Campus
BREAKING: WAWU operational student employees go on strike
By Hailey LeRoy , Jae Ranney and George Cox | May 28Editor's note: This is a developing story. Check back for more updates.
Jae Ranney
Jae Ranney (they/them) is a second-year journalism major and city news reporter for The Front this quarter, having previously worked in campus news. When they're not chasing a lede or hounding you for a quote, they enjoy playing guitar, banjo, and drumming in a few local bands. You can reach them at jaeranney.thefront@gmail.com.
City & County
City Council plans policy action to protect transgender community members
By Jae Ranney | May 22At roughly 8:30 p.m. on May 19, Bellingham City Council member Hannah Stone announced the City Council’s plans to discuss a proposed city ordinance that will offer legislative protections to transgender community members, among others.
City & County
Procession of the Species parade returns to Bellingham after five-year hiatus
By Jae Ranney | May 8Bigfoot was wheeled down Grand Avenue on Saturday, May 3, alongside parade-goers dressed as owls, mushrooms, fish and an abundance of other flora and fauna. But don’t worry, this was no illusion – It was Bellingham’s Procession of the Species parade.
City & County
PeaceHealth St. Joseph nurses picket for fair contract in response to workplace treatment
By Jae Ranney and Tori Lehman | May 2Hundreds of community members wearing Washington State Nurses Association shirts filled the sidewalks outside of PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham on Tuesday, April 29. PeaceHealth employees and community members in their blue WSNA wear came together to host informational pickets.
City & County
Supporting queer spaces: Roller Betties’ “Lord of the Rinks”
By Jae Ranney | April 24Don’t get caught in their path—Look both ways before stepping onto the rink on Saturday, April 26, or the Bellingham Roller Betties might roll right through you!
City & County
BRIEF: Bellingham sees second “Hands Off!” protest of April
By Jae Ranney | April 19The intersection in front of the Federal Building in downtown Bellingham filled up with protestors on April 19 at noon as part of the second “Hands Off!” protest Bellingham has seen in 14 days.
City & County
Bellingham officials weigh proposal to declare city transgender sanctuary status
By Jae Ranney | April 16As the main chamber of Bellingham City Hall quickly reached capacity at 7 p.m. Monday, April 14, security guided the overflow of attendees to view the meeting via livestream in the mayor’s boardroom. In both the chamber and the boardroom, transgender community members and allies — dressed in funeral attire — showed up en masse, imploring the city council to pass a resolution declaring Bellingham a transgender sanctuary city.
Campus
Grasshopper discovered in food at Viking Commons
By Adeline Roesler-Begalke and Jae Ranney | March 13A grasshopper was found in a student’s food in the Viking Commons at Western Washington University on Feb. 23, 2025.
Campus
The word is Miyawaki: WWU restoration program plants biodiverse mini-forest on campus
By Jae Ranney | March 12In fall 2023, Western Washington University’s Learning, Environment, Action and Discovery (LEAD) restoration group began restoring a portion of Western’s forested north campus using the unique Miyawaki planting method.
Campus
Western student leads petition to save 37-year-old international programs
By Jae Ranney | February 11The same night that Jules Toney’s professor told her that Western Washington University’s Intensive English Program (IEP) and Asia University America Program (AUAP) were being discontinued, Toney created a petition asking Western to save these programs.
