📰 What's Making News

Lewisville's 1881 Grist Mill, Log Runs Reveal a Wilder East Fork

Before Lewisville Regional Park was a go-to spot for summer picnics, the East Fork Lewis River was a working highway for massive log drives — and a small creek on its north bank powered a grist mill built by the Church brothers in 1881. A fascinating deep dive from The Columbian traces how the river shaped early Clark County settlement, commerce, and industry in ways most of us never learned in school. If you've ever hiked the trails at Lewisville Regional Park and wondered about the creek running through it, now you know: it once kept an entire community fed. Read the full history.

Washington Capitol Faces Steep Repair Bill After Break-In Damage

The Washington State Capitol in Olympia is looking at costly restoration work after an intruder broke into the building late last year and vandalized multiple historical artifacts. The damage spans several irreplaceable pieces tied to the state's heritage, and repair estimates are still climbing. It's a sobering reminder of how fragile these shared treasures really are — and how expensive it is to put them back together. See what was damaged and what's next.

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⚡ Quick Bites

Washington Trail Volunteers Build New Paths Near Lake Cassidy

Up in Snohomish County, volunteers are carving out new trail connections along the Centennial Trail, including a short loop that winds through wetlands just north of Lake Cassidy. It's a great reminder that some of the best outdoor spots in our state exist because neighbors show up with shovels. Read more from The Columbian.

Perennial Flower Beds 101: Allen's Latest Column Has Your Planting Plan

The Columbian's "Gardening with Allen" column breaks down which perennial varieties thrive in our Pacific Northwest climate and how to design a bed from scratch — just in time for the mid-May planting window. Get the full guide here.

National Pet Month: Clark County Celebrates Its Tiniest Family Members

May is National Pet Month, and The Columbian's "Check It Out" column spotlights the joy our furry (and feathered, and scaled) companions bring to Clark County households. Read the full piece.

10 Hotels Built for Stargazing Worth Adding to Your Travel List

If Pacific Northwest cloud cover has you craving a wide-open night sky, The Columbian rounds up 10 hotels across the country designed specifically for stargazing — a solid bookmark for your next getaway. See the full list.

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📅 Mark Your Calendar

Sunday, May 11

• Billy Joel Singalong — Community sing-along and karaoke celebrating the Piano Man's birthday at Dovetail Cellars
• Boba Bar and Pottery Painting Party — 6:30–8:30 p.m. at Kilnfolk Clay Studio, 108 W. Sixth St., Vancouver. $10 registration includes one boba drink from Short & Sweet; clay pieces average around $30
• 2026 SW WA Youth Photo Contest with Vancouver Audubon — Nature photography contest for youth, sponsored by Vancouver Audubon Society, HD Aluminum Prints, and Columbia Credit Union
• Naturalist Training Program: Reading the Landscape with Cascadia Wild — Learn wildlife tracking, botany, ecology, navigation, and wilderness survival on this road-trip outing
• Watershed Stewardship Program with Clark Conservation District — Six-week educational course covering watersheds, groundwater, local wildlife, and conservation
• White Salmon Wildflower Festival — Month-long celebration in the Columbia River Gorge featuring guided hikes, art shows, wine walks, and live music in White Salmon, WA
• Keep It Wild Collaborative Art Show — Creativity and conservation art exhibit through May 30 at Arrowleaf Workshop in White Salmon, WA
• Vancouver's Neighborhood Tree Stewards Workshops — Learn to care for your urban canopy and become a certified Tree Steward for your neighborhood
• Bird Walk with Vancouver Audubon Society — Meet at Captain William Clark Park in Washougal for a spring migration birding walk along the Columbia River
• Spice of Life: Growing Herbs — Free workshop with WSU Master Gardener Terrie Phillips at the Community Room; learn to plant, grow, harvest, and preserve popular herbs
• Gardening with Compost Workshop — Hosted by Waste Connections of WA at 9411 NE 94th Ave., Vancouver. Learn to use Bokashi, vermicompost, and more for a fertilizer-free garden
• Beacon Rock Trail Day Work Party — Volunteer with the Washington Trails Association at Beacon Rock State Park; camping available Saturday evening
• Clark College Spring Native Plant Sale — Pick up native plants for your pollinator habitat at the Native Plant Center on Reserve St., Vancouver
• Online Watercolor Painting: The Burrowing Owl — Virtual art workshop with Bird Alliance of Oregon; paint a burrowing owl in watercolor with guided instruction
• Ridgefield Learn to Kayak Tour — Paddle the Columbia River Water Trail near Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge with Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe at Ridgefield Waterfront Park
• Cannon Beach Fat Bike Festival — Pedal-powered fun on the sand in Cannon Beach; fat bikes, trikes, e-bikes, and more welcome
• Ridgefield Dragon Boat Paddles — Free community paddling in Ridgefield; ages 14+ welcome, no experience needed
• Volunteer Stewardship at Raistakka Preserve — Join Columbia Land Trust in Wahkiakum County for litter pickup and Scotch broom removal along the Grays River
• Life After the Great Eruption: Mt. St. Helens Talk — Presentation by volunteer Alex Lennox at the Fort Vancouver Visitor Center Theater exploring what followed the 1980 eruption
• Mountains & Meadow Watercolor Painting Class — Free watercolor session with artist Claire Giordano
• Cook Hill Loop Hike with Mazamas — Spectacular Gorge hike with spring wildflowers and solitude, east of Dog Mountain
• 78th St. Road Cleanup with Clark County Public Works — Volunteer litter pickup along NE 78th Street; check in at 4000 NE 78th St., Vancouver
• Exploring Cosmology, Ecology, and Spirituality Retreat — A day retreat with Portland poet Jeff Howard in Ridgefield, WA
• Wildflowers & Watersheds Festival — Free admission all day at Columbia Gorge Discovery Center; guided walks, stream tables, yoga, and pollinator activities
• Thrillium Mt. Bike Trail Maintenance Work Party — Help Evergreen Mountain Bike Alliance maintain trail tread at Larch Mountain trailhead in Yacolt Burn State Forest
• Ridgefield Bachelor Island Circumnavigation Kayak Tour — 10-mile full-day paddle around Bachelor Island with Alder Creek Ridgefield
• NW Trail Sisters' Women's Beginner Ride — Chill, guided mountain bike ride at Gateway Green; all skill levels welcome
• Oak Gall Ink Making Workshop — $50, ages 12+; make ink from oak galls with artist Molly Holmlund, hosted by Columbia Land Trust at 105 E. Jewett Blvd., White Salmon
• Tandem Bike Clinic with NW Association of Blind Athletes — Open to athletes of all ages and ability levels
• Cape Disappointment Coastal Forest Loop Volunteer Vacation — Spend a week doing beachside trailwork in Cape Disappointment State Park with WTA; stay in historic lodging at Fort Columbia
• Cape Disappointment Coastal Forest Loop Trail Work Party — Weekend volunteer vacation building stairs with Washington Trails Association at Cape Disappointment State Park
• Cascades Pika Watch Training Workshops — Learn to survey and map pikas in the Columbia River Gorge as a Cascades Pika Watch volunteer

