Cheers: To the Clark Conservation District. Thanks in part to the Washington State Conservation Commission, the local district remains in business — as it has since 1942. The district’s financial future was thrown into question months ago when the Clark County Council declined to add a $5 fee for most property owners to keep it afloat, but help from the state commission and a slight boost in funding from the Legislature have kept the lights on.
For decades, the Clark Conservation District has provided free technical assistance to local landowners, helping them with the protection and conservation of natural resources. Want to improve wetlands on your property or irrigate a garden? The district can help you get started and connect you with the appropriate agencies. The Clark Conservation District provides an important service that enhances our stewardship of the land. We hope it remains stable for years to come.
Jeers: To closing training centers. The Trump administration has announced that it is closing nine job training centers operated by the U.S. Forest Service, including one near Yakima and one in Oregon. Nationally, the administration also will privatize at least 16 Civilian Conservation Centers.
The centers long have provided education for youth in vocational skills and forest work. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., said: “They are just important and valuable facilities that we don’t want to lose. Here we’re talking about taking away people from fighting fires and taking away from these programs that are very helpful for students on an alternative track.”
Cheers: To farmers markets. The Salmon Creek Farmers’ Market is preparing to open for its 10th year on June 11 at Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center. The outlet operates from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays through the market season.
While the Vancouver Farmers Market at Esther Short Park is the largest and most visible, Clark County has many places to obtain local produce throughout the summer. The Camas Farmers Market opens June 5 and operates on Wednesdays; the Ridgefield Farmers Market is open on Saturdays; and the East Vancouver Market is open on Thursdays beginning in July. In addition to offering fresh produce, the markets enhance our sense of community.
Jeers: To wrong turns. Some road race competitors went wayward last week at the Coeur d’Alene Marathon in Idaho. The competition included a marathon, half-marathon, 10-kilometer race and 5-kilometer race, and when some barriers got shifted, runners in the shorter races were sent off course.
“As race director, when you hear that the race is starting to go sideways, it’s one of your worst nightmares,” Ryan Hite told The (Spokane) Spokesman-Review. Runners in the 10K and 5K are being compensated with VIP passes and discounts to next year’s event, but results of this year’s races were nullified. We trust that no competitors are still out there looking for the finish line.
Cheers: To help for Vancouver Lake. The Port of Vancouver has approved $50,000 to help fight a milfoil infestation at the 2,300-acre lake. And the Ed and Dollie Lynch Fund has committed $25,000 in matching donations to help combat the invasive plant.
Friends of Vancouver Lake, a private organization formed to generate a response to the infestation, has been sounding the alarm; milfoil can render the lake unusable in just a couple years. The latest donations should provide enough money to treat the lake this year, but funding for maintenance in coming years should come from local governments.
