Happy Monday, Vancouver!

The poll results are in, and when it comes to the new millionaires tax, 79% of you are in favor of it while 21% of you strongly oppose it! Turns out, this town has strong feelings about commas in other people’s bank accounts. There are roughly 1,000 people in Clark County who would be effected by this new tax.

Meanwhile, a new restaurant is moving in to the former Esther Short Starbucks location, and honestly, we’re just thrilled it’s not another bank. More updates below.

And, in true municipal fashion, the city is simultaneously asking for money and spending money like there’s no tomorrow. Spending on what? You’ll find out below.

Anyways, here's what to expect in today's edition of The PNW Report (Vancouver):

📰 Local News
☁️ Weather
🎉 Events & Things To Do
🤔 Lateral Thinking Puzzle

Let's get started!

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🍞 New Spot (with Cheesy Bread) Coming to Old Esther Short Starbucks!

Ready for some gouda vibes?! A new food + coffee spot called Kitanda is moving into the former Esther Short Park Starbucks location. They already have stores in Beaverton and Seattle - they’re best known for their world-class cheesy bread, coffee, and acai bowls. They will open in about a month, and guess what? We’ll keep you updated.

📹 Lights, Camera, Accountability

The City is moving forward with upgrades to police body-worn camera technology, investing in updated equipment and supporting systems to improve video quality, storage capacity, and long-term data management. The goal? Clearer footage, more reliable uploads, and smoother evidence processing.

🌊 Waterfront Goes Grant Fishing…With a $5 Million Hook

The City is officially casting a line for a $5 million federal RAISE grant to keep Vancouver’s Waterfront glowing up. If the grant bites, the money would fund ADA accessibility upgrades, trail safety improvements, as well as stronger pedestrian and bike connections along the river corridor. Now we wait to see if Uncle Sam takes the bait.

WEATHER

February showers bring March…flowers?!

Monday, 2/23: 45/40 🌧️ Rain
Tuesday, 2/24: 48/35 🌧️ Rain
Wednesday, 2/25: 52/33 ☁️ Partly Cloudy
Thursday, 2/26: 53/36 ☁️ Partly Cloudy

EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO [2/23 - 2/26]

Looking for something fun to do this week? You’re in the right place! 🎉 

Stay tuned for Thursday morning’s newsletter, where we’ll give the lowdown on all the cool upcoming weekend events!

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 23rd

🧘 Tibetan Sand Mandala @ Clark College | 9AM (FREE)
For five days (Feb 23 - 27), Tibetan Buddhist monks from South India will patiently create an intricate Sand Mandala inside Cannell Library at Clark College…one grain at a time. Free, open to all, and worth experiencing at least once in this lifetime.

🚶 Audiobook Walking Club @ Camas Public Library | 9:30AM (FREE)
This free monthly meetup is for the audiobook addicts who want to listen while moving their legs. Participants have an hour to walk and listen before a half-hour of optional socializing. Make sure to check the weather for plot twists (i.e. cancellations).

🩸 Red Cross Blood Drive @ Cascade Park Library | 10AM – 3PM (FREE)
This isn’t your average library circulation…Cascade Park Library is checking out blood donations! Swing by the Red Cross Blood Drive and save lives, one pint at a time. P.S. did you know that free snacks that taste even better when you’ve just saved a life?

💃 Line Dancing @ Cascade Park Library | 1PM – 3PM (FREE)
It’s time to shelf your excuses and get in formation! Slide on over to the library for a free line dancing workout and prove that you have a lot more going on than just a pretty cover (spoiler alert: you totally do).

🏃‍♂️ Run Club @ Foot Traffic | 5:45PM (FREE)
Looking for an excuse to be active but mostly just want to socialize? This run club is 50% chatting, 50% running, and 100% a good time. They meet at the Trader Joe’s on Chkalov, you know, just in case you wanna grab some cheese for the drive home.

🎨 Paint and Sip with Nicole @ Vice Beer | 6PM ($44)
It is time to channel your inner Bob Ross! Nicole is leading the charge on painting a sunset scene that will look great on your wall (or at least provide a good laugh for your houseguests). For $44, you get all the supplies and a pint of beer, wine, or cider to help…blur the lines. 

