Thursday, June 12, 2025

6/12 Bleeding heart, Puget Sound oxygen, BC LNG, honey bee bar, Port Angeles cleanup, Trent R fish habitat, public media funding, ChatGPT, democracy watch

Pacific bleeding heart [USFS]

Pacific bleeding heart Dicentra formosa
Dicentra formosa is a species of flowering plant in the poppy family, Papaveraceae. With its fern-like foliage and inflorescence of drooping pink, purple, yellow or cream "hearts", this species is native to the United States' Pacific Northwest and West Coast of North America. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: World buzzes over Lynden honeybee accident

A century of warming has reduced dissolved oxygen in Puget Sound
A University of Washington study outlines the strong link between dissolved oxygen declines and increasing water temperatures, raising questions about the effect of future climate change on Puget Sound. Sarah DeWeerdt reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

B.C. company pressures feds to pave way for $750M gas export facility in Prince Rupert
Trigon says project is in the national interest but is still facing legal hurdles at the Port of Prince Rupert. Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

New honey bee energy bar tested in Washington offers hope for struggling hives
Honey bees are vital to agriculture in the Pacific Northwest. But it’s increasingly difficult to keep colonies alive from year to year, causing concern about the future of our food systems. But now an international team, including researchers at Washington State University, has developed a new supplemental food source that could keep hives strong when deployed on agricultural land. Jes Burns reports. (OPB)

Cost-sharing pact approved for western Port Angeles Harbor cleanup
Port of Port Angeles commissioners approved a provisional cost-sharing and cooperation agreement that outlines the funding, coordination and decision-making process related to the cleanup of western Port Angeles Harbor. Under the agreement, approved unanimously on Tuesday, the port and five other entities identified as potentially liable parties — the city of Port Angeles, Georgia-Pacific, Merrill & Ring, Nippon Paper Industries and Owens Corning — will each contribute one-sixth of the cost of the entire cleanup. Paula Hunt reports. (Peninsula Daily News) See also: Public comment period opens for cleanup at former Rayonier Mill site (Peninsula Daily News)

Courtenay man fined $60,000 for damaging fish habitat
David Tingley was fined for failing to correct the work he had done illegally on his property, which is bisected by the Trent River. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Public media funding up in the air as House prepares to vote on claw backs
The House of Representatives is expected to approve legislation Thursday to claw back two years of federal funding for public media outlets. President Trump has asked Congress for this rescission. He has labeled NPR and PBS and their affiliates as ideologically biased and the move to strip them of federal support is part of the president's continued attacks on mainstream media outlets.  Deirdre Walsh and David Folkenflik report. (NPR)

‘This is coming for everyone’: A new kind of AI bot takes over the web
As consumers switch from Google search to ChatGPT, a new kind of bot is scraping data for AI. Nitasha Tiku reports. (Washington Post)

Democracy Watch

  • Trump’s top general contradicts his assessment of Putin, L.A. unrest (Washington Post)
  • Kennedy’s new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation (AP)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  236 AM PDT Thu Jun 12 2025    
TODAY
 SW wind 5 to 10 kt, veering to W late. Seas 3 to 5 ft.  Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of showers this  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 8 seconds.


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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




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Wednesday, June 11, 2025

6/11 Beach hopper, BC fast track, BC social housing, WSF apprenticeship, AI conservation, Trump's nat'l monuments, Oak Bay sculpture, democracy watch

Beach hopper (Sand flea)

Beach hopper Traskorchestia traskiana
The Pacific beach hopper is a species of amphipod from the family Talitridae. It hops around like a flea on wracks of seaweed left stranded by tides on upper levels of beaches. When the seaweed dries out, the beach hoppers retreat into the moist center of the pile or dig into the sand, and hop out if disturbed. They break down organic materials and serving as a food source for various shorebirds and other predators.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Pipeline explosion: Book about Bellingham disaster is in the works / Now is not the time to move backward on pipeline safety

‘Horrific impacts’: as B.C. prepares to fast-track projects, a mining watchdog warns past mistakes could be repeated
Mining regulations and environmental assessments were developed to protect the environment and public health and safety. If projects are allowed to forego those processes, B.C. could set the stage for catastrophic impacts. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

From $2,600 to $775: how social housing is changing lives — and fighting climate change
Can new homes be energy efficient, low emission, climate resilient and affordable? B.C. non-profits show it can be done. Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)

