OR & WA seek to balance budgets OPB looks at the the ongoing battle over the state budget in Salem – which has the usual threats of inadequate funding for education in Oregon. Many school districts are preparing for cuts, the article notes. Meanwhile, Democrats in the Washington house and senate
Good morning! If you appreciate this roundup of news, environmental reporting and arts & culture from across the Cascadia bioregion, please recommend us to a friend! Copy and send our signup link to a friend And if you missed this week's essay, I wrote about thinking of the
The idea of Cascadia has always been a bioregional concept rather than a nationalist project. But the current authoritarian and constitutional crisis is the United States has forced those of us who live in US states within the Cascadia bioregion to consider alternatives to remaining within the US framework. I
One of the most common questions I'm asked when talking about Cascadia independence is: what exactly is included in Cascadia? I find there are two answers to that question. The first involves what we mean when we're talking about the Cascadia bioregion. This vast, interconnected web
It's been another terrible week in the United States as ICE continued its assault – no milder term seems adequate – on the city of Minneapolis. There are glimmers of hope after a general strike shut down the Twin Cities, Trump demoted Greg Bovino, the cos-playing CBP fascist, and national
As Washington and Oregon face numerous economic threats, including the real possibility of recession, disastrous flooding, continued wildfires, and massive cuts to the federal budget by the Trump administration, it's time to consider an idea that's been gaining traction in blue states hit hard by Trump&
Those who've been reading Cascadia Journal know that I support discussions about independence for Oregon and Washington as an escape plan from the US descent into fascism. Is this the best solution? I don't know. Would it be easy? Certainly not. Support Cascadia Journal But with
Sign up for the free newsletter One day after a crowd of protesters defied a raid by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in a Latino neighborhood of Minneapolis, and several days after another crowd shouting "Shame!" surrounded ICE agents attempting to detain people at two restaurants
Sign up for the free Cascadia Journal e-newsletter by Andrew Engelson, Drew Alcosser, and Brandon Letsinger Earlier this month, there was a pivotal moment in Donald Trump’s four-month attack on democracy and the rule of law in the United States. When asked by Meet The Press interviewer Kristen Welker
Observations on news, politics, and the arts in the Pacific Northwest.
Deadlines loom for bills in WA & OR As the deadlines for bills in the Washington and Oregon legislatures approach, Republicans were up to their typical obstruction tactics, with the Republican caucus walking out of the Oregon senate and denying it a quorum for the first time since 2023 , Oregon
BC budget adds to debt as WA & OR squabble over taxes The Tyee covers the announcement of the NDP's proposed provincial budget for British Columbia, which would raise the deficit to $13.3 billion, raise taxes by $500 million and increase spending by $4 billion. CBC has
WA senate passes millionaire tax The Washington state senate did the right thing for once yesterday and passed SB 6346, which would impose a tax of 9.9% on incomes over $1 million, reports Washington State Standard. But true to form, it can never do one thing right without also
Seattle & WA introduce bills to limit ICE Last week, Seattle city council member Alexis Mercedes Rinck introduced legislation that would prohibit new detention facilities (including DHS and ICE) from being built within city limits. In addition, council member Maritza Rivera introduced a bill that would strike language from city
Cascadia has always been at the forefront of protecting the rights of individuals to live their sexuality authentically. Seattle was one of the first cities in the US to expand protections for employment discrimination to sexual orientation in 1973 and for housing discrimination in 1975. Washington state was one of
Good morning! I was honored to be a guest on the City Cast Seattle podcast this week, chatting with host Jane Hu and my friend Marcus Harrison Green, founder of the South Seattle Emerald. We chatted about bills in the Oregon and Washington legislatures that would hold back funds from
Nine dead in BC school shooting CBC reports that nine people are dead and 25 injured in a mass shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge, a small town in northeast British Columbia. The suspect in the killing is also dead, the Guardian reports. Though Canada passed gun controls in
A request. If you enjoy Cascadia Journal, could you please send a link to a friend? This newsletter has no paywall, and each weekday you get an a quick roundup of news, environmental reporting and arts & culture from across the Cascadia bioregion. Plus, opinionated essays about the Pacific Northwest&
Seahawks and Bad Bunny win the Super Bowl Congratulations to Cascadia's NFL team, the Seattle Seahawks, for winning their second Super Bowl title. But the real winner of the evening was Bad Bunny, whose halftime performance celebrated Puerto Rico, delved into the history of colonialism (yes that was
I'm on the train home from Salem to Seattle, and I highly recommend the Amtrak Cascades route as a way to get around Cascadia: you can relax, or read, watch a movie – or write a newsletter! If you appreciate my coverage of news from across our bioregion, and
OR court rules charges must be dismissed for those without public defender According to OPB, the Oregon supreme court ruled today that criminal charges against defendants must be dropped if the defendant cannot be provided with a public defender. This is a critical ruling in a state that faces a
One of the most common questions I'm asked when talking about Cascadia independence is: what exactly is included in Cascadia? I find there are two answers to that question. The first involves what we mean when we're talking about the Cascadia bioregion. This vast, interconnected web
