Cheers: To an increasingly diverse food scene. The next addition to the area’s culinary roster will be Vancouver Station, with room for 40 food carts and an enclosed dining building. Work has started on the pod along 164th Avenue near Big Al’s entertainment center, approximately 3 miles from the popular Oak Tree Station, which has 20 pods.
In Portland, a vast network of food carts has contributed to the city’s culture and dining options, but pods have been slow to take root in Clark County. As one expert told The Columbian last year: “For all parties involved, food truck pods are more difficult than they seem on the surface. It’s more than having a big slab of concrete.” But the work can pay off for entrepreneurs while benefiting the community.
Jeers: To REAL ID. Multiple news reports in recent days have reminded Washington residents of a May 7 deadline for REAL ID. The quick explanation: An enhanced driver’s license or passport will be required to board a commercial flight or enter a federal building after that date. A standard driver’s license will not be adequate.
The REAL ID law was passed by Congress in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Since then, implementation has been delayed multiple times — extending the deadline more than 20 years. The situation indicates that the law is not necessary for adequate security and should be rescinded by Congress.
Cheers: To coming home. Spokane native Anne McClain led an expedition last week to bring home two astronauts who had been stranded at the International Space Station. Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore became stuck in space nine months ago when problems arose with their expected ride home.
McClain, a graduate of Gonzaga Prep and a colonel in the U.S. Army, led a team aboard a Space X capsule to the ISS, providing a life raft of sorts for the astronauts who originally were expected to be at the station for eight days. The return capsule landed in the Gulf of Mexico, concluding the strange odyssey.
Sad: The death of Ralph Munro. As Washington’s secretary of state from 1981 to 2001, he helped improve our election system and consistently acted with dignity and diplomacy. Munro died recently at the age of 81. As current Secretary of State Steve Hobbs said: “Ralph spent his life showing how we can care about the people around us and the world in which we live, trying to make Washington a better place for future generations.”
During the days of polling places rather than mail-in ballots, Munro advocated for increased access for disabled voters. In arguing against the caucus system rather than primaries during the presidential nominating process, he pointed out, “More people go to the boat show than to caucus meetings.” Throughout, Munro was a dedicated public servant who set a standard that has been diligently followed by his successors.
Cheers: To Tri-Mountain Golf Course. Clark County officials have approved a plan to keep the course operating through 2026. The move comes after the Cowlitz Indian Tribe pulled out of a tentative agreement to purchase the course.
The future of the recreation outlet, however, remains in doubt. The county can terminate the new operating agreement with 90 days’ notice, and increasing costs have officials considering their options. For example, the facility has $3 million in deferred maintenance. But for now, Tri-Mountain will remain available for local golfers.
