3/25 Reed canarygrass, WA lege, OR kid climate suit, BC metal mining, Brave Little Hunter, eelgrass, Growlers, extreme heat, news diet, first 100 days

Reed Canarygrass

Reed Canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea
Canary grass is a major threat to natural wetlands because it out competes most native species as it forms large, single-species stands, outcompeting other species. Dense stands have little wildlife habitat value. Its invasion can cause siltation in irrigation ditches.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Who speaks truth to Trump’s transgressions?

Democrats in Washington Legislature pitch competing budget plans
Furloughs and taxes, early learning and police hiring are among the matters in need of negotiations between the House and Senate and with the governor. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)  Gas tax increase is key to fueling WA Senate transportation budget Jake Goldstein-Street reports. (Washington State Standard)

US Supreme Court declines to revive landmark climate suit brought by young Oregonians
The decision ends a decade-long fight led by 11 young Oregonians and 10 of their peers across the nation against the U.S. government over climate inaction. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

‘Metals are the new oil’: B.C. fast-tracks critical minerals projects to counter tariffs
Premier David Eby says the province has ‘unlimited’ potential when it comes to critical minerals. Used to make everything from weapons to renewables, critics question whether B.C.'s rush to mine copper, lithium and more could impact the environment and Indigenous Rights. Zoë Yunker reports. (The Narwhal)

Hope persists for Brave Little Hunter, one year later
A researcher who was involved in the rescue effort is optimistic that as the days grow longer and the weather improves, there will be more sightings. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

County awarded $500,000 for eelgrass project
Pierce County Planning & Public Works has been awarded a $500,000 grant to help advance eelgrass monitoring along Pierce County shorelines. Starting this summer, PPW and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources will collect data on marine vegetation by using underwater videography at approximately 180 Pierce County sites. The results will be analyzed to identify the distribution of eelgrass beds in the county’s nearshore environment. (Tacoma Weekly)

Comment period open on Growler operations
The U.S. Navy is accepting public comments regarding a draft of its amended analysis to the final environmental impact statement for EA-18G Growler aircraft operations at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island through April 28. The amended analysis was mandated by the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. (Peninsula Daily News)

The Vicious Cycle of Extreme Heat Leading to More Fossil Fuel Use
A new report illustrates a concerning dynamic: Record heat last year pushed countries to use more planet-warming fossil fuels to cool things down. Claire Brown reports. (NY Times)

7 ways to cultivate a healthy news diet
Media literacy and mental health experts from the University of Washington offer their suggestions to fight brain rot, headline anxiety and misinformation. Sireen Abayazid, Nimra Ahmad, Sophie Grossman & Madeline Happold report. (CascadePBS)

The First 100 Days

• Judge bars DOGE access to sensitive personal information at 3 federal agencies (News From the States)
  
• Trump officials texted war plans to a group chat in a secure app that included a journalist (Associated Press)
  
• In His Second Term, Trump Fuels a ‘Machinery’ of Misinformation (NY Times)
  
• Transgender Americans aim to block Trump’s passport policy change (Associated Press)
  
• GOP-led states push for control of federal education money under Trump (Associated Press)
  

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  801 AM PDT Tue Mar 25 2025    
REST OF TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail:  W 5 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain early this morning, then a  slight chance of rain this afternoon.  
TONIGHT  E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft  at 3 seconds and W 5 ft at 15 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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