THE GRISTLE P.06 + FUZZ BUZZ P.09 + BUSINESS BRIEFS P.22 c a s c a d i a REPORTING FROM THE HEART OF CASCADIA WHATCOM*SKAGIT*SURROUNDING AREAS 01-01-2020 • ISSUE: 01 • V.15

BOOK CLUBBING Something for everyone P.10

FLY— ZONE Skagit Eagle Festival P.12

ERIC WINTER EXHIBITS JOHNSON Vivid visions The perks of at Jansen perfectionism Art Center P.16 P.14 FOOD Tour and Tasting: 2pm, Chuckanut Bay Distillery

A brief overview of this Blind Tasting Experiment: 2pm-4pm, Seifert &

23  Jones Wine Merchants week’s happenings Potluck Social: 5pm-7pm, Sudden Valley Dance FOOD  THISWEEK Barn VISUAL

20 Artist Talk and Demo: 2pm-5pm, Perry and Carl- son Gallery, Mount Vernon Voyager Opening: 5pm-7pm, Smith & Vallee Gal-

B-BOARD  lery, Edison The Language of Pattern Opening: 4pm-6pm, i.e. gallery, Edison 19 SUNDAY [01.05.20] FILM  ONSTAGE The Curious Savage: 2:30pm, Alger Community 16 Church Depot Comedy Club: 8pm, Aslan Depot MUSIC  Panty Hoes: 9:30pm, Rumors Cabaret

14 WORDS Resolutions for Writers: 11am-3pm, Village Books ART  GET OUT

13 Rabbit Ride: 8:30am, Fairhaven Bicycle Deep Forest Experience: 11am-2pm, Rockport State Park STAGE 

FOOD

12 Country Breakfast: 8am-12pm, Rome Grange Langar: 11am-2pm, Guru Nanak Gursikh Gurdwara, Lynden

GET OUT  The Sky Colony will join a loaded lineup for a Give Me Shelter Solidarity Shindig VISUAL Ed Bereal Exhibit Closing: 12pm-5pm, Whatcom 10 Sat., Jan. 4 at the Lincoln Theatre. Museum’s Lightcatcher Building

WORDS  MONDAY [01.06.20] WEDNESDAY [01.01.20] ONSTAGE  8 Guffawingham: 9pm, Firefly Lounge GET OUT First Day Hike: 10am-12pm, Deception Pass Park DANCE

CURRENTS Sudden Valley Polar Bear Plunge: 10am-12pm, Skagit Folk Dancers: 7pm, Bayview Civic Hall Marina Beach Park

6 Resolution Run, Padden Polar Dip: 11am, Lake WORDS Padden Attend an opening General Lit Book Group: 7pm, Village Books

VIEWS  Penguin Dip: 11am, Clear Lake Beach Polar Bear Plunge: 12pm, Birch Bay Beach Park reception for “Eat Your FOOD

4  Heart Out” Fri., Jan. 3 Community Soup Kitchen: 6pm, Little Cheerful THURSDAY [01.02.20] Cafe MAIL  at Make.Shift Art Space ONSTAGE during the monthly TUESDAY [01.07.20] 2 

2  The Curious Savage: 7pm, Alger Community Church Good, Bad, Ugly: 7:30pm, Upfront Theatre Downtown Bellingham COMMUNITY DO IT  DO IT  Upfront Standup: 9:30pm, Upfront Theatre Art Walk. Beer and Bunco: 7pm-10pm, Stemma Brewing Co. DANCE MUSIC Folk Dance: 7pm-9:30pm, Fairhaven Library Whatcom Chorale Auditions: 5pm, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church 01.01.20 WORDS Breaking Bread: 7:30pm, Sylvia Center for the Arts Deep Forest Experience: 11am-2pm, Rockport MUSIC GET OUT .15 State Park Maple Leaf Jazz Band: 2pm-5pm, VFW Hall All-Paces Run: 6pm, Fairhaven Runners 01 # FRIDAY [01.03.20] Welcome Home Recital with Maya Enstad: VISUAL 7pm, First Congregational Church FOOD ONSTAGE First Friday Art Walk: 6pm-9pm, downtown Kulshan Chorus: 7:30pm, Mount Baker Theatre Tea for Beginners: 2pm, Bellingham Public Library The Curious Savage: 7pm, Alger Community Church Anacortes Space Trek: 7:30pm and 9:30pm, Upfront Theatre Art Walk: 6pm-10pm, downtown Bellingham COMMUNITY WEDNESDAY [01.08.20] Brass Monkey Theater Club: 9pm, Sylvia Center for Christmas Tree Removal: 8am-12pm, Belling- the Arts SATURDAY [01.04.20] ham, Ferndale, and Lynden ONSTAGE Gimme Shelter Fundraiser: 4pm, Lincoln The- Menace on the Mic: 8pm, Menace Brewing CASCADIA WEEKLY COMMUNITY ONSTAGE atre, Mount Vernon Mindfulness Workshop: 12pm, Village Books Space Trek: 7:30pm and 9:30pm, Upfront Theatre 2 MUSIC GET OUT Bill Anschell Trio: 7pm-9pm, Sylvia Center for GET OUT DANCE Salmon Run and Nature Walk: 10am, Ovenell’s the Arts Wild Things: 9:30am-11am, Lake Padden Park Ballroom Dance: 7pm-9pm, Bellingham Senior Heritage Inn, Concrete Beginner Birding: 10:30am-12pm, Anacortes Senior Activity Center Deep Forest Experience: 11am-2pm, Rockport SEND YOUR EVENTS LISTINGS TO Center Salsa Night: 9pm-12am, Cafe Rumba State Park [email protected]

