Cascadia today: Coast Guard returns chopper to Newport + Spokane cops snooped on protesters with Flock + art show of Indigenous carver Beau Dick

Good morning! The news is pretty bad these days, but Cascadia is doing its part to build a resilient bioregion. And Cascadia Journal is leading the conversation about ways Oregon and Washington can increase autonomy as the US descends into authoritarianism. If you haven't read yesterday's article I wrote about legal pathways states can take to separate from the US, take a moment, and then if you can, please support this work with a $5 monthly subscription. Thanks! --AE

How would a referendum on separation work?

Those who’ve been reading Cascadia Journal know that I support discussions about independence for Oregon and Washington as an escape plan from the US descent into fascism. Is this the best solution? I don’t know. Would it be easy? Certainly not. Support Cascadia Journal But with each passing day, some

Cascadia JournalAndrew Engelson

Coast Guard returns helicopter to Newport

I did not have the coastal town of Newport, Oregon on my Cascadia Resistance bingo card, but in fact, according to OPB, Newport scored a victory after the Coast Guard announced it's returning a rescue helicopter to the town after residents filed a lawsuit and vocally opposed the Trump administration removing the chopper. As the crab fishing season gets underway, the helicopter provides essential rescue capability. When Cascadia fights, we win.

Spokane cops used Flock to get info on protesters

In yet another example of the immense risks of pervasive license plate reader cameras, RANGE Media has some fantastic reporting based on public records requests that found that that Spokane police and Spokane county sheriffs officers repeatedly searched through Flock data from license plate readers for information on people at various protests against the Trump administration in and near Spokane this year. Read the article, and then urge your city council to remove these cameras. Find out more about nationwide campaign to remove Flock cameras here.

Private men's club gets big grant as Seattle mayor departs

According to PubliCola, a private men's club in south Seattle with deep ties to outgoing mayor Bruce Harrell recently received a $183,000 grant from the city. The article notes Harrell may also have used city staff to help the club during his administration. Meanwhile, the Urbanist maps out how Katie Wilson won the mayor's race. The South Seattle Emerald interviews new city council member Dionne Foster, who lives in the diverse south end, but represents the city at large.

Enviros sue feds over lack of wolf recovery plan

According to the Daily Montanan, environmental groups across Cascadia and the American West are suing the feds for failing to create a conservation plan for gray wolves. Though wolves have rebounded to some extent in Washington and Oregon, they're still at risk throughout the west – but the US Fish and Wildlife Service in November announced it won't release a previously scheduled recovery plan. A court ruling in August found the Trump administration broke the law by killing wolf recovery efforts.

Art by Kwakwaka’wakw carver Beau Dick at Seattle's Frye

Beau Dick was a master Kwakwaka’wakw carver, hereditary chief and activist for Indigenous rights – and there's a retrospective of his work, "Insatiable Beings," at Seattle Frye Art Museum running through January 18. Admission is free, so you should check it out! Also, support Indigenous artists in Seattle by shopping at the Duwamish Longhouse's December Art Market from 10 am - 5 pm Friday, December 19.

Thanks for reading! --Andrew