Helen Coubra is new police chief

Helen Coubra has been in law enforcement since 1986, mostly working west of the Cascades and most recently working for Wahkiakum County. That department was not very large, having only nine officers, including the sheriff and undersheriff. However, this will be her first job as head of a police force, as well as her first job in such a small department.

She said she plans to be visiting the downtown businesses and getting acquainted with folks on the street just as soon as she has cleaned up some of the paperwork on her desk. She is also reviewing past cases, particularly still-open cases, to...