Cover Story
A Threat to Our Neighbors’ Environment
by Bruce Radtke Bellingham Activist Helps Protect Olympic Peninsula, With Mixed Results Olympic National Park, Wash. – Residents, visitors, and wildlife are threatened by the U.S. Navy’s proposal for electromagnetic warfare training over the Olympic peninsula. Noisy “growler jets” likely … Continue reading
Cover Story
Kitchen Table Activism: From Hard Rock Mine to Nature Preserve
by Meredith Moench Part 14 Twenty years ago, who dared to dream that the Lummi Island quarry might one day become a protected nature preserve? At the time in 1995, a new operator hoped to expand the 10 acre pit … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
by Joe Meche The typical sights and sounds of late October and early November evoked an avalanche of emotions from the past. When I was growing up in southwest Louisiana, the change from hot and humid summer weather gave way … Continue reading
Being Frank
Introducing Northwest Treaty Tribes
by Lorraine Loomis Did you know that over the past four decades the 20 treaty Indian tribes in western Washington have reduced their salmon harvests by more than 75 percent to protect the resource? That tribes have restored thousands of … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Boris Schleinkofer Action Taken at September 28, 2015 Meeting Shall the council: 178. Grant a noise variance to the state of Washington for Interstate 5 paving and guardrail work? Construction work in residentially zoned areas between 10 p.m. … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Andrew S. McBride Action Taken at October 6, 2015 Meeting Shall the commission: 126. Authorize the modification of a lease agreement with Comcast Cable Communications for the licensing of port-owned conduit? In August 2000, the Port of Bellingham … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at September 29, 2015 Meeting Shall the council: 171. Approve a ,000 contract (amendment #9) with Van Ness Feldman, GordonDerr of Seattle for legal representation in a Growth Management Hearings Board case? The law … Continue reading
Commentary
Critique of WTA’s 2015 Strategic Plan Update
by Preston L. Schiller The Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) provides many useful services to many citizens in Bellingham and a few destinations outside of the major Whatcom County city. Its buses are clean and comfortable, and its staff at all … Continue reading
County Elections
Voting and Vote Counting with Integrity
by Whatcom Fair Voting Trustworthy Elections require a voting system with solid integrity, protected from tampering or corruption of the tallies of votes cast. This review does not deal with who can cast a ballot (registration, etc.) — which are … Continue reading
County Elections
Whatcom County Hands Coal a Sack of No
by Kristin Eberhard Big Coal’s Gerrymandering Scheme Mostly Thwarted Election results are in for Whatcom County, Washington, where a proposal for a giant coal export terminal puts communities on the front lines of the fight against dirty energy. Thanks to … Continue reading
Guest Author
Racism, Slavery and War: The Foundations of Capitalism
by Stoney Bird Part 17 This is the seventeenth in a continuing series of articles that began with the January, 2014 issue of Whatcom Watch. The series addresses the impediments to democracy and well being in American society. “While many … Continue reading
poetrywatch
Boris Schleinkofer, poetrywatch editor “When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.” — … Continue reading
Twenty Years Ago
Twenty Years Ago: The Fifties Are Gone Forever
To celebrate the 24th year of publishing Whatcom Watch, we will be printing excerpts from 20 years ago. David M. Laws has been generous enough to volunteer to review the Whatcom Watch for 20 years ago to find suitable material … Continue reading
Unsung Heroes
Mary Trask Sends Bicycles to Africa
by Katheryn Fentress Mary Trask was born and raised in the Midwest and moved to Washington 20 years ago. This summer, she and her family relocated to Bellingham. She recently organized a local drive to send bikes to Africa. Kathryn: … Continue reading
