📰 What's Making News

Defending Champ Seahawks Load Up With 8 Draft Picks

The Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks didn't rest on their laurels this weekend. Instead of trading back with their first-round selection, the front office went straight at their biggest defensive need and kept building from there — eight picks in all across the 2026 NFL Draft. For fans in Clark County who bleed Seahawks blue and green, it's an encouraging sign that this team is serious about running it back. Read the full breakdown of every pick here.

Blazers Face Elimination After Wembanyama's Dominant Return

Victor Wembanyama came back from a concussion and reminded Portland why he's the most fearsome player in the league — 27 points, 11 rebounds, and seven blocks in a 114-93 Spurs blowout that puts San Antonio up 3-1 in their first-round series. The Trail Blazers now face a must-win Game 5 just to stay alive. It's a tough spot for Portland, but hey, at least our neighbors across the river made the playoffs this year. Full game recap here.

Washington Flood Communities Get $1.5M From FEMA, but Prevention Funding Denied

FEMA is sending nearly $1.5 million to Washington communities and organizations still recovering from the historic December 2025 flooding — welcome news for those hit hardest. The less welcome part: the agency denied grant funding for preventive infrastructure improvements statewide, the kind of investment that could lessen future damage. It's a mixed bag for a region that knows all too well what atmospheric rivers can do. Read the details on what was funded and what wasn't.

'Michael' Moonwalks to a Record-Smashing $97 Million Opening

Bad reviews? A rocky production? None of it mattered. The Michael Jackson biopic "Michael" debuted at $97 million in U.S. and Canadian theaters this weekend, absolutely demolishing the previous record for music biopics. For context, "Bohemian Rhapsody" opened to about $51 million back in 2018. Whether you're planning a movie night or just love a good box-office stunner, this one's worth knowing about. See the full story here.

⚡ Quick Bites

Three-Minute Response Saves McGillivray Boulevard Home From Garage Fire

Vancouver Fire Department crews arrived at a residential garage fire on McGillivray Boulevard on Saturday in just three minutes, containing the blaze before it could spread to the main living areas. The American Red Cross is assisting the affected residents.

📅 Mark Your Calendar

Monday, April 27

• Lilac Days at Hulda Klager Gardens — It's Senior Citizen Monday ($5 for 62+, $10 general admission)! Gardens open daily 10 a.m.–4 p.m. through May 10. Woodland, WA
• City Nature Challenge 2026 — Last day to log observations of plants, animals, and other species using the free iNaturalist app. Anywhere in the Vancouver area
• Vancouver Urban Forestry Pop-Up Arboretums — Hone your tree ID skills at pop-up arboretums at Arnada Park (610 E. 25th St.) and Homestead Park (1800 S.E. 160th Ave.) all month long. Vancouver
• [Wild] Camp Goods Swap — Browse and take home camping gear at this community swap co-hosted by Kindred Vancouver and Wild Camp Goods. 2213 Main St., Vancouver
• David Douglas Community Park Adopt-A-Park Event — Morning of litter cleanup and invasive plant removal. Family-friendly; training, gloves, tools, water, and snacks provided. Vancouver
• 2026 SW WA Youth Photo Contest — Vancouver Audubon Society, HD Aluminum Prints, and Columbia Credit Union sponsor this nature photography contest for young people. Details online
• Nominate a Heritage Tree in Clark County — Deadline April 30! WSU Extension Clark County Master Gardeners want to hear about significant trees in unincorporated Clark County

Tuesday, April 28

• Hudson's Bay High School Plant Sale — 8 a.m.–6 p.m. (runs April 28–30). Vibrant flowers and fresh veggies grown by VPS horticulture and FFA students. Off Reserve St., Vancouver

Wednesday, April 29

• Pollinators & Pints — Vancouver Bee Project Community Hangout — A relaxed evening for pollinator and native-plant enthusiasts to connect and check in on mason bee season. Location details online

Thursday, April 30

• Prairie High School Plant Sale — 9 a.m.–5 p.m. (district employees only this day; public days May 1–2 & May 4). 11311 NE 119th St., Vancouver

Friday, May 1

• Prairie High School Plant Sale — Public Day — 3–6 p.m. at Prairie High School greenhouses, 11311 NE 119th St., Vancouver
• Grays Harbor Shorebird & Nature Festival (Road Trip) — Shorebird viewing kicks off at Grays Harbor National Wildlife Refuge. Festival activities May 2–3 at Hoquiam Middle School. shorebirdfestival.com
• White Salmon Wildflower Festival — Month-long celebration of nature, art, and community launches in the Columbia River Gorge with guided hikes, art shows, wine walks, and live music

