Beach Cat Brewing’s first location opened in 2020 after Jake Gobeille, owner and director of operations, unexpectedly fell in love with the craft. Now he’s opening a second location at 1010 C Street on Bellingham’s Downtown Waterfront. Gobeille is hoping to open this spring, but curating the right culture and environment is crucial: “We have to make sure that when we do open these doors, the city of Bellingham has no choice but to fall in love with…
I started my career in book publishing, working at Bloomsbury in London and publishing my first book over there, but when I moved back to the States I figured I’d have to leave that world behind—the great majority of book publishing is…
Fidalgo Coffee Roasters CEO Darryl Miller loves to talk about two things: coffee and people. I sat down with him at the main roasting facility in Burlington to…
As we peek around the corner into spring weather, it’s the perfect time to replenish your garden with plants “that have evolved and adapted to grow in this area,” says Whatcom Conservation District (WCD) Resource Specialist Emily Hirsch. This year will mark the WCD’s 32nd Annual Native Plant Sale, held in Ferndale, where they will have 41 different species of native plants. Not only are native…
Bellingham Aerial and Dance (B.A.D.) opened in late September 2024 and has already created waves in the arts community. The business idea came to Max Rodzon, the owner and founder of B.A.D., in July—they could tell Bellingham was in need of aerial dance. “There was such a want for it that I was…
Are you an aspiring artist, with all the corresponding hopes and dreams, but without the space to properly create? Luckily for you, the Whatcom Art Center is up and running. Located in the charming neighborhood of Fairhaven, the center boasts three art studios, along with space for pop-ups, meetings, classes, and shows. “We wanted (to be) available to the art community in general so that they have a space at a minimal fee where they can…
After the success of its debut, Paper Whale’s Fire & Story is returning for round two! From Jan. 23-25, this all-ages event will illuminate the darkest nights of the year with four artistic wood-burning fires…
According to the Women’s Sports Foundation, girls are dropping out of sports at twice the rate of boys by age 14; this can be due to factors such as lack of access and social stigma. But team sports have many benefits—development of social…
In the heart of Bellingham, a diverse tapestry of businesses is weaving a narrative of community and compassion. These establishments, from bookstores to breweries, are not only providing goods and services but also actively contributing to the well-being of their community. Village Books and Paper Dreams: A cornerstone of the Bellingham literary scene, Village Books has long been more than just a bookstore. They…
Katherine Freimund is on a mission. As executive director of Whatcom Literacy Council she coordinates numerous activities that assist residents of Whatcom County to read and write…
31 Days of Voting… 127 Business Categories… 77,419 Submissions… 1,006,837 Individual Votes Cast… YOUR 2024 BEST OF THE NORTHWEST RESULTS ARE IN! Check them out below!
Children thrive when their own natural desire to learn and grow is activated. This is something that Silvia Alvarez, founder and executive director of Triumph Teen Life Center, believes in wholeheartedly…
Every year, Blaine’s Community Assistance Program (CAP) gives away hundreds of ready-to-cook Thanksgiving meals. For the last two decades, Shirley Tobian has been a vital part of the process. CAP is a non-profit organization that formed as an outreach of Blaine area churches. They…
The small town of La Conner has been a center for the arts for many years, with its surprising number of galleries and museums. Every November it becomes even more so, when Art’s Alive! makes the town an even greater hotbed…
Children of the Setting Sun Productions started as a Lummi song and dance troupe, formed by Frank Hillaire. Before his passing, he instructed his descendants to “keep my fires burning,” and today Children of the Setting Sun continues under Executive Director Darrell Hillaire as a production…
When you are unabashedly unafraid to create the waves necessary to produce change, you are a force to be reckoned with. At first glance, Marla Chapa’s small frame and brilliant, welcoming smile could deceive you into thinking that she’s not this person. Born and raised in south Texas, Chapa has always been bold. …
E VER NOTICED A boat full of happy people cruising around Bellingham Bay at sunset? Chances are it was a San Juan Cruises outing. Founded in 1987 by Drew Schmidt, the company started out as Gray Line Cruises, doing tours out of Semiahmoo. In 1989 they moved to the Bellingham Ferry Terminal in Fairhaven, continuing their tours to San…
PRIDE MONTH MAY only come once a year—but the Bellingham Queer Collective (BQC) celebrates community and togetherness for the LGBTQ+ folks year-round. The social group has only recently gained nonprofit status in Washington State, and while they already serve an important role in Whatcom County, Founder Michelle Harmeier says they’re just getting started. Harmeier is a former educator, and…
WHETHER YOU’RE KAYAKING the San Juan Islands, rafting the Skagit River, or doing yoga on a paddleboard at Lake Padden, our region’s waters have something to offer everyone. That’s why we’re bringing you a guide to the local resources you…
Q&A with Nia Gipson
Q&A with Owner Patricia Mallett-Edlin of Unique Technique Dance Studio
BBay Running Pub Rubs
Heartful Retreats
Organizations and opportunities to give back to our community.
