Cheers: To Greg Biffle. The Camas native, a retired NASCAR driver, has been piloting a helicopter to deliver supplies and rescue victims of Hurricane Helene near his home in North Carolina. Biffle has been documenting the efforts on social media, and in one video he zooms in on a stranded victim who got his attention by using a mirror to reflect light from the sun. In another, he avoids trees and power lines to deliver supplies in a canyon and writes, “Glad this little beast of a helicopter can make it to the areas unreachable by larger aircraft.”
Biffle, 54, won 19 races in NASCAR’s top division during his career and has been nominated for the circuit’s Hall of Fame. But his rescue efforts have brought him a new level of attention. More importantly, they have highlighted the plight of many people who have been stranded by damaged roads in the wake of the hurricane.
Jeers: To amphitheater traffic. For more than two decades, the concert venue adjacent to the Clark County Fairgrounds — now known as RV Inn Style Resorts Amphitheater — has created a driving nightmare for residents and concertgoers. Access and parking for the venue, which has a capacity of 18,000, is troublesome both before and after shows.
Backups are lengthy, arterials are blocked, and residents are prevented from reaching or leaving their homes. The frustration, as detailed in an article by Columbian reporter Scott Hewitt, is exacerbated by the fact that nobody seems to be in charge of the situation or available to answer questions. County councilors should explore ways to hold venue operator Live Nation accountable and clean up the mess.
Cheers: To Jeff Mori. Vancouver’s police chief is retiring after two years in the role and decades in law enforcement. “It’s a little surreal. This is what my life’s been for the last 31 years,” he said. “And, yeah, it’s a little melancholy, too. But I’m looking forward to the next chapter.”
Being a police chief is a difficult and often thankless job; you are in the spotlight whenever there is a controversy or public concern. But cheers are warranted for Mori and for all officers who work to protect our community.
Jeers: To the Clark County Treasurer’s Office. The office mistakenly mailed approximately 6,000 property tax bills to residents. People who automatically pay their taxes through escrow accounts typically do not receive invoices, and the mailing has created bewilderment.
“We apologize for any confusion this may have caused and are addressing customer concerns,” Treasurer Alishia Topper told The Columbian. Confused residents may call Topper’s office at 564-397-2252, call their mortgage company or visit the online Clark County Property Information Center. Those who pay through escrow but also paid a bill will receive a full refund.
Cheers: To Shari Conditt. The Woodland High School teacher has been honored as National Civics Teacher of the Year by the Bill of Rights Institute, which is based near Washington, D.C. Conditt focuses on teaching students to practice voting and engage with their community. “I believe the award is really a reflection of the team I work with and my colleagues who make what I do in the classroom possible,” Conditt told The (Longview) Daily News.
Woodland’s social studies department has a program called On Tuesday We Vote, which has students vote on something every Tuesday to build the habit of doing so. “You wouldn’t learn to swim by reading a book or watching a video,” Conditt said. “To swim, you need to get in the pool and practice.”
