NEWS | DIGEST
ON INLANDER.COM
DAMMED TO EXTINCTION When a voice off camera asks young London Fletcher if she plans to study the Southern Resident KILLER WHALES of Puget Sound when she grows up, she matter-of-factly responds, “Well, that really just depends if the Southern Residents are still around when I grow up.” That pretty much sums up the stakes for researchers who for decades have worked to save the dwindling pods of orca whales. The new documentary Dammed to Extinction explores how breaching four Snake River dams could help more Chinook salmon recover, in turn offering more food for the whales. The Garland Theater will have a free screening of the documentary at 7 pm, Thursday, May 16. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
16 INLANDER MAY 16, 2019
FEATURING NATIONAL NEWS FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES
BIG EMISSIONS, BIG QUESTIONS For many months, opponents of a proposed SILICON SMELTER near Newport, Washington, have wanted to ask Gov. Jay Inslee one big thing: “How do you square a climate-centered agenda, and your work pushing for the strongest climate legislation in a decade, with apparent support for a new business that would become one of the largest polluters in the state?” Inslee’s staff members say it isn’t that simple. While Inslee voiced support in naming the proposal a project of statewide significance, which came with a $300,000 grant, the proof will be in the results of an extensive environmental study that’s required before the project can receive permits. (SAMANTHA WOHLFEIL)
BIG SPENDER Spokane City Council President Ben Stuckart spent months preparing his CAMPAIGN FINANCE ordinance initiative in 2017 — but it turns out that a major portion of the ordinance won’t apply to his own mayoral race. While his ordinance limited individual donors to spending $1,000, he included a provision removing the limit if a candidate donated more than $11,500 to themselves. And so as soon as candidate Andy Rathbun spent that much on his own race, the cap was lifted. The city ruled Monday that the fact Rathbun quickly dropped out of the mayoral race to run for the City Council didn’t change that. State laws will continue to limit individual donations in the race to $2,000 per person. (DANIEL WALTERS)