Gordon Skagit Farms
The Foundation Lounge
Doctober at the Pickford Film Center
JoyRiders Mountain Bike Club
The LIDO Collective
HATS Feature
Q&A
30 Years of the Bellingham Farmers Market
Dunbar Gardens
Northwest Tune-Up
Whatcom Youth Pride
Goat Boat Farm
In honor of Valentine’s Day, you’re invited to enjoy three (very different!) love stories as told by people in your neighborhood. Get comfy and grab a cup of something warm– we hope you enjoy these tales as much as we did.
Missing and murdered Indigenous Women Washington (MMIWW) is a charitable nonprofit that aims to create change and healing for victims, their families, and their communities. They work with government agencies, schools, and law enforcement to ensure that these organizations have the resources to educate and prevent crimes against Indigenous people. They also work to provide support services and resources to help victims and families heal.
The Bellingham Symphony Orchestra’s new concertmaster is Dawn Posey, a violinist who comes from a family of musicians. Posey, who attended her first live concert when she was 10 days old, chose the violin as a child because she thought it looked easy to play. Hindsight, of course, is 20/20. Throughout her childhood, Posey learned under a teacher who used the Suzuki Method. At 13,…
What started as a simple hobby soon blossomed into a full-on business for Marisa Papetti, owner and creator of Marie’s Bees.
When Devin Parks started Are You My Human? Dog Rescue & Lounge in May of 2021, he expected to have an impact on the lives of rescue dogs. What he didn’t anticipate was the effect his business would have on the lives of his customers.
Victim Support Services
Flatstick Pub
Have it all at Barkley Village’s new business complex
Looking for a safe, educational, and fun activity to get your young ones out and about during the pandemic? Look no further than Bellingham Coding + Robotics Club (BCRC).
Plants for All People
Restoration Project on Nooksack Merges Indigenous and Western Knowledge
Kulshan Community Land Trust Pushes Forward in 2021
Bellingham Family Partnership Program Helps Kids Learn from Home
Looking for a Sign?
WACO will leave you seeing stars.
Epic Memorials
Local photographer Lou Nicksic captures the beauty of the great blue heron.
Bellingham Local Jake Riley prepares to go for the gold despite Olympic postponement.
elSage Designs offers local art and products in store and online.
Bow Wow & Woofs offers a pet pantry for owners struggling to feed their pets during the COVID-19 outbreak.
If you’ve ever hiked, biked, or otherwise enjoyed Whatcom County’s scenic splendor, it’s likely the Whatcom Land Trust (WLT) had a hand in protecting it. Or more likely, thousands of hands.
The Historic Hotel Leo gets a modern uplift.
Orcas Island hosts third annual literary festival.
Have you ever been to the Heritage Flight Museum? Learn more about the history behind it, and what’s on the horizon.
Meet Glenn Curtright, the head custodian at Mount Baker Theatre. Here’s some of his favorite stories from behind the curtain.
2020 marks 100 years since the ratification of the 19th amendment, guaranteeing American women the right to vote. Learn a little bit about the amendment’s history as well as how your community is celebrating the centennial.
From veterans experiencing homelessness to hungry children, Wildbird Charity has led the flock in Whatcom County outreach since 2016. Founded by a group of college friends, Wildbird aims to ease the daily struggles of communities in need, while also raising awareness.
No matter your age or experience level, you can channel your inner ninja at Life Force Ninja Gym.
Western Washington University opens new Multicultural Center to celebrate diversity and inclusion on campus
The Guest Brewer’s Brew Pipeline program—a network that assigns different brands of beer to distributors across the country—means better beer for everyone.
In late July, the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District installed ShakeAlert, a pilot system for detecting earthquakes before they occur.
Bay Breeze Restaurant in Birch Bay reopened this past summer, after being severely damaged by a storm surge last December.
With three main tours—Sin and Gin, Gore and Lore, and Bellingham History—Fairhaven’s Good Time Girls know how to bring history alive.
North Corner Brewing Supply—opened in 2000 by Robert Arzoo—sells a range of supplies for new brewers and seasoned professionals alike.
Brad Haggen—whose grandparents, Dorothy and Ben Haggen, co-founded the Haggen grocery store chain in 1933—purchased Skylark’s Hidden Cafe last fall.
