English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Vancouver, WA

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VANCOUVER, Wash. (KATU) — The Clark County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in looking for a man accused of trying to kidnap a teenage girl in Vancouver on Tuesday morning.

“He's like, 'Get in my car. I have a gun.' And he pulls out the gun, shows the gun, like, completely. And he's like, 'If you run, I'm gonna shoot you.' So I just sat there for, like, I'd say about two seconds. I'm like, do I get in the car or do I run? And instead I'm just like, I'm just like, no. And I run as fast as I can,” said the girl.

She says she ran down the street and tried to flag down cars. Eventually she got help.

“Eventually, these two women like rolled down their window and I told them, I told them what happened,” the girl said. “And the lady already called someone.”

The incident happened in the Salmon Creek neighborhood in the 500 block of Northeast 149th Street around 8:30 a.m., according to a spokesperson with the sheriff's office.

The suspect is described as being a white man in his 20s or 30s with brown shoulder-length hair, wearing blue pants and an orange hooded sweatshirt.

Investigators say he was last seen driving a newer model four-door blue sedan.

The teenager is a student at Alki Middle School, according to a spokesperson with the Vancouver School District. She was walking to the bus stop when she was confronted by the suspect.

A district spokesperson issued the following statement about this incident:

We did receive a report from a student today that a concerning interaction took place on their way to school and we helped them report to 311. The Clark County Sheriff's Office issued a press release about the incident.

The spokesperson also included a message that was sent to parents and guardians of students who attend Chinook Elementary, Alki Middle School, and Skyview High School.

In that message, school officials wrote that the suspect was driving a metallic blue PT Cruiser. In their description of the suspect, is identified as a white man in his mid-30s with brown, shaggy, curly hair past his ears, and a goatee. In the school’s clothing description, the suspect was wearing blue jeans, a white hoodie with orange stripes, and sunglasses.

In an interview with KATU News, the girl’s father, Devon Wilson, said he was feeling anxious and uneasy about the situation but was glad his daughter was OK.

“She doing good. She was really amped up at first, didn’t really know what was going on. I tried to explain to her, like, this is a lot to process, and we should talk about it,” he said about how his daughter was doing after the incident. “But she’s a lot more calm now -- she just wants to keep talking about it. I think it makes her feel better to just hang out with us for the day and talk about what happened.”

Wilson said he wasn’t sure whether his daughter would go back to school on Wednesday.

Investigators are asking for witnesses to come forward and share any surveillance, dashcam, or doorbell video from the area between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. on May 6.

Anyone with relevant footage is asked to upload it using the QR code provided by the sheriff’s office. That QR code is posted below:

Witnesses can also upload their video by clicking here.

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This case remains under investigation.

British Columbians aren’t visiting Washington state like they used to.

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The number of people crossing the border into Washington in April fell by more than half compared with the same period last year, according to data collected by the B.C. Transportation Ministry and Washington state’s Department of Transportation.

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Fewer than 100,000 passenger vehicles crossed south into Washington state from B.C. in April, down from over 200,000 in April 2024.

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It’s the second straight month that the number of people crossing from B.C. into Washington has been down. Just over 121,000 vehicles with B.C. plates crossed the border in March, compared with 216,000 in March 2024.

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Michelle McKenzie, director of marketing at Washington tourism, said there have been “reports from destinations along our northern border” about declining numbers of visitors from B.C.

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She said hotel demand through April in the northwest of the state, which lies closest to B.C., was down nine per cent, far higher than the statewide average decline of 1.3 per cent.

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Canada is Washington state’s top international market for tourists and the decline in cross border travel could have a significant economic impact.

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“In 2024, the average Canadian visitor to Washington state spent $240,” McKenzie said, slightly more than the $211 spent by domestic visitors.

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Canada is the largest source of international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association, which warned in February that a 10 per cent reduction in Canadian travel to the U.S. could mean US$2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.

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U.S. President Donald Trump first announced tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods in February and then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to spend domestically in response.

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“Now is the time to choose Canada … It might mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada and explore the many national and provincial parks, historical sites and tourist destinations our great country has to offer,” Trudeau said at the time.

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In early March, Premier David Eby doubled down, urging British Columbians to avoid travel to the U.S.

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“Our response is also to use the market power that we have as British Columbians to send a message. We’re not as big a powerful market as the United States, but there are many American jobs that depend on the purchases made by British Columbians and by Canadians,” Eby said the day U.S. tariffs came into effect. “If you have a choice about where to travel, avoid travelling to the United States.”

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In Washington state, businesses are looking to entice Canadians south of the border.

Donny from "The Big Lebowski" would surely be pleased.

The popular In-N-Out Burger chain is teasing the opening of its first restaurant in Washington state.

Those are good burgers, indeed.

Here's what to know.

Where and when is In-N-Out opening in Washington state?

In-N-Out Burger is set to open a location at 5801 Pioneer Canyon Dr. in Ridgefield, Washington, situated along the Interstate 5 corridor near the Oregon border.

The restaurant's website states the location is "opening soon," but does not provide an exact date.

USA TODAY reported on May 1 that the company did not respond to a request for a "clearer timeframe."

On April 14, an In-N-Out representative wrote in an Instagram comment that the company didn't have an opening date to share.

Fox 13 Seattle reported on March 8 that construction was progressing on the Ridgefield location and another planned location in Vancouver in Southern Washington.

How many In-N-Out restaurants are in Washington state?

