Cheers: To Vancouver’s waterfront. Nearly every week brings exciting news about what is happening along the Columbia River, and this week is no different. Developer Vesta Hospitality is putting the final touches on plans for a hotel at Terminal 1, a site owned by the Port of Vancouver. That news followed an announcement that El Gaucho steakhouse will establish an outlet in the future Hotel Indigo at the burgeoning The Waterfront Vancouver development.
The Terminal 1 site is immediately west of the Interstate 5 Bridge, between the bridge and The Waterfront Vancouver. The hotel, part of The AC Hotel by Marriott brand, will have 150 guest rooms and European-style architecture. Notably, a parking garage will be incorporated into the seven-story building, occupying the second and third floors. With so much development taking place along the waterfront, it is difficult to envision the Vancouver of the future. But it is safe to say the city will be a more vibrant, dynamic place as it reclaims its waterfront.
Jeers: To legislators. A bill to open some legislative records to the public while keeping others secret likely is dead after not being brought to a vote in the Senate State Government committee. That is good news, but it points out the shortcomings of lawmakers in a feckless attempt to avoid transparency.
The courts have ruled against the Legislature in its attempts to keep some records from scrutiny (the decision is under appeal), and the public has demanded open government in Olympia. Repeated efforts to avoid the same standards that apply to local governments represent a losing battle that poorly serves the public.
Cheers: To Frank Marshall. A story from The Seattle Times details a man who might have the most interesting job in state government. Working for the Department of Revenue, Marshall is tasked with reuniting people with their money. He tracks down owners of forgotten bank accounts, safe-deposit boxes, life-insurance policies and the like. The payoff: In closing 11,000 cases over 17 years, he has returned $300 million to the rightful owners.
“Everybody knows somebody,” Marshall said. “You just start searching in broader and broader circles, and you eventually connect.”
Jeers: To, um, somebody. We’re sure there’s a jeer in here somewhere — or maybe it’s a cheer. Either way, a bill in the Legislature would make it illegal for tattoo artists to ink the whites of a client’s eyes. That’s right — apparently eyeball tattoos are a thing.
Cheers might be warranted for Rep. Steve Tharinger, D-Sequim, the sponsor of a bill that could lead to fines of up to $10,000 for inking an eyeball. Or perhaps jeers, if you want to argue that this is a rare issue that does not require legislative attention. Instead, we think we will offer jeers for anybody who thinks it is a good idea to receive a tattoo on their eyeball.
Cheers: To high-tech pet care. Skyview High School seniors Ojasvi Kamboj and Annika Epperly were honored by Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler as local winners of the Congressional App Challenge. The contest recognizes students who create smartphone applications.
Kamboj and Epperly created The Fin-damentals of Fish Care, designed to help 5- to 12-year-olds with pet care. The app allows users to schedule feedings and bowl cleanings and provides information about health care. The goal of the contest, which selects a winner in each congressional district, is to get students interested in STEM fields, and winning entries are displayed for a year in the U.S. Capitol Building.
