Cover Story

  April 2023

Untangling Nooksack Water Rights

Whatcom Watch

by Luisa Loi Despite flowing for thousands of years through this ever gray and rainy corner of Washington, the Nooksack River is a resource that tribes, farmers, cities, irrigation districts and public utilities have learned not to take for granted.  … Continue reading →

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  April 2023

New Plans for an Old Jail

Whatcom Watch

by Emma Bjornsrud The Whatcom County jail, located in downtown Bellingham, was completed in 1984 and is operational to this day. Designed to hold up to 148 people, and constructed based on outdated standards for the time, it lacks space … Continue reading →

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  April 2023

Jail Is Unsafe, Inefficient 

Whatcom Watch

by Emma Bjornsrud The current Whatcom County jail is insufficient, overcrowded and in disrepair. “The current facility, by almost any metric, is decrepit and challenging to work in — not a great space for human beings to be in,” said … Continue reading →

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  April 2023

Whatcom County Jail Timeline

Whatcom Watch

Compiled by Bill McCallum     1984 Nov. 5 Prisoners are transferred into the current jail in downtown Bellingham. 1993 The state of Washington Legislature requires every county to form a Whatcom County Law and Justice Council. Jail management is … Continue reading →

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  March 2023

Some Single-Use Plastics Granted Extension

Whatcom Watch

by Luisa Loi  Businesses in Bellingham will have more time to find compostable alternatives to products such as produce bags, catering trays and clear food wrap. Originally, the ordinance banning single-use plastics from eateries, in effect since July 31, granted … Continue reading →

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  March 2023

Meet Laural Ballew-Ses yehomia/tsi kuts bat soot

Whatcom Watch

by Emma Bjornsrud Tandy Wilbur Sr. and Laura Wilbur of the Swinomish Tribal Community worked in regional and national tribal government, traveling together to build relationships within and beyond their communities. Two generations later, Laural (Wilbur) Ballew is continuing her … Continue reading →

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  February 2023

Is Our Local Seaweed Contaminated?

Whatcom Watch

by Luisa Loi Armed with a ceramic-bladed knife and years of experience as a wilderness guide and forager, Jennifer Hahn paddled the cold waters of the Salish Sea aboard her kayak, sometimes snacking on some freshly cut seaweed. Hahn was … Continue reading →

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  February 2023

Introducing the Kulshan Carbon Trust

Whatcom Watch

Part 1 of a three-part series by Howard Sharfstein What Is a Carbon Conservation Trust? Whatcom County is home to the Kulshan Carbon Trust (KCT), founded in early 2021 as a new type of trust and a vehicle for community … Continue reading →

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  January 2023

Bellingham Bay’s Dirty Dozen Sites

Whatcom Watch

by Luisa Loi This is the chlor-alkali portion of the Georgia-Pacific West pulp mill site in 1969. These 36-acres are number eight on the dirty dozen list and where current cleanup efforts are focused.photo: Washington Department of Ecology On a … Continue reading →

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  January 2023

Recycling Changes Probable

Whatcom Watch

by Emma Bjornsrud Bellingham recycling and garbage company staff sorted through a mountain of cans, bottles, cardboard and paper to evaluate whether the company could offer the city a more efficient way to recycle. The answer? Yes, we can, said … Continue reading →

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