Community Voices
League chapters, media keep the focus on local news
Commentary: Bringing home the lesson of local news and the police raid on the Marion County Record
Saving the Samish Crest
Commentary: The trails and views overlooking Bellingham toward the west can and should be saved for people.
One Whatcom forms local network to counter violence and racial intolerance
Commentary: In a gathering last Saturday, the human rights group One Whatcom supported the local Jewish community against rising antisemitism.
Only in a society separated from nature does ‘Rights of Nature’ make sense
Commentary: There are many ways to interpret the idea of the “rights of nature” — so many layers that most of us can forget that we are nature.
The dynamics of the ‘rights of nature’ issue
Commentary: The “rights of nature” issue is a dynamic balance among the rights of voiceless forms of life, the idea of “ownership,” the common welfare, and human happiness in nature and grief for its loss.
The old-fashioned ‘new politics’ of civic activist Jack Delay
Commentary: A colleague takes a memorial look at a life-long activist whose career culminated in the co-founding and success of Communitywise Bellingham.
Use unleaded fuel at Bellingham International Airport
Commentary: “Lead emissions from aircraft engines that operate on leaded fuel cause or contribute to air pollution that may reasonably be anticipated to endanger public health and welfare.” — EPA
Homeless by choice
Commentary: Bobby Joe, the Singing Hillbilly, has stories, songs and jewelry to share.
Loss of palliative care is a community’s loss
Commentary: More than 100 current patients and all possible future eligible patients stand to lose palliative care when PeaceHealth closes its outpatient palliative program.
Outpatient palliative care program unfortunately unsustainable
Commentary: Insurance reimbursement levels and rising costs across all service lines led to PeaceHealth’s decision to end its comprehensive outpatient palliative program and restructure to continue to “provide the essential components of the program.”
Earth Day 2023: A frank look at where we are
Commentary: Just as in 1970, we are at another major reckoning point in our relationship to our home planet.
Affordable Whatcom broadband is on the way
Commentary: Whatcom agencies are moving forward on affordable fiber-optic broadband for all.
Can we prevent homelessness?
Commentary: There are many reasons people become homeless — can it be prevented? Unequivocally, yes, says one close observer. Housing and income play into the complex causes.
Donating a kidney is a life-affirming experience
Commentary: Kidney donation was simply “the right thing to do”: a donor tells her story.
An unfortunate change of plans
Commentary: Jo Ann, who with her dog, Mouse, moved from her RV to a tiny-home village, suffered a massive stroke which paralyzed her entire left side.
Southeast Alaska troll fishery has deep local ties
Commentary:
Shutting down Southeast Alaska’s troll fishery will not stave off the decline of local orca and salmon populations — but it will have devastating effects on hundreds of fishing families and businesses.