📰 What's Making News

Clark County Fair Opens Its Gates — and the Crowds Are Already Here

The Clark County Fair kicked off Friday in Ridgefield, and fairgoers wasted no time pouring through the gates for opening day. Expect the usual lineup of livestock shows, carnival rides, live entertainment, and enough deep-fried everything to fuel a weekend. The fair runs through August 16, so you've got plenty of time to make it out — but opening-weekend energy is always worth experiencing firsthand. Full story from The Columbian.

Lady Bird Food Truck Brings Southern Comfort to Uptown Village

Vancouver's Uptown Village just got a little more indulgent. Lady Bird, a new food truck specializing in Southern-style comfort food, is now serving in the neighborhood, adding to the growing cluster of food businesses that have reshaped the area over the past decade. If biscuits, gravy, and that unmistakable smoky-sweet thing are your love language, this one's worth a detour. Read more from The Columbian.

Raptors Drop Playoff Opener to Portland Pickles, 10-6

The Ridgefield Raptors' playoff run hit a speed bump Friday night as the Portland Pickles pounded out 11 hits and drew nine walks in a 10-6 Game 1 victory at Walker Stadium. The Raptors now face elimination in the best-of-three West Coast League series. Ridgefield will need to rally at home to keep their season alive — keep an eye on the schedule for Game 2 details. Recap at The Columbian.

Hai Nguyen Named Share's New CEO, Starts Aug. 24

Share, one of Clark County's most established nonprofit organizations, has tapped Hai Nguyen as its next chief executive officer. Nguyen comes from a Portland-based housing nonprofit and will officially take the reins on August 24. The leadership change marks a new chapter for the organization, which provides critical services across the community. Details from The Columbian.

Columbia River Fishing Report: What Anglers Landed Last Week

The latest fishery report covering July 27 through August 2 is out, with catch-rate data from the Columbia River and Southwest Washington tributaries. The numbers are based on randomized interviews at select fishing access sites, so they won't capture everything — but they're the closest thing to a river-wide pulse check anglers can get. Worth a look before you plan your next morning on the water. See the full report at The Columbian.

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⚡ Quick Bites

Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc, Young MC Hit the Clark County Fair Tonight

Saturday night's "I Love the 90's" concert brings three hip-hop legends to the Clark County Fairgrounds stage. Beyond the music, today's fair lineup includes barnyard animal races, a watermelon eating contest, and carnival rides. Full Saturday schedule here.

New Vancouver Visitor Center Opens Inside the Historical Museum

The Clark County Historical Museum cuts the ribbon at 11 a.m. Saturday on a Visitor Center built into its newly remodeled reception area, with Ridgefield's Blue Crew volunteers on hand. The free event also unveils a new exhibit tied to Vancouver's 250th anniversary celebrations. Details here.

Recreational Fires Now Banned Across Unincorporated Clark County

Extreme fire danger has triggered a full recreational burn ban in unincorporated areas, joining the existing DNR campfire prohibition. Backyard fire pits and bonfires are off-limits until conditions improve — camp stoves are still allowed. Read the full restrictions.

Six Volunteer Seats Open on Clark County's Public Health Advisory Council

The Board of Health is accepting applications for its Public Health Advisory Council, including one youth representative seat. Terms begin Oct. 1, and meetings are held via Zoom. Apply here.

Latest Clark County Restaurant Inspection Results Are In

Health inspection reports for July 27 through Aug. 1 are now public. Look up your favorite spots before your next dinner out. See the full list.