Family & Kids

• Kids Fishing Festival with Columbia Springs — For ages 5–14 with expert fishing mentors, hands-on science activities, and BBQ lunch at 12208 SE Evergreen Hwy, Vancouver. $8 per person; advance registration required
• Pollinators & Poetry with FVRL — Kids create pro-pollinator haiku poetry with local author Ashley Erdely at the Sprint/Baker Gallery Room. Free
• Hatchery Tour at Columbia Springs — Family-friendly tour tracing spring water through the historic hatchery at 12208 SE Evergreen Hwy, Vancouver
• Young Birders to WSU Vancouver with Vancouver Audubon — 8:00 a.m. guided bird walk for young birders at the Grey Lot, 14900 NE Salmon Creek Ave.
• Adopt-A-Park Event at LeRoy Haagen Community Park — Family-friendly morning removing ivy and spreading mulch at 13200 NE LeRoy Haagen Memorial Dr., Vancouver; tools and snacks provided

Adults

• Women's Advanced MTB Training Sessions — NW Trail Sisters clinics at Rocky Point led by Brave Endeavors; master steep trails, braking, and body position
• For Educators: Schoolyard Stewardship PD Session — Learn strategies for turning school gardens into hubs of learning and community at 2210 Olympia Way, Longview
• Bird Walk at Ridgefield NWR with Backyard Bird Shop — 8:00 a.m., 2–3 hours; advance registration required by calling 503-445-2699 (press 5)
• Veterans' Trail Work Party at Whistle Punk — WTA work party for veterans and service members; build camaraderie while maintaining hiking trails

Friday, May 15

• Flora & Fauna Friday at Campus Community Garden — Midday volunteer work party with the City of Vancouver's Volunteer Programs and Naturespaces; hands-on service with snacks provided

Saturday, May 16

• Clark County Parks & Nature Fee Free Day: "Kids to Parks" Day — Free access to Clark County regional parks in celebration of National Kids to Parks Day

Sunday, May 17

• Mt. St. Helens Eruptiversary: Views & Brews — USGS Scientist Emerita Carolyn Driedger shares personal memories of the 1980 eruption with the Mt. St. Helens Institute. An evening of stories, science, and community

Friday, May 22

• Flora & Fauna Friday at The Downs Neighborhood Park — Midday volunteer work party or educational event with the City of Vancouver's Volunteer Programs and Naturespaces

Monday, May 25

• Federal Public Lands Fee Free Day — Memorial Day — No entrance fees at federal public lands across the U.S. in honor of Memorial Day
• "Hike the State 2026" WTA Online Summer Kick-Off — Free virtual event with 10+ hike recommendations and tips from Washington Trails Association staff
• "Hike the State" WA Workshop with WTA — Free online workshop with fresh hiking recommendations and pro planning tips from WTA staff

Thursday, May 28

• Understory: NW Film Festival — 6:30 p.m. (doors at 5:30) at the historic Kiggins Theatre in downtown Vancouver. Stories of adventure, conservation, and our connection to the natural world, presented by Cascade Forest Conservancy. Early bird tickets available before May 15

Friday, May 29

• Flora & Fauna Friday at Countryside Park — Midday volunteer work party with the City of Vancouver's Volunteer Programs and Naturespaces

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