Cover Story
by Faith Owens Tucked into the west side of the central Salish Sea by several islands, Bellingham Bay is a rare destination for whales. However, several orcas decided to pay a visit on July 23. (1) Four members of the … Continue reading
Cover Story
Bellingham Will Process Sewage Into Fertilizer
by Kirsten McDade If you have lived in Whatcom County for more than a few months, you’ve probably experienced the “odeur de manure” that periodically wafts through our air — reminding us that we are a very agricultural community. Spreading … Continue reading
Cover Story
Editor’s Note: This is an excerpt from an article about anaerobic digesters and the Post Point plant that appeared in the September 2020 issue of Whatcom Watch. by Giovanni Roverso Anaerobic digesters are projected to replace a pair of aging … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
by Joe Meche With all things considered, we felt that winter was not far away when we crossed the North Cascades after a birthday weekend in Winthrop. The eastbound trip over the mountains and the first day in the Methow … Continue reading
Being Frank
by Lisa Wilson Tribal treaty rights are being attacked by so-called conservation groups that threaten legal action against our hatcheries. Hatchery production is an essential part of salmon recovery. Along with harvest, habitat and hydropower, it is one of the … Continue reading
Being Frank
Stopping Tire Debris From Killing Coho Salmon
by Willie Frank III and David Troutt Now that we know a chemical in our car tires is killing salmon, we have to act urgently to keep it out of the water. Research published last year confirmed that the preservative … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at September 27, 2021 Meeting Mayor’s Report The mayor appointed Raymond Dellecker to a partial term on the Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. The board advises the City Council, mayor, Department of Parks and Recreation director, and other … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at September 28, 2021 Meeting Shall the council: 212. Designate four wildlife species as “Species of Local Importance?” (Public hearing held.) The Wildlife Advisory Committee recommended the Western toad also known as boreal toad … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Bill McCallum Action Taken at September 7, 2021 Meeting Shall the commission: 103. Approve a terminal services agreement (amendment #6) with the state of Alaska? The original terminal service agreement began in 1989. The agreement with the Alaska … Continue reading
Book Review
Alexandra Morton’s Latest Book
by Kathleen Grimbly Not on My Watch How a Renegade Whale Biologist Took on Governments and Industry to Save Wild Salmon by Alexandra Morton Random House Canada, 2021 384 pages, hardcover, .00 ISBN-13: 978-0735279667 Northern Vancouver Island — … Continue reading
Climate
Washington State Refineries and Climate Change
by Zane Gustafson and Eric de Place In 2020, the Washington state legislature legally committed to reducing emissions by 95 percent by 2050. Decarbonization makes refinery transitions inevitable, even as the precise timeline cannot be known due to shifting market … Continue reading
Community Service Providers
Habitat Is the Largest Nonprofit Builder in the World
Editor’s Note: There are over 100 organizations in Whatcom County working to provide supportive services to those experiencing chronic poverty and its associated effects: addiction, homelessness, incarceration, mental illness, and unemployment. Whatcom Watch believes these organizations often labor unnoticed by … Continue reading
Housing
A Future with Affordable Housing Choices
by Washington State Department of Commerce Funding for housing action plans and transit-oriented development helps communities address years of underbuilding that left middle- and lower-income residents priced out of housing as state’s population boomed. A 2020 report tagged Washington state … Continue reading
Journalism
Soliciting Articles for Publication
As the editor of Whatcom Watch, I’m constantly on the lookout for new writers and oftensolicit articles for publication. This month, we’re putting out the call for experienced writers. Whatcom Watch has no reporters per se and is mainly … 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 Do … Continue reading
Salmon Streams and Tributaries
Nooksack Basin Salmon Habitat Restoration Project
Surrounded by local farmers’ fields, the rebuilt landscape features state-of-the-art technology to restore salmon access to miles of stream habitat. Local farmers are unveiling a just-completed fish habitat restoration project that has re-opened miles of salmon stream on a tributary … Continue reading
Twenty Years Ago
by Ken Wilcox Since January 2014, Whatcom Watch has been rerunning articles from issues printed 20 years ago. The below article appeared in the December 2001 issue of Whatcom Watch. It’s now been six months, as I write this, since … Continue reading