What started as a guided biking business, became a nonprofit dedicated to connecting female-identifying individuals to the world of outdoor recreation and to one another.
Bellingham community members celebrate this 4th of July with a KidsZone, beer garden, live music, and of course, fireworks—at Zuanich Point Park.
Rich Appel, of Appel Farms, was awarded the Vim Wight “Building Bridges” award for his efforts to improve water quality in the Nooksack River basin.
Whatcom County Library System is celebrating its 75th anniversary, embarking on a nine-month history preservation project and building a new Bookmobile.
Winter Haven is a tent city behind Bellingham’s City Hall run by HomesNOW! The organization’s president Jim Peterson provides the basics for the residents.
Drifters Fish is a community supported fishery (CSF). Michael and Nelly Hand wanted to connect their customers with sustainably harvested salmon.
Heard Around the Sound: a recipe for skewered salmon & calamari, facts about dark chocolate, and how you can help nonprofits at the Chrysalis Inn & Spa.
The Bellingham Food Bank provides hunger-relief to many in our community. The non-profit is run by executive director Mike Cohen, staff, and 150 volunteers.
Fifty years ago this month, Apollo 8 became the first mission to carry men from Earth’s orbit to the moon. But that’s not all. One of its three crewmen, Bill Anders, now a resident of Anacortes, took the photo, “Earthrise,” from the space capsule window. It became one of the most famous photos ever…
The 31st annual Jingle Bell Run starts at Bellingham High School on Dec. 8. This event raises funds for arthritis research and helps spread awareness.
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association and Whatcom Land Trust are busy maintaining fish habitats along the Nooksack River and educating the community.
The Opportunity Council is a local nonprofit providing services like housing, building job skills, disability assistance, and so much more.
Northwest Youth Services is providing a number of services to help homeless teens in Whatcom County, including housing and mental health services.
A generous donation to Lydia Place will help the local non-profit provide housing for an overlooked population: single fathers and their children in need.
Top male figure skater for the Thailand National Team and Sehome High School Senior, Micah Lynette, prepares for the Winter Olympics in Beijing in 2022.
Eero Johnson helps local residents participate in city-run BTV public access programming.
The North Cascades National Park, or the “American Alps,” contains nearly 400 miles of accessible trails with 94% of the acreage designated as wilderness.
The non-profit organization was founded in 2008 by Celeste Mergens of Lynden who saw the need for feminine hygiene kits while she was working with a family foundation in Kenya.
While many may know The RE Store on Meridian Street for its salvaged building materials and curious odds and ends, the store makes up only one facet of the nonprofits’ impressive agenda. The RE Store is a program of RE Sources for Sustainable…
Many residents in Anacortes are lucky enough to live within walking distance to some of the city’s 2,800 acres of forests….
Whatcom Land Trust From the North Cascade mountains to the Salish Sea, the committed members of the Whatcom Land Trust have made it their mission to protect the diverse land that draws people to Whatcom County. For many of Whatcom County’s residents, it is the unique landscape, endless green spaces, and integrated park system that combine to make…
In Whatcom, San Juan, and Skagit counties, Northwest Harvest works with a total 21 food banks, feeding more than 245,000 families.
Women in Fishing Find Their Passions, Help Others: Comprising a small group in a large and unforgiving industry that is Alaskan fishing, women persevere through extreme conditions, long hours, little sleep, and little to no contact with the outside world. But they keep returning, summer after summer, to catch what can’t be found on the mainland, something that’s a…
Recreation NW Parkscriptions Bellingham public health and medical professionals increasingly want you to take a walk in the woods — or even just around the block. It’s all…
Fidalgo Island & Guemes Gleaners Imagine being at the supermarket and overhearing this conversation between a mother and her son: “Mom, can we get some apples?” “No honey, they’re too expensive, maybe next week.” Head gleaner of the Fidalgo Island & Guemes Gleaners (FIGG), Sylvia Cooper, recounted…
Friday Harbor Film Festival Between 1,400 and 1,500 people are expected to attend the Friday Harbor Film Festival’s fifth annual documentary film festival November 3–5. Festival organizers Lynn Danaher and Karen Palmer founded the festival with an intention to share documentary films that tell relevant stories and encourage positive change. Danaher and Palmer run the…
