1/10 Black widow, Ferguson's budget, fish weirs, thriving gulls, killing barred owls, ship-whale collisions, bird help, week in review

 

Black widow spider

Black widow spider
Latrodectus is a broadly distributed genus of spiders with several species that are commonly known as the true widows, a group is composed of those often loosely called black widow spiders, brown widow spiders, and similar spiders.  (Wikipedia)


Today's top story in Salish Current: Stakes are high for undocumented residents

Ferguson pitches spending cuts, voices skepticism of ‘wealth tax’
The governor-elect says his plan could yield $4 billion in savings to help close the state’s roughly $12 billion budget shortfall. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

Fish weirs are still banned under the Fisheries Act. This First Nation wants to build a new one
Sumas First Nation is trying to construct a fish weir on its traditional territory in B.C.’s Fraser Valley, in the face of environmental and bureaucratic obstacles. Amy Romer reports. (The Narwhal)

Sea gulls 'thriving' around B.C.'s Salish Sea, researchers say
A positive picture is being painted for researchers looking into the health of glaucous-winged gulls on the Salish Sea. Started in 2020, the five-year project is designed to establish ecological baselines for gull health in the Salish Sea. With field work completed, researchers will now be analyzing contaminant levels and pathogens in local gulls and comparing those findings with gull populations elsewhere. Jessica Durling reports.(North Delta Reporter)

BLM endorses plan to kill barred owls on federal land, as Oregon lawmakers push back
The Biden administration appears to be doubling down on a plan to kill barred owls in order to protect the northern spotted owl populations in Northwest forests. But a group of bipartisan Oregon legislators says it’s a cruel and wasteful plan. They’re calling on the incoming Trump administration’s proposed Department of Government Efficiency to reverse the decision. Courtney Sherwood reports. (OPB)

Whale, ship collisions around the globe could be helped by slower speeds, study shows
Giant ships that transport everything from coffee cups to clothes across the ocean are often so large they can’t tell when they collide with a whale. Now, research out of the Northwest could help these massive vessels avoid collisions with whales around the world. These collisions are one of the major reasons large whales die, but it’s really hard to study. Often, the whales sink to the bottom of the ocean. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

How to encourage birds to join your garden crew
Birds? Really? Yes! Birds are a highly skilled first line of defense against many pests, from aphids to sow thistles. Many native birds eagerly eat both bugs and seeds, so gardens lively with birds tend to be healthy places. Ann Lovejoy writes. (Kitsap Sun)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 1/10/25: Tintin Friday, drilling ban, 2 new monuments, Skagit battery storage, BC hydrogen, Trudeau's legacy, Skagit dams, WA net-pen ban, WA voters outlook.

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Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PST Fri Jan 10 2025    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING  
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM PST THIS MORNING THROUGH  THIS EVENING  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH LATE  TONIGHT    
TODAY  W wind 15 to 20 kt, rising to 25 to 30 kt with gusts up  to 40 kt. Seas 8 to 11 ft, building to 10 to 14 ft this  afternoon. Wave Detail: W 13 ft at 11 seconds. A slight chance of  rain early this morning.  
TONIGHT  NW wind 20 to 25 kt. Gusts up to 35 kt in the evening.  Seas 9 to 13 ft, subsiding to 8 to 11 ft after midnight. Wave  Detail: W 12 ft at 10 seconds.  
SAT  NW wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 6 to 9 ft, subsiding to 5 to 7 ft in the  afternoon. Wave Detail: W 9 ft at 10 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  NE wind around 5 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W  6 ft at 12 seconds.  
SUN  E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at  11 seconds and W 4 ft at 19 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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