CHRISTOPHER BUYS FORMER BG CITY HALL
Home builder and land developer Roger Christopher has purchased the former Battle Ground city hall building at 302 E Main Street for $250,000.
Christopher said he will either occupy about half the 2,063 square foot building with his company staff and then lease about 1,000 square feet to someone else, or lease out the entire building.
"I had been looking around (for office space)," said Christopher, noting that his business has outgrown his home office. "I decided to make an offer."
Christopher said the city verbally accepted his offer, then notified him that a different offer had been accepted. City officials later reversed that decision and sold the building to Christopher.
Christopher operates Daybreak Homes and Daybreak Land Management companies. He purchased the city hall building with his third company, DB Mainstreet. Christopher has been in business since 1988.
Christopher said he plans to renovate the building inside and out, to "make it look like a new building."
A memorial stone and plaque that formerly graced the exterior of the former city hall building is now part of the landscaping of the city's new city hall building on SW First St.
Holmes said the building could be used for a variety of commercial uses, with professional offices offering the easiest permitting process.
Anyone interested in leasing space in the building is invited to call Christopher, 263-2935.
LA CENTER WEIGHS IN ON EAST FORK MINING
Bill Myers, staff reporter
La Center city council members voted May 12 to ask a Clark County Hearings Examiner to study impacts on La Center before allowing expanded gravel mining activities in the East Fork of the Lewis River.
The vote followed dire predictions of fallout from mining in the river by fisheries biologist Dick Dyrland and prominent sportsman and fish conservationist Gary Loomis.
City planner Eric Eisemann said city leaders have a duty to voice concerns because the city's Comprehensive Plan and future growth are linked to a healthy East Fork.
City attorney Dan Kearns, the County Hearings Examiner on the mine-expansion issue, excused himself from the discussion.
Loomis, showing an aerial photograph of the Storedahl mining area on the East Fork, said gravel mining has already taken a toll.
Pointing to circular pools at the Storedahl site downstream from Daybreak Park, Loomis said, "It looks like a bomb site."
In common terms, Loomis and Dyrland reeled off events they say occur during river gravel mining operations:
** Silt and debris from mining can plug natural underground vents that bring cooling water to the river from underground aquifers.
** Silt carried by currents fills other depressions in the river where fish find cool water and safety.
** Loose silt flows downstream and settles on the river bottom, causing the river to widen and become more shallow. The process is quickened by floods.
** Warmer, more shallow water is fatal to salmon and steelhead.
Loomis said boys once dove into deep water from the I-5 bridge. He said the same water is now about knee-deep during summer.
Mining, if not stopped, will completely sterilize the river in eight to 20 years, said Loomis.
Dyrland, a retired scientist who worked for the federal government, said citizens should ask County commissioners not to rezone land near the river to permit mining operations.
Dyrland, president of the Friends of the East Fork of the Lewis River, said expansion of mining operations on the river without an independent environmental impact study is opposed by several officials of state agencies and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
The first hearing in front of Kearns occurred May 13. Another is scheduled for Tues., June 1, 7 p.m., at the Public Service Center, 6th floor, 1300 Franklin St., Vancouver. Information telephone is 697-2375, ext. 4898.
AUTO THEFT FOLLOWS GARAGE SALE
Bill Myers, staff reporter
Battle Ground business owner Jan Cervantes had a good reason to be discouraged after holding a garage sale on the first weekend in May.
Cervantes said a visitor at the indoor/outdoor garage sale stole her car keys from her computer desk.
The following Tuesday, at about 3:30 a.m., Cervantes' husband, Celso, looked outside to see why dogs were barking. He saw tail lights leave the driveway.
Thinking the departing car belonged to a visiting brother, Celso returned to bed.
Later that morning, the Cervantes were jolted to find their 2002 Honda Accord missing from their driveway. They surmised that whoever had took the car keys had returned and taken the car.
The Cervantes reported the loss to the Clark County
Sheriff's Office and their insurance company.
Jan Cervantes said the Honda is a silver four-door model, with silver door strips that flash various colors in sunlight. The car has blue seat covers, and Washington license plate number 339NZL.
Cervantes, who operates a rubber stamp and scrap book store in her home at 22308 NE 72nd Ave., Battle Ground, said other citizens should know of her experience.
Lock keys and other valuables up when having a garage sale, she said.
Anyone with information about the missing auto is asked to call the Clark County Sheriff's Office at 397-2211.
BG CHANGES RESIDENTIAL BUILDING CODES
Training offered by city staff
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Hot coffee and a continental breakfast at Battle Ground city hall may help area builders swallow changes to residential building codes.
