Washington ballot initiative would undermine a system that already fails to reach children in need.

If passed, Initiative 2109 would repeal Washington’s capital gains tax. Lawmakers in 2021 approved the tax on some of the state’s wealthiest citizens to provide additional funding for early-childhood education.

• Initiative 2109 would repeal tax expected to provide billions in funding for education through 2030

3. ‘The economy is destroying people’: 3rd District candidate Joe Kent hosts town hall in Camas

CAMAS — At a town hall event Tuesday morning, Republican 3rd Congressional District candidate Joe Kent declared that inflation, immigration and parental rights are the biggest issues facing the United States today.

“I think if we talk about those three big issues, people will come over to our side,” said Kent, who lives in Yacolt. “These are not hardcore Republican conservative ideas. These used to be pretty basic commonsense American ideas.”

• He says inflation is ‘the No. 1 issue right now’

4. Vancouver man arrested in connection with 2015 Long Beach slaying

Detectives from the Pacific County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Vancouver man in connection with the 2015 slaying of Jeffrey Beach on the Long Beach Peninsula, according to a sheriff’s office news release.

Charles Joseph Watts, 43, who was arrested late Friday, is facing allegations of second-degree murder and first-degree manslaughter. Watts’ bail has been set at $1 million for each charge, the sheriff’s office said.

• The family of Jeffrey Beach put up billboards in Vancouver to help identify a suspect

5. There is no plan to sell Cougar Creek Woods park in Felida, says official 

When crews from Clark County Public Works recently began placing survey flags along the perimeter of Cougar Creek Woods Community Park, some neighbors worried the county was moving forward with an old plan to sell off part of the park for development.

“This space can’t be replaced. Once it is gone, it is gone forever,” Angela Swafford said of the Felida neighborhood park.

• Residents have been concerned for park’s future