Cover Story
Invasive Mussels Threaten Drinking Water
by Karlee Deatherage The small mussel, about the size of a grain of rice, appeared on an aquarium moss ball sold at a Seattle Petco earlier this year. It sounded the alarm across the United States, prompting agencies to … Continue reading
Cover Story
Lake Whatcom’s Decline Is Unabated
Editor’s Note: The Lake Whatcom Monitoring Project was initiated in the 1980s to measure and track long-term lake data for temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, turbidity, and nutrients, including nitrogen and phosphorus. The work is performed by WWU’s Institute for … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
In 2009, Caspian terns starting nesting on the former Georgia-Pacific property now called the Waterfront District. Approximately 250 birds produced about 100 chicks. The next year, between 2,500 and 3,000 birds produced over 1,000 young terns. The Port of Bellingham … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
by Joe Meche As we transitioned from winter into spring, the seasons and the birds around us changed accordingly. Cherry blossoms greeted us in just about every part of town, along with scattered greenery here and there. Rain was still … Continue reading
Being Frank
Ocean Conditions, Lost Habitat Drive Salmon Concerns
by Lorraine Loomis Treaty tribes and our state salmon co-managers are looking ahead to another grim year of fishing because of poor ocean conditions that reduce marine survival, and the ongoing loss of freshwater habitat. Higher marine water temperatures, changing … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at March 8, 2021 Meeting Mayor’s Report The mayor reappointed Joan Drinkwin to a second term on the Sehome Hill Arboretum Board of Governors. The arboretum site is 175.5-acres; the university owns 38 acres and the city 137.5 … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at March 9, 2021 Meeting Shall the council: 62. Authorize the executive to sign a 0,600 contract with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors.) … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Bill McCallum Action Taken at February 18, 2021 Meeting Shall the commission: 19. Authorize the executive director to implement the Air Service Incentive Program at the Bellingham airport? The incentive program was first passed at the 6/19/2018 meeting, … Continue reading
Community Service Providers
by Melissa Bird and Ashley Buerger Editor’s Note: There are over 100 organizations in Whatcom County working to provide supportive ser- vices to those experiencing chronic poverty and its associated effects: ad- diction, homelessness, incarceration, mental illness, and unemployment. Whatcom … Continue reading
Conservation District Election
Education
Whatcom Community College Adjusts During the Pandemic
by Ron Kleinknecht We often hear how the pandemic has uprooted students, parents and teachers among the K-12 schools. Parents of school-age children have experienced the upheaval first hand, and it’s been difficult. However, we’ve not heard as much about … Continue reading
Education
2020 National Adult Learner of the Year
During the pandemic, one of WCC’s students was named the National 2020 Adult Learner of the Year by the Coalition On Adult Basic Education (COABE). Cecelia DeLeon, in the face of numerous hardships and setbacks, persisted until she passed … Continue reading
Incarceration
Preventing Incarceration: A Different Approach
by Maddie Smith Part 2 Whatcom County does not keep track of recidivism rates. When a formerly incarcerated person gets arrested again, they recidivate. This rate is used to keep track of people who have a history in the system … Continue reading
Incarceration
Whatcom County Incarceration Committees
Jail Planning Task Force At the April 26, 2011 meeting, the County Council established the Whatcom County Jail Planning Task Force. The task force of citizens with expertise and county officials wased focused on finding a permanent facility for housing … 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