Thank you for an amazing Cascadia Day! + new trains + furries at the opera 🐶

Good morning, friends! Last night's Cascadia Day celebration of poetry at Vermillion on Capitol Hill in Seattle was a fun, moving, and profoundly inspiring event. Thank you to Vermillion for hosting, and to poet and Cascadia Poetry Festival organizer Paul Nelson for bringing together such a talented group of poets. Many heartfelt thanks to all who read: Paul Nelson, Matt Trease, Nadine Maestas, Rhea Melina and special guests Mateo Quispe and Robert Lashley.

Last night felt like good medicine, a respite from the daily stream of bad news, fascism and corruption I slog through every day to give you this newsletter.

In my introduction last night, I recalled the words of Ada Limon, who said of poetry,

At a time when language is often used only as a blunt tool, poetry reminds us that language can also be used for nuance, mystery, and even radical hope. Poetry isn't a place of answers and easy solutions. It's a place where we can admit to an unknowing, own our private despair and still, sometimes, practice beauty.

And now back to our regular programming...

Judge tosses challenge to WA state legislative district maps

Washington State Standard reports that federal judge Robert Lasnik has rejected a challenge by two Republicans hoping to toss the state's legislative district maps, which were created in 2024 and designed to increase representation of Latino voters in the Yakima valley. The GOP, as they do, is attempting to redraw the maps in the middle of an election to give white voters more clout and use the recent US supreme court ruling that eviscerated the Voting Rights act to back them up. Plaintiffs hope to take the matter up with SCOTUS.

It's becoming increasingly clear that Washington and Oregon are going to need to defy the feds on local elections, which are, according to the US constitution, to be managed by the states. I hope governor Ferguson is working on a plan to block any federal meddling in the sovereign matter of our elections.

OR overdose deaths decline, but numbers still high

OPB reports that in 2024, overdose deaths – many of them from fentanyl – declined by 16%, and the trend for 2025 is predicted to be similar. Still, there were more than 1,500 deaths. I wrote about how King County saw similar declines in 2024, and theories about the cause range from an increase in access to naloxone and treatment options to fewer young people turning to opioids. One thing that the research makes clear: criminalization and small-time dealer drug arrests actually increase overdose deaths.

Jury selection in Spokane protester trial begins

RANGE Media reports on jury selection in the felony conspiracy trial of three protesters against ICE in Spokane. Not a whole lot to report other than reading the news about the case apparently seems to be a justification from excluding people from juries. Also, the judge begged the prosecution and defense teams, "Please don't bring in politics."

What universe is judge Rebecca Pennell living in? These prosecutions are absolutely political and intended to stifle dissent. US attorney Richard Barker knew this when he resigned rather than prosecute this case.

Also, ya'll need to read up on jury nullification. Don't give prosecutors an excuse to kick you off a jury. And hand down a not guilt verdict when you believe the law is unjust or that prosecution of the case is wrong.

New Amtrak Cascades trains arrive!

Here's some great news – the Urbanist reports that Amtrak delivered the first new trains that will be put in service on the Cascades route between Vancouver BC and Eugene. Expected to go into service this fall, the new trainsets bring a needed upgrade to an increasingly popular 460-mile route connecting the major cities of western Cascadia. I love taking the train, and had a fabulous trip in April visiting Bellingham, Olympia, VanWA, Portland & Eugene!

Furries at the Opera!

Bless Seattle Opera for hosting their first ever furries night, for a performance of Bizet's Carmen. The Stanger has the story and the AMAZING PHOTOS. This is what it looks like to transform a legacy arts organization into something that a new generation wants to participate in. Yay! 🐶

Thanks for reading. As always, keep loving and keep fighting. --Andy