Cascadia today: Seattle will fund free school lunches after all + seaplane crash in San Juans + art celebrating Black Panthers
In case you missed it yesterday, I wrote about how state public banks in both Washington and Oregon could help Cascadia become more fiscally autonomous and return billions of dollars back to our region rather than increasing the profits of megabanks like Wells Fargo. I attended a presentation in Seattle by the director of the Bank of North Dakota, the only public state bank in the US, and the presentation made it clear public state banks should be a priority for Cascadia. Read more here.
Andrew Engelson
Seattle city council backtracks on cutting free school lunch
The Stranger reports that after a week of debate and a vote to cancel a plan for universal school lunches, several council members announced they plan to support funding free school lunches after all using money from the general fund in the upcoming budget. Public comments overwhelmingly supported the free lunch program, and the council members are likely terrified of the negative impact of their previous votes. What a waste of everyone's time.
Save the date! Cascadia Democratic Action is organizing a water bottle and N-95 mask drive for people living without shelter, at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle noon-4pm, Saturday August 1. Hope to see you there. If you're interested in volunteering for the drive, please email cascadiademocratic@protonmail.com
Seaplane crashes in San Juan Islands, all aboard survive
A Kenmore Air seaplane from Seattle to the San Juan Islands crashed yesterday near Sucia Island, but all 10 passengers and one pilot survived and were rescued, KUOW reports. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. In 2022, a catastrophic structural failure of a seaplane flying between the San Juans and Renton caused a crash that took the lives of all ten people on board.
Wildfire threatens town of Sisters, OR
OPB reports that a 26,000-acre fire is edging closer to Sisters, a town of 3,000 people in central Oregon northwest of Bend. "We don't have the margin for error," said an emergency manager for the Deshutes county sheriff's office. Meanwhile, RANGE Media has a helpful guide to protect your home and property from wildfires, if you live a high-risk zone.
Statue of Billy Frank Jr to replace Whitman in Olympia & DC
Washington State Standard reports that plans are finally underway to replace statues of Marcus Whitman – a settler known for displacing Indigenous people near what is Wall Walla – with statues of Billy Frank, Jr. – the Nisqually tribe leader known for fighting for salmon fishing and other native rights. One statue of Whitman in in the state capitol in Olympia, and the other in the US capitol building in Washington, DC. Whitman will be relocated to a small, out of the way reservation where few people will be aware that he exists, in both capitols.
Seattle gallery show celebrates Black Panthers' legacy
The South Seattle Emerald profiles a show of visual art, "Central District Legacy: Black. Power. Black Panthers" now showing at Arte Noir in Seattle's Central District. The works celebrate the legacy of the Black Panthers in Seattle, known for armed defense of the community from white supremacists as well as offering free meals to children. Whoa what a radical idea.
Have a great weekend. Keep loving and keep fighting. --Andy
