The Hammer, Vol. LIII

Your Name Here: Easily missed in today’s CDN “What’s the Deal With” look back at the source of steel girders in the Depot Market Square structure is a note that the new(ish) bridge over the Skagit River in Mount Vernon, previously popularly known as the Riverside Bridge (it connects Burlington Boulevard to Riverside Drive) has no apparent official name.

The Mind Reels: Not sure how this is possible; it’s an American tradition to affix names to all standing structures, if for no other purpose than stirring up a poop storm decades down the road when said namesake is revealed to have been some level of awful human being.

So Maybe Skip People: But having said that, we are all about helping the public define itself. So if you have a fitting name for this concrete span over one of the great rivers of the West, erected between ’01 and ’04 (was there even a definable cultural element of “The Oughts?”) send it our way to newstips@cascadiadaily.com.

Saving You the Trouble: Bridgey McBridgeface is likely already taken by some humor-challenged Brits.

And It’s Going to Have to Be Good: To edge out the early front runner, Hammer Crossing at Home Depot Bend.

Dang It All, Anyway: All this talk about a federal CHIPS act had us thinking a guv-mint distribution of Tim’s Cascades finest was in the works. Alas, it’s the micro-kind.

Goes Without Saying: Those don’t come in a Sour Cream & Onion version. So (besides jobs and commerce and related stuff) what exactly is the point?

Good to See: That Whatcom County finally has its own Climate Manager. Given the view out the window on State Street, if there’s anything that needs managing around here …

Yes, Hammer Is Aware: Weather is not climate, etc.

Early Credit Where (Maybe) Due: B. Hammer does not make a habit of being publicly grateful until deeds are done, but has to admit it’s encouraging to see the local legislative contingent making frontal attacks on pressing local issues including rents, affordable housing, child care and other matters. On-point legislation is more the exception than the rule in the U.S. these days, so good on these folks.

Speaking of Frontal Attacks: It’s been at least a week since the local prosecutor’s office went after Judge Rands in some fashion. Are they tired, or just satisfied? Maybe it was because of the holiday.

The Hammer swings on Wednesdays, or when the wind chill feels like 36 below.