6/11 Beach hopper, BC fast track, BC social housing, WSF apprenticeship, AI conservation, Trump's nat'l monuments, Oak Bay sculpture, democracy watch

Beach hopper (Sand flea)

Beach hopper Traskorchestia traskiana
The Pacific beach hopper is a species of amphipod from the family Talitridae. It hops around like a flea on wracks of seaweed left stranded by tides on upper levels of beaches. When the seaweed dries out, the beach hoppers retreat into the moist center of the pile or dig into the sand, and hop out if disturbed. They break down organic materials and serving as a food source for various shorebirds and other predators.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Pipeline explosion: Book about Bellingham disaster is in the works / Now is not the time to move backward on pipeline safety

‘Horrific impacts’: as B.C. prepares to fast-track projects, a mining watchdog warns past mistakes could be repeated
Mining regulations and environmental assessments were developed to protect the environment and public health and safety. If projects are allowed to forego those processes, B.C. could set the stage for catastrophic impacts. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

From $2,600 to $775: how social housing is changing lives — and fighting climate change
Can new homes be energy efficient, low emission, climate resilient and affordable? B.C. non-profits show it can be done. Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)

New apprenticeship program boosts Washington State Ferries workforce
Washington State Ferries is aiming to tackle its staffing shortage by building future captains and engineers through a program that teaches every fromm from loading cars to sailing the boat. Dahlia Bazzaz reports. (Seattle Times)

The Potential and Perils of AI for Conservation
AI can help experts sift through datasets that are otherwise unmanageable, but the technology threatens to undermine other ways of knowing. Jim Robbins reports. (bioGraphic)

US Justice Department says Trump can cancel national monuments
Lawyers for President Donald Trump’s administration say he has the authority to abolish national monuments meant to protect historical and archaeological sites across broad landscapes, including two in California created by his predecessor at the request of Native American tribes. (Associated Press)

Sculpture of a man on a toilet sparks conversation in Oak Bay
Fashioned from recycled stainless steel cookware, “Modern Man Does Research” in Causton’s Green has a cigarette in his mouth and is staring at a smartphone. Yeorgios Prontzos reports. (Times Colonist)

Democracy Watch

• California Governor Newsom: Trump is a threat to democracy (AP)
  
• Army restores the names of seven bases that lost their Confederate-linked names under Biden (AP)
  
• US Justice Department says Trump can cancel national monuments (AP)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  234 AM PDT Wed Jun 11 2025    
TODAY  SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 7 ft  at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  6 ft at 9 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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6/10 Western snowy plover, salmon cuts, brain drain, BC ferries, LNG pipe, democracy watch

Western snowy plover [US FWS]

Western snowy plover Anarynchus nivosus
Snowy plovers are small, sand-colored shorebirds that nest directly on the sand. Chicks hide and forage in the wrack line (the seaweed-filled high tide line). Washington's snowy plover population is very small and vulnerable to a variety of impacts, such as predators, adverse weather driven by climate change, shoreline modification, dune stabilization, and recreational activities. (WDFW)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  Negotiations still on for three unions striking against PeaceHealth / Why Bellingham must become a transgender sanctuary

PNW leaders warn that federal cuts could hurt salmon recovery
A leaked Trump administration budget proposal completely scraps a key Columbia River salmon recovery program as the administration seeks to slash the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration budget. The agency’s Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund has invested $115 million across 342 projects currently underway within the Columbia basin. Henry Brennan reports. (The Columbian)

Washington scientists say ‘brain drain’ has begun as researchers consider moving abroad amid Trump cuts
Washington state and the rest of the nation face a “brain drain” with the potential exodus of scientists, which could impact domestic medical innovation for generations to come.A survey of 1,200 U.S. scientists published in Nature at the end of March found three out of four are considering leaving the U.S. Among post-graduate researchers, the percentage was close to 80%. Stephen Howie reports. (KUOW)

BC Ferries Is Still Facing Labour Unrest. Here’s the Latest
The union is heading into bargaining this summer, looking for a five per cent wage bump to catch workers up with inflation. Isaac Phan Nay reports. (The Tyee)

B.C. premier defends new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert
Project is a joint venture between the Nisga'a Nation and Texas-based Western LNG, opposed by hereditary chief. Katie DeRosa reports. (CBC) https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/premier-defends-new-lng-pipeline-with-terminus-near-prince-rupert-1.7556710

Democracy Watch

• Judge blocks Trump administration from enforcing anti-DEI executive orders (AP)
  
• California Lawsuit Challenges Trump’s Order Sending National Guard to L.A. (NY Times)
  
• Pentagon draws up rules for Marines deployed to LA protests (AP)
  
• DC prepares for Trump's June 14 military parade (AP)
  
• RFK Jr. ousts ACIP group that advises CDC on vaccines (AP)
  
• In Trump’s ‘Patriotic’ Hiring Plan, Experts See a Politicized Federal Work Force (NY Times)
  

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-  255 AM PDT Tue Jun 10 2025    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 8 ft  at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6  ft at 10 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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6/9 Beach knotweed, tribal salmon, I-5 billboard, Skagit dams, DNR logging, grain silos, GBH hatch, crow dive-bombing, 'magnificent frigatebird,' dolphin birth, democracy watch

