Cascadia today: Portland mayor slashes programs in budget + gray whales are starving + OR book award winners

Good morning from Seattle! It was great to be traveling by train and transit across Cascadia this past week, saying hi to folks in Bellingham, Olympia, VanWA, Portland and Eugene. But it's also good to back at home in this city I love. If you're new to Cascadia Journal, welcome! This is a feisty daily newsletter that rounds up news, environmental reporting, and arts coverage from across the Cascadia bioregion. Plus, I write exclusive weekly article and opinion pieces on the ways the Pacific Northwest is fighting fascism. Thanks for reading!

Portland mayor proposes cuts to balance budget

OPB reports on Portland mayor Keith Wilson's proposed city budget, which slashes funds for homeless shelter beds and unarmed public safety responders to deal with a $170 million budget deficit. This represents a striking turnaround for a candidate elected with a promise to end the homeless crisis. The budget eliminates 34 unarmed public safety responders and cuts support for gun violence reduction programs. Wilson also wants to raid the Portland Clean Energy fund to use it for the general fund – similar to an upcoming ballot initiative that wants to divert the clean energy money for more cops.

Want to let Wilson and the city council NO to another austerity budget that decimates funding for alternatives to police response? The proposed budget hearing will be held TODAY Tuesday, April 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Effort to end crash deaths in Seattle fails

The Urbanist reports on the city of Seattle's faltering Vision Zero campaign aimed at eliminating auto crash deaths, including those of pedestrians. In 2025, 27 people were killed in crashes, including 18 pedestrians, not far below the record high of 20 pedestrians killed in 2020. KUOW reports that city council member Rob Saka has ordered an audit of the program to find out why. Just yesterday, two people on a Lime bike were critically injured in a crash on busy Aurora avenue.

We have evidence of what works, but it requires political courage. Hoboken New Jersey hasn't had a fatal crash in 7 seven years and achieved this by drastically reducing speed limits, creating road designs that slow down car traffic, eliminating parking near intersections and spending significant resources on crosswalks, separated bike lanes, and other infrastructure.

Vancouver progressives agree to work together

The Tyee reports on a welcome development in Vancouver's upcoming municipal elections: agreeing to work together and limit the number of candidates running for city council in order to avoid the infighting and dilution of votes that have plagued previous elections. OneCity, the Green Party of Vancouver, and COPE have all agreed to limit city council candidates to five, the article reports.

Closure of research station raises wildfire fear

Washington State Standard has an article on the closure of US forest service research stations, including one in the Pacific Northwest known for scientific research on wildfire and forest health. It's just another example that the feds don't care about the needs of people in Cascadia – only ensuring that timber companies get 4 billion board feet of timber by 2028.

As Trump burns down the Forest Service, Cascadia should take control of our federal land

Lost in recent news of violence by ICE goons, an apocalyptic war in Iran, and a refusal to make public the Epstein files, the Trump regime last week quietly killed the US Forest Service. As Jim Pattiz wrote in a scathing article at Hatch magazine, Late Tuesday afternoon, with the

Cascadia JournalAndrew Engelson

Gray whales starving off Cascadia coast

Stranding of gray whales on the coast of California and Cascadia are steeply rising, OPB reports. Wildlife biologists say the increase in whale starvation is likely due to lack of food sources because of climate change warming of Arctic waters – which usually brings a stream of crustaceans south to feed migrating whales. In related news, CBC reports that new electric passenger ferries in the Salish Sea have struck at least 2 whales – increasing calls for safety measures.

Oregon Book Awards announced

Oregon Arts Watch reports on the winners of the annual Oregon Book Awards. Among the winners are Ling Ling Huang for their novel Immaculate Conception (which was recently profiled at the Portland Mercury), Leah Sottile's Blazing Eye Sees All in general nonfiction, and Jennifer Perrine's Beautiful Outlaw for poetry.

Thanks for reading! Keep loving and keep fighting. --Andy