THE GRISTLE P.04 + FRONT-YARD FRIGHTS P.14 + CURRENT AND CREEPY P.18 c a s c a d i a REPORTING FROM THE HEART OF CASCADIA WHATCOM*SKAGIT*SURROUNDING AREAS BLACKLIVESMATTER 10-14-2020 • ISSUE: 42 • V.15 ELECTION SELECTIONS You be the judge P.06 THE FEVER A virtual return to the Sylvia Center P.13 NATURE — TREATS, NOT TRICKS KZAX's Fall Fund Drive P.16 NOTES — FROM ALPS TO OWLS P.10 SPRING FLING Shelter in place with FishBoy P.09 THISWEEK 23 Contact Cascadia Weekly: FOOD 360.647.8200 mail TOC LETTERS STAFF Advertising 19 Sales Manager: Stephanie Young ext 1 B-BOARD sales@ cascadiaweekly.com If the upcoming elections have you on edge, take a breath- 18 er by checking out the results of Alaska’s Fat Bear Week, Editorial which saw Bear 747 take home the title in the “battle of FILM Editor & Publisher: the bellies” at Brooks River in Katmai National Park. The Tim Johnson annual event celebrates the health of the ecosystem and ext 3 16 the success of the brown bears who fatten up in advance editor@ of their winter dormancy—mainly by feasting on sockeye cascadiaweekly.com salmon. “The votes are in!” organizers say. “No longer the MUSIC runner-up, 747 fulfills the fate of the fat and fabulous as Arts & Entertainment he heads off into hibernation.” Editor: Amy Kepferle 14 ext 2 calendar@ ART cascadiaweekly.com Music Editor: 13 Carey Ross music@ STAGE Views & News cascadiaweekly.com Intern: 02: Mailbag 12 Wren Healy 04: Gristle and Views Production GET OUT 06: Election selections Art Director: 08: Last week’s news Jesse Kinsman jesse@ 10 09: 52 Women kinsmancreative.com Design: WORDS Arts & Life Bill Kamphausen 10: Alps and owls bill@ 6 kamphausendesign.com 12: Escape to Point Roberts Advertising Design: PAY ATTENTION TO VALUES local Democrats and numerous other groups and 13: The Fever Roman Komarov I write to remind voters to go all the way down individuals who, like the majority of voters, pre- CURRENTS roman@ 14: Front-yard frights cascadiaweekly.com the ballot to the judicial races. Here in Whatcom fer the more practical approach. Send all advertising materials to 4 16: Turn up your radio County, we will be filling an open position for Even if you know nothing else that allows you [email protected] Superior Court judge. to distinguish one candidate from the other, this 18: Fearsome flicks VIEWS Judges do not run on a partisan ticket. is worth paying attention to. Distribution People often wish there was some other simple —Mary Kay Becker, Bellingham 2 2 Rear End Distribution Manager: way to identify with judges. Be reminded that in Erik Burge 19: Free Will, Advice Goddess MAIL MAIL distribution@ recent years, the single most important and most JAMES ERB FOR JUDGE 20: Crossword cascadiaweekly.com prudent decision affecting justice in Whatcom The recent controversy over the Supreme Court County has been the voters’ overwhelming rejec- nomination underlines the importance of inde- 21: Sudoku, Comix Whatcom: Erik Burge, Stephanie Simms tion of the proposals for a new, large, expensive pendent judges. The judge must not look at court 10.14.20 22: Biz Briefs Skagit: Linda Brown, regional jail. cases with a biased view. Judicial code prohibits 23: Harvest helpers Barb Murdoch Judges do not decide to build jails. But they their telling you their thoughts on a special issue. .15 do make decisions in individual cases that, taken Independence is one of two attributes a judge 42 Letters # SEND LETTERS TO LETTERS@ collectively, either drive up the demand to ex- must bring to the court. The other is knowledge CASCADIAWEEKLY.COM pand incarceration or help to bring it down. And of the law. as top courthouse officials, judges participate In both of these “must-haves” James Erb is the ©2020 CASCADIA WEEKLY (ISSN 1931-3292) is published each Wednesday by in discussions with the executive and council best choice for Whatcom County Superior Court Po- Cascadia Newspaper Company LLC. Direct all correspondence to: Cascadia about whether to accept a new jail as a given— sition 2. He is the only candidate in this race with Weekly PO Box 2833 Bellingham WA 98227-2833 | Phone/Fax: 360.647.8200 [email protected] or whether to work on a more frugal plan that seven independent bar associations ratings, based Though Cascadia Weekly is distributed free, please take just one copy. Cascadia CASCADIA WEEKLY Weekly may be distributed only by authorized distributors. Any person removing keeps the jail near the courthouse and prevents on professional competence, integrity and judicial papers in bulk from our distribution points risks prosecution SUBMISSIONS: Cascadia Weekly welcomes freelance submissions. Send material the alleged “needs” of criminal justice caseloads temperament. These include ratings of well-qual- 2 to either the News Editor or A&E