Saturday, May 2

• Ridgefield's Spring Festival — 10th Anniversary First Saturdays — Music, food, art, vendor market, sidewalk sales, and family-friendly activities in downtown Ridgefield
• Ridgefield Garden Club Annual Plant Sale Fundraiser — Greely Building, downtown Ridgefield
• Prairie High School Plant Sale — Public Day — 9 a.m.–2 p.m. at Prairie High School greenhouses, 11311 NE 119th St., Vancouver
• Battle Ground High School FFA Plant Sale — 8 a.m.–3 p.m. at the BGHS greenhouses, 300 W. Main St., Battle Ground
• Flex Academy & Columbia River High School Plant Sales — 9 a.m.–2 p.m. Plants grown by VPS students. Vancouver
• Washougal Studio Artists' Tour — The Tree House Art Studio — 10 a.m.–4 p.m. (also May 3). Drive out to the Washougal River Valley for nature-inspired art by local artists
• Nature Resin Jewelry Studio Workshop at Columbia Springs — 10 a.m.–12 p.m. Create unique pendants, earrings, or keychains with artist Bri Graw using UV resin and natural elements
• Adopt-A-Park: Ellsworth Springs East Ivy Pull — Morning of invasive ivy removal. Family-friendly; training, gloves, tools, water, and snacks provided. Vancouver
• Meadow & Pollinator Hedgerow Care Workshop — Hands-on habitat care morning with the Vancouver Bee Project at Flat Tack Farm. Learn spring meadow management while pulling invasive blackberries

Adults

• Mt. St. Helens Swift Creek Worm Flows Climb with Mazamas — A strenuous early-season ascent via Marble Mountain Snow Park. Registration and permit fee required

Sunday, May 3

• Camas Library Audiobook Walking Club — 60-minute walk plus optional 30 minutes of social time. Bring your audiobook and meet at NE Yale St. & 2nd Ave., Camas
• Washougal Studio Artists' Tour — Day 2 — 10 a.m.–4 p.m. at The Tree House Art Studio in the Washougal River Valley
• Camas Field Nature Walk — Leisurely spring stroll with the Camas Earth Day Society at Round Lake to enjoy blooming camas fields. Free; ages 8+; limited to 25 participants. 3016 NE Everett St., Camas
• Rain Gardens & Ponds Class at Good Year Farms — Learn how to site, design, and plant rain gardens and backyard ponds with nursery manager Chelsea. Good Year Farms, Vancouver

Monday, May 4

• Lilac Days at Hulda Klager Gardens — Senior Monday — Last Senior Citizen discount day ($5 for 62+). Gardens open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Woodland, WA
• Prairie High School Plant Sale — Final Public Day — 3–6 p.m. at Prairie High School greenhouses, 11311 NE 119th St., Vancouver

Wednesday, May 6

• First of the Month Bird Walk — Vancouver Audubon Society — A casual, local morning of spring birding. Check the VAS website for location and details

Thursday, May 7

• Fort Vancouver High School Plant Sale — 8:30 a.m.–5 p.m. (also May 8 same hours; May 9, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.). Plants grown by VPS students. Vancouver
• Dog Mountain Hike with Mazamas — 6.9 miles, 2,750 ft. gain, and famous Gorge wildflowers — without the weekend permits and crowds. Columbia River Gorge

Saturday, May 9

• Clark County Parks & Nature Fee-Free Day — International Migratory Bird Day — Enjoy free access to Clark County regional parks and celebrate migratory birds
• WSU Extension Master Gardener Mother's Day Weekend Plant Sale — Shopping appointments required; sign-up link on the WSU Master Gardeners website
• Grand Opening — Ridgefield NWR Community Nature Center — Ribbon cutting for the new classroom and community room at 28908 NW Main St., Ridgefield
• Plant Sale at Northlake ES — Lower Columbia School Gardens — Support school gardens in Longview and Kelso. Longview, WA
• Falls Creek Falls Hike with Mazamas — An easy 6-mile hike to a stunning 200-foot, three-tiered waterfall through old-growth forest in Gifford Pinchot National Forest
• Hardy Hamilton Mountain Loop Hike with Mazamas — Scenic loop from Beacon Rock State Park up Hardy Ridge, Phlox Point, and Hamilton Mountain summit. Columbia River Gorge

Sunday, May 10

• Lilac Days at Hulda Klager Gardens — Final Day — Last chance to enjoy the 50th anniversary season. Gardens open 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Woodland, WA
• Columbia Hills Natural Area Preserve Hike (Road Trip) — Moderate 4.8-mile hike up Stacker Butte with views of Mt. Adams, Mt. Hood, and the eastern Gorge. With WA Native Plant Society Suksdorfia Chapter
• WA Native Plant Society Hike at Columbia Hills NAP (Road Trip) — Explore desert parsleys, bitterroot, and more on this moderate 4.8-mile trek with 1,200 ft. gain
• Forest Canopy Walk at Plas Newydd — A monthly walk/roll/ride on Plas Newydd Farm hosted by Abby Braithwaite and David Morgan. Registration required