With warming temperatures and a departure from the rainy winter months, Whatcom County finds itself entering prime fishing season once again. Starting April 25, the season officially begins, with seasonal lake openings and lifted fishing restrictions.
Customers line up to study the new, quirky labels on the flavor board, choosing between familiar favorites and combinations they've never tried before. The shop has created over 700 unique flavors in its career, and continues to make new flavors each month.
Every two years, Western Washington University’s art department comes together to put on a gallery celebrating the artwork made by faculty and staff. For the 2026 biennial, 20 artists were featured in the exhibit, with works ranging from paintings, photography and sculptures to videos and installations.
Out of the 118 players selected nationwide for the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Division II Player of the Year Watchlist, two come from the same program. At Western Washington University, third baseman Maleah Andrews and shortstop Hailey Rath have earned national recognition and helped to elevate the Vikings’ softball program.
The sun is finally emerging from its seven-month hibernation, defrosting Washingtonians' winter slump. Spring quarter can feel like a fresh start, a reset. The idea of a “spring reset” could be an opportunity for a real change, or just a seasonal illusion that's hard to maintain.
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.
All lanes of northbound Interstate 5 opened after nearly a month-long closure from March 19 to April 15 due to a large-scale landslide blocking a four-mile stretch of the highway. The shutdown, between mileposts 248 and 249, comes after two other road closures in Whatcom County — one in February for Mount Baker Highway due to atmospheric rivers, and one in April 2025 for Chuckanut Drive due to landslides.
The case of approximately 25 skinned canine carcasses that recently washed ashore on Guemes Island in Skagit County last week has been uncovered. According to the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office, a veterinary forensics team concluded the dead canines were foxes.
About a hundred students and community members surrounded Fisher Fountain on Thursday, April 16, at 2 p.m. for a protest led by WWU Divest Apartheid Coalition, a student political organization against Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. The protest was against “Triggered: The Ceaseless Tour,” an event held by Students Supporting Israel that invited Israeli reserve soldiers to speak on campus. Several speakers condemned the university’s compliance with the event despite students' concerns.The event was originally planned to be hosted on campus, but was relocated off campus to the Stateside student housing apartments in downtown Bellingham the day of due to security concerns. Organizers were told by university officials that they could not guarantee the safety of the event.
Bellingham City Council unanimously passed a resolution that called for an end to “lawless” immigration enforcement in a “moment of fear, grief, anger, and uncertainty” on Feb. 23, 2026.
Mt. Baker Ski Area wrapped up its 2025-26 ski season on April 19, and skiers and snowboarders from the Bellingham area were eager to get their final turns in before lifts closed for the summer.
The Western Washington University women’s basketball team took on Western Oregon University in the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Championships semifinals Friday, March 6, at WECU Court at Carver Gym in front of a home crowd of 1,127 fans.
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.
Western Washington Women’s basketball defeated Seattle Pacific University 72-43 in their second-to-last regular season game on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026.
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.
Who is the Red Square Preacher? His street preaching tactics cause a divide in opinion among Western students.
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.
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.
Solutions by The State News
