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| Pink Mountain Heather |
Pink Mountain Heather Phyllodoce empertriformis
Pink Mountain Heather is found in mountainous regions of western North America in the Northwestern United States and Western Canada. Its southern range includes the Klamath Range in northern California and Oregon. Phyllodoce empetriformis is a low matting shrub with distinctive leaves which roll under themselves so tightly they resemble pine needles. It bears attractive flowers in shades of pink and purple. This common (in its native bioregion) evergreen alpine shrub bears its red-purple flower clustered at the end of the stem in leaf axils. (Calscape)
Today's top story in Salish Current: ‘A whole order of magnitude greater’: San Juan responders prepare for unprecedented megatanker traffic
Four new calves were reported during the recent census year, ending in July, but only two of them have survived. That raises the official population count to 76 whales in 2026, as reported by the Center for Whale Research in its annual census report. If this rate of population growth could be sustained, the endangered orcas might be on a path to recovery. But, given their history, that remains just a hope. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)
Trees as Public Health Infrastructure
New research shows that meeting tree canopy goals could prevent more than 67,000 premature deaths in the United States.Ashley Braun reports. (bioGraphic)
Vancouver sees record-setting number of cruise ship passenger visits in 2026, expects growth next year
Vancouver’s port authority is anticipating even more growth in 2027 after a record-setting year for cruise ship tourism in the city, which the authority says injected more than $1 billion into the local economy. Arden McLeod reports. (CBC)
Gov. Ferguson calls for salary survey after WA ferry sickout
After a sickout crippled Washington’s ferry system last week, Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered a new evaluation of its engineers’ salaries ahead of wage negotiations with union workers next summer. Jake Goldstein-Street reports. (Washington State Standard)
Nevada scientist among those logging ‘lost’ species as fewer endangered species are listed
Across Nevada, 20 modern animals, from towering American bison to diminutive Pyramid Lake pebblesnails, that once called the region home have been extirpated. Some species continue to live in other areas; others were endemic to Nevada and are now extinct. Nearly 50 more of the state’s plants and animals, listed on the federal endangered species list or recognized as threatened, aren’t far behind. Another nearly 600 plants and animals have a half dozen or fewer population groupings in the state. Amy Alonzo reports. (AP/The Nevada Independent)
Democracy Watch
- Immigration arrests linked to WA driver data ‘off the charts’ (Seattle Times)
WED NIGHT E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 3 seconds and W 4 ft at 12 seconds.






