Following the discovery of nearly 400 dead or sick geese at Wiser Lake, three miles southwest of Lynden off Highway 539, the Whatcom County Health Department is warning residents about a potential bird flu outbreak.
Winter in Bellingham can reach temperatures below freezing, and a winter coat is imperative to brave the outdoors. Members of the International Association of Fire Fighters Local 106 have teamed up with Operation Warm, a national nonprofit that manufactures brand-new, high-quality coats and shoes for children in need. Their goal is to help families this winter by raising money to buy winter coats for students at Custer Elementary School.
Western Washington University’s Wellness and Counseling Center is hosting a monthly workshop event called “Growing Wellness” between the months of October and May, with the workshops taking place on the second Wednesday of each month (excluding December). These workshops focus on the well-being of students while also allowing students to be more connected with nature using horticulture therapy practices.
A new tea shop with a twist has opened in the Sunnyland neighborhood at 2025 James St., #103. The shop is inspired by the tabletop game, Dungeons and Dragons, and the space caters to those who play. The shop has tea and game accessories.
After a months-long national search, Western Washington University has selected Katy Potts as the new chief of the University Police. The announcement was made on Oct. 31, and Potts will begin her new position in the new year.
South College Drive at the southern end of Western Washington University’s campus is getting a makeover. Its median, which runs the length of the road, is being removed in favor of 131 angled parking spaces on the northbound side.
Staying active and getting out of your room during the winter in Bellingham can be challenging — especially if you aren’t accustomed to the cold, rain and early-setting sun.
Bellingham is starting to see a new wave of tattoo artists arrive as this generation moves toward a not-so-traditional tattoo experience — which might be exactly what is needed in the tattoo industry today.
Western Washington University issued a Western Alert on Saturday, Nov. 19, informing students of a violent and racist message sent to students in three courses via Canvas. Western later revealed that the message targeted Black students.
Starbucks workers at Sehome, Cordata and Iowa and King Street locations went on strike on Thursday, Nov. 17 as a result of chronic understaffing and Starbucks’ refusal to bargain with union organizers. Bellingham Starbucks locations were joined in solidarity by over 100 stores throughout the country.
Babygreens celebrated the grand opening of their new location at 915 Harris Ave. on Oct. 29. The plant shop was previously in downtown Bellingham on West Chestnut Street. Owner Nick Meza said he had been planning to relocate to Fairhaven for a couple of years leading up to the move.
“Volcanic Reflections” uses a vast range of percussion instruments played by the Western Washington University Percussion Orchestra to take listeners on an exciting musical journey. On Nov. 18, students and Bellingham residents can escape the cold winter weather and embark on a journey into a foreign, fiery landscape.
The Career Services Center and the Disability Access Center have collaborated to make Western Washington University career fairs more accessible by implementing an Early Access Hour. Inclusive spaces were held for participants for the first time at the Career and Internship Fair on Oct. 21 and again at the recent Technology and Engineering Career and Internship Fair on Nov. 3.
With winter right around the corner, a Bellingham organization is doing its part to feed members of the community with hot meals and create a welcoming environment for anyone who needs it.
Music is a competitive industry to get started in, especially in the new age of digital media and short form content. Successful Bellingham musicians and employees gave their insight into what sets the failing artists apart from the winners, and what it takes to make a sustainable living.
Owen Donnelly wakes up at 7:30 a.m., makes some instant oatmeal for breakfast, brushes his teeth, puts on his rain jacket and heads to his 8 a.m. class. He showers after class, has a snack and after his last class of the day, he makes himself some pasta and goes to study on Western’s campus before heading back home at 11 p.m. to go to bed.
A group of Western Washington University students focused on menstrual health advocacy will set up a table and operate a period cramp simulator in Red Square on Thursday, Nov. 17, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. The group will give any willing volunteers a chance to test their limits with the simulator and will also be accepting cash donations to help buy menstrual products for Bellingham’s YWCA.
The Sehome Starbucks filed with the National Labor and Relations Board on Oct. 17, making it one of over 300 Starbucks locations across the U.S. that have begun unionizing. Currently, around 250 stores have completed the process. This past summer, the Iowa and King streets, and Cordata locations officially unionized. Starbucks employees, often called partners, cited harsh working conditions, low wages and unrealistic company standards as some of the reasons behind wanting to unionize.
Oct. 31 marked the opening of Western Washington University’s first multi-stall gender-neutral bathroom, a 10-stall facility located on the main floor of the Haggard Hall side of the library, room 241. Since 2016, Western has been expanding the accessibility of gender-neutral restrooms across campus, and single-occupancy gender-neutral restrooms are now in the majority of buildings on campus.
Whether it’s streaming from a phone, laptop or TV in a dorm, unwinding after class by binge-watching the latest season of the hottest new show is second-nature to many students. Before this year, students living on-campus have been able to access live Xfinity channels and HBO through a service included in housing fees. The Xfinity-on-Campus service was a tiered service for students living on campus but what was offered varied from where you were watching.
Solutions by The State News
