(KATU) — The City of Vancouver has cleared an out-of-control homeless encampment near a Vancouver neighborhood The encampment had been growing for months along the Mill Plain “sound wall.” According to the City of Vancouver the Vancouver Housing Authority and Council for the Homeless worked together to help the people living along the wall CONTINUING COVERAGE | City of Vancouver to stop camping at sound wall near downtown "It's much better and safer, just the sanity, because we were going to move her out,” one couple said of their 96-year-old mother. “Because of the situation, we were going to put up a fence, but we never did that either. Luckily, they are going, and if they stay going, this is good." But despite the good news of having some peace along the wall, neighbors also recognize this is bittersweet, especially because, at the end of the day, they are all people. Some were as old as 60 years old, according to the city. “I think about them being homeless again,” one neighbor said after the encampment was cleared. Since October, 24 people have moved from the sound wall into supportive shelter at a City Safe Stay/Park. 35 people who didn’t enter the shelter were offered storage of their stuff for up to 60 days. The Vancouver Police Department also made 15 arrests. Twelve of those people received citations into Community Court, and five were booked into jail for misdemeanor warrants, a department of corrections warrant, reckless burning, and possession of controlled substances. City officials say the wall is now closed to camping under the City’s emergency order. Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482389 2064438195 The Vancouver arts hub will be one of the city's new winter homeless shelter sites will open two winter shelters Saturday for people experiencing homelessness City officials also finalized contracts with service providers for another three emergency shelter sites to respond to specific cold-weather events The new sites are being opened under the city’s emergency declaration It gives the city flexibility to quickly address the homelessness crisis within city limits According to the latest numbers released this week by city staff there were 1,366 people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver in 2024 Beds in the new shelters will be filled by referral Individuals will be required to go through an intake and screening process by Clark County service provider It is intended to prioritize families with children and vulnerable groups and screen out sex offenders and people who recently committed violent crimes Vancouver saw a 43% increase in unsheltered families over the past year according to a city review of homelessness in 2024 from Homeless Response Manager Jamie Spinelli “[That is] why we’ve been working to expand shelter capacity so rapidly including the winter shelters,” Spinelli said during a Monday city council meeting They will be operated by nonprofit Outsiders Inn which also operates several of Vancouver’s current Safe Stay Communities of modular tiny homes Three additional severe weather shelters have been identified around downtown Vancouver as potential spaces to use when a severe weather event is declared by local government and the Council for the Homeless A report presented to the Vancouver City Council on Monday showed a mixed picture of homelessness trends over the past year While there were slightly more people identified as homeless in Vancouver in 2024 the number of people living on the streets went down as more were able to access shelter services Spinelli noted this as one reason to show optimism we have had more people experiencing homelessness unsheltered than inside,” Spinelli said Monday night “And that finally went the other direction this year.” there are reasons for concern as the city tries to make a dent in the problem In addition to the increase in unsheltered families 54 people experiencing homelessness died in 2024 a 29% increase in deaths from the previous year The announcement of a homeless shelter in the Vancouver arts hub created concern earlier this month from parents of children at the neighboring Vancouver Innovation VITA is located directly next door to the shelter space Vancouver’s two new winter shelter sites are a stop gap measure as the city works to make progress building a 150-bed congregate shelter in the Van Mall neighborhood the facility will offer a suite of services including case management Construction for that facility has been delayed Tags: Vancouver, Homeless, Homelessness Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482402 2064554192 (KATU) — Neighbors in a Vancouver neighborhood are fed up with a growing homeless encampment along Mill Plain known as the “Sound Wall.” Neighbors say their yards on the other side of the wall have become hazardous with human feces and even prostitution happening right on their property According to the City of Vancouver officials there’s not enough shelter for people to be relocated to but particularly in the wintertime or in these cold just telling people that they have to walk around with all their belongings and not plant themselves somewhere to stay dry to try to stay warm that's not effective,” Jamie Spinelli Homeless Response Manager for the City of Vancouver “You just have a bunch of destabilized people walking around the community not able to engage in any of the things that would help move them forward and it makes service providers it makes it much more difficult for service providers to be able to regularly connect with those individuals when they are trying to move forward,” she explained.” Spinelli says the goal is to start offering people who live along the “Sound Wall” more housing and treatment opportunities in the coming weeks and months they have plans