Cheers: To library access. A recent article in The Columbian about a facility in Yacolt offers an opportunity to reiterate the benefits of libraries. Since 2012, the Fort Vancouver Regional Library District has operated an outlet in what used to be Yacolt’s town hall and jail. Previously, the nearest library was about 15 miles away in Battle Ground, but now the Yacolt library draws more than 30,000 visitors a year.
Ben Franklin, the founder of the modern library, is credited with saying, “An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” This can pay especially high dividends in outlying communities such as Yacolt. The town’s library offers books and DVDs along with, notably, the only free Wi-Fi connection in the area. Through that, the regional library system is providing a valuable service to the people of northeast Clark County.
Jeers: To silence from Olympia. The Legislature is nearing the end of its second 30-day overtime session of the year, and there has been little indication that budget negotiators are getting close to a deal. Then again, maybe they are. Negotiations are handled by a small group of legislators and remain largely secret until a deal is reached.
A third session might be called next week, and lawmakers must reach agreement before July 1 to avoid a partial shutdown of state government. Whether or not a deal is reached before then — one that fully funds public schools — the constant brinkmanship of special sessions has grown tiresome. Special sessions were required in 2013 and 2015, as well. Lawmakers should be more attentive to their duties and perform their jobs in a way that means special sessions are still special, and not routine.
Cheers: To sign rescuers. Two men who wish to remain anonymous have recovered The Beaches Float Thru sign along the banks of the Columbia River. The sign, a bit of a local landmark that wryly invited customers to float past and call in an order, stood for two decades upon pilings near Beaches restaurant. But it was pried loose recently by high water and floated away.
The men found the sign about 5 miles downstream from the restaurant. For their efforts, Beaches owner Mark Matthias said they will receive dinner for 20 people at either Beaches or the Matthias-owned WareHouse ’23. The sign will remain a tradition at Beaches, but from now on it will be posted inside the restaurant.
Jeers: To dangers at Hanford. The nuclear reservation, which rests along the Columbia River about 200 miles upstream from Vancouver and is regarded as the nation’s most contaminated waste site, is a disaster waiting to happen. Following two recent incidents that forced the evacuation of workers, the Department of Energy’s top official at the site said that accidental radiation leaks are likely because of aging infrastructure.
That is not reassuring, and it reflects the federal government’s dereliction of duty at Hanford. For decades, the government has abdicated its responsibility to clean up Hanford, resulting in a growing threat to the people of Washington and Oregon.
Cheers: To the Space Needle. The 518-foot-tall Seattle icon, Washington’s most recognizable structure, is undergoing a face-lift. A $100 million renovation, to be financed by the private owners, was announced this week and features plans to encase the observation deck in glass. Flooring in the restaurant near the top of the structure also will be replaced with glass, giving diners a view of the Seattle Center below, and an extra set of elevators will be added.
In its 55 years of existence, the Space Needle has become a beloved landmark for all of Washington, but some updates to the once-futuristic structure will be welcome.
