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BIZ BRIEFS P.03 + WEEK THAT WAS P.04 + FUZZ BUZZ P.05 c a s c a d i a REPORTING FROM THE HEART OF CASCADIA WHATCOM*SKAGIT*SURROUNDING AREAS 07-28-2021 • ISSUE: 30 • V.15

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6 Editor & Publisher: Tim Johnson  ext 3

REAR END  editor@ cascadiaweekly.com As of Tues., July 27, the United States had garnered a total Arts & Entertainment of 25 medals at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. Gold-medal win- Editor: Amy Kepferle ners include Hawaii’s Carissa Moore—who is now one of the 

FILM ext 2 first athletes to win an Olympic medal in surfing—as well  calendar@ as 17-year-old Alaskan Lydia Jacoby, who pulled ahead of cascadiaweekly.com fellow American Lilly King to win the women’s 100-meter breaststroke. Additionally, fencer Lee Kiefer of Kentucky Contributing Editor: made history on Sunday, becoming the first American woman Carey Ross MUSIC to win gold in individual foil. With more than a week of  music@ competition remaining, additional victories are expected. cascadiaweekly.com Production ART Art Director: Jesse Kinsman  jesse@ kinsmancreative.com Design: GET OUT Bill Kamphausen  bill@ kamphausendesign.com Advertising Design: Roman Komarov WORDS  roman@ cascadiaweekly.com Send all advertising materials to 4 WEB-ONLY PDF [email protected] DEAR READERS—In a moment of constricted Distribution

CURRENTS arts and entertainment coverage, and as a means Distribution Manager: Erik Burge to reduce costs and health  distribution@ risks to our production cascadiaweekly.com VIEWS and distribution staff, Cascadia Weekly will produce a print version every other week at Whatcom: Erik Burge, Stephanie Simms 2 2 least through Phase 3 of the governor’s Safe DUMBING DOWN some of the reasons are mysterious, others are Start program. We will continue to produce Skagit: Linda Brown, MAIL MAIL new articles each week and will post those Barb Murdoch Bellingham City Council has suspended pub- fairly clear. American society has become far online at www.cascadiaweekly.com. lic comments at meetings. The reason: Lengthy more unequal than it used to be, and the recent We’ll continue to produce a small PDF such Letters comments about COVID-19 conspiracies led to increases in mortality are concentrated among as this in alternate weeks to provide the SEND LETTERS TO LETTERS@ CASCADIAWEEKLY.COM YouTube suspending a video of a meeting. working-class Americans, especially those with- 07.28.21 special features many of our readers request. While concern about the subject matter of out a four-year college degree.” Look for our next print issue on the streets Weds., Aug. 4. these comments is concerning, the wholesale re- Our country should be acknowledging the

.16 BIZ BRIEFS P.03 + WEEK THAT WAS P.04 + FUZZ BUZZ P.05 c a s c a d i a REPORTING FROM moval of public speech on city council meetings hardships, depression and suicide—beyond un- THE HEART OF CASCADIA

30 For those who wish to support WHATCOM*SKAGIT*SURROUNDING AREAS 07-28-2021 • ISSUE: 30 • V.15 # Cascadia Weekly, see the information at is also concerning. Consider, for example, how just real estate opportunities, banking, educa- www.cascadiaweekly.com/support. Thank you this will affect future meetings on other con- tion, medical care and rural disenfranchisement for your generosity at a difficult moment for tentious issues, such as the city’s response to by lack of infrastructure. the publishing industry. homelessness. Did you know that small towns can not even The ACLU has fought similar such suspensions get a Dollar Store because the franchise requires