Beach knotweed [Sound Water Stewards]

Beach knotweed Polygonum paronychia
Beach knotweed has a low lying form with woody stems, tiny white or pale pink flowers that bloom from April to September, and 1–inch-long leaves with margins that roll under. Beach knotweed is found on coastal dunes and sandy beaches from northern California to southern Vancouver Island. It is native in the Pacific Northwest. Other common names for it are black knotweed and smartweed. (Sound Water Stewards)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Food for thought: Indian grocers stir taste buds, serve community

Northwest tribes: Treaties mean Trump can’t ax salmon funding
Northwest tribal officials say the Trump administration’s latest budget proposal would violate their treaty rights to catch salmon. Among other cutbacks, the White House’s proposed 2026 budget for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) would eliminate the Pacific Coast Salmon Recovery Fund, the leading source of money for restoring the Northwest’s struggling salmon runs. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

WA tribe buys controversial Uncle Sam billboard off I-5
The highly contentious Uncle Sam billboard off Interstate 5 in Lewis County has a new owner: the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation. The tribe intends to take down the right-wing messages that have lingered on the 40-foot-by-13-foot sign for years. The tribe closed on the 3.5-acre property hosting the billboard for $2.5 million in cash Friday morning. Kai Uyehara reports. (Seattle Times) 

Skagit River dams relicensing process again granted extension
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission recently issued a temporary annual license to Seattle city Light to operate the dams from May 2025 until April 2026. The approved extension pushes back the date the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission will issue its notice that Seattle City Light’s application is Ready for Environmental Analysis, which is called an REA notice. The utility has requested and been approved for extensions in February 2024, January 2025 and June 2025. Emma Fletcher-Fraser reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Judge hears oral arguments in case that centers on DNR logging
Clallam Superior Court Judge Elizabeth Stanley on Friday heard oral arguments by attorneys for the Earth Law Center, the Center for Whale Research and the Orca Network and for the state Department of National Resources regarding an injunction to halt logging and related activities, specifically road construction, on DNR forest lands within the Elwha River watershed. Pamela Hunt reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

‘It’s Like Gambling’: Union Sounds Alarm on Grain Silo Explosions
Workers say safety protocols at Vancouver export terminals have slipped. ‘It will be devastating.’ Isaac Phan Nay reports. (The Tyee)

It’s hatching season for the great blue herons in downtown Olympia
Listen closely next time you’re in downtown Olympia. The downtown heronry, or nesting colony, is back. Perched high in the trees next to the Fish and Wildlife building and across from Percival Plaza, a small kingdom of nests have formed among the branches. Ann Duan reports. (Olympian)

‘Angry birds', B.C. edition: Crows dive-bomb in fierce nesting defence
It’s not malice – it’s parenting; experts explain how to avoid getting dive-bombed. Tony Trozzo reports. (100 Mile Free Press) 

Tropical bird spotted at Trial Island, far from its range in northern Mexico
A juvenile “magnificent frigatebird,” whose typical range is between northern Mexico and Peru, was photographed by Trial Island lighthouse keeper John Gillivet on the evening of May 31. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Video shows dolphin calf's birth and first breath at Chicago zoo, with mom's friend helping
A bottlenose dolphin at the Brookfield Zoo Chicago gave birth to a calf early Saturday morning with the help of a fellow mom. (Associated Press)

Democracy Watch

• Supreme Court allows DOGE team to access Social Security systems with data on millions of Americans (AP)
  
• Appeals court hands AP an incremental loss in its attempt to regain its access to Trump events (AP)
  
• Trump administration races to fix a big mistake: DOGE fired too many people (Washington Post)
  
• NIH scientists go public with criticism over Trump cuts (AP)
  
• DHS memo details how National Guard troops will be used for immigration enforcement (NPR)
  

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-  201 AM PDT Mon Jun 9 2025    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt this afternoon.  Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: W 7 ft  at 11 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.



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6/6 Cosmos, hot weather, PRGT pipeline, EPA emissions rule, bird declines, WA drought, democracy watch, week in rview

Cosmos

Cosmos
Cosmos is a genus, with the same common name of cosmos, consisting of flowering plants in the daisy family. The generic name Cosmos derives either from the Greek κόσμος (cosmos) '(ordered) world' -in reference to the neat, orderly arrangement of the floral structures - or the Greek κόσμημα (kósmima) 'jewel' - in reference to the jewel-like colors of the capitula (composite flowers). (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Empty Bowl marks 50 years with call for land, sea stories

Temperatures could soar into 90s for parts of Puget Sound on Sunday
The south Sound will be the hottest across Puget Sound on Sunday with temperatures reaching the low 90s in spots. Allison Sundell reports. (KING)  Unusually hot days in forecast for eastern Island, including Greater Victoria  Hotter temperatures are expected for much of eastern Vancouver Island, with possible highs in the high 20s and low 30s — about 10 degrees above normal in some cases. (Times Colonist)

‘A long, hot summer’: B.C.’s approval of PRGT pipeline sets stage for conflict, First Nations leader says
The PRGT pipeline is co-owned by a First Nation government and a Texas fossil fuel company — and opposed by Indigenous and non-Indigenous leaders and groups. With the project's approval, opposition on the ground could soon unfold. Matt Simmons and Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)  See also: B.C. government approves new LNG pipeline with terminus near Prince Rupert Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