New apprenticeship program boosts Washington State Ferries workforce
Washington State Ferries is aiming to tackle its staffing shortage by building future captains and engineers through a program that teaches every fromm from loading cars to sailing the boat. Dahlia Bazzaz reports. (Seattle Times)

The Potential and Perils of AI for Conservation
AI can help experts sift through datasets that are otherwise unmanageable, but the technology threatens to undermine other ways of knowing. Jim Robbins reports. (bioGraphic)

US Justice Department says Trump can cancel national monuments
Lawyers for President Donald Trump’s administration say he has the authority to abolish national monuments meant to protect historical and archaeological sites across broad landscapes, including two in California created by his predecessor at the request of Native American tribes. (Associated Press)

Sculpture of a man on a toilet sparks conversation in Oak Bay
Fashioned from recycled stainless steel cookware, “Modern Man Does Research” in Causton’s Green has a cigarette in his mouth and is staring at a smartphone. Yeorgios Prontzos reports. (Times Colonist)

Democracy Watch

  • California Governor Newsom: Trump is a threat to democracy (AP)
  • Army restores the names of seven bases that lost their Confederate-linked names under Biden (AP)
  • US Justice Department says Trump can cancel national monuments (AP)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  234 AM PDT Wed Jun 11 2025    
TODAY
 SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 7 ft  at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  6 ft at 9 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




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Tuesday, June 10, 2025

6/10 Western snowy plover, salmon cuts, brain drain, BC ferries, LNG pipe, democracy watch

Western snowy plover [US FWS]


Western snowy plover Anarynchus nivosus
Snowy plovers are small, sand-colored shorebirds that nest directly on the sand. Chicks hide and forage in the wrack line (the seaweed-filled high tide line). Washington's snowy plover population is very small and vulnerable to a variety of impacts, such as predators, adverse weather driven by climate change, shoreline modification, dune stabilization, and recreational activities. (WDFW)

Today's top story in Salish CurrentNegotiations still on for three unions striking against PeaceHealth / Why Bellingham must become a transgender sanctuary

PNW leaders warn that federal cuts could hurt salmon recovery
A leaked Trump administration budget proposal completely scraps a key Columbia River salmon recovery program as the administration seeks to slash the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration budget. The agency’s Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has invested $115 million across 342 projects currently underway within the Columbia basin. Henry Brennan reports. (The Columbian)

Washington scientists say ‘brain drain’ has begun as researchers consider moving abroad amid Trump cuts
Washington state and the rest of the nation face a “brain drain” with the potential exodus of scientists, which could impact domestic medical innovation for generations to come.A survey of 1,200 U.S. scientists published in Nature at the end of March found three out of four are considering leaving the U.S. Among post-graduate researchers, the percentage was close to 80%. Stephen Howie reports. (KUOW)

BC Ferries Is Still Facing Labour Unrest. Here’s the Latest
The union is heading into bargaining this summer, looking for a five per cent wage bump to catch workers up with inflation. Isaac Phan Nay reports. (The Tyee)

B.C. premier defends new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert
Project is a joint venture between the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG, opposed by hereditary chief. Katie DeRosa reports. (CBC) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/premier-defends-new-lng-pipeline-with-terminus-near-prince-rupert-1.7556710

Democracy Watch

  • Judge blocks Trump administration from enforcing anti-DEI executive orders (AP)
  • California Lawsuit Challenges Trump’s Order Sending National Guard to L.A. (NY Times)
  • Pentagon draws up rules for Marines deployed to LA protests (AP)
  • DC prepares for Trump's June 14 military parade (AP)
  • RFK Jr. ousts ACIP group that advises CDC on vaccines (AP)
  • In Trump’s ‘Patriotic’ Hiring Plan, Experts See a Politicized Federal Work Force (NY Times)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  255 AM PDT Tue Jun 10 2025    
TODAY
 W wind 5 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 8 ft  at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6  ft at 10 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




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Monday, June 9, 2025

6/9 Beach knotweed, tribal salmon, I-5 billboard, Skagit dams, DNR logging, grain silos, GBH hatch, crow dive-bombing, 'magnificent frigatebird,' dolphin birth, democracy watch

Beach knotweed [Sound Water Stewards]

