Cheers: To thinking ahead about how to pay for a new Interstate 5 Bridge. Of course, several billion dollars worth of transportation improvements comes with a complete financing plan, but this plan turned out to be a single point of failure for the Columbia River Crossing. When it came time to pay, Senate Republicans blocked Washington from contributing its $450 million share, and that scuttled the whole project.
As planning begins anew, Oregon’s finance expert, Travis Brouwer, recently suggested building more resiliency into the new funding plan, perhaps by allowing the project to be built in phases. The idea is worth further study, along with the idea of looking at various management structures that might minimize the odds of another political and financial failure.
Jeers: To lackluster record-keeping of student vaccination data by public school districts. A recent performance audit report by state Auditor Pat McCarthy’s team showed lackluster enforcement of rules that require students to be vaccinated or have a documented exemption on file. Low vaccination rates contributed greatly to the spread of measles in Clark County this year; there were 71 local cases.
The audit notes this is an easy problem to fix. Since Evergreen Public Schools started emphasizing the rules, the noncompliance rate for kindergartners has fallen from 32 percent to 13.4 percent.
Cheers: To the return of Beast Mode. In recent games the Seattle Seahawks have lost three of their running backs to injuries, leaving fans fearing the worst about the NFL team’s chances in the playoffs. Enter Seahawks legend Marshawn Lynch, aka “Beast Mode.” After being out of football this year, he signed a contract and will be back in a Seattle uniform. Can he and another former Seahawks running back, Robert Turbin, fill the empty backfield after their prolonged absences? It will be fun for fans to watch.
Jeers: To housing discrimination. According to The Oregonian, a survey found more than one in four prospective renters in Portland were illegally discriminated against because of their race, national origin or source of income. Of 94 test cases between January 2018 and June 2019, 26 potential renters experienced discrimination and 23 other cases were deemed inconclusive. For example, potential renters who were white were told about move-in incentives and discounts; blacks were not.
The Fair Housing Council’s report does not consider Clark County, but it is troubling to think that these discriminatory barriers exist in our metropolitan area, especially at a time when adequate housing is expensive and in short supply.
Cheers: To Ashley Lin. The Union High School student was fortunate enough to study abroad as a U.S. youth ambassador to Uruguay, but she realized that many of her deserving peers won’t get that chance. She started Project Exchange, which pairs middle- and high-school students with peers abroad for a free 12-week online interaction. It’s nice to see the internet used to bring the world closer rather than make peoples’ minds smaller.
Jeers: To a seasonal decline in blood donations. Hey, we get it. People are busy at the holidays, and that includes blood donors. But donations drop about 25 percent, which can lead to low supplies at local hospitals. If you are a blood donor, or have thought about becoming one, make it your New Year’s resolution. In Vancouver, Bloodworks Northwest, which supplies local hospitals, has a donor center at 9320 N.E. Vancouver Mall Drive, Suite 100.