Planet-warming emissions dropped when companies had to report them. EPA wants to end that
Since the Environmental Protection Agency began requiring air quality monitoring from large polluters more than a decade ago, emissions from four coal-fired plants in southwest Indiana have dropped 60% since 2010, when the rule took effect. That rule is now on the chopping block, one of many that President Donald Trump’s EPA argues is costly and burdensome for industry. Melina Walling, Seth Borenstein, Joshua A. Brickel and M.K. Wildeman reports. (Associated Press)

Bird declines in North America and Puget Sound
Citizen science bird counts are providing more detail than ever about North American bird declines. While the overall numbers are discouraging, new levels of understanding may help conservation efforts. Eric Wagner writes. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

Drought expanded to 19 more watersheds
Since the state Department of Ecology's initial drought declaration on April 8, conditions in all of Whatcom and Skagit counties, and portions of Snohomish, King, Pierce, Lewis, Thurston, Okanagan, Chelan, Clallam, Jefferson and Ferry counties have deteriorated due to early and rapid snowmelt, combined with unusually dry April and May weather. (Dept of Ecology)

Democracy Watch

• AmeriCorps must restore grant funding and members to states that sued over cuts, federal judge rules (AP)
  
• Casey Means, Trump's surgeon general pick, profits from wellness sales (AP)
  

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/6/25: D-Day, USGA cuts, Canada glaciers, AK wilderness drilling and mining, vessel slowdown, EPA rules cut, WA gas car ban.

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 weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  255 AM PDT Fri Jun 6 2025    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late this  morning and afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at  8 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming S around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 8 seconds.  
SAT  E wind around 5 kt, backing to NW 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 9 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming W 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds.  
SUN  NE wind around 5 kt, backing to NW in the afternoon. Seas  3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 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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6/5 Rocket, EPA rules rollback, Puget Sound butterfly, polluted river, flying old boats, Elk Lake algae, WA gas car ban, public lands sale, Crater Lake, democracy watch

Rocket/Arugula

 

Rocket/Arugula
Eruca is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae, native to the Mediterranean region, which includes the leaf vegetable known as arugula or rocket. The number of species is disputed, with some authorities only accepting a single species, while others accept up to five species. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Nonprofits, municipalities regroup after AmeriCorps setbacks / America will miss AmeriCorps

Pollution rules targeted by EPA are projected to save billions of dollars and thousands of lives
When the head of the Environmental Protection Agency announced a wide-ranging rollback of environmental regulations, he said it would put a “dagger through the heart of climate-change religion” and introduce a “Golden Age” for the American economy. What Lee Zeldin didn’t mention: how ending the rules could have devastating consequences to human health. Seth Borenstein, M.K. Wildeman, Melina Walling, Joshua A. Bickel, and Matthew Daly report. (Associated Press)

On a wing and a prairie: Puget Sound butterfly avoids extinction with human help
Western Washington is known for its towering evergreen trees, but it is also home to shortgrass prairies, a favored habitat for butterflies. As butterfly populations nationwide decline rapidly, these rare checkerspots appear to be making a comeback in some grassy corners of the Puget Sound region. And 20 years of intensive human effort has likely helped them rebound. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

One of the most polluted waterways in the US is in WA. Here’s where
The Surfrider Foundation tested more than 600 sites across the nation, with 80% of samples yielding “at least one high bacteria result that exceeded state health standards,” according to the report. One urban waterway in Tacoma landed on Surfrider’s list of 2024 Beach Bacteria Hot Spots: Thea Foss. It had a 64% rate of unhealthy levels of bacteria detected. Hannah Poukish and Genevieve Belmaker report. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Helicopters are flying old boats over Budd Inlet this week. Here’s why
The Department of Natural Resources is conducting operations this week to collect derelict, abandoned boats from regional waterways and remove them to a holding area in Olympia. Genevieve Belmaker reports. (Olympian)

Toxic algae bloom at Elk Lake worse despite oxygenation
The situation has yet to improve nearly two years after the installation of an oxygenation system that was supposed to make the popular swimming spot safe. Hannah Link reports. (Times Colonist)

Did Congress just revoke WA’s gas car ban?
As goes California, so goes Washington. At least in the realm of vehicle-emissions standards. That’s why Congress’ move to revoke a waiver for California under the federal Clean Air Act last month also jerked back Washington’s ability to mandate the sale of electric and hybrid cars by next decade. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

Long-thwarted efforts to sell public lands see new life under Trump
Public outcry was swift and forceful after a U.S. House committee last month hastily approved an amendment directing the federal government to sell off more than half a million acres of public land. A few days later, lawmakers advanced the larger bill — a sweeping list of President Donald Trump’s priorities — but stripped the federal lands provision. Yet leaders on both sides of the issue say the battle over selling off federal lands is likely just heating up. Alex Brown, Clark Corbin and Kyle Dunphey report. (Stateline)

As support for national parks craters, Crater Lake’s former leader says he had to walk away
Last week, the supervisor for Crater Lake National Park resigned, just five months after taking the job. Kevin Heatley said he could no longer be party to the dismantling of the federal government, and he expressed concern for the mental health of workers who are working long hours to keep the park operating. Courtney Sherwood reports. (OPB)

Democracy Watch

• Trump moves to block US entry for Harvard-bound foreigners (AP)
  
• Trump announces travel ban and restrictions on 19 countries set to go into effect Monday (AP)
  
• Trump escalates attack on Columbia by threatening its accreditation (NY Times)
  
• Trump’s birthright citizenship order lands in Seattle appeals court (Washington State Standard)
  

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-  300 AM PDT Thu Jun 5 2025    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 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.



