Category: News

Studio looks for Native American stars

By Daily Times staff, The Daily Times

FARMINGTON — TBA, a Los Angeles-based network, is hosting a casting call today and Saturday for a reality TV “docuseries” about a subculture of Native American youth.

The studio is looking for people between 18 and 28 years old who are interested in a medical career, environmentalism, leadership or similar programs. The people must be outgoing and not camera shy.

Auditions are from 4 to 8 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Comfort Inn Suites, 1951 Cortland Drive in Farmington.

The show will focus on young Native Americans who leave the reservations, tribes, cultures and ways of life to pursue life in a city.

The studio is looking for a few people who are willing to leave everything behind to pursue their “big dream.”

According to a press release, the show will look at how their leaving might cause disruption to their communities and what they are willing to endure to achieve a dream bigger than themselves. If they succeed, their work will help many others including their tribe.

TBA is comparing the new series to Breaking Amish.

For more information, call or text 818-299-0949

Ballots and local voters’ pamphlets mailed for August 5 Primary

Source: Snohomish County Auditor’s Office
EVERETT – Snohomish County Elections mailed ballots today to over 411,000 voters for the August 5 Primary.  The local voters’ pamphlet was mailed yesterday one per household. 
 
This year’s primary features all partisan races that are up for election and any non-partisan race with three or more candidates.  All ballots include a congressional representative race, two or three races for the state legislature, and the county executive and prosecuting attorney races.  Some ballots will also contain races for judicial office, public utility district commissioner and precinct committee officer.  Ballot measures for Fire District 5 and the Monroe Transportation Benefit District are also up for voter approval.
 
Voters are encouraged to be an informed voter by learning about the races and issues on their ballot, reading and following the ballot instructions, not writing in silly names for office, signing their ballot envelope and returning their ballot as soon as practical.  These steps will ensure that their ballot can be counted without issue or delay.
 
Voters choosing to return their voted ballot through the mail must ensure that it is postmarked no later than August 5. Voters may return their voted ballot postage free to any one of eleven 24-hour ballot drop box locations in Snohomish County.  Ballots can be deposited at these locations any time until 8:00 pm on Election Day, though voters are encouraged to return their ballot as soon as practical to avoid potentially long wait times at drop boxes on Election Day.
 
The eleven 24-hour ballot drop boxes locations are:
 
 
Arlington (near library)
135 N Washington Ave, Arlington
 
Edmonds (near library)
650 Main St, Edmonds
 
Everett (Courthouse Campus)
Rockefeller Ave and Wall St, Everett
 
Everett (at McCollum Park)
600 128th St SE, Everett
 
Lake Stevens (near the city boat launch)
1800 Main St, Lake Stevens
 
Lynnwood (in front of City Hall)
19100 44th Ave, Lynnwood
 
Marysville (behind Municipal Court) 
1015 State Ave, Marysville
 
Monroe (near Library)
1070 Village Way, Monroe
 
Mukilteo (near library)
4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd, Mukilteo
 
Snohomish (near library)
311 Maple Ave, Snohomish
 
Stanwood (near library)
9701 271st St NW, Stanwood
 
More information is listed on the insert delivered with each ballot and can also be found online at www.snoco.org/elections. 
 
Snohomish County Elections will have accessible voting equipment designed for voters with disabilities available in the Auditor’s Office beginning July 17 through August 5 and at the Lynnwood Sno-Isle Library on Monday, August 4 from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Election Day, Tuesday, August 5 from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. The Lynnwood Sno-Isle Library is located at 19200 44th Ave, Lynnwood.
 
The Snohomish County Auditor’s Office is located on the first floor of the Snohomish County Administration Building, 3000 Rockefeller Avenue, Everett. Voters may drop their voted ballots at the Auditor’s Office Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  The office will have extended hours on Election Day, Tuesday, August 5 from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
 
Snohomish County Elections may be reached at 425-388-3444.