to clean up abandoned tents and trash every two weeks to keep it as clean as possible Vancouver Police Officers responded to a report of an assault with a metal pipe at the camp the suspect had been hit in the head with the metal pipe after he chased around another man with a baseball bat The suspect was taken to the hospital and booked in jail for malicious harassment Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482412 2064653436 (KATU) — The city of Vancouver is going to close the West Mill Plain Boulevard sound wall to campers starting March 5 Dozens of people who live outside the sound wall near downtown will have to pick up and move The city of Vancouver offered shelter to campers Two people have been ineligible for housing so far We’re working to confirm what made these campers ineligible “We had 52 or 53 people total on the list from back in October Twenty-one of those individuals have moved into a safe stay,” said Jamie Spinelli the homeless response manager for the city of Vancouver we wanted to speak to the people who are directly impacted i.e. Royal Mitchell has camped out by the wall before He generally feels good about the new directive honestly that would actually help people get off the streets and that would actually help people maybe refocus on their lives if they’re given the opportunity to be off the streets but the ban is honestly going to be harsh for some,” said Mitchell Clark County Councilor Glen Yung lives in the neighborhood behind the wall He says he understands how people in his area can be negatively affected by the campers of course there is sometimes you have people that are very challenging sometimes there are mental illnesses that are involved Sometimes substance-use disorder,” said Yung He says this solution is a good one for all parties “It gets people into shelter space into a safe and a non-chaotic environment so they can start to begin healing and getting their lives into place It removes a lot of the blight that people are really unhappy about throughout the city So it protects both the community and those that are living unhoused,” said Yung Williams wants more to be done to address some of the root causes of homelessness We need to increase the construction of tiny home villages (KATU) — A pedestrian was struck by a vehicle Monday night around 7:15 p.m in the area of SE 117th Ave and SE Mill Plain Blvd according to the Vancouver Police Department Authorities said the driver was traveling eastbound on SE Mill Plain Blvd in the lane closest to the divider when he hit a pedestrian crossing mid-block approximately 10 feet from the nearest designated crosswalk and against the walk symbol The driver stopped at the scene and showed no signs of impairment The pedestrian was transported to the hospital with life-threatening injuries The Vancouver Police Department Traffic Unit is continuing the investigation This incident marks the third serious injury or fatality collision involving a pedestrian in Vancouver in 2025 (KATU) — A west Vancouver neighborhood has become the unintended home to a large homeless encampment over the last few years The sound wall was just feet away from what’s deemed as “The Block” up the street “This closure prioritized compassionate outreach and connecting people living outside to services,” officials wrote on Facebook after the closure residents near The Block are worried that a lot of the people living along the sound wall just moved up the street near their houses “As soon as they shut that down a couple weeks ago definitely a big homeless migration south right near to western downtown,” one neighbor told KATU News “We're not too far away from the sound wall and Mill Plain road here.” 24 people had moved from the sound wall into supportive shelter at a City Safe Stay/Park and a dozen had been arrested City officials weren’t available for an interview on Wednesday but did say there’s about 50 people living along the sidewalk As for determining if many came from the sound wall they say it’s hard to tell and people come from multiple areas across the city KATU News did inquire about plans to close the site but officials say there’s no plans and shelters are operating at capacity in the area Danbury, CT Mayor Alves was present for the ribbon cutting welcoming the fitness studio to Danbury West To view additional photos, visit the City of Danbury on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cityofdanbury Orangetheory is a 1-hour, heart rate zone workout designed to deliver fitness for all levels. Learn more here. HamletHub invites you to contribute stories, events, and more to keep your neighbors informed and connected. Don’t miss what’s happening in your community.Subscribe to receive a daily digest of the people, places and things that make our community great. Copyright ©2025 HamletHub™ – PeaceHealth and Providence are pleased to announce that they have entered into a definitive agreement that will result in PeaceHealth acquiring four Providence clinic sites located in Clark County Pending the standard regulatory review processes The four Providence Medical Group clinic sites employ approximately 100 staff clinical care coordinators and patient service specialists Providence employees of the clinics will be offered comparable positions with PeaceHealth The only service not transferring to PeaceHealth is Providence Mill Plain Occupational Medicine Providence will work with those employees to identify opportunities within their other clinics in the Portland metro area walk-in care and outpatient rehabilitation services “We want current clinic patients to know that while the names of the clinics are changing PeaceHealth Medical Group.” Both PeaceHealth and Providence share a common mission and commitment to ensuring this acquisition is