My greenhouse is covered with a thin plastic film. A few molecules of plastic are all it takes to make it 30 Fahrenheit degrees warmer inside than out. When coal, gasoline, and natural gas are burned, they produce carbon dioxide which traps heat just like the plastic film of my greenhouse.
"There is no positive thing that could happen from taking a position [on the Columbia River Crossing]."
When people who want more government regulations argue in favor of a new mandate on employers, they usually say, "Well, one more rule won't break the bank." However, seemingly harmless regulations have a cumulative effect that eventually cripple employers and prevent entrepreneurs from creating the jobs needed to fix our weak economy.
This past week, the first signs popped up indicating that election season isn’t too far away. Port of Camas-Washougal Commissioner Bill Macrae-Smith, wanting to get an early start, announced that he will be running for re-election. Although many of us are still making the transition to a new year and getting used to the handful of new elected officials who just took office in January, the truth is, the filing period is right around the corner. Filing week begins May 14, and the Primary Election is on Aug. 6. Now is the time for those who may have casually thought about running for local public office to seriously consider doing so, and there will be many seats to choose from this year.
Imagine a child with a life-threatening food allergy. Now imagine that child having a severe reaction while at school. If that student is fortunate enough to have an epinephrine autoinjector on school grounds, he or she may receive a dose to help reverse the reaction and potentially save a life. But what about students with a food allergy who don't have their injector with them? What about students who haven't been diagnosed with an allergy, but experience their first life-threatening reaction while at school?
During Women's History Month in March, we're often encouraged to remember the people who have left their imprints on the world on a national scale. The names that often come to mind are that of Rosa Parks, Marie Curie, Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, Eleanor Roosevelt, Geraldine Ferraro, Gloria Steinem, Harriet Beecher Stowe, Harriet Tubman, Maya Angelou, Amelia Earhart, Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. And the list goes on and on.
Coal trains are not wanted Recently in Hood River, the coal interests with the help of a public relations firm held multiple sessions at a local hotel. There were 10-12 participants per session for what appeared to be an attempt by them to understand why we don't want 1.5 mile long coal trains going through the country's only national scenic area.
I would like to share a special memory of Bob Tidland. This scene can help illustrate his character and community-mindedness. As Camas' retiring first city administrator, I have had many, many fine days in the past 24 years; the scene I am remembering is among the finest hours.
In November 1982, our state's unemployment rate peaked at 12.2 percent, the highest since the Great Depression. Interest on a fixed rate home loan was 13.4 percent, and an 11.5 inflation rate burned through our checkbooks. The economy was a mess.
There is no greater resource and asset in our community than our children. As parents, they are our everything. They add a new sense of purpose and meaning to our lives. And as a community, children are the future. The quality of their lives today have a very good chance of impacting how Camas and Washougal will look into the future and beyond.