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6/4 Star daisy, BC pipes, vessel slow-down, smoke and sand, public broadcasting, democracy watch

Star Daisy

Star Daisy Melampodium paludosum
Star (or Butter) Daisy is a summer annual in the Aster family. It is a hardy plant, maturing to 2 feet high and a foot wide. The plant is native to Mexico and Brazil. Genus name comes from the Greek melam meaning black and pous meaning foot for its black stalks. The species name means spreading or growing in a straggling manner. (North Carolina Extension)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Demolition possible for beloved ‘Bellingham Rock’

Eby says he won't be changing mind on another B.C. pipeline, rebuffing Ford
B.C. Premier David Eby says his job is to protect the interests of British Columbia by bringing forward "shovel-ready" projects. Eby says in response to Ford's remarks on Monday that the publicly owned TMX pipeline is already running through B.C., and the province doesn't support lifting the ban on oil tankers off British Columbia's northern coast. Wolfgang Depner reports. (Canadian Press)

Shipping vessels agree to slow down in B.C. waterways to protect whales
The Vancouver Port Authority says numerous shipping companies have agreed to slow down until November to protect the endangered whale species swimming in the nearby waterways. Kier Junos has the details. Kier Junos reports. (City News Everywhere)  

Eastern U.S. Is Shrouded in Smoke From Canadian Wildfires and Saharan Dust
Smoke from Canadian wildfires and desert dust from the Sahara are creating unhealthy air quality from New York City to Miami. Nazaneen Ghaffar and Amy Graff report. (NY Times)

Trump asks Congress to wipe out funding for public broadcasting
President Trump took yet another step Tuesday to place NPR and PBS at the center of his broader clash with major cultural institutions, formally asking Congress to take back the $1.1 billion it has set aside for all public broadcasters for the next two years. David Folkenflik and Deirdre Walsh report. (NPR)

Democracy Watch

• Elon Musk calls Trump's tax break bill a 'disgusting abomination' (AP)
  
• Pete Hegseth orders Harvey Milk's name scrubbed from US Navy ship (AP)
  
• Trump administration revokes guidance to hospitals on emergency abortions (AP)
  
• White House asks Congress to rescind $9.4B in approved spending (AP)
  
• Trump doubles tariffs on steel and aluminum (Washington State Standard)
  

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—
TODAY  SE wind around 5 kt, backing to E late this morning,  backing to N early this afternoon, becoming NW 10 to 15 kt late.  Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds and W 4 ft at  12 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds and W  5 ft at 11 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.



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6/3 Sunflower, AK drilling and mining, Bitter Crab Syndrome, Gorge Waterway cleanup, Arnold speaks, democracy watch

Sunflower

Sunflower Helianthus annuus
The common sunflower is a species of large annual forb of the daisy family Asteraceae. The common sunflower is harvested for its edible oily seeds, which are often eaten as a snack food. They are also used in the production of cooking oil, as food for livestock, as bird food, and as a plantings in domestic gardens for aesthetics. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Lynden art center to prioritize inclusivity

Trump Administration to Open Alaska Wilderness to Drilling and Mining
The Interior Department plans to repeal Biden-era protections across the state’s ecologically sensitive North Slope. Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times)

Alaska man sentenced to one year in prison over illegal transport of crab to Washington
The longtime commercial fisher pleaded guilty to leading an out-of-state delivery of Southeast Alaska crab, much of which was infested with Bitter Crab Syndrome. Yereth Rosen reports. (Alaska Beacon) 

Four organizations remove 240 kilograms of debris from Victoria waters
A team of Transport Canada, Surfrider Vancouver Island, Black Ball Ferry Line and Prince of Whales removed 241.3 kilograms – or 532 pounds – of debris from the Gorge Waterway in an effort to protect and preserve the health of the region's marine environments. (Peninsula News Review)

Schwarzenegger tells environmentalists to 'stop whining' and get to work
Arnold Schwarzenegger has a message for environmentalists who despair at the the approach of President Donald Trump’s administration: “Stop whining and get to work.” (Associated Press)

Democracy Watch

• Homeland Security’s list of 'sanctuary cities' pulled down after sheriffs object (Washington State Standard)
  
• Silence on E. Coli outbreak highlights how Trump team’s changes undermine food safety (KFF Health News)
  
• Trump and Allies Sell Domestic Policy Bill With Falsehoods (NY Times)
  
• More white South Africans arrive in the US under a new refugee program (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-  227 AM PDT Tue Jun 3 2025    
TODAY  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft  at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 9 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.