Quinault Tribal Enterprises purchases Westport Marina tenant

 

Source: Water4fish

 

TAHOLAH, WA, 7/16/14)–  Quinault Tribal Enterprises has officially become the new owner of RPMM, LLC, a major marina, mooring and fishing support facility based in Westport. 

The Quinault Tribal Business Committee and the Quinault people are very pleased about this transaction,” said Fawn Sharp, President of the Quinault Indian Nation. “It is a big step forward in our long term economic strategy which includes off-Reservation business acquisitions. This opportunity fits within our vision to support the economic development of our region, based on sustainable industry,” she said.

The Port of Grays Harbor Commissioners approved the transfer of ownership as it related to a condition of the lease between tenant RPMM, LLC and the Port. This is the first upland lease between QTE and the Port. The Port signed a lease with RPMM, LLC in 2005 for uplands at Firecracker Point. Over the years, RPMM improved the site to include docks, a hoist, an ice house, equipment storage and fueling services. This was the first lease requiring a tenant to provide access to a hoist and to post a tariff for using the facility. All terms and conditions of the RPMM lease will be assumed by QTE, and it will continue to be operated and managed for the Westport and Quinault fleet as it has in the past.  

“We purchased RPMM, LLC to complement fishing enterprises and the seafood processing that currently occurs at Taholah,” said President Sharp. “The purchase will lead to new jobs, on and off the water, for tribal members and non-tribal members alike. Quinault Nation continues to be the largest overall employer in Grays Harbor County. The jobs we provide are sustainable and clean and our relationship with our neighboring communities is constantly improving. We have much to look forward to in our region, economically and environmentally, as long as we continue to work together toward common objectives,” she said.

 “The Port is a key partner for our future growth in Westport and we look forward to developing and strengthening our relationship to achieve our future goals,” she said.

Obama’s Climate Initiatives in the Northwest

A 3-D map of the Olympic National Forest.Credit Martin D. Adamiker / Wikimedia
A 3-D map of the Olympic National Forest.
Credit Martin D. Adamiker / Wikimedia

 

By: Courtney Flatt, Northwest Public Radio

 

President Obama Wednesday announced several initiatives to help prepare for a warming climate. He said wildfires, heat waves and rising sea levels brought on by climate change threaten public safety.

One of the main problems that the initiatives will address in the Northwest is the risk people face from floods and landslides.

Climate scientists say warmer winter storms will lead to more frequent and prolonged periods of rainfall. And that could trigger more landslides like the Oso disaster that killed 47 people last march in Washington’s north Cascades. But detailed 3-D maps can help predict where disasters like the Oso landslide could happen.

Check out our earlier coverage of landslide risks to homeowners and how changing rainfall could lead to more landslides.

Obama’s climate initiative will give $13 million dollars to the U.S. Geological Survey to help map more areas, which is not much money for this expensive technology. But Tom Carlson, a geographer with the USGS, says every little bit helps.

He says only about one-fourth of Washington has been mapped by this technology.

“It’s very patchy. There are lots of doughnut holes out there, lots of blank spots,” Carlson says.

About one-third of Oregon and very few parts of Idaho have been mapped.

Also in the president’s initiative:

  • Tribes will get $10 million to help mitigate and plan for climate change. Tribes will be awarded grants to start planning how to adapt and monitor changes and vulnerabilities. They’ll also get money to help gather and share more data about the effects of climate change.

“Impacts of climate change are increasingly evident for American Indian and Alaska Native communities and, in some cases, threaten the ability of tribal nations to carry on their cultural traditions and beliefs,” said Bureau of Indian Affair’s assistant secretary Kevin Washburn in a statement.

Read about some of the challenges tribes face dealing with climate change:

Obama’s initiative will also help communities build more green stormwater infrastructure, like rain gardens and urban forests, something Northwesterners know about.

