Cascadia today: bioregion to protest Trump regime + Idaho's cruel anti-trans bill + Portland arts tax isn't bad as we thought

Good morning! ICYMI, this week I wrote about Trump's war on vote-by-mail (and democracy in general) and why this is yet another reason for Cascadia to think about separation from the US if things continue to get worse.

Another reason for Cascadia to leave: Trump’s war on voting

On Monday, the US Supreme Court heard arguments in a Mississippi case that could end the practice of counting ballots postmarked on election day but which arrive after that date. This would upend the long-established and popular system of vote-by-mail in Washington and Oregon. The authoritarian wing of the Supreme

Cascadia JournalAndrew Engelson

You may have noticed I talk about Cascadia separation a lot. I believe this should be an option in our region's tool kit if the US continues on its authoritarian path. In addition to publishing Cascadia Journal, I've started a grassroots organization, Cascadia Democratic Action, which is building a movement for peaceful separation.

It's a lot of work. If like what you read here at Cascadia Journal, which has no paywall, I ask you to consider becoming a paid subscriber. It's just $5 per month or $50 per year, and helps me continue to publish. It would help me meet my goal of 100 paid subscribers by the end of March. And as always, thank you to our current subscribers. You rock! --Andrew

100,000 expected for Seattle No Kings protest

KING-5 reports that organizers expect upwards of 100,000 people to turn out for the No Kings protest against the Trump administration's descent into fascism in Seattle tomorrow – part of a network of actions that could be the largest single protest in US history. Protests should be heavily attended tomorrow in Portland as well and there's some concern that if peaceful protesters show up at the ICE facility there, the feds may again turn to tear gas after a court ruling allowed them to continue to use non-lethal munitions.

I'll be at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle representing CDA and Cascadia Journal. Look for the booth with the Cascadia flag and say hi!

Idaho considers bill criminalizing trans bathroom use

Idaho's legislature continues to work on bills designed to maximize cruelty, including a bill that would punish trans people for using private restrooms that align with the gender of their choice, NBC reports. If it becomes law it would be one of the most punitive anti-trans bills in the US, with punishments of up to 1 year in prison for the first offense and five years in prison for multiple offenses.

Western Cascadia is increasingly becoming a refuge for trans people from hostile US states. If you'd like to help support efforts to resettle these people fleeing cruelty, consider donating to KOI, a mutual aid organization that helps with resettling trans people in Seattle who've fled.

Kawaguchi O’Connor Initiative – KOI is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. All donations are fully tax-deductible as allowed by law. Washington State EIN 39-3400585.

New cross-lake light rail line opens in Seattle tomorrow

The Urbanist reports on how tomorrow's opening of Sound Transit's new light rail line connecting Seattle to the suburbs east of Lake Washington could transform the region and help spur more transit-oriented housing. The train over the Lake Washington bridge is a huge technical achievement, and this video from Sound Transit looks at what it took to engineer the first rail line in the world built on a floating bridge:

Portland college strike could impact international students

The Portland Mercury looks at how the ongoing strike by faculty and other employees at Portland Community College could affect international student's ability to maintain their visas and stay in our region. The strict requirements for F-1 visas could force some students to leave if the strike drags on. Let's hope management comes to their senses and offers its workers a fair contract.

Will BC forget lessons of 2021 heat dome?

Writing for the Tyee, Geoff Meggs, a former chief of staff to BC's previous premier, John Horgan, looks at a new auditor's report on the devastating impacts of the 2021 heat dome. More than 600 people, mostly elderly, died as a direct cause of that heat wave, and the small town of Lytton was completely destroyed by wildfire that year. Meggs says BC has failed to take lessons from that event, and needs to work on real, actionable climate change solutions.

"I thought climate change was a problem for the next generation. Now I’m mayor of a town that no longer exists.” – former Lytton mayor Jan Polderman

Maybe Portland arts tax program isn't a disaster

OPB looks at the Portland arts tax program and finds that reports of $8.5 million of unspent funds may have been much ado about nothing. Those unspent dollars were simply at a time in the grant cycle when funds received were yet to be disbursed, the article notes. Maybe Portland city government should have shared this information with OPB when they first interviewed them in February. Regardless, many people in the arts community are calling for reforms to the program, which they claim tends to favor large arts organizations over smaller, more risk-taking orgs.

Thanks for reading! Have a great weekend. --Andrew