Cheers: To Jaime Herrera Beutler. The Republican congresswoman from Camas announced this week, ahead of a scheduled vote, that she would not support her party’s proposed replacement for the Affordable Care Act. “We can do better than the current House replacement plan, and I cannot support it in its current form,” Herrera Beutler said in a statement. As it turned out, Herrera Beutler was one of many Republican representatives who revolted against the proposal, leading to a postponement of the vote and an eventual scrapping of the plan.
Herrera Beutler specifically expressed concern over the GOP plan’s lack of coverage for children; more than 58,000 children in Clark County are covered by the state’s Medicaid system. Republican leaders apparently will be headed back to the drawing board if they still wish to repeal Obamacare. Whichever direction the issue goes, Herrera Beutler must remain a strong voice for her constituents.
Jeers: To Alexis Cardenas, a 26-year-old Black Diamond resident. Cardenas pleaded guilty this week in Lewis County Superior Court to multiple charges relating to burglaries at five fast-food restaurants along the Interstate 5 corridor near Tacoma. Among the targets for Cardenas and his gang were a McDonald’s, a Taco Bell, an Arby’s, and a Wendy’s — making them veritable Hamburglars.
Cardenas faces more than 12 years in prison, which is no laughing matter unless news comes out that he was arrested by Officer Big Mac and sent to prison by Mayor McCheese. We know, we know — lame joke. You can Grimace at that one.
Cheers: To Evergreen Public Schools. Officials are undertaking radon testing at school buildings throughout the district. Thus far, elevated levels of the cancer-causing gas have been found in a gym at Sifton Elementary School and a classroom at Marrion Elementary, and efforts are underway to bring the levels down to acceptable levels.
Radon is a naturally occurring gas that is regarded as the second-leading cause of lung cancer. And while testing is not required by state or federal law, local districts are wise to conduct the examinations. In addition to Evergreen, other districts in Clark County have checked for the gas in recent years, taking a simple step to protect students from the colorless, odorless element.
Jeers: To landslides. A slide at the northeast end of Lake Merwin at the northern edge of Clark County will close a stretch of state Highway 503 for several months. The landslide blocked a stretch of the road, and the hill remains so unstable that inspectors have been unable to get a good look at it.
Landslides are part of nature, but they present a growing threat with the inordinate amount of precipitation that saturated the region this past winter. State officials are using lidar technology to better understand the geology and better predict where there is a threat of slides. Hopefully, experts can identify problem areas before the state endures another tragedy like the one that killed 43 people in Oso in 2014.
Cheers: To the Vancouver Farmers Market, which launched its 28th season last weekend. The market will be open next to Esther Short Park from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sundays each weekend from now through October.
In the process, it will offer hot culinary delights, fresh produce from local growers, and arts and crafts while drawing thousands of visitors each weekend. Equally important, the market provides a taste of the vibrancy and culture that inhabits Clark County. One of the benefits of farmers markets is that they offer a unique slice of the local area, something at which Vancouver’s market particularly excels.
