1. Anyone who's driven through Cascadia's forests this summer has noticed stands of drying trees and the hundreds of thousands of acres of wildfires. This thoughtful front-page story in The Seattle Times examines the link between climate change and the infestation of pine beatles that has killed trees and left the forests easy prey for wildfire. The effect is very real: the Tripod Complex fire in Okanogan County covered an area three times the size of Seattle and cost $82 million to fight.
2. Oregon habitually spends 99 cents of every tax dollar, but has no buffer and relies on income taxes, which quickly dwindle in an economic downturn. The result is a fiscal roller coaster that hurts schools, the public health system and long-term investment. Coming up with a more stable system is a mainstream politicial issue for the first time, according to this report in The Oregonian, the first in a series.
3. The battle to represent Washington's 8th congressional district is heating up, with a flurry of TV and direct-mail ads. Democrat Darcy Burner and Republican incumbant Dave Reichert have reserved $3.6 million in TV ads, according to the report.
4. National forests in Washington and Oregon are planning to close, shorten seasons or impose new fees at campgrounds, trailheads and other facilities to reflect cuts in funding under President Bush's 2007 budget. It's hard to argue with some modest usage fees. But why should recreational users -- who generally have a small impact on the forests -- take an increasingly large hit while logging is broadly subsidized by the government?
5. While Vancouver International Airport continues its expansion as Cascadia's largest international gateway, several smaller Lower Mainland airports are starting ambitious growth plans of their own. Langley, Pitt Meadows, Boundary Bay and Abbottsford International all plan expansion projects that could generate jobs and business for their communities. New terminals and runways could allow passenger service to Vancouver Island, Calgary, Seattle, Portland and Spokane.