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6/2 Lunaria, Duwamish flooding, USGS salmon, Canada glaciers, BC ostriches, tide pooling, seahorse smuggling, artichoke agave, democracy watch

Lunaria

Lunaria (Money plant)
Lunaria is a genus of flowering plants in the family Brassicaceae. It is native to Europe and has been introduced to North America and elsewhere. The Latin name Lunaria means "moon-like" and refers to the plants' decorative seedpods. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Fast-forward forest: Miyawaki mini-forest planted at Barkley

Will flooding force Seattle’s South Park residents to leave?
[The] flood, on Dec. 27, 2022, highlighted how bad things can get in an urban neighborhood on the front lines of climate change. In a city of bluffs and hills, there is perhaps no other place more vulnerable. South Park is low-lying and filled in with homes, businesses and heavy industry. After decades of industrial pollution, discriminatory mortgage-lending practices, known as redlining, and disinvestment, flooding is only the latest injustice Seattle’s largest riverfront community has had to bear. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Loss of USGS program could hamper salmon research critical for Puget Sound
About 1,200 scientists work in the biological arm of the United States Geological Survey, known as the Ecosystems Mission Area. President Trump’s budget would likely eliminate their work nationwide, if passed as proposed. That includes some work that is crucial to saving salmon in Puget Sound. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Most of Western Canada's glaciers 'doomed' to disappear, researchers find
Climate change has locked in at least 75% of glacier loss in Western Canada and U.S., raising concerns for downstream environments, electricity generation and the wider economy. Stefan Labbé reports. (Timers Colonist)

How the fate of a herd of ostriches on a small B.C. farm caught the attention of the Trump administration
From cull order to convoy to Kennedy Jr., Universal Ostrich farm refuses to give up its birds. Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

Tide Pooling 101: What to know and where to go around Puget Sound
Seattle's warmer months are a magical time, and there's even more magic to be seen if you head to the beach. Lauren Allain reports. (KOMO)

Smuggling seahorses a $29 million global industry, say UBC researchers
A UBC study found that nearly five million dried seahorses, used in traditional Chinese medicine, were seized at airports or in sea cargo. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Rare 20-year-old plant is blooming for the first and last time at Point Defiance
The Point Defiance Zoo's botanical garden's Agave parryi var. truncata, also referred to as an artichoke agave, has been in the garden's care for more than 17 years and is blooming for the first and only time over the next few weeks. Constanza Montemayor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Democracy Watch

• Trump says he's withdrawing the nomination of Musk associate Jared Isaacman to lead NASA (AP)
  
• Trump Amplifies Another Outlandish Conspiracy Theory: Biden Is a Robotic Clone (NY Times)
  
• From TACO to FAFO, investors love parodies of Trump acronyms (Reuters)
  

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-  202 AM PDT Mon Jun 2 2025    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, veering to N late this morning, then  becoming NW 10 to 15 kt this afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave  Detail: W 6 ft at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 9 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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5/30 Sechelt Rapids, oil companies sued, Lost Lagoon, beneficial fire, quake and sea rise, waterfront park, Boeing's DEI, watershed motion, Arctic ice, democracy watch, week in review

Sechelt Rapids

 Sechelt Rapids
Skookumchuck Narrows is a 4 mile long passageway, the only link between the inner Inlets, Sechelt, Narrows and Salmon with the open ocean. Glaciology created a unique situation here. Bottom shallowing and an island plug serve to restrict water moving between the Inlets and the ocean. Water speeds up to compensate for the restriction, and the result is North America’s fastest tidal currents, the Sechelt Rapids. (Sunshine Coast Tours)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Community Transitions paves the way to independence, adulthood

Oil Companies Are Sued Over Death of Woman in 2021 Heat Wave
Experts said it is the first wrongful death case targeting fossil fuel companies over their role in global warming. David Gelles reports. (NY Times)

Vancouver's Lost Lagoon is covered in a thick layer of algae. What's being done about it?
The algae blooms on Lost Lagoon — the park's the largest body of water — can lead to low oxygen levels and fish mortality. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

In a world on fire, making the case for burning more
As bigger and hotter wildfires become part of the fabric of life on earth, some wildfire experts argue we need to find a way to get more ‘beneficial fire’ on the landscape. Matt Simmons writes. (The Narwhal)

Double threat of Cascadia earthquake and sea-level rise could change Pacific Northwest coast forever
While the U.S. East Coast is expected to see roughly 11-16 inches of sea level rise by 2050 under a high-emission scenario, our coast will see closer to 3-7 inches. Now scientists working in Oregon are adding a new wrinkle to these presumptions, showing the risks could be far greater. Jes Burns reports. (OPB)

Seattle's new Waterfront Park set for summer debut
It has been a transformational six years on Seattle’s waterfront. In 2019, runners and walkers took part in a race, which ended on the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Joy Shigaki, the CEO of Friends of Waterfront Park says the event happened just a few months before the viaduct was torn down. On Saturday, the Meet Me at Waterfront Park 5k takes place, kicking off the 20 acre park’s first full summer open to the public. Emil Moffatt reports. (KNKX)

Boeing puts another DEI effort on ice, cites ‘shifting environment’ in US
Boeing is scaling back some workplace diversity programs to “ensure compliance with the law,” the company’s latest action to more closely align itself with the White House’s campaign against the diversity, equity and inclusion movement. Boeing told employees last week it was pausing events and suspending funding for two internal programs — diversity councils and business resource groups, or BRGs — “in light of the dynamically shifting environment in the United States.” Lauren Rosenblatt reports. (Seattle Times)

