Cascadia today: El Niño to hit Cascadia + giving land back to tribes in PDX + a map of Seattle's hip-hop history

Good morning to everyone except ICE and US district judge Reed O'Connor, who sentenced eight anti-fascist protesters yesterday to more than 450 years of prison sentences for participating in and organizing a protest at the ICE facility in Prairieland, Texas.

The extreme sentences are part of the Trump regime's campaign to criminalize dissent, as it did in charging the Spokane 3 protesters with felony conspiracy and who are now awaiting sentencing. The Guardian reports that the FBI brought charges against the Texas protesters for "material support" for what the government as deemed "antifa terrorism" – which if you've attended a No Kings march against fascism, you might also be "guilty" of. If you think I'm overstating things, read the feds' NSPM-7 National Security Directive which criminalizes

"extremism on migration, race, and gender; and hostility towards those who hold traditional American views on family, religion, and morality."

In the Texas, Guardian reports that the case the FBI brought against protest organizers claimed that “material support” included "owning a “printing press” used to print anarchist zines and being part of a leftist book club."

The people of Washington and Oregon demand that our basic civil liberties and respect for the constitution in the US be restored. If not, then it's up to us to take the steps necessary for a non-violent divorce from this increasingly fascist regime.

Cascadia likely to be hit by strong El Niño

As the world's climate system continues to go haywire thanks to our failure to limit greenhouse gas emissions, climatologists say that Cascadia is likely to be hit with a strong El Niño cycle this fall and winter. That could mean strong snowfall – which could actually help with drought emergencies in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. But it could also mean increased lightning in late summer – potentially leading to more wildfires.

Portland church land returned for Indigenous housing

OPB reports that Bethany Lutheran church and its land in northeast Portland is being returned to an organization serving Indigenous youth and elders. The church, which saw a dwindling congregation, will be given to NAYA (Native American Youth and Family Center) and likely be converted into housing for native elders from around the region. It's encouraging to see these land back movements, which seek to address the issue of stolen Indigenous land. The Jamestown S'Klallam tribe, for instance, is seeking to manage the Dungeness Spit wildlife refuge in Washington, and this is a welcome development that should be widespread across Cascadia in future.

Seattle unsheltered homeless rate jumps 21%

PubliCola reports that the King County Regional Homeless authority released results of its point-in-time count of those living without shelter in the greater Seattle area and the news isn't good: since 2024, the rate of homeless people living without any shelter surged 21%. Meanwhile, Seattle mayor Katie Wilson swept the problem under the rug in advance of the World Cup, with more than 2,000 tents removed in her first five months in office.

Destructive ash beetles founds in more OR cities

OPB notes that the Oregon Dept of Forestry has found evidence of highly destructive ash-boring beetles in three additional cities in the Willamette valley: Silverton, Tualatin, and Newberg. The invasive beetles have already invaded Portland, and they quickly kill all ash trees. Forestry officials worry that Oregon will lose all of its ash trees. This includes the native Oregon ash, Fraxinus latifolia.

A walking tour map of Seattle's hip-hop history

The South Seattle Emerald reports on rad project, a free zine called the Seattle Hip-Hop Walking Map. The two maps include take you on a guided tour of 16 locations throughout the central district and across the city where Seattle's hip-hop scene got its start. That includes the affordable housing complex where Sir Mix-A-Lot grew up, the studio where Frostmaster Chill recorded early Seattle rap, and of course Dick's Drive In on Capitol Hill, featured in "Posse on Broadway." Check it out here!

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