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Oregon passes historic $1 billion education boost
OPB reports that the Oregon Senate has passed a historic bill that raises business taxes to fund a $1 billion annual increase in K-12 education. OPB also noted that Democrats cut a deal with Republicans, getting the education tax in return for dropping bills eliminating vaccine exemptions and strengthening gun controls.
Why does WA governor Jay Inslee support a polluting smelter?
Samantha Wohfeil at The Inlander has been doing some amazing reporting on an under-reported issue: a proposed silicon metal smelter in northeast Washington which could produce acid rain, pollution, and huge output of carbon emissions. WA governor Jay Inslee, running as a US presidential candidate in favor of climate action, has quietly supported what could be one of the state’s biggest emitters. His argument in favor? The silicon is used in solar panels. The Inlander also reports that the plant’s environmental review process is stalled.
Drop in Seattle homeless population no cause for celebration
Real Change has a great, detailed article about how the recent drop in King County’s homeless population (including Seattle) by 8 percent is complicated: tiny homes are increasing, more homeless people have some temporary shelter, and homeless populations of Indigenous people are increasing. Meanwhile, Portland Tribune reports on Harbor of Hope, a new high-tech facility in Portland on northwest Naito that will shelter at least 300 people. In other housing news, CBC notes that BC is increasing funds dedicated toward enforcing tenancy laws. And Crosscut has a fascinating interview with University of Washington professor Crystal C. Hall, who’s studying how psychology can help us better understand and fight poverty.
Wildfire season starts in BC
The Star Vancouver reports that wildfires in northern BC outside of Prince George this weekend should subside with cooler temperatures. A fire outside of Osoyoos is growing and out of control. In related news, Crosscut reports on a new plan to increase forest health, created in collaboration between WA and US forest managers.
Eugene’s rad SK8R girl culture
Eugene Weekly has a feature and photo essay on the young women and nonbinary youth diversifying Eugene’s skate culture in the city’s Washington-Jefferson skate park. You can follow them on Instagram at @squirrelsofwj.
2019 BC Book Prizes awarded
The BC Book Prizes were awarded this weekend in a gala ceremony: Eden Robinson won the award in fiction for Trickster Drift (read an interview with Robinson last year at Cascadia Magazine), Linday Wong won in the nonfiction category for her memoir The Woo Woo, the poetry prize went to Laisha Rosnau for Our Familiar Hunger, and the regional topic prize went to Sarah Cox for her book on the Site C dam, Breaching the Peace. Congrats to all the winners and nominees!
That’s this evening’s assortment of newsy, artsy and culture-y things from all around the Cascadia bioregion. Good luck to the Blazers in the Western Conference Finals and to their fans in Rip City! ? –Andrew Engelson