7/18 Trumpet honeysuckle, gulls, Little Pilchuck, Island Marble butterfly, LA coastal restoration, funding cut, democracy watch, week in review

Trumpet Honeysuckle

 

 Trumpet Honeysuckle Lonicera ciliosa
The common name, honeysuckle, comes from the fact that children enjoy sucking nectar from the base of the flowers for a sweet treat. This species is also known as Orange Honeysuckle, Northwest Honeysuckle, or Western Trumpet. Trumpet Honeysuckle is native from British Columbia to northern California, mostly west of the Cascades; but also can be found in the Idaho panhandle and neighboring Montana; and isolated communities in Utah and Arizona. (Native Plants PNW)

Today's top story in Salish Current: PNW Climate Week kicks off with climate solutions

Coming into the colony
Gulls are perhaps our most familiar seabird. Pick a seashore or even an occasional landfill, and you are likely to see at least a few. But casual sightings don't always paint a true picture of population health. The most accurate science often requires field work, and that can mean getting a little messy. Recently, scientists took to the field to see how glaucous-winged gulls are faring in the Salish Sea. The gulls were ready for them. Eric Wagner writes. (Salish Sea Current)

Little Pilchuck salmon project gets boost from $4.6M state grant
Washington’s Recreation and Conservation Office announced Tuesday that Snohomish County received $4.6 million from the Brian Abbott Fish Barrier Removal Board for restoration work near Little Pilchuck Creek. The county’s Surface Water Management team will utilize the grant dollars, along with $800,000 from the county department, to replace four culverts and remove a fifth along an unnamed tributary to Little Pilchuck Creek, north of Lake Stevens. Eliza Aronson reports. (Everett Herald)

Back From The Brink
The Island Marble butterfly, or Euchloe ausonides insulanus, is endemic to the coastal prairie that was once common in the Salish Sea ecoregion. With an estimated population of under 500 today, the species only exists on San Juan Island. Sophia Jellinghaus reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Louisiana cancels $3 billion coastal restoration project
Louisiana on Thursday canceled a $3 billion repair of disappearing Gulf coastline, funded by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill settlement, scrapping what conservationists called an urgent response to climate change but Gov. Jeff Landry viewed as a threat to the state’s way of life. Jack Brook reports. (Associated Press)

House approves Trump's $9B cut to public broadcasting and foreign aid
The House gave final approval to President Donald Trump’s request to claw back about $9 billion for public broadcasting and foreign aid early Friday as Republicans intensified their efforts to target institutions and programs they view as bloated or out of step with their agenda. Kevin Freking and Mary Clare Jalonick report. (Associated Press)

Democrat Watch

• Trump administration hands over nation's Medicaid enrollee data to ICE (AP)
  
• Senate panel approves federal judge nomination for Emil Bove, who defended Trump  (NPR)
  
• For Sale: Trump is leveraging power of his office to reap profits for family businesses (AP)
  

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/18/25: Nelson Mandela, pinks return, ivy ban, climate change reports, Cowichan R salmon, beach fecals, orca count, Pebble Mine.

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Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  228 AM PDT Fri Jul 18 2025   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late. Seas 3 to  5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds. 
SAT  SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at  7 seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W  3 ft at 7 seconds. 
SUN  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft in the morning, then  around 2 ft or less. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 7 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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