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📅 Mark Your Calendar

Saturday, August 8

• Mt. St. Helens Summit Climb with MSHI — 6:00 AM. A single-day, non-technical scramble to the summit with professional mountain guides and certified volunteer climbing stewards. Designed for novice hikers and experienced mountaineers alike. More info
• Columbia River Triathlon & Endurance Sports Festival — 8:00 AM at various Columbia River locations. Sprint and Olympic distance triathlon, duathlon, AquaBike, Girlfriends All-Women's Sprint, Kids Triathlon, Sunset 5K/10K and more — with views of Mt. Hood, Mt. St. Helens and Vancouver Lake. More info
• St. Johns Wood Neighborhood-Wide Garage Sale — 8:00 AM–3:00 PM. 30+ homes, all walkable, in the St. Johns Wood neighborhood. Use 5100 NE 85th Circle as your GPS waypoint (about 1 mile west of the Andresen Costco). Free. More info
• Columbia River Triathlon with NW Association for Blind Athletes — 8:00 AM. Join NWABA for this inclusive triathlon event. Contact Katie Vroman for details. More info
• Birding Walk at Ridgefield NWR — 8:00 AM at the Carty Unit. Robert Vanderkamp leads this second-Saturday bird walk, sharing his decades of birding experience. More info
• Downtown Vancouver Market — 9:00 AM–3:00 PM at Esther Short Park, 8th & Esther St., Vancouver. The flagship year-round farmers market, running since 1990. More info
• Curiosity Kids: Become a Nature Detective — 9:00 AM at OMSI, Portland. Kids ages 3–5 work with families on playful hands-on STEAM challenges. $22.50–$30.50. More info
• Salmon Creek Trail Parkrun — 9:00 AM at 800 NE 117th St., Vancouver. A free, fun weekly 5K — walk, jog, run, volunteer or spectate. Register at parkrun.us for your barcode. More info
• Animal Tracking Workshop — 9:00 AM–11:30 AM at the Water Resources Education Center, 4600 SE Columbia Way, Vancouver. Ages 14+ learn to read footprints, scat and feeding signs. Expect a 2.5-mile walk. Free. More info
• Second Saturday at Jane Weber Arboretum — 9:00 AM–noon at 9215 SE Evergreen Highway, Vancouver. Join garden volunteers to tackle bigger projects; refreshments follow. Free. More info
• Assisted Bridge: Lesson and Play — 9:15–10:30 AM at Vancouver Bridge Club, 6503 E. Mill Plain Blvd. Free bridge lesson followed by assisted play. More info
• Fruit Jar Workshop at Kilnfolk Clay Studio — 9:30–11:30 AM at 108 W. Sixth St., Vancouver. Ages 8+ learn pinch pot and coil techniques to create a lidded fruit jar. $75 includes two glaze colors. More info
• Road Trip: Multorpor Mountain Loop with the Dirt Divas — 9:30 AM, Mazama Sno Park at Mt. Hood. A 5-mile mountain bike loop followed by optional laps at Timberline Bike Park. All welcome. More info
• Open Saturday at Pearson Field Education Center — 10:00 AM–3:00 PM in Vancouver. Flight simulators, a vertical wind table, historic airplanes and hands-on STEAM learning. Free for all ages. More info
• O'Keefe Farms Sunflower Festival — 10:00 AM–7:00 PM at 17604 NE 182nd Ave., Brush Prairie. 60 varieties of sunflowers, live music from Fortunate Gold, Kiley Jean and the Lewis River Blues Band, 30 craft vendors, food trucks and photo ops in huge sunflower fields. $5–$10. More info
• Clark County Fair — 10:00 AM–11:00 PM at Clark County Fairgrounds, Ridgefield. Rides, entertainment, food and space-themed fun — "Blast Off to Fun!" $8.50–$11.50. More info
• Smokey Bear's 82nd Birthday Celebration — 10:00 AM at Fort Vancouver Visitor Center, 1501 E. Evergreen Blvd. Free fun activities, wildfire prevention education and a chance to wish Smokey a happy birthday in person. More info
• Show and Shine Car Show — 10:00 AM–4:00 PM in Uptown Village at McLoughlin & Main. The Slo Poks Car Club welcomes hot rods, custom cars, motorcycles and collector cars. Raffle drawings, giveaways and handmade Poks Pik trophies. Free for spectators; $15 vehicle entry plus school supply donation. More info
• Vancouver Arts and Music Festival — 10:00 AM–9:00 PM at Esther Short Park. Award-winning musicians on multiple stages, juried art shows, pop-up galleries, dance performances, family activities, food vendors and three Vancouver Symphony Orchestra concerts. Free. More info
• Molly Coston Community Garden Celebration — 10:00 AM–1:00 PM at 2036 Main St., Washougal. Ribbon-cutting for the newly named garden, plus a garden swap — bring plants, seeds, starts or supplies to exchange. Free. More info
• Battle Ground Lake Hike — 10:00–11:30 AM at Battle Ground Lake State Park. Interpretive guide Ellen M. Wilson leads a one-mile hike discussing how the lake was formed, plus native plants and animals. Free; sign up by email. More info
• The Stuff of Legends at AQUA Gallery — 10:00 AM–3:00 PM at 403 Quayside Place on the Vancouver waterfront. Vibrant mythological paintings by Carson Legree and expressive stuffies by Abby Ketcham. Free. More info
• Pressure Canner Gauge Testing — 10:00–11:30 AM at Second Mile Marketplace and Food Hub, 11819 NW Hwy 99, Suite C (behind Chuck's Produce). Bring your canner lid with gauge attached. Free. More info
• Clark College Student Exhibit — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM at the Esther Short Building, 610 Esther St. Ceramics, watercolors, photography, digital drawing and painting on display alongside the Vancouver Arts and Music Festival. Free. More info
