Enjoy snapshots of local history written in past issues of the Reflector from 30, 20 and 10 years ago, respectively.
A look back at July, 30 years ago
• Former Battle Ground Mayor Frand David DeShirlia was sentenced to 480 hours of community service and a suspended two-year jail sentence on July 14, 1994, for two counts of official misconduct. DeShirlia was placed on two years probation and ordered to pay $7,110 in fines to cover the costs of the prosecuting attorney’s investigator. DeShirlia had pleaded guilty to failing to make sewer connection fee payments during his time in office and assured the court that city staff was not responsible. An audit conducted by the prosecuting attorney found six instances of DeShirlia “falsely stating he paid fees” within two years. DeShirlia proposed reroofing the Battle Ground Kiwanis building and constructing an outdoor shelter at Camp Melacoma as two of his community service projects. Superior Court Judge Rober Harris accepted the proposal.
A look back at July, 20 years ago
• Otis, a Boston terrier, was promoted as a candidate for city manager by local Ridgefield residents in July. Posters supporting Otis for the position appeared in downtown businesses, paid for by the “He Will Do Better Than the Last Guy” Committee. Otis’ owners, Scott and Kathy Hughes, were surprised to see the posters, as they did not participate in the campaign. Ridgefield business owner Donna Quall, one of the residents behind the Otis campaign, said the effort began to bring some laughter to the community. Otis’ previous owner, Russ Pfeifer, used to walk him around downtown businesses before passing away in 2003. Since then, Otis continued the routine, becoming an icon to Ridgefield’s business owners and residents.
• In July 2004, former Battle Ground Public Works employee Glenn Rasmussen was sentenced to 15 days in jail and over $1,000 in fines for theft of time by a Clark County District Court judge. Rasmussen, who earned $25 per hour, owed $560 restitution included in the fines to the city for stolen time. Rasmussen said he did not claim work maliciously, and claimed other Public Works employees fudged the numbers regularly. After sentencing, his attorney asked for a retrial due to the audio portion of the trial malfunctioning. The judge denied the right to a new trial but said one would be granted if audio technicians could not recover the audio.
A look back at July, 10 years ago
• Woodland’s Lewis River Little League Senior All-Star team won the 2014 Senior League Washington Championship, earning a spot in the Western regional tournament in Ontario, California. In the winners bracket game, the team faced off against Columbia River Little League, the defending state champions. In the final game against Richmond, Spencer Thomas of Lewis River stole second, third and home base. This victory marked the team’s first state title in 25 years.
• On July 25, 2014, Linda Figg, CEO of Figg Engineering Group, proposed a conceptual third Columbia River bridge to local community leaders. The presentation was not paid for or solicited by any governing body. The firm spent seven months designing the bridge plan, which would cost less than $860 million. Though finances were not discussed during the meeting, Ann Rivers, a state representative from La Center, noted Washington’s gas tax revenues had declined in recent years. The proposed bridge, which would have connected Northeast 192nd Avenue and state Route 14 in Vancouver to Northeast Airport Way in Portland, never came to fruition.
Most Popular
Comments / 0