1/12 Cherry laurel, plastic bags, fish sounds, offshore wind farms, radon, statues vandalized, democracy watch.

 

Cherry laurel  

Cherry laurel Prunus laurocerasus
Cherry laurel is naturalized in Washington, British Columbia, Oregon, and California. It is most common west of the Cascades in Washington. Very fast-growing and tolerant of a wide range of conditions, cherry laurel is a strong competitor and thrives in our climate. Because it is spread by birds to remote areas, it has the potential to be a serious threat to native forest land in the Puget Sound region. Cherry laurel is also poisonous to eat. Cherry laurel is designated as a weed of concern in King County and is on the Monitor List of the Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. This means control is not required, but is recommended, and new plantings are discouraged. (King County) 

Today's top story in Salish Current:  A migrant's journey: Whatcom READS ‘Solito’ for 2026

A new push to ban plastic bags could be in store for Washington
Thicker bags have proliferated in the wake of the statewide ban on thin plastic bags took effect in 2021. Now, some cities are asking lawmakers to close a loophole. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX) 

Knock, knock, who's there? UVic biologists identify unique sounds of 8 fish species
The researchers used an underwater microphone to eavesdrop on rockfish and other species near the ­community of Bamfield in Barkley Sound, on the southwest coast of ­Vancouver Island. They developed a machine learning model that examined the unique characteristics of the fish noises, and were able to differentiate between different species — including those that are closely related — with high accuracy. Marissa Birnie reports.(Canadian Press)  

Billions at Stake in the Ocean as Trump Throttles Offshore Wind Farms
The Trump administration has repeatedly ordered work to stop on offshore wind farms along the East Coast, pushing at least two projects to the brink of collapse. Maxine Joselow and Brad Plumer report.(NY Times) 

Homeowners Left on Their Own to Deal with Deadly Gas
When the city of Oliver tested 83 homes for radon exposure last October, 57 per cent of the houses exceeded Health Canada’s safety guidelines. That’s seven times the provincial average. B.C.’s Interior has Canada’s highest levels of radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas that kills an estimated 3,200 Canadians annually. But unlike homeowners in Saskatchewan or Manitoba, where provincially funded relief exists, Interior residents must pay out of pocket. Gemma Boothroyd reports. (The Tyee) 

Washington state pumps more tax dollars toward green jet fuel
Officials hope a new state-funded “accelerator” can tackle off-putting prices and other barriers to adoption of the fuel, which can reduce air travel emissions by 50-80%. Tom Banse reports.(Washington State Standard) 

Statues from Nisqually Tribe vandalized at entrance to new state park
Nisqually Tribe member William Frank III said on social media that the welcome figure near the entrance of Nisqually State Park were vandalized on New Year’s Eve. Photos show the figures were knocked over from their standing positions, causing damage to the lower half and feet of all four statues. Ty Vinson reports. (Olympian) 

Democracy Watch

• 'Enough is enough.' WA congresswoman pushes to impeach Kristi Noem (KUOW) 
• ICE searched WA driver’s license data into November, report finds (Washington State Standard) 
• Federal judge blocks Trump election order, siding with Oregon, Washington (Washington State Standard) 
• Reference to Trump’s impeachments is removed from the display of his Smithsonian photo portrait (AP) 

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Here's your tug weather—  
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  230 AM PST Sun Jan 11 2026    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH  MONDAY AFTERNOON    
MON  S wind 20 to 25 kt, easing to 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 8 to 11 ft, subsiding to 6 to 9 ft in the  afternoon. Wave Detail: S 4 ft at 5 seconds and W 11 ft at  15 seconds. Rain. Patchy fog.  
MON NIGHT  S wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: W 8 ft at 14 seconds.  Rain. Patchy fog.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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