An informational meeting hosted by the building department is set for Wed., June 9, 7-8:30 a.m., in the council chambers at 109 SW 1st St., second floor.
Free handouts will be given for the first 20 attendees. An open question and answer session will follow.
The free training meeting will cover the 25 most significant changes that will take place July 1, said Terre Gift, department head.
Topics will include changes in stair design and construction, sheetrock requirements and post and beam construction.
Although targeted at builders and framers, the general public is welcome, Gift said, especially those who are handy at do-it-yourself projects.
The building code is changing statewide to the International Residential Code, Gift said, so that all cities have the same requirements. Currently, some of the 570 entities in the state have variations in their codes.
The changes make buildings more uniform, Gift said.
"The stop signs are changing colors, but they are still stop signs," he said. "It's not as scary a change as some might think."
For example, some changes have to do with safety.
Stair dimensions will have a 7 and three-fourths inch rise rather than 8 inches, and stair depth will change from 9 inches to 10 inches, making stairs shorter and wider.
Exterior stairs, such as leading up to porches, must have lights, even if it is a porch light to illuminate the steps.
Interconnected smoke alarms will be required in all "sleeping rooms," when interior alterations, repairs or additions requiring a permit occur to create one or more sleeping rooms.
A sleeping room is any room, such as a den, where someone may fall asleep.
The reason interconnected smoke alarms are required for add-on rooms is that the alarm will only go off in the new room and not alert people in other areas to potential danger, gift said.
Some changes are cost-saving to the builder, such as lower ceilings at 7 feet tall rather than 7 feet 6 inches.
Garages will no longer be required to have spring loaded doors, Gift said, because the springs are typically removed by homeowners anyway after inspection.
The meeting is a way to help change the way builders think, Gift said.
In addition, the state has issued one book dedicated to residential requirements, rather than split into commercial as well, which makes it easier to find what builders need.
"There are more illustrations, too, which make it simpler and easier to understand, and is more specific to the type of project," Gift said.
Some rules for homeowners have changed as well, Gift said.
Sheds or other storage buildings will not need a permit if the one-story structure's floor area does not exceed 200 square feet, rather than the 120 square feet under prior limitations.
What will not change are current fees and the permitting process, Gift said.
For more information about the meeting or changes to codes, contact Gift at 342-5046.
HISTORIC ROAD CHEWED UP AND STRIPPED OUT
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
It took a prehistoric-looking wheel to break up about one mile of concrete on NE 10th Ave. in Ridgefield over the course of one day.
The Impactor, owned by Tapani Underground of Battle Ground, is a square wheel--30,000 pounds of steel with divots made to flop and smash down on surfaces with molar-jarring pounding.
Dubbed the "Flintstone" by Tapani employees, the machine traversed back and forth along the roadway between NW Carty Rd. and NE 259th St., creating what felt like minor earthquakes as it went by.
Steve Gardner, who drove the tractor that pulled the wheel, said the device loosens concrete about 8 inches deep for an excavator to come by later and remove it in strips and chunks.
Tapani risk manager Richard Rich visited homes before the event to warn people to remove valuables that may be shaken loose off walls and in cabinets.
Throughout the day the Impactor rolled, Rich visited homes again, making sure all was well.
Although porch decks swayed and windows rattled, homeowners up and down the line said it wasn't as bad as they thought it might be.
"Not much worse than the trucks going by here every day," when the road is open, said one resident.
Historic roadway unearths treasures
As workers excavated earth on both sides of the road in preparation for widening, several vintage beer bottles and one old whiskey flask was found.
Gardner found the flask.
"It's horseshoe-shaped," he said, "and there's writing on it: not for reuse or sale. I think it's from the prohibition era."
"Drinking and driving was popular even then," quipped Rich, a former Battle Ground police sergeant.
Now known as NE 10th Ave., the road used to be part of the Pacific Highway, later known as Highway 99, which stretched from the Mexico border to Canada.
The highway began as an unpaved military road on the route of an old Indian trail during the Indian Wars in the 1850s. In 1913, construction of the Washington portion of Pacific Highway was begun and nearly complete by 1923.
According to state statistics, the number of vehicles on Washington roads between 1906 and 1916 was about 70,000. Between 1915 and 1920, there were about 10 million nationally.
The 1921 Federal Highway Act focused funding on an interstate system of highways. The 1920s saw a boom in highway construction, including the Pacific Highway through Hazel Dell, Ridgefield, La Center and Woodland, which was constructed with thick concrete.
Pacific Highway became Highway 99 in 1926 when the U.S. Highway System was adopted. Interstate 5 opened in the late 1950s, and Highway 99 was decommissioned in 1969.
New road, new era
The 80-something year old concrete being removed is making way for a better road.
