News

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City & County

Fairhaven rolls out railroad quiet zone; next stop, Waterfront

By Tori Lehman | April 21

It only takes a few hours in Bellingham to notice the sounds of trains rolling past. The minimum and maximum volume for train horns are regulated by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, which requires horns to sound at 96 dB to 110 dB – at its quietest, the sound is comparable to a power mower, and at its loudest, a live rock concert.  

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City & County

Bellingham officials weigh proposal to declare city transgender sanctuary status

By Jae Ranney | April 16

As 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. 

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Campus

Viking Union Gallery set to close Fall 2025

By Madelyn Jones and Natalie Brown | April 8

Western Washington University’s Viking Union Gallery will close fall quarter of 2025 and be repurposed to house the La Plaza Latine Student Center. This decision comes from Melynda Huskey, Vice President of Student Affairs at Western.

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City & County

NWCAA receives 15 proposals from organizations seeking its grant

By Steven Colson | April 8

A total of 15 proposals were submitted by 14 organizations in response to the Northwest Clean Air Agency’s request for proposals, or RPF. The RFP offers $3.5 million in total funding for up to three projects. The RFP called for projects that would provide clear, tangible and positive benefits to local communities. 

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News

WWU responds to federal threats to DEI

By Josh Hernandez | March 10

In a Feb. 15 “Dear Colleague” letter, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) directed preschool, elementary, secondary and postsecondary educational institutions, as well as state educational agencies across the country to comply with existing civil rights law and the Supreme Court’s 2023 decision in Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard (SFFA). The decision deemed racial preferences in college admissions to be unlawful.

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City & County

Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship works to fill marine service technician shortage

By Hope Rasa | November 7

The Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation’s Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship is helping to fill a hole in the maritime industry. The four-year apprenticeship has three levels, each costing $1500 tuition. The program contains 12 subjects, including math, design and business practices.

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Campus

BRIEF: WWU’s Great Puzzle Hunt returns to campus for eighth anniversary

By Madeline Thielman | April 4

On April 20, 2024, the eighth annual Great Puzzle Hunt will take place at Western Washington University, attracting hundreds of participants. The event is free and open to all with teams of up to six players, with four to six being recommended. 

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City & County

Q&A: Bellingham History Tours with Good Time Girls

By Isabella Vandaveer | April 2

The Good Time Girls are a group of women who offer engaging and entertaining historical walking tours in Bellingham, suitable for both locals and tourists. Focusing on diverse individuals, their tours provide a unique perspective on the city's past.  

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City & County

Bellingham’s top crimes cut by over 50% since 2022

By Ethan Blanchard | March 30

Bellingham’s two most frequent high-profile crimes, vandalism and theft, have seen a major decline by over half of monthly occurrences since March of 2022, according to local police and the city’s crime tracker. 

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City & County

One pint at a time: Bellingham breweries and Habitat for Humanity team up to build homes

By Valeria Molina | March 30

Nine local breweries in Bellingham, Washington have joined Habitat for Humanity in their fundraising efforts towards building homes for families in Whatcom County.  

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City & County

Why bike in Bellingham?

By Eleanor Peterson | March 30

For many in Bellingham, driving a car to get where we need to go feels like an everyday necessity. However, there are many who choose biking as an alternative. But why bike? Is it only out of necessity?

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Campus

Q&A: Women’s History Month: University clubs driving for change

By Madeline Thielman | March 30

Across the world, March is Women’s History Month. To celebrate, we spoke to leaders from two on-campus clubs at Western Washington University, Lavender Menaces and the Professional Women’s Association, and asked them for their perspectives on women’s issues today. 

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City & County

Q&A: Susan Purves, Pickford’s executive director

By Eleanor Peterson | March 27

The Pickford Film Center, an independent cinema located in downtown Bellingham, is expanding to a second location at 105 Grand Ave. 

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City & County

A team sport similar to rugby but on wheels

By Cameron Gruen | March 26

Most team sports involve running or some sort of leg movement, but gangball doesn’t. This sport is played on wheelchairs and your arms have to do all the work. 

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City & County

Immigration Advisory Board officially suspended after third and final city vote

By Franny Vollert | March 26

At Bellingham’s City Council meeting on Monday, Feb.19, the last item on the agenda was a final vote from the council to suspend future meetings of the Immigration Advisory Board.  

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Campus

Connecting generations of LGBTQ+ individuals through food and storytelling

By Julia Larson | March 23

Generations of Pride is a monthly dinner that aims to connect generations of LGBTQ+ individuals in Bellingham. Generations of Pride is hosted by LGBTQ+ Western, PFLAG and Bellingham Queer Collective.The event carries the goal of sharing experiences and wisdom across all generations of LGBTQ+ people. 

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City & County

CDC drops five-day isolation guidelines

By Joshua Kornfeld | March 22

On March 1 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention dropped the five-day COVID-19 isolation guidelines. Now when people test positive for COVID-19 they can resume everyday activities without isolating if their symptoms are improving and they are fever-free for at least 24 hours, according to new CDC guidelines.  

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City & County

BRIEF: Bellingham Public Library will host a salmon send off on March 30

By Halley Buxton | March 21

Once holding pink eggs that blended with the gravel, the library’s tank is now filled with the silver of small darting fish. After nearly two months of growing amongst story times and curious community members, the salmon are ready to be released. 

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Campus

Chartwells opens Smoothie Lab and promises further improvements

By Xander Johnson | March 21

Chartwells opened a new dining location called Smoothie Lab in the Wade King Recreation Center at Western Washington University on March 4. The Smoothie Lab serves açaí bowls and smoothies. 

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City & County

BRIEF: Bellingham Plan survey identifies housing accessibility as top priority

By Eleanor Peterson | March 21

Community Vision Survey results were published by the City of Bellingham in February, providing a framework of important challenges and priorities for the Bellingham Plan to address.