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The sun-facing side of a vine maple shrub begins to splash fall colors along the Tarbell Trail in eastern Clark County on Wednesday, Sept. 30.

Meet the vine maple, a champion of fall colors
Trending Content
Court docs detail Battle Ground drive-by shooting that led to arrest of 44-year-old

Court documents reveal more details on what led to a 44-year-old man's arrest on Sept. 19 after a reported disturbance escalated into a drive-by shooting in a Battle Ground neighborhood, with …

Self-health journey leads to desire to help others with Sonrise Wellness
Woodland SRO builds connections through coaching, classroom
Featured Stories
Clark County Council District 5 candidate Troy McCoy responds to a question during a League of Women Voters of Clark County candidate forum on Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Ridgefield Community Library.

Candidates for state and county elected offices outline priorities at Ridgefield forum

With the November election approaching, candidates for Clark County and state legislative offices faced questions about some of the most pressing issues facing Southwest Washington. Candidates …
Tim Dawdy uses fingerpicks to strum his dobro.

Bluegrass jammers play at annual Ridgefield Birdfest and Bluegrass Festival

“There’s this undercurrent of bluegrass in Clark County,” Samantha Zeiner, director of operations for the Friends of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, told The Reflector. Since …

Clark County hearing centers on growth, farmland and housing

Clark County residents, city officials, agricultural advocates and development representatives offered competing visions for the county’s future during a public hearing spanning two separate …
Dozens of senior citizens attend the one-year anniversary of the La Center Lions taking on the senior lunch at the La Center Wheel Club Community Center on Thursday, Oct. 1.

La Center Lions mark one year of serving senior lunch, providing free groceries

The La Center Lions Club marked one year of hosting its weekly senior lunch on Thursday, Oct. 1, celebrating a year of volunteer service that has provided thousands of meals while creating a regular …

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The Reflector October 7 2026

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Local News

Hockinson School District plans annual Tour of Schools

Hockinson School District will host its annual Tour of Schools starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, allowing community members to visit the district’s three schools and learn more about their …

Paul Guardado puts character above championships

Paul Guardado puts character above championships on the court and field as Meadow Glade Adventist Elementary School’s new athletic director and physical education teacher. Across both the …
One of the many vignettes of pumpkin people is pictured along Pumpkin Lane at Pomeroy Historic Living Farm.

Pumpkin patch highlight: Pomeroy Farm presents farming from the past

Historical Clark County farm life is on full display this fall at Pomeroy Farm during its Pumpkin Lane seasonal celebration. The farm was established in 1910 along the East Fork of the Lewis …

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Washington state's plans to electrify private and public transportation sectors and spend hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars on charging infrastructure are still facing numerous logistical and …
Washington’s public lands commissioner is proposing new funding tools to conserve older forests while maintaining revenue for schools and local governments, including raising fees on forestry …
State / Regional News

Trump admin aims to shift homelessness grants toward addiction treatment, enforcement

In its latest effort to overhaul federal homelessness funding, the Trump administration is proposing to provide more money to localities that prioritize treatment-first policies such as sober living, …

ICE arrests surge as Central Washington candidates split over enforcement

Immigration arrests in Washington surged this summer, with federal immigration officers detaining about 705 people in June and another 700 in July statewide, according to records from the Deportation …
Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez is greeted by Mikhail Pavenko, a volunteer chaplain in the Armed Forces of Ukraine, after voting to advance a package of sanctions on Russia.

Ukrainian community welcomes Gluesenkamp Perez after Russia sanctions vote

Members of the Southwest Washington Ukrainian community welcomed U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, at Portland International Airport after her vote to advance a package of sanctions …
Washington's average diesel price hit a record $7.47 per gallon Wednesday, while the Tri-Cities reached an even higher $7.53 per gallon, as rising fuel costs put new pressure on transportation, …
Ukraine supporters meet U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez after her recent return from Washington, D.C.
U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Skamania, recently voted for a comprehensive package of sanctions targeting Russia, a news release from her office announced. The Lindsey O. Graham …
Life

sámn brings Cowlitz heritage to the table at ilani

The grand opening of sámn at ilani on Thursday, Oct. 1, marked another step in the Cowlitz Indian Tribe’s ongoing development of its Ridgefield destination, with tribal leaders emphasizing …
Creation Center Director Bill Hoesch, right, gives a lesson on the area people are overlooking near Mount St. Helens.

Geology center explores Mount St. Helens through a creationist lens

Basalt, bones and big explosions fill the walls and screens of the Mount St. Helens Creation Center in Castle Rock. The visitor center was started in 1996 by Lloyd and Doris Anderson, country …
Kelsey Herman, founder of Healing Steps Equine Centered Therapy, wipes the eyes of one of her therapy horses on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Healing Steps looks to horses to expand access to therapy in Southwest Washington

When Kelsey Herman began using horses in therapy, she never expected the idea to grow into a full-time operation with a six-therapist team, a growing waitlist and plans for another potential …
Zaiqa Indian Cuisine owner Adnan Ali said opening a new location in Ridgefield was an opportunity to bring new flavors to a community he felt was lacking in diverse dining options. Ali, who …
From left to right, Cassidee Hoffmann, Mara Smothers and Tonja Smith pose in the recently renovated Smitty’s Barber Shop location at Dollars Corner on Thursday, Sept. 17.
At Smitty’s Barber Shop in Battle Ground, owner Tonja Smith and barbers Mara Smothers and Cassidee Hoffmann are all cleaning up after a day’s work in their new shop, a door down from their …
Sports

Ridgefield girls soccer edges Hockinson 1-0

Ridgefield High School’s girls soccer team returned to the win column on Thursday, Oct. 1, with a 1-0 victory over the Hockinson Hawks in a tightly contested league matchup. The Spudders and …
Oregon Ducks football head coach Dan Lanning stands with students who recognized him for photos at District Stadium in Battle Ground on Friday, Oct. 2.

