Cascadia today: Judge limits ICE use of force in Portland + BC faces austerity budget + Hanford cleans another mess
Judge limits ICE use of force in Portland
Several days after officers at Portland's ICE facility fired flashbangs, tear gas, and rubber bullets at a peaceful demonstration that included children, a federal judge placed limits on ICE use of crowd control munitions unless there is an imminent threat of physical harm to officers, OPB reports. Meanwhile, a bill in the Oregon legislature hopes to place restrictions on the Oregon National Guard in assisting with ICE operations. In related news, a Washington bill that would have prevented police agencies in the state from hiring former ICE officers has died in committee. And according to the Tyee, an activist campaign in British Columbia is pressuring Vancouver-based social media company to end a contract with ICE.
BC faces austerity budget to deal with $11 billion deficit
The Vancouver Sun reports that British Columbia will have to make significant cuts to services to deal with a whopping $11.2 billion deficit. The province's economy has been sluggish lately, resulting in lower tax revenues. In Olympia, legislators and governor Bob Ferguson are haggling over the details of proposed tax on those earning over $1 million. And Oregon Capital Chronicle has a handy guide to how the Oregon legislature works and how you can participate.
$36 million in unspent housing funds in Portland
The Portland Mercury reports that two affordable housing agencies in Portland have discovered $36 million in unspent funds – this in a city struggling to address a huge crisis in homelessness. You can read first-hand accounts of the hardship those who live without shelter face during mayor Keith Wilson's sweeps of encampments at Street Roots.
Work begins at Hanford storing highly radioactive waste
Columbia Insight reports that work has begun at central Washington's Hanford nuclear site to transfer highly radioactive strontium and cesium into huge, sealed concrete casks. About two thousand radioactive capsules are expected to be moved into safe storage by 2029.
"The WESF capsules hold 80 million curies of radioactivity. By comparison, the Chernobyl disaster unleashed 50 million to 200 million curies." – John Stang, Columbia Insight
This is Seattle's greatest sport year
Seattle Met writes about the past year being Seattle's greatest sport season ever, with the Seahawks in next week's Super Bowl, the Mariners nearly making it to the World Series and the debut season of the Seattle Torrent, which the article says featured 16,000 fans – the largest attendance ever for a professional women's hockey game.
Thanks for reading! --Andrew