Cascadia Newspaper Company LLC. Direct all correspondence to: Cascadia SPRING FLING Shelter in place CASCADIA WEEKLY with FishBoy P.09 If you live in Bellingham and are concerned areas? While private business can practice its Weekly PO Box 2833 Bellingham WA 98227-2833 | Phone/Fax: 360.647.8200 [email protected] COVER: Geologic about this, please consider reaching out to them own guidelines, this is just an example of sys- 2 Though Cascadia Weekly is distributed free, please take just one copy. Cascadia work near Republic Weekly may be distributed only by authorized distributors. Any person removing to help correct this situation. temic issues most of us know nothing about. in northeastern papers in bulk from our distribution points risks prosecution —Owen Wills, Bellingham There are so many issues that our Congress could SUBMISSIONS: Cascadia Weekly welcomes freelance submissions. Send material Washington. to either the News Editor or A&E Editor. Manuscripts will be returned if you be looking at as bipartisan issues. include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. To be considered for calendar list- Art by Daniel E. ings, notice of events must be received in writing no later than noon Wednesday Coe, Washington A NATION IN DECLINE It is about time that citizen voters count for the week prior to publication. Photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by stamped, self-addressed envelope. Geological The New York Times recently reported on lower more than votes and constituency means more Survey, Washington life expectancy in the United States. than party politics. We, the People, means every- State Department of “It’s hard to imagine a more alarming sign of one—not Ours, the Party. It is time for a func- Natural Resources. a society’s well-being than an inability to keep tional Congress. its citizens alive,” the article commented. “While —Donna Starr, Blaine OPPOSE FARM WORKFORCE BILL A dangerous bill disguised as a path to SAME ART, NEW citizenship for farmworkers may soon be SPOT voted on by Congress. PHOEBE WAHL The Farm Workforce Modernization Act of Beloved 2021 would expand the exploitative H-2A Bellingham artist guestworker program and establish E-Verify Phoebe Wahl to surveil workers’ documentation status. has had the The bill creates the illusion of a pathway to cutest brick-and-mortar space on FOOD citizenship for farmworkers; however, the State Street near Pepper Sisters legalization framework is limited, complex, for a number of years where she costly and only applies to a fraction of un- BUSINESS sells her distinctive array of art- 6 documented farmworkers. adorned wares. (Are you even a The H-2A visa would continue to tie BRIEFS proper Bellinghamster if you don’t workers to their sponsoring employer and 07.28.21 own a Wahl calendar, coffee mug, REAR END would expand eligibility for bringing work- BY CAREY ROSS tea towel or all three? No. You are ers through the visa program beyond the not.) She’s packed up those wares scope of field work to other work performed and moved them into a new space FILM on farms. All farms would be mandated to RESTAURANT NEWS at 112 Grand Ave., which is now use E-Verify, whether they use H-2A work- THE MORE THINGS CHANGE... open to one and all. ers or not, subjecting undocumented work- Service shortages have affected nearly Jacob Sanchez ers and families to deportation. every local restaurant, large, small and Diagnosed with autism The bill does not address family separa- in between. For patrons, that means we is now open. I have MUSIC tion, and would further divide families for need to give our eateries grace as they to say that I am the purpose of maximizing profit for agri- continue to navigate tricky waters. And very taken with its cultural employers by permanently expand- with the Delta variant of COVID-19 now coffee-bar-by-day, ART ing the H-2A program. in Whatcom County and service workers wine-bar-by-night There is no provision in the bill for farm- on the front line, kindly help keep them concept, even more workers to organize, strike, form a union or safe by getting vaccinated and remaining so now that every photo of every food bargain collectively. careful. This ain’t over yet. and beverage item I’ve seen from there GET OUT All farmworkers deserve the right to citi- appears to be incredible. Hopefully it will zenship, dignity and human rights. Our lo- JALAPENOS allow me to live my best life as a stylish cal farmworker union, Familias Unidas por In their effort person who eats stylish food in stylish la Justicia, opposes this bill. to leave no cor- cafes. A girl can dream. Please stand with them in solidar- ner of Bellingham WORDS ity—call Senators Patty Murray and Maria untouched by Big GRUFF SOUNDS Cantwell and Representatives Rick Larsen Mamas, Jalapeños OFF 4 and Suzan DelBene and tell them to vote Mexican Restaurant announced they’re I recently moved no on this dangerous piece of legislation. in the process of opening a new loca- from my perch above —Betsy Pernotto, Bellingham tion. Jalapeños Meridian will be, you Boulevard Park to a CURRENTS guessed it, on Meridian in the location downtown apartment FOOD SERVICE, GOOD AND BAD that once housed El Patron just north that has a perch of its own where I can As a veteran of close to 25 years in the of Walmart. No word on when it will be hear the whatdoings of a few local busi- VIEWS commercial sector of the food service in- open, but I have to assume it will be as nesses, among them Gruff Brewing. And 2 dustry, I feel I have the background to soon as they can lay in a store of tequila that’s how I found out they have a stage 2 MAIL speak of what it is like to deal with many large enough for all those Big Mamas. now in their rad outdoor area. The Penny MAIL aspects of that industry, good and bad. Stinkers inaugurated the new stage, and Good: Most restaurant owners I have BAR CICOTTI Bad Camper and Munch will show up July worked with are ethical small business own- Just in time to make the most of its 31 to continue to break it in. If I can’t ers who generally care about their employ- righteously cool outdoor seating area hear them from my new balcony, they’re 07.28.21 ees. They’re nice people who mean well. at the Lightcatcher Building, Bar Cicotti not loud enough. Bad: Recent studies have shown the .16 30 same thing, over and over again, that un- # employment benefits and COVID-related financial assistance are only a small por- DARRAH BLANTON tion of what’s keeping workers from re- DANCE turning to the industry. Focusing on that ON THE MOVE one aspect obscures how grueling, how If you’ve got a tiny dancer in need of in-

