More suggestions for moniker
As a former Pacific Northwest resident, I still feel the pull of the pines, mountains, ocean and river and so I read The Columbian fairly often.
I remember hearing the term “The Couv” when I lived out there and the first time I heard it I thought it was slang for some sort of 1960s babe magnet muscle car or some happening club. It’s a catchy enough name, to be certain, but I’m not sure it conveys enough of your city’s quality and future promise.
As the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark expedition remains a point of tremendous pride in the region, and since the Corps of Discovery did travel along the Columbia where your city now stands, why not reach again into some of that history? So maybe Clark, Washington, in Clark County, is boring and redundant. OK. What about Meriwether? Or Lewis? Not so sure about William (people might think it would be in honor of Prince William).
Just some ideas.
Mary Stanik
Minneapolis, Minn.
Challenge casino for traffic impact
I hope Clark County commissioners are successful in challenging the government’s decision to allow the building of the Cowlitz Tribe casino north of Vancouver. On a recent trip returning from Lincoln City there was almost no traffic heading toward the coast until we reached the Grand Ronde casino southwest of Portland. Suddenly there was a lot of traffic heading for the casino. With Interstate 5 already crowded much of the time, by adding a casino so close to the largest population center between Seattle and Sacramento, we can expect to spend a lot more time in stop-and-go traffic.
John Willems
Vancouver
Explain education’s 30% failure
The Columbian Feb. 3 story “Face-off over education: Dorn argues against Gregoire plan to take his post off ballot” reported that Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn is apparently satisfied doing “a great job for 70 percent of the students” evidences that he is woefully short and not the person for this position.
I would like to see his explanation of how a 30 percent failure rate is acceptable.
George Young
Vancouver
Process must remain in voters’ hands
The position of state superintendent of public instruction should remain an elected position. To a degree, this current structure allows for educational matters to be handled at a local level through the voting process. In this manner, the people get to speak with their vote. In contrast, the proposals put forth by Gov. Chris Gregoire and state Sen. Rodney Tom, D-Medina, will take away that input, particularly that of parents, and shift it to Olympia.
Olympia does not need any more authority in the area of education.
Diana Frome
Vancouver
Engaging our youth is one solution
It was refreshing to read the Jan. 31 letter, “Education is key to reducing poverty,” by high school student Andrea Hopkins. Her letter reminds us that “if everyone had a chance to get a truly good education, there would not be as many homeless people.” Her perspective may be an idealistic one in our current society.
What does make me hopeful is that she has taken the time to study the issue, and write a very good letter on this topic. If we can engage young people in learning about the issues and beginning to help during their high school years, we have begun to come up with one of the solutions to the problem: Young persons engaged in their community and its community issues.
Greg Flakus
Vancouver
Will is schooled in bias
George Will’s Jan. 30 column “Improving schools would pay for U.S.,” as usual, leaves off how we got there. The federal policies he denigrates came about from the No Child Left Behind act of the Bush administration — a federal takeover of schools. Those are the same Republicans who now rail against federal takeover of health care, whose mantra “Government’s the problem” rings continually. He left that out.
Will only bashes Democrats or liberals directly. Given a president (Bush) who joked of his poor grades then denigrated the office of the presidency by stating “To the C students, I say, ‘You, too, can be president of the United States’” — with leadership like this what does Will expect from students?
As Will points out, correctly, variety (50 state school systems) produces more excellence. He is unwilling to bash Republicans equally as he does Democrats — in that he is always biased.
Bill Kelley
Yacolt
Leaders burdened by narrow agendas
One interesting thing about President Obama’s State of the Union speech was the body language of various members of the audience. A cloak of scorned civility seemed to permeate the room. Very few of our elected representatives appeared ready to make the decisions that would benefit the majority of Americans.
The Republican agenda is clear: Defeat this president, regardless of the time wasted or the anger created. The Democrats have ideas, but questionable resolve. Could this be the endgame for the next two years?
What if America decided to actually “work,” grow “lean” and become “fit”? Would we be able to sustain the energy and optimism needed to “remodel” this wonderful country? Or, once again, fall prey to the false security of 12,000 “whatevers” from Wall Street.
There is no doubt in my mind that we, as a people, are up to the task. But, who will be the first to begin, when the vision of our leaders for the future, seems so narrow?
Randy Cate
Vancouver
Consider home health care career
There is no free home care and that is good. Medicaid home care helps disabled persons stay out of nursing homes.
Home care is much less expensive than the nursing home.
Casual home care often starts out as compassionate help to a family member, friend or neighbor. Things can change, and it becomes a bad deal for the caregiver or patient. Often the person isn’t getting adequate care, but hesitates to complain. The volunteer care person may want out, but doesn’t want to hurt their friend’s feelings.
Elder-care agencies are looking for people of good character, honesty, and good work habits. You will have to be OK with working with the human body. Social workers and nurses monitor the workplace to see that neither the patient nor care person is being abused. It is good employment for semi-retired seniors. Startup training is provided. All I ask is that my caregiver is smart and in better physical condition than I.
Jerry Daniel
Vancouver