Clark County officials hired Tapani to widen the two-lane road with shoulders added for traffic safety and better visibility. A new culvert will replace a smaller one at the bridge over a stream.
Retaining walls and drainage improvements will be constructed as well on the $2.08 million project, expected to be concluded about mid-October.
Neighbors and the Pacific Fish Co., the sole business affected by the construction, are kept up-to-date on what to expect and the status of the project, Rich said.
Although road access is mostly limited to residential traffic, Tapani officials will not turn away any customers who wish to visit the Fish company, located just inside the construction area at NW Carty Rd., Rich said.
It's all part of cooperation for everyone, Rich said.
"Tapani Underground works with County public works, residents and businesses to ensure that the project has minimal impact, and is quickly and efficiently completed," he said.
PORT OF RIDGEFIELD BOAT LAUNCH CLOSED FOR UPGRADES
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Anglers and boat enthusiasts will not be able to gain access to Lake River via the Port of Ridgefield boat launch until about the first week of June, Port officials said, although "every effort" will be made to be open in time for Memorial Day weekend.
A $300,000 renovation project got underway May 24 and is expected to be complete in seven to 10 days.
Improvements to the Mill St. launch area include new boat launch floats, a new day-use dock, paved parking, improved picnic area and new landscaping, lighting and signs.
The project will be paid for by the Port and a state Interagency Committee for Outdoor Recreation grant.
Brent Grening, Port executive director, said Port officials have done everything possible to minimize the inconvenience by keeping it to 7-10 days.
"We're certain that in the long run, improvements will be worth the brief interruption," Grening said.
The Port began operating the boat launch in 2001. Grening said parking fee revenues are being reinvested into the improved launch area.
Port officials say the launch is an "extremely" popular spot during spring and fall salmon runs.
Parking fees are $5. Annual passes are available for $35.
The Port's kayak launch area on Division St. north of the boat launch area will remain open and unaffected by the construction.
For construction and closure updates, contact the Port office at 887-3873 or checks signs at the launch area.
ONSDORFF SIGNAL NEARS REALITY
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Battle Ground city officials have worked toward getting a traffic signal on SR-503 at Onsdorff Blvd. for several years.
It will finally happen, likely by early this fall, said Sam Adams, public works director.
Although the signal and road extension were anticipated to be finished earlier this year, some environmental issues held the project up, Adams said.
City staff worked with the Army Corps of Engineering though wetland concerns, and also worked to purchase a swath of land needed on the east side of the highway for road alignment.
The project has one more hurdle--a water quality permit from the state Department of Ecology--which Adams says should not be a problem. Once that is obtained, a request for bids on the project will be sent out, Adams said.
Once construction begins, the project will likely finish in about six weeks, Adams said. It will include the signal installation, road improvement and construction of a water line.
A prior concern that Onsdorff dog-legged from west to east across the highway has been alleviated somewhat, Adams said.
Earlier plans for the intersection showed it was off-center by about 11 feet, with the west leg of Onsdorff about 11 feet south of the east leg. Plans were to accommodate the adjustment with striping in a new lane.
After the city recently purchased land on the northwest corner, the road is only skewed by about six feet, which makes the jog not as severe, Adams said.
The 100-foot connection will create an intersection with a four-way traffic signal and left turn pockets. The cost is about $720,000 out of city coffers, paid for with unexpected revenue from more housing starts than were budgeted for in the last two years.
PRAIRIE PRINCIPAL RETIRES
Marcus Brotherton, staff reporter
Prairie High School principal Greg Parcher will retire this month after working in state education for 30 years. The past 15 years he has worked in the Battle Ground School District.
"These have been the best years of my life," Parcher said. "This is a great community."
Parcher, 52, grew up in Lynden where he graduated from high school in 1969. He attended Washington State University where he majored in elementary education.
The idea of teaching sixth grade held Parcher's interest for some time, he said. When in high school he taught a science class to sixth grade students and enjoyed their enthusiasm.
Parcher's first job was teaching sixth grade in Tacoma's inner city in 1973, a position he kept for six years. He found the job enjoyable but tough at the same time. One continual challenge was motivating students whose primary goal was survival.
"It was a big change for a kid from Lynden," he said. Lynden is a rural community north of Bellingham known for manicured lawns, conservatism and high concentration of Dutch and Swedish immigrants.
While in Tacoma, Parcher earned a master's degree from the University of Puget Sound in 1980. Later, he helped coordinate desegregation efforts in the city.
In 1989 a position opened up at Glenwood Heights Primary. Parcher applied but the position filled quickly. Another position opened up the same year at Pleasant Valley Primary. This time, Parcher was hired as principal.