23  FOOD  20 B-BOARD  19 FILM  16 MUSIC  14 ART  13 STAGE  12 GET OUT 

WINNING 10 IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK! HELLO 2020!! WORDS  Resolutions for  8

Writers CURRENTS With subjects from journaling and working with Limited Space- includes a boxed editors to marketing your work! lunch from EVOLVE - yum! 6 $15 - Register Now! Sunday, January 5, 11am-3pm whatcomcommunityed.com VIEWS  at Village Books in Fairhaven - Registraion required or (360)383-3200 4  Beloved Radio Don’t Miss the MAIL  Personality

The Chuckanut 2  Diane DO IT  Radio HOUR Rehm 13th Anniversary Tuesday, 01.01.20 Show Feb. 11, 7pm

at Sehome High .15

School 01 Celebrating # Tickets: $30 admits 1; 13 Fantastic Years $40 admits 2 with fun skits, poetry, available now highlights from the past year, and at Village Books & eventbrite.com LIVE MUSIC by Chuck Dingee & Tickets include a hardcover copy of Sharon Mayson - Free Harmony! - When My Time Comes - In the Heiner Theatre, WCC Conversations About Whether Those Who Are $5 CASCADIA WEEKLY Thursday, January 30, 7pm Dying Should Have the Right to Determine When Life Should End 3 I-5 Exit 260 AND MORE - see VILLAGEBOOKS.COM SilverReefCasino.com 1200 11th St, Bellingham, WA Visit Reef Rewards for details. 360.671.2626 • Open Daily Management reserves all rights. & 430 Front St, Lynden, WA - Stop by! THISWEEK

23 

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14 Arts & Entertainment Editor: Amy Kepferle ART   ext 2  calendar@

13 cascadiaweekly.com Starting Jan. 1, youth under 21 years old will no Music Editor: STAGE  longer be able to purchase tobacco products anywhere in Carey Ross the United States. According to the U.S. Food and Drug  music@ Administration, “it is now illegal for a retailer to sell cascadiaweekly.com 12 any tobacco product—including cigarettes, cigars and e-cigarettes—to anyone under 21.” Production

GET OUT  Art Director: Jesse Kinsman Views & News  jesse@ 10 kinsmancreative.com 04: Mailbag Design:

WORDS  06: Gristle and Goodman Bill Kamphausen 08: Last week’s news Advertising Design:

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CURRENTS Arts & Life [email protected] 10: Book clubbing 6 Distribution 12: Skagit Eagle Festival Distribution Manager: A NEW DECADE were surcharged $150 for being an electric car VIEWS  13: Class act Erik Burge A new year—and start to a critical new de- (funds road, street and highway maintenance  distribution@ 4  4  14: Winter in Lynden cascadiaweekly.com cade—calls for new vision. and improvements). And this year I see I’m pay- 16: Guitar guru Whatcom: Erik Burge, Crippling divisions that characterize today’s ing a $30 additional fee called a “license fee” for MAIL  MAIL  Stephanie Simms political climate are even more dangerous in road construction and maintenance projects, and 18: Clubs

2  Skagit: Linda Brown, having been so stealthily crafted. Goals of capi- a new $25 vehicle weight fee. 19: Film Shorts Barb Murdoch tal supremacy and power, that motivate auto- —Jean Waight, Bellingham

DO IT  crats and their enablers in the United States and Letters Rear End SEND LETTERS TO LETTERS@ worldwide, are perpetuated through false histor- TOO BIG TO FAIL? 20: Free Will, Sudoku CASCADIAWEEKLY.COM ical narratives, enlisting white supremacy, and Once, when banks were local and governments knowing that lies come to be believed when re- were small the idea of a state bank, by and for THE GRISTLE P.06 + FUZZ BUZZ P.09 + BUSINESS BRIEFS P.22 01.01.20 21: Crossword c a s c a d i a REPORTING FROM THE HEART OF CASCADIA WHATCOM*SKAGIT*SURROUNDING AREAS peated often enough. Rule is further buttressed citizens, wasn’t really needed. Today, however, 22: Business briefs 01-01-2020 • ISSUE: 01 • V.15 BOOK by changing the rules. banks have become mere bag drops for a global CLUBBING Something for .15 everyone P.10

01 23: Soup’s on FLY— Hard conversations lie ahead for all who yet money laundering scam. Meanwhile “our” local ZONE Skagit Eagle # Festival P.12 see a future for democracy. These require care, governments have bloated into empires of point-

©2020 CASCADIA WEEKLY (ISSN 1931-3292) is published each Wednesday by and openness to listen and to find points of less paper pushers, who are happily helping mob- Cascadia Newspaper Company LLC. Direct all correspondence to: Cascadia Weekly ERIC WINTER PO Box 2833 Bellingham WA 98227-2833 | Phone/Fax: 360.647.8200 EXHIBITS commonality. Seeking clear 2020 vision is a solid sters burn up the planet. Clearly we need a dif- JOHNSON Vivid visions The perks of at Jansen [email protected] perfectionism Art Center P.16 P.14 starting point of agreement. ferent exchange model, none that pulls the plug Though Cascadia Weekly is distributed free, please take just one copy. Cascadia Weekly may be distributed only by authorized distributors. Any person removing —James Loucky, Bellingham on this insane enterprise. COVER: Photo of Eric papers in bulk from our distribution points risks prosecution Initially a state bank could be harnessed for SUBMISSIONS: Cascadia Weekly welcomes freelance submissions. Send material Johnson by Max Crace