seamless and does not disrupt quality patient care.” Providence does not operate any acute hospital facilities in Clark County nor does it offer a wide range of specialty care services in the area By transitioning these outpatient care sites to PeaceHealth patients in Clark County will gain increased access to a full spectrum of primary specialty and hospital care services closer to home “Providence Medical Group is optimistic about this transition and the opportunity to enhance healthcare access to needed specialty and acute care without patients having to travel out of the area,“ said Ben LeBlanc “Given PeaceHealth’s extensive specialty and acute care footprint in Clark County we believe this acquisition will greatly benefit the community and provide enhanced continuity of care for current clinic patients.” “Caring for all is at the heart of the PeaceHealth Mission,” adds Edwards “This acquisition further signals a deep commitment to the communities we serve We are grateful for this opportunity to welcome the talented care team of these clinics and further improve access and health outcomes in the region.” The clinic acquisitions are expected to become final sometime in December 2024 the clinics will be renamed to reflect the PeaceHealth brand © 2025 PeaceHealth Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482433 2064848549 (KATU) — The Washington Department of Transportation says I-205 northbound lanes are closed near SR-500 / Fourth Plain Boulevard due to police activity Officials say motorists need to find alternate routes if possible This is a developing story and KATU News will update this story when more information becomes available Update: Traffic on Old Ridgebury Rd has been blocked between Reserve Rd and Mill Plain Rd. CSP is on the scene and has taken over the investigation, per state protocol The Danbury Police Department is currently investigating an officer-involved shooting in the area of Old Ridgebury Road. and Reserve Road. Connecticut State Police have responded to assist and will be doing a follow-up investigation into the incident. Danbury Police will provide more information as it becomes available. Please avoid the area as this is an active and ongoing investigation. (KATU) — Neighbors near Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard and Northeast 78th Avenue are fed up with the crime and drug activity in the area Many people who lived there have owned their homes for decades and say the crime has just gotten worse transitional apartments owned by the Vancouver Housing Authority are the reason to blame Multiple neighbors tell KATU the streets are littered with trash and random cars that stay parked on the streets for months “They just leave garbage everywhere,” Linda Kelly who’s lived in the neighborhood for 20 years tells KATU but the prices are so high why would we move The interest rates right now are not for us We’re not going to be able to move we just have to put up with it.” He says because of the street potential residents have to drive through to get to the properties wasn’t able to do an in-person interview but did answer questions via email He said “VHA provides property management and service coordination for The Pacific and The Meridian These buildings were designed to provide easy access for tenants from their apartments to outdoor amenities to help people with traumatic pasts heal drug traffickers have taken advantage of the combination of this design and the commercial and public parking around these buildings.” When asked about how VHA is responding to the crime in the area entered into a trespassing agreement with the police department and notified tenants that it is a lease violation to allow a trespassed individual on the property We have a team of people watching security footage and have set up a protocol to quickly provide lease violation notices if any of the activity is connected to our tenants We also have been meeting regularly with the City of Vancouver that is also taking steps to drive crime out of that area Our partnership with the police department has led to us declaring that area to be a drug-free zone and we are working on posting signs that will then increase penalties for drug trafficking We are committed to providing a safe environment for our tenants and to doing whatever is in our control to contribute to a safe surrounding community We believe these efforts are beginning to pay off We are hopeful that the drug trafficking will be driven out of the neighborhood altogether in the near future.” Camas and Mill Plain clinics to hold open houses to meet patients and public – With the recent transition of four former Providence-owned clinic sites to PeaceHealth in Clark County PeaceHealth is inviting the public to open house events at two of the locations “We want to thank and honor our care teams and patients and we encourage the community to join us,” shares Leon McCook PeaceHealth Medical Group-Columbia Network tour our facilities and meet our care teams Details for the two clinic open houses are below: “Caring for all is at the heart of the PeaceHealth Mission,” adds Dr “We are grateful for this opportunity to welcome the talented care team of these clinics further improve access and health outcomes in the region and invite our community in to join us for these special open house events.” For more information on the clinics acquired from Providence, visit www.peacehealth.org/clarkcounty PeaceHealth encourages the public to consider other care options if your health care need is not a life-threatening emergency WA - PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is experiencing unprecedented patient volumes in its emergency department due to rising cases of RSV The hospital is asking those with non-emergency health issues