5/21 Foxglove, herring harvest, microplastics, public health data, logging protest, whale eyes, World Bee Day, democracy watch

Foxglove

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea
Foxglove or common foxglove is a toxic species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae, native to and widespread throughout most of temperate Europe. It has also naturalized in parts of North America, as well as some other temperate regions. The plant is a popular garden subject, with many cultivars available. It is the original source of the heart medicine digoxin (also called digitalis or digitalin).

Today's top story in Salish Current: Two local mayors face challengers in November election / A kidney for Alfredo: one man’s hope

Squamish Nation celebrates return of herring harvest
As the small silvery fish return to Squamish waters, the nation is rekindling food and cultural traditions. Amy Romer reports. (IndigiNews/The Narwhal)

What Experts Want You to Know About Microplastics
Scientists say it could be years before we have a full understanding of how these tiny plastic particles are affecting human health. But we do know they have been found from the depths of the Mariana Trench to the heights of Mount Everest. And we know that plastic is accumulating in our bodies, too. Nina Agrawal reports. (NY Times)

Washington state groups sue Trump administration over sweeping public health data erasures
Three Washington state groups that represent health care workers have joined a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the sweeping deletion of federal public health data, calling the removals “arbitrary, capricious, and unreasoned.” Plaintiffs say the erasures have caused irreparable harm to health care systems, which rely on that data to respond to patient needs and public health matters.(KUOW)

Logging protest continues with climber in tree
An injunction hearing regarding the parcels has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday in Clallam County Superior Court. If a 90-day injunction is issued, the tree climber will remove themselves from the tree. If the decision is not in favor of the environmentalists, the climber likely will stay up there indefinitely. Emma Maple reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

What a Whale Does Not See
A whale’s grapefruit-sized eye reveals the reason humpbacks keep swimming into fishing gear. Marina Wang reports. (bioGraphic)

On ‘World Bee Day,’ the bees did not seem bothered. They should be
Bees and other pollinators have been on the decline for years, and experts blame a combination of factors: insecticides, parasites, disease, climate change and lack of a diverse food supply. Daniel Riemann, Fanny Brodersen and Michael Proust report. (Associated Press)

Democracy Watch

• Noem Incorrectly Defines Habeas Corpus as the President’s Right to Deport People (NY Times)
  
• Official Pushed to Rewrite Intelligence So It Could Not Be ‘Used Against’ Trump (NY Times)
  
• New Trump vaccine policy limits access to COVID shots (AP)
  
• Supreme Court orders Maine House to restore vote of GOP lawmaker who ID-ed trans teen athlete online (AP)
  

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-  252 AM PDT Wed May 21 2025    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, veering to NW this afternoon. Seas  3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming W after midnight. Seas  3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 10 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.



savesalishsea@bluesky.social

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told