Tuesday Trash Talk: Esther Short Follow-Up, C-Tran's Snazzy New E-Card (and Bottle Throwing Bus Drivers Being Disciplined), AND...WHY NO SIDEWALK ON NE 68th STREET TO THE HIV+ PEOPLES' FOOD BANK?????

Happy Tuesday, folks, and welcome to this afternoon's edition of O Vancouvria!

Today, I'd like to first discuss follow up on the ongoing Esther Short nonsense (including people defecating and exposing themselves in said park during Labor Day weekend's Kumori-con costume play festival). It's clear from Brian Potter, Public Works Manager for the City of Vancouver, that Esther Short will receive NO City cleanup or weeding until mid-October, and possibly later. Public works crews, understaffed already, are busy reconstructing "sight lines" on east side medians, such as McGillivray Blvd. Important work that needs doing, sure. 

Brian assured me that crews will attempt to get in and weed Esther Short Park's nasty looking flowerbeds "when they have a spare minute". I still have NOT YET RECEIVED a schedule of what parks Brian and his crews are cleaning when, even though it was promised me by Peggy Furno, City Manager Eric Holmes' capable aide de camp. Peggy, I'm waiting. 

At any event, Brian assured me that I am "more than welcome", with other like minded folks, to go ahead and weed out flowerbeds at Esther Short - a challenge I've already taken him up on. We're also welcome to pick up litter as needed. What is NOT welcome, per Brian, are folks bringing riding lawnmowers and chainsaws to do landscpaing work in city parks - it apparently runs afoul of "union regulations". So, folks: here's a challenge: NEXT TIME you see litter in your neighborhood park, or a weed, pick up the trash and dispose of it properly. Or pull that weed. Leave it for Brian and his folks to pick up WHEN AND IF they get around to it. They're busy with sightline medians elsewhere these days. 

NEXT: A HAPPY RESOLUTION TO A NASTY C-TRAN DRIVER'S ACTIONS

I'd like to humbly thank Lynn Halsey, Director of C-Tran Operations, and Bob Medcraft, C-Tran's Security Director, for sitting down with me last Thursday (the 4th) to discuss the actions of a bottle-throwing driver on the Number 4 eastbound (to Van Mall) bus, on the evening of August 28. The driver grabbed a CLOSED beer bottle, in a paper bag, from an unsuspecting tired Latino man attempting to board said bus (which yours truly was on, watching from the midsection). The driver OPENED the bottle, took a "deep whiff" (sip?) and then ordered the tired Latino passenger OFF the bus. The would-be passenger took it well, asking for his bottle back (so he could drink it while walking over the Interstate Bridge). The driver THREW the bottle at the passenger, actually getting off the bus to do so. C-Tran has it all on tape, and Lynn, Bob, and myself sat down to review it on the 4th. 

Its clear that the driver, per Lynn, will be disciplined, through regular processes. Lynn also expressed concern that I had "not gone through the proper channels" to resolve this matter. Let it be heard that I in fact HAD contacted C-Tran about other crazy drivers (including one that nearly hit me crossing the street, that bus ran a red light on 164th SE doing 60 MPH) and had NOT heard from anyone, including supervisors. Even after filing reports, including bus digits (the 4 digit number on the side of the bus) to customer service. 

I assume this bottle throwing driver is getting his. I will never know. I'm good with Lynn's actions after we reviewed the video together.

What Lynn wanted me to mention is C-Tran's new "e-card" system, starting in 2017 or thereabouts. Seems instead of passes and transfers, we'll all buy e-cards, and load our fares onto them, then tapping or swiping them at the farebox. NO WORD YET on how C-Tran will work out "reduced fare" pass costs on their new e-cards (reduced fare passes are what poor folks on food stamps, like me, can get for their travel within CLARK COUNTY only). Anyways, expect this new fancy dance to hit in a couple of years. Get ready for E-CARDS! Lynn's excited. 

THE MAIN COURSE: NO SIDEWALKS ON NARROW NE 68th STREET TO FOOD BANK, COUNTY COMMISSIONERS DELAYED IMPROVEMENTS TO STREET 

I was walking uphill on NE 68th Street this morning to volunteer at Martha's Pantry, the ONLY food bank serving folks with life-threatening conditions in all of SW Washington, at the First Congregational Church, NE 68th and NE 11th Ave, in Hazel Dell. There are NO SIDEWALKS ON EITHER SIDE OF 68th for its ENTIRE LENGTH, let alone coming up from Hwy 99 (where the nearest bus stops are). C-Tran won't put service in on NE 68th, and it turns out County Commissioners are WELL AWARE of the issue - petitions have been presented by folks attending First Congregational Church (elderly folks, in danger of their lives, walking uphill to church from the bus stop). 

It turns out this street is also traveled by poor folks with life-threatening conditions (HIV, tuberculosis, palsy, etc) who NEED FOOD from the food bank. NE 68th is extremely narrow (14' width), no shoulders, and NO STREETLIGHTS either. Commissioners, who had the funding for sidewalk improvements on this road, decided to fritter funding elsewhere (lawsuits?). It's clear, from cars whizzing by me doing 40, and from sources at the Church and Food Bank, that Commissioner Ed Barnes (in whose district this is) needs to GET ON THE BALL and get some sidewalks built for poor folks going to church and food bank STAT. 

Rest assured O Vancouvria! WILL FOLLOW UP on this one. Commissioner Barnes, why can't elderly folks going to church have a sidewalk for their safety to First Congregational from Hwy 99? Why can't poor folks with terminal illnesses safely get food, especially during winter's afternoon darkness? Commissioners Madore and Mielke, why did you redirect sidewalk funds for 68th elsewhere???? Answers posted to HERE, please. Lets get this business out in the light of day, and build some safety improvements to NE 68th ASAP.