CASCADIA WEEKLY to either the News Editor or A&E Editor. Manuscripts will be returned if you include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. To be considered for calendar list- ELECTRIC PAYS, TOO processing the EBT cards used for food “stamps” ings, notice of events must be received in writing no later than noon Wednesday Changes to the state’s gas tax imply electric today. Putting this bank in a prime position to 4 the week prior to publication. Photographs should be clearly labeled and will be returned if accompanied by stamped, self-addressed envelope. car owners don’t pay into the road fund. How- run a basic income program, that’s more like “fair- ever, I probably pay more into the fund now with care” than the welfare/warfare we get instead. my used electric Leaf that only goes around town Saving money and helping citizens? There’s likely than I did buying gas for my Camry. a law against it! Without fanfare, a year or two ago my tabs For citizens, this could become an exchange NEWSPAPER ADVISORY GROUP: Robert Hall, Seth Murphy, Michael Petryni, David Syre for “elder care” accounts that’ve been ernments to accelerate the trend toward successful in Japan for decades. Here, the widespread adoption of renewables. SUBMIT YOUR ART younger elders could network with older —Daimon Sweeney, Bellingham Submissions are now open for our elders, helping them age in place, and (edited for length) Spring Juried Exhibit until February 10th! have those credits when they need help. 23  Saving taxpayers from warehousing el- SHAME ON SHEA For more info, go to: ders, mostly because they can’t drive in As a resident of Washington’s 42nd Leg- www.jansenartcenter.org/submit-your-art/ FOOD  this unhealthy, unsafe, unplanned mess islative District, I am waiting for State this amoral government insists we want. Representative Luanne Van Werven to de- 20 While we’re dreaming, we should re- nounce her fellow Republican Rep. Matt value the money back to when a penny Shea. Not for his incendiary rhetoric, but was worth something (1970?). Keep the for his hateful and treasonous actions. B-BOARD  durable coins and ditch the filthy pa- A recently released report states, “Rep-

per—something this money laundering resentative Shea planned, engaged in, and 19 government will never allow. promoted a total of three armed conflicts

—John C. Ruth, Bellingham of political violence against the U.S. gov- FILM  ernment.” These armed conflicts resulted

BECOME THE SOLUTION in public property damage, trauma to a 16 Washington is legally committed to community, and actual loss of life. Marcel Schwarb, White Barn, acrylic, 25” x 20” Kate Orrange, Seal Pup Emissary of Point Reyes, fossil-fuel-free electricity by 2045. Bell- Shea has now been suspended from his mixed media monotype, 20” x 16” MUSIC  ingham is exploring an accelerated com- caucus by his party’s leadership—and JANSEN ART CENTER mitment for similar gains by 2035. must be expelled from the legislature 321 Front Street, Lynden, WA 98264 • 360-354-3600 • jansenartcenter.org 14 Ambitious, yes. Doable? I believe so. once it reconvenes. But Rep. Van Werven ART  Rather than getting into the myriad de- has as yet failed to call him out. tails, I’d like to take a big view. Representative Van Werven, I urge 13 In July 2017, Elon Musk, inventor of the you to vote in January to expel your ex-

Tesla electric car, among other accom- tremist Republican colleague Matt Shea STAGE  plishments, shared with 30 state gover- from our state legislature—the people’s HAPPY HOLIDAYS! nors his calculation that the entire U.S. house. In the meantime, it is incumbent 12 energy supply could be met by one solar on you to condemn his criminal actions. THANK YOU FOR installation measuring 100x100 miles. We’re waiting. YOUR BUSINESS IN 2019. Obviously putting the entire country’s —Myra Ramos, Lummi Island GET OUT  energy supply in one spot would make it too vulnerable to attack or natural disas- DECONSTRUCTION OF REASON 10 ter, and require excessive transmission Loss of scientific reasoning and re- capacity. The numbers hold when split search in nearly everything during this WORDS  up, though. administration means the replacement Washington’s portion would require of scientists with lobbyists and evange-  8 200 square miles. That’s 10x20 miles, and listic control denying the separation of it doesn’t have to be continuous. In ac- church and state. How incongruous that

tuality, there would be a mix of solar and the Christmas celebration is about hope, CURRENTS wind turbines. Rooftop installations trim humanity, the “be attitudes” and Jesus’ down the area requirement as well. decision to not become a ruler. 6 If the state (or Bellingham, for its A Gen X decried lack of progress under part) put out requests for bids for renew- Boomers. While they dominate Congress VIEWS  4 

able energy, numerous companies would the U.S. will suffer from medical care, 4  submit bids to supply portions of that educational, immigration, environmental MAIL  energy. This happens all over the world and economic stagnation with continued MAIL 

right now with increasingly low costs for control of everything by the privileged. 2  power as the result. Stock market success is misrepresented

