City seeks balance: housing needs and forest benefits

May 5, 2023
Clifford Heberden

Bellingham faces the challenge of building homes to meet housing needs while preserving trees for public and environmental health.

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Addressing priorities in public safety

December 2, 2022
Bellingham City Council Public Safety Committee 2022

Commentary: Bellingham’s challenges are in recruiting and retaining police officers, not lack of funding.

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Will mitigation banking offset loss of valued wetlands?

August 24, 2022
Kai Uyehara

Protection of sensitive Whatcom County wetlands may be enhanced, with approval of next steps toward a proposal for 608 acres in mitigation banking.

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New parking rules on as Bellingham struggles with enforcement

April 28, 2022
Matt Benoit

New parking rules—and fees—take effect May 1, but enforcement resources are low.

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City of Bellingham police chief hiring process — success or flop?

April 14, 2022
Riveters Collective Justice System Committee

A local civic action group is hoping Bellingham’s next police chief will work to strengthen community cohesion and be transparent and accountable to the public.

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Hope isn’t a strategy: Bellingham again seeks a new police chief

February 2, 2022
Mike Sato

The City of Bellingham has renewed its search for a new police chief, and aims to choose from a short list of finalists by this summer.

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Whatcom County to consider climate change goals in delay of natural gas franchise renewal

October 28, 2021
Mallory Biggar

The Whatcom County Council voted to reschedule until early January a decision renewing a franchise agreement with Cascade Natural Gas, following testimony by climate activists regarding the franchise’s effect on climate change goals — and after spirited discussion among council members.

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Homelessness, fossil fuels, food deserts: primary candidates face the issues in Bellingham, Whatcom forums

July 30, 2021
Mike Sato

Candidates in the 2021 primary election for Bellingham city and Whatcom county council positions answered questions on topics from homelessness to fossil fuel in forums hosted by he League of Women Voters of Bellingham-Whatcom County.

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Search for new police chief surfaces questions about transparency and the public’s role

June 23, 2021
Stella Harvey

As the City of Bellingham, city council and the newly formed Racial Equity Commission seek to address systemic racism in and out of policing, some community members looking to engage in the selection process for a new police chief in good faith have raised questions about the city’s commitment to transparency.

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photo: Amy Nelson © 2020

Former Public Market on fast track for refit as emergency shelter

July 9, 2020
Max Brunt

The City of Bellingham, Whatcom County and Lighthouse Mission Ministries are working to meet a July 15 deadline for refurbishing the former Public Market building at 1530 Cornwall Avenue into a “Base Camp” facility that can provide adequate care for area residents needing housing that enables following social distancing guidelines.

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photo: Amy Nelson © 2020

Solidarity rally, Cornwall landfill, Cherry Point occupy local officials during the week ending June 12

June 11, 2020
Mike Sato

City officials praised organizers and participants of Bellingham’s Peaceful Solidarity Rally on June 6 at Maritime Heritage Park, in one of several local government meetings last week.

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photo: Amy Nelson © 2020

Economic recovery, shrinking local budgets, Cherry Point moratorium in the news for the week of May 29

May 29, 2020
Mike Sato

Economic recovery, a shrinking budget and the Cherry Point fossil-fuel shipping moratorium were among topics discussed by Whatcom County and City of Bellingham councils this week.

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photo: City of Bellingham © 2020

In-person comment is out, for now: local governments adapt to life under COVID

May 1, 2020
Stella Harvey

City and county councils and commissions across Washington state are finding new ways to conduct their public meetings since Gov. Jay Inslee issued the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order March 23, requiring local governing bodies to temporarily halt their in-person meetings.

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