Teenagers get plenty of this week's cheers for their athletichonesty, their geographic knowledge and for not getting pregnant.
Cheers: To Skyview High School sprinter Eric Ramsey andadministrators of the Greater St. Helens League for righting awrong. Ramsey knew a mistake had been made when he was credited withfinishing fourth in the 100-meter dash at last weekend's districtmeet and therefore named as a qualifier for this weekend's regionalmeet in Tacoma. Ramsey immediately told his coach he had finishedfarther back in the pack, a conclusion borne out by a free-lancephoto that ran the next day in The Columbian. Even though judges'rulings are considered final, the GSHL reversed the ruling this weekand named Ramsey's teammate, Logan Carlson, the fourth-placefinisher. Good call.
Jeers: To La Center City Councilman Dale Smith who, at a recentcouncil meeting, suggested starting a second group to study theCowlitz casino that's proposed to be built nearby. Smith saidmeeting behind closed doors would be useful so the group could'freely discuss issues that might not be popular, but that need tobe talked about.'
Fortunately, Seattle attorney Sarah Mack, who advises the councilabout tribal law, pointed out: 'The business of the city does haveto be transacted in public.'
Cheers: To 13-year-old Max Sugarman of Issaquah for his sixth-place finish Wednesday in the National Geography Bee in Washington,D.C., and to Oregon's entrant, Sam Brandt of Eugene, who finishedthird.
Washington has produced four of the national champions in the 17-year history of the event. The first of those was Lawson Fite ofVancouver's former Shumway Junior High, back in 1992.
Jeers: To those several middle schools in Clark County that don'tconduct geography bees every year. They know who they are, but dothe parents?
Cheers: To teens, their parents, youth pastors, schoolcounselors, contraceptives and any other factors in this news fromthe state Health Department:
Washington saw its lowest teen pregnancy rate in more than twodecades in 2003 when the number of pregnancies per 1,000 women ages15 to 19 was 53.2 the lowest seen since 1980, when the rate forteens was 95.4.
The abortion rate in 2003 for the state's women of childbearingage rate was 19.3 per 1,000, which is nearly 40 percent lower than1989.