Beach knotweed Polygonum paronychia
Beach knotweed has a low lying form with woody stems, tiny white or pale pink flowers that bloom from April to September, and 1–inch-long leaves with margins that roll under. Beach knotweed is found on coastal dunes and sandy beaches from northern California to southern Vancouver Island. It is native in the Pacific Northwest. Other common names for it are black knotweed and smartweed. (Sound Water Stewards)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Food for thought: Indian grocers stir taste buds, serve community

Northwest tribes: Treaties mean Trump can’t ax salmon funding
Northwest tribal officials say the Trump administration’s latest budget proposal would violate their treaty rights to catch salmon. Among other cutbacks, the White House’s proposed 2026 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would eliminate the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, the leading source of money for restoring the Northwest’s struggling salmon runs. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

WA tribe buys controversial Uncle Sam billboard off I-5
The highly contentious Uncle Sam billboard off Interstate 5 in Lewis County has a new owner: the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation. The tribe intends to take down the right-wing messages that have lingered on the 40-foot-by-13-foot sign for years. The tribe closed on the 3.5-acre property hosting the billboard for $2.5 million in cash Friday morning. Kai Uyehara reports. (Seattle Times) 

Skagit River dams relicensing process again granted extension
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently issued a temporary annual license to Seattle city Light to operate the dams from May 2025 until April 2026. The approved extension pushes back the date the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will issue its notice that Seattle City Light’s application is Ready for Environmental Analysis, which is called an REA notice. The utility has requested and been approved for extensions in February 2024, January 2025 and June 2025. Emma Fletcher-Fraser reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Judge hears oral arguments in case that centers on DNR logging
Clallam Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Stanley on Friday heard oral arguments by attorneys for the Earth Law Center, the Center for Whale Research and the Orca Network and for the state Department of National Resources regarding an injunction to halt logging and related activities, specifically road construction, on DNR forest lands within the Elwha River watershed. Pamela Hunt reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

‘It’s Like Gambling’: Union Sounds Alarm on Grain Silo Explosions
Workers say safety protocols at Vancouver export terminals have slipped. ‘It will be devastating.’ Isaac Phan Nay reports. (The Tyee)

It’s hatching season for the great blue herons in downtown Olympia
Listen closely next time you’re in downtown Olympia. The downtown heronry, or nesting colony, is back. Perched high in the trees next to the Fish and Wildlife building and across from Percival Plaza, a small kingdom of nests have formed among the branches. Ann Duan reports. (Olympian)

‘Angry birds', B.C. edition: Crows dive-bomb in fierce nesting defence
It’s not malice – it’s parenting; experts explain how to avoid getting dive-bombed. Tony Trozzo reports. (100 Mile Free Press) 

Tropical bird spotted at Trial Island, far from its range in northern Mexico
A juvenile “magnificent frigatebird,” whose typical range is between northern Mexico and Peru, was photographed by Trial Island lighthouse keeper John Gillivet on the evening of May 31. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Video shows dolphin calf's birth and first breath at Chicago zoo, with mom's friend helping
A bottlenose dolphin at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago gave birth to a calf early Saturday morning with the help of a fellow mom. (Associated Press)

Democracy Watch

  • Supreme Court allows DOGE team to access Social Security systems with data on millions of Americans (AP)
  • Appeals court hands AP an incremental loss in its attempt to regain its access to Trump events (AP)
  • Trump administration races to fix a big mistake: DOGE fired too many people (Washington Post)
  • NIH scientists go public with criticism over Trump cuts (AP)
  • DHS memo details how National Guard troops will be used for immigration enforcement (NPR)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.


Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  201 AM PDT Mon Jun 9 2025    
TODAY
 W wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt this afternoon.  Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: W 7 ft  at 11 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




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Friday, June 6, 2025

6/6 Cosmos, hot weather, PRGT pipeline, EPA emissions rule, bird declines, WA drought, democracy watch, week in rview

Cosmos

Cosmos
Cosmos is a genus, with the same common name of cosmos, consisting of flowering plants in the daisy family. The generic name Cosmos derives either from the Greek κόσμος (cosmos) '(ordered) world' -in reference to the neat, orderly arrangement of the floral structures - or the Greek κόσμημα (kósmima) 'jewel' - in reference to the jewel-like colors of the capitula (composite flowers). (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Empty Bowl marks 50 years with call for land, sea stories

