Cheers: To berries and bees. A 40-year-old Ohio man was found safe Wednesday, nearly a week after he became lost while hiking on Mount St. Helens. Matthew Matheny reportedly survived by eating berries and bees he had killed during his six days in the wilderness. He was hospitalized and treated for dehydration, but did not appear to have life-threatening injuries.
About 30 search-and-rescue personnel, assisted by helicopters, tracking dogs and a drone operated by the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office, searched for Matheny daily before he was spotted. In government-owned areas, taxpayers typically pick up the bill for search-and-rescue efforts. While we can debate whether those who get lost should pay for rescue efforts, for now we are pleased that Matheny was found. But we can’t vouch for the nutritional value of bees.
Jeers: To anti-vaxxers. Clark County health officials report that vaccination rates for Clark County school children lag behind the rest of the state. At 15 public schools last year, 10 percent or more of kindergarten students began the school year exempt from receiving recommended vaccinations.
Throughout the country, an absurd movement has taken hold suggesting that vaccines can be dangerous for children. Numerous medical studies have disproven this notion, yet still it persists. In Washington, children can be exempted from receiving vaccinations for almost any personal or philosophical reason. This is dangerous both for the children and for classmates who are unable to receive vaccines because of other medical issues. All children who are able should receive recommended vaccines before the start of the school year.
Cheers: To the Clark County Fair. The fair has closed up shop, and president and CEO John Morrison says it was the most successful of his 10-year tenure. “All the indicators I have at this early date are that the fair was at least as successful as any year I’ve been here,” said Morrison, who is retiring from the position. The numbers are not official, but Morrison estimates the fair drew between 270,000 and 280,000 visitors during its 10-day run.
This marked the 150th anniversary of the fair, which can trace its roots to an 1868 event along the waterfront. While it was held intermittently in the early years, it now is an annual event with a permanent home in Ridgefield. Mickey Webb, who will take over as the event’s CEO, said, “The first fair of the next 150 starts in 355 days.”
Sad: A grieving orca has released the body of her dead calf after carrying it for at least 17 days through the waters of Puget Sound. The baby died shortly after birth and the mother — who has come to be called Tahlequah — hoisted it on her head for more than two weeks as her pod migrated through the region.
“Her tour of grief is now over and her behavior is remarkably frisky,” the Center for Whale Research reported, adding that the mother joined her pod-mates in chasing a school of salmon. Tahlequah’s mourning attracted widespread attention to the plight of Puget Sound’s struggling orca population.
Cheers: To the Port of Vancouver. With a contentious battle over a proposed oil terminal behind them, port officials are moving forward. A new mission statement is being crafted to guide the entity into the future, and port commissioners recently took a boat trip with Vancouver City Council members to get a look at development along the Columbia River waterfront.
With a 2018 budget of $68.5 million, the port is a major economic engine for Southwest Washington. That was overshadowed in recent years by the misguided terminal proposal. With that plan officially scuttled, port leaders and the public can focus on the many benefits the port provides for the region.
