Whatcom Watch

Compiled by Bill McCallum from information on the Washington Secretary of State and the state Public Disclosure Commission websites and information from the Whatcom County Auditor’s website, with thanks to Rebecca Rouse in the Whacom County Auditor’s office for additional … Continue reading →

Whatcom Water Works To the Editor: Thank you for Liam Walsh’s informative survey article in August, “Nooksack River Adjudication Story.” As indicated in the article, the important work for us now is to address the many water supply issues that adjudication will not address. And, there is a lot more to that story, beyond the article’s scope; here’s a further sampling. I am a member of Water for Whatcom (https://waterforwhatcom.

Community Service Spotlight Bellingham’s Streets Could Be Next by Jamin Agosti In the spring of 2024, Paris’ deputy mayor for transportation announced something nobody would have bet on just a decade earlier: bicycles had overtaken cars. Parisians had made a huge shift, choosing a bike for 11 percent of trips and their car for just 4 percent. Paris didn’t get there by accident, and it didn’t get there because Parisians are uniquely bent on two-wheeled transportation.

Native Plant Neighbors by Eric Worden “April showers bring May flowers.” This saying originates from the UK, which has a climate similar to our area. The saying is certainly true for us, and many nature enthusiasts in our area love May, with its explosion of wildflowers, and they even schedule day trips and vacations to visit regional wildflower fields. It is now autumn, though, when people are thinking less about flowers and more about berries and seeds, and maybe one last visit to the beach.

“When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the area of man’s concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of existence. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses.” — John F.

Beaks and Bills photo: Joe Meche Great horned owl by Joe Meche As Cindy and I prepare for a Monday morning departure on our annual fall trip to the east side of the Cascade Crest, I’d like to share these short clips about two of my favorite places to spend time, gleaned after numerous visits in the past 49 years as a Bellinghamster. I visited them over the past two weeks on a pair of short junkets just to scratch an itch to get out.

photo: Whatcom Land Trust staff Whatcom Land Trust staff and volunteers support Rand Jack on a hike to see the Canyon Lake old-growth forest again. by Claire Johnston In 1998, negotiations over protecting Canyon Lake Community Forest with trees over 1,000 years old hit an obstacle. The land was held by a timber company, the cost of the conservation deal was huge, and the County Council wasn’t sold on the project.

Climate Good News Around the world people are taking the initiative to mitigate climate change. Here are some good news briefs compiled and summarized by Jayne Freudenberger, climate committee chair, League of Women Voters of Bellingham-Whatcom County. Good News in Small Bites The world now has 280 million electric bikes and mopeds, and they’re cutting far more oil demand than the 20 million or so electric cars.

Being Frank by Ed Johnstone After sounding the alarm for decades about the need to manage outsized populations of pinnipeds, the treaty tribes are encouraged by a bipartisan bill to amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and are grateful for the collaborative effort from cosponsors Reps. Baumgartner (RWA05) and Randall (D-WA06) to support salmon recovery.

Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) resists reconsidering its unfair fare hike; a new advocacy group, the Whatcom Transit Riders United (WTRU) wants to pressure it to do so. by Preston L.