Cheers: To the Bonneville Power Administration. The power marketing administration has completed its annual payment to the U.S. Treasury — on time and in full. The BPA, which receives no annual appropriation from Congress, paid $950.6 million for fiscal year 2022, once again demonstrating sound fiscal management. The payments are for the federal government’s investment in the federal Columbia River Power System.
A well-run utility and power administration are easily overlooked by taxpayers — until the power goes out. But BPA for generations has demonstrated the value of federal infrastructure investment and sound regional management while maintaining reasonable costs for ratepayers. Cheers go to keeping the lights on in a fiscally responsible manner.
Jeers: To a blood shortage. Bloodworks Northwest, the supplier of all donated blood in Clark County, reports a decline of about 50 percent in donations. Administrators recently reported that only 30 percent of the needed donors have booked appointments in October.
Donated blood can be life-saving to accident and burn victims, people undergoing surgery and those battling cancer. The American Red Cross calculates that every two seconds, somebody in the United States needs blood. People who are eligible should considering donating blood, which can be done every eight weeks. You, a family member or a neighbor might be the next person in need.
Cheers: To the rule of law. A lawsuit from Washington Election Integrity Coalition United against Clark County and Auditor Greg Kimsey has been dismissed by a federal judge. According to The Columbian, the judge found the lawsuit “was not based on actual or imminent alleged injury that is concrete.” The judge wrote: “Because plaintiffs have asserted only generalized grievances, the court finds that plaintiffs lack Article III standing to assert their federal claims.”
Claims of fraud in the 2020 election or malfeasance by elections officials have been bereft of facts, fueled by lies and absurd conspiracy theories. If plaintiffs have evidence of fraud, it is essential that our jurisprudence system give them a fair hearing; but fabricated allegations are damaging to our democracy.
Jeers: To the loss of a local institution. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington has announced that it is phasing out its annual Give More 24! campaign. The annual fundraising effort recently raised $3.6 million for local nonprofits.
Organizers say they will join a statewide GiveBIG campaign. While we trust their judgment and we hope the new approach is equally successful, the Give More 24! branding will be missed. It has become a Clark County institution.
Cheers: To Bill Culver. The Evergreen High School teacher has been presented with the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. The national award recognizes “outstanding instruction in the skilled trades in U.S. public high schools,” and includes $100,000 for programs at Evergreen.
“I’m still just letting it all sink in; I was totally surprised,” Culver said after a ceremony that included pomp and circumstance. “They had this all planned out and kept me in the dark. I walked out on the stage and there was all these kids and teachers. It was fun and shocking.” More than 750 teachers in Career and Technical Education programs from across the country applied for the award, and Culver was one of five grand prize winners. But the real winners are his students at Evergreen.
