Daily Digest: It's time to talk Cascadia independence, Trump wants Oregon to go hungry, Blazers for sale 🏀
Good afternoon! Here's your daily wrap-up of news, environmental reporting and arts & culture from across the Cascadia bioregion. If you like what you're reading here, please sign up for the free email newsletter or even better, support me with a $5 a month subscription!
Its time to consider Cascadia Independence
In honor of Cascadia Day coming up on May 18, Drew Alcosser, Brandon Letsinger and I wrote in Cascadia Journal today about how the authoritarian crisis in the US demands that Washington and Oregon start having honest conversations about more independence for Cascadia. To find out more about how you can participate, check out Cascadia Democratic Action a new political coalition of people in Oregon and Washington working to lead peaceful protests against the excesses of the Trump administration; Cascadia Department of Bioregion which has been working for years to build a sense of bioregional identity and promote projects that build community and restore ecosystems; and Cascadia Stack, dedicated to bringing people in the Pacific Northwest together to help one another become more resilient and adapt to a changing climate.
Will OR legislature adequately fund public transportation?
The Portland Mercury looks at the Oregon legislature's proposed $2.2 billion two-year transportation budget, which transit and pedestrian safety advocates say is inadequate to promote equity, tackle climate change, and create a resilient transportation system under threat from Trump's chain saw funding cuts. Oregon Capital Chronicle notes that those cuts will hit Oregon rural communities hard. In other transport news, Washington State Standard reports that bids came in for Washington's new fleet of electric ferries – and the $1.3 billion the legislature budgeted probably isn't gonna cut it. The Seattle Times reports that the solution to the cities' most dangerous street might be... trees. And I can personally report that car-free Pike Place is delightful....
Trump wants Oregon to go hungry
Add to the list of things that King Donald wants to slash out the federal budget: funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the food benefit used by 42 million Americans, and, Oregon Capital Chronicle reports, 700,000 people in Oregon. But in other good news, not everyone in Juneau, Alaska may go hungry but they will have fewer access to library books and services to worry about thanks to Trump's cuts (OK, that's actually not good news).
The news for Cascadia's power grid: not good
OPB and ProPublica continue their excellent coverage of Oregon and Washington's abysmal record on creating a renewable power network: today, they report that because these Northwest states have failed to expand the power distribution network they could face higher prices and rolling blackouts. One of the culprits? Data centers helping lazy people create stupid AI art and write insipid incorrect ChatGPT articles. Oh and hey – climate change led to a low snow pack in British Columbia this winter, which means less water for BC's hydro power system. The BC government offered some awful advice: using more natural gas and reducing electric car mandates. C'mon guys, do better!
For sale: Portland Blazers 🏀
In sportsball news, the Portland Trailblazers NBA team is up for sale and the Portland Mercury proposes 'Zer fans should all chip in like $10,000 and make it a customer-owned co-op. Meanwhile, Cascade PBS reports that in its latest budget, the Washington legislature ponied up $45 million for the upcoming 2026 World Cup tournament in North America, which Seattle will help host. It'll be interesting too see if any foreign tourists show up, considering how aggressive US customs officials have treated travelers, including a vegan British cartoonist locked up at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma for ten days. Enjoy your stay!