Cheers: To a new bachelor’s degree program at Clark College. The Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management program will combine technical, academic and professional management courses. The 90-credit program will normally take two years to complete. The goal is to equip graduates with the skills to advance into management positions or perhaps start and run their own small companies.
The ideal students will already have technical skills in an occupation such as auto repair or the trades. What this program will do is provide these skilled workers with a background in how to manage people, money and business communications, including social media. To apply or receive more information, email pserrano@clark.edu or visit www.clark.edu/cc/basam.
Jeers: To persistent problems at Veterans Affairs medical clinics in Vancouver and Portland. When U.S. Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, R-Camas, visited the Clark County Veterans Assistance Center this week to find out how medical appointment wait times had improved, the answer was blunt: not much. Even worse, advocates for the veterans say that the sickest vets have the most trouble getting appointments. Once they do, the appointment too often is at an inconvenient time or distant location.
Lack of staff is part of the VA’s problem. Herrera Beutler said she was told that the local VA operation was given enough money to hire 470 new health care workers. But at the same time, 459 quit, leaving a net gain of 11 employees. That’s shameful. Our veterans deserve much, much better.
Cheers: To getting together with neighbors, and the neighborhood cop. For 33 years, National Night Out has done just that — bringing communities together over picnics, potlucks and ice cream. This year’s National Night Out event is Tuesday, and activities are planned in neighborhoods throughout Clark County. (A Wednesday story by Columbian reporter Andy Matarrese contained a list.)
“National Night Out is a great way for folks to get to know their neighbors and a great opportunity for law enforcement to get to know the community,” said Judi Bailey, Vancouver’s neighborhoods coordinator. When the gulf between police and the people they protect is so prominently in the national news, it makes sense to try to build local bridges.
Jeers: To an increase in vandalism at local parks. This perpetual problem seems to be worse this summer in Vancouver. Julie Hannon, the city parks director, says her crews spend the 30 percent of their time, including the bulk of their Mondays, cleaning up vandalism, graffiti and litter. That results in deferred maintenance of landscaping and infrastructure. That’s a shame in a community that loves and uses its parks as much as Vancouver.
Cheers: To paving that’s better for the environment. The modern necessity of asphalt streets and concrete sidewalks comes with rivers of stormwater runoff and potential groundwater pollution. There are newish solutions to the problem, including pavers and pervious concrete. Four different demonstration areas are included in a new 54-space parking lot under construction at the 78th Street Heritage Farm in Hazel Dell. Traffic engineers and anyone with curiosity will be able to see how suitable each of the materials is for our rainy Pacific Northwest climate.
Jeers: To people who destroy political campaign signs. This is a perpetual problem, and strikes all candidates’ signs, not just those touting Republicans or Democrats. We hate how the signs clutter the roadsides, too, but leave ’em alone until the election is over. A bonus jeer to any candidate or campaign worker who posts campaign signs in places they are not allowed.
