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Government

April 9, 2026
A crowd listens to Brent Hennrich, right, a Democratic candidate for Washington’s 3rd Congressional District, during his campaign kickoff at the AMC Classic Mill Plain 8 cinema in Vancouver. (Kelly Moyer/The Columbian)

Primary fight underway in 3rd Congressional District

There is no real starting point, no formal “ready, set, go” to mark Southwest Washington’s primary election season. But judging from the energy at 3rd Congressional District hopeful Brent Hennrich’s campaign kickoff event last week, the race toward the Aug. 4 primary election is already well underway.

April 9, 2026
Houses rise in September at the edge of a new neighborhood off Northwest Hillhurst Road in Ridgefield. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian files)

Clark County’s growth plan delayed again

Clark County’s 20-year growth plan, already overdue by three months, won’t be finished by the end of June as originally planned. The new target is Oct. 6.

April 9, 2026
The Clark County Charter Review Commission meets in the Clark County Public Service Center, pictured here in 2007. The commission is considering charter amendments to place on the November ballot. (The Columbian files)

County Charter Review Commission considers tax issue

Clark County’s Charter Review Commission voted Tuesday to further study several amendments that could end up on the November general election ballot, including one that would require a supermajority vote of the county council to raise taxes.

April 2, 2026
Clark County recently settled a class action lawsuit filed over a 2023 data breach. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian files)

Clark County will pay for data breach

Clark County has agreed to pay $800,000 to settle a class action lawsuit filed last year in Clark County Superior County over an October 2023 data breach. The suit claimed negligence, breach of implied contract and unjust enrichment when the county failed to secure its network and allowed residents’ information to be compromised.

April 2, 2026
A motion seeking to block law enforcement agencies from using the shooting range at the Clark County-owned Camp Bonneville property was recently withdrawn. Vancouver residents Patti Reynolds and Janet Landesberg have asked the state to enforce the environmental restrictions detailed in the 2006 agreement that turned ownership of the former U.S. Army base over to the county. (Amanda Cowan/The Columbian files)

Motion to seek injunction over Camp Bonneville withdrawn

Legal efforts to block Clark County from continuing to allow law enforcement to use Camp Bonneville’s shooting range came to an end last week after Vancouver resident Patti Reynolds withdrew her motion for an injunction.