Water Main Break – September 26, 2009
Rosemere residents were unwinding from a busy week on Saturday night, September 26, 2009.
As relaxing bubble baths were being drawn, water ceased flowing. Those with shampoo in their hair found this most inconvenient, but employees of the City of Vancouver who were wrestling with a broken water main on 32nd & Q St. had bigger problems.
In inky darkness, water was shooting out of the broken main, creating a sinkhole which overflowed, flooding the streets. A city employee was probing the massive hole to test for depth. Suddenly the edge he was standing on gave way, plunging him into the raging waters. After swirling around in the maelstrom for what seemed an eternity, he was able to extract himself to safer grounds.
Water flowed down 32nd towards R St., turning the alley into a churning creek, flooding a home on the corner. The area was a news clip disaster. By Sunday morning, hard working city employees repaired the broken main and filled the sink hole.
justice
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Chris Winter
CRAG Law Center
Dvija Michael Bertish
Rosemere Neighborhood Association
ROSEMERE NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION WINS LANDMARK ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE CASE AGAINST EPA’S OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Criticizes EPA for a “Pattern of Delay” in Implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
(September 18, 2009) Rosemere Neighborhood Association (“Rosemere”) is a non-profit community organization in Clark County, Washington, dedicated to environmental protection and the pursuit of improvements to low-income environmental justice communities.
In February 2003, Rosemere first filed a Title VI administrative complaint with EPA’s Office of Civil Rights (“OCR”) alleging that the City of Vancouver, WA had discriminated in the provision of municipal services in violation of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Rosemere alleged that Vancouver failed to use EPA funds to address fairly long-standing problems in low-income and minority neighborhoods in West Vancouver.
In December 2001, Rosemere residents on ‘K’ street learned that they could have lost their homes to make way for a potential I-5 widening project. The RNA received many phone calls from worried neighbors when this issue first arose in a Columbian article entitled “In the Way on ‘K’,” and RNA members became very active in public meetings with the Bi-State Transportation Commission that was established to help find solutions to traffic problems relative to the I-5 bridge crossing. The RNA canvassed the neighborhood and rallied residents to attend Commission meetings and provide written and verbal testimony in order stop unnecessary demolition of homes that abut I-5. The message was loud and clear, and Commission members acknowledged that design plans should be changed to ensure that homes were not lost in Rosemere and other neighborhoods.
Volunteer Crews Load up New Trees and Supplies for Planting
For the third year in a row, members of the RNA were vital in the success of West Vancouver’s tree planting efforts. The day began bright and early at 7:00am, with the plantings completed by early afternoon. Mariah Mickman, Neighborhood Trees Manager for Friends of Trees, organized the tree list. RNA members, including Carol Panfilio, John Felton, James Neigel, Paul Neigel, and Patrick Doncaster and Troy Harris of Hough Neighborhood Association took 111 trees and sorted them by neighborhood and by species, where they were then taken in individual pickups to the planting sites. Last year, volunteer crews planted 96 trees.
A Volunteer Recognition gala banquet was held Thursday, March 9th, 7pm at the Water Resource Service Center.
This event was given specifically for County volunteers, Clean Water Commissioners, and Watershed Stewards, in recognition of their service to environmental programs/projects in Clark County.
At 3:30am on Christmas morning, a sudden wind storm with severe gusts damaged property in Rosemere. A main trunk of a 65-foot tree was toppled by the winds and it crashed into a neighbor’s truck. Debris dangerously filled the intersection. Any unsuspecting driver who happened upon the scene would have suffered serious damage to their vehicle. The danger was immediately reported to 911, but no emergency crew responded. Often during storms of this nature, emergency services are overwhelmed with calls.
On Saturday, March 12th, Rosemere had another successful neighborhood tree planting. Arnada, Carter Park, Hough, and Shumway neighborhoods were also involved in this tree planting and a total of 96 trees were planted in the five neighborhoods. Everyone met at the First United Methodist Church around 8 am to divide the trees up into smaller pickup loads, along with tools to aid in the planting process.
Unabridged letter printed:
This letter to the editor was written by the Rosemere Neighborhood Association’s attorney, Richard Smith. The letter was published in the Columbian on Sunday, December 19, 2004′ however, it was edited by the Columbian staff and pertinent commentary was removed. The letter is included here in its entirety as it was originally penned.
Dear Editor:
Scott Hewitt’s December 9, 2004 Reporter’s Notebook about the Rosemere neighborhood warrants a response. It is too bad that the Columbian chooses to slander the Rosemere Neighborhood Association, which is a group of well-intentioned people pointing out the naked-emperorness of city government for the common good. Also, how is it responsible journalism to repeat unsupported (and easily debunked) defamatory remarks in the context of an obvious neighborhood feud?
In light of security measures in the Pacific Northwest, The Rosemere Neighborhood Association is setting another precedent. We are asking everyone in Rosemere to stay home, stay out on your porch or in your front yard, and turn on your porch light for National Night Out.
AALERT: We have been made aware that there are people soliciting contributions in Rosemere who claim to be representing the Rosemere Neighborhood Association. We are not at this time canvassing neighborhood businesses. Please ask for proper ID and call 911 to report any suspicious activity.
