Protestors unhappy with federal actions gather in several cities
Thousands gathered in towns across the Northwest this weekend to protest the Trump administration’s policies and recent actions.
They were part of thousands of local demonstrations across the country as part of the “Hands Off” movement, protesting actions like mass firings of federal workers, funding cuts for health care and medical research, and potential cuts to Social Security.
About five thousand people lined Spokane’s Division Street on Saturday afternoon, waving signs about issues ranging from veterans benefits and education funding to immigration and LGBTQ issues.
Jonathan Rossing says it was heartening to see so many people show up but hopes attendees don’t stay too focused on the national level.
“We can absolutely resist here and find things to do here to both create communities of support and care, particularly for those in our communities who most need that and are feeling most targeted. That's a very important local thing to do," he said.
They said the previous one-day boycotts of Amazon and other corporations are nice gestures but said real resistance against the Trump administration would need to start with consistent, local action.
Some Republicans have recently floated the idea of selling national parks to bring money into a state-owned investment fund. Spokane resident Louise Sevier says that’s just one of her many concerns.
“Frankly I'm concerned about whether or not they will stop at lands that are supposed to be public lands and whether they will come for anything that's left on the reservations," she said.
Hundreds of protestors also lined Appleway Avenue in Coeur d’Alene and First Avenue in downtown Sandpoint.
Protests were also held in Seattle and Portland, as well as smaller cities such Walla Walla, Pullman, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, Eugene and Pendleton.
Washington wheat growers worry about new tariffs
Washington wheat growers export the majority of their product to other countries, which means they will likely be exposed to foreign retaliatory tariffs.
Michelle Hennings, the executive director of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, says last year, they shipped products worth $684 million.
But she says it’s getting harder to make a profit. In recent years, prices for the supplies they need to grow wheat, such as parts for tractors, have gone up. Now high tariffs are likely to drive up those costs even more, while the selling price, at five dollars a bushel remains relatively low.
"Right now, growers are below break even. And so any additional costs to their input is going to have a real negative impact on the farmers and their bottom lines," she said.
Hennings told SPR wheat growers are waiting to see if countries to which they export, such as Japan, the Philippines, South Korea, and Indonesia will respond with their own tariffs. She worries that could mean a loss of sales. Some countries might even choose to purchase wheat from elsewhere.
“We have competitors out there like Australia. So if something happens with our market, it takes a very long time to get a market back. We would be in a really big situation, especially for Washington wheat, because we’re 90% exported," she said.
Hennings says during the first Trump administration, federal funding was provided to help farmers who were hurt by his first round of tariffs. She hopes a similar program could be developed this time around if growers need it.
Uncertainty roils Inland Northwest colleges
Spokane higher education leaders are trying to decipher how changes to education-related funding and policy at the federal level will change their operations.
“There’s a lot of concern and fear on the part of our students, how this will affect them, how this will affect their financial aid, how it affects their ability to complete their degrees," said Washington State University Spokane Chancellor Darryl DeWald. He says 40% of the students on his campus are first-generation college students. Many face significant challenges in trying to fund and finish their degrees.
DeWald told SPR the federal government has cancelled or paused some research grants. He says the university is studying how it can help the research teams that are connected to those programs.
At Spokane Colleges, there are worries about the future of the Head Start early learning program, due to threats of interruptions of federal funding. There are also worries that tight state funding could lead to loss of funding in some areas.
Chancellor Kevin Brockbank says it’s a challenge to find to make sense of what are, in some situations, contradictory messages.
“What we are really focused on is making sure we serve our students and if we have a situation where the federal agenda doesn’t match the state agenda, we try to find that spot in between those two where we can operate in a way that does not take away opportunities from our prospective students," he said.
Brockbank says his team is especially keeping an eye out for potential changes to the financial aid system.
Washington, Idaho well prepared for health emergencies
A newly published report by Trust for America’s Health, a nonpartisan public health group, evaluated states’ public health emergency preparedness.
The report evaluated 10 criteria, including water system safety and vaccine rates. It ranked Washington and Idaho among the states most prepared for a public health emergency. Oregon ranked among the lowest.
One indicator the group looked at was health care spending.
“We can't just cut for the purpose of cutting. We have to be really mindful of the impact on people," said Umair Shah, Washington’s former Secretary of Health and a board member of Trust for America’s Health.
Shah also expressed concerns about federal cuts to public health programs.
“ We blow the infrastructure, we remove the people, and all of a sudden something happens and now we're playing catch up," he said.
Shah says consistent funding is important for health departments to respond quickly.
Washington had an above average flu vaccination rate. The state also had a higher usage of paid time off, said report co-author Matt McKillop.
“If they're ill, and either care for themselves or care for a family member who might be ill, that can help to reduce the spread of infectious disease and kind of break those chains of transmission," he said.
Despite a lower vaccination rate, Idaho also scored in the high tier thanks to other categories including increased investments in public health spending and high patient safety ratings at hospitals.
Oregon ranked in the low tier due to reduced public health funding, and lower water system safety.
Reporting contributed by Owen Henderson, Susan Shain, Steve Jackson, Doug Nadvornick and Rachel Sun.