Take Action
Seven Ways to Make a Difference
£ Headquarters change for NCW Democrats
NCW Democrats have marked the end of a great era in their location on S. Mission Street in Wenatchee. The future is bright as plans are made for a terrific new space. The leadership team will be working from home for a few months this winter, and then an announcement of their new location will be made. We will keep you updated on their exciting new adventure!
£ Lobby Day in Olympia with NCW Democrats – January 7
Please let NCW Democrats know if you would like to join them in Olympia on January 7 to advocate for a state constitutional amendment protecting the right of everyone in Washington to access birth control and all reproductive health care. Email: NCWDems@gmail.com
Learn more:
· State Constitutional Amendment filed to protect abortion rights in Washington (King 5) read
· Democrats propose WA State constitutional amendment to protect abortion rights (The Olympian) read
· Text of Senate Joint Resolution 8202 read
· Make an official public comment on SJR 8202 here
Victories to celebrate from 2022
There are many challenges ahead but please take a minute to reflect upon the progress made over the last year. Hope remains. There are many things to celebrate and be thankful for.
· Kim Schrier was re-elected to represent the 8th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives
· Rep. Schrier brings home $22 million for local projects around the 8th District (Press Release) read
· Rep. Schrier helps House pass bipartisan bill to provide funding for small police departments (Press Release) read
· Patty Murray was re-elected to represent Washington State in the U.S. Senate
· Murray secures funding boosts to help families afford health care, protect workers’ rights, tackle the opioid crisis, and much more (Press Release) read
· Senator Patty Murray secures investments to protect Washington State environments and ecosystems, invest in climate action and clean energy (Press Release) read
· Democrats maintained control of the U.S. House of Representatives
· A handful of courageous Republicans put country before party (indeed losing their political seats) by daring to discover and put on record the truth in the January 6 committee hearings.
· Historic victory: The Respect for Marriage Act is law (Human Rights Campaign) read
· Colville River Valley community helps make wood stove turn-in a success (WA ST Dept of Ecology) read
· Snoqualmie Tribe acquires 12,000 acres of ancestral forestland in King County (Snoqualmie Tribe press release) read
· Columbia Gorge smelter cleanup, redevelopment considered (WA ST Dept of Ecology) read
· Water conservation, storage and climate change in the Yakima Basin (WA St Dept of Ecology) read
· Wenatchee’s Saddle Rock trail reopens after summer cleanup project (WA St Dept of Ecology) read
· Environmental restoration grants reach across state (WA ST Dept of Ecology) read
· The process of giving $2.2 billion to farmers who faced discrimination begins soon (NPR) read
· Biden signs reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act (The Hill) read
· Amache Historic Site will join the National Park System after bill passes final significant hurdle in Congress (CPR News) read
· A record number of LGBTQ candidates won their elections in November’s midterms (NPR) read
· U.S. citizens can now choose the gender “X” on their passport applications (NPR) read
· President Biden to protect Avi Kwa Ame, significant to 12 indigenous tribes (The Wilderness Society) read
· Secretary Haaland removes slur on public lands (The Wilderness Society) read
· Chatahoochee River Act signed into law (Henry Herald) read
· USPS charts a course for an electric mail truck fleet (EarthJustice) read
· Louisiana court vacates permits for Formosa’s massive petrochemical complex in Cancer Alley (EarthJustice) read
· How democracy fought back (U.S. News and World Report) read
£ Sign a United Farm Workers Foundation petition to protect farm workers from harmful pesticides
“Currently the UFW is working with members of Congress to pass the Protect America’s Children from Toxic Pesticide Act of 2021 (PACTPA), which would ban pesticides that have been scientifically proven to harm people and the environment ... PACTPA would also protect farm workers by requiring employers to report all pesticide-caused injuries to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA); direct the EPA to review pesticide injury reports and work with the pesticide manufacturers to develop better labeling to prevent future injury, and require that all pesticide label instruction be written in Spanish.”
Learn more and sign the petition here.
PACTPA 2.0: Putting people before pesticides (Pesticide Action Network) read
£ 2023 Washington State legislative session convenes on Monday. January 9
We will be monitoring the announcements of legislative priorities as they roll out over the next week and offering ways to comment. Here are a few that Attorney General Bob Ferguson is proposing for the 2023 session:
· AG Ferguson, Rep. Leavitt propose legislation holding telecommunications providers accountable for allowing illegal robocalls read
· AG Ferguson, Governor Inslee partner to propose two firearm safety measures read
· AG Ferguson, Rep. Slatter, Sen Dhingra propose legislation to protect Washingtonian’s health data read
· AG Ferguson, Sen. Nguyen propose legislation to protect Washingtonian’s from utility shutoffs during extreme heat read
£ Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Fest
Saturday, January 14 * 10:00 am to 3:00 pm * Wenatchee Valley Museum and Cultural Center * 127 S. Mission Street * Wenatchee * Free
Join us for our annual Martin Luther King Jr. Multicultural Fest. This FREE event is a celebration of the rich diversity of our region. The City of Wenatchee will award the Annual Civil Rights and Social Justice Awards during the program.
Visitors will experience the many local cultural and heritage groups that make up the tapestry of our community. Through booth displays of art, food, crafts, clothes, pictures, and more, visitors are educated about the many diverse cultures represented. Kids will learn and connect with the cultural traditions through arts and crafts. Each child will receive a passport, with their picture, and travel to each cultural booth where they will receive a sticker in their passports. The stage will come alive with performances of music and dance throughout the day.