The winners would buy or lease land, as major holders manipulate fund value. FRUITED DO IT  probably in Eastern Washington where Employment statistics count jobs filled, it’s sunnier, build the collectors and the not the fact that many people have two or transmission facilities as needed, main- three jobs nor the fact that though some APERO SERIES 01.01.20 tain and manage those facilities, and sell wages are up, most value is down because CAN RELEASE PARTY JANUARY 11TH! electricity at predetermined prices. Con- of inflation. Consumer debt is high. .15 tracts are typically for 20 years, creating Stability of our government has world- CRISP, BUBBLY, DRY AND 01 # price stability. wide consequences; pardoning rogue be- HIGHLY CRUSHABLE - THIS IS The entire project can be staged over haviors has undercut the morale of our the time to goal, 15 or 25 years. military and degraded our national secu- A BEER FOR ALL OCCASIONS. Imagine how many good-paying jobs rity. Withdrawal from Syria has hurt our would be created in the course of install- military and questions our alliances. [ ONLY 100 CALORIES! ] ing 200 square miles of solar panels and In the International Student Assess- the rest of the infrastructure, with all ment (PISA) that measures 15-year-olds’ CASCADIA WEEKLY the knock-on economic effects, and pri- ability to use reading, mathematics and marily in Eastern Washington. science, the U.S. scored 14.5 percentile 5 The project I am proposing, whether in recognizing the difference between on a state or city level, would be a huge fact and opinion. step toward where we need to be and set We have work to do! ROOSEVELT TAPROOM : 1538 KENTUCKY ST | SUNNYLAND TAPROOM : 2238 JAMES ST an example for other local and state gov- —Donna Starr, Blaine THE GRISTLE

WHAT DREAMS MAY COME: Who’s to be or not to be?

23  That is the question legislators from three counties will answer next week as they gather in a special meeting FOOD  to select the replacement for state Representative Jeff Morris in the 40th District. For several of these people, views YOUR VIEWS THE GRISTLE this will be their last legislative act before their re- 20 placements are sworn into office later this month. The 40th District includes portions of three coun- B-BOARD  ties—Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan—and the subtle differences in the makeup of their respective BY AMY GOODMAN

19 legislative bodies complicates the selection process for a replacement who will hold office through the

FILM  current legislative year in Olympia, and until an elec- tion can be held next fall. Free Press 2020

16 That complexity and uncertainty was likely a factor that guided the timing of the announcement of Mor- LET THIS YEAR END THE MURDER AND IMPRISONMENT OF JOURNALISTS

MUSIC  ris in late November that he would not seek reelec- tion to another term, and had taken a position with THE GRISLY murder of Washing- Fenech is also linked to Muscat’s

14 a leading technology firm effective Jan. 6. That set ton Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi former chief of staff.

ART  a hard deadline for Democrats to scramble to replace at the hands of Saudi Arabian op- Similarly, in the wake of the mur- the quiet, hard-working technocrat from Mount Ver- eratives inside their consulate in der of Jan Kuciak and his fiancee

13 non while there was some certainty in the assembly Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018, report- Martina Kusnirova, Slovak Prime of these legislative bodies. Whatcom County in par- edly on direct orders of Saudi Crown Minister Robert Fico resigned, and

STAGE  ticular is about to undergo a seismic shift in political Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was the Slovak businessman who is ac- representation at the start of this year. compounded Monday when the cused of ordering the murder, Mar- Democrats from the 40th District met over the hol- Saudi Arabian public prosecutor an- The greatest jailers of journalists in ian Kocner, is finally set to stand 12 iday and selected three names to forward to the three nounced that five people had been 2019 are China, Turkey, Saudi Ara- trial almost two years later. county legislative bodies for consideration. Two of sentenced to death for the crime. bia, and Egypt. Justice for Jamal Khashoggi re-

GET OUT  the counties get one vote for each of their three rep- Two senior members of the Saudi Beneath that grim statistic that mains elusive. Agnes Callamard, resentatives; Whatcom County Council must split a government, including a close ad- 10 reporters were murdered in 2019 the United Nations’ special rappor-

10 fraction of its three votes among seven members. viser to the crown prince, were re- lies an important shift toward a teur on extrajudicial, summary or A total of nine votes will select either Alex Ramel, leased for “lack of evidence.” The public rejection of impunity for vio- arbitrary executions, tweeted af- Marco Morales, or Michael Lilliquist to represent the case of Jamal Khashoggi highlights lence against journalists. CPJ’s Elana ter the announcement of the Saudi WORDS  district for the remainder of this term. just how dangerous the practice Beiser noted in their report three convictions: “Bottom line: the

 8 Perhaps the most familiar to each of the county of journalism can be, especially recent cases that define the trend: hit-men are guilty, sentenced to legislative representatives due to his policy analy- when elected leaders like President the October 2017 murder of journal- death. The masterminds not only sis and energetic “get out the vote” activism is Alex Donald Trump ignore, condone or ist Daphne Caruana Galizia, in Malta; walk free, they have barely been

CURRENTS Ramel, a field director for the extreme oil project even inflame hostility and violence the 2018 killing of Jan Kuciak and touched by the investigation and of Stand.earth. He’s been in front of each of those against reporters. his fiancee in their home in Slova- the trial. That is the antithesis of 6 6 legislative bodies doing good work in transformative Sherif Mansour of the Commit- kia; and the Khashoggi case. Both Justice. It is a mockery.” energy and other initiatives. Ramel, who ran for a tee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) re- Galizia and Kuciak were reporting The Washington Post reported VIEWS  VIEWS  state House seat in 2018, was the precinct committee sponded, saying the announcement on corruption at the highest levels over a year ago that the CIA had

