Cover Story
Ranked Choice Voting: A Better Way to Conduct Elections
by Stoney Bird and Alan McConchie Americans across the political spectrum are increasingly dissatisfied with their elected officials. Voter turnout is dismally low. Many citizens feel that their votes don’t count. Despite having it drummed into us that we are … Continue reading
Cover Story
Building Trust Between Journalists and the Public
by Jennifer Karchmer Steps reporters can take to build trust with the public: Be transparent — peel back the layers of reporting. Show readers where you found your information. Be clear where and how your interviews take place: in person, … Continue reading
Cover Story
Defending Freedom of the Press
by Jennifer Karchmer “We’re in the truth business, and the knowledge business, not the entertainment business.” — Pete Hamill, longtime journalist and author of “News Is a Verb: Journalism at the End of the Twentieth Century.” With election season nearing, … Continue reading
Beaks and Bills
The Southwest Coast: Cape Disappointment to Ocean Shores
by Joe Meche It was with great anticipation that I finally changed my calendar to September to begin the countdown to my getaway for a week to Washington’s southwest coast. My anticipation was heightened by the stream of reports of … Continue reading
Dear Watchers
Hello again, Whatcom Watch readers. I say again because some of you might remember me as the managing editor of Whatcom Watch from June 2000 until July 2009. Times have changed, haven’t they? And, this little gem of a paper … Continue reading
Dear Watchers
Dear Watchers, Stunned, shocked and stupefied by the Ericksen ad. You call yourselves a “grassroots environmental newspaper”? Hah! It’s common knowledge that Doug Ericksen is an enemy of Washington’s increasingly fragile environment. Shame on you! Warren Sheay Bellingham Editor’s Note: … Continue reading
Dear Watchers
Justin Boneau Will Protect the Environment
by Myra Ramos, Lummi Island Dear Watchers, The 42nd District needs new representation! It is hard to fathom how Luanne Van Werven can be so out of touch with us, her constituents, with regard to the environment. During this year’s … Continue reading
Being Frank
Move Forward on Water Quality Standards
by Lorraine Loomis In an unfortunate reversal, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has decided to reconsider our state’s new water quality standards — the most protective in the nation — based on an industry trade group petition that argues the … Continue reading
Watching Government
Action Taken at August 20, 2018 Meeting Shall the council: 113. Spend 0,000 to purchase 24.17 acres on the east side of Northwest Drive, just north of the Cornwall Church for wetland mitigation? The property will be purchased with Greenway … Continue reading
Watching Government
Commissioner Bobby Briscoe participated via a communications link. Action Taken at August 14, 2018 Meeting Shall the commission: 112. Authorize the executive director to sign an agreement with the Whatcom County Library System for their “Library Liftoff” program? The two … Continue reading
Watching Government
Compiled by Barry MacHale Action Taken at August 8, 2018 Meeting Shall the council: 122. Authorize the executive to sign a joint funding agreement with the federal government for the maintenance and operation of the county’s stream gages? (Council acting … Continue reading
Commentary
Whatcom’s Challenge: A Just Jail
by Elizabeth M. Cardarelli When my young friend ended up in Whatcom County Jail as a result of unmanageable complications with his mental illness, I became alerted to a tragedy in our society. It brought up thoughts and feelings of … Continue reading
Election Results
Primary Election Results, pdf format: Primary Election , Primary Election2 , Primary Election3
I-1631
For Clean Air, Clean Energy and Healthier Communities
by Eddy Ury With Washington air quality getting worse, we’re getting a taste of what climate change means for our future. Whatcom County had a record-breaking dry summer this year, resulting in fires, strain on our agriculture economy, and health … Continue reading
I-1631
by Jean Waight A Volunteer’s Walk With the Clean Energy Initiative-1631 Ever since I received training in climate change issues in 2010, I’ve tried to be a nudge in my church, promoting the Community Energy Challenge, more advanced recycling, and … Continue reading
Northwest Gardening
by Peter Heffelfinger Appropriate to the fall season, the squirrels are rushing about the tops of the Douglas firs, sending a bumper fall crop of cones to the ground, where the bushy-tailed rodents will harvest and hide the seeds before … 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
Salmon
Volunteers Celebrate World Fish Migration Day
by Amy Johnson Volunteers with Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) celebrated Earth Day and World Fish Migration Day (WFMD) with NSEA on April 21. One hundred and eighty stalwart volunteers came to NSEA’s campus to make a difference in the … Continue reading
Salmon
Size Means Survival for Young Salmon
by Christopher Dunagan Part 2 This series was originally published in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound. An intensive research program in the United States and Canada is studying why so few salmon in the Salish Sea are returning home to … Continue reading
Twenty Years Ago
Voluntary Simplicity Drives New Movement
by John Freeburg Since January 2014, Whatcom Watch, has been rerunning articles from issues printed 20 years ago. The below article appeared in the October/November 1998 issue of Whatcom Watch. While a graduate school student in the early seventies, I … Continue reading
Twenty Years Ago
by Drew Kampion Since January 2014, Whatcom Watch, has been rerunning articles from issues printed 20 years ago. The below article appeared in the October/November 1998 issue of Whatcom Watch. Editor’s Note: If this article were written today, smartphones, the … Continue reading
Watch Out!!
A Powerful Rebuttal to Trump’s “Fake News”
by Lyle Harris Sr. Bob Woodward’s latest book, “Fear: Trump in the White House,” about Donald Trump’s fitness for office, has won strong reviews in major publications. In short, the book presents a crisis of leadership underscoring Trump’s inability to … Continue reading
Whatcom: Chronic & Acute
Is It Really You Your Doctor Is Treating? Or Is It a Surrogate?
by Robert A. Duke Is it the biologically unique you your doctor is treating and counseling during an office visit? Yes, to the extent your history, gender and age matter. Mainly, though, she is providing preventive care recommended by the … Continue reading
by Sharon L. Robinson The president does raise problems we have with our spyware practices which do need our attention. He feels personally victimized, however, rather than concerned about systems failures. His attack is defensive against the ongoing Mueller investigation … Continue reading
2018 Washington State Legislative Scorecard
Washington State 2018 Legislative Scorecard, pdf: Legislative Scorecard
