Cheers: As flowers and music and — hopefully — sunshine fill the air today for the Grand Floral Parade in Portland, we once again will be reminded of the wonderful band programs available to students throughout Clark County. Among the participants in the parade, which draws hundreds of thousands of spectators and is the centerpiece of Portland’s Rose Festival, are marching bands from Columbia River, Union, Hockinson, Battle Ground, and Heritage high schools.
Meanwhile, the absence of band programs in Portland Public Schools will be painfully evident. Several bands from suburban Portland high schools will be marching, but schools in the city have no bands to offer up. As Friedrich Nietzsche said: “Without music, life would be a mistake.”
Jeers: Washington has been hit by a measles outbreak this year, reinforcing the importance of vaccinations. A total of 15 cases of the dangerous disease have been reported in the state since January; officials say that 10 of the victims had opted to not take the vaccine, while four others have immunization histories that are unknown.
Nationally, there has been a groundswell in recent years of people opting out of measles vaccines because of a mistaken belief that they increase the risk of autism. The British “study” that triggered that groundswell has long since been discredited; Andrew Wakefield, the doctor who conducted it, had been paid by trial lawyers hoping to cash in by blaming vaccines for their clients’ autism, and he had applied for a patent on his own measles vaccine. So, here’s the skinny on measles vaccines: Get your children vaccinated. It will protect them, and it will protect others who are unable to be vaccinated and could be put at risk by your foolish decision.
Cheers: The Parks Foundation of Clark County recently handed out $192,157 in grants to enhance various recreation and fitness opportunities in the area. A few examples: A new swing set at Abrams Park in Ridgefield; a free summer playground program in Battle Ground; and the final phase of a skate park at Yacolt Town Park.
The Parks Foundation raises money from corporate sponsors supporting a specific project, and also bundles contributions from individual donors to fund other proposals. The projects are varied in scope and purpose, but they have some commonalities: They are good for the health of the participants, and they enhance the quality of life in Clark County.
Jeers: The Al Angelo Co. has every right to dictate landscaping rules at its apartment complexes, but just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. Management has told residents at Brandt Norwest and Brandt Terrace apartments in central Vancouver that they no longer will be allowed to tend plants or flowers on the grounds around their homes. “A piece of my joy is gone,” said longtime resident Mary Widerburg.
A company official told Columbian reporter Eric Florip that the decree was handed down for a variety of reasons, such as some residents digging out existing landscaping to expand their gardens. Advice for Angelo officials: If you have a problem with a resident, deal with them individually rather than handing down draconian rules that impact everybody.
Cheers: In one sense, summer officially is here. The high school sports year has come to an end, culminating last weekend with state championship competition in all spring sports. For some athletes, the payoff was a league championship or even a state title; for most, it was not. But the efforts and the friendships made through competition will provide lifelong memories and benefits.
