All Politics is Local
Woodland: They have a good gas station!
Every now and then, a public meeting turns into a spontaneous love-fest. This happens when elected officials heap gratuitous, sometimes awkward praise on a person, department or organization, seemingly trying to one-up each other and see who can say the nicest things. The Clark County councilors are not exempt from this phenomenon. During Tuesday’s meeting, […]
January 29, 2015 2:56 pm
Clark County’s legal bill for C-Tran dispute
Clark County’s ongoing dispute with C-Tran over the transit agency’s board composition has raised a lot of questions. Will the county make good on its threat to sue C-Tran? Will county councilors stage another sit-in at next month’s C-Tran board meeting? Will the kerfuffle actually change anything? Time will tell. Meanwhile, a public records request […]
January 27, 2015 12:54 pm
Jeanne Stewart rebuffs need-to-know suggestion
The role of Clark County councilors has been a popular subject of discussion since the county’s home-rule charter began to take effect this month. At Tuesday’s council meeting, a terse exchange put the question to the test with a real-life scenario. It ended with Councilor Jeanne Stewart stressing the council’s authority over the budget. John […]
January 23, 2015 6:46 pm
Let’s take this outside
Say you’re a diehard Patriots fan and I’m a rabid Seahawks fan, and we’re sitting in a bar in downtown Vancouver watching the Super Bowl. After a few beers, things get a little testy when we get to talking about “Deflategate,” the recent scandal of the 11 underinflated footballs used in the Patriots’ crucial smothering […]
January 23, 2015 5:24 pm
Sam Adams suggests “Portlandia” character disappear in Vancouver
Former Portland mayor Sam Adams is shipping off to Washington, D.C. for a new high profile climate job with the World Resources Institute. But here’s the real question about Adams’ future: What does this mean for his character on “Portlandia?” In case you aren’t familiar with Adams’ role on the IFC show, he plays the […]
January 16, 2015 7:08 pm
Communication breakdown at C-Tran
If this week’s C-Tran board meeting was a game of musical chairs, Clark County Councilor Tom Mielke was the first one eliminated. But just how did Mielke become the odd man out? That wasn’t entirely clear during Tuesday’s chaotic meeting. Last fall, you’ll remember, a 10-person committee voted to rearrange the membership on the C-Tran […]
January 16, 2015 3:11 pm
Keystone pipeline fliers not really from Tim Leavitt
For some, this news about Mayor Tim Leavitt will come as a disappointment, and others will be relieved. No, Leavitt didn’t sneak out in the middle of the night to drop off fliers about the Keystone oil pipeline and sport utility vehicles on your doorstep last weekend. Yes, you read that right. However you look […]
January 15, 2015 1:28 pm
Ed Barnes unleashed
Ed Barnes has never been one to hold back in public comments, particularly when he’s talking about one of his favorite subjects: transportation. This week’s Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council meeting saw Barnes in rare form, even for him. Barnes started by holding up photos that apparently depicted his own damaged car following a recent […]
January 8, 2015 3:48 pm
One last post before I go
Before my junior year at Fort Vancouver High School, I’d heard warnings from upperclassmen about Mary Beth Kelly, who taught honors English. She was strict, bordering on mean. She had very high standards. I have no idea why we referred to her by her full name outside class instead of Ms. Kelly or Mrs. Kelly, […]
January 8, 2015 1:00 pm
So, who exactly determined the charter was illegal?
In advance of Wednesday’s county council discussion about Chairman David Madore’s proposed plan to slowly take away the voice of the people, excuse me, implement the charter that voters approved, allow me to bring you up to speed. Chuck Green, a charter proponent who suggested a more detailed implementation plan to the councilors, filed a public […]
January 6, 2015 5:12 pm