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.
Budget cuts have been a part of Western’s academic life recently. Twenty positions were eliminated in June, including the entire administrative division of Student Affairs, with most student services continuing under the Office of the Provost.
A student senator at Western Washington University is creating more low-sensory rooms to improve accessibility for neurodivergent students. A pilot room will be available by the end of fall quarter in Miller Hall 150.
At Western Washington University, a student-run boxing club is giving women and nonbinary students an on-campus space to throw punches, talk through their feelings and build community in a supportive environment.
Western’s Basic Needs Resource Navigator, Gina Ebbeling, said that the WHOLE pantry’s number of visitors has quadrupled since last academic year. Though she thinks part of that increase is awareness of the pantry and its outreach efforts, the primary driver of increased pantry use is the rise in living expenses.
Western Washington University's first pop culture magazine, devoted to uplifting Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) voices on campus, had its official launch on Oct. 25th, 2025.
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.
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.
Whatcom Transit Authority has proposed increasing bus fare prices in response to rising operating costs and will seek board approval later this winter.
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.
In 2025, Region O for the Intercollegiate Dressage Association was established, making it possible for Western Washington University to participate in the IDA and begin its dressage team from scratch.
Shredding through heaps of snow, trees and drops is a regular occurrence for Western Washington University’s Freeride Ski and Snowboard team. The sport tests the limits of each athlete as they maneuver through all the features a mountain offers during competitions.
On Jan. 1, 2026, the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce hopes to bring a world record to Whatcom County as they host an attempt to break the record for the largest Polar Bear Dip in the world.
Sehome Unified sports program forges a legacy of inclusivity in culture and the community. The program has established an environment that provides access to competitive sports, while still creating bonds, empathy and understanding within sports.
Many of the myths surrounding SNAP are fueled by the belief that people in poverty cannot be trusted to spend responsibly and should “pull themselves up by their bootstraps.” This rhetoric, perpetuated and associated with American individualism and meritocracy, ignores the fact that millions of households are struggling to cover the rising cost of food.
As ballots were cast and deadlines closed for the General and Special Elections on Nov. 4th, it wasn’t just another busy stretch for students on Western Washington University’s campus — it was the final push before Election Day.
The Whatcom Transportation Authority proposed a fare increase to buses in the county, raising prices from $1 to $2. While this would be the first increase since 2008, there’s concern over what this change could mean for riders.
With rising tuition costs, students are being forced to think more critically about their future and if they’re the right fit for a college setting. There is not one learning style that fits all, and it’s important to assess if the college schedule is meant for you.
Solutions by The State News
