News briefs for Oct. 3, 2019

Candidate forums planned in Camas, Clark County

The Clark County League of Women Voters has scheduled several nonpartisan candidate forums ahead of the November general election.

The first forum is set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Vancouver Community Library, 901 “C” St., Vancouver.

The Oct. 9 forum will feature candidates for the Port of Vancouver, Fire Protection District No. 6, city of Vancouver and Vancouver School District races.

A second forum, set for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 16, at Dollars Corner Fire Station, 21609 N.E. 72nd Ave., Vancouver, will feature candidates running for city council and mayoral positions in Yacolt, La Center, Ridgefield and Battle Ground.

From 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 23, at the Camas Public Library, 625 N.E. Fourth Ave., Camas, a forum will feature candidates for the Clark County Council, city of Camas and city of Washougal city councils, the Port of Camas-Washougal, and the Washougal and Evergreen school boards.

The general election will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

Following the forums, video recordings from CVTV will be posted at cvtv.org/program/electio n-2019.

Coupons for free leaf disposal available

The season is changing, which means leaves are falling from trees all around Clark County. Residents of Vancouver and Clark County can dispose of up to five cubic yards of leaves for free with coupons provided by Clark County Public Works and the city of Vancouver.

Coupons can be downloaded from the Green Neighbors website at https://clarkgreenneigh bors.org/en/green-blog/free-leaf-disposal, and used at four locations:

H & H Wood Recyclers, 8401 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver; McFarlane’s Bark, 8806 N.E. 117th Ave., Vancouver; Triangle Resources, 612 S.E. Union St., Camas; and West Van Materials Recovery Center, 6601 N.W. Old Lower River Road.

Coupons must be presented at the drop-off site and are for leaves only. Regular disposal fees apply to leaves mixed with other yard debris.

Clark County reminds residents not to blow, rake, sweep or dump leaves onto streets, where they can block storm drains, cause flooding, and create driving hazards.

To help prevent flooding on neighborhood streets with relatively light traffic, residents can clear clogged storm drains by standing on a safe location away from traffic and using a rake or other garden tool to pull leaves from the path of flowing water.

Residents should not try to clear storm drains on busy streets. Call Clark County Public Works at 564-397-2446 to report clogged storm drains or flooding on busy streets outside city limits.

‘Tail to Remember’ benefit set for Saturday, Oct. 12

The West Columbia Gorge Humane Society (WCGHS) will host its annual fundraiser, “A Tail to Remember,” beginning at 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12, at Warehouse 23, 100 Columbia St., Vancouver.

The evening includes dinner, wine and a chance to bid on silent and live auction items.

Dave Ryckman from Stokes Auction Group will conduct the live auction. Wayne Havrelly, an Emmy award-winning journalist (and reporter for the Camas-Washougal Post-Record) will emcee the event.

“A Tail to Remember” is the WCGHS’s largest fundraiser of the year. Attendees will have the opportunity to bid on more than 80 silent auction items and 15 live auction items donated by corporations, individuals and area businesses. Some of the live auction items up for bid this year include a weekend in Asheville, North Carolina; a getaway to Newport, Oregon; a private, one-hour flight over the Columbia River Gorge and Cascade Mountains; a whiskey tasting for six; and a private chef’s dinner for eight.

Local animal welfare celebrity Amanda Giese, founder of Panda Paws Rescue and star of the Animal Planet show, “Amanda to the Rescue,” will share an exclusive sneak-peek of the show’s second season at the Oct. 12 fundraiser.

Funds raised from this event will help WCGHS continue its life-saving mission by providing homeless animals with a safe haven, quality medical care, food and love while they await their forever homes.

Tickets are available at wcghs.org or wcghs.ejoinme.org/dinnerauc tion2019. Individual tickets cost $75.

West Columbia Gorge Humane Society, a 501c3, nonprofit organization located in Washougal, is dedicated to ending unnecessary euthanasia of all healthy or treatable companion animals, and finding them permanent, loving homes.

In 2018, West Columbia Gorge Humane Society was able to help more than 700 cats and dogs either find their way home, or find a loving new home.

For more information, visit wcghs.org or email info@wcghs.org.