Editor's Take: October 13, 2008
Credit: Seamoor, Flickr.
Suburban Ghost Towns
It's no Halloween joke; Washington is starting to see some ghost towns of the suburban type. The
Seattle Times reports about empty housing developments in the Columbia
Gorge. The economic downturn may affect climate
change policy and funding, too. In Oregon,
solutions to man-made problems, like getting salmon
over dams, are making progress. In BC, residents make one final
consideration on Tuesday's elections.
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Your editor today is Christina Claassen | View All Today's News
Columbia Gorge's Modern-Day Ghost Towns
Seattle Times
10/11/2008
Skamania County builder David Bennett figured developing a subdivision along the Columbia Gorge was a can't-miss opportunity. But today the lots "won't sell now at any price," he says.
Go to article.
More Latinos Running for NW Politics
KUOW
10/10/2008
In Washington, Oregon and Idaho there are nearly 50 Latino politicians in office this year. Eight are running for major state and federal offices this November.
Go to article.
Man-Made Solution to Salmon's Man-Made Crisis
Oregonian
10/12/2008
Federal agencies, prodded by conservation groups, are moving to remedy the impacts of 13 dams on Oregon's largest interior river system that have pushed salmon and steelhead to the brink. Their goal: reconnect struggling salmon in the degraded lower river to pristine headwaters above the dams -- while leaving the dams in place.
Go to article.
Unions Still Big Players in Washington's Local Politics
Vancouver Columbian
10/13/2008
Today, Washington ranks fourth, after New York, Alaska and Hawaii in unionization, at 20 percent. Many union members contribute financial support to local politicians, just as they did historically.
Go to article.
Voting for Lights and Heat in Canada
The Tyee
10/10/2008
A fading economy and high fuel costs have a lot of Canadians worried about how to save money while staying warm this winter.
Politicians running against the Harper government clearly sense the heat.
Go to article.
Fiscal Woes Could Delay Climate Change Efforts
San Francisco Chronicle
10/13/2008
The financial crisis and a deepening economic downturn are threatening to delay efforts to deal with another pressing global crisis: climate change.
Go to article.
Sewage Is Flush With Hidden Energy Potential
Kitsap Sun
10/11/2008
Sewage treatment plants can be considered power-generating stations, yet their potential is going largely untapped in the Northwest and throughout the United States, according to energy expert David Parry.
Go to article.
Reconciling Salmon and Farmland in Snohomish
Seattle Times
10/13/2008
An effort to restore salmon habitat in the Snohomish River watershed has run into opposition from farmers. The county, local farmers, and various groups are working on a compromise.
Go to article.
People Pressure: Is Immigration An Ecoissue?
The Christian Science Monitor
10/10/2008
What to do about booming legal and illegal immigration rates is one of the most controversial topics on Americans' political agendas these days.
The nonprofit Pew Research Center reports that 82 percent of US population growth is attributable to immigration.
Go to article.
Sure, You Want It, But Do You Need It?
Oregonian
10/12/2008
Americans are more likely than ever to own computers, more likely to eat out, more likely to stock their homes with an arsenal of appliances. And they're more likely to define these things as needs, rather than wants -- even in laid-back, simplicity-loving Oregon.
Go to article.