Lens of Time: A Watershed in Motion
Where does our water come from, how do the variations in its flow affect the ecosystems it feeds, and how can timelapse photography help land managers understand and protect this valuable resource? Produced by Katie Garrett. (bioGraphic)

Dispatches from the Last Ice Area
The Arctic is losing ice—fast. To better predict the future, scientists headed to the North’s last bastion of multiyear sea ice. Alice Sun reports. (bioGraphic)

Democracy Watch

• Supreme Court lets Trump end legal protections for over 500,000 immigrants from 4 countries (AP)
  
• Trump suffered 'mental anguish' from disputed CBS News interview with Harris, lawyer says (AP)
  
• Trump makes 'sanctuary jurisdictions' list public to increase pressure (AP)
  
• Trump Nominates a Former Far-Right Podcast Host to Head an Ethics Watchdog (NY Times)
  
• Judge extends order blocking Trump ban on foreign students at Harvard (AP)
  
• Judge says White House wrongly ended humanitarian parole (AP)
  
• Federal court temporarily reinstates Trump's tariffs on dozens of countries (Politico)
  

Salish Sea News Week in Review 5/30/25: Aloha Sun Ra, Columbia R, snowpack, Brian Heywood, Burrard Inlet dredging, grizzly reintroduction, fast-track project bill, tourism 'green fee,' George Floyd 5th.

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 weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  219 AM PDT Fri May 30 2025    
TODAY  E wind around 5 kt, backing to W late. Seas 3 to 4 ft.  Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft  at 11 seconds.  
SAT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: NW 3 ft at 6 seconds and  W 5 ft at 10 seconds. Rain, mainly in the morning.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, becoming NW 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 7 seconds and W  8 ft at 9 seconds.  
SUN  NW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: W 7 ft at  10 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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5/29 Nakwakto Rapids, BC fast-track bill passes, Elwah logging, Trump's logging, Utah railroad, Ocean Week, democracy watch

Nakwakto Rapids

Nakwakto Rapids
Slingsby Channel is a strait on the north side of Bramham Island in the Queen Charlotte Strait region of the Central Coast of British Columbia. It is one of only two entrances to Seymour Inlet and the associated maze of waterways inland, which lie to the northeast of Bramham. The other entrance is Schooner Channel, formerly Schooner Passage, on the east side of that island. Through the Slingsby Channel flows the world's strongest current, the Nakwakto Rapids, that has been measured at speeds up to 18.4 miles per hour. The current is so fast at times, that people have tied a rope to Turret Rock, which is located right in the middle of the rapids, and then water-skied. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Uncertainty around sale of once-proposed shredder site

B.C. NDP government narrowly passes controversial bills to fast-track projects
Bills received major pushback from First Nations and business groups alike; Speaker cast tiebreaking vote. Katie DeRosa reports. (CBC)

Court denies request to halt logging in Elwah Watershed
The Clallam County Superior Court denied environmentalists' request for an administrative stay on two local Department of Natural Resources parcels, although it granted a motion to compel information from the state agency. If the stay had been granted, it would have barred logging-related activities for 90 days on the parcel names Parched and Tree Well. Emma Maple reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Saw, Baby, Saw? Trump’s Emergency Threat to our Forests
Pruning regulation and felling trees on the scale that the Trump orders contemplate won’t be a slam-dunk. The path to more logging runs through a tangled thicket of laws and regulations. Dan Chasan writes. (Post Alley)

Supreme Court backs Utah oil railroad expansion
The Supreme Court on Thursday backed a multibillion-dollar oil railroad expansion in Utah, endorsing a limited interpretation of a key environmental law. The 8-0 decision comes after an appeal to the high court from backers of the project, which is aimed at quadrupling oil production in the remote area of sandstone and sagebrush. Supporters said restricting the scope of environmental reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act would speed development. Lindsay Whitehurst reports. (Associated Press)

From the Salish Sea to the stage, Ocean Week Victoria returns
From June 1 to 8, interactive programming aimed at ocean education and conservation will take over Greater Victoria. Tony Trozzo reports. (Saanich News)


Democracy Watch

• Federal trade court blocks Trump's sweeping 'Liberation Day' tariffs (AP)
  
• Elon Musk is leaving the Trump administration (AP)
  
• HHS presses health care providers, hospitals to curb gender-affirming treatments for kids (Washington State Standard)
  
• Trump administration cancels plans to develop a bird flu vaccine  (NPR)
  
• These historians oversee unbiased accounts of U.S. foreign policy. Trump fired them all. (Washington Post)
  
• 16 States Sue Trump Over $1.4 Billion in National Science Foundation Cuts (NY Times)
  

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-  219 AM PDT Thu May 29 2025    
TODAY  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 5 seconds and W 5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain early  this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 11 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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Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



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5/28 Deception Pass, NW hydro, very low tides, Burrard Inlet dredging, early learning cuts, BC mining, Hawaii 'green fee,' penguin cooling, democracy watch

