Cheers: To body cameras. After much discussion and two public votes on funding, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office is starting to use body cameras and dashboard cameras. Three deputies, one sergeant and two vehicles have been equipped with devices for a 30-day testing period. “It’s very rare you find somebody who doesn’t want to have a police officer with the bodycam, whether it’s the police, or citizens or a community group, or the county government,” Sheriff John Horch said. “I think we all see the benefit of having it.”
Body cameras cannot answer all the questions about police actions when a controversy arises, but they can be helpful. They not only help protect the public, but they can help protect deputies from false accusations of misconduct. When fully implemented, the camera program will be an important addition to public safety in Clark County.
Jeers: To unaffordable housing. A recent report illuminates the difficulty of securing housing in our community. According to Washington’s Low Income Housing Coalition, Clark County residents must earn more than $33 per hour or work two minimum-wage jobs to afford a two-bedroom apartment.
The median rental rate here is $1,735 per month for a two-bedroom unit, and longtime homeowners can compare that with their monthly mortgage to gauge how much housing prices have increased in recent years. In order to avoid spending more than 30 percent of income on housing, a renter would need a salary of $60,480 for a one-bedroom apartment. The data highlight the need for additional housing and help explain increased homelessness in our community.
Cheers: To being bird-friendly. A recent Columbian article detailed local efforts to make urban areas more friendly to birds. The issue: The National Audubon Society estimates that roughly 1 billion birds die annually by colliding with urban structures, and a growing Vancouver means there are more structures that present hazards.
Conservationists have developed design recommendations and habitat recommendations to help birds thrive — or simply survive. As one local birder said: “We all need a healthy world to survive and prosper. If a change benefits our native bird populations, it is beneficial for us.”
Jeers: To a slithery surprise. Upon opening a box of donations, a Goodwill store worker in Hermiston, Ore., recently found a red and black snake measuring several feet long. After a call to wildlife officials and a little investigating, it was determined the creature is a Honduran milk snake, a fairly docile breed.
The Tri-City Herald reports: “It’s not clear whether it was an intentional donation by someone who wanted to be rid of the snake or the snake just hitched a ride in the box.” Either way, the discovery was likely quite a surprise for the unsuspecting worker.
Cheers: To a green economy. Construction has started in Moses Lake on what is expected to be the world’s largest factory for producing advanced silicon battery materials for electric vehicles. It is the second of two plants in the Moses Lake area, and Gov. Jay Inslee has said they will “revolutionize the electric vehicle.”
From wind power to solar power to electric vehicles, Washington has been a leader in embracing the opportunities provided by a changing economy. On one hand, green initiatives are crucial to reducing carbon emissions and mitigating climate change. On the other hand, they provide jobs and prepare our state for the economy of the future.
