City County

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City & County

From Dutch Tulipmania to Mount Vernon fields: the long journey of Skagit Valley’s blooms

By Ryann Smith | April 27

Just 30 minutes away from the twists and turns of Chuckanut Drive lies breathtaking fields of tulips. Countless rows of beautiful, brightly-colored flowers, just waiting for the sunshine season to finally arrive. On March 28, 2026, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival reopened for the season. This festival typically runs only in April, but due to a milder-than-normal winter and slightly warmer spring temperatures, the tulip fields opened early this year.

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City & County

Houseless community in flux as downtown alley closures loom

By Benji Cook | April 27

On March 23, the City of Bellingham approved an ordinance that allows the public works director, based on the recommendation of the police chief, to temporarily close certain alleyways in the downtown district and remove their inhabitants. The closures were approved on April 13, and construction began the following day.

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City & County

While I-5 lanes reopen, future landslides remain a reality

By River Martinez and Jackson Prandy-O’Dell | April 24

All lanes of northbound Interstate 5 opened after nearly a month-long closure from March 19 to April 15 due to a large-scale landslide blocking a four-mile stretch of the highway. The shutdown, between mileposts 248 and 249, comes after two other road closures in Whatcom County — one in February for Mount Baker Highway due to atmospheric rivers, and one in April 2025 for Chuckanut Drive due to landslides. 

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City & County

Guemes Island beached carcasses identified as crab bait foxes

By River Martinez | April 21

The case of approximately 25 skinned canine carcasses that recently washed ashore on Guemes Island in Skagit County last week has been uncovered. According to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, a veterinary forensics team concluded the dead canines were foxes.

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City & County

100 demonstrators oppose Israeli soldiers’ campus visit; event moved off-site

By Brodey O’Brien , Noelle Reger and Atlanta Moss | April 21

About a hundred students and community members surrounded Fisher Fountain on Thursday, April 16, at 2 p.m. for a protest led by WWU Divest Apartheid Coalition, a student political organization against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. The protest was against “Triggered: The Ceaseless Tour,” an event held by Students Supporting Israel that invited Israeli reserve soldiers to speak on campus. Several speakers condemned the university’s compliance with the event despite students' concerns.The event was originally planned to be hosted on campus, but was relocated off campus to the Stateside student housing apartments in downtown Bellingham the day of due to security concerns. Organizers were told by university officials that they could not guarantee the safety of the event.

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City & County

City of Bellingham adopts official condemnation of ICE and CBP actions

By Allison Lam | March 9

Bellingham City Council unanimously passed a resolution that called for an end to “lawless” immigration enforcement in a “moment of fear, grief, anger, and uncertainty” on Feb. 23, 2026.   

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City & County

Unemployment rates rise in Whatcom County

By Kamra Greenwall-Cox | March 4

The Whatcom County unemployment rate increased from 4.6% to 5.2% in December 2025, following a broader decline in jobs countywide.According to the Washington State Employment Security Department, employers reported 300 fewer payroll jobs in the county. Sectors such as manual labor and service providing industries have lost jobs.

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City & County

Q&A: Challenges and opportunities with affordable housing

By Allison Lam | February 20

Housing affordability has been a hotly debated topic among Bellingham residents for years. According to a 2025 study by Construction Coverage, Bellingham had the fourth highest home price-to-income ratio out of 375 observed areas, making it one of the least affordable cities in the nation. One way the city planned to solve the issue is through investing in affordable housing as detailed in 2025’s Bellingham Comprehensive Plan.  

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City & County

Jason LaClair shares the importance of Indigenous perspectives in education

By Kamra Greenwall-Cox | February 19

Third graders at Happy Valley Elementary School remain quiet, grasping onto every word coming from Jason LaClair. They are enthralled he is here.  Allied Arts, a gallery and leader in the Whatcom County art scene, has partnered with LaClair to bring his knowledge to the classroom. 

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City & County

Whistles turn ‘silence into community action’ in Bellingham

By Kenna Peterson and Caitlin Grygorcewicz | February 6

On Sunday, in between spurts of heavy rainfall and patchy blue skies, dozens of people squeezed into the Whatcom Peace and Justice Center in Bellingham with two things on their minds: whistles and resistance. 

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City & County

BRIEF: Bellingham community gathers to honor victims of ICE violence

By Aidan Hadley | January 27

As the sun began to set on Western Washington University on Monday, Jan. 26, countless voices chanted “presente” in response to the reading of 38 names, one for each person whose death was caused by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or other federal immigration officers since the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.  

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City & County

SNAP disruptions are hard – they’re even harder when food access is already fragile

By Janessa Bates | December 12

For many people, the loss of benefits compounded barriers that were already making food access difficult – like living in a rural area where groceries aren’t as easily accessible, or managing a chronic condition that restricts diet flexibility.

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City & County

Limited fueling options persist in Blaine Harbor

By DuPree Nugent | December 10

In order to install a public fuel dock, the port must first conduct a cleanup and then determine if installing fuel tanks is feasible, said Mike Hogan, public affairs administrator for the Port of Bellingham.

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City & County

Q&A: Why 101-year-old Joanne Rasmussen still shows up to protest today

By Janessa Bates | December 10

Now 101, Joanne Rasmussen has lived through more than a century of political change and has taken part in activism at different points in her life. Today, she’s the most senior member of a protest group at The Willows retirement community.

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City & County

The didgʷálič Wellness Center rolls out second mobile medical unit in Bellingham

By Adah Bassok | December 3

Mobile Medical Units are Federal Drug Enforcement Agency-approved locations for dispensing methadone, vivitrol and suboxone for people interested in medication-assisted treatment services for addiction. The first mobile medical unit in Bellingham started operating in January and is located on Division Street. 

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City & County

Whatcom transit riders could see fares increase next year

By DuPree Nugent | December 3

Whatcom Transit Authority has proposed increasing bus fare prices in response to rising operating costs and will seek board approval later this winter.

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City & County

Port approves lease to install solar panels on Fisherman’s Pavilion

By DuPree Nugent | November 18

The Port of Bellingham approved a lease agreement with Puget Sound Energy on Oct. 21 to install a solar array on the Fisherman’s Pavilion roof at Squalicum Harbor as part of a community solar program.

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City & County

Whatcom County Artists of Clay and Kiln’s ceramics studio tour returns for a fifth year

By Sophia Jellinghaus | November 12

2025 marks the 5th year of WACK’s studio tour. On Nov. 15 and 16 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., multiple studio locations in Bellingham, Ferndale and Lynden will open their doors to the public, inviting guests to peruse artists’ clay creations and attend ceramics demonstrations. 

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City & County

Crowds gather, chants echo at ‘No Kings’ protests in Bellingham

By Brodey O’Brien , Adah Bassok and Janessa Bates | October 27

It was the second nationwide demonstration in the movement against what the No Kings organizers were calling “chaos, corruption, and cruelty.” 

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City & County

City of Bellingham introduces new 0.1% sales tax, which begins early 2026

By Adah Bassok | October 21

David Brauhn, the city of Bellingham’s assistant communications and community relations director, said that the state allows cities to use funds from this sales tax for a broad range of public safety-related purposes.