4  officers’ top pick. “shows that the Saudi government of government in their respective concluded, on evidence that in- Ramel’s organization helped spearhead a signifi- under Crown Prince Mohammed bin countries when they were murdered. cluded intercepted phone calls, MAIL  cant agreement this week between Skagit County Salman is committed to an ongoing Recently, as thousands marched that Saudi Crown Prince Moham-

2  commissioners and the Anacortes Oil Refinery that mockery of justice.” in the streets of Malta demanding med Bin Salman ordered the killing. the company would withdraw plans to manufacture CPJ defends the right of journal- accountability for the assassina- His close friendship with Donald

DO IT  and export 15,000 barrels per day of mixed xylenes— ists to report the news safely, with- tion of Galizia, the Mediterranean Trump’s son-in-law and senior ad- petrochemicals used to make plastics—through the out fear of reprisal. Their recent island nation’s Prime Minister Jo- viser, Jared Kushner, has certainly Salish Sea. In exchange, environmental organizations report on journalists killed in 2019 seph Muscat announced that he contributed to the impunity he has agreed to drop an ongoing appeal of permits to con- named 25 journalists, the lowest will be resigning in mid-January. so far enjoyed. One way to punish 01.01.20 struct a marine vapor emission control system at the number since 2002. Of those, 10 Public pressure on Muscat in- Saudi Arabia is through sanctions former Tesoro facility. were murdered directly because of creased in part due to a consor- and denial of military aid—options .15

01 Less familiar to each of these county legislative their work as journalists, which is tium of journalists who continued that were open until just last week, # bodies is Marco Morales, a graduation specialist work- the lowest number since CPJ started Galizia’s work. The group calls it- when Congress passed, and sent to ing with migrant youth and children of migrant workers keeping records in 1992. Five of the self “Forbidden Voices.” They coor- the White House for Trump’s signa- in the Mount Vernon School District. An active voice 10 murdered were in Mexico, which dinated the Daphne Project, with ture, the $738 billion 2020 National for farmworker rights, Morales said he would prioritize is on par with Syria as the most dan- 45 journalists pursuing Galizia’s Defense Authorization Act. education and affordable health care and housing. gerous place to work as a journalist. unfinished stories and investigat- The role of a free press is to in- Familiar to Whatcom County Council but perhaps CPJ still has an additional 25 deaths ing her assassination. Malta’s rich- form the public and to hold those

CASCADIA WEEKLY less so to the other counties is Michael Lilliquist, the of journalists under investigation, est man, gambling tycoon Yorgen in power accountable. We all have second pick among 40th LD PCOs. so the total will likely change. Fenech, has been charged with a responsibility to ensure that jour- 6 In his third term on Bellingham City Council, Lil- CPJ also tracks reporters impris- complicity in the journalist’s mur- nalists are free to do their work, liquist is known as one of that council’s most keen oned around the world, and counts der, and has been arrested in a without threats of injury, imprison- minds in policy analysis and is well informed on a at least 250 currently behind bars. separate money laundering case. ment or death. breadth of emergent public issues. He also has been hard at work on housing security, transformative VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF CASCADIA WEEKLY THE GRISTLE Pepper Sisters energy initiatives and—prominently Flavors of New Mexico among the three—criminal justice 23  reform.

Lilliquist received a tiny, tangen- Serving Dinner Tuesday - Sunday FOOD  tial assistance in his application to Happy hour Tuesday - Thursday replace Morris in a timely decision by 20 the state Attorney General last month. Comfort food The Attorney General had been from scratch 1055 N. State peppersisters.com asked by the Whatcom County Prose- B-BOARD  cuting Attorney whether, when county

legislative bodies make appointments 19 to fill vacant state legislative posi- tions, currently seated council mem- WHY BUY USED? FILM  bers are eligible for appointment. The

question arose during the process 16 that selected Anacortes City Council Our refurbished appliances member Liz Lovelett to replace Kevin MUSIC  Ranker in the state Senate in 2019, Keep resources out of the landfill and was specific to seated Whatcom 1 14 County Council member Rud Browne, Cascadia Weekly ART  who also applied but was serving on Cost less than 1/2 the price of new a body that would make the selection. 2 13 “Nothing in the Washington Con- is distributed Last longer than new, and come stitution, statutes, or case law pre- 3 with a 90 day guarantee STAGE  cludes sitting county commissioners at over or council members from being eli-

Appliance Depot is a nonprofit project of ReUse Works. Your 12 gible for appointment to vacant state purchases & donations support waste reduction & job training. legislative positions,” AG Bob Fer- guson found in his opinion, “though GET OUT  ethical restrictions would prohibit 802 Marine Drive | 360.527.2646 | ApplianceDepotBham.com council members from deliberating or 500 10 voting in an appointment process in which they were a nominee.” WORDS  The opinion overwrites an earlier locations standard that county commissioners  8 or council members in office at the in Whatcom, time of nomination are not eligible

for appointment by the joint county CURRENTS legislative bodies on which they sit.

Skagit and 6 In a larger and less specific way, the CIGARETTES AND 6 opinion affirms “strong presump- VIEWS 

SMOKELESS TOBACCO VIEWS  tion in favor of eligibility for office surrounding

in Washington” and that a common 4  reading of the law imposes few re- strictions on office seekers. The field areas. $ 00 MAIL 

is wide open, even if applicants are 2  already holding another office.

