Cascadia Magazine’s first journalism award!

We’re pretty damn proud of Paul Lask for winning the first award for writing published at Cascadia Magazine. His feature “Coring the Forest” won first place in the Health and Science Reporting category (small publications) in the Western Washington chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists’ annual awards. He received the award last night at a celebration at Optimism Brewing in Seattle.

Maybe we’re biased, but we believe it’s an award well-deserved. His feature, published in August last year, is a fantastic, character-rich article that follows an all-women crew as they take core samples of trees in Oregon’s Blue Mountains. The piece explores the scientific ramifications of their work, in particular how forest ecology across Cascadia is changing due to climate change and fire suppression.

It was great to finally meet Paul in person (he’s now based in Newport, Oregon where he writes and teaches creative writing) and celebrate all the talented journalism that’s thriving in the region. Congrats, Paul, and thanks for writing a solid piece of reporting for Cascadia Magazine.

We’re also pretty stoked that Paul will be in the field later this summer working on another environmental feature for us.

If you appreciate great writing like this, now is a very good time to help voice your support for high-quality journalism in the Pacific Northwest. We can’t do this work without your contributions, so please take a moment to help us out at Cascadia Magazine’s donate page. Thanks!

The US Navy dumped toxics into Puget Sound

Cascadia Magazine is proud to publish an investigative feature by Seattle journalist John Stang looking at how the US Navy dumped tons of copper-laden paint and barnacles into Puget Sound. In 2017 the Navy scraped the hull of decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Independence, leaving the barnacles and paint chips at the bottom of Sinclair Inlet. Stang reports on the coalition of environmental groups, the Suquamish tribe, and the state of Washington–all of whom are suing the Navy to stop the practice and require it to clean up the polluted site at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. Red the full article online at Cascadia Magazine. Thank you to the Fund for Investigative Journalism for providing a generous grant for this reporting.

Prices keep climbing in Vancouver

Canada Day yesterday in Vancouver marked new increases in public transit fares and taxes on gasoline and parking to raise funds for future TransLink projects. Even for drivers in Vancouver, a recent report for the BC Utility Commission found that price gouging is leading to high gas prices. Only four suppliers make up the BC fuel market, and the report recommends the regulation of gas and diesel prices by the BC Utility Commission.

It’s now harder for OR residents to get WA sales tax exemptions

OPB reports that, as of July 1, proof of Oregon ID is no longer sufficient for sales tax exemption in Washington. Instead, Oregonians must now save and send in their receipts once a year for a 6.5% states sales return – that is, if they are inclined to go through the process. Southwest Washington business owners are concerned about the competitive disadvantage that this measure puts them in.

Unsteady launch for same-day voter registration in WA

On a narrow timeline toward the August 6 primary election, VoteWA, the new same-day voter registration system in Washington launched in June has been suffering from performance and processing issues, Crosscut reports. Regardless, back-up plans are in place to ensure same-day voter registration will be offered in the upcoming primary. In related news, the Oregon legislature approved a bill that will offer free postage on all mail-in ballots.

Tsilhqot’in Nation defends their land from mining

CBC notes that the Tsilhqot’in Nation will be peacefully protesting a potential new mine west of Williams Lake, BC. The mine project has been rejected twice by Canada’s federal government, but the the BC Supreme Court has denied the hearing of the Tsilhqot’in Nation’s appeal. “This is a dead-end project and you’re going into an area that — repeatedly we continue to point out — is our sacred area,” said Chief Joe Alphonse of the Tsilhqot’in National Government.

Little museum of forgeries: “A Rare Collection of Fakes”

Starting from a fake story about a real bishop as a prompt, Heather Jessup, a professor at Langara College, and Claire Battershill, an author, have curated a touring exhibit of forgeries now at the Vancouver Public Library’s main branch, according to the Vancouver Sun. It’s also a collaboration between writers describing the forged objects and artists creating new fake objects. Sounds like a fascinating look at hoaxes and the unexpected insight that can come from the realization of having been deceived. The exhibit runs through Aug. 21.

An excerpt from Before I Was a Critic I Was a Human Being by Amy Fung

PRISM international features an excerpt from Amy Fung’s book, Before I Was a Critic I Was a Human Being. In the essay, voices close in on Fung, anecdotally and historically, entrenched in a denial and entitlement that are embodied in the pseudo-intellectual culture of Vancouver: “Exasperation lingers in their voices when they defend him, or those like him, who are nice and actively erase me.” Read the full excerpt here.

That’s this evening’s collection of news, arts, environmental reporting, and forgeries, all curated by Cascadia Magazine intern Eun Hye Kim. Have a great evening! –Andrew Engelson

Photo credit: Paul Lask at Western WA SPJ awards celebration by Andrew Engelson