Cascadia today:OR judge supports gender-affirming care + WA faces farm crisis + Ballet Vancouver debuts

Happy Earth Day, friends! Looking for ways to celebrate the planet we live on and act to take care of it? Green Seattle has a list of events and volunteer opportunities. EverOut lists stuff to do in Portland today and all this week. Here's the city of Bellingham's guide to Earth Day. In Vancouver BC, check out EventBrite's guide to Earth Day events. And if you're anywhere near Olympia, you'll want to check out the annual Procession of the Species parade – a quirky, family-friendly parade of animals and costumes that happens on Saturday, April 25.

Portland mayor to close shelter to cut costs

Portland mayor Keith Wilson, elected on a promise to end unsheltered homelessness in the city, announced he will listen to rich residents and close a 200-bed shelter in the Pearl District to help address a $172 million budget shortfall, OPB reports. In related news, Street Roots reports that Nathaniel VerGow, Multnomah county's new homeless services director left his former employer, Los Angele's homeless services agency, in chaotic disarray.

OR judge overturns feds' ban on gender-affirming care

Oregon Capital Chronicle reports that Oregon-based federal judge, Mustafa Kasubhai, ruled against RFK's ban on Medicaid and Medicare funding for health facilities that offer gender-affirming care to children, noting that the policy is

"...one of a long list of examples of how a leader’s wanton disregard for the rule of law causes very real harm to very real people.”

In related news, Idaho Capital Sun has a heartbreaking feature about a Boise family that had made the decision to leave Idaho after a raft of bills attacking trans people have made it deeply uncomfortable for their trans daughter Eve to remain. The last straw was a bill criminalizing trans people who use restrooms that align with their gender.

Vancouver Island's last old-growth open for logging

The Tyee reports that the ruling NDP government of BC quietly opened one of Vancouver Island's last remaining stands of old-growth to logging, drawing a sharp response from local environmental groups. Meanwhile, Vancouver Island is at only 44% normal snowpack, and scientists are concerned this will stress salmon populations. Vote BCGreen.

WA farms face looming crisis

Ben Tindall, writing for Washington State Standard, observes that small farms in Washington are in crisis, and farms statewide have the lowest profitability of all 50 states. The legislature largely ignored the crisis, failing to pass an assistance package to family farms. In related news, CBC report that orchardists in the Okanagan region of British Columbia are anxiously watching spring crops, which have been hit hard by drought.

Vancouver now has a professional ballet company

Vancouver has never had a professional ballet company in its long history – but that changes as Ballet Vancouver debuts this weekend with a performance After the Rain and Other Works, the Georgia Straight reports. Check out their website and other performances this season here.

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