Top Stories: Helping hands for puppies; Famous folks; Absci deals

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Here are some of the top stories on columbian.com this week:

1. Humane Society for Southwest Washington steps in to help after stray Labrador gives birth to 11 puppies

In late November, a Vancouver family stumbled upon Sadie, a 3-year-old pregnant stray dog, rummaging through trash in their neighborhood. Initially, the family intended to nurse her back to health, but when Sadie, a Labrador mix, gave birth to 11 puppies around Thanksgiving, they realized they didn’t have the space for the newborns.

The family contacted the Humane Society for Southwest Washington for help, and the nonprofit reached out to the community asking if anyone would take in Sadie and her puppies.

• “Sadie did most of the work nursing the puppies in the first few weeks,” Champoux said.

2. These famous folks are linked to Vancouver and Clark County in ways you may not have realized

If you’ve lived in Clark County for a while, you probably know that this area can be linked to a lot of famous names. Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant used to ride his horse along Fourth Plain. George C. Marshall commanded Vancouver Barracks before developing a plan to reconstruct Europe after World War II.

Even skyjacker D.B. Cooper probably dropped in; part of his loot was found near Frenchman’s Bar.

• Here are six other famous names associated with Vancouver and Clark County, some in ways you may not realize.

3. Six measures Washington conservatives are pushing on 2024 ballots

• GOP-backed Let’s Go Washington is seeking to put the carbon capture law, police pursuits, a capital gains tax repeal and more up for vote in November.

4. Vancouver biotech firm Absci inks 10 deals for drug discovery programs worth $1 billion

Vancouver biotechnology company Absci has secured nearly $1 billion in contracts in recent weeks, bolstering the business that’s struggled against economic headwinds.

In the past month, Absci announced a $650 million partnership with Spanish skin health pharmaceutical company Almirall and a $247 million partnership with Anglo-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca.

• CEO says the company’s recent partnerships speak to the company’s perceived value

5. Complaint claims Starbucks app traps Washington customers in cycle of spending

Dedicated Starbucks customers know the use of the company’s mobile app and digital payment cards to pay for coffee and other goodies comes with restrictions.

You can only add money to the card in $10 increments and must choose a tip from predetermined choices. That means no loading an exact amount for a single purchase or giving an odd tip amount to get your balance down to zero.

• It asks the state attorney general to investigate if the coffee giant’s digital payment platforms are designed with deceptive practices that might violate state law.