Daily Digest: Spokane resists ICE, Ferguson seeks more cuts, & a celebration of Black music

Good morning, Cascadia! Here's a roundup of news, arts & culture from across the bioregion. Thanks again to my paid subscribers. I make this newsletter available free to read, but a paid subscription helps me continue. Appreciate the support!

Spokane imposes curfew after protesters scuffle with ICE

Spokane mayor Lisa Brown issued a curfew for areas of Spokane after protesters scuffled with ICE agents and Spokane police yesterday. According to KREM-2, Spokane city council member Ben Stuckart, who is the legal guardian of a 21-year-old Venezuelan man seeking asylum who was being detained, had called for the protest. Stuckart was one of several people arrested in the melee, which included police firing off tear gas. Meanwhile, a peaceful protest in Seattle's Cal Anderson Park got a little more spicy in the evening, with police making several arrests.

If you haven't already, please read my post from yesterday about how protests against fascism, while non-violent, are going to be noisy, chaotic and unruly.

In related news, the Inlander looks at new state laws that protect immigrants, including one allowing the state department of Health to inspect the Northwest ICE Processing Center (NWIPC) in Tacoma.

WA governor Ferguson seeks more cuts

Washington State Standard reports that WA governor Bob Ferguson's budget director issued a memo recently that the legislature may need deeper cuts to the state budget and government jobs in light of rising budget shortfalls. That's after the state's government has seen the biggest lost of jobs since the Great Recession, the Seattle Times reports. Ferguson is proving to be a tax-averse centrist at the moment when federal cuts are hitting the state hard. Just one example: scientists, including some at the University of Washington, are considering fleeing to Europe or Canada as their funding is decimated, KUOW observes.

Granville Island is due for a makeover

Vancouver's tourist and arts hub, Granville Island, is turning 45 years old this year and needs an upgrade, says CBC. Housing activists concerned about the city's high rent think more apartments should be in the mix. CBC also reports that a newly approved housing tower project near Vancouver's Commercial-Broadway light rail station will add 1,000 new homes to the city. Local NIMBYs caused the permitting to drag on for nearly ten years.

Oregon drops the ball on unemployment for striking workers

According to the Oregon Capital Chronicle, the Oregon Senate, in a surprise turnaround, rejected a bill that would have allowed striking workers to collect unemployment insurance. A similar bill allowing workers to collect up to six weeks of unemployment insurance was passed into law in Washington earlier this year. As grocery store workers in the Puget Sound are area mull a strike today and tomorrow, workers at the Vancity credit union based in Vancouver are in negotiations that could lead to a strike, says the Tyee. Oh and if you haven't signed up yet, the nationwide General Strike needs 11 million Americans to sign up in order to call a shutdown to oppose Trump's fascism.

A celebration of Black music for Juneteenth

Converge Media reports that Songs of Black Folk, an orchestral celebration of the musical traditions Africa and Black Americans, will return to Seattle's McCaw Hall on Sunday June 22. The melange includes everything from Black spirituals to hip-hop.

--Andrew Engelson