EarthFix backgrounders on green infrastructure in the Northwest:

The initiative will also provide funding for coastal communities to deal with rising sea levels. One way to do that, Obama says, is to build stronger sea walls. Seattle officials say parts of the city will be underwater by 2050.

Along with the president’s initiatives, the Centers for Disease Control released a guide for local health departments that outlines the threats climate change poses to human health.

For more on how climate change will affect people’s health, check out EarthFix’s Symptoms of Climate Change series. We explored urban heat islands, increases in wildfire smoke, toxic algal blooms, and farmworkers in a warming climate.

State energy panel: Land-use zone allows oil terminal

EFSEC stresses Tesoro-Savage plan not a done deal

By Aaron Corvin, The Columbian, July 15, 2014

The site where Tesoro Corp. and Savage Companies want to build the Northwest’s largest oil-by-rail terminal in Vancouver is appropriately zoned for such a purpose, the state panel reviewing the proposal decided Tuesday.

But that doesn’t mean the companies will be allowed to launch a rail-and-river operation handling as much as 380,000 barrels of crude per day at the Port of Vancouver, according to the state Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council.

During its regular public meeting in Olympia that was accessible by telephone, the evaluation council voted 8 to 1 to settle what it described as a very narrow question: Does the city’s heavy industrial zone at the port allow for such uses as the oil transfer terminal proposed by Tesoro and Savage?

And while the evaluation council answered “yes,” it also went to great lengths to point out that the question of whether the companies should actually get to build and operate their project is far from settled.

Approval of a narrow land-use consistency matter “does not, by any means, translate into an approval of the proposed project,” Bill Lynch, chairman of the evaluation council, said Tuesday.

The council’s decision was unfavorable to the city of Vancouver. The city had asked the council to put off deciding the land-use consistency issue until the analysis of the oil terminal’s environmental impacts is finished. Bryan Snodgrass, principal planner for the city who was appointed to serve on the evaluation council during the review of the Tesoro-Savage proposal, cast the lone “no” vote Tuesday.

At the same time, the evaluation council’s decision enables the companies to take another small step forward in a slow, grinding environmental-impact review process that looks like it will stretch on further.

Although state law says the evaluation council has one year to make its recommendation on a large energy-project proposal — and gives Gov. Jay Inslee another 60 days to accept, reject or send the proposal back to the council — the law also provides for extensions.

During the hearing, Sonia Bumpus, a specialist for the evaluation council, said the Tesoro-Savage permit application, filed in late August, is nearing its one-year anniversary. A lot more work needs to be done, she said, so more time will be needed.

Language added

The evaluation council also agreed to put language in its land-use consistency approval making it clear that people may still raise numerous concerns about the proposed oil terminal, including everything from potential oil spills and fire risks to negative impacts on neighborhoods and city services.

The language was included in response to remarks by Snodgrass, who said he had concerns with an “unqualified” finding that the Tesoro-Savage proposal fits the city’s zoning rules. Other evaluation council members agreed, saying the zoning approval should be construed narrowly and not taken as a dismissal of environmental-impact and community concerns.

The council’s decision followed a May 28 hearing during which it heard arguments over the land-use consistency issue.

Jay Derr, an attorney for Tesoro and Savage, had argued the land-use issue was a housekeeping matter. The evaluation council should allow the companies and the public to move immediately onto the project’s environmental impact statement, he said.

The city argued otherwise, saying the oil terminal doesn’t automatically comply with the city’s land-use rules and policies. It’s not possible for the city or the evaluation council to decide the land-use matter “without knowing the full extent” of the project’s environmental impacts, Bronson Potter, city attorney for Vancouver, said.

Although the Tesoro-Savage proposal moved forward Tuesday, it still has a long way to go.

The evaluation council’s decision-making process is complex, involving multiple permit reviews, a detailed environmental-impact analysis, many opportunities for public comments and an adjudicative process where arguments fly in an atmosphere not unlike that of a trial court.

