As Wildfire Awareness month comes to a close, local officials are reminding Washington residents to get ready for what could once again be a smokey and dangerous summer.
When people around the country started retreating into the solitude and safety of their homes, small businesses across Whatcom County started scrambling for their survival.
The rain begins to dwindle, the weather warms and flowers bloom; bees buzz by to pollinate. That familiar buzzing, however, was absent for a time in Bellingham this spring.
Bellingham and Whatcom County are finalizing plans for an unarmed crisis response team this year. This team will handle emergency calls from individuals experiencing mental illness-related crises among other situations where an armed response is not deemed necessary.
Following the widespread demonstrations and growing number of Black Americans killed by the police, the Washington Legislature is moving forward on reforming the police statewide. A majority of police reform bills have been delivered to Gov. Jay Inslee’s desk to be signed into law while others are making their way through the Legislature.
After the tragic murder of George Floyd last summer, and the following rallies, Bellingham and Whatcom County officials held a four-part listening series on race and justice. These sessions gave the community an opportunity to share their experiences with the purpose of resulting in effective change.
SconeGrown, a vegan bakery founded by Kyla Graham and Xander Terrell, is expected to open in the next two weeks.
The Bellingham City Council will be voting on an ordinance this May that will provide a $4 an hour hazard pay for grocery store workers. The ordinance will affect grocery stores with 10,000 square feet and over 40 employees.
The Port of Bellingham is reducing their greenhouse gas emissions by 86% after signing an 18-year-contract with Puget Sound Energy, according to a press release from the port.
Bellingham Public Library is set to open the doors of its Central branch in late spring, after a remodel of its main floor.
Vaccine passports are sparking political debate as extended border closures continue to strain Whatcom County’s economy.
“A police chief needs to understand the culture of the area,” said Michael Luna, a retired border patrol agent who lives in Bellingham. “It’s not a position where one size fits all.”
Spring has arrived in Whatcom County, and with it, the beginning of the Bellingham Farmers Market’s season, resuming weekly Saturday business from from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Depot Square Market.
Western Washington University has become the first university in the United States to obtain an Asian giant hornet. The hornet is from a radio giveaway on Bellingham’s classic rock station 92.9 KISM.
On March 3, the U.S. Forest Service released its environmental assessment for a new forest management project in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
The Centers for Disease Control updated guidelines for domestic travel during the COVID-19 pandemic on April 2 with a focus on those who are fully vaccinated.
The Underground nightclub opened its doors on Friday, April 2, after over a year in hibernation.
All Whatcom County residents ages 16 and older are now eligible to receive their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Nicole Berman, the executive director at Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services, has difficult choices ahead. For a few months in the early pandemic, the nonprofit ceased asking for donations because of economic insecurity and the cancellation of events Berman said. They estimated DVSAS lost 70% to 75% of the nonprofit’s donations.
Solutions by The State News
