1/26 Sea mouse, natural gas initiative, Storming the Sound, VR swim, crown-of-thorns sea star, democracy watch.

Sea mouse [Wikipedia]

 Sea mouse Aphrodita
The sea mouse may be brown and fuzzy, but that is about all it shares with its mammalian namesake. Believe it or not, the sea mouse is actually a marine segmented worm, or polychaete! Sea mice are members of the family Aphroditidae. The Puget Sound species of Aphrodita are typically scavengers, using their palps to search around in the mud for delicious dead things to munch on. (Dept. of Ecology)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  For local government officials, how many jobs are too many?

Legal fight over natural gas initiative crescendoes at WA Supreme Court
The 2024 ballot measure aims to ensure consumers maintain access to natural gas. Voters approved it, but opponents say it’s flawed and should be tossed out. Aspen Ford reports. (Washington State Standard) 

Environmental conference for local educators returns
About 140 participants talked environmental education throughout the day Friday during the Storming the Sound conference. The annual conference gathers environmental educators from throughout the Puget Sound area to share ideas and information about education on the environment. Emma Fletcher-Fraser reports. (Skagit Valley Herald/paywall) 

Augmented reality experience lets museum visitors 'swim' with orcas
A new exhibit titled Critical Distance, which opened Friday, lets visitors dive into the world of a 10-year-old J Pod orca dubbed Kiki. Hannah Link reports. (Times Colonist) 

How to Kill a Million Sea Stars
Synthetic pheromones offer a promising new means of controlling troublesome crown-of-thorns starfish. Annie Roth reports. (bioGraphic) 

Democracy Watch

• Trump letter banning DEI in schools is dead after legal appeal is dropped (Washington Post) 
• As ICE arrests surged, Trump administration sought to cut bodycam program (Washington Post) 

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Here's your tug weather— 
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  205 PM PST Sun Jan 25 2026    
MON  SE wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 3 seconds, W  2 ft at 11 seconds and W 2 ft at 14 seconds.  
MON NIGHT  E wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: E  3 ft at 4 seconds, W 2 ft at 10 seconds and W 2 ft at 13 seconds.

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