Deception Pass

Deception Pass
Deception Pass is a strait separating Whidbey Island from Fidalgo Island, in the northwest part of the U.S. state of Washington. It connects Skagit Bay, part of Puget Sound, with the Strait of Juan de Fuca. A pair of bridges known collectively as Deception Pass Bridge cross Deception Pass. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: New Whatcom County jail could face decreased funding  / Nonprofit cinema to open second location this summer

Hydropower generation in the Northwest expected to rise in 2025
Hydropower in the region is expected to increase about 17% compared to last year, a welcome boost to growing energy demand, but will still be below the 10-year average, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

Marine life to be exposed during very low tide this week
Low tides will range between -3.4 feet to -4.1 feet, with the lowest occurring at 12:21 p.m. Wednesday, May 28. Just for reference, last year’s low tide event in June dipped down to around -3.4 feet at its lowest, so this year will be about a half foot lower and noticeably lower. Adam Claibon reports. (KING)

Planning to dredge the Burrard Inlet to maximize oil shipments is underway
UBC ocean pollution researcher and Tsleil-Waututh Nation concerned about environmental impact. Santana Dreaver reports. (CBC)

Federal and state cuts threaten Washington early learning programs
The first months of the Trump administration have brought layoffs, closures and confusion to free preschool programs, compounded by state funding woes. Laurel Demkovich reports. (CascadePBS)

Eby Announces First Nations Mining Partnerships in BC’s Northwest
British Columbia Premier David Eby signalled the intention to attract as much as $30 billion in mining investment to the northwest of the province by working in partnership with First Nations. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tyee)

Hawaiʻi Makes History As First State To Charge Tourists To Save Environment
A Hawaiʻi vacation will cost you more in the near future thanks to a new “green fee” that the governor signed into law today. Marcel Honoré reports. (Honolulu Civil Beat)

How Penguin Poop Helps Antarctica Keep its Cool
Ammonia wafting from penguin guano contributes to cloud formation. Matt Simon reports. (Grist/bioGraphic)

Democracy Watch
Musk criticizes Trump's 'big beautiful bill,' a fracture in a key relationship (AP)
Trump Pardoned Tax Cheat After Mother Attended $1 Million Dinner (NY Times)
Trump set to pardon reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley (AP)
Trump Asks Supreme Court to Let Him Send Migrants to South Sudan (NY Times)
US pauses scheduling visa interviews for foreign students (AP)
Bureau of Land Management ousts official who reportedly resisted DOGE (Washington Post)
Documents Show E.P.A. Wants to Erase Greenhouse Gas Limits on Power Plants (NY Times)
RFK Jr. ends COVID vaccine recommendation for healthy children, pregnant people (Washington State Standard)

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-  225 AM PDT Wed May 28 2025    
TODAY  SE wind around 5 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 3 seconds and  W 4 ft at 10 seconds.  TONIGHT  NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming E 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 3 seconds and W  4 ft at 11 seconds. Rain after midnight.

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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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5/27 Surge Narrows, Columbia R, snow melt, L Washington Chinook, Alaska LNG, Brian Heywood, grizzly reintro, fed housing funds, beekeeping, George Floyd fifth, DEI retreat, democracy watch

Surge Narrows [Trip Advisor]

Surge Narrows
Surge Narrows Park is located on the south end of Maurelle Island, east of Quadra Island off central Vancouver Island. With its high tidal changes and many reefs, this park has ideal conditions for marine life. Sea urchins, sea cucumbers, sea stars and anemones flourish in these prime conditions.  A unique feature of this park are the tidal rapids caused by the convergence of two flood tides. (BC Parks)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham woman organizes support for Palestinian families

How we pushed the Columbia, the great river of the West, to its limit
Changes made by humans have pushed this river to the brink. We’ve hammered the habitat. Overfished the salmon. Mismanaged hatcheries. And most of all, harnessed the immense power of this river, turning its cold, fast waters to miles of warm, slackwater reservoirs. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Snow melting fast in WA, American West
On the heels of a winter that left Washington’s mountaintops relatively bare, warm spring temperatures are melting off remaining snowpack far earlier than normal, heightening drought concerns across the state. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

Snorkeler counts Chinook salmon in Lake Washington at night — here’s why
Fish ecologist Ashley Townes uses a remote controller to pilot an underwater remote-operated vehicle monitoring endangered Cedar River Chinook juvenile salmon at Be’er Sheva Park in Rainier Beach in Seattle. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

US invites Asian officials to Alaska, eyes $44 billion LNG project
The U.S. has invited officials from Japan, South Korea and Taiwan to Alaska to discuss projects including a vast gas pipeline, two people familiar with the planning said, as Asian governments consider U.S. investments in the hopes of relief from President Donald Trump's tariffs. John Geddie, Tim Kelly and Timothy Gardner report. (Reuters)

GOP megadonor planning new round of initiatives on taxes, parents' rights
Brian Heywood, the founder of Let’s Go Washington, has filed new proposals to curb property taxes, create a new school choice funding program, target trans student athletes, and repeal the state Legislature’s recent changes to the “parents’ rights” law. (Jeanie Lindsay reports. (KUOW)

Grizzly reintroduction to North Cascades stalls
The plan was approved last summer, but some northeast Washington residents say their concerns were not represented in the decision-making process. Connor Zamora reports. (CascadePBS)

