Cascadia today: Floods hammer WA + ICE arrests surge + a marmot comeback on Vancouver Island
Floods continue, wind and snow expected in mountains
About 60,000 people in Washington are without power as rivers in Washington state remain on flood alert, KUOW reports, including the Cedar River, White River and Green River in King county, as well as the Snohomish and Skagit Rivers in north Puget Sound. Flooding in south King County has displaced hundreds of residents in Auburn and the town of Pacific, KUOW reports. Rain and wind are expected to continue for the next several days and rivers in western Oregon are on flood alerts, OPB reports. Heavy rain, winds, and mountain snowfall are expected in British Columbia as well, CBC reports. Western Washington continues to be on alert for flooding, high winds, and heavy mountain snowfall.
Want to help residents locally impacted? Donate funds to Whatcom Strong, the Skagit Relief Fund, or the American Red Cross.
Need shelter or services? KUOW has a detailed list of resources across Western Washington.
Grace Community Church in Auburn will be distributing food and emergency supplies this Saturday, December 20 to anyone who needs assistance.
Immigration arrests surged in WA over summer
ICE and other federal agents made more than 950 arrests in Washington over a two and a half month period this summer, surging to new highs, Washington State Standard reports. Only 31 percent of those detained had a criminal record. In related news, high school students in Portland walked out and protested ICE actions, in particular, an incident where ICE agents fired pepper balls near a school in the St John's neighborhood.
In related news, the South Seattle Emerald reports on a door-to-door campaign by Whose Streets, Our Streets (WSOS) in south Seattle to alert immigrants to increased ICE activity in the area and inform them of their rights. The next volunteer opportunity with WSOS is Sunday, Dec. 21, 1 - 4 pm at the Wilcox Center at Rainier Vista, 4410 29th Ave. S.
I'll say it again: I agree with the Portland students. ICE needs to be removed from Cascadia. It's not here to protect us but to harass and intimidate our residents.
Andrew Engelson
Amanda Burrows would be first renter as Vancouver mayor
The Tyee has an interview with Amanda Burrows, who's running to be OneCity's candidate for mayor of Vancouver. Burrows is the director of a faith-based service provider to the unsheltered, and if elected she would be the first renter – and the first woman to be mayor of BC's largest city. A new poll finds that 62 percent of Vancouver residents believe the city is on the "wrong track" under current pro-business mayor Ken Sim.
Endangered marmots make comeback on Vancouver Island
CBC reports that efforts by conservation groups to restore Vancouver Island marmots – a separate species endemic to the island that was near extinction twenty years ago – have rebounded to more than 400 animals. For more on the organization that helped save the species, visit the Marmot Recovery Foundation.
Thanks for reading! --Andrew