Temperatures could soar into 90s for parts of Puget Sound on Sunday
The south Sound will be the hottest across Puget Sound on Sunday with temperatures reaching the low 90s in spots. Allison Sundell reports. (KING)  Unusually hot days in forecast for eastern Island, including Greater Victoria  Hotter temperatures are expected for much of eastern Vancouver Island, with possible highs in the high 20s and low 30s — about 10 degrees above normal in some cases. (Times Colonist)

‘A long, hot summer’: B.C.’s approval of PRGT pipeline sets stage for conflict, First Nations leader says
The PRGT pipeline is co-owned by a First Nation government and a Texas fossil fuel company — and opposed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders and groups. With the project's approval, opposition on the ground could soon unfold. Matt Simmons and Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)  See also: B.C. government approves new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

Planet-warming emissions dropped when companies had to report them. EPA wants to end that
Since the Environmental Protection Agency began requiring air quality monitoring from large polluters more than a decade ago, emissions from four coal-fired plants in southwest Indiana have dropped 60% since 2010, when the rule took effect. That rule is now on the chopping block, one of many that President Donald Trump’s EPA argues is costly and burdensome for industry. Melina Walling, Seth Borenstein, Joshua A. Brickel and M.K. Wildeman reports. (Associated Press)

Bird declines in North America and Puget Sound
Citizen science bird counts are providing more detail than ever about North American bird declines. While the overall numbers are discouraging, new levels of understanding may help conservation efforts. Eric Wagner writes. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

Drought expanded to 19 more watersheds
Since the state Department of Ecology's initial drought declaration on April 8, conditions in all of Whatcom and Skagit counties, and portions of Snohomish, King, Pierce, Lewis, Thurston, Okanagan, Chelan, Clallam, Jefferson and Ferry counties have deteriorated due to early and rapid snowmelt, combined with unusually dry April and May weather. (Dept of Ecology)

Democracy Watch

  • AmeriCorps must restore grant funding and members to states that sued over cuts, federal judge rules (AP)
  • Casey Means, Trump's surgeon general pick, profits from wellness sales (AP)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/6/25: D-Day, USGA cuts, Canada glaciers, AK wilderness drilling and mining, vessel slowdown, EPA rules cut, WA gas car ban.

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Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  255 AM PDT Fri Jun 6 2025    
TODAY
 W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late this  morning and afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at  8 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming S around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 8 seconds.  
SAT
 E wind around 5 kt, backing to NW 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 9 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT
 NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming W 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds.  
SUN
 NE wind around 5 kt, backing to NW in the afternoon. Seas  3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




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Thursday, June 5, 2025

6/5 Rocket, EPA rules rollback, Puget Sound butterfly, polluted river, flying old boats, Elk Lake algae, WA gas car ban, public lands sale, Crater Lake, democracy watch

Rocket/Arugula
 

Rocket/Arugula
Eruca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, which includes the leaf vegetable known as arugula or rocket. The number of species is disputed, with some authorities only accepting a single species, while others accept up to five species. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Nonprofits, municipalities regroup after AmeriCorps setbacks / America will miss AmeriCorps

Pollution rules targeted by EPA are projected to save billions of dollars and thousands of lives
When the head of the Environmental Protection Agency announced a wide-ranging rollback of environmental regulations, he said it would put a “dagger through the heart of climate-change religion” and introduce a “Golden Age” for the American economy. What Lee Zeldin didn’t mention: how ending the rules could have devastating consequences to human health. Seth Borenstein, M.K. Wildeman, Melina Walling, Joshua A. Bickel, and Matthew Daly report. (Associated Press)

On a wing and a prairie: Puget Sound butterfly avoids extinction with human help
Western Washington is known for its towering evergreen trees, but it is also home to shortgrass prairies, a favored habitat for butterflies. As butterfly populations nationwide decline rapidly, these rare checkerspots appear to be making a comeback in some grassy corners of the Puget Sound region. And 20 years of intensive human effort has likely helped them rebound. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

One of the most polluted waterways in the US is in WA. Here’s where
The Surfrider Foundation tested more than 600 sites across the nation, with 80% of samples yielding “at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards,” according to the report. One urban waterway in Tacoma landed on Surfrider’s list of 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots: Thea Foss. It had a 64% rate of unhealthy levels of bacteria detected. Hannah Poukish and Genevieve Belmaker report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Helicopters are flying old boats over Budd Inlet this week. Here’s why
The Department of Natural Resources is conducting operations this week to collect derelict, abandoned boats from regional waterways and remove them to a holding area in Olympia. Genevieve Belmaker reports. (Olympian)