Pleasant Valley experienced one of its first growth surges while Parcher was at the helm. Boundary exceptions had to be limited, Parcher said, which was a new experience for him.
Parcher stayed at the school five years, then transferred to Lewisville Middle School where he worked another five years as principal.
In 1999, Parcher became principal at Prairie High School. His daughter graduated from Prairie in 1995, so Parcher felt like he knew several staff members already, he said. About one-third of Prairie students came from Pleasant Valley at the time, so Parcher was familiar with them as well.
One of Parcher's goals at Prairie has been to attend as many school sports and extra-curricular events as he can. He loves student productions, considering it some of the best entertainment around.
"It's been an unbelievable five years at Prairie," Parcher said. "We've won all types of state championships, produced some of the best music and drama productions, and had strong academic and vocational programs. I've really appreciated working at this school."
Parcher said some of the highlights over the years have been to see high academic scores, as well as experiencing the personal side of school. Each year the jazz choir sings him happy birthday which he absolutely loves, he said.
Parcher aims to stay active in education for perhaps five years or longer, he said, albeit in Oregon.
Washington educators pay into a retirement plan which they only receive proportionally if they retire after 30 years in the state. Parcher's time is up in Washington, he said.
Parcher and his wife, Janet, live in Hockinson. For hobbies, Parcher enjoys downhill skiing, building guitars and doing home remodeling projects.
BG SCHOOL BOND FAILS
Marcus Brotherton, staff reporter
Voters in the Battle Ground School District rejected a bond proposal May 18 that would have helped alleviate overcrowding in the 12,400-student district.
Unofficial tallies show almost 57 percent approval, yet the bond needed 60 percent to pass.
The bond would have brought some $95 million to the District. Part of the money, about $55 million plus interest, would have come from area taxpayers. The other $40 million would have been matched by the state.
School board chairman Sam Kim said the bond's failure is a disappointment. He guessed a low voter turnout may have weakened its chance of success.
The District has 28,586 eligible voters, according to the Clark County elections office. About one-third cast ballots in the May 18 election.
Kim said the problem of overcrowding is only going to get worse as more students come to the area.
"The overcrowding right now is painfully obvious," Kim said. "And it will get more painfully obvious."
Enrollment has increased by 33 percent in the past 10 years in the District. Conservative projections show the District will add another 1,600 students in the next six years.
The bond would have provided money for two new K-8 school campuses in addition to replacing sections of other school buildings that need major repairs.
A variety of maintenance projects would have been funded as well as refurbishing District stadium, Prairie High School and track.
Another bond proposal can be offered again in September, which Kim said is likely.
Kim said a September proposal would likely look similar to the proposal that just failed.
District spokesperson Kelly Keister said district patrons had expressed a range of concerns about the bond, such as the inclusion of a drama classroom and improvements to the Prairie High school track.
Keister said she has heard no public objection to tearing down and replace two existing schools, as proposed in the ballot measure.
Keister said a series of town hall forums may be held to gather public opinion on what the district's next steps should be as regards growth and school construction needs.
Meanwhile, the District will continue to add portables. There are currently 104 portable classrooms in use.
Double-shifting in the fall is another option, Kim said.
The bond would have increased area property owners tax rates by about 68 cents per $1,000 assessed value, for a total bond rate of about $1.33 per $1,000 value.
For a $200,000 home, additional taxes would have been about $136 annually, or $11 monthly.
VOTERS SAY "NO" TO WOODLAND SCHOOL BOND
Marcus Brotherton, staff reporter
Woodland voters rejected a bond proposal May 18 that would have brought some $40.1 million to the District.
Unofficial results show 57 percent approval, yet the bond needed 60 percent approval to pass.
District superintendent Bill Hundley said the bond was needed to meet burgeoning growth needs.
In the past 10 years, the District has grown 45 percent, from 1,390 students to 2,018. Another 600 students are expected to come to the District in the next 10 years.
To meet the need, the District has added portables. There are currently 13 portables at the District's five schools. Another four portables will be added next year. But portables are a short-term solution, Hundley said.
The bond would have provided funds to build a 900-student capacity high school on land near the District's intermediate school on Lewis River Rd.
Other grades would have been reconfigured to fill out existing schools.
Hundley said the District was in an agreement to buy a 38-acre site for a new high school, contingent on the bond's approval.
The bond failed, and the property owner has a second earnest agreement from a developer who is expected to turn the land into subdivisions, Hundley said.
In addition to a new high school, the bond would have financed a remodel of the current middle school site. More seating and parking would have been added at District stadium. Science and technology upgrades would have been made to current schools.
Woodland property owners currently pay $1.70 per $1,000 assessed value toward existing bonds. The new bond would have added about $1.53 per $1,000 assessed, for a total bond rate of $3.23. A 20-year repayment schedule was proposed.