Editor. Manuscripts will be returned if you from siphoning up even more of the budget. ified from veterans, Latina/o, LBGTQ, and Asian, include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. To be considered for calendar list- ings, notice of events must be received in writing no later than noon Wednesday If you look at endorsements, you will notice and qualified by Washington Women Lawyers, Lo- the week prior to publication. Photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by stamped, self-addressed envelope. that one candidate has attracted the support of ren Miller, and Whatcom County Bar associations. COVER: Photo by Paul the local GOP and numerous other groups and Early in his career, James worked as a trial pros- Bannick from his new book, Great Gray Owl: A individuals who have historically promoted the ecutor of serious crimes such as aggravated assault Visual Natural History costly regional jail project. and drug trafficking, but most of his legal career Supporters of the other candidate include has been in Bellingham working for the people. With that experience and being free as well as working to expand broadband of the law enforcement community here, access throughout the county—construc- IS CLOSER he has a broader perspective on how tion on this groundbreaking project will THAN YOU the courts affect the ordinary citizen as begin early in 2021. And, not unimport- WINNING THINK! evidenced by cases such as working for antly, the PUD has accomplished its work tribal families who have been separated without new tax levies. from their children. I’m also excited about future PUD 23 His present job as senior City Attor- projects. Jeff has been instrumental in ney for Bellingham includes everything leading the PUD in partnership with the FOOD from constitutional law to labor and Port of Bellingham and Whatcom County PORK SCHNITZEL employment law to representing Bell- mayors in an effort to develop 200-300 Breaded pork loin, German gravy, 19 ingham citizens in the Court of Appeals. acres of land at Cherry Point. By sup- braised red cabbage & apples, and His judicial community support is broad, plying the necessary infrastructure for a boiled red potatoes. including his predecessor Judge Deborra Clean Energy Industrial Park, the PUD will Served daily $10.95 B-BOARD Garrett, and three Washington Supreme help create well-paid jobs to support our Court justices. community’s transition to a clean energy 18 If James has a bias it is for making the economy, without leaving our industries courts a safe place to provide equal jus- and hardworking citizens behind. FILM tice for all. Jeff’s training and practice as an archi- 16 —Jayne Freudenberger, Bellingham tect has developed his talent for creat- ing comprehensive visions, and has given RULE ON CLIMATE CHANGE him the skills to assimilate and synthe- MUSIC I couldn’t help noticing that there was size component parts that bring the vi- DUNGENESS 11 no mention of climate change in the oth- sion to life. His involvement with public/ CRAB COCKTAIL erwise excellent Sept. 30 article about private partnerships gives him a practical ART the race between Alicia Rule and Luanne base of experience. Sweet dungeness crab piled high on a bed of diced celery Van Werven to represent the 42nd Legis- Projects the PUD undertakes often take 13 with our house-made cocktail. lative District. It’s worth noting that the years to negotiate and implement. That’s $ Served daily 12.95 STAGE two candidates hold very different views why experience matters—without Jeff about the need for action on climate. on the board, only one commissioner will Alicia Rule’s campaign website states have more than two years’ experience. 12 that our climate is “out of balance” and Good ideas are a dime a dozen. Good highlights the damage that rising carbon ideas without the persistence and skill to emissions is doing to the health of our air, bring them to fruition means perpetua- GET OUT water and farmlands. She says, “We have tion of the status quo. Making positive a moral responsibility to be good stewards change requires application of diverse 10 of God’s creation.” skills. That’s why I support Jeff McClure ULTIMATE By contrast, Rep. Van Werven’s cam- for PUD commissioner. BEER BRAT WORDS paign website is silent on the issue of cli- —Jeff Arvin, Bellingham Beer and cheddar bratwurst, mate change and she has a record of vot- pretzel bun, stone ground mustard, 6 ing against climate protections. GRANT FOR PUD pepperoncini, horseradish pickles, In February, for example, Van Werven Democracy always surprises me. When diced tomato, and diced onion. voted against a bill to tighten limits on we elect people who are fresh and forward Served daily $5.95 CURRENTS the state’s greenhouse gas emissions.