Toxic algae bloom at Elk Lake worse despite oxygenation
The situation has yet to improve nearly two years after the installation of an oxygenation system that was supposed to make the popular swimming spot safe. Hannah Link reports. (Times Colonist)

Did Congress just revoke WA’s gas car ban?
As goes California, so goes Washington. At least in the realm of vehicle-emissions standards. That’s why Congress’ move to revoke a waiver for California under the federal Clean Air Act last month also jerked back Washington’s ability to mandate the sale of electric and hybrid cars by next decade. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

Long-thwarted efforts to sell public lands see new life under Trump
Public outcry was swift and forceful after a U.S. House committee last month hastily approved an amendment directing the federal government to sell off more than half a million acres of public land. A few days later, lawmakers advanced the larger bill — a sweeping list of President Donald Trump’s priorities — but stripped the federal lands provision. Yet leaders on both sides of the issue say the battle over selling off federal lands is likely just heating up. Alex Brown, Clark Corbin and Kyle Dunphey report. (Stateline)

As support for national parks craters, Crater Lake’s former leader says he had to walk away
Last week, the supervisor for Crater Lake National Park resigned, just five months after taking the job. Kevin Heatley said he could no longer be party to the dismantling of the federal government, and he expressed concern for the mental health of workers who are working long hours to keep the park operating. Courtney Sherwood reports. (OPB)

Democracy Watch

  • Trump moves to block US entry for Harvard-bound foreigners (AP)
  • Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries set to go into effect Monday (AP)
  • Trump escalates attack on Columbia by threatening its accreditation (NY Times)
  • Trump’s birthright citizenship order lands in Seattle appeals court (Washington State Standard)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.


Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Thu Jun 5 2025    
TODAY
 NW wind around 5 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 10 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




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Wednesday, June 4, 2025

6/4 Star daisy, BC pipes, vessel slow-down, smoke and sand, public broadcasting, democracy watch

Star Daisy

Star Daisy Melampodium paludosum
Star (or Butter) Daisy is a summer annual in the Aster family. It is a hardy plant, maturing to 2 feet high and a foot wide. The plant is native to Mexico and Brazil. Genus name comes from the Greek melam meaning black and pous meaning foot for its black stalks. The species name means spreading or growing in a straggling manner. (North Carolina Extension)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Demolition possible for beloved ‘Bellingham Rock’

Eby says he won't be changing mind on another B.C. pipeline, rebuffing Ford
B.C. Premier David Eby says his job is to protect the interests of British Columbia by bringing forward "shovel-ready" projects. Eby says in response to Ford's remarks on Monday that the publicly owned TMX pipeline is already running through B.C., and the province doesn't support lifting the ban on oil tankers off British Columbia's northern coast. Wolfgang Depner reports. (Canadian Press)

Shipping vessels agree to slow down in B.C. waterways to protect whales
The Vancouver Port Authority says numerous shipping companies have agreed to slow down until November to protect the endangered whale species swimming in the nearby waterways. Kier Junos has the details. Kier Junos reports. (City News Everywhere)  

Eastern U.S. Is Shrouded in Smoke From Canadian Wildfires and Saharan Dust
Smoke from Canadian wildfires and desert dust from the Sahara are creating unhealthy air quality from New York City to Miami. Nazaneen Ghaffar and Amy Graff report. (NY Times)

Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting
President Trump took yet another step Tuesday to place NPR and PBS at the center of his broader clash with major cultural institutions, formally asking Congress to take back the $1.1 billion it has set aside for all public broadcasters for the next two years. David Folkenflik and Deirdre Walsh report. (NPR)

Democracy Watch

  • Elon Musk calls Trump's tax break bill a 'disgusting abomination' (AP)
  • Pete Hegseth orders Harvey Milk's name scrubbed from US Navy ship (AP)
  • Trump administration revokes guidance to hospitals on emergency abortions (AP)
  • White House asks Congress to rescind $9.4B in approved spending (AP)
  • Trump doubles tariffs on steel and aluminum (Washington State Standard)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.


Here's your tug weather—
TODAY
 SE wind around 5 kt, backing to E late this morning,  backing to N early this afternoon, becoming NW 10 to 15 kt late.  Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds and W 4 ft at  12 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds and W  5 ft at 11 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email msato(at)salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.




Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told