For a $200,000 home, that would have meant an additional $306 annually, or $25.50 monthly.
$2,500 CASH REWARD FOR CAT KILLER
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
There is now even more reason to provide Battle Ground police with information about the person responsible for killing cats in a southwest Battle Ground neighborhood.
Pasado's Safe Haven, a national animal welfare group based in Sultan, WA, has offered a $2,500 cash reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of the person or persons who committed the crime.
In addition, a neighborhood cash reward of $100 is available, collected by the Ostro family whose cat Kitten was shot in the shoulder with a pellet gun in February last year in the Robinwood neighborhood.
Kitten survived, but the pellet is still deep in the cat's shoulder.
The Evans family, who live in the nearby Winchester Ranch subdivision, lost three cats to the shooter.
Most recently, MC, a black and white shorthair, was shot in the head. Her litter-mate, Elliott, was shot through the stomach and heart two days later.
Chrysler, a Siamese cat, was shot with a pellet to the lungs in an incident last year about the time Kitten was shot. The cat suffered for days, Evans said. A visit to the vet revealed the problem which could not be rectified. The cat was dying slowly and painfully, so the family opted to put her down.
The subdivisions abut each other, next to a marshy area where neighborhood cats roam.
In the last 16 months, about 15 cats have died "mysteriously" or are missing from the neighborhood, Ostro said.
Because pellet wounds are not always visible, owners may not have known a cat died from being shot, she added.
Why so much reward money?
The reward money offered by the agency is what co-founder Susan Michaels says is a fight against animal injustice.
"Pasado's Safe Haven routinely offers cash rewards when animal cruelty case investigators hit a dead end," she said.
For example, multiple convictions of animal cruelty in the first degree have been achieved with cash rewards, such as $3,000 that lead to a tip about a woman who dragged a dog behind her truck and fled, Michaels said. The woman was sentenced to one year in jail.
A $2,000 reward was given to catch boys who shot sleeping cattle at night, killing one and maiming four, and $1,000 helped find the man who shot a litter of puppies and left them for dead. One survived.
"Money makes people talk," Michaels said. "We've found that people who commit heinous acts of cruelty toward animals often brag about their acts. Sooner or later, we'll find out who did it."
Evans contacted a civil attorney in Bellevue looking for recourse from losing her beloved cats. The attorney referred her to Michaels.
"Dana Evans, as you know, wasn't getting enough action from the police," Michaels said. "Police have investigated, but no leads have surfaced. Frankly, animal cruelty cases take rock-bottom priority usually because human crime absorbs people and resources. That's where we come in. If a case makes it to a prosecutor's office, we assist [police] in obtaining affidavits, etc. for them. We do the leg work."
"The reason we offer $2,500 is because this is a serious crime and it needs to be treated seriously," Michaels added. "This hasn't happened just one time, and the longer it goes unaddressed, the more brazen the killings will become because they are getting away with it."
Pasado's Safe Haven was formed about 10 years ago after three teen boys snuck into a donkey's pasture at night, tortured, beat and hung him from a tree.
Pasado was a 21-year-old fixture at a Seattle park, Michaels said. At that time, animal cruelty laws were 100 years old and the maximum penalty the boys faced was breaking and entering.
Since then, more stringent laws have been passed with stiffer punishment because of the activist organization's work.
Those who wish to donate money to the neighborhood fund may deposit it in any Washington Mutual Bank branch under the account "BG cat killers reward."
Anyone with information about the killings may contact Michaels at (206) 300-7217 or susan@pasadosafehaven.org
All tips will be turned over to the Battle Ground Police Department.
The police department can be reached at 342-5100.
"This could be the thing that gets people to talk," Evans said. "Whoever it is can't get away with it anymore."
RIDGEFIELD MAN GUILTY IN FEDERAL FRAUD CASE
Sentencing set Sept. 17
A federal jury in Seattle found a Ridgefield man guilty of multiple felony counts involving a fraudulent stock sale scheme.
A report from the U.S. Attorney General's Office in Seattle said Larry L. Beaman, 62, was convicted May 17 of 26 counts, including conspiracy, securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
Two other Washington men, Michael J. Culp of Bothell and Harvey W. Kuiken of Newcastle, were convicted with Beaman.
The three men were charged after a seven-year stock fraud episode involving securities of Znetix, Inc., Health Maintenance Centers, Inc. (HMC), Cascade Pointe, LLC, and affiliated entities.
Seven other defendants, including Kevin L. Lawrence of Bainbridge Island, who reportedly headed the conspiracy, pleaded guilty since July 2003. Two other men pleaded guilty to related charges.
