Cheers: To the Forum at the Library. The long-running quarterly series provides an evening of stimulating discussion and welcome proof that Americans can disagree without being disagreeable. Wednesday night’s session at the Vancouver Community Library tackled the important subject of local food systems. We all want to eat healthy, locally produced food and preserve local agriculture — or at least we say we do — but many factors between the field and the table work against this. The two-hour discussion didn’t solve any problems, but it did provide good insight and an opportunity for the public to talk to representatives throughout the local food chain. The next forum, in January, will consider local law enforcement. For more information, visit www.fvrl.org/forum-library.
Jeers: To the perpetual problem of auto license cheats. Washington residents are required to register their vehicles in this state or face a $529 penalty. Maybe they are trying to avoid paying the vehicle excise tax on the purchase of an expensive new SUV, or maybe they just haven’t gotten around to changing their auto registration after they moved here from Oregon. But the city of Vancouver estimates 10 percent of residents are cheating, costing more than $300,000 annually in lost tax revenue to the city in addition to state revenue lost. It’s a good thing the volunteer Neighbors On Watch group is patrolling the city, leaving notes on windshields reminding scofflaws to buy their Washington plates.
Cheers: To Lily Pad. Golden retriever Hero #700, as it says on her collar, is owned by Lori Hultman of Vancouver and is honored for taking part in a 3,000-dog national research study about why this beloved breed develops certain types of cancers much more frequently than other dogs. Of course the real heroes here are the scientists and veterinarians at the Morris Animal Foundation, which is conducting the longitudinal study, but you don’t have to be an animal lover to appreciate all the benefits these beautiful dogs bring to their people and wish them long, healthy lives.
Jeers: To the overabundance of traffic in Salmon Creek. Even when Washington State University Vancouver classes are in recess, there’s too much traffic on Northeast 134th Street and Northeast Salmon Creek Avenue. Just ask retired state Sen. Al Bauer, who has lived in the neighborhood for decades. Bauer now is promoting a plan to connect Northeast 139th Street, which runs in front of Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center, with Salmon Creek Avenue to the east. The plan deserves careful consideration by Clark County leaders. Since the local road grid was last changed near campus, the Washington State Department of Transportation has connected 139th Street to Interstate 5 as well as to popular destinations west of the freeway, including the Fred Meyer store and Skyview High School.
