Morning Press: Diversity at the city of Vancouver; Opioid epidemic; Fastest growing jobs

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Here are some of the stories that you may have missed from over the weekend.

City of Vancouver: Quest for better representation and workplace diversity

n an era where diversity is increasingly promoted, the city of Vancouver’s workforce remains disproportionately male and white, according to a Columbian analysis of city employment data.

Only 29 percent of the city’s 1,021 employees are female, compared with 48 percent of the local labor force.

And in a community that’s 71 percent white, fewer than 100 city workers — or less than 10 percent — are black, Asian or Hispanic.

The city has no black female police officers or firefighters. Instead, the majority of women are employed in clerical support positions.

Read more stats and find out why it is actually a problem.

A look at fast-growing jobs in Clark County

Unemployment in Clark County has been below 5 percent for the last seven months, according to the state Employment Security Department.

And many new jobs are arriving to Clark County. The job growth rate here outstrips the Vancouver-Portland metropolitan area, as well as Washington, Oregon and the U.S. average.

So if you’re one of the job hunters out there, know that it’s a booming market with many options now and in the future. But what are some of the most promising careers?

Find out more about which industries are growing.

State Attorney General: OxyContin maker Purdue pushed prescriptions

Vancouver nurse practitioner Kelly Bell prescribed more than $1.5 million worth of OxyContin in a six-month span in 2008 — months before federal agents raided the Payette Clinic, according to court documents filed Friday.

The scope of Bell’s prescribing and her interactions with OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma were included in an unredacted complaint against Purdue filed by Attorney General Bob Ferguson. In September, Ferguson filed a lawsuit against the drug manufacturer — accusing Purdue of fueling the opioid epidemic in the state — but details from the company’s internal documents were sealed. Purdue claimed the information was a trade secret. A King County Superior Court judge recently unsealed the documents.

Learn more about why the state attorney general is suing Purdue Pharma.

Rumor of a Hazel Dell eviction was just that

A rumor about a Hazel Dell apartment complex evicting all its tenants in a Courtyard Village-esque scenario sounded plausible and spread online — but it turned out to be untrue.

What’s more, the rumor involved an unlikely target: A Vancouver-based property management company trying to make a dent in the affordable housing crisis.

Read more about the owners are doing to help ease the housing crisis.

The Plainsman earns its staying power

The Plainsman Restaurant has been in business for over 30 years serving homemade American meals in classic, diner style. It is one of the few holdouts that does not need a fancy new remodel to keep its loyal diners coming back — or to attract the curious that take note of the parking lot which is often full of cars.

Read the review and other food related news.