4/2 Plumeria, health programs, Head Start, carbon tax cut, Amtrak back, pipeline rules, Iona Is wastewater, Tulip Festival, first 100 days

 

Plumeria

Plumeria
Plumeria, also known as frangipani, is a genus of flowering plants in the subfamily Rauvolfioideae, of the family Apocynaceae. The genus Plumeria is named in honour of 17th-century French botanist and Catholic monk Charles Plumier, who traveled to the New World documenting many plant and animal species. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Under new management: our forests  / The plastic problem is bad; its health effects are worse

These WA health programs and jobs just got cut by the feds
Following the Department of Health and Human Services’ abrupt cancellation of more than $12 billion in federal grants last week, leaders at the Washington state health department have confirmed what work will likely end. The cuts total between $130 and $140 million. Elise Takahama reports. (Seattle Times)

WA Head Start staff locked out and let go due to Trump cuts
The Seattle Office of Head Start has been closed and all employees there have been placed on leave and notified they’ll be terminated, part of a massive wave of layoffs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Seattle is home to the Region 10 Office of Head Start, which oversees the preschool program in Washington, Alaska, Idaho and Oregon. Claire Withycombe reports. (Seattle Times)

What cutting the consumer carbon tax means for Canada's emissions
The federal government has ended its carbon pricing for consumers, and that's expected to lead to savings at the gas pump. But what did the carbon tax and rebate actually do for the climate? And now that it's gone, what impact will that have on emissions? Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Amtrak Cascades begins restoring canceled service
Amtrak is moving train cars to the Northwest from other parts of the country to swap in for 26 cars abruptly pulled from service in late March due to corrosion problems. With the arrival of the additional cars, two trains between Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia, — trains No. 516 and No. 519 — resumed service Tuesday. (Washington State Standard )

Southbound border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland see sharp drop in 2025
Data shows nearly 43 per cent drop in vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south in March. Akshay Kulkarni reports. (CBC)

B.C. quietly allowed an oil and gas giant to sidestep rules for more than 4,300 pipelines
B.C.’s energy regulator has the power to grant exemptions — without notifying the public. Experts are raising the alarm about the process, saying the regulator is playing soft with fossil fuel companies that break rules. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Canada and B.C. finalize agreement to fund Metro Vancouver Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant
The governments of Canada and British Columbia have finalized an agreement for the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), providing CAD 250 million (about USD 173 million) in federal funding over five years for the first phase of the Iona Island Wastewater Treatment Plant upgrade. The funding represents a crucial step toward transforming the 1963-era facility into a state-of-the-art plant capable of serving a growing population — projected to reach 950,000 by 2051 — and meeting modern wastewater treatment standards. (Smart Water Magazine)

Skagit Valley Tulip Festival opens
The 2025 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival opened Tuesday. Ava Ronning reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

The First 100 Days

• HHS layoffs hit Meals on Wheels and other services for seniors and disabled (NPR)
  
• Head Start office closures, HHS layoffs worry preschool leaders (Associated Press)
  
• White House studying cost of Greenland takeover, long in Trump’s sights (Washington Post)
  

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

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  515 AM PDT Wed Apr 2 2025    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 8 seconds.

---


"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.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told