The city of Vancouver, which opposes the oil terminal, could still ask the evaluation council to reconsider signing off on the oil terminal’s compatibility with city zoning, in light of the draft environmental impact statement.

And it could present other evidence against the Tesoro-Savage proposal during hearings. Likewise, the companies will be able to push back, presenting their own arguments and evidence.

The evaluation council will eventually make a recommendation to Inslee, who has the final say. Even then, opponents could still appeal the governor’s decision to the state Supreme Court.

State of emergency declared as fires threaten homes

by MICHAEL KONOPASEK / KING 5 News

NWCN.com, July 16, 2014 at 6:43 AM


A state of emergency has been declared in 20 Eastern Washington counties as new and existing wildfires threaten several hundred homes, as well as businesses, infrastructure and natural resources.

The declaration allows officials to get help from the Washington National Guard and the State Guard if needed. It also directs state agencies to help local governments in responding to wildfires.

As of early Wednesday morning, a 40 percent perimeter was contained at the state’s largest wildfire, Mills Canyon, near Entiat. The fire is holding steady at about 35 square miles.

Conditions could be an issue for firefighters Wednesday, according to meteorologists. Highs in the 100s are anticipated. Added to windy conditions, that could challenge firefighters and homeowners.

State officials are worried extreme fire weather conditions and the lack of firefighting resources in the Northwest could hamper future firefighting efforts in the state.

Six other fires were sparked Tuesday. New wildfires, some started by lightning, are keeping crews busy in central Washington. A brush fire temporarily closed a 20-mile stretch of Interstate 90 Tuesday night in the central part of the state.

The proclamation of emergency covers Adams, Asotin, Benton, Chelan, Columbia, Douglas, Ferry, Franklin, Garfield, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Lincoln, Okanogan, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Stevens, Walla Walla, Whitman and Yakima counties.

Lt. Gov. Brad Owen signed the emergency proclamation late Tuesday.

The Washington Department of Natural Resources has put a burn ban in place for all state lands that is projected to last until September 30.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Why Buy ‘Native Inspired’ Products When You Can Get the Real Thing?

Courtesy Louie GongThe 'Inspired Natives' collection includes these mobile phone cases designed by Louie Gong and Michelle Lowden.

Courtesy Louie Gong
The ‘Inspired Natives’ collection includes these mobile phone cases designed by Louie Gong and Michelle Lowden.

 

Richard Walker, Indian Country Today , 7/15/14

 

When a big apparel or furnishings manufacturer looks to Native culture for inspiration, the result is “Native-inspired” product that has better distribution than most actual Native designers can hope for. These designers can get the feeling they’re having their pockets picked by the big boys — and in extreme cases they undoubtedly are. Louie Gong, Nooksack, one of today’s most successful Native design entrepreneurs, has seen it happen enough in his field, and he’s decided to do something about it with a project called Inspired Natives, an initiative to promote Native artists.

According to Gong’s website, the initiative’s goals include: build the business knowledge and capacity of popular Native-arts entrepreneurs so they can meet demand for their work worldwide; show companies how to create and sell products featuring Native art in a way that supports Native people; and raise awareness about the cultural and economic impact of cultural appropriation and misrepresentation.

RELATED: Ancestral Chops: Paul Frank Native Designer Louie Gong

The first designer Gong has tapped for the project is Michelle Lowden, Acoma Pueblo. Lowden now has her own section at eighthgeneration.com, featuring pillows, a blanket, and a notebook with her “Transformation” design, and mobile phone cases with her “Rainstorm” design.

The pillows and notebook designed by Michelle Lowden, Pueblo Acoma, are part of the Inspired Natives line of products.
The pillows and notebook designed by Michelle Lowden, Pueblo Acoma, are part of the Inspired Natives line of products.