Whatcom Democrats had sought 55TO DO IT  an additional clarification and opin- ion on the issue of proportionate representation in the selection of a $ 00 EXPRESS replacement for Morris. With south 01.01.20 Bellingham as its nucleus, Whatcom DRIVE-THRU .15 County currently represents about 50 Ask about our Media Kit Per Carton • Includes Tax! 01 87 # percent of the 40th District, yet its [email protected] council gets only a fractional vote in ALL MAJOR BRANDS the selection split among three coun- & GENERICS ties. San Juan County with just 13 percent of overall populations gets a full third share of authority in se- OPEN lecting a replacement for the district. CASCADIA WEEKLY Whatcom Dems were unable to fully mount their challenge, but it is a fas- 7AM-9PM 7 CASINO• RESORT cinating question for another time. With two applicants living in Bell- On I-5 Exit 236• theskagit.com 7 DAYS A WEEK ingham, Whatcom Dems may still get *Price at time of printing. Limit five cartons/rolls per customer per day. Must have valid ID. Cigarettes are not legal for resale. Prices subject to change. No Returns. The Skagit Casino • Resort and U.S.I.T. Tobacco Shop their wish in the new year. owned by Upper Skagit Indian Tribe. SURGEON GENERAL’S WARNING: Quitting Smoking Now Greatly Reduces Serious Risks to Your Health. TANKER TROUBLE 23  FOOD  ek th

20 a e t B-BOARD  W LAST WEEK’S W

19 e

FILM 

h NEWS a 16 T DEC26-JAN01 s

MUSIC  BY TIM JOHNSON 14 ART  13 STAGE  12.26.20

12 THURSDAY

A Bellingham elementary school principal is dead and her husband is under A tanker carrying propane and butane collided with a gas terminal pier at Cherry Point with enough force to punch

GET OUT  guard at the hospital following a suspected murder and attempted suicide. a hole in the ship. The accident occurred at the Intalco pier west of Ferndale on Dec. 14. The 745-foot tanker Levant was carrying 33,000 tons of fuel, the U.S. Coast Guard reported. No one was injured and none of the ship’s cargo Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies found Sunnyland Elementary School Prin- leaked, according to the state Department of Ecology.

10 cipal Lynn Heimsoth, 58, dead in her home from an apparent gunshot wound. Two family pets were also shot and killed. Her husband appeared to have sustained a self-inflicted gunshot wound and was transported to the hospital. WORDS  Lynn Heimsoth had been principal at Sunnyland since fall 2017. Bellingham 12.30.19 gram was aimed at toxic forms of air pollu-

 8 School District Superintendent Greg Baker notes her death is “a profound loss MONDAY tion like carbon monoxide, rather than the to our Sunnyland community, our school district and to our extended commu- The Anacortes Oil Refinery agrees to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas- nity.” [KGMI, WCSO, Bellingham Public Schools] withdraw plans to manufacture and ex- es that are the primary drivers of climate CURRENTS 8 CURRENTS port 15,000 barrels per day of mixed change. [Ecology] With new research predicting that climate change will cause serious damage xylenes—petrochemicals used to make 6 to Washington's environment and economy, the Washington Department of plastics—through the Salish Sea. In the 01.01.20 Ecology recommends the state make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions agreement, environmental organizations VIEWS  by 2030, and eliminate nearly all sources of carbon pollution by 2050. Ecol- will drop an ongoing appeal of related WEDNESDAY

4  ogy based its new recommendations on the steps identified by international permits. Skagit County, which issued the More than a dozen new state laws go into scientists and researchers at the University of Washington as necessary to permits, has also signed the agreement. effect in Washington on January 1. The laws MAIL  limit the impacts of climate change. That research says that warming by just The proposal to produce and export mixed deal with everything from privacy in health

2  1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, will mean a 38 percent decline xylenes would have caused a dramatic in- care to child car seat regulations and tax law in Washington's snowpack, a 23 percent drop in summer streamflows, and a crease in energy use required for the refin- protections.

DO IT  1.4-foot rise in sea level. [Ecology] ery, resulting in a climate impact equiva- lent to adding 75,000 vehicles to the road. The smoking and vaping age is raised The Washington Supreme Court finds drivers must use a turn signal when The project would have required the refin- to 21 years old. Anyone who sells tobacco, turning or changing lanes. The court unanimously rules that the phrase “when ery to transport significant quantities of e-cigarettes, and vape products to underage 01.01.20 required” in state law dictates that drivers must use their signal continuously feedstocks, as well as shipping tankers of buyers will be penalized. at least 100 feet ahead of making a turn or changing lanes. The ruling reverses the refined product to Asia. [Stand.earth, .15

01 the Court of Appeals that found a signal is required only when public safety is Puget Soundkeeper] Employees in Washington state can soon # affected. [Washington Courts] start applying for time off under the state's 12.31.19 paid family leave law. 12.29.19 TUESDAY Seattle and Washington state will SUNDAY After 38 years, Washington’s vehicle both bump their minimum wages in Janu- The Nooksack River is closed to steelhead fishing due to poor hatchery emissions check program ends. Vehicles ary. The state minimum wage will increase

