Cascadia today: May Day across Cascadia + feds place restrictions on wildfire funds + WNBA returns to Portland
Thousands march for workers' rights on May Day
In Seattle, Portland, and across Cascadia, thousands rallied and marched on May Day in support of workers' right and against the Trump regime. Rallies in Seattle and Tukwila focused on immigrant workers, and KUOW reports that protesters demonstrated outside a DHS facility opposing ICE expansion in Tukwila. OregonLive reported a small but noisy protest at the Portland ICE facility. Through the Static has more photos from the Seattle May Day march, where SPD bullies tackled a young motorcycle rider and arrested one person trying to provide a safe experience to protesters.
Portland mayor is trying to hide the unsheltered
Street Roots looks at Portland mayor Keith Wilson's promise to end unsheltered homelessness and looks at his current approach, which involves opening fewer shelter beds than promised. The article profiles people directly affected, and contends that even if more shelter beds are available, the effect is simply hiding homelessness rather than ending it. Meanwhile, some conservative members of the Seattle city council have proposed new restrictions on homeless shelters including a ban within 500 feet of schools, which PubliCola notes would make large areas of the city ineligible.
Trump conditions may cut WA wildfire funding
The Trump regime is making states sign on to a list of conditions including ending diversity programs, supporting mass deportation and opposing trans athletes in order to qualify for wildfire response funding. The conditions demonstrate the feds don't care about the safety and health of those of us who live in Cascadia but only pushing a right wing agenda. This, as drought and low snowpack may make this year's fire season even worse – and when firefighting has added some $350 million annually to state expenses in Oregon, Oregon Capital Chronicle reports. Oh, and add to that a strong El Nino season expected next fall and winter – which typically means warmer drier winters in Cascadia.
It's time for Oregon and Washington to take control of federal lands and assert fiscal autonomy.
Andrew Engelson
Judge blocks law requiring sheriffs meet standards
Washington State Standard reports that at Thurston county judge has blocked enforcement of a new law that requires that sheriffs and police chiefs to have certification as actual officers. Meanwhile, Seattle police diversions to a program providing an alternative to arrests in drug cases have plummeted.
Oh, and in other cop news, right wing troll and former SPD police union chud Mike Solan is running for Pierce County council, where he just bought a house in Gig Harbor, PubliCola reports.
Solan's opponent on the council is Democrat Brenda Lykins. Show your support with a donation.
How Vancouver Island's last coal mine went up in flames
The Tyee takes a detailed look the Quinsam coal mine near Campbell River – Vancouver Island's last coal mine, a troubled and project that literally ended in flames. The coal mine was plagued with environmental violations and continues to leach arsenic into the local watershed. Cleanup has been stalled as these and other mine owners abuse a loophole in Canadian law that delays remediation of toxic sites across BC.
Portland Fire return women's basketball to Rose City
The Portland Fire played the first exhibition WNBA game in Portland in 24 years, igniting a crowd of more than 13,000, OPB reports. The new team joins Toronto as additions to the WNBA. The Fire lost to new local rivals the Seattle Storm last week in another preseason game and the season opener is May 9.
