Though a motion to post “In God We Trust” in the Clark County councilors’ public hearing room failed Tuesday, the councilors were quick to revive the issue during board time a day later.
The proposal to display the national motto in the council chambers could return to the floor for approval in the coming weeks. The councilors heard more than two hours of public comment on the issue Tuesday, with most speakers protesting the religious tone of the motto, saying it would be divisive and ostracize those who are not religious.
The motion failed after a motion made by Tom Mielke was not seconded by fellow councilors Jeanne Stewart or David Madore.
The following day, however, Madore said it “would be appropriate” to display “In God We Trust” on the wall behind the dais in the hearing room.
“We have a county motto, and that motto represents us as a local community,” Madore said. “This local community is not a silo. We don’t stand alone. We are a part of a nation, and this nation, America, has its motto. And we are a part of America, and it would be very appropriate to add our nation’s motto, also.”
Workers arrived early Monday morning to start their day at Christensen Shipyards, the Vancouver-based builder of custom yachts, only to find the gates locked.
The manufacturing plant was closed, although it appeared that workers were remaining at a nearby site where a Christensen yacht, “Missing Link,” sat in the Columbia River nearby.
It’s not the first time the builder of custom yachts has closed down production as it has struggled financially in recent months. Late last year, the company temporarily closed down for a week. Subsequently, operations started up again, but new information added to concerns about Christensen’s financial health.
In the past couple months, several businesses have made initial filings under the Uniform Commercial Code naming Christensen as a debtor and spelling out collateral, public documents show. Meanwhile, the company has informed employees that certain voluntary benefits, including vision insurance, will be terminated or scaled back, according to a company letter dated Feb. 3 that was obtained by The Columbian.
Learn more about what is happening at the shipbuilder’s.
Ten students at McLoughlin Middle School in Vancouver got sick Wednesday morning after eating a spicy Mexican candy at school.
The call was coded by dispatchers as an “intentional overdose” around 10:30 a.m.
A school nurse was not in the building when a student began vomiting, so school staff called 911, according to Pat Nuzzo, spokeswoman for Vancouver Public Schools. In total, seven boys and three girls between the ages of 11 and 13 got sick.
Rescue personnel rushed to the school, 5802 MacArthur Blvd., and had several ambulances standing by. Paramedics evaluated and monitored the students before they were picked up by their parents, Nuzzo said. Two children were transported by ambulance because their parents were unavailable.
Vancouver police were initially called to the scene but quickly learned that there were no narcotics or prescription drugs involved, according to emergency radio traffic.
Shane Gardner, who lost a November bid for Clark County sheriff, has been hired as the new school safety and security manager at Evergreen Public Schools.
The school board approved the hiring of Gardner, currently the community outreach sergeant for the Clark County Sheriff’s Office, at a meeting Tuesday.
The salary range for Gardner’s new position is $75,000 to $85,000 annually. His current pay rate at the Sheriff’s Office is $39.49 per hour, which is about $82,000 annually.
He will start in early March. Scott Deutsch, the district’s risk manager, will retain oversight of district risk, safety and security, but will focus on the risk side. Gardner will handle daily work of safety and security, said Gail Spolar, district spokeswoman.
Local “American Idol” contestant Daniel Seavey has advanced through this week’s shows, as the contestants were whittled to 48. On Thursday, the Vancouver 15-year-old sang “I See Fire” by Ed Sheeran.
Local Little League administrator Mike Ray said he “feels sick” for the kids who played on the Little League team from Chicago that on Wednesday was stripped of its Little League World Series United States championship.
“This is not what this (Little League) is about. It’s not about wins, it’s about life experience for kids,” Ray said. “Unfortunately, for the kids on that team, this is a negative life experience that is going to stick with them. … They’re always going to be associated with this, even though it was the adults who cheated.”
Only last summer, the all-black Jackie Robinson West team was the toast of Chicago and was honored with trips to San Francisco and to the White House.
But the sport’s governing body announced that team officials had engaged in a Little League version of political gerrymandering. Instead of politicians redrawing district maps to pick up votes, it was local league officials who changed the boundaries that determined where players must live. And after learning that their scheme had been exposed, they scrambled to convince surrounding leagues to go along with what they had done.
See what else local teams have to say about scandal.
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