Cheers: To accountability. The state of Washington has filed lawsuits against three major distributors of opioids, alleging the companies shipped large numbers of painkillers to Washington and failed to comply with requirements to identify dubious orders. “For years, these companies illegally shipped suspicious orders into our state,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “Their conduct, quite simply, fueled the state’s opioid epidemic.”
That epidemic resulted in more than 8,000 overdose deaths from 2006 to 2017 — more than died in car accidents or shootings, Ferguson said. The question is whether companies ignored evidence of a problem at the expense of Washington residents. The state is right to seek answers and hold corporations accountable.
Jeers: To a lack of self-reflection. Vancouver Police Chief James McElvain says his department regularly reconsiders its policies but is not planning a specific review of its use of deadly force. With four officer-involved shootings, including three that resulted in fatalities, over the past five weeks, it would seem that a review is warranted.
Admittedly, this is a mild jeer. The last thing we desire is for officers to suffer paralysis by analysis — overthinking decisions because of stringent department policies. But recent events and a new state law governing the use of deadly force require an examination of policies. Equally necessary are efforts by the department to place its policy manual online for the public to view.
Cheers: To spring. We know, it’s not officially spring yet; that arrives next week. But at least the weather is positively spring-like. With temperatures predicted to be in the mid-60s over the next several days and with clear skies expected, it might be time to plan for that leisurely bike ride or stroll along the riverfront.
This comes in the wake of unseasonably cold weather, with snow season extending into March this year. While we probably will be complaining about oppressive heat within a couple months, for now we can celebrate mild temperatures that highlight the natural beauty of the region.
Jeers: To fraudsters. A couple scams are making the rounds, according to local officials. In one, emails or phone calls tell Clark Public Utilities customers they are behind on their bills. Officials say customers who are behind on payments can expect several late notices and then a visit from an employee. Also, Clark Public Utilities will never demand payment through pre-paid debit cards.
In another scam, callers are posing as Internal Revenue Service employees asking for money or personal information, saying that tax payments are in arrears. In some cases, the person making the call might know details about the target, such as their age. All of this calls for a friendly reminder: Beware of anybody asking for money, and never give out personal information such as a Social Security number unless you initiated the call.
Cheers: To Anthony Moro-Baxter. The Ridgefield fourth-grader last year started the Hand to Heart Program, in which students make get well cards for patients at Randall Children’s Hospital in Portland. With several Ridgefield schools participating, about 1,200 cards are expected to be delivered this year.
“I was in the hospital awhile, and there were no kids my age,” Moro-Baxter said. “I didn’t know anybody except family. When I got out, I realized a lot of kids are in the hospital. It’s lonely there, and I felt it.”
Now he wants to expand Hand to Heart throughout Clark County: “More kids need those cards. More kids need that joy.”
