It’s Tuesday, May 27. Like approximately 10 million other Filipinos, AJ Kent N. Meraña left home seeking better opportunities. He found work aboard a bulk cargo ship owned by a Norwegian company, where he became subject to a patchwork system of offshore safety regulations where it’s not always clear who’s responsible for ensuring safe working conditions. In September 2024, his body was found in a Columbia River shipping channel. Now, a coalition of advocacy groups is pressing for answers as the circumstances of his death — and who should be held responsible — remain murky.
Local organizers and supporters gathered for a community vigil in honor of what would have been the day after AJ Meraña’s 30th birthday. The vigil was held on campus at the University of Portland on Thursday, March 27, 2025. (Kristina Barker for Cascade PBS)
Advocates ask for additional investigation and accountability after AJ Meraña, a Filipino worker on a bulk cargo ship, drowned last September. Read more
The plan was approved last summer, but some northeast Washington residents say their concerns were not represented in the decision-making process. Read more
More local stories on our mind:
🏗️ The Port of Longview is reconsidering a contract with Rotschy Construction following Cascade PBS reporting on their child labor practices. (Columbian)
💸 Spokane businesses are starting to feel the impacts of the Trump administration’s new tariffs. (Spokesman-Review)
🗳️ Six candidates are vying to replace Victoria Woodards as Mayor of Tacoma. (KNKX)
🏛️ The Seattle City Council is moving forward on a controversial bill to relax their own ethics code. (The Seattle Times)
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