Hazel Dell News

Vancouver police are looking into alleged improper use of funds gathered from fundraisers that were held after a popular teacher in was killed in a hit-and-run incident in September.

According to a story Friday in the Columbian newspaper, some of the money may have been used to bail the suspect in the case out of jail.

Gordon Patterson, 50, died September 15 when police say 18-year-old Antonio Eugene Cellestine hit him from behind south of St. Johns on 41st St. and left as Patterson lay dying near his mangled bicycle.

Patterson was a popular teacher at Hudson’s Bay High School in Vancouver. He often rode his bicycle to the school.

Now, investigators think Mallory Ewart used money raised for Patterson’s family to bail Cellestine out of jail. Ewart is reportedly Cellestine’s girlfriend.

Evergreen Public Schools bid farewell to long-time board member Holly Williams on Nov. 18.

Williams, who represented District V, was appointed to the board in 2000 and elected to the board in 2001. As a parent in the district, Williams brought drive and experience to the board from her work as an engineer at Hewlett Packard and her time volunteering with various organizations that served students throughout Evergreen Public Schools.

"Holly was never afraid to ask the hard questions," said Hearthwood Elementary School Principal Scott Munro, who presented Williams with flowers on behalf of the school principals.

The City of Vancouver is extending the application period for three vacancies on the Vancouver Planning Commission, since a number of the initial applicants have withdrawn.

One appointment will be for a partial term, ending Dec. 31, 2010; two appointments are for full terms, from Jan. 1, 2010 to Dec. 31, 2013.

For applications or further information, contact Terry Lenhart, Community Planning Department, 1610 "C" Street, Suite 203, P.O. Box 1995, Vancouver, Wash., 98668 or call 360-487-7955 or FAX 360-487-7965. On-line applications are available at www.cityofvancouver.us/boards. Applicants must be a City of Vancouver resident. Applications must be submitted by 5 p.m., Friday, Dec. 4.

The seven-member Planning Commission serves as a citizen advisory body and makes recommendations to the City Council on the comprehensive plan, sub-area plans, zoning and other land use matters.

Clark County Fire District 6 firefighters were called to Callahan’s Mobile Home Park on a report that a large tree that was about to fall onto a trailer on Nov. 16. 

Firefighters evacuated the trailer just below the tree as well as any trailers that the tree could land on. The owner of Callahan’s Mobile Home Park called a tree removal company that cut the tree down. In the process to remove the tree a trailer was slightly damaged but there were no injuries.

Now is the time for tree owners to remove old or damaged trees. If a tree is going to come down it is better to happen on your watch and not Mother Nature’s. In most cases removal will save the tree owner money and could save lives as well.