In what U.S. Attorney General John McKay described as "one of the largest and most egregious frauds ever perpetrated on investors and creditors in Washington," about $91 million was scammed from hopeful investors.
Beaman, Culp and Kuiken reportedly used funds received from investors for their personal benefit, including the purchase of homes, cars, boats, merchandise and travel.
Beaman reportedly used investor funds to purchase more than $100,000 in jewelry and to pay for more than $200,000 of landscaping at his residence.
Evidence reportedly showed that Beaman, Culp and Kuiken received over $7.7 million directly from investors, but sent only about $2.7 million to Znetix, HMC or Cascade Point.
"...a huge scam"
A victim who spoke on condition of anonymity said Beaman represented stock in Znetix as an investment that could make people rich.
"It was a huge scam, and many area residents were taken in," said the victim.
Dan Wardlow, special agent with the Vancouver office of the Internal Revenue Service, said citizens "should always get a second or even third opinion on any major investment decision."
Wardlow said victims should promptly report evidence of fraud to authorities.
Beaman is in custody and sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 17. Federal judge Marshal Pechman in Seattle will have the option of maximum sentencing ranges to 20 years per count.
The investigation was conducted jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Securities Division of the State of Washington Department of Financial Institutions, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Internal Revenue Service and securities enforcement authorities in several states.
FORMER LA CENTER MAN DIES WITH SON NEARBY
Heidi Wallenborn, news director
Memorial services for Joshua Zachary were held six days after he died with his 7-year-old son by his side.
Zachary, 29, a former La Center resident, took his only son, Connor, camping as a birthday trip at Sunset Falls near Yacolt May 14, officials said.
According to a Clark County Sheriff's deputy's report, Zachary likely lost his footing as he climbed up a bank on the East Fork of the Lewis River shortly after dark.
As he tripped, the .22 caliber revolver he carried in a shoulder holster likely fell out of the holster, hit the ground and fired a bullet into his chest, the report said.
A deputy report said Zachary asked his son to go for help. Connor reportedly stayed with his father for about three hours. When he saw his father's eyes close, Connor took a necklace his dad wore, put it around his neck and went for help, according to reports.
Connor arrived at David and Jennifer Wright's home, about one mile from the camp site, and told them his father accidentally shot himself nearby, reports said.
Jennifer Wright called 911 while David Wright ran to find Zachary. He was unsuccessful in reviving him, reports stated.
The emergency call came in about 11:15 p.m. Zachary was pronounced dead about 30 minutes later, reports said.
In reports, deputies speculate Zachary lost his footing because they found a shoe by the riverbank. When officers arrived, they found Zachary lying on his back with one shoe off and a glass pipe between his legs. Officers said the glass pipe is drug paraphernalia.
The gunshot wound was in the center of Zachary's upper chest.
Zachary, who moved with his family to Vancouver about two months ago, was a water technician who was in the process of starting up his own landscaping business.
An outdoorsman, Zachary enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and observing wildlife.
Zachary leaves behind his wife, Chastity Zachary, Connor, and daughters Tessa Fullen and Alexis Zachary.
Donations for the Joshua Zachary Memorial Fund can be made at any branch of Washington Mutual Bank.
BG FLOAT TO NOTE 50TH YEAR
"Fifty Wonder-Filled Years" is the theme of this year's Battle Ground rose float which will appear in the Portland Grand Floral Parade on Sat., June 12.
The float will mark Battle Ground's 50th consecutive entry in the Portland parade, and will depict elements of past floats.
The float will include a horse and buggy, with project co-chairs Bill and Louise Tucker riding the buggy. Battle Ground's first entry in the Portland Parade was a horse and decorated buggy. That was in 1955.
This year's float will also include a large motion picture camera and six film frames, each depicting a scene from a past float. A strobe light will emanate from the camera.
The wheels will turn on the buggy, and the horse will moving in a riding motion.
Co-chair Louise Tucker said crushed madrona bark will be used to cover the horse, with uva grass used for its tail and mane.
Battle Ground artist Austin Barton sculpted the horse out of foam.
Tucker has put out a call for luminaria. Otherwise, she said, supplies of needed materials have been acquired.
Rich Rubin has composed music which will be played on the float.
The Battle Ground float will be the second float in the parade, accompanied by the Battle Ground High School band.
The Battle Ground float had was numerous awards over the years, including last year's float which claimed honors as the second best float in the parade even though it is entered in the under 35-foot category.
Tucker said much of the float is being created in pieces, and will be assembled as parade day approaches. For example, bricks and rocks are created from foam and covered with seeds. When finished, the entire float must be covered with plant materials that were once living, primarily flowers.
