10/26 Gourds, WA firs season, 'most special place,' Nooksack flooding, BC food banks, BC water management, Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales

 

Gourds [Martha Stewart Living]

Gourds
Gourds play a pretty big part in the fall season. They tend to crop up as table decor for your Thanksgiving tablescape or in craft projects for your harvest-themed fall porch. But gourds are more than just ornamental fall decor. These hard-shelled fruits have also played host to musical instruments, sponges, and even bird houses over the centuries (yes, centuries!). (Martha Stewart)

WA lands chief: State just had one of its ‘most challenging’ fire seasons ever
Lands commissioner Hilary Franz says while responders kept most fires contained, the overall number of blazes was at a historic high, and more burned in western Washington. Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

Lopez Island 'most special place' to be held in local control
Watmough Bay Higgins property management discussions raise issues of tribal, federal co-management. Nancy DeVaux reports. (Salish Current)

B.C., Wash. agree to address Nooksack River flooding, set no timeline
A recent agreement signed by B.C. and Washington State to come up with projects to address flooding from the Nooksack River does not lay out a timeline or funding obligations. While local government officials on both sides of the border welcomed the agreement, they stressed it is imperative to get on with solutions to complex problems, set priorities, and put up some money. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C. food banks struggle to keep up as demand across Canada soars
New data shows food bank visits are rising across Canada, and British Columbia is no exception. A new report from Food Banks Canada released Wednesday found that this year food bank usage rose to its highest level since the survey started in 1989. Michelle Gomez reports. (CBC)

BC Overhauls Water Management as Scarcity Looms
Mopping up British Columbia’s water management mess is now the responsibility of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship Minister Nathan Cullen. Cullen takes on the water file, along with several other new duties, in a significant transfer of responsibilities from the Ministry of Forests. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tyee)

Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales
David B. Williams, “an evangelist for the practice of paying attention,” introduces the book "Spirit Whales and Sloth Tales: Fossils of Washington State" he co-authored with Elizabeth Nesbit.  The book highlights the stories of the half billion years of plants and animals that have lived in the state (or what is now the state). (Street Smart Naturalist)

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

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  243 AM PDT Thu Oct 26 2023   
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 2 ft  at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 2 ft  at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.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