Opinion
Milbank: Secret Service director in need of serious reality check
The Secret Circus may soon be looking for a new ringmaster. The prostitution scandal involving a dozen Secret Service agents in Cartagena, Colombia, is spreading into a broader burlesque for the agency, furthered by a Washington Post report that tolerance of a frat-house culture has induced some employees to come up with the "Secret Circus" name.
In our view: Cheers & Jeers
Art galleries survive the recession; I-5 bridge repairs drag on and on
Cheers: To downtown art galleries that have found a way to slog through the Great Recession. If the economy and homebuilding and buying slump have been hard on businesses that sell the necessities of life, imagine the impact on art galleries and artists. But Vancouver galleries have persevered, most by diversifying into side businesses. Angst Gallery offers a tea bar, and a wine bar next door. Aurora Gallery offers custom framing. And Northbank Artist Community rents studio space to artists. The result keeps downtown diversified and vital, and keeps local art where an appreciative public can see it.Jeers: To this spring's seemingly never-ending repairs to the Interstate 5 Bridge. A problem developed on the southbound span with the rollers that move the huge concrete counterweight up and down. Since April that has led the Oregon Department of Transportation to a series of nighttime closures, which are likely to persist into next week and perhaps longer. So far the closures have been limited to overnight hours, but there have also been longer-than-usual bridge lifts during the daytime, further inconveniencing motorists. It's all the more proof that the nearly 100-year-old span has reached the end of its useful life and is ripe for replacement.
Letter: Salmon 'recovery' isn't working
As a faithful reader of Don Brunell's column in The Columbian's Business section, I was surprised that he used 1,070 sockeye and 27,000 fall chinook as an indicator of recovery in his May 8 column, "Removing 4 lower Snake River dams just a bad idea." Brunell writes from an economic-business perspective, as he should. However, The Columbian needs broader perspective.
Letter: Too early to ask for more
We are far from being out of the economic mess that materialized several years ago. We are still engaged in costly wars; people are still out of work and fighting to keep their homes; and local citizens still dream of a city that can patch their roads and manage city business at the same time.
Letter: Schools need dress codes
I read the May 8 letters to the editor, "Improper dress interrupts focus" by Evelina Khriptiyevskiy and the one right after hers by Kayla Aguirre entitled, "Teenage outfits are free expression."
Letter: Coal-export project means jobs
With the unemployment rate in Cowlitz County very high, I am proud to be a part of a company committed to hiring and sourcing locally.
Letter: Suggestions for health care reform
For a professor of economics and former vice chairman of the Federal Reserve, Alan Blinder certainly isn't too … well, creative. He recently suggested that "health care just keeps getting more expensive relative to almost everything else."
Letter: Protest paramount to basic rights
Letters printed in The Columbian appear to be reactionary -- people ready to ride out to "fix" what they see as outrageous behavior by the Occupy movements and others who are working for economic and social justice.
In Our View: Peek-a-Boo to the Water
Progress picks up in Vancouver's march back to the Columbia River
Not to worry, southwestern downtown Vancouver has not experienced seismic upheaval recently. Those rumblings represent demolition work being done as the city's exciting waterfront project gains momentum.One of this week's developments might seem insignificant on first review, but it's actually a major milestone. Construction crews punched through the BNSF Railway berm near City Hall and, for the first time in 104 years, there's an unobstructed street-level view from downtown to the waterfront. It's more than just a visual reminder of how things used to be in old Vancouver. The view also heralds the city's march toward what officials believe will be a huge economic development triumph.
Robinson: Let's grant Romney's wish to debate economic policy
Republicans say they're eager for the presidential campaign to turn away from "distractions" and focus instead on the economy. Someone should warn them that if they're not careful, they might get their wish.
Letter: Kids shine
The Ridgefield Track Invitational was held May 17 at Ridgefield High School for the top middle-school track athletes. Canyon Creek, Henkle, Hockinson, Jemtegaard, Kalama, La Center, View Ridge, Wind River, Woodland and Castle Rock schools attended.
Letter: Water quality threatened
InStream Conservation News reports several problems with mining activities at the Yacolt Mountain Quarry. Those activities are affecting the ground water that feeds into the East Fork of the Lewis River and directly impact the water quality and quantity in the river.
Letter: Commit to keeping dog parks clean
In response to recent letters regarding dog parks, Dog Owners Group for Park Access in Washington is a nonprofit entity relying on donations and paid memberships to survive.
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