Cover Story
Birchwood, Alderwood Neighborhoods Labeled as a Food Desert
by Christian Conahan, Janae Easlon and Elizabeth Kayser Walking inside a corner store on a recent day, browning bananas are two for . No burger meat but plenty of beef jerky and soda. No produce. The little store has microwavable … Continue reading
Agriculture
Irrigation Dominates Whatcom Water Use
Whatcom County faces a variety of water supply, water quality and fish habitat problems. Understanding and resolving these problems require a detailed and accurate knowledge of who uses water, for what purposes and when. Irrigation is the largest – and … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
Not everyone is particularly fond of gulls, so I guess I’m an exception. While many other birds can be difficult to find, it seems that I can always find gulls to observe and study throughout the year. Gulls are some … Continue reading
Being Frank
I am glad that the treaty tribes in western Washington were finally able to reach agreement with the state on a package of conservative salmon fisheries for Puget Sound. It took more than a month of overtime negotiations to … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at May 3, 2016 Meeting Shall the council: 73. Authorize the executive to sign a ,367 contract with Wilson Engineering of Bellingham to reduce phosphorus loading in the Lake Whatcom Watershed? The Cedar Hills-Euclid … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at May 2, 2016 Meeting Shall the council: 65. Authorize the mayor to sign an agreement with the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District to finance the 2016 Aquatic Invasive Species Boat Inspection Program? At the 10/24/2011 meeting, … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Andrew S. McBride Action Taken at May 3, 2016 Meeting Shall the commission: 73. Authorize the executive director to sign a 3,347 contract (amendment #1) with Pacific Security of Bellingham to provide security services? This amendment will provide … Continue reading
Book Review
Reviewed by Terry Wechsler Superspill An Account of the 1978 Grounding at Bird Rocks by Mary Kay Becker and Patricia Coburn Madrona Press, 1974 161 pages, paperback, .95 ISBN 10: 0914842021 ISBN-13: 978-0914842026 Bellingham’s Mary Kay Becker sits on the … Continue reading
Development
City Will No longer Hear Issues on Forest Street Housing Development
900 N Forest Street — once a church is now a construction site. The site is across the street from the Orchard Terrace Apartments. The project planned in 2014, is for a luxury student housing project constructed by the Rael … Continue reading
Fossil Fuels
Locals Work to Make Public Aware of Major Carbon Tax Proposal
Armed with clipboards, flyers and eye-catching bright green buttons, Rheanna Johnston and three other young volunteers spent a rainy Saturday, June 18, ringing doorbells and knocking on doors. They canvassed Bellingham to inform residents about I-732, a proposed initiative … 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
Twenty Years Ago
Citizen Kayakers Investigate Discharges into Bellingham Bay
To celebrate 25 years of publishing Whatcom Watch, we will be printing excerpts from 20 years ago. The below excerpt is from the July 1996 issue of Whatcom Watch. “No one has a clear idea of actually how many storm … Continue reading
Unsung Heroes
Bill Distler, Vietnam Vet and Peace Activist
Bill Distler, 69, was born in Brooklyn, New York, and moved to Bellingham in 1980. He is married and has a 16-year-old daughter. He volunteers with the Alternatives to Military Service Program and has been active here in the Veterans … Continue reading