Tree branches were sliced into "wood cookies" to resemble cobblestones which will be used for the road on which the horse and buggy are traveling.
The float is constructed entirely by volunteers, with money raised from the sale of fireworks and other sources. The float is a project of the Battle Ground Chamber of Commerce.
Bill and Louise Tucker have chaired the project for 7 years, following in the 10-year footsteps of Bob and Ruthie Brown. Others who have chaired the project include Chris Miller, Bill Frances, Barbara Schrader, Denise Fairweather and Gladys McKinnis.
Donations of food are needed to sustain volunteers who work Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 2-5 p.m., Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m., Fridays 4:30-7 p.m., and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The float will be driven to Portland about 3 a.m. June 12. Judging is set for 6:30 a.m.
A reunion of 50-years of float workers is planned for Sun., July 25, at the Chamber of Commerce building at Fairgrounds Park. Information, Bill and Louise Tucker, 687-3619.
EDITORIAL:
COWLITZ UTILITY FILES INSURANCE CLAIM
Cowlitz Public Utility District has filed counter claims against two insurance companies that have denied coverage for losses the Utility suffered when Swift No. 2 canal collapsed in April 2002.
The Utility seeks payment from both Federated Rural Electric Insurance Exchange and TIG Insurance Company for losses estimated at $108 million.
Lloyds of London has previously acknowledged coverage to a limit of $70 million, and has paid $45 million.
Dave Andrew, spokesman for the Utility, said Federated and TIG together provide $100 million in property damage coverage for the Swift No. 2 hydro project, located on the North Fork of the Lewis River east of Cougar.
On Feb. 3, 2004, both insurance companies denied coverage for the Utility's losses and, on the same, day, both filed a lawsuit against the Utility contending that there is no coverage under the Utility's policies.
Ron Worthington, director of customer services for the Utility, said Federated provides the "first layer" of coverage to a $25 million limit, and TIG has the second layer of $75 million.
In addition to asking the court to issue a judgment that Federated and TIG are obligated to pay for the damages caused by the canal failure, the Utility's counter claim seeks recovery from the companies "acting in bad faith in handling the PUDs claim."
The Utility requests damages to be determined by the court, including interest and attorneys' fees.
Worthington said the $108 million in loss claim includes $8 million for clean-up and safety, $29 million for replacement power purchased while the facility has been unusable, $65 million for reconstruction, and $6 for administrative and legal expenses.
Worthington said the Utility continues to purchase insurance from Federated and TIG, although proposals from other companies will be considered as the policies come up for renewal. Worthington said the Utility will "look closely at the language" of future insurance policies.
Worthington said the matter will be heard in U.S. District Court in Tacoma at some unspecified time in the future.
Michael McCormick of Bullivant, Howser and Bailey law firm, Seattle, represents both insurance companies.
OBITS:
MARY WOOD
Mary Nell (Eubanks) Wood, 64, died April 18, 2004.
Wood was born March 21, 1940 in Calhoun County, Mississippi, lived in New York and Colorado, and lived in Clark County for five years.
Wood had worked as a waitress and laundry aid. She enjoyed volunteering, reading, sewing, crafts and gardening.
Wood was preceded in death by daughter Wanda Raycette in 2003 and sister Adaline Gillespie on Jan. 20, 2004. Survivors include son Gerald Wood of New York, daughters Kris Dunn of Yacolt and Trista Jefferys of Colorado, brothers William Eubanks of Mississippi and Irving Eubanks of Texas, sisters Evelyn Stazio of New York, and Clyde Bailey, Ellen Lyons and Diane Ratliff, all of Mississippi, five grandchildren and her dog Rufus.
Layne's Funeral Home, Battle Ground, was in charge of arrangements.
ROGER NELSON
Roger Harold Nelson, 64, died May 17, 2004 in Vancouver.
Nelson was born May 12, 1940 in Sparta, MN, was disabled, and lived in Clark County for 36 years.
Nelson was a member of the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church.
Survivors include widow Viola Nelson, at home in Battle Ground, father Harold Nelson of Battle Ground, son Michael Nelson of Minnesota, sisters Marge Harvester and Yvonne Koskineimi, both of Battle Ground, brothers Robert Nelson of Minnesota and Steve Nelson of Woodland, seven grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
Committal was at Elim Cemetery, Brush Prairie, with Layne's Funeral Home, Battle Ground, in charge of arrangements.
DORA VANALLEN
Dora Mae (Meinert) VanAllen, 73, died May 16, 2004 in Vancouver.
VanAllen was born Feb. 28, 1931 in Black Eagle, Montana, and lived in Clark County for 43 years, last at Yacolt.
