Whatcom

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City & County

Fairhaven fundraiser brings community closer together

By William Morton | February 8

On the third floor of the historic Fairhaven Mason Block building, a small room is filled with art. The oak-colored floors are warm with footsteps as people gather, sharing stories and hugs. Megan Velthuizen, a local Bellingham artist, lost all but one of her original art pieces in the Dec. 16, 2023 fire that ravaged the historic Fairhaven Terminal Building. 

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City & County

Mount Baker postpones the 36th Annual Legendary Banked Slalom

By Valeria Molina | February 2

Mount Baker’s 36th Annual Legendary Banked Slalom will be postponed to 2025, the website announced Thursday, Feb. 1. The heavy decision came after a disappointing snow condition forecast, said Amy Trowbridge, Mount Baker marketing manager. 

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City & County

Free First Fridays at the Whatcom Museum

By William Morton | February 1

Aiming to engage and connect the Bellingham community, the Whatcom Museum is now hosting a plethora of events on the first Friday of every month, all for free. 

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City & County

NEKO Cat Cafe in Bellingham hosts cat yoga

By Janisa Cook | February 1

Cats dance around participants' heads as they move through a relaxing yoga sequence. Moving from downward dog to a forward fold, participants are guided by an instructor as soft indie music plays in the background.  

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City & County

What State Street Bar closure means for loyal patrons and community

By Eleanor Peterson | January 31

State Street Bar has been closed after a fire damaged the building; the closure has elicited attention and concern in the Bellingham community.  

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City & County

Extreme weather causes power outage at Elevate Bellingham apartments

By Jordan Brotamonte | January 31

Amid freezing temperatures and harsh winds on Jan. 11, 2024, a power line exploded, sparks flying everywhere. The situation worsened when a pipe burst, leaving Elevate Bellingham without water for more than 19 hours and without heat and electricity for 40 hours, according to the emails sent to residents.

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City & County

Bellingham School District to observe Treaty Day in honor of Pacific Northwest Indigenous history

By Mia Limmer-Lai | January 30

“What do you already know and what questions do you still have about the Treaty of Point Elliott?” asked Kirsten Jensen, an instructional coach at the Bellingham School District, to a class of fourth and fifth graders at Happy Valley Elementary on Nov. 20, 2023. 

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City & County

How Bellingham is working to create consistency in the housing market

By Franny Vollert | January 30

Amidst a housing crisis, the City of Bellingham’s Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program is undergoing new improvements, with potentially positive implications for new renters. 

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City & County

Bellingham’s oldest brewery puts regularly scheduled tours on tap

By Ethan Blanchard | January 23

Starting on Wednesday, Jan. 24, and recurring each month this year, Bellingham’s self-proclaimed longest-operating brewery, Boundary Bay, will allow its patrons to register for tours that showcase the process behind making house-crafted beers. 

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City & County

Ragefest kicks off Bellingham’s newest magazine

By Nate Landi | January 16

With the release of their first issue, “The Rage” magazine held a celebratory community event, dubbed “Ragefest,” at The Blue Room on Friday, Jan. 12. The event featured live bands, vendors and the first copies of “The Rage.” 

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City & County

Bellingham housing has students' heads spinning. Could a map be the cure?

By Alex Hodson | December 19

Mold behind that bookshelf? Maintenance not returning your messages? Being in a college town, students are often inexperienced renters, and therefore concerns about exploitation are serious. 

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City & County

A safer downtown Bellingham

By Sophie Cadran | December 18

While patrolling and aiding downtown Bellingham, Safety Ambassadors support the houseless community and create a safe and clean environment. 

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City & County

Fostering connection through recreation

By Maria Kallerson | December 18

From the bay to the surrounding mountains, foothills and lakes, one of the biggest draws of Bellingham is its access to a variety of outdoor recreation options. 

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City & County

Whatcom Museum's permanent exhibit showcases new Indigenous art and history

By Evan Riley | December 18

The “People of the Sea and Cedar: A Journey Through the Tribal Cultures and History of the Northwest Coast” exhibition at the Whatcom Museum is being updated to better tell the history of the Northwest Coast people. 

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City & County

Moratorium extended to protect Lake Whatcom’s water quality

By Jenna Millikan | December 18

The Bellingham City Council extended the moratorium limiting development in the Silver Beach neighborhood by six months to protect the water quality of Lake Whatcom. 

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City & County

BRIEF: Road2Home opens new winter shelter that offers nightly accommodations

By Hayden Knoedler | December 18

Road2Home opened its third winter shelter at Civic Stadium on Dec. 1, 2023, and it offers nightly housing, unlike its previous winter shelters. 

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City & County

BRIEF: Silent reading time, but for adults

By Logan Schreiber | December 18

Book clubs give a sense of community, but the pressure to finish a certain book by a specific time can make some wary of joining an organized book club. 

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City & County

BRIEF: Tensions rise at neighborhood meeting with ABC Recycling

By Hayden Knoedler | December 18

A crowd exceeding Squalicum Boathouse’s capacity of 100 guests was spilling out of each of its doors in lines, listening in on ABC Recycling’s neighborhood meeting on Dec. 5, 2023. 

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City & County

It’s time to take those old CDs off the shelf

By Aubrey Black | December 17

In the age of music streaming, CDs are making a comeback. Gen Z is flocking to thrift stores and record shops to find their favorite albums in physical form. 

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City & County

BRIEF: Roll through the cold months

By Logan Schreiber | December 16

After an open roller skate event thrown by Whatcom Roller Skaters in Lynden took place this summer, Rosa Caldwell and co-worker Billy Reeves were inspired. With no roller skating venues in Bellingham, Caldwell knew she wanted to create a place in town for when the sun stopped shining.