 

Gong started Inspired Natives because he’s frustrated with “Native inspired” clothing and other products produced by large companies. He believes each “Native inspired” product represents not only a missed opportunity for talented Native artists to build knowledge through collaboration, “it also presents a tangible barrier to Native arts entrepreneurs who must compete for a spot on shelves already dominated by non-Native companies producing products featuring appropriated art. At the same time, socially conscious consumers who appreciate Native themes and aesthetics … are consuming these products without conscious awareness of how patronage either supports or undermines the work of indigenous artists and entrepreneurs.”

Gong encourages consumers to support artists who are inspired Natives, not Native-inspired artists; think before they buy a product featuring indigenous art; and use the hash tag #INSPIREDNATIVES.

 

Read more at http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2014/07/15/why-buy-native-inspired-products-when-you-can-get-real-thing-155797

Secretary Jewell Announces new Tribal Climate Resilience Program


Obama Administration dedicates nearly $10 million to help tribes prepare for climate change
 
Source: Department of the Interior

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan and continued commitment to support Native American leaders in building strong, resilient communities, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs Kevin Washburn today announced the Administration has dedicated nearly $10 million this year to help tribes prepare for climate change through adaptation and mitigation.  The Tribal Climate Resilience Program, which will be announced today at the fourth and final meeting of the White House State, Local, and Tribal Leaders Task Force on Climate Preparedness and Resilience, is part of a new initiative to work toward addressing the impacts of climate change already affecting tribal communities.

“From the Everglades to the Great Lakes to Alaska and everywhere in between, climate change is a leading threat to natural and cultural resources across America, and tribal communities are often the hardest hit by severe weather events such as droughts, floods and wildfires,” said Secretary Jewell, chair of the White House Council on Native American Affairs. “Building on the President’s commitment to tribal leaders, the partnership announced today will help tribal nations prepare for and adapt to the impacts of climate change on their land and natural resources.”  

“Impacts of climate change are increasingly evident for American Indian and Alaska Native communities and, in some cases, threaten the ability of tribal nations to carry on their cultural traditions and beliefs,” said Assistant Secretary Washburn. “We have heard directly from Tribes about climate change and how it dramatically affects their communities, many of which face extreme poverty as well as economic development and infrastructure challenges. These impacts test their ability to protect and preserve their land and water for future generations.  We are committed to providing the means and measures to help tribes in their efforts to protect and mitigate the effects of climate change on their land and natural resources.”  

The program will offer funding for tribes and tribal consortia and organizations to develop science-based information and tools to enable adaptive resource management, as well as the ability to plan for climate resilience. The program will offer nationwide climate adaptation planning sessions and provide funding for tribal engagement and outreach within regional and national climate communities. 

Support will also be provided to empower and educate youth to become leaders in tribal climate change adaptation and planning, and enable them to participate in leadership and climate conferences, as well as independent research projects. 

The program will provide direct support through climate adaptation grants that will be awarded in four categories: development and delivery of climate adaptation training; adaptation planning, vulnerability assessments and monitoring; capacity building through travel support for climate change training, technical sessions, and cooperative management forums; and travel support for participation in ocean and coastal planning. 

To further the President’s commitment, as part of an Administration-wide Tribal Climate Resilience Initiative, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy will establish an interagency subgroup on climate change under the White House Council on Native American Affairs. The subgroup will work with tribes to collect and share data and information, including traditional ecological knowledge, about climate change effects that are relevant to American Indian Tribes and Alaska Natives. The subgroup will also identify opportunities for the federal government to improve collaboration and assist with climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts. 

“Tribes are at the forefront of many climate issues, so we are excited to work in a more cross-cutting way to help address tribal climate needs,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.  “We’ve heard from tribal leaders loud and clear: when the federal family combines its efforts, we get better results – and nowhere are these results needed more than in the fight against climate change.”

