Cascadia today: Tight race for Seattle mayor + tribe owns former right-wing billboard + food drive in Seattle Nov 1
Good morning! Thank you to everyone who's become a paid subscriber to Cascadia Journal in October... I'm just three new members short of my goal of 70 paid members by November 1. If you can, your support helps keep this newsletter about the Cascadia bioregion going. And to say thank you, I'll be hosting an informal meetup in Seattle on Wednesday November 12! More details to come! --Andrew
Polling tight in Seattle mayor's race
The Seattle mayor's race enters its final days between transit activist Katie Wilson and incumbent Bruce Harrell, as Wilson secured the endorsement of progressive US Congressman Jamaal Bowman, who spoke at event in support of Wilson at Washington Hall, KUOW reports. A recent poll by Northwest Progressive Institute found that the race is close, with Wilson leading Harrell 45 percent to 40 percent. Harrell has been trying to fault Wilson for accepting money from her grandparents to help with her living expenses. Meanwhile, Harrell has been accused of lying about a 1996 arrest in which he pulled a gun on a women for taking his parking spot; has covered for abusers in city government, including his own administration; diminished the concerns of female staffers; ignored victims of gun violence; and pulled the plug on a biking and pedestrian safety project on a street near his home.
If you live in Seattle haven't sent in your democracy vouchers to support Katie Wilson's campaign, it's not too late.
Right-wing billboard now owned by tribe
For drivers on I-5 between Portland and Seattle, a familiar fixture was the Uncle Sam billboard, which spewed right-wing messages for decades. But KUOW reports that the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation now owns the land and billboard, and posted a simple message on it: NATIVE LAND #CHEHALIS.
“The tribe is restoring its homeland. Their land was stolen from them 150-200 years ago, and now they're buying it back one piece at a time. That land has been held by non-tribal interests since it was taken in the 1800s and they're just saying, 'Hey, look, it's ours again.'”
--Jeff Warnke, Chehalis tribe
Join the SNAP to Action Food Drive at Cal Anderson on Nov 1!
Thousands of Seattle residents face hardship and hunger as SNAP food assistance benefits will likely end on Nov 1 due to the federal government shutdown. Join Cascadia Democratic Action in Seattle’s Cal Anderson park between noon and 3 pm on Saturday, Nov. 1 as as we gather food donations and facilitate online donation of funds in support of Rainier Valley Food Bank. We’ll have collection boxes available ONLY for Rainier Valley Food Bank specific requests (must be unopened): cooking oil, seasonings, soy sauce, flour, rice and pasta, infant formula, canned chicken, SPAM or tuna, and UHT (non-refrigerated) soy, rice or almond milk. Diapers and feminine hygiene products are also needed. Drop off at our station at the entrance to Cal Anderson Park at 11th and E. Howell Street.
For more info, visit www.cascadiademocratic.org or email cascadiademocratic@protonmail.com. Or make a donation online to Rainier Valley Food Bank at www.rvfb.org
A tax break for BC pipelines
The Tyee reports that BC property owners might be footing the bill for a huge taxbreak for Enbridge, FortisBC, and Trans Mountain – companies involved in creating and managing the expansion of the Trans Mountain oil pipeline across British Columbia. Time for the NDP to stand up against these climate killing companies and make them pay their fair share.
Thanks for reading! --Andrew Engelson
