What Local Topics Does The Columbian Cover for Vancouver and Clark County?

The Columbian covers Vancouver, Washington, and surrounding Clark County across local government, business, prep sports, community life, science, weather, and obituaries. It is a general-interest local news source rather than a single-topic publication, so it is useful if you want to follow decisions by Vancouver and Clark County bodies, local high school athletics, or community features in one place. Its homepage organizes stories by section and tags each item with a section label and an "Updated" timestamp, which makes it easy to scan for the newest items in a specific area.

Local government and public decisions

This is the core of the paper's Clark County News coverage. Examples visible on the site include:

• Vancouver city government: A report that the Vancouver City Council approved a plan to add temporary support staff to the Vancouver Fire Department, and a separate item in which the Vancouver city manager previews the 2027–28 budget and proposes a new sales tax.
• Camas city government: A report that the Camas City Council delayed action on a resolution regarding a change in the form of government.
• Local elections and history: A Clark County History feature on Val Ogden's first election, describing a 1990 state House seat in the 49th District.

If your interest is how local taxes, staffing, or council votes are decided, this section is where those stories appear.

Business and the local economy

The site carries a Clark County Business section. One example is a story on North Bank Innovations at the Vancouver Innovation Center, described as striving to give new businesses the foundation they need. Broader business coverage also appears, such as a report that Wall Street held near its record after Brent oil fell below $100 per barrel.

Schools and prep sports

Prep Sports is a distinct section with frequent updates. Examples include:

• Nominees for The Columbian 2026-27 Week 2 high school athlete of the week, sponsored by Killer Burger.
• A Prep Football Notebook item on how a new 4A GSHL schedule tempered Skyview's excitement after a win over Camas.
• A sports obituary for Roscoe Divine, described as a track star at Columbia River High and the University of Oregon, who died at 78.

This makes the site a practical source for following specific high schools and leagues in the county.

Community life, people, and history

Beyond hard news, the paper runs Life and local history features. Two examples:

• A story on "catios" as a solution to keep cats and wildlife safe, centered on Hazel Dell resident Gloria Lionz and her 9-year-old cat Apollo.
• The Clark County History column noted above.

Science, weather, and regional coverage

The site mixes strictly local reporting with wider regional and national items:

• Science & Technology: OMSI to fete Clark County astronaut Michael Barratt.
• Weather & Climate: A Weather Eye column noting that weather will take on an autumnlike personality.
• Northwest: A story on what a super El Niño could mean for Puget Sound's already warming waters, and a report that diesel prices hit a record high in Washington.
• Nation & World and Health: Items such as a Mississippi grand jury finding no cause for charges in a death, a coroner's finding on Hayden Panettiere's death, and a report on the U.S. removing 760,000 ACA enrollees over fraud claims.

Other standing sections

The site's own description lists additional categories beyond news: opinion, entertainment, advertising, real estate, obituaries, and classifieds. If you are looking for a specific type of content — a death notice, a home listing, or a classified ad — those are separate sections rather than part of the news feed.

How to judge whether it fits your needs

One practical note: the site displays a Subscribe link, so some content may sit behind a subscription. The available material does not specify which articles are free or what a subscription costs, so check the subscribe page directly if access matters to you.