Washington | featured news

MELBOURNE, Australia — In international rankings, there’s a club of usual suspects that more often than not does really well. Finland and other Nordic nations often come out on top, be it in quality of life, education or health care. On the other side of the world, New Zealand and Australia appear to have become members of that exclusive club, too, while the United States consistently misses out.

As our fellow citizens of dystopia walk these cold 21st-century streets with tiny speakers plugged into their head-holes, we can only wonder: What are they listening to? Probably some podcast. Or maybe the situation is even worse. Maybe they’re trying to block out the sound of Imagine Dragons.

The Clark County Dental Society and the Student American Dental Hygiene Club of Clark College will host a free Children’s Dental Day in February.
It will take place from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 2 at Clark College’s Firstenburg Dental Hygiene Clinic, 2232 East Reserve St., Vancouver. The event is for ages 4 through 17.
Procedures available include a doctor’s exam, cleanings, X-rays, sealants, fluoride and select emergency treatments.
Call 360-992-2158 to schedule an appointment.

Cheers: To Vancouver’s university. Officials at Washington State University Vancouver are taking a step toward on-campus housing for students, requesting a county code change that would allow for dorms holding up to 700 students. WSUV — which moved to its Salmon Creek site in 1996 — has been a commuter campus throughout its existence, and student housing is the next logical step in the school’s continued development.

The Vine station at East Fourth Plain Boulevard and Northeast 78th Avenue will be closed Monday through Wednesday for utility work.
While the station is closed, eastbound passengers can use adjacent Fourth Plain Boulevard stations at Northeast Andresen Road or Northeast 86th Avenue. Trips heading westbound will not be impacted.
For additional information, or help planning a trip, contact C-Tran at 360-695-0123.
 
 

Dear Mr. Berko: In 2007, my stockbroker had me buy 100 shares of J.C. Penney at $73. Months later, he had me buy another 100 shares at $62. And because he was very certain it would recover, he had me buy 100 more shares when it had fallen to $47. Finally, in 2009, I bought my last 100 shares at $28, giving me an average cost of $52.50 per share. I still own the stock and want to know whether I should sell my 400 shares or buy the stock again at $1.36 a share.
— HD, Bloomsburg, Pa.