Articles like “Working the Streets” are exactly why alternative newspapers exist. Columbian reporters can’t take the time interview prostitutes and without a alternative news paper their stories would go untold. Hopefully, the article will bring enough awareness to get people talking about the local sex industry. Too many local woman turn tricks for the community to keep pretending it’s not happening.

While I couldn’t get down to Olympia on President’s Day, I am writing to lend my support to those who rallied at the Capitol in support of a balanced approach to the budget. We cannot afford to make further cuts to critical state programs like health care and education. I sincerely hope our lawmakers see past the reactionary tactics of Tim Eyman and the tea baggers and find the courage to make smart changes. We need long-term solutions so our state can have a real economic recovery. Putting programs like family planning, maternity support services, and the Basic Health Program on the chopping block will not only undermine our shared values, it will result in further economic hardship for everyday people and families like mine. These simply are niceties for a lot of Washington families and women. We need a balanced approach that will raise substantial revenue to help protect the services that we all count on - now more than ever. Don’t let Washingtonians down! Join me, and contact your legislator today — they do listen.

Clark County has to be the greediest & the most anti-business county in Washington State. When a struggling business can hardly keep their doors open, they want to increase fees for the fire marshal inspection. In 2009 it cost me $350; in 2010 it cost me $1,050.00. That’s a 300% increase. The fire marshal did the same job he did last year. He took 20 mins to walk-through, found no problems, but had to inform me that the fees needed to be increased “to help recover the cost of the inspection program. These modified fees are temporary, with a new fee structure being examined to take place in 2010”. How can the county justify ripping business off like this? Businesses around the world have made sacrifices, so should the government!!!

I don't know what you guys get paid, but your stuff is priceless. I had never heard of the VanVoice until my son advertised in your publication and I happened to see Ossie's wise-ass comments on a mutual friend's FaceBook page. I laugh out loud at your irreverently humorous but socio/political relevant articles and at Ossie's slant on life. If I wasn't twice your age(s), I would love to be partying with you all. Keep up the good work. I am now an addicted VanVice, I mean VanVoice reader. By the way, I don't think that my phone number is any of your business but as I had to enter it, I did. Chris

Who is Kat Templeton? What makes her art that "KRAZY KOOL"? But most importantly, why do we not see her art in the Couve? She is a 100% home grown Vancouver artist who is starting to truly establish herself..... shhh... "over the bridge". Some may say , "so what? what's the big deal? It's just an artist showing art in Portland." SO WHAT? SOOOO WHAT? It's much more than an artist showing art in P-town. It is the difference between what you see here and over there. Don't get me wrong there are alot of galleries,clubs, resturants etc in PDX that are similar to Vancouvers', but there are also alot of places in Portland that clearly are influenced by way more culture. Kat's art is explosive, evocotive, sensual , sexual, and very bold. Her work is daring, and can quite possibly scare, shock, or even arouse you upon your first viewing. But wait a gosh darn minute! ! She can only be found in Portland! She had tried to get her work back in her home town but it wasn't "family friendly." or "not the right fit." Her work is not the right fit for what-? THE ENTIRE TOWN? The content of her work might cause mass hysteria, prohibition laws to take effect, married couples to start sleeping in separate beds, but to not see, hear, feel, and touch the diversity of ALL art is the very death of us all. Well, oneday, I hope to see her art back where it all began, here in the city that helped develop and influence her concepts of visual arts first! Not over the bridge.

I picked up a copy of the October 2009 Bar Guide recently from The Sport's Page as I was involved in a Soft Tip Dart League match there. Having been to many of the Bar venues listed in your publication for darts, or just a beverage or two, I was curious to see how your reviews compared to my views. You have passed the test of respectability...fair and balanced! Even making the point of advising readers of places with deserved 'bad raps'. Except for your light coverage of Yacolt, you have the county covered well. My personal view of the Red Fir Inn in Yacolt having played darts there before: "Rustic local watering hole, but makes a great pizza for being so far away from the rest of civilization!" I have shown your Publication to our Soft Tip Dart League President, and hope to have an advertisement for the Vancouver Dart Players Leagues in your 2010 Bar Guide, as well as looking at advertising some of our major events in your bi-monthly publication. Well done!

It was irresponsible for you to publish the article, “Medical, or small business”, without condemning drug use. Impressionable children and teenagers should not be given the idea that drugs are anything less than dangerous and horrible addictions. Outrageously, your paper mislead the public that the “Dresden” is some type of small local bussiness owner rather than accurately calling him a criminal. I am offended that your paper claims to be serving the local community, but you take more care to protect the identity of criminals than to protect our children from drug pushers.

I am impressed with Vancouver Voice’s investigation of illegal medical marijuana sales. The public doesn’t need anymore fear mongering or anti-establishment rants, we got enough of that from Fox News and homeless hippies. What the public needs is unbiased, fact based reporting on marijuana and other controversial topics so that the public can make its own decisions about public police. So thank you for the fair and balanced special report in your last edition.

Tim Eyman's latest initiative, I-1033 will have devastating impacts to our local and state economy. The Office of Financial Management has estimated that 1033 will increase the state's deficit by nearly $6 billion dollars. This will make the cuts we've already endured to healthcare and education this year permanent. 40,000 Washington residents are at risk of losing their Basic Health Care Plan, 3,000 teachers across the state are facing layoffs. I-1033 makes 2009 our baseline year for our investment in the quality of life we enjoy here in Washington. Why would we want to make that permanent? Here at home, Clark County has estimated that I-1033 will cost the County $119 Million over the next ten years. The City of Vancouver has estimated that if this initiative is passed we will have to find funding for almost $22.2 Million in public services such as parks, roads, and public safety through 2015. This recession is bad enough, lets not make it worse. Vote NO on I-1033.

I am impressed that the VV staff decided to cover Vancouver's prostitution in today's edition. The article was well written, non-judegmental and provided undeniable proof that prostitutes are all over Vancouver. I am eager to see how the police and the city respond.