Cheers: To America’s best midsized public transit system. In case you missed the news, that’s our very own C-Tran, which received the honor from the American Public Transit Association.
Frequent C-Tran riders know about the friendly drivers, the clean and comfortable buses and the reliable schedules. The association also lauded the transit agency for operations, maintenance, safety, security, financial management, sustainability, workforce development and providing opportunities for advancement for minorities and women.
That’s a lot for a community to be proud of. If you haven’t been on the bus in a while, try a C-Tran ride to the fair, to a concert at Sunlight Supply Amphitheater, or spend a $1.80 and take a trip around town.
Jeers: To a recent plague of motorcycle accidents. Summer weather always seems to bring more motorcycle accidents, but this year the tendency toward crashes has been hot even when the weather is not. A motorcyclist was killed on June 30, and two others were seriously injured in separate incidents last weekend.
We’re not trying to cast blame here: We’ve all seen dangerous bikers roar past us on the freeway, and we’ve also heard about innocent bikers struck by inattentive drivers of cars and trucks. Let’s just all resolve to try to watch out for each other as the heart of the summer approaches.
Cheers: To fixing our broken stuff. Repair Clark County, a program organized by the Columbia Springs Environmental Education Center, regularly offers free repairs of everything from old shirts to toasters. Bring in those dull scissors, lamps that need a new switch and jeans with jammed zippers, because the program just got a $120,000 grant from the state Department of Ecology, which will allow the repairs to continue through June 2021.
The program relies on a volunteer corps of master mechanics and MacGyvers, who offer a session about once a month. You just missed the July event, which was Thursday, but check out the website at repairclarkcounty.org for more information about the program and its upcoming dates.
Jeers: To campaigning for the 2020 federal election in July 2019. More than 20 Democrats are holding presidential debates. President Donald Trump is making campaign speeches. Congresswoman Jaime Herrera Beutler is planning a barbecue fundraiser. Challenger Carolyn Long is holding multiple rallies.
Meanwhile voters need to pay attention to some local races that are arguably more important than federal politics. Local school board candidates need to be selected, and city council members are on the ballot. There are votes to be taken on emergency medical services funding, possibly in your own neighborhood. Look, we realize that in today’s overly political climate, the fundraising and hullaballoo needs to get started early. But don’t let the fights over the White House and Congress overshadow the votes that shape our daily lives.
Cheers: To studying literature in a canoe. Washington State University Vancouver students taking a Native American literature class are also taking to local waterways. Associate Professor Desiree Hellegers received a $28,000 Lewis E. and Stella G. Buchanan fellowship to bring the class onto the water, where they can learn from guest speakers like Tony Johnson, chairman of the Chinook Indian Nation. From a 36-foot traditional canoe, students got a chance to learn about our region’s first people from what would have been their everyday perspective. If this sounds attractive, the grant runs for two years.
