Cascadia today: PNW cities set limits on ICE + feds want to clearcut OR forests + Vancouver art award shortlist announced

Good morning! Thanks for reading Cascadia Journal, your guide to the Pacific Northwest's pushback against Trump's fascism. Plus, you'll find other news, environmental reporting and artsy stuff. If you're not yet reading this daily newsletter by email, please take a moment to sign up. It's free!

As ICE looks to ramp up in Cascadia, cities set limits

KUOW looks at efforts by cities in south King County including Burien and Renton, to ban new detention centers and jails – especially federal ICE facilities. KING-5 reports that the city council of Tukwila, which is located south of Seattle, voted yesterday 7-0 for a six-month ban on new detention facilities. There's concern that ICE is attempting to expand to a new facility in Tukwila owned by the Sabey corporation. In response, there's a protest at Sabey's headquarters tomorrow, Wed. Feb 25 from 4:30-6 pm at 12201 Tukwila International Blvd.

In related news, my friend Marcus Harrison Green has a great essay at the South Seattle Emerald about his recent trip to Minneapolis to learn about community response to ICE, and what Seattle can do to prepare.

"Minneapolis did not give me hope in the easy sense. It gave me instructions.
Ask not 'How are you?' but 'What are you doing?' Know your neighbors before you need them. Do not wait for perfect politics to practice care. Understand that fear is a strategy — and so is solidarity."
--Marcus Harrison Green

WA ferry system struggles as new light rail arrives soon

Washington State Standard reports that Washington governor Bob Ferguson's plan to borrow $1 billion to expand the state's ferry system has died in the legislature. Meanwhile, the Urbanist reports that the WA legislature is moving forward a bill that would allow cities, counties, and other transit agencies to develop more passenger ferry routes, which could bring back the concept of the "mosquito fleet" of vessels that used to serve Puget Sound more than one hundred years ago. In other transportation news, Republicans in the Oregon legislature are staging a walkout to deny a quorum on a vote for a gas tax to fund road and bridge repairs. Plus, the new light rail line connecting Seattle and suburbs east of Lake Washington is running simulated service until the grand opening March 28.

Will progressives unite in race for Vancouver mayor?

The Tyee looks at negotiations between Vancouver's three progressive municipal political parties – OneCity, COPE, and the Greens – to decide if they can unite behind a single candidate in order to increase chances of defeating incumbent mayor Ken Sim, of the pro-business ABC Party. It's been a rocky process however, with the Greens already rejecting overtures from OneCity's recently chosen candidate, William Azaroff, who said in a speech his platform is "“pro-growth, pro-housing, pro-worker, practical progressivism.” In related news, the Vancouver suburb of Richmond (BC's fourth-largest city) will be voting for a replacement to mayor Malcom Brodie, who's stepping down after 25 years.

Feds want to start clear-cutting Oregon again

Oregon Capital Chronicle reports that the Trump administration is moving forward to boost logging on 2.5 million acres of Bureau of Land Management lands in Oregon to "maximum" levels not seen since the 1960s. Maybe you should tell the administration what you think of their proposal to let their crony timber industry pals destroy Cascadia's forests...

Vancouver gallery announces shortlist for artist award

The Georgia Straight notes that the Polygon Gallery – one of British Columbia's most prominent galleries – announced the shortlist for the biennial Lind Award. The prize recognizes "lens-based art," including photography, film, and video. The nominees include the Bagua Artist Foundation and Ximena Velázquez.

Thanks for reading. Keep fighting and keep loving! --Andrew