• Playing Favorites Art Show — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM at the Esther Short Building, 610 Esther St. Last year's award-winning artwork by Stephanie Joy Mitchell, Janine Littrell, Lisa Raymer and Alison Berkey. Free. More info
• Vancouver Arts and Music Festival Juried Art Exhibit — 10:00 AM–6:00 PM at the Hilton Vancouver, 301 W. Sixth St. Over 100 local artists across diverse mediums. Vote for the People's Choice Award. Free. More info
• 78th Street Heritage Farm Walking Tours — 10:00 AM at 78th St., Hazel Dell. WSU Extension Master Gardener docents lead tours of this historic 79-acre property and its demonstration gardens. More info
• Art & Nature in the Park — 11:00 AM–2:00 PM. Fourth Plain Forward brings free art and nature activities to the neighborhood. More info
• Kids & Tweens Build It — 10:30 AM–noon at Ridgefield Community Library. Ages 5–12 spark imagination and build STEM skills with LEGO bricks, blocks and more. Free. More info
• Spanish Storytime — 10:30 AM at Camas Public Library. Bilingual stories and songs in Spanish and English for children and families. Free. More info
• Creature Teachers — 11:00 AM–12:30 PM at Vancouver Mall Library. Meet cool reptiles and creepy crawlies and learn about the wild, weird and wonderful world of animals. Free. More info
• Gravity Catastrophe: A Science Show — 11:00–11:45 AM at Davis Park, Ridgefield (across from the library). An educational journey through centripetal force, gravity, vortexes and more. Free. More info
• Museum Day at Pomeroy Living History Farm — 11:00 AM–4:00 PM at 20902 NE Lucia Falls Rd., Yacolt. Celebrate America250 with heritage building tours, a scavenger hunt and passport stamps. Free; donations welcome. More info
• Family Fun Day at Officers Row — 11:00 AM–2:00 PM at the Grant House lawn, 1101 Officers Row. Free lawn games, face painting, live music from Angel Ocasio, crafts with Spencer Sprocket and magic by John Stevens. Providence Academy and Marshall House open for free tours 11 AM–3 PM. More info
• Moments That Made Us Exhibit & Grand Opening of Vancouver Visitor Center — 11:00 AM–4:00 PM at Clark County Historical Museum, 1511 Main St. Ribbon-cutting for the new Visitor Center (in partnership with Visit Vancouver USA) plus the opening of a new exhibit. Free. More info
• Play Bridge (0–150 points) — 11:00 AM at Vancouver Bridge Club, 6503 E. Mill Plain Blvd. $10. More info
• WA State Museum Day: America 250 — noon–4:00 PM at Two Rivers Heritage Museum, Washougal. Special surprises in store. More info
• Paper Collage at Art at the Cave — noon–5:00 PM in Vancouver. Greg Bee hosts a free, stress-free paper collage hangout every second Saturday. Bring supplies or don't — all are welcome. More info
• A Day of Magic — 1:00 PM at 6403 E. Mill Plain Blvd., Vancouver. Love a good Renaissance Faire? Bring the family for a one-day festival of fantasy and adventure. Free. More info
• Journey Theater Arts presents Into the Woods — 1:00 PM at Heritage High School, 7825 NE 130th Ave., Vancouver. The Baker, Cinderella, Jack and a Witch collide in Sondheim and Lapine's modern classic. $22–$26. More info
• Harry Potter and the Cursed Child — 1:30 PM at Keller Auditorium, Portland. Broadway's six-time Tony Award-winning spectacular. More info
• McMenamins Kalama Harbor Lodge Brewfest — 2:00–8:00 PM at the Westin Amphitheater, Kalama. 28 summer beers and ciders, barbecue, brewery tours, cornhole and live music from Blonde Neon and Law of Seven. $35 advance / $40 gate. More info
• Adult Garden Chat with FVRL — 2:00 PM. A monthly community gathering to discuss the best gardening techniques for our neck of the woods. Free. More info
• Prehistoric Life: Thriving in a Changing World — 3:00–4:00 PM at Camas Public Library. Paleontologist Nico Spadafora of The Fossil Team shares how ancient animals adapted to wild, changing environments — with real bones to examine. All ages. Free; register at CamasPL.org/fossilteam. More info
• Mahjong Summer Social — 5:00–8:00 PM at Sunset Ridge Intermediate School, Ridgefield. Chinese Mahjong for a fun summer evening. Free. More info
• Saturdays in the Park: The Waterfront — 6:00–8:00 PM at Sternwheeler Park, La Center. Classic rock and R&B from The Waterfront in this family-friendly concert series. Free. More info
• Second Saturday Jazz Duos — 6:00 PM. Annie Averre (vocals) and Tim Gilson (stand-up bass) perform live jazz alongside wood-fired pizzas and wine. More info
• VanCity Ballroom Saturday Social Dance — 7:00 PM at 9212 NE Hwy 99, Suite 110, Hazel Dell. A 45-minute beginner lesson followed by social dancing until 10 PM — ballroom, Latin, swing and country. No partner needed. $10. More info
• I Love the 90s Concert at Clark County Fair — 7:00 PM at the Toyota Grandstands. Vanilla Ice, Tone Loc and Young MC bring the nostalgia. Fair admission gets general access; reserved seats $38–$48 (includes fair admission). More info
• Live Music on the Patio at Farrar's Bistro — 7:00 PM at 12514 NW 36th Ave., Vancouver. Food, cocktails, local wine and live local musicians on the pet-friendly patio. More info
• Saturday Karaoke Night at Pour Choices Pub — 8:30 PM at 1919 Main St., Vancouver. Let your inner entertainer shine. More info