to consider other options for care Primary care providers can take care of most health needs through regular check-ups or same-day visits “Please know that we treat everyone who visits our Emergency Department but those with non-emergency needs will most likely have a longer wait time before we are able to care for them,” says Jason Hanley PeaceHealth Southwest Emergency Services Medical Director “We are asking the community to consider other care options to assist with your non-emergency health care needs so our team can care for the most ill and vulnerable,” he adds Hanley encourages anyone with difficulty breathing or challenges getting enough oxygen to come to the Emergency Department for an evaluation He adds that for other flu or respiratory virus symptoms self-care or a visit to your primary care physician or same-day care may be a more suitable option If individuals do not have a primary care provider and have a health need that is not life-threatening PeaceHealth offers two Priority Care sites that offer same-day View this detailed guide on where to go for care PeaceHealth Medical Center Emergency Department is available 24/7 to provide immediate care for those experiencing life-threatening or emergent medical issues If you are experiencing an illness or injury that is life-threatening 2024 at 4:16 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The crash was reported at East Main Street and Mill Plain Road shortly after 8 p.m The Falcon Venom​ motorcycle rider suffered "serious physical injures," police said CT — Update: Branford police announced that a Hamden man has been charged in connection with a car versus motorbike crash Saturday night that left the motorcyclist hospitalized with serious injuries was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs police said on social media Monday afternoon A car versus motorcycle crash Saturday night is being investigated by Branford police The crash was reported at East Main Street and Mill Plain Road shortly after 8 p.m. according to police and the state Department of Transportation who notified motorists and residents via social media The bike was heading west on East Main and the car driven by Lipnickas was traveling eastbound turning left on Mill Plain when the vehicles collided According to Branford Police Department Deputy Chief John Alves The rider suffered "serious physical injures" in the crash "Branford Police are currently investigating a serious motor vehicle crash on East Main Street at Mill Plain Road. Please use alternate routes as the area will be closed during this investigation," the Facebook post read. police are asking that anyone who may have witnessed the crash or has information please call Officer Andre Coutu at 203-481-4241 or by email at acoutu@branfordpolice.com Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Main entrance locates to 400 Mother Joseph Place – The first phase of the PeaceHealth Southwest Emergency Department expansion will open for patient care starting at 9 a.m July 16.  Entrance to the new facility is from Mill Plain Blvd turning onto 400 Mother Joseph Place which is the same entrance prior to the start of construction LEED Certified facility doubles the size of the current Emergency Department that currently experiences nearly 77,000 patient visits annually It is considered the busiest Emergency Department on the West Coast and serves as the only Level II trauma center in the Southwest Washington region overseeing trauma care for six counties The new facility also features an enhanced security system using state-of-the-art screening technology self-check-in kiosks for these able to check themselves in “Our new Emergency Department is exactly what this community needs says Assistant Nurse Manager Sarah Boemmels “Our ED team is incredibly proud to be a part of making this happen and ensuring our patients have access to a state-of-the art facility designed to improve patient flow reduce wait times and increase overall patient satisfaction.” Phase II of the Emergency Department construction will begin shortly with expected completion in early 2026 PeaceHealth Southwest Campus Map Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482477 2065236329 Builder Breakfast – Town Hall: Building a Better Business Model for Housing Mill Plain BRT Transit Center and Corridor Construction Location: Portland Cost: Not disclosed Completion: December 2023 Owner/Developer: Community Development Partne[...] Location: Beaverton Cost: $3.7 million Completion Date: December 2023 Owner/Developer: City of Beaverton Archi[...] Location: Portland Cost: Not disclosed Completion: December 2023 Owner/Developer: Anna Mann LP Architect: Emer[...] Location: Tigard Cost: $41 million Completion: June 2023 Owner/Developer: Tigard-Tualatin School District Arch[...] Location: Medford Cost: Not disclosed Completion: December 2023 Owner/Developer: Asante Health Architect: HDR [...] Location: Black Butte Ranch Cost: Not disclosed Completion: March 2023 Owner/Developer: Black Butte Ranch Arch[...] Sign up for your daily digest of DJC Oregon Daily News BRIC is proud to announce Octavio Gutiérrez’s promotion to associate principal BRIC is proud to announce Ed Herrera’s promotion to associate principal Sundt Construction welcomes the addition of Devanta Black as project manager for its growing Northwe[...] Hacker has promoted John Dalit to associate He is a registered architect and a member of NOMA with [...] Hacker has promoted Sophia Tan to associate She contributes to diverse projects spanning civic Jason Murakami has been promoted to preconstruction manager at R&H Construction Sara Stone is now vice president/project manager of Pioneer Waterproofing Company Christine Schlicker has been named chief operating officer of Deacon Construction