Cover Story
Ranch Quarry Mine Expansion Story
A Quiet Valley Upended by Liam Walsh Since 2023, a Whatcom County community has been fighting a mine expansion that they say would create detrimental problems for the environment and their community. A 30-day comment period will open soon, during … Continue reading
Cover Story
Construction of Salish Landing Park
Part 1 by Hope Rasa Two beautiful pieces of the Bellingham waterfront have been closed to the public for over 25 years. These overlapping properties are the RG Haley and Cornwall Avenue Landfill sites, situated between downtown Bellingham and Boulevard … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
Beaks and Bills by Joe Meche And just like that, we’re already a month into 2026, and, for the most part, the holiday dust has settled. My 82nd Christmas and my 36th Bellingham Christmas Bird Count (CBC) are now in … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at December 1, 2025 Special Meeting Shall the council: 291. Certify Whatcom County’s 2026 property tax levies for taxing districts? The collection refers to the regular levy, excess levy, and refund levy. The taxing … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at December 16, 2025 Meeting Shall the commission: 125. Appoint Tamara Sobjack (chief financial officer) as auditor and Sarah Eastwood (controller) as deputy auditor for fiscal year 2026? The auditor reviews and certifies all payments, maintains control over … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at December 8, 2025 Meeting Shall the council: 248. Authorize the mayor to spend 9,000 purchase a 3.62-acre property from Derek and Amanda Hahn? The property will be acquired through the Lake Whatcom Watershed Land Acquisition and Preservation … Continue reading
Watching Government
Whatcom Watch has completed 27 years of reporting votes. We’re committed to continuing to report on votes; we feel they’re a valuable contribution to our community — and subscribers affirmed in a recent survey that the votes are valuable to … Continue reading
Climate
Articles You Might Have Missed
Climate Good News Around the world people are taking the initiative to mitigate climate change. Here are some good news briefs compiled by the Climate Issue group of the LWV of Bellingham/ Whatcom. Birds Give “Yelp” Reviews to Help Restore … Continue reading
Community Service Spotlight
A Legacy of Empowerment, Growth, and Community Transformation
Community Service Spotlight by Alle Schene Since its founding in the early 20th century, YWCA Bellingham has stood as a meaningful force for positive change — supporting women and families through social services, housing, advocacy, and community engagement. What began … Continue reading
Electoral Reform
Statewide Ranked Choice Voting Bill Status
by Shannon Grimes, Sightline Institute Washington’s HB 2210 would establish standards for towns and counties opting into this elections upgrade. The Washington Protect Our VOICES (Voting Options, Implementation, Compliance, Education, and Standards Act) Act would clarify the rules and create … Continue reading
Native Plant Neighbors
Native Plant Neighbors by Eric Worden In the shade of damp forests, sprouting improbably from the mossy sides of tall trees, you’ll find an enigmatic native plant neighbor, the licorice fern. While all the other leafy plants of the forest … Continue reading
Natural Biology
Hair Ice – An Elusive Delight in Our Winter Woods
by Ron Kleinknecht We all know what ice is, but do we all know about the many interesting forms that it can take? Some of these forms such as hair ice (haareis) are often difficult to see as they are … Continue reading
Natural History
by Allan Richardson Nooksack Indian history goes back thousands of years. According to native tradition, the people have been here from time immemorial — basically since the beginning of human existence on this land. There is nothing in Nooksack tradition … 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
Talk to Us
Cautionary Tale for Nuclear Power
Talk to Us Radioactive waste gets buried in one sentence near the end of a Washington State Standard article (https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/02/nuclear-powerventures-heat-up-around-washingtonstate/) that reads like a promotional ad for Amazon and Microsoft building nuclearpowered data centers in Washington state. This is the … Continue reading
Twenty Years Ago
Reclaiming a Natural Resource:
Twenty Years Ago Since January 2014, Whatcom Watch has been reprinting articles from issues printed 20 years ago. Water Quality and Safe Shellfish Harvest in Drayton Harbor This italicized paragraph is an update to the following article that was published … Continue reading
