5/20 Nettles, USACE spending plan, Columbia Basin dams, Canada Post strike, spot shrimp season, democracy watch

Stinging nettle

 
Stinging nettle Urtica dioica
Urtica dioica is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the family Urticaceae. Originally native to Europe, much of temperate Asia and western North Africa, it is now found worldwide. The plant has a long history of use as a source for traditional medicine, food, tea, and textile raw material in ancient (such as Saxon) and modern societies. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: San Juan Islands ferry terminal troubles

Red states win, blue states lose in Army Corps spending plan
The Army Corps of Engineers is directing a disproportionate amount of its construction funding to Republican states under the full-year fiscal 2025 stopgap spending law, according to data compiled by Democratic staff for the Senate Appropriations Committee. Overall, nearly two-thirds of Army Corps of Engineers construction funding is going to red states, a sizable shift from former President Joe Biden’s final budget request and the initial fiscal 2025 House and Senate Energy-Water appropriations bills, which were all closer to an even split.  Aidan Quigley reports. (CQ-Roll Call)

Fears over Columbia Basin dams, hydroelectricity grow as agencies lose hundreds of employees
Hundreds of federal employees managing the nation’s main hydropower corridor have retired, resigned or been released due to Trump orders and hiring freezes. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Canada Post workers issue strike notice, poised to hit picket lines Friday
Canada Post received a strike notice Monday from the union representing more than 55,000 postal workers, with operations poised to shut down by the end of the week — for the second time in six months. Christopher Reynolds reports. (Canadian Press) 

Spot shrimp season opens Wednesday
Local Marine Areas opening include Marine Area 5 (western Strait of Juan de Fuca): Open daily beginning Wednesday through Sept. 15; Marine Area 6 (Port Angeles Harbor, eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, excluding the Discovery Bay Shrimp District): Open this Wednesday through Friday, June 6-7, June 20-21 and July 18-19; Marine Area 7 East (northern Rosario Strait, Bellingham Bay, Sucia and Matia Islands, Strait of Georgia): Open this Wednesday through Friday and June 6-7; Marine Area 7 West (San Juan Channel, Speiden Channel, Stuart and Waldron Islands): Open this Wednesday through Friday, June 6-7, June 20-21 and July 18-19; Marine Area 8-1 (Saratoga Passage, Deception Pass): Open this Wednesday and June 6 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Democracy Watch

• U.S. Supreme Court lets Trump end protected status for 350,000 Venezuelan migrants (Washington Post)
  
• Trump alleges 'genocide' in South Africa. Afrikaner farmers and others scoff (AP)
  
• Federal judge blocks Trump's takeover of U.S. Institute of Peace (NPR)
  

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  301 AM PDT Tue May 20 2025    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON    
TODAY  SW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt late. Seas 10  to 12 ft subsiding to 5 to 7 ft this afternoon. Wave Detail: W 12  feet at 13 seconds. A slight chance of tstms. Showers, mainly  this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 12 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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