Cheers: To future development. The city of Vancouver has taken the next step toward a large, ambitious development in the Heights District. Officials last week approved four developers for the project, which is expected to bring housing, offices and retail space to the former site of Tower Mall. The area, bordered by Mill Plain Boulevard and Devine Road, has been a long-neglected piece of developable land in central Vancouver.
The latest approval allows the city to negotiate with developers on plans for a 5-acre parcel in the 205-acre site. That demonstrates the scope of the project; it also demonstrates why full development is expected to take 20 years. Authorities should work to mitigate the impact on surrounding neighborhoods, but it is easy to envision the benefits of a vibrant development in the area.
Jeers: To whooping cough. Clark County Public Health officials have noted an outbreak of whooping cough — also known as pertussis — and warn that it could expand with the start of the school year. The agency has received reports of 229 cases this year — more than the past five years combined.
“Not only will children who get sick miss time at school, but they can also bring the illness home to their younger siblings,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, Clark County health officer and Public Health director. Vaccinations are the easiest way to avoid the debilitating cough that accompanies the illness and can lead to hospitalization. Melnick notes: “Young children who aren’t yet old enough to complete their whooping cough vaccinations are less protected against illness.”
Cheers: To recovery. Hands Across the Bridge is scheduled for today, with the event providing a powerful annual reminder of the human capacity for change. The message: Recovery from addiction is achievable.
Hands Across the Bridge kicks off with a gathering at 10 a.m. at Esther Short Park, with speakers extolling the virtues of recovery and giving credit to those who help others with their daily struggles. Participants then move to the Interstate 5 Bridge, where they link hands in a symbolic representation of strength in numbers. “We get so emotional about the impact that we get to have,” organizer Tabby Stokes told The Columbian. “Now, more than ever, we can really say that recovery is for everyone. We see it every year.”
Jeers: To scammers. Clark County Fire District 6 officials are warning against a bold new scam. People apparently are going door-to-door, impersonating fire officials and offering to “test” home fire extinguishers for a $25 fee. Fire officials say: “We do not hire private companies for this service. A further tip off that something is fishy? Their contact information is in Pakistan.”
Scammers in the digital age typically work by phone or online. The door-to-door scheme that allows targets to see and speak with the scammers involves an unusual level of chutzpah, but it remains a scam nonetheless.
Cheers: To a watery journey. After seven years, Washougal’s Michael Curtis has completed a unique journey — traversing the Columbia River entirely on a paddleboard. “It’s definitely been a rollercoaster,” Curtis told the Camas-Washougal Post-Record. “But it’s also been very physically and mentally rewarding. It allows me to pull away from the daily grind for a week or so and reset and recalibrate.”
Curtis used the adventure to raise money for Northwest Battle Buddies, a local nonprofit that provides trained service dogs to military veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. He raised approximately $56,000 in donations.
