Happy Thursday, Vancouver!

Mother's Day is THIS Sunday…which means you have approximately 72 hours to get your act together, and we are so here to help. This weekend is packed with brunches, plant fairs, community markets, live music, storytelling, and enough ways to celebrate the moms, bonus moms, and motherly figures in your life.

But first! A few local news items worth your attention, a word from a local therapist for women and moms who just gets it, and then we're diving headfirst into the weekend.

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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LOCAL NEWS

💧 Vancouver’s Water Rates Are About to Splash Upward

If you've been following the ongoing PFAS saga with Vancouver's drinking water, you proooooobably knew this was coming. Eight of the city's nine water stations have had PFAS levels higher than the EPA's maximum contaminant levels of 4 parts per trillion. To put that in perspective: 1 part per trillion is roughly equal to a drop of water in an Olympic-sized swimming pool. The fix is not cheap. The overall mitigation efforts are projected to cost at least $280 million. Even with lawsuit settlements and federal forgivable loans helping offset the cost, the city will need to rely on water utility ratepayers to help fund the PFAS mitigation projects, according to Vancouver's utilities engineering division manager. Rate increases haven't been officially voted on yet, but the writing is on the wall…or rather, in the water. We'll keep you posted as this develops.

🍺 Loyal Legion Brewing Is Finally Open in Vancouver

After months of peeking through the windows, Vancouver residents can finally stop wondering when Loyal Legion would open in the former Heathen Feral Public House space: the taps are officially flowing. The Portland-based beer hall is bringing its massive rotating tap list, pub grub, and “one quick drink” lies to downtown Vancouver just in time for patio season. Check out our “first look” on @thepnwreport.vancouver Instagram:

🌸 A NOTE FOR THE WOMEN AND MOMS OF VANCOUVER, WA

This section is brought to you by
Lindsay Lindeman: Licensed Therapist for Women and Moms in Vancouver, WA

WEATHER [5/7 - 5/9]

Mother's Day weekend is looking absolutely stunning. Someone up there loves moms!

Friday, 5/8: 71/50 ☀️ Sunny
Saturday, 5/9: 74/52 ☀️ Sunny
Sunday, 5/10: 76/53 ☀️ Sunny

EVENTS AND THINGS TO DO [5/8- 5/10]

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

Stay tuned for Monday morning’s newsletter, where we’ll give the lowdown on all the cool upcoming weekday events for next week!

FRIDAY, MAY 8th

🌱 Plant Sale @ Fort Vancouver High School | 8:30AM - 5PM (FREE)
If you have a garden to fill, a mom to impress, or just a strong urge to buy more plants than you have room for (relatable), today is your lucky day! All proceeds support student clubs and classes, so you're quite literally buying plants for a good cause.

📚 Camas Library Book Sale | All Day (FREE)
Hi, bookworms! The Camas Library is hosting its May Book Sale starting TODAY and running through Sunday, May 11th. Fair warning: your TBR pile is about to become a full-blown shelf-care situation. And the best news? Sunday is fill-a-bag for five bucks. That's not a typo. Five dollars. For a whole bag of books!!!

🌱 Plant & Seed Swap @ Kindred | All Day (FREE) 
Bring a plant, take a plant. Bring a seed packet, take a seed packet. It's the botanical economy we all deserve! Kindred's all-day plant and seed swap is the most charming thing happening in our city on a Friday, and it costs absolutely nothing. Isn’t that plantastic?!

🎭 "Footloose" @ Magenta Theater | 7PM ($19 – $30) 
Everybody cut, everybody cut…everybody cut Footloose! Metropolitan Performing Arts is bringing the iconic story of small-town rebellion, big-city moves, and a truly excellent soundtrack to life this weekend. If you don't leave humming at least one song, you were not paying attention (sorry, no Kevin Bacon included).

☕ Death Cafe @ Art at the Cave | 7PM (FREE) 
Let’s talk about the one thing nobody escapes (and no, it’s not taxes). The Death Café invites you to sip, snack, and speak freely at this event led by a certified end-of-life doula. Bring your questions, fears, and existential hot takes for a conversation that’s surprisingly full of life.

