At its first quarterly open meeting of 2010, the Vancouver Downtown Association hosted an informative talk by Michele Reeves, well known for development work for Mississippi and Alberta Streets in Portland, among others.

Reeves complimented the “amazing bones” in downtown Vancouver and discussed strategies to bring retail to the core of downtown. The most telling and needed item in downtown she spoke about was the importance of connectivity.

In his 2007 book, It’s Not News, It’s Fark: How Mass Media Tries to Pass off Crap as News, Fark.com founder Drew Curtis writes about the mass media’s attention to stuff that isn’t news at all.

Such goes the recent “news” that the Vancouver, Wash. is considering changing its name to Fort Vancouver.

Whoa! It is some exciting times around these parts. There are new mayors. There are art conversations. There are inane articles and conversations about changing Vancouver to Fort Vancouver. Our vote is for Vancouver U.S.A., Wash., U.S.A. — the more the U.S.A., the better. Talks of bringing minor league baseball to the area are again on the table (“Let us root, root, root for a waterfront ballpark, if they don’t hear us it’s a shame.”)

On top of it all, there are task forces discussing how to better business through a branding campaign of Southwest Washington.

Mayor Royce Pollard has had a positive impact on the City of Vancouver, which has forged ahead under his leadership. Even in tough economic times, Vancouver remains a desirable place to live, from the ignored-yet-quiet streets of the Fruit Valley Neighborhood to the cushy views of the Evergreen Highlands.

However, Pollard finally has run into a political opponent who better represents the people and ever-expanding business environment of Vancouver.

In The Voice’s earliest days, it received a letter to the editor pleading that the paper “be more alternative.” It’s a request we hear from time to time from readers. On the other hand, when we printed a house ad featuring a pair of legs in fishnet stockings, we received a couple complaints about the crudeness of the image on the back page.

In an interview with The Voice last month, Vancouver mayoral candidate Charlie Stemper called it as he sees it.

“[Vancouver is] a bedroom community, quite frankly, it’s a bedroom community,” Stemper said. A little later in the interview, he reaffirmed his opinion. “First of all you need to recognize it for what it is: we’re a bedroom community. And we’re always going to be a bedroom community.”

For candidates, the election season is a time to pull out all the tricks to earn a coveted spot on a council, board or commission. For voters, it’s a rare time when candidates actually listen to what they have to say and where they want the future of their community to head. It’s a chance for voters to collectively say what they want done, who they want to do it, and how it should be completed. Unfortunately, these items are sometimes tossed out the window once said candidate takes office — that’s the dark side of politics for you.

For candidates, the election season is a time to pull out all the tricks to earn a coveted spot on a council, board or commission. For voters, it’s a rare time when candidates actually listen to what they have to say and where they want the future of their community to head. It’s a chance for voters to collectively say what they want done, who they want to do it, and how it should be completed. Unfortunately, these items are sometimes tossed out the window once said candidate takes office — that’s the dark side of politics for you.

Ideally, there should be a farmers market in our downtowns everyday. While that may be a bit of a stretch right now, it’s great to hear that residents near Downtown Vancouver now have more market time than ever.

The Vancouver Farmers Market opened for its first Friday evening of business on July 11. It’s been something the months in the making. The market hoped to begin Friday service by Memorial Day Weekend this year, but got caught up in the red tape during the permitting process.

If you live near, but not in, any city in Clark County and have or want to have poultry, cows, horses, goats, rabbits or other livestock, take note: the county may soon adopt a new urban livestock code that may say how, and if, you can do it.

The code would affect those living within “urban growth boundaries” — areas surrounding the cities in Clark County that plan to eventually grow into and absorb within their limits over the next 20 years.