CASCADIA WEEKLY returns. [WDFW] will no longer be analyzed for fumes from from $12 per hour to $13.50 per hour. the exhaust pipe. The $15 tests were re- Seattle’s minimum wage will increase to 8 An observant spotter on shore helps rescue three duck hunters after their quired in regions covering most of Clark, $16.39 per hour for companies with more boat capsized near the entrance to the Skagit River. Two men remained strand- King, Pierce, Snohomish and Spokane coun- than 500 employees and $15.75 per hour ed in mud flats roughly 200 yards from the river bank near Milltown. A U.S. ties. The end of the testing program will for smaller companies where employees Coast Guard aircrew rescue team arrived and found the men in knee-high wa- have little effect on Washington’s efforts don’t earn $2.25 per hour in tips or medical ter, struggling to reach shore on foot. [USCG] to fight climate change. The testing pro- benefits. [CW] livered on Dec. 23,” police explained. “When her son called on the 24th to see OF if she had received it, she realized it WHATCOM FUZZ must have been stolen.” COUNTY 52 WOMEN 23  BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF BELLINGHAM AND WHATCOM COUNTY

BUZZ FOOD  On Dec. 26, an Anacortes woman reported someone stole the contents of a package Frances Axtell (1866-1953), was one of PICAYUNE PIRACY form her mailbox. Estimated loss is $4. the first women elected to the Washing- 20 On Dec. 23, a woman stole a whale ton State Legislature, serving from 1913 watching boat from the Bellingham mari- On Dec. 27, an Anacortes man reported -15. Axtell promoted minimum wage and na, and collided with another vessel. She his $100 Nike Air Jordan shoes were sto- public safety legislation. She was known as B-BOARD  ditched the boat and was found by police len out of his car overnight. “the lady from Whatcom who votes as she pleases.” She told the Seattle P-I: “Most

while she was prowling other boats in 19 men are in politics because they want to do the marina for wine. Police arrested the IMPROPER SHOPPERS something…whereas women are in it be- 48-year-old. On Dec. 21, a man attempted to steal cause they want to get something done.” In FILM  about $550 worth of booze from an Ana- 1917 President Woodrow Wilson appointed

STAR OF WONDER cortes store. “The man allegedly pushed her vice-chair of the Employees Compensa- 16

On Dec. 25, a 41-year-old Anacortes man a cart fill of alcohol out the front of the tion Commission, the first woman selected WA TACOMA SOCIETY, HISTORICAL STATE WASHINGTON

was arrested after his wife called police store. Employees gave chase and the man for a federal commission. At age 23 Axtell MUSIC  to report he’d been drinking and pushed left the cart and ran. Police are attempt- earned a doctorate from DePauw University, before moving to Lynden to teach at the their Christmas tree down and broke ing to identify the thief,” police reported. “Most men are in politics be- 14 other items around the residence. An Northwest Normal School (renamed Western cause they want to do some- ART  argument started and the man reported- On Dec. 22, an Anacortes woman report- Washington University). She was a charter member of the Aftermath Club, and the ly pushed over the tree and shoved his ed being purposely hit with a shopping thing…whereas women are in first president of the New Whatcom Ladies 13 wife when she tried to call police. He was cart at a local grocery store. “She and her Cooperative Society, formed to stimulate the it because they want to get booked into jail. spouse were leaving the store when a man local economy. The Axtell family home still something done.” STAGE  walked directly toward her and pushed stands at 413 E. Maple St. in Bellingham. ANTI-CLAUS COMIN’ his cart into her,” police reported. “She —By Kate Kershner —Francis Axtell 12 On Dec. 23, an 86-year-old Anacortes exclaimed at being hit and the man re- man reported a suspicious person in his portedly yelled back and refused to move. backyard. He noticed motion lights go The woman walked around him and left.” 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage and the formation of the League of Women GET OUT  on in their side yard and instead of the Officers reviewed surveillance video and Voters. Every week of 2020, the LWV is proud to feature a woman who made a difference in What- wildlife he was expecting, he saw a man confirmed the woman’s account. com County through their accomplishments, active community involvement or inspiring representa- 10 walking toward his home’s private back- tion in different fields. Visit the LWV website to learn more www.lwvbellinghamwhatcom.org yard. The caller confronted the man, who On Dec. 24, a 26-year-old transient was WORDS  appeared alarmed and walked away. banned from an Anacortes grocery store

after having previously stolen items. 8  8 On Dec. 23, an Anacortes woman reported The man told officers he figured he was index the theft of mail. She said she put mail going to get trespassed as there was an CURRENTS in the box and several days later noticed issue regarding donut holes in the past.  CURRENTS fraudulent credit card applications and was later contacted about an attempt to NAUGHTY, NOT NICE 6 cash a stolen check, police reported. On Dec. 13, Blaine Police were dis- 330,222,422 VIEWS  patched to a report of a man taking pic- Estimated population of the United Sates on Jan. 1, 2020. In 2020, the United States is expected to experience one birth every eight seconds and one death every 11 On Dec. 22, an Anacortes woman visited tures of a 12-year-old female in a store. 4  her bank after her card was declined at The man claimed to be a photographer seconds. Meanwhile, net international migration is expected to add one person to the

U.S. population every 34 seconds. MAIL  an area store and discovered more than and asked the juvenile if he could pho-