low paying, and how abusive an industry struction, Darrah Blanton Dance has found CASCADIA WEEKLY food service all too often is. Often, the a new Bellingham location for her dance abuse comes directly from the customers. program that prizes playfulness over 3 It’s a tough job for little reward. perfection. Her new spot is Love to Move Lack of eye contact is a sign of autism. Until restaurant owners start accepting Studioz at 1417 Cornwall Ave., a space that Learn the others at autismspeaks.org/signs. responsibility for their role in these often has been home to dance studios for as dehumanizing conditions they are going to long as I can remember, and I love it that keep struggling to get fully staffed. Blanton is now part of that lovely legacy. —Neil Burton, via email Registration is open for fall classes, so sign up your wee ballerinas. RIVER RISK k t h ee a FOOD t W

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T NEWS JULY 21-26 s

FILM BY TIM JOHNSON MUSIC ART PHOTO COURTESY NORTHWEST TREATY TRIBES TREATY NORTHWEST COURTESY PHOTO

As drought conditions worsen and stream flows plummet in the wake of an historic heatwave, Whatcom County GET OUT farmers are calling for all parties involved in local water issues to come together to collaborate on solutions to the Nooksack River basin’s water management problems to help fish and local food production. Improved water storage 07.21.21 management, stream augmentation, water use efficiency improvements, modified hatcheries, and other projects could help restore salmon runs and preserve local farming. The state’s proposed water rights adjudication would effectively WEDNESDAY pause any significant progress, Whatcom Farm Friends caution in a press release. WORDS

YouTube, an application local governments use to broadcast their public 4 meetings, has pulled videos of recent Whatcom County Council and Bell- Washington’s Attorney General rejects a other city departments after Presiding ingham City Council meetings because the social media company deemed settlement offer by several pharmaceutical Judge Debra Lev fired them two weeks ago. some public comments about COVID and vaccines contained “medical companies for oversupply of opioids, and will In the midst of a continued legal challenge CURRENTS CURRENTS 4 misinformation” and are prohibited by their service contract. Bellingham move to trial. The AG maintains any resolu- by the City of Bellingham and potential re- suspends the recording of public comments until an alternative solution can tion must result in real accountability, and view of employment practices in her court be found. [COB] provide a sufficient amount of money for by the state judiciary, Judge Lev fired the VIEWS state and local governments to address the five employees on July 12. In their initial Whatcom County’s Health Department director says she received disturbing opioid epidemic that continues to devas- complaint to the city, the employees ex- 2 threats after a member of the County Council posted her mobile phone number tate Washington families. [AGO] pressed fear of retaliation by Lev. The city