There are currently no In-N-Out Burger locations in Washington state, according to the company's website.

Where are other In-N-Out Burger restaurants opening?

The In-N-Out website lists seven locations as "opening soon."

How many In-N-Out Burger locations are there?

As of 2023, In-N-Out Burger had at least 400 locations, according to the company's website. The chain has restaurants in California, Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Texas, Oregon, Colorado and Idaho.

The data website ScrapeHero reported that there were 418 In-N-Out locations as of March 12.

In-N-Out's office shuffle

In-N-Out announced in February that it is closing an office in Irvine, California and moving staff to its office in the Los Angeles-area city of Baldwin Park, 1 mile from the first restaurant opened by Harry and Esther Snyder.

The company is set to open a corporate office in the Nashville area. The Nashville office is on track to open in 2026, the company said when it announced the Irvine office's closure.

Contributing: James Powel, USA TODAY

British Columbians aren’t visiting Washington state very much these days.

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The number of people crossing the border into Washington in March fell by nearly half compared to the same period last year, according to data collected by the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Washington state’s Department of Transportation.

Article content

Just over 121,000 vehicles with B.C. plates crossed the border in March, compared with 216,000 in March 2024.

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Crossings in February were down by nearly a third compared to last year.

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Sunrise

Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

Article content

U.S. President Donald Trump first announced tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods in February and then-prime minister Justin Trudeau urged Canadians to spend domestically in response.

Article content

“Now is the time to choose Canada. … It might mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada and explore the many national and provincial parks, historical sites and tourist destinations our great country has to offer,” Trudeau said at the time.

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A Flourish chart

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David Blandford, executive director of State of Washington Tourism, said in an email that he is hearing reports of Canadian travellers changing their plans “due to the current political situation.”

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“As our top international market, Canadian visitors play a vital role in our tourism economy,” Blandford said.

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“We want to emphasize that Washington remains a welcoming destination for all travellers from Canada,” he said, noting the strong relationship between B.C. and Washington.

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Canada is the largest source of international visitors to the U.S., according to the U.S. Travel Association, which warned in February that a 10 per cent reduction in Canadian travel to the U.S. could mean $2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses.

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With over 2.3 million B.C. cars crossing the border into Washington state each year in 2023 and 2024, a lengthy travel boycott could severely impact tourism in the state.

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Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund said in February that her office had received many messages from British Columbians stating they had cancelled upcoming vacations and changed their shopping habits.

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“It’s regrettable,” the mayor said at the time. “Regardless of what’s coming out of the other Washington, I know this Washington — and Bellingham in particular — feels an incredible closeness, and values our connections and connectedness to each other.

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“I hope we can continue to maintain close ties. I want to reach out and affirm our connections and say how much we value our neighbours to the north.”

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The current exchange rate is likely contributing to the drop in Canadians heading to the U.S., too. On Monday it cost $1.44 to buy $1 US, according to the Bank of Canada.

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ngriffiths@postmedia.com

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Winter shelter program provided warmth, safety to 200+

As the City continues to tackle homelessness, we are always looking for ways to make measurable progress. Over the winter months, we opened two city-owned buildings for the first time as temporary overnight shelters to better shield our unhoused residents from the freezing temperatures. From December to March, the shelters provided a safe and warm space for those in need to spend the night, and prioritized families with children and the most vulnerable in our community. Now that the shelters have closed, I’d like to share the positive outcomes.

The shelters were at capacity all season. More than 200 people were served at two locations (Vancouver Arts Hub, 1007 E. Mill Plain Blvd. and 521 Chkalov Drive). 29 were young children and were able to reunite with family in one space at the same time. Participants and families took part in activities like yoga, birthday parties and bedtime stories.

Our two sites offered a combined capacity of about 60 beds each night. The shelter operator, Outsiders Inn, was able to connect all the shelter participants with housing assessments to help define their barriers to housing and find ways to move past them.

Throughout their stay, shelter residents were embraced by neighbors, including some who were initially opposed to the idea of an overnight shelter opening nearby. Together, the neighbors made posters and donated countless snacks, loads of clothes and coats, hats and scarves, socks and underwear, blankets and bedding, toiletries, shoes and more.

The City is grateful to the community of caring individuals who supported their sheltered friends and helped make a huge, positive difference for them.

Bridge shelter taking shape

Addressing homelessness is a top priority for the City and we continue to make progress. We are now moving urgently to open a bridge shelter as part of the City’s declared homeless emergency. This space will help “bridge” the gap between homelessness and housing with added shelter capacity and curated, wraparound care designed to help people overcome their barriers to housing. With a bridge shelter, we can help more people move through the continuum of care to stable housing, keeping them supported and safe at the same time.

Extensive community engagement with neighbors and surrounding businesses helped determine the shelter’s future location at 5313 N.E. 94th Ave. In late 2024, City Council approved the purchase and use of that property. The City also chose Do Good Multnomah, an experienced shelter operator, to help us work on the shelter’s design and scope, and eventually to manage the facility. And in December 2024, we hired Scott Edwards Architecture for shelter design and engineering.

Earlier this year, we finalized concept plans, and the shelter is now moving into the design phase. The shelter will be a pre-engineered metal building and is expected to have between 100 – 120 beds. Plans include space for a limited number of pets, covered outdoor recreation and a commercial kitchen in a second building to enable on-site food for residents.

As the project progresses, updates on design, contractor selection and the permit process will be shared with community members and stakeholders. We plan to open the shelter in 2026.