Cheers: To Bob Knight. The Clark College president picked up a well-earned honor this week when he was acknowledged as Clark County’s First Citizen for 2016. Knight has been the college’s president since 2006, and prior to that he was commander of Vancouver Barracks from 1997 to 2000. His contributions to the community over the years, however, go well beyond the fancy titles and include work with the Rotary Club of Vancouver, the American Red Cross, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southwest Washington, and several other organizations.
The First Citizen selection committee is made up of former honorees and a panel of community members. And while the honor annually singles out one person for recognition, it also serves as a reminder of the many people and many organizations who work for the betterment of our community.
Jeers: To Mother Nature. Weather will be weather, whether we like it or not. And while we don’t mind a little rain here in the Northwest, last month was a bit much. The National Weather Service measured 8.22 inches of rainfall at Pearson Field in the wettest October on record, more than twice the month’s average rainfall over the past several decades. Out of October’s 31 days, 29 included measurable rainfall, which surpassed the previous high of 25 days.
The people of the Northwest are not ones to complain about a little wetness; heck, we take it as a badge of honor that we rarely use umbrellas. So we will look on the sunny side — so to speak — and be thankful for the benefits the rain provides to the ecosystem, even if it leaves us a bit soggy.
Cheers: To Seton Catholic College Preparatory High School. The school has unveiled a new building this fall in Vancouver’s Barberton area, after spending its first seven years in a cramped office park in the Fircrest neighborhood.
The new 44,000-square-foot building — more than three times the size of the previous facility — better accommodates the school’s 173 students and leaves plenty of room for growth and future expansion. Seton is the only Catholic school in Washington south of Olympia and provides a valuable service for the community. The new building will better serve students for generations to come.
Jeers: To the closing of Value Village. The thrift store in Vancouver’s Ogden neighborhood is closing its doors Nov. 12 as property owner Dick Hannah Dealership makes room to expand its car-selling operations. Value Village operators say they have been unable to secure a new location in the city.
This is not a jeer for Dick Hannah Dealerships; the company wants to expand and has every right to do so. But it is disappointing that Value Village — which has been at the same location for 20 years, provides an outlet for residents to donate items, and supports nonprofit organizations in the area — will be forced to close. It also is disappointing that employees will find themselves without jobs heading into the holiday season. Here’s hoping that something changes and Value Village is able to secure an adequate site.
Cheers: To reuniting pets with owners. Falke, a Bengal cat, was stolen from in front of his Portland home a few weeks ago by somebody who hopped out of a truck and nabbed him. Pictures of the truck circulated on social media, and a tip from the public led police to a home in Brush Prairie.
To make a long story short, the cat was tracked down and eventually reunited with his owner. “The Portland Police Bureau does not really have a full-time pet detective, but we do investigate reports of animal theft from time to time,” read a press release.