SATURDAY, MAY 9th

🌱 Plant Sale @ Fort Vancouver High School | 9AM - 12PM (FREE)
If you have a garden to fill, a mom to impress, or just a strong urge to buy more plants than you have room for (relatable), today is your lucky day! All proceeds support student clubs and classes, so you're quite literally buying plants for a good cause.

🛒 Vancouver Farmers Market @ Esther Short Park | 9AM - 3PM (FREE)
Your weekly reminder that vegetables can be aesthetic and bread is always the answer. Stock up, stroll around, and try not to spend all your money on honey and hot sauce. But, if you do, at least you’re spending local?!

☕ Mother's Day Celebration @ Carino Coffeehouse | 9AM – 2PM (FREE) 
Cariño Coffeehouse is turning Mother’s Day weekend into a full-blown Mother’s Day celebration with flowers, charcuterie, permanent jewelry, coffee, and “momosas” aka all the ingredients for saying “thanks for everything” in style.

🌸 Camas Plant and Garden Fair @ Downtown Camas | 9AM – 4PM (FREE) 
This is the big one, plant people. The Camas Plant and Garden Fair takes over beautiful downtown Camas for a full day of local vendors, garden starts, flowers, kids' activities, live music, and food. Bring a wagon. You'll need it!!

🌱 Spruce the Couve @ Esther Short Park | 9:30AM – 11AM (FREE) 
Want to do something good for Vancouver before brunch? Spruce the Couve is a community cleanup event in and around Esther Short Park: a chance to give back to the public spaces we all love.

✍️ Spring Writing Workshop @ Clark College | 10AM – 4:30PM (FREE) 
Nothing is free anymore, let alone an entire full-day writing workshop! But alas, here we are. The Clark College Writing Workshop is back for its fifth year…and it’s ready to help you finally turn your “I have an idea for a book” into something slightly more organized than random Notes app entries at 1AM. This is the write stuff, folks!

🛠️ Free Geek Tech Drive @ HP | 10AM – 2PM (FREE) 
Got old electronics gathering dust? Free Geek is collecting unwanted tech so it can be refurbished, recycled, and kept out of landfills. Drop off your old laptops, phones, cables, and gadgets for free!

🛍️ High Brow Speakeasy Market @ Esther Short Park | 10AM – 3PM (FREE) 
Back for another weekend! The High Brow Speakeasy Market brings local makers, artisans, and vendors to beautiful Esther Short Park for a morning of browsing and buying. P.S. this is an excellent place to find a last-minute Mother's Day gift, just saying…

🎁 Mother's Day Celebration @ Vancouver Mall | 11AM – 1PM (FREE) 
Vancouver Mall is hosting a free Mother’s Day celebration packed with snacks, flowers, crafts, photo ops, and enough wholesome family moments to fill your camera roll for the next six months. Kids can make handmade keepsakes, moms can snag surprise goodies, and this is basically the easiest Mother’s Day activity ever so just go!

🎨 Pen and Ink with Wash @ Fort Vancouver Visitor Center | 1PM ($20) 
Learn the art of pen and ink with watercolor wash in the gorgeous setting of Fort Vancouver's Visitor Center. This hands-on workshop is perfect for beginners and anyone looking for a creative afternoon activity. For $20, you leave with a new skill and something to hang on your wall. How ink-redible!

🎶 Music in the Park @ John Ball Park | 1PM – 7PM (FREE) 
A full six hours of live music in the park on a sunny Saturday? This is what spring in Vancouver is ALL about! John Ball Park becomes the place to be this afternoon…just remember to bring a non-perishable food item for Clark County Food Project.

🔥 Campfire Tales Storytelling Show @ The Arts Centered | 7PM ($12 – $14) 
Campfire Tales is serving up stories that are heartfelt, hilarious, and occasionally a little…roasted?! Ten storytellers will take the stage to spark connection and fan the flames of human experience. There’s also the “Hot Seat” for brave audience members ready to absolutely fire off a last-minute story of their own. Yes, s’mores will be available for purchase!