For the last 2 ½ years, Marie Marchand has done her part to raise up voices from the greater Bellingham community. As host and co-producer of BTV’s Bellingham Voices, a show aired on the city’s public-access station, Marchand’s mission is to grow her audience’s appreciation for Bellingham local government, nonprofits, and community leadership. While Marchand envisioned…
Cloud Mountain Farm Center Strawberries, blueberries, cherries, apples, pears, peaches, pumpkins, and so many more types of produce cover the 20 acres of farmland known as Cloud Mountain Farm Center. Cheryl and Tom Thornton began their family farm in 1978 with commercial apple trees, garlic, and a nursery. In 2011,…
WeSNiP Every Thursday morning, cat owners gather in the parking lot of Bellingham’s Salvation Army, and every Thursday morning, the team at WeSNiP is ready to go. Cats are loaded…
Whatcom County: Sunnyland There’s no such thing as the perfect neighborhood. Everyone has different needs and desires. But for Tina and Kirby White, Sunnyland has it all. Sunnyland is where they live, work, and play. A few blocks away from their home is their restaurant, Homeskillet. It’s a breakfast and brunch place that has gained wild popularity, even outside its Sunnyland borders—Homeskillet is known as Sunnyland’s “worst-kept secret.” The Whites were looking for a…
Whatcom County: Lettered Streets With beer, ice cream, and Bellingham Bay just blocks away, the Lettered Streets neighborhood is one…
Whatcom County: Cornwall Park Imagine a block of homes with blooming gardens and the street teeming with children, surrounded by a park. In the 1960s and 70s, this was Marilyn…
Semiahmoo is more than just a hot spot for retired couples and vacation homeowners. It’s a community for families. Len and Tara Saunders found their home in Turnberry Wood in 2004 after Len’s job led them to the U.S. from…
A city’s downtown may shape its identity to outsiders, but it’s a place’s neighborhoods that give it character. If you really want to know a place, visit its residential areas—their homes, parks, landmarks, gathering places. Neighborhoods are the enclaves we come home…
Elizabeth Park Summer Concert Series The Elizabeth Park Summer Concert Series will be bringing the groove to our summer nights once again starting on June 15. In partnership with the Eldridge Society and Bellingham Parks…
Oasis Daylight Center & Oasis Teen Shelter When asking for help is difficult, having a steadfast haven for teenagers to visit can be life-changing. “Every day at Oasis is supportive and affirming,” said Katie Lohman, the director of Oasis Daylight Center & Oasis Teen Shelter. Located in an unassuming home on a quiet Mount Vernon street, the…
Max Higbee Center helps disabled youth and adults recreate F or more than three decades, the Max Higbee Center has been committed to providing recreational services to developmentally disabled youth and adults. Western Washington University professor Max Higbee, recognizing a recreation gap for developmentally disabled people in the community, started an informal program that in 1984 became a nonprofit organization soon renamed for its founder. Since then, the programs and support from…
Emily O’Connor From grant writing and public speaking to dealing with finances and program development, Lydia Place’s executive director Emily O’Connor does it all. “I do a little bit of everything,” O’Connor laughs. And “everything” doesn’t just stop at the workplace. In addition to an all-consuming job, O’Connor is a mother of a…
Bellingham Theatre Guild The Bellingham Theatre Guild celebrated a scene change of sorts with a gala to mark the completion of its $1 million renovation in mid-January. The guild is…
As the sun starts to return to our dark Fourth Corner, gardeners get busy planting and readying for their healthy crops. But sometimes those crops pop up a bit healthier than usual, or that plum tree produces kilo after kilo of…
Compass Health is on a mission to advance behavioral health in our area, specifically in Snohomish, Skagit, Island, Whatcom, and San Juan Counties. The private, non-profit state-licensed organization offers comprehensive behavioral health services. They have four locations in Bellingham. Among the core values listed on their website, Compass Health strives to be dedicated to the well-being of the communities they serve. Given their comprehensive services and wealth of compassionate staff members, Compass Health fulfills that value. Compass…
As of September 2014, there were about 2.7 million American veterans who fought in our recent conflicts. A study conducted by the RAND Corporation found at least 20% of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and depression. About 50% of these veterans don’t seek help. Emotional vulnerability, access to services,…
The Election That Threatened To Steal Christmas: An Intervention Although about half the voting population felt like they collectively woke up to an empty Christmas Tree this year, Christmas is not lost….