MAIL on social media. The director’s contact information was included in an email will clear the employees’ disciplinary re- exchange about funding for a program that encourages young adults to get 07.23.21 cords. [Bellingham Herald] vaccinated. The health office has been receiving threats for some time that contain misinformation about COVID-19 and the vaccines against it. [Belling- FRIDAY The Northwest Clean Air Agency issues a 07.28.21 ham Herald, KGMI] The Federal Energy Regulatory Commis- $60,000 penalty to Shell’s Puget Sound sion, which oversees the licensing of hy- Refinery in Anacortes for violations of air .16

30 Whatcom County sees a 22 percent increase in rolling COVID-19 case droelectric dams, issues a study plan de- quality laws in connection with the refin- # counts, including three additional deaths this week. [WSDOH] termination for the relicensing of Seattle ery’s release of toxic chemicals in August City Light’s three-dam Skagit River hydro- and September 2020. The Swinomish Indian Despite signals Canada is prepared to open its borders, the United States electric project. The agency approved 20 Tribal Community praised the penalty, not- border will remain closed to non-essential travel until at least Aug. 21, ac- study plans submitted by the utility and ing toxic pollution has sickened several trib- cording to a renewal order issued by the federal government. [Federal Register] stakeholder groups and is requiring modi- al community members, some of whom had fications on 12 more. Studies FERC reject- to seek medical treatment. [NWCA, Swinom-

CASCADIA WEEKLY "I am extremely disappointed by the federal government’s announcement ed include the Upper Skagit Indian Tribe’s ish Indian Tribal Community] today that the U.S. border with Canada will remain closed,” Gov. Jay Inslee request to consider the removal of Gorge 4 said in a statement. “This continued closure will result in continued hard- Dam. [Skagit Valley Herald] In a joint statement, local health offi- ship for Washingtonians living in border communities, including in Point Rob- cials from eight Washington counties rec- erts.” [Office of Governor] 07.26.21 ommend a return to using masks or face coverings at indoor public spaces. The na- Leaders of Washington’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Sen. Patty MONDAY tion’s top health agency, the Centers for Dis- Murray, call on the Biden administration for an emergency exemption from The Bellingham Herald reports five for- ease Control, is expected to recommend that continued border restrictions for the Point Roberts community. Reps. Suzan mer Bellingham Municipal Court em- even vaccinated people wear masks indoors DelBene and Rick Larsen call the delay “short sighted” and damaging to border ployees who raised concerns about their in parts of the country where the coronavi- communities. [U.S. Senate] working conditions will be reassigned to rus is surging. [WSDOH] grabbed a machete from his belongings. The man index decided to drop the machete and instead struck FUZZ the employee with a shovel, causing injuries, police reported. The man then barricaded himself BUZZ in the storage shed until crisis negotiators could coax him out. He surrendered peacefully.

