Clark County Today offers a glance back at the stories covered in the past 12 months
VANCOUVER — During the past year, the staff at Clark County Today produced just under 1,700 stories including breaking news, investigative or hard-hitting news, features or profiles, human interest and even advances and follow-up stories on events that took place in Clark County.
During the past week, we’ve already shared with you a Visual Year in Review (Dec. 26) and a Sports Year in Review. Now, we share with you a News Year in Review.
This News Year in Review isn’t a top 10 list. It’s also not just a list of our most viewed, or popular stories. Rather, this is just a glimpse back at what we covered for you in 2019. If your favorite story isn’t included in this look back, please understand there are just too many significant stories to list in one roundup.
Hard news
Clark County Today has endeavored to keep you informed during the past year with the hard news that impacts the lives of our readers. We keep a close eye on the area governments, municipalities and school districts in an attempt to hold them accountable and make sure they are keeping you the citizens in the forefront of everything they do.
One of the issues that we covered on an ongoing basis throughout the past year is homelessness in Clark County. Clark County Today reporter Chris Brown completed not one, but two three-part series of stories on homelessness in our area.
First, Brown took a hard look at the Downtown Navigation Center in Vancouver:
Central Vancouver residents unhappy with new Homeless Navigation Center
Vancouver Police working to address Homeless Navigation Center complaints
VIDEO: Inside the Vancouver Navigation Center day shelter
Later in the year, Brown (again with the help of videographer/photographer Mike Schultz) took a hard look at the homelessness issue through a series of what was happening in the Arnold Park area of Vancouver:
A walk in the woods: One neighbor’s quest to clean up Arnold Park
Out of sight: The law and the homeless camps of Vancouver’s Arnold Park
A complicated problem: Can new leadership stem Vancouver’s rising homelessness situation?
Another ongoing hard news issue that we covered in the past year is the issue of transportation congestion on the two-main travel corridors through Clark County. Elected officials continue to struggle to find solutions to the problem, which is only getting worse. Here’s just a couple of our stories that have dealt with the transportation congestion issues on Interstate 5 and Interstate 205:
Governors of Oregon and Washington sign agreement over Interstate 5 Bridge replacement
First meeting of Bi-State Interstate Bridge committee draws a crowd
We also warned drivers of an Interstate Bridge closure scheduled for September of 2020:
Interstate 5 Bridge closure scheduled for nine days in September 2020
The general election in November provided plenty of compelling story lines for Clark County Today to follow. Most would agree the most compelling result was the overwhelming rejection of a bond to build a new pool and recreation center in Camas. It also resulted in a successful write-in campaign for a new mayor in that city:
Election 2019: Camas pool bond roundly rejected by voters
Write-in candidate Barry McDonnell ousts Shannon Turk as Camas mayor
A controversial story that Clark County Today reported during the past year was the Battle Ground School District’s exploration of its sexual education curriculum:
Battle Ground School Board eliminates sex ed requirement
Battle Ground School Board tweaks Sexual Health Education policy
Weather-related stories
As stated earlier, this is not a roundup of the stories that were viewed the most by our readers in 2019. If it was, at the top of the list would be stories about the weather. In fact, the most viewed story at Clark County Today in the past year was our coverage of a tornado that was spotted in the area:
VIDEO: Tornado spotted over Vancouver, warning issued
The third most viewed story at Clark County Today in 2019 was also weather related. It was a report of a home in East Vancouver struck by lightning:
Lightning strikes home in east Vancouver Saturday afternoon
And this was also a popular weather-related story, a tree that was destroyed by a lightning bolt in La Center:
VIDEO: Lightning bolt destroys tree near La Center
The police blotter
The news staff at Clark County Today is very appreciative of the cooperation we receive from law enforcement agencies in the area. This is another area of our coverage that is very important to our readers.
Unfortunately, stories involving law enforcement usually are of a tragic nature:
UPDATE: One victim, shooter dead in Anderson Elementary shooting
Juveniles arrested after evening disturbance at Gaiser Middle School
Clark County Sheriff’s Office investigates death
Court docs: Nikki Kuhnhausen strangled after revealing she was biologically male
One dead, at least two injured in shooting at Vancouver’s Smith Tower
One of the most emotional days of the past year for the staff here at Clark County Today was the day of the Memorial Service for Cowlitz County Deputy Justin DeRosier. It was an event covered not only in our region but all over the country:
Fallen Cowlitz County deputy honored Wednesday
People and features
Thankfully, all news is not bad news. Clark County Today was able to share with you plenty of good news during the past year about area residents who enjoyed success or who served their fellow citizens in a heart-warming manner.
Vancouver teen and Skyview High School senior Payton May became a household name when she was named Miss America’s Outstanding Teen:
Miss America’s Outstanding Teen competition strategy: Let Payton be Payton
A 19-year-old Vancouver Mall store employee rushed to help a teen in an attempted kidnapping:
Vancouver Mall store employee who helped detain kidnapping suspect shares his story
A pair of brothers set out on a 2,400-mile bike ride to raise money for Open House Ministries:
Biking Brothers: Helping the homeless through cross-country fundraiser
This Vancouver man rescues birds and places them in forever homes with area residents:
For the birds: Chris ‘Birdman’ Driggins
Health
Health and well-being is always an important topic and Clark County Today provided its readers with important stories on the subject in 2019.
Clark County experienced a Measles epidemic during the past year:
PeaceHealth Southwest prepared for measles cases
Vaping among our teen population drew headlines in 2019:
VIDEO: PeaceHealth Southwest doctors react to flavored vaping ban
The opioid crisis is another of the health issues we covered in the past year:
State grant helping PeaceHealth Southwest launch new opioid treatment program
Business
Thankfully, economic news was mostly positive news during the past year around Clark County. In Ridgefield, area residents enthusiastically reacted to the opening of a new Rosauers Supermarket:
VIDEO: Rain doesn’t dampen grand opening of Rosauers in Ridgefield
One area company showed how it goes out of its way to show appreciation to its clients at Christmas time:
Business profile: ‘It’s important for small businesses to make sure they connect with their clients on a personal level’
The Vancouver Mall was once again a popular place in the weeks leading up to Christmas:
All aboard ‘The Polar Express’ at the Vancouver Mall
The 2019 Clark County Parade of Homes was held in the Dawson’s Ridge neighborhood in Camas. The event was once again a resounding success:
2019 NW Natural Parade of Homes opens with vibrance
And, this Clark County business institution expanded to serve even more area residents:
Gaynor’s Automotive expands to fifth Clark County location
Onward and upward
That was just a glimpse of the nearly 1,700 stories Clark County Today published in the past 12 months. We plan to provide you with even more in 2020. May you all have a safe and happy new year.
Also see our visual year in review:
A Visual Year in Review