Sunday, August 9

• Washington State Parks Fee-Free Day — All day. No Discover Pass needed — explore any Washington state park for free in honor of Smokey Bear's birthday. More info
• Community Paddleboard on Estacada Lake with AWOL — 8:30 AM, Milo McIver State Park, OR. A beginner-friendly paddle along a forest-lined canyon with occasional waterfalls. Ages 6+; sliding scale $50–$115. More info
• Free Outdoor Fitness Bootcamp — 9:00 AM. Meet at Northwest Personal Training, 1011 Broadway, Vancouver, then head to scenic spots for a full-body workout. All fitness levels welcome. Free. More info
• Crater Glacier Overlook Hike with MSHI — 9:00 AM at Mt. St. Helens. A specially permitted trek into the crater breach for a unique vantage point of one of the world's youngest and fastest-growing glaciers. More info
• Kids Axe Academy — noon–1:30 PM at Firehouse Axes, Vancouver. Ages 10–14 learn the ins and outs of axe throwing from an Axepert Coach, ending with a tournament. $15. More info
• Laundry Love — noon–2:00 PM at Sunshine Laundry and Cleanworks Laundromat, Battle Ground. Saving Grace Church volunteers pay for patrons' washing, drying and even folding. Free, no obligation. More info
• Puzzle Party at Vancouver Community Library — 3:00–5:00 PM in the Columbia Room. Team jigsaw challenge, solo puzzles, custom puzzle crafting and a Puzzle Swap (bring one, get one). All ages. Free. More info
• Free Clinic Wine Tasting Fundraiser — 5:00–6:30 PM at Burnt Bridge Cellars, 1500 Broadway, Vancouver. A flight of five wines, appetizers, a silent auction and 25% off all bottles. $70; proceeds benefit free health care for uninsured community members. More info
• Sunday Sounds Concert Series — 6:00 PM at Columbia Tech Center Park, east Vancouver. Free, family-friendly live music. Bring a picnic or grab food from local vendors. More info
• Collective Soul at Clark County Fair — 7:00 PM at the Toyota Grandstands, Ridgefield. Hear "Shine," "December," "The World I Know" and more from the multi-platinum rockers. Fair admission gets general access; reserved seats $38–$48 (includes fair admission). More info

Monday, August 10

• Early Learners Play to Learn — 10:00–11:00 AM at Battle Ground Community Library. Early literacy tips and hands-on activities for ages 0–5 and their caregivers. Free. More info
• The Great Summer Dash at Vancouver Mall — 10:00 AM. Complete fun challenges, earn points and enter to win prizes all summer long (through Aug. 14). More info
• Storytime in the Park — 10:30–11:00 AM at Louis Bloch Park (160 NE Joy St.), Camas. The Camas Library heads outdoors for family storytime — bring a blanket. Free. More info
• Preschool Cotton Ball Painting Dinosaur Art — 10:30 AM at Camas Public Library. Little ones create colorful dinosaur art using cotton balls as paintbrushes. Free. More info
• Tiny Toppings Storytime — 11:00 AM at Copper Bell Bookshop, Ridgefield. Kids storytime plus a coupon for a free scoop at Eight Cow Creamery with purchase. More info
• Line Dancing — 1:30–3:30 PM at Cascade Park Community Library. Learn line dances for fun and exercise — any shoes welcome. Free. More info
• Summer Movie Monday: Meet the Robinsons — 2:00–4:00 PM at Camas Public Library. Free; registration required. More info
• Early Learners Music and Movement — 2:30–3:30 PM at Vancouver Community Library. Songs, rhymes, rhythm and dance for ages 0–5 and caregivers. Free. More info
• Monday Trivia Night at Pour Choices Pub — 6:30 PM at 1919 Main St., Vancouver. Gather your smartest friends and see if you can dethrone reigning champs Goon Sauce. More info

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