WHERE THERE’S SMOKE On July 22, Bellingham Police arrested a On July 8, a timber thief was convicted in U.S. 40-year-old man after he allegedly stole from FOOD District Court in a scheme to steal maple wood. a business in the Sehome shopping center and The theft resulted in a massive forest fire on threatened the employees with a crowbar. the Olympic Peninsula in 2018 that consumed 6 3,300 acres of forestland. A jury found that On July 20, Bellingham Police responded to a Justin Andrew Wilke, 39, conducted an illegal report of a customer smashing things with a logging operation near Elk Lake. In July 2018, hammer at Walmart. REAR END just days after his release from state prison, another defendant, Shawn Edward Williams, 49, On July 22, Bellingham Police checked on a joined Wilke to remove maple from the nation- person who had been seated in the patio area FILM al forest and transport it to a mill in Tumwater. of the Whatcom Museum and began screaming The pair decided to cut a maple that contained a and attempting to tip over planter boxes. wasp’s nest near the base of the tree. To remove the nest, they sprayed insecticide and gasoline On July 25, Bellingham Police checked on a on the base and then lit the nest on fire. They woman who was stabbing a car with a knife, MUSIC failed to extinguish the blaze, which erupted doing $5,000 damage to the Tesla. Police were into a wildfire. The type of maple harvested by able to take her into custody. the thieves is highly prized and used to produce ART musical instruments. Researchers found that the On July 24, Bellingham Police arrested a man wood the thieves had sold on the market was for robbery. He assaulted a store clerk at 7-Elev- a genetic match to the remains of three maple en after the employee tried to retrieve food the trees poached from the Elk Lake area. The DNA man had stolen. GET OUT analysis was so precise they concluded the prob- ability of the match being coincidental was ap- On July 19, a delivery driver attempted to bring proximately one in one undecillion (one followed a bag of food to an Anacortes man who initially Number of Washington’s20 39 counties that still do not have a public- by 36 zeroes). This was the first time DNA evi- paid with cash, then threw the bag back at the option plan available for health care since the Legislature passed a law WORDS dence has been used in a federal criminal trial to driver, snatched his money, and unsuccessfully to create the program two years ago. Washington was the first state identify murdered trees. attempted to grab the change that the driver to approve this kind of public-option program, a step toward providing 4 was about to give him. The business opted not universal health care. The number of counties still without plans 4 MORE SMOKE, MORE FIRE to press charges, police reported. includes Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, and San Juan counties. On July 19, Bellingham Police and firefight- CURRENTS ers responded to a dumpster fire downtown. No On July 22, Bellingham Police spoke to a per- CURRENTS damage to the building was reported. son who refused to get off a Greyhound bus. 70 On July 21, a downtown business owner re- Washington reached a 70 percent vaccination milestone, yet numbers of VIEWS MOVE OUT, CTD. cases of COVID-19 continue to climb. As of July 21, there have been 6,066 ported a fire had been set in his trash bin, Bell- On July 23, Bellingham Police checked on some COVID-19 deaths confirmed in Washington. ingham Police reported. furniture that had been illegally dumped on Ma- 2

ple Street. MAIL On July 20, Bellingham Police spoke to a woman who had burned some stuff in a restroom at On July 20, Bellingham Police checked on furni- 5.4 11.5 the West Bakerview shopping center. ture that had been dumped on Carolina Street. Percent jobless rate in Whatcom Percent jobless rate in Whatcom County in June, slightly up from County in June, 2020, at the height 07.28.21 On July 21, Bellingham Police forwarded charges On July 23, Bellingam Police learned of more 5.2 percent in May. New claims of COVID restrictions. to the court in response to a large bonfire that dumping near the Sehome hill arboretum. in Washington remain elevated .16 compared to historical standards 30 had been set in Happy Valley during a citywide # but are still higher than before burn ban. THE CONTINUING CRISIS the pandemic. On July 20, Bellingham Police logged a com- IT’S PARTY TIME plaint of flowers growing over a sidewalk in Co- On July 25, Bellingham Police broke up a fight lumbia neighborhood. at a house party on Lakeway Drive. Residents $3.81 $2.80 were given a warning to keep the noise down. On July 19, a walker near the Cap Sante lookout Average price for a gallon of Average price for a gallon of CASCADIA WEEKLY noticed an abrasive message written in chalk on gasoline in Whatcom County. gasoline in Whatcom County one On July 22, Bellingham Police investigated a the rocks, so she called Anacortes Police for as- Average price nationally is $3.15 year ago. The highest amount for 5 fight downtown. sistance. The Parks and Recreation Department per gallon of gas. a gallon of gasoline in Whatcom County was $4.35 in July, 2008. was notified of the messaging for cleanup. On July 25, Bellingham Police checked on a particularly vicious fight near King Mountain. CRITTER CRIMES On July 17, a masked bandit reportedly scratched SOURCES: CPAC; Washington State Health Benefit Ex- TOOLS OF THE TIRADE on the front door of an Anacortes residence in change; Crosscut; Washington State Department of Health; On June 22, a Bellingham man got angry with the early morning hours. The raccoon fled before Washington State Employment Security Department; Oil an employee, broke down a storage door and the responding officer contacted it. Price Information Service rearEnd comix + sudoku Sudoku

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