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Campus

One dorm’s trash is another dorm’s treasure

By Gray Pendell Jones

As part of Western Washington University Residence Association’s “Go for the Green” initiative, a campus Thrift Swap event will take place in Alma Clark Glass Hall 452 on Thursday, April 23 from 4 to 6 p.m. The Thrift Swap invites students to bring and exchange items they no longer have use for, promotes sustainable ideals of community recycling and offers free food and eco-advice. 

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Opinion

Continue eating local in Bellingham

By Rowan Braeckel | April 22

Support from Bellingham community members is vital to keeping local restaurants alive. It's time to direct all of our support exclusively to locally owned eateries and combat the ever-growing expansion of chains.

Western

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Western's new building and how it will affect the campus

By Gabriel Townsend | April 16

Western Washington University is putting in a new building on the south side of campus that will serve as a welcome center and student resource facility. Construction started at the beginning of spring quarter and is slated to take 18 months, with completion not expected until fall quarter of 2027.

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Students and faculty join together to talk about AI

By Noelle Reger | March 21

The skies are getting hazier each day in Memphis, Tennessee, as the world’s largest supercomputer, Elon Musk’s Colossus, drinks up water and spits out pollutants. Large data centers use lots of energy and can consume 5 million gallons of water per day to cool down their computers. More big data centers are being built to keep up with the growth of artificial intelligence, which increases the risk of data centers tapping into freshwater supplies. 

Local News

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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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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.  

Sports Recreation

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Five new inductees enter the WWU Athletic Hall of Fame

By Caitlin Grygorcewicz | March 6

On Jan. 29, 2026, Western Washington University held a celebration of not just athletic achievements, but the relationships and history that defines Viking athletics as a whole. Coaches, former athletes, families and supporters gathered at Carver Gym in Bellingham, Wash. to honor the newest batch of Hall of Fame inductees: Wade Gebers, Cim Hanson, Marc Hill, Herm Nelson and Mike Palm.

Opinion

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OPINION: There’s no such thing as being ‘too old’ for college

By Raleigh Nolan | March 9

The first time I enrolled at Western Washington University in 2019, I was freshly out of high school, homesick, unfocused and unmedicated. I flew home for spring break at 18 years old. I wouldn’t return to Western as a student until I was 23. COVID-19 wrecked what I thought my college experience was going to look like, leaving me dejected and without motivation for years.  

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OPINION: Solidarity against ICE must be multifaceted, thorough, and compassion-driven

By Rosalie Johnson | March 7

 The words “otro mundo es posible” are painted onto a quilted tapestry banner that hangs on Community to Community’s front window. Adorned with strawberries and roses, it is a form of artful protest that reminds those who pass by that another world is possible. The organization — dedicated to the intersection of farmworker rights, immigrant rights, climate justice and democratic participation — has been working toward community solidarity and a response to ICE’s increased presence in Whatcom and Skagit counties. In doing so, a definition of solidarity has developed.

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OPINION: Tell your friends when they deserve better

By Rosalie Johnson | March 2

Much like exam anxiety or Sunday morning hangovers, messy dating is a disconcerting reality for many college students. In navigating these relationships, we learn through trial and error: what is fun and what is not, and who we should or should not be with.

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