Daily Journal of Commerce provides 24/7 legal news coverage and events honoring top legal professionals Get our free DJC Oregon Daily News & breaking news notifications Subscribe for access to the latest digital and special editions 2024 at 2:34 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}To celebrate the opening of its newest location in Danbury Russell Speeder's will offer free car washes Nov (Shutterstock)**News Release Submitted by Russell Speeder's Car Wash** Russell Speeder’s Car Wash a trusted name in the car wash industry with over 50 years serving customers is excited to announce the grand opening of its latest location in Danbury (67 Mill Plain Road) the team is offering free car washes to the community at the Danbury location November 15-November 24 The Danbury location marks the 45th Russell Speeder’s Car Wash in Connecticut and represents another step forward in the company’s strategic expansion initiatives "We are thrilled to continue our expansion in Connecticut with the opening of our newest Russell Speeder's location This growth reflects our commitment to serving more communities with the exceptional car care experience that has defined our brand for over five decades,” said Kevin Matthews “Our team is excited to bring our signature quality service and state-of-the-art facilities to Danbury and we look forward to becoming an integral part of this vibrant community.” Known for the Unlimited Wash Pass Russell Speeder’s has been serving customers across Connecticut offering a comprehensive range of car wash services that deliver unparalleled cleanliness and shine to vehicles With a rich history that began over five decades ago in Norwalk Russell Speeder’s has continuously evolved to meet the changing needs of its loyal customers The brand has become synonymous with quality and a dedication to excellence in car care Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. 2025 at 11:14 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Beth Anne McGuire​ was last seen on March 17 wearing a dark blue long sleeve sweatshirt and dark blue pants CT — The Danbury Police Department is seeking the public's assistance locating a missing woman Her last known location was Farrington Woods Park at 127 Mill Plain Road in Danbury at 4:30 p.m. Anyone who may have seen McGuire is asked to call the Danbury Police Department at 203-797-4611. Calls can also be made to the anonymous tip line 203-790-8477 or by texting DANBURYPD plus your message to 847411. Anonymous web tips can also be submitted online here Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482495 2065402388 Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers will open its first Washington location on Tuesday July 16 just off Mill Plain Boulevard in east Vancouver The Southern chicken empire confirmed plans for its expansion to Vancouver in August 2022 after filing planning documents for a 3,026-square-foot store at 12601 S.E The company has expanded rapidly as of late opening eight locations around the country in April and another five in May It expects to open around 100 restaurants this year The chicken joint was founded in Louisiana and now has around 800 stores nationwide The site was redeveloped for Raising Cane’s with a double drive-thru and automotive charging stations in the parking lot The restaurant famously serves chicken fingers The only Raising Cane’s currently operating in the Pacific Northwest is in Portland’s Pioneer Place The brand, however, has plans for several Seattle-area locations expected to open later this year Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482520 2065618396 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482521 2065631772 Details: cache-fra-eddf8230107-FRA 1746482521 2065635129 Back in early April - In-N-Out Burger made the earth-shattering announcement of finally coming to Washington state In-N-Out Burger said they were shooting for an opening in Ridgefield WA - located in Clark County - in southwest Washington The opening should happen sometime in 2025 In-N-Out has been a huge hit in California and the Western US In addition to the two planned locations in Southwest Washington In-N-Out Burger has five other places in the Pacific Northwest They have four successful franchises in the four Oregon towns of Salem Their Idaho debut in the Boise suburb of Meridian opened to carnival-like hype In-N-Out Burger began the simple plan of great ingredients for its burgers  I have been to two In-N-Out locations in Culver City and Las Vegas - and noticed that their burgers I noted how friendly the staff was behind the counter.  The people making your food looked like they were having a great time and happy to see you It has opened new stores only where it can keep the fresh ingredients to its picky high quality In-N-Out has expanded as far east as West Texas - and now has two proposed locations in Washington.  Washington property records suggest the new potential location would be in the city's east side - near the corner of SE Mill Plain Blvd If you Google Maps the area - it’s where a vacant Rite Aid sits I’ll be stopping on my way - to and from - my planned Oregon Coast vacation this Summer Good news for fast-food lovers in Washington! In-N-Out Burger is expanding into a possible WA 2nd location.\nRead More Back in early April - In-N-Out Burger made the earth-shattering announcement of finally coming to Washington state firefighters from the Vancouver Fire Department responded to a commercial fire in the 14300 block of SE Mill Plain Boulevard they found heavy smoke and fire coming from the building The old Mongolian Grill used to be in this building Officials say the building was vacant at the time The building suffered extensive damage and the Vancouver Fire Marshals Office is investigating