► On the Record

“In fact, these are not ‘rights’ so much as they are entitlements,”

-- From a study by pro-business group Washington Policy Center on Proposition 4, a voter initiative guaranteeing affordable healthcare and greater input in land-use decisions for city of Spokane residents. Appearing on ballots mailed out this month, the measure has prompted confusion and determined opposition in Washington state’s second-largest city.

Reporter's Notebook

Paul Leonard can be reached atpleonard@vbjusa.com

Shot or no shot?

With concerns about the H1N1 virus growing, the CDC and many other health organizations are encouraging people to get vaccinated for both the seasonal flu and H1N1, as soon as the vaccine for the new strain becomes available.

Some places have gone even farther – such as my home state of New York, which last month made H1N1 vaccination compulsory not only for hospital employees, but employees of companies doing business with them as well.

However, there are medical practitioners who believe lining up for either flu jab this year isn’t such a good idea.

Take Harley Youngblood, a registered nurse, doctor of chiropractic and owner of Family Chiropractic in Salmon Creek. Youngblood says that even though U.S. flu vaccination rates have risen over the last few decades, the death rate has not decreased. “Flu shots are pretty ineffective,” he said.

Youngblood is also concerned about the possible adverse effects of flu vaccinations – in particular the as-yet-unreleased H1N1 vaccine, which he said may contain an organic compound called squalene. According to Youngblood, the chemical could lead to joint and neurological problems later in life. However, the CDC says it does not plan to include the compound in its H1N1 vaccine.

In terms of the efficacy and safety of flu vaccinations, Youngblood is in the minority among health professionals, many of whom believe the benefits of the shots far outweigh any real or perceived negative effects.

Gov. Chris Gregoire (D-Wash.) today announced $5.56 million in federal grants to buy vaccines for children in the hopes of boosting immunization rates.

“Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your family from seasonal flu. Because this year’s flu season is complicated by the spread of H1N1 flu, we strongly urge everyone to get a seasonal flu shot early as a way to minimize illness in our community,” said Dr. Alan Melnick, health officer for Clark, Cowlitz, Skamania and Wahkiakum counties on the Wash. Region IV Public Health Dept. website.

For more on Southwest Washington businesses gearing up for flu season, check out the Oct. 2 edition of the VBJ.

Jodie Gilmore contributed to this column.

Business Around the Northwest

Companies urged to relax rules for sick days, Bellingham Business Journal

Tigard’s building fees increase by 6 percent, starting Thursday, Portland Daily Journal of Commerce

Idaho sees biggest month-over-month construction employment rise in nation, Idaho Business Journal

► On the Record

“The site, long closed to the public, will now have the opportunity to be experienced by everyone,”

-- From page 9 of the 81-page of Columbia Waterfront LLC’s Master Plan Application for Vancouver Waterfront Development.

Reporter's Notebook

Paul Leonard can be reached at pleonard@vbjusa.com

Job hunting for women vets

Subscribers to Business Extra may have caught this story imagining what it would be like to come home from a war-zone in Iraq and Afghanistan to find your job gone in the middle of one of the worst recessions since WWII.

But in my typical “man-centric” manner, I left out another scenario – of single mothers coming back from stations overseas to take care of their families while hunting for employment in a tough jobs market.

On this important front – stats from the U.S. military estimate about 20 percent of all active duty and reserve U.S. military forces are women – there’s some good news in the form of a pilot program based in Vancouver seeking to connect local job-creators to unemployed female veterans.

Called the Veteran Women Program, the new service organization made a quiet debut last week via a Craigslist ad for a full-time coordinator to help women veterans with job hunting, coaching and training.

VWP posted the notice on the same day scores of Southwest Washington businesses, including the Vancouver Business Journal, signed a pact at Vancouver Barracks to recognize, honor and enforce the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, which bars workplace discrimination based on military service.

“We really hope to have an immediate impact on the lives of these women, many of whom are going through a different set of challenges than male soldiers,” said Pam Brokaw of the Vancouver jobs-service organization Partners in Careers.

Brokaw will serve as the new group’s interim coordinator until a candidate is selected. With $45,000 secured from a Clark County Community Services Block Grant, Brokaw hopes to expand VWP’s services to include housing assistance and transportation.

The new service organization joins other initiatives seeking to help unemployed reservists and National Guard in a city with a long and illustrious military tradition dating back to Capt. George Vancouver of the British Royal Navy.

For those interested in more information about the program, VWP will hold an Open House event on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at PIC, 111 W. 39th St., Suite B, in Vancouver.

Business Around the Northwest

State accepts restriction on proposed payment cuts to disabled service-providers, Idaho Business Review

Advice: 'Think positive' as manager, South Sound Business Examiner

Law school grads challenged with tighter legal labor market, Spokane Journal of Business

► On the Record

“A not so "normal" way to begin the fall season…”

-- Weather forecaster Rod Hill, referring to yesterday’s temperature record-setting 24th day above 90 degrees at the weather station at Portland International Airport.