Oregon Ducks head coach attends second quarter of Prairie football game, spends time with fans

University of Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning donned a black vest with the iconic Oregon Ducks’ “O” on the sidelines of District Stadium in Battle Ground on Friday, Oct. 2. Lanning …
Battle Ground junior running back Miles Skov tries to shake off two diving Papermaker tacklers during the Tigers’ 42-25 loss to Camas on Friday, Oct. 2.

Tigers’ triumphant effort flattened by special teams play in 42-25 loss to Papermakers

The Battle Ground Tigers were knocking on the door at their closest chance at conquering the Camas Papermakers on the gridiron in recent years on Friday, Oct. 2. The Tigers trailed 21-7 at the …
The Prairie Falcon defense was flying high, holding the Evergreen Plainsmen to three scores and keeping the game in reach if the offense found a rhythm in the 21-0 loss on Friday, Oct. 2. …
On Friday, Oct. 2, the La Center Wildcats played their homecoming football game against King's Way Christian at La Center High School. The final score was 56-0, with La Center collecting the win …
Outdoors

Dry start to fall at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Fall officially began on Sept. 22. By Thursday, Oct. 1, conditions had remained incredibly dry. The dry start to fall has impacted the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge as migratory waterfowl …
Fall colors began to hint hues of orange and yellow along the East Fork Lewis River at Moulton Falls Regional Park on Thursday, Oct. 1.

Low water levels create prime reflection at Moulton Falls Regional Park

A Columbian white-tailed buck reacts to a large amount of deer flies on its body at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge River S Unit on Saturday, Sept. 26.

Summer turns to fall at Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge

Before you know it, orange leaves and rainy days will be encompassing everyday life in Clark County. The Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge’s River S Unit is one of the best places to visit …
The Reflector is inviting hunters across Clark and Cowlitz counties to share photos of their harvests through this fall as the general hunting season gets underway this month. Selected …
A Union Pacific freight train goes north by Ridgefield under the pedestrian bridge at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge Carty Unit in early September.
Opinion
Editorial
In his 1963 book The Press and Foreign Policy, Bernard Cohen stated, “the press may not be successful much of the time in telling people what to think, but it is stunningly successful in telling …
A logging truck is pictured near the headwaters of the Chehalis River on Weyerhaeuser property upstream of Pe Ell.
Leaves change color, they fall and nature transitions to handle our cold, wet, quiet winters. Spring ushers in warmth, growth, the flush of leaves and the return of the birds. Everything has an …
Pope Francis smiles and waves in this photo from 2014.
The world feels quieter today. Not because a man has died, but because a voice — steady, grounded and full of grace — has gone silent. Pope Francis is gone, and for those of us who …

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Community
Jovie Esene, not yet 1 year old, has ascended to the group finals of the “Baby of the Year 2026” contest. Jovie “loves to laugh and is already very determined when she wants something,” …
The Ridgefield Lions Club recently received an award recognizing its support of Neighbors Helping Neighbors, a local charity that provides food, clothing and household staples to families and …
14 Acres Harvest Tour: Wednesday and Thursday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, 12-5 p.m., 14 Acres Vineyard & Winery, 2411 NE 244th St., Ridgefield. Enjoy a 45-minute walking tour of the winery during …

More about: Community

Letters to the Editor

More about: Letters to the Editor

Obituaries
Charles Douglas Shaul was born to Rex and Elizabeth Shaul on May 22, 1937, in Akron, Ohio. The son of a career military father, Doug lived in many states and attended many schools, spending his …
Patricia Helen “Patsy” (McCarvel) Olsen
Patricia Helen “Patsy” (McCarvel) Olsen was born September 1, 1946, in Anaconda, Mont., to Thomas Joseph and Margaret Loretta (Ridge) McCarvel. She passed away on September 24, 2026, in the …
Charles Brighton, 45 , of Vancouver, died Aug. 29. Arrangements are under the care of All County Cremation and Burial Services, 360-718-7948. Sharon Pera, 70 , of Battle Ground, died Sept. 6. …
Patricia “Pat” Anderson
Patricia “Pat” Anderson, 91, passed away on September 4, 2026, in Vancouver, Washington. Born on October 18, 1934, in Lisbon, North Dakota, she was the eldest of five children, a responsibility …
Kathryn Ann Huffman
Kathryn Ann Huffman passed away peacefully on September 7th, 2026, at the age of 80. Born on August 7th, 1946, in Corvallis, Oregon, Kathryn was the oldest child of Earl and Carolyn Hoover. …
Marcus Cadiz II, 43, of Vancouver, died Sept. 1. Arrangements are under the care of All County Cremation and Burial Services, 360-718-7948. Davey Ruth, 68, of Vancouver, died Sept. 2. …

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