The driving motto behind the YMCA is “for youth development, for healthy living, for social responsibility.” You can hear this…
AFTER 13 YEARS of growing a law practice dedicated to community leadership in legal care for DUI, Auto-Accident Claims, Speeding & Criminal Justice, I know very well that no one gets there alone or…
Literacy is more than just a useful skill. The United Nations qualifies adult literacy as a basic human right, without which one cannot function in society. “You can’t talk…
The Lake Stevens Community Food Bank, directed by Anne Anderson and made possible through the efforts of about 100 volunteers, is doing its part to help members…
On a recent Saturday, Bruce Higgins organized a complex dive at the 27-acre Edmonds Underwater Park at Brackett’s Landing North, where he volunteers to build and maintain the underwater trail system. In 2007, the park’s trail system, which consists of a network of 2.5 miles of trails, was named for Higgins. Saturday’s dive consisted of Higgins and his team of volunteers relocating industrial tires from nearby…
There’s a new brand of legends racing to the top at the Deming Speedway this year. They aren’t just breaking track records; they are destroying the myths of self-entitlement and selfishness that too often slows down our youth. These young drivers are amp’d with the spirit of service that keeps them in the lead and mytrafficman.net is proud to sponsor them on and off the track. Tristin Thomas, at 17, drives the MYTRAFFICMAN.NET #9t in…
The colossal proportions of Boeing’s Everett Production Facility, where Boeing 747, 777, and 787 Dreamliner jets are assembled, are the stuff of local legend. The largest manufacturing building in the world in terms of volume, it is also the only jumbo jetliner production facility open to…
The Centennial is a fine time for children and students to learn about flight and careers in aerospace. “Above and Beyond” is a brand new hands-on exhibit at the Museum of Flight.
BY ZIAD YOUSSEF MAKING A CHOICE: Whether it’s your neighborhood, your city, or your country, community leadership requires a community effort and it doesn’t just fall on the shoulders of one candidate, and it surely doesn’t end with one VOTE. Just as proper legal care shouldn’t fall on the…
As long as people have lived in and around Puget Sound, the waterways and sounds that connect us have been busy with marine traffic. The relationship people have to the water here is inextricable. Before first contact, Native Americans navigated the straits and sounds of the Salish Sea in cedar canoes. With the first settlers—mostly traders with the Hudson’s…
Here at North End Metro, we have sought to make women’s stories a regular part of our publication through our “Wonder Woman” column, which honors the achievements and contributions of women in leadership roles throughout Snohomish County. This issue we are pleased to expand that column into a special feature article, which…
Checking email, looking up drug interactions, receiving photos of grandchildren, video conferencing with family, following up with doctors — digital technology is now so woven into our…
SIX DEGREES OF TROUBLE Part 2: How Big Is Your Problem? WRITTEN BY ZIAD YOUSSEF L ast time we identified that trouble is measured by how difficult it is to identify its source and how much impact it has on your life. The first three degrees were No Trouble At All, Inconvenience, and Brace Yourself. Today, we discuss the last three degrees of trouble, the tornado, depression, and irrelevance: The Tornado: It comes…
Here at North End Metro, we have sought to make women’s stories a regular part of our publication through our “Wonder Woman” column, which honors the achievements and contributions of women in leadership roles throughout Snohomish County. This issue we are pleased to expand that column into a special…
Here at North End Metro, we have sought to make women’s stories a regular part of our publication through our “Wonder Woman” column, which honors the achievements and contributions of women in leadership roles throughout…
Every political movement needs a frame, an iconic image, a visual depiction of what threats exist and what is to be saved. Paul Anderson’s photographs are exactly those images — visual reminders of…
“She says that she is driven by three factors: the urgent need for action, the ability to create programs and policies that help strengthen communities, and her overall love for nature.”
For ten low-income families, Housing Hope meant the opportunity to work toward building their own homes in Snohomish’s Rose Park neighborhood. Numbering 17 adults and 24 children, the group logged 1,500 hours of labor through the sweat equity program Team HomeBuilding….
“Our staff members are incredibly creative and find
ways to help. They care and think with their hearts.”
To really understand the 6 Degrees of Trouble we explore
the nature of problems in general; or, at least, the difference
between small problems and large problems, and the difference
between those that have little impact and those that have
a large impact.
All of us have days that are a little less colorful than others—a case of the blahs, a sense of being stuck in our lives, a rough time in relationships around us, the grind of routine.
My favorite thing about being a part of WDRC is dealing with disputes in an effective and respectable way and making a difference in the community on a daily basis
Twenty-three speakers participated in the daylong event at the Edmonds Center for the Arts. It was the first independently organized TEDx event of its kind, unlike the more than 10,000 TEDx events that have been held in communities worldwide since 2009.
On GroundFrog Day, Snohomish Slew is the frog of honor and serves as the official Frognosticator Extraordinaire. If he croaks, then spring has sprung
The day that Jackie found out she was pregnant, her world came into focus. She was 21, homeless, and seeing a man who was being tormented by his…
When traveling between Seattle and Vancouver, Bellingham tends to be the place to stop on the way. We’re striving to be a place that travelers don’t just pass through, but…