🤣 Chicks & Giggles @ Donnell’s | 6PM - 8PM (FREE)
Mondays don’t have to be so miserable…laugh your way into the week at Donnell’s! Grab a drink, find a good seat, and get ready for an evening of raw, unfiltered comedy from some of the funniest locals around.

🤣 Open Mic Comedy @ Underbar | 8PM - 10PM (FREE)
Underbar’s Open Mic, hosted by Juan Duran, is the place to be to beat the Monday blues. Their drink selection doesn’t hurt either tbh…sip sip hooray!

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 24th

🔪 Falling Down a Rabbit Hole and Solving a Murder @ Clark County Genealogical Society | 10AM (FREE)
You start with one ancestor…and suddenly you’re knee-deep in scandal?! In this delightfully twisty talk, local history expert Peri Muhich shares how a simple genealogy search unraveled into a true-crime tale featuring a prostitute, a grifter, and one very inconvenient murder. Turns out family trees sometimes have a few rotten branches.

✍️ Shut Up and Write! @ The ARTS Centered | 5:15PM (FREE)
Calling all writers (yes, even you with the half-finished novel hiding in Google Docs)! This is focused weekly writing time to just show up, get words on the page, and meet some fellow word nerds. Write, write, write!

🚲 Urbanism Happy Hour @ Tap Union | 6:30PM (FREE)
Grab your helmet and your happy hour appetite…it’s time for Cycle Vancouver’s Urbanism Happy Hour at Tap Union! Meet fellow two-wheeled enthusiasts, swap stories from the bike lane, and toast to better mobility, stronger community, and fewer potholes.

🎱 Autumn Pinny Cup Tournament @ Silver Ball Social Club | 7PM ($12)
Ready to have a ball? Head over to Silver Ball Social Club for a flippin’ cool pinball tournament. Players will be matched together on teams, regardless of skill levels, so get ready to roll over your opponents!

🎬 Oscar Nominated Shorts @ The Kiggins | 7PM ($11 – $13)
Do you enjoy having very strong opinions before the Oscars? Perfect. For the 21st year, ShortsTV is bringing the Oscar-Nominated short films to the Kiggins’ BIG screen starting Feb. 20 and running through the ceremony. Catch all three categories (Animated, Live Action, and Documentary) and have a reely good time.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 25th

🏠 Marshall House Tour @ Officer’s Row | 10AM (FREE)
Step into the past (literally) with a tour of the Marshall House on Officer’s Row! Wander through period furnishings, military memorabilia, and General Marshall’s impeccably preserved study. Tours are available Wednesday through Friday from 10AM - 2PM. Walk-ins welcome!

🪡 Open Craft @ Hook & Needle Fiber | 4PM - 7PM (FREE)
For when you’re feeling crafty, but also a little too lazy to follow official directions. Bring your supplies, hang out, and make something beautiful at this open craft session...or a tangled mess. We don’t judge!

🚨 Be Red Cross Ready @ Cascade Park Library | 4:30PM (FREE)
Disaster doesn’t RSVP…but you totally can! In this one-hour crash course, learn what steps to take when things go sideways…and possibly meet some fellow preppers?!

🎺 Music Night @ Willful Wine | 5PM – 7PM (FREE)
Sip wine and sway awkwardly at this delightful evening of music and merlot. Willful Wine knows how to pair a Pinot with a trumpet solo. Wine not?!

✍️ Haiku Poetry Workshop @ Vancouver Library | 5:30PM (FREE)
Unleash your inner word wizard! This workshop is all about turning prompts into punchlines, metaphors into magic, and sentences into spellbinding creations.

🃏 Tabletop and Taps @ Vault31 Bar | 6PM (FREE)
Board games are always a good idea. Join your fellow nerds at this board game meet-up and get ready to pwn some n00bs at Catan. Bring your A-game, or just bring yourself and let the dice and drinks (or both?!) decide your fate.

🤣 Comedy Night @ Shanahan’s | 8PM (FREE)
Grab the mic (literally) every Wednesday! In-person sign-ups kick off at 7:30, and the stage lights blaze at 8:00. Hosted by the one and only Sean Grace, this is your chance to shine, stumble, or just watch others do both.

