Clark County, Vancouver | featured news

OLYMPIA — Gov. Jay Inslee met Thursday with former California Gov. Jerry Brown to discuss climate issues, including a proposal for utilities to provide carbon-free electricity by 2045 that is working its way through the Washington Legislature.
In September, Brown, a Democrat who left office last week as California’s longest-serving governor, signed legislation putting his state on the path toward all-clean energy electricity sources by the same date.

OLYMPIA — Citing the devastation and expense of fighting Washington’s wildland blazes, state Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz on Thursday proposed a “groundbreaking strategic plan” to prevent and respond to wildfires.
The plan by Franz, who oversees the state Department of Natural Resources, is part of her $55 million budget request to lawmakers that would boost the state’s wildfire capabilities.

If it feels like you’re reading about a new food recall practically everyday, it’s not all in your head — or stomach.
A report released Thursday by the U.S. PIRG Education Fund found that recalls of food have increased 10 percent since 2013, with meat and poultry incidents soaring 67 percent. The most hazardous — Class 1 recalls, or when there’s a “reasonable probability that eating the food will cause health problems or death” — edged up 6 percent overall and a whopping 83 percent for meat and poultry, the study found.

They play different positions and score in different ways. But together Nate Snook and Evan Dirksen make the Columbia River boys basketball team hard to beat.
Snook and Dirksen each scored 22 points Thursday as the host Chieftains beat Ridgefield 81-51.
At 6-foot-6, Dirksen can post up defenders as well as hit 3-pointers. He entered the week as Columbia River’s leading scorer at 16.5 points per game.
Snook is a quick point guard who can hit from long range or beat defenders off the dribble. He entered the week averaging 14.5 points.

A Vancouver man was sentenced Thursday to more than eight years in prison for a robbery during which he allegedly struck a man with a handgun and discharged a single round.
Cameron Troy Costello, 27, was charged in Clark County Superior Court with first-degree robbery, second-degree assault and first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm and faced more than 33 years in prison. In November, he pleaded guilty to the robbery charge; the other counts were dismissed as part of an agreement with the Clark County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office.

SEATTLE — The U.S. Navy dumped the equivalent of 50 truckloads of highly toxic hazardous waste into Puget Sound and must be stopped before it does so again, according to state Attorney General Bob Ferguson.

Dakota Souders scored 17 points as the Hawks rallied from a very slow start to get a road league win in Longview.
R.A. Long took a 14-3 lead after the first quarter and led 24-20 at halftime. But the Hawks took a 38-37 lead after three quarter.
Ki Haden added 12 for Hockinson.
HOCKINSON 55, R.A. LONG 48
HOCKINSON — Micah Paulsen 6, Dakota Souders 17, Mason Bonife 3, Ki Haden 12, Carson Yinger 4, Sawyer Racanelli 6, Levi Crum 2, Caleb Newman 2, Jeremiah Faulstick 2, Grant Garver 1. Totals N/A.