The Interior Department will also establish a tribal climate liaison to coordinate with tribes across the federal government and help ensure tribal engagement in climate conversations at the federal level. In addition, five tribal Climate Extension Support Liaisons will be placed in the Department of the Interior’s Climate Science Centers, while building tribal capacity by contracting the positions to tribal organizations to ensure strong ties to tribal practitioners. These liaisons will work at the regional level with tribes to identify basic climate information and knowledge needs of tribes and work with other federal partners to address those needs. Tactics will include forming national tribal climate-focused practitioner working groups, supporting tribal workshops, and addressing regional training needs for specific impacts.

Larsen Fights to Protect Bristol Bay, Washington State’s Fishing Industry

Source: Rep. Rick Larsen

 

WASHINGTON—Rep. Rick Larsen, WA-02, continued to fight to protect Bristol Bay and Washington state’s fishing industry today by opposing a bill that would restrict the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to use the Clean Water Act to prevent environmentally harmful projects from going forward.
 
The House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee considered H.R. 4854, the Regulatory Certainty Act, which would impact EPA’s ability to act on its determination that the Pebble Mine would threaten the health of Bristol Bay in Alaska.
 
Larsen urged his colleagues to vote against the bill, though the committee passed the bill by a vote of 33-22.
 
“When EPA announced its decision to halt the Pebble Mine near Bristol Bay, its action was based on three years of scientific study that concluded the mine would endanger the health of the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery.
 
“Thousands of Washington fishers and processors depend on this vibrant fishery. This year alone, fishers have caught more than 27 million sockeye and the season is still going strong.
 
“Many of the fishers in these waters are small business owners who rely on this vital natural resource to make a living. These small businesses add up to major economic impact in Washington state, where the Bristol Bay Fishery supports 73,000 jobs.
 
“Our small business owners should not have to fish under the shadow of having their livelihoods wiped out by a mine that science has told us could have devastating impacts.
 
“I told my colleagues that if they pass this bill, they should enjoy eating sockeye now while it’s still available. I am disappointed this bill moved forward, and I will continue urging my colleagues to let the EPA do its job and protect Washington state’s fishing industry,” Larsen said.
 

Number Of Gonorrhea Cases Increasing Outside Urban Hubs

By: Jessica Robinson, NW News Network

 

Public health officials in the Northwest say they’re seeing gonorrhea infections at levels they haven’t seen in years. Three counties in Washington state are now in the midst of an outbreak. Parts of Oregon and Idaho are set to top even last year’s high numbers.

Gonorrhea bacterium
Credit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

 

And health departments are seeing some unusual trends in the data.

Washington public health officials say King County often drives statewide trends, just through the sheer heft of Seattle’s urban population. But the 31 percent increase in gonorrhea cases over last year has largely been from spikes in Snohomish, Spokane and Yakima counties.

Oregon is seeing increases in unexpected places too.

“We’ve seen during the last year and a half increases in counties that are more rural than our metropolitan area of Portland,” the Oregon Health Authority’s Dr. Sean Schafer said.

That includes places like Jackson, Douglas and Lane counties. Schafer said he hasn’t seen such a high overall gonorrhea in Oregon since the early ’90s.

Idaho’s usually low gonorrhea numbers have risen dramatically as well. The infection rate around the Boise area has more than doubled since just two years ago.

North Idaho, far southwest Idaho and the Magic Valley have also sharp increases. The cause remains a mystery. One theory is the cyclical nature of the disease, another points to the higher rate of meth use in some rural areas.

Health departments are working with doctors to increase screening for the disease and are encouraging people to practice safe sex.

The Northwest’s rates – at around 20-50 cases per 100,000 people – are still better than the rest of the country, which hovers around 100 per 100,000 people. But health officials say the increase comes at a time when there are signs gonorrhea bacteria could become resistant to the last remaining oral antibiotic treatment.

People who get gonorrhea — and women in particular — may have few symptoms. If left unchecked, it can cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women and increase the risk of tubal pregnancy. In both men and women, it has lead to infertility in rare cases.