Whatcom Word, the word of Whatcom
- by City of BellinghamOn August 24, Bellingham City Council approved a resolution to adjust Bellingham’s land use permit fees for the first time in nearly 20 years.
- by City of BellinghamBellingham City Council gives final approval for updated rental protections.
- by City of BellinghamWe are excited to introduce our new Building Official, Kim Barker. While Kim is new to this role, she is not new to our Planning and Community Development team.
- by City of BellinghamCity begins implementing lower speed limits to improve safety
- by City of BellinghamOn August 21, 2026, in a special meeting, Bellingham City Council announced its unanimous decision to uphold the Hearing Examiner’s decision approving the preliminary plat and associated permits with conditions.
- by City of BellinghamLittle Squalicum Estuary work, new parking rules, library seeks artists, Ask Us Anything wrapped, and more: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamAsk Us Anything, utility report, I-5 lane reduction, Children’s Craft Fair, and more: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamFree family fun, smoke support, renter protections, and our final Ask Us Anything of the year: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamKids Fest, behind the scenes of the Salish Star, community street projects, and more: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamChildren's craft fairs, new rental registration dashboard, and Cornwall Memorial Park restoration: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- The Whatcom Chief resumed service at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, and will continue operating until 9 p.m. There will be no ferry service on Thursday, August 27, to allow for a U.S. Coast Guard inspection.
- The Whatcom Chief Ferry is Out of Service. Sunny today, but clouds move in overnight with a chance of rain for the next few days. A county-wide stage 2 burn ban in effect until further notice, no outdoor burning allowed. Summer water safety tips below.
- The recount of Legislative District 42 State Senator contest is complete. The results remain the same.
- Sunny and warm with smoke for today. Hopefully tomorrow the smoke levels should become lower with a change in wind direction. A county-wide stage 2 burn ban in effect until further notice, no outdoor burning allowed. Summer water safety tips below.
- Recent testing at Toad Lake detected microcystins at levels that may be harmful to people and pets.
- The next planning director brings more than two decades of experience helping organizations work through complex planning, leadership, and organizational challenges
- Whatcom County Public Works will temporarily close Lake Louise Road and Lake Whatcom Boulevard August 24–26 for roadside mowing and pavement striping.
- If you get your drinking water directly from Lake Samish through your own private drinking water system, be aware that a recent surface water test found increased levels of microcystin, a cyanotoxin that can be produced by blue-green algae, in the lake.
- This year, Whatcom County will observe International Overdose Awareness Day with a series of community events throughout August.
- Whatcom County is taking the next step to reduce child care costs for Whatcom County families. Last night, the County Council approved a contract with AidKit to run the new Whatcom Kids First Child Care Subsidy Program.
- This week, two bats in Whatcom County tested positive for rabies. Bats are found all over the world and play a vital role in ecosystems. However, they can carry rabies, a deadly disease that is transmitted through bites or scratches.
- An Air Quality Alert and Heat Advisory are in effect for Whatcom County. Wildfire smoke from Canada may reach unhealthy levels this week, and temperatures are expected to reach near 90 degrees in parts of the county Wednesday and Thursday.
- The Whatcom Chief will depart for dry dock on Saturday, September 12, 2026. We anticipate the ferry will return to its regular schedule on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
- Whatcom County Health and Community Services was notified of a discovered wastewater discharge on the northwestern side of Lake Whatcom near the Agate Bay residential area. No wastewater entered the lake. There is no risk to public health at this time.
- Event date: September 1, 2026 Event Time: 04:00 PM – 06:00 PMLocation: 5280 Northwest DrivePortable BuildingBellingham, WA 98226
- Event date: September 3, 2026 Event Time: 06:00 PM – 09:30 PMLocation: 5280 Northwest DrivePortable BuildingBellingham, WA 98226
- Event date: September 9, 2026 Event Time: 05:40 AM – 02:40 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: September 9, 2026 Event Time: 01:00 PM – 02:30 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: September 10, 2026 Event Time: 03:30 PM – 05:00 PMLocation: 322 N Commercial StreetBottom FloorBellingham, WA 98225
- Event date: September 10, 2026 Event Time: 06:00 PM – 09:00 PMLocation: 5280 Northwest DrivePortable BuildingBellingham, WA 98226
- Event date: September 7, 2026 Event Time: 12:00 AM – 11:59 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: September 10, 2026 Event Time: 07:00 AM – 08:30 AMLocation: 509 Girard StreetBellingham, WA 98225Description:Open Public Meeting of the Public Health Advisory Board
- Event date: September 7, 2026 Event Time: 08:30 AM – 04:30 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225