VanAllen was a member of the Mt. Valley Grange, Washington State Grange, and AM-A-CHUM Homemakers. She was involved in with Voice for Deaf and was a Sunday School Superintendent for Yacolt Community Church. She enjoyed knitting, crocheting, reading, traveling, shopping and being with family and friends.
VanAllen was preceded in death by her husband, Robert VanAllen Sr., in 1983. Survivors include daughters Carey Price of La Center and Ida Laskowske of Vancouver, sons Chuck VanAllen of Amboy and Robert VanAllen of Vancouver, sister Irene Preston of Montana, seven grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Layne's Funeral Home, Battle Ground, was in charge of arrangements.
JOSHUA ZACHARY
Joshua Joaum Zachary, 29, of Vancouver, died May 14, 2004 from an accidental gunshot wound to the chest at Sunset Falls Campground near Yacolt.
Zachary was born June 27, 1974 in Oregon City, OR. A La Center resident, Zachary moved with his family to Vancouver about two months ago.
Zachary was a water technician for Culligan, and was in the process of starting his own landscaping business.
Zachary was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed fishing, hunting, hiking, camping and watching wildlife.
Zachary is survived by his wife, Chastity, at home, son Connor and daughters Tessa Fullen and Alexis Zachary at home, father George Zachary of Sweet Home, OR, mother Christie Zachary of Aloha, OR, and sisters Sarah Zachary and Rachel Zachary of Beaverton, OR.
Memorial Gardens Funeral Chapel was in charge of arrangements with a memorial service held May 20.
Donations to the Joshua Zachary Memorial Fund can be made at any branch of Washington Mutual Bank.
GREGORY BAUMAN
Gregory Dean Bauman, 55, died May 16, 2004, at home in Woodland.
Bauman was born May 10, 1949, in Pasadena, CA, grew up in Woodland, and graduated from Woodland High School in 1967. He and his family owned and operated the 76 Station in Woodland 1971-78.
Bauman worked at several jobs during his life, including working for Lewis River Motors, Doug Peacock Logging, Groat Brothers Logging, and Bauman Egg Ranch. He was a member of the Teamsters and worked for Yellow Freight for several years. He owned and operated Premium Smoked Meats for several years until his death.
Bauman was president of the Woodland Little League and a member of the Woodland School Board for several years. He loved snowmobiling, fishing, working and coaching softball. He loved his family, and his dogs, Snuggles and Oscar.
Bauman was preceded in death by his father, Verne Bauman, and sister Diana Leathers in 2000. Survivors include widow Ruth Bauman, at home in Woodland, mother Anna Belle Bauman of Woodland, son Timmy Bauman of Woodland, daughters Kelli Hoggatt of Kalama and Kerry Bauman of Vancouver, brother Dennis Bauman of Oregon, sister Gayle Bauman of Woodland, two grandchildren and many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and friends.
The Dahl McVicker Funeral Home, Kelso, was in charge of arrangements.
STELLA BLANKENSHIP
Stella Day (Stapleton) Blankenship, 101, died May 17, 2004 in Woodland.
Blankenship was born June 7, 1902 in Gallatin, MO, was orphaned as a little girl, and was raised by her grandmother. She moved to Washington in the 1940s and lived in Woodland for over 60 years.
Blankenship worked in the Kaiser Shipyards in Vancouver during World War II, and as a caregiver at the Moorehaven Nursing Home. She volunteered with Meals On Wheels in Woodland and the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. She attended the Woodland Assembly of God Church. She enjoyed crocheting, quilting, cooking, gardening and Bible study.
Blankenship was preceded in death by her husband, Ezra, sister Linnie Linden and daughter Mary Ellen Bays. Survivors include son Richard Blankenship of Connecticut, daughters Norma Becker of Woodland and Colleen Insel of Edgewood, seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Graveside services were held at Willamette National Cemetery, Oregon, with the Woodland Funeral Home in charge of arrangements.
JAMES SWANBERG
James H. "Jim" Swanberg, 93, died May 18, 2004 in Woodland.
Swanberg was born Sept. 6, 1910 in Cedar Creek, owned and operated a sawmill, and lived in Woodland for 93 years.
Swanberg graduated from Columbia Adventist Academy in 1930. He was a partner with his brother Bob in the sawmill business. He was involved with Maranatha Projects associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He was a member of the Cedar Creek Seventh-day Adventist Church. He enjoyed working outside, cutting wood, traveling and his family. He loved roses.
Survivors include widow Elna Swanberg, at home in Woodland, daughter Valorie Spencer of Oregon, one grandchild, one great-grandchild, two nieces and two nephews.
Burial was at View Cemetery, with the Vancouver Funeral Chapel in charge of arrangements.