January 2016 (volume 25, issue 1)

Can Whatcom’s Small Farms Help Reconstruct Our Local Food System?

by Jennifer Moon Editor’s note: This is the first of two articles exploring Whatcom County’s agricultural past and present and current efforts to diversify and strengthen Whatcom County’s food system, from the farm to the factory to the consumer. Whether … Continue reading

Ready for Important “Hidden” Voting

by Barbara Perry Whatcom Conservation District Board Holds Election Citizens get ready to activate. All Whatcom County registered voters are responsible for electing a Supervisor Board Position to the Whatcom Conservation District (WCD). This district represents one of the first … Continue reading

Cold Weather Birding

by Joe Meche When the beginning of the year rolls around, there is no need to put away your binoculars and bird books, just because the weather has changed dramatically from idyllic to challenging. In the overall scheme of things, … Continue reading

Preserve Independent Media in the US and Abroad

by Jennifer Karchmer On Jan. 7, 2015, while in Paris visiting a fellow American journalist, I was as shocked as the rest of the world when an Islamist terrorist group attacked the offices of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper killing 12 … Continue reading

Special Doc Screening in Bellingham

Whatcom Watch is collaborating with Pickford Film Center (PFC), Bellingham’s independent movie house, to show “Frame By Frame” (85 minutes runtime) on Thurs., January 28, at 6:30 p.m. PFC is located at 1318 Bay Street in Bellingham. “Frame by Frame,” … Continue reading

WW Readers, and Writers, are an “Intelligent Bunch”

Dear Editor, I appreciate your recent front page article on the environmental threat posed by navy military training on the Olympic peninsula (see Whatcom Watch, Dec. 2015, “A Threat to our Neighbors’ Environment,” by Bruce Radtke.) This is an important … Continue reading

U.S. Should Honor Billy Frank’s Dream

by Lorraine Loomis Billy Frank Jr., longtime chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, received many awards during his life and continues to be honored since his passing in 2014. His life was celebrated last month when President Barack Obama … Continue reading

Bellingham City Council

Compiled by Boris Schleinkofer Action Taken at November 9, 2015 Meeting Shall the council: 211. Ratify the Bellingham Police Guild collective bargaining agreement? Terms for the 2014-2016 contract: general wages will increase by two percent on 1/1/2016, the wages for … Continue reading

Port of Bellingham Commission

Compiled by Andrew S. McBride Action Taken at November 3, 2015 Meeting Shall the Commission: 139. Authorize the sale of one vessel for the nonpayment of moorage fees? An auction will be held on 12/4/2015 for a 17-foot gillnetter with … Continue reading

Whatcom County Council

Compiled by Barry MacHale  Action Taken at November 10, 2015 Meeting Shall the council: 205. Authorize the executive to sign a ,751 contract (amendment #1) with RH2 Engineering of Bothel? (Council acting as the flood control district board of supervisors) … Continue reading

General Election Results – 2015

2015 General Election Results as reported on the Whatcom Watch in January, 2016 (pages 9 to 12) are available as a PDF: General Election Results – 2015  

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

John Wayne Trail Needs Your Help

by Jennifer Karchmer Folks in eastern Washington are trying to save the John Wayne Trail, the 300-mile rail trail that goes from the western slopes of the Cascades to the Idaho border near Tekoa, Wash. Closed to motorized vehicles, the trail follows the … Continue reading

Today’s Decisions Affect Bellingham’s Future

To celebrate the 24th year of publishing Whatcom Watch, we will be printing excerpts from 20 years ago. David M. Laws has been generous enough to volunteer to review the Whatcom Watch for 20 years ago to find suitable material … Continue reading

Kurt Prassé and Bellingham Repair Café

by Kathryn Fentress Kurt Prassé, a native of Austria, has lived on four continents and moved to Bellingham this year. He has a three-year-old son who lives with him half time and he is in the process of rebuilding a … Continue reading

Bellinghamsters Find Signs of Protest in British Columbia

by Annie Prevost Traveling in northern B.C. this summer, my husband and I were heartened to see First Nations and others sharing our environmental concerns. Based on these protest signs, it is clear that residents do not want the risk … Continue reading

National Geographic Magazine Donation

Whatcom Watch would like to thank the Wilkerson family of Bellingham for their generous donation of 35 years of National Geographic magazines. In November, more than 400 magazines were presented in leather-bound cases. The issues run from January 1980 (Cover … Continue reading