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Public Safety

September 3, 2026
James Paulson is seen at 2025 court appearance (The Columbian files)

Judge dismisses charges against Camas driver who hit, killed father and son

A judge has dismissed criminal charges against a <URL destination="https://www.columbian.com/news/2025/oct/08/man-accused-of-fatally-driving-into-father-son-to-undergo-further-assessment-mental-health-evaluation-inconclusive/">Camas man who drove his pickup into a father and son, killing them, last year in east Vancouver.

July 23, 2026
A sign and fence at the Green Hill School for juvenile offenders, in Chehalis, Washington. (Photo by Jake Goldstein-Street/Washington State Standard)

Youth prison system woes detailed

Nearly half of front-line staff at Washington’s overcrowded juvenile detention facilities leave within a year. Many report feeling unsafe, unprepared and unsupported.

July 9, 2026
Inmates, right, are seen at the Clark County Jail after booking on July 2. The county council is set to vote on July 21 to solidify the partial remodel of the jail, but the general voting public in Clark County doesn’t know the status of the jail and is hesitant to support a new tax. (Photos by Amanda Cowan/The Columbian)

Clark County Council to vote on jail rebuild

The Clark County Council is moving forward with a proposed $344 million partial rebuild of the county jail, balancing facility upgrades with a public sensitive to new taxes.