Cover Story
Stormwaters Run Deep: Bellingham’s Solution to Toxic Runoff
by Robert Johnson Annual rainfall is rising in Whatcom County, bringing with it big storms and increased water pollution in the form of heavy runoff from roads and hard surfaces (1). Runoff carries toxic crud such as oil, pesticides and … Continue reading
Cover Story
How to Improve Whatcom Water-use Efficiency?
by Eric Hirst The Colorado River Research Group wrote that, “Water users consume too much water from the river and, moving forward, must strive to use less, not more. Any conversation about the river that does not explicitly acknowledge this … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
by Joe Meche Flats are interesting geological formations. Also known as mud flats or tidal flats, they are generally formed as sediments are deposited in low-lying areas by rivers or tides. Over long periods of time parts of the flats … Continue reading
Dear Watchers
If Not Now, When? Get Involved With Us
by Bob Schober The world is a dangerous place to live, not because of the people who are evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything. — Albert Einstein Dear Readers, For 25 years, Whatcom Watch has been … Continue reading
Being Frank
by Lorraine Loomis A wave of federal recognition of tribal sovereignty and treaty rights has reached a high-water mark in the closing days of President Obama’s administration. We hope President-elect Donald Trump will help push that wave even higher. Obama … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at September 26, 2016 Meeting Shall the council: 155. Approve a request for sewer service at 3214 Locust Ave.? The single-family residence was constructed in 1934, the homeowner has been informed by the Whatcom County Health Department that … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at September 27, 2016 Meeting Shall the council: 165. Authorize the public works department to spend up to 0,000 to purchase radios and related accessories on an as-needed basis from vendor Motorola Inc. of … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Andrew S. McBride Action Taken at October 4, 2016 Meeting Shall the commission: 163. Authorize the executive director to renew the port’s liability and auto insurance coverage? The premium will be 3,426 (for the period 10/1/2016 through 9/30/2017) … Continue reading
Letter to the Editor
To the editor: What is the original meaning of the word “Chuckanut”? The highlighted box “Defining Chuckanut” in the October/November 2016 Whatcom Watch fails in its attempt to answer this question. The item begins with a correct statement: “The term … Continue reading
Letter to the Editor
To the editor: Those who favor the domination of multinational corporations claim that the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which will be voted on soon, is about free trade. To the extent that there are some provisions about trade, the TPP is protectionist, … Continue reading
Obituary
George Jartos, a cartoonist who for years enlivened Whatcom Watch with his drawings and sense of humor, died October 19, 2016, of unknown causes at his Railroad Avenue apartment in downtown Bellingham. Jartos’ work appeared everywhere from Playboy to Reader’s … Continue reading
Obituary
Richard Jehn, former managing editor of Whatcom Watch and a longtime community activist, died on November 3, 2016. He was 66 years old. “Richard Jehn’s contribution to citizen journalism, our local environment, and Cherry Point in particular, were unparalleled,” said … Continue reading
poetrywatch
“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.” — John F. Kennedy Boris … Continue reading
Twenty Years Ago
Expose of Gannett as Nasty, Unscrupulous Corporation
To celebrate 25 years of publishing Whatcom Watch, we will be printing excerpts from 20 years ago. The below excerpts are from the December 1996 issue of Whatcom Watch. Editor’s Note: When this article was written, the Gannett Corporated owned … Continue reading
Unsung Heroes
Beth Brownfield, Committed Activist
by Kathryn Fentress Beth Brownfield, 75, moved to Bellingham with her husband in 2004 from Minneapolis, Minn. They have two adult children and two grandchildren. Beth and her husband spent two years in the Peace Corps in Honduras before starting … Continue reading