Housing providers already feeling the impact waiting for federal funds amidst new Trump conditions
New Trump administration conditions regarding gender ideology, elective abortions, DEI and immigration have pulled funding on over $2 million from three federal Housing and Urban Development grants budgeted by Share and Care House, a nonprofit in Pierce County that provides permanent supportive housing to over 140 people. Lauren Gallup reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Island beekeepers face challenges from drought to disease
Summer drought makes it challenging for plants to produce enough of the crucial nectar that bees and other pollinators need to survive. Hannah Link reports. (Times Colonist)

Thousands mark 5th anniversary of George Floyd’s murder as they call for justice and decry Trump
Police reform and civil-rights activists joined thousands of ordinary people Sunday to mark the fifth anniversary of George Floyd’s murder and decry the Trump administration for actions they say set their efforts back decades. Mark Vancleave and Kendra LaFleur report. (Associated Press)

Corporate America's retreat from DEI has eliminated thousands of jobs
The anti-DEI "political climate" has been slowly bubbling up for years — even before President Trump was re-elected, and set things to a hard boil by immediately signing executive orders banning what he calls "illegal DEI." Now scores of employers are in all-out retreat from anything adjacent to the word "diversity" — including the experienced DEI specialists who were once in high demand. Maria Aspan reports. (NPR)

Democracy Watch

• Veterans recoil at Trump plan to end Afghans’ deportation protection (Washington Post)
  
• Trump says he’s pardoning a Virginia sheriff convicted on bribery charges (AP)
  
• E. coli outbreak sickened more than 80 people, but details didn’t surface (Washington Post)
  
• NPR and Colorado public radio stations sue Trump White House (AP)
  
• Texas oil executive on Musk team makes sweeping changes at Interior (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-  241 AM PDT Tue May 27 2025    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt, easing to around 5 kt late. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  E wind around 5 kt, veering to SE after midnight. Seas  3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 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.



savesalishsea@bluesky.social

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


5/23 Pacific yew, Bill 15, tailpipe emissions, elasmosaur, nuke power, low tides, Big Mama, democracy watch, week in review

Pacific yew

Yews
Taxus is a genus of coniferous trees or shrubs known as yews in the family Taxaceae. The Pacific yew (Taxus brevifolia), native to the Pacific Northwest of North America, and the Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) of Eastern and Central North America were the initial sources of paclitaxel or Taxol, a chemotherapeutic drug used in breast and lung cancer treatment and, more recently, in the production of the Taxus drug eluting stent by Boston Scientific.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Oso-like landslide preventable for Concrete logging project, experts say

‘Kill the Bill.’ BC Faces Mounting Pressure Against Bill 15
The province is facing a wall of opposition from First Nations and municipalities over legislation meant to fast-track development. Amanda Follett Hosgood reports. (The Tyee)

U.S. Senate vote to nix California tailpipe emissions standard blocks 17 other states
The U.S. Senate voted early Thursday to prevent California from enforcing regulations on tailpipe emission from new cars and trucks, upending state regulations for the nearly 40% of Americans whose states follow California standards. The House has already passed an identical measure, meaning the Senate vote sends the resolution to President Donald Trump’s desk. Jacob Fischler reports. (Washington State Standard)

Extinct marine reptile species named for Courtenay man
The previously unnamed species of elasmosaur is being called Traskasaura sandrae in honour of Mike Trask, who in 1988 discovered fossils in the Puntledge River. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

NW’s only nuclear power plant to undergo $700M upgrade
One of largest electricity producers in Washington state will get a $700 million upgrade that would eventually power about 125,000 more homes.. Plans are in place at the Columbia Generating Station in Eastern Washington to boost electrical output by 162 megawatts within six years by replacing and upgrading reactor equipment, including turbines, heat exchangers and the generator.  Anette Cary reports. (Tri-City Herald)

Puget Sound to see low tides next week
Low tides will range between -3.4 feet to -4.1 feet, with the lowest occurring at 12:21 p.m. Wednesday, May 28. Adam Claibon reports. (KING)

Big Mama's back! Famous humpback whale returns to Washington waters with new calf
The calf was seen traveling alongside its mother, BCY0324, a.k.a. "Big Mama," who is celebrated for her significant role in the recovery of local humpback populations. (KOMO)

Democracy Watch
Trump administration bars Harvard from enrolling foreign students (AP)
Harvard sues over ban on foreign student enrollment (AP)
Judge Blocks Trump Administration From Arresting International Students or Revoking Visas (NY Times)
Court order blocks Trump from eliminating U.S. Education Department (Washington State Standard)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 5/23/25: Turtle Day, Green R salmon, Trump's rules, Billy Proctor, WA litter, microplastics, logging protest, wildfire season, Fraser pinks.

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 weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  239 AM PDT Fri May 23 2025    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas building to 2 or 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8  seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 2 ft. Wave Detail:  W 2 ft at 8 seconds.  
SAT  NW wind around 5 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds.  
SUN  E wind 5 to 10 kt, backing to N in the afternoon. Seas  3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of showers  in the afternoon.  
SUN NIGHT  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, veering to E after midnight.  Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening, then showers likely after midnight.  
MON  SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at  11 seconds. A chance of showers in the morning.

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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.



savesalishsea@bluesky.social

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told