Community Corner

🌱 Why lawmakers are frustrated over the I-5 Bridge’s missing price tag

Happening soon: CAREER CENTER CLASS– POWERPOINT on the Vancouver Patch calendar

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Tuesday December 16th Patch AM
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Hi there, Vancouver! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • Why lawmakers are frustrated over the I-5 Bridge’s missing price tag
  • How to save on 2026 parking at Vancouver Lake and beyond
  • How Vancouver clinicians are quietly testing AI in exam rooms

Also on today's calendar: Fort Vancouver Kiwanis and 5 more events.

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📸 Have a great pic of holiday decorations from around Vancouver? Post it to Vancouver photos of the day! ☃️ 🟢-🟠-🟣-🔴-🟡-🔵 ☃️

Today's riddle: Can February March? 🤔 (Answer below!)

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Weather forecast:

  • Tuesday: Cloudy with a stray shower, with a high of 60 and low of 44 degrees.
  • Wednesday: A couple of showers, temps: high: 51, low: 43.
  • Thursday: Rain, with a high of 54 and low of 47 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Washington, Oregon legislators irked at lack of cost update for I-5 Bridge replacement (columbian.com) — State lawmakers are pressing for an updated price tag on replacing the aging I-5 Bridge between North Portland and downtown Vancouver, a project central to local commuting and freight. Current cost estimates of $5 to $7.5 billion are several years old and don’t reflect steep jumps in steel, concrete, and construction costs. A clearer budget is expected early next year.
   

2. County regional parks annual parking passes now available for purchase (clarkcountytoday.com) — If you regularly visit Vancouver Lake or other Clark County regional parks, 2026 annual parking passes are now on sale for $40, with daily fees set at $5 starting January 1. Passes cover Frenchman’s Bar, Lewisville, Klineline Pond at Salmon Creek, and Vancouver Lake, and can be purchased online, by phone, or at select in-person dates in Vancouver.
   

3. Local clinicians cautious in integrating AI into health care (columbian.com) — PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver is cautiously rolling out artificial intelligence tools that automatically record and transcribe doctor-patient conversations. Clinicians say this “ambient listening” lets them focus more on patients instead of computer screens, while still capturing detailed medical histories and care plans. The technology is being tested carefully as part of a broader, gradual AI adoption across the health system.
   

4. Your tips for parents dealing with holiday stress (theolympian.com) — A Vancouver, Wash., parent urges families to keep holiday plans simple and focus on shared experiences instead of piles of gifts. They join other Washington parents offering practical tips to cut stress, from skipping crowded Santa photo lines to celebrating with extended family during less hectic travel seasons.
   

5. Vintage Pontiacs are disappearing, but enthusiasts are finding them (usatoday.com) — Vancouver readers are among Pontiac enthusiasts nationwide responding to a viral car column about disappearing vintage Pontiacs. The writer, based in Indiana, shares photos and stories from owners across the country, highlighting rare pre-1960 models and inviting more Vancouver-area Pontiac owners to share their cars’ histories.
   

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • I moved out to the PNW a couple years ago for a partner I am no longer with.
    Most of my time is occupied with work, and I have found I’m truly struggling without a “village” nearby. All my friends and family are in Ohio. Does… (Nextdoor Walnut Grove)
  • Does anyone remember my post in July about a feral mom with 3 kittens?
    This is her now, indoors. She was not cooperating with her photo shoot. (Nextdoor Precinct 425)
  • Extended Stay America, Inc. posted a job opening for Housekeeper Part Time-101020 in Vancouver. Apply here.
  • PSG Global Solutions posted a job opening for Hiring For Production Operator (FBP) in Vancouver. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Vancouver here.

Ok Vancouver! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I don't know, but April May!
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