Public Health
Ice jams, snow melt, king tide combine in Marietta flood deluge
A small community along Marine Drive living mostly in RVs has braved seasonal inundation, ready to move at a moment’s notice — until caught by surprise.
Hamlet House: keeping seniors in the community
Is nonprofit Hamlet House a model for maintaining connections and relationships through lifespans?
After the flood: still rebuilding amid uncertainty, anxiety—and community
A year after flooding devastated the Nooksack Valley, survivors continue working to recover from damages, prepare for future flooding—and wait for government funds and solutions.
Schools aim to lessen concussion damage on and off the field
Athletes and other students are benefiting from new practices for school districts in assessing and dealing with concussions, although challenges still exist.
Wanted: nurses — and nursing educators — as shortage persists
Local hospitals and clinics are struggling along with others across the nation to find enough nurses — as schools look for ways to train more nursing educators.
Flood survivors face next flood season while awaiting long-term fixes
Flood season is coming faster than housing solutions, as recovery from November 2021 flooding continues in Whatcom County.
Some progress but gaps remain in mental health care for Whatcom adolescents
Summer services in the Bellingham and Nooksack Valley school districts aimed to fill gaps with a new option this year: mental health therapy.
Leaded aviation fuel fires decades-long complaint
A Cliffside neighborhood resident is challenging federal, state and local officials including the Port of Bellingham over the use of leaded airplane fuel.
Local policing at recruitment crossroads
Local police departments are adapting to staff and applicant shortages in ways as multifaceted as the reasons behind the trend.
Roe v. Wade reversal prompts questions locally
With bans on abortion rolling out in many states after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it can be difficult to know what to do and what to expect when seeking reproductive health care.
Flood recovery continues in Sumas, seven months on
With both optimism and anxiety about what may lie ahead, Sumas is still in recovery from November’s devastating flooding.
Schools assess safety protocols after shootings, threats
Recent school shootings and threats have renewed concern over safety — and impact on students’ mental health.
Managing waste: what’s in your bins?
China’s 2018 steps back in accepting the world’s throw-aways have resulted in better local systems for managing our millions of tons of waste and recyclables—but more needs to be done.
Masks off, vaxxed, ready to go out … what’s next with COVID-19?
Washington residents won’t be required to wear masks inside many public areas starting March 12. But experts advise not to throw out those masks yet and caution that vulnerable groups are still at high risk of infection from COVID-19.
Skagit sheriff-social-worker partnership is a game-changer in mental health calls
A different approach to how first responders in Skagit County address mental health crises is changing the outcome of behavioral health emergencies and helping people stay out of the hospital or jail.
Blockbuster year for power outages pushes need to plan
Electrical power was out due to severe weather almost three times more hours in 2021 than in 2020 for customers of one of the state’s largest utilities, prompting some customers to look at fallback plans — and for insights as to how outages are managed.