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 26th

🏠 Marshall House Tour @ Officer’s Row | 10AM (FREE)
Step into the past (literally) with a tour of the Marshall House on Officer’s Row! Wander through period furnishings, military memorabilia, and General Marshall’s impeccably preserved study. Tours are available Wednesday through Friday from 10AM - 2PM. Walk-ins welcome!

🪶 The Craft of Writing @ Vancouver Library | 10:30AM (FREE)
This writer’s group dives into the craft of writing with a mix of exercises, book discussions, and friendly workshopping. Explore published gems across memoir, fiction, and non-fiction, then test-drive your own stories in a supportive, collaborative setting.

🏃‍♀️ Vancouver Run, Grub, and Chug @ The Vancouver Waterfront | 6:45PM (FREE)
Run for your health, and drink for...well, fun. Kind of like a race but with fewer rules and more rewards. This run club meets weekly, so if this is your vibe, guess what? You can do it next week, too!

❤️ Heart Health Panel Discussion @ NW Personal Training | 6:45PM (FREE)
Northwest Personal Training is teaming up with the American Heart Association for a free panel discussion featuring doctors, trainers, nutritionists, and therapists talking all things heart health.

WEEKLY EVENTS

Note: please call or visit each establishment’s website before visiting for a particular event in case details have changed.

BINGO

[MONDAY] Music Bingo Monday @ Ghost Runners Brewery | 7PM (FREE)
[TUESDAY] Bingo @ Grapes n Hops | 6PM (FREE)
[WEDNESDAY] Not Boring Music Bingo @ Fortside Brewing | 6PM (FREE)
[WEDNESDAY] Bar Card Bingo @ Vancouver Elks Lodge | 6PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] 5 Star Bingo @ Doomsday Brewing Pub | 6PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] Adult Bingo @ Underbar | 7PM (FREE)

TRIVIA

[MONDAY] Monday Night Trivia @ Shorewood Restaurant and Bar | 6PM (FREE)[MONDAY] Trivia Night @ Pour Choices Pub | 6:30PM (FREE)
[MONDAY] 5 Star Trivia @ Gossip in the Grain | 6:30PM (FREE)
[MONDAY] Trivia Night @ Thirsty Sasquatch | 8PM (FREE)
[MONDAY] Trivia Monday @ Full Heart Irish Pub | 9PM (FREE) 
[TUESDAY] Trivia Night @ Oak Tree Station | 6PM (FREE)
[TUESDAY] Last Call Trivia @ Tip Top Tavern | 7PM (FREE)
[TUESDAY] 5 Star Trivia @ Playmakers Hazel Dell | 7PM (FREE) 
[TUESDAY] Trivia Tuesday @ Underbar | 7PM (FREE)
[TUESDAY] 5 Star Trivia @ JB’s Taphouse and Grill | 7PM (FREE)
[TUESDAY] Trivia Night @ Ole’s Outpost | 7PM (FREE)
[WEDNESDAY] Not Rocket Science Trivia @ Coral Club | 7:30PM (FREE)
[WEDNESDAY] 5 Star Trivia @ Grapes n Hops | 6PM (FREE)
[WEDNESDAY] Last Call Trivia @ Victor23 | 7PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] 5 Star Trivia @ Doomsday Brewing Pub and Pizza | 6PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] 5 Star Trivia Night @ Ghost Runner Brewery | 7PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] 5 Star Trivia Night @ Grady’s Public House | 7PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] Not Rocket Science Trivia @ Brickhouse | 7PM (FREE)
[THURSDAY] Trivia Thursday @ Breakside Vancouver | 6PM (FREE)

Lateral Thinking Puzzle of the Day

🧠 Time to put your thinking cap on!

Welcome to our Lateral Thinking Puzzle section, where things aren’t always as they seem. Ready to challenge your brain with some tricky scenarios and unexpected twists? Let’s see if you can crack the puzzle!

We’ll give you the answer in Thursday’s edition of The PNW Report (Vancouver)!

Today’s Puzzle: What is taken before you get it?

Last Thursday’s Question + Answer: I shave every day, yet my beard stays the same. How? [Answer: I’m a barber]