$2,500 in fraudulent charges over the tograph her feet. ”The store will be pro- 2  past two months. She told officers she viding officers with a video of the man,” has no idea how anyone was able to ac- police reported. 328,239,523 DO IT  cess her card information. Population of the United States in 2019. The population grew by 0.5 percent between On Dec. 14, Bellingham Police arrested 2018 and 2019, or 1,552,022 people. Annual growth peaked at 0.73 percent this On Dec. 23, an Anacortes man told police a 26-year-old man for multiple domestic decade in the period between 2014 and 2015. The growth between 2018 and 2019 is a he went to get his paper around 6am and violence offenses including felony as- continuation of a multiyear slowdown since that period. 01.01.20 saw several pieces of mail in a ditch near sault, kidnapping and unlawful impris- .15

his mailbox. Later in the day, neighbors onment, assault and malicious mischief. 01 brought over a package that had been 595,000 # opened. A drone with camera was stolen. WHATCOM WANKERS Net international migration to the United States between 2018 and 2019, the lowest On Dec. 27, a 34-year-old man was ar- level this decade. This is a notable drop from this decade's high of 1,047,000 who On Dec. 23, an Anacortes man reported rested after he exposed his genitals and immigrated between 2015 and 2016. China has replaced Mexico to become the largest a $48 Bonanza rummy game was stolen began masturbating at the Bellis Fair sending country of foreign-born immigrants to the United States as of 2018. from his front porch after it was deliv- shopping center. He was booked into jail ered. A neighbor confirmed seeing the on six counts of indecent exposure, felo- CASCADIA WEEKLY package on their front porch before it ny harassment and resisting arrest 6 was stolen, police confirmed. 9 Rank of Washington among the nation’s fastest-growing states. Washington added about On Dec. 25, Bellingham Police had a con- 91,024 people to its 2019 population total of 7,614,893. The Northeastern portion of the On Dec. 26, an Anacortes woman report- versation with a person who was naked United States actually saw a decline in population in 2019. ed the theft of a package off her front on Meridian Street near the Bellingham porch. “It appears the package was de- Golf and Country Club. SOURCES: U.S. Census Bureau doit WORDS

THURS., JAN. 2 TEEN LIBRARY COUNCIL: Build your re- 23  sume, meet new people and have fun by being

FOOD  part of a Teen Library Council meeting today from 3pm-4:30pm at the Ferndale Library, words 2125 Main St. To join the dedicated group of COMMUNITY LECTURES BOOKS

20 teens who create and organize teen programs and assist with library events, download an application or ask for one at the front desk.

B-BOARD  WWW.WCLS.ORG/TEENS

cerning homelessness—and Life Between SPINE TINGLERS: All adults are welcome to

19 the Pages, a monthly event at the venue’s attend a Spine Tinglers Book Group meeting Evolve Chocolate + Cafe that brings the from 5:30pm-6:30pm at the Lynden Library,

FILM  month’s selections to life via five-course 216 4th St. The monthly meeting focuses on meals and associated cocktail pairings. tomes with spooky, eerie and ghostly tales. The event begins with a spooky reading,

16 A new Creative and Literary Libera- discusses classic and modern horror stories, tion group designed for people of color and has members sharing their favorite

MUSIC  and anti-racist advocates rounds out the books about things that go bump in the month at Village Books with a meeting night. The book this month is Lisa Jewell’s Then She Was Gone. 14 on Jan. 26, and Lynden’s Books & Brews WWW.WCLS.ORG

ART  will see VB readers heading to Overflow Taps Jan. 28 to suss out Amor Towles’ A POETRY WRITING GROUP: Come meet other writers who can help you get orga-

13 Gentleman in Moscow. Not to be outdone, the Whatcom Coun- nized, give feedback and assist you with your writing goals at a Poetry Writing Group

STAGE  ty Library System also hosts a variety of meeting from 5:30pm-7pm at Village Books, monthly book clubs for readers in Birch 1200 11th St. The group is open to newcom- Bay, Blaine, Deming, Everson, Ferndale, ers and drop-ins and meets the first and 12 Point Roberts, Kendall, and Lynden. His- third Thursday of each month. tories and Mysteries, Books on Tap, Fami- WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM GET OUT  ly Book Group, Award-Winning Book Club, JAN. 2-MARCH 15 Afternoon Books and Tea, Teen Book A FOREST OF WORDS: Teens in grades 10 10 Club, and a Spine Tinglers Book Group are 6-12 are invited to enter original poems for among the choices for interested parties. inclusion in an annual teen poetry anthol- Bellingham Reads, a monthly discus- ogy, A Forest of Words, through Sun., March WORDS  WORDS  sion group taking place at the Dodson 15. Along with having their poems published in the tome—which is distributed to each

 8 Room at the Bellingham Public Library, Whatcom County library and area schools— will also welcome new members when it all selected poets will receive their own copy meets on Tues., Jan. 28 to talk about A of the book. Poems can be submitted online or at local libraries. A panel of library staff CURRENTS Perfect Little World by Kevin Wilson. For newbies to any of the aforemen- and area teens will select poems based on

6 originality, creativity and craft. Entry forms tioned happenings—or to book clubs are available and submissions are accepted in general—keep a few dos and don’ts at every WCLS library or online. VIEWS  in mind when you attend. On the “do” WWW.WCLS.ORG

4  list, make a serious attempt to finish the book before the meeting, don’t be afraid SUN., JAN. 5

MAIL  RESOLUTIONS FOR WRITERS: If you need BY AMY KEPFERLE to share your thoughts (even if you dis- a boost to your writing for the New Year,

2  agree with the general populace), bring register for “Resolutions for Writers 2020” questions to the table, and take your from 11am-3pm at Village Books, 1200 11th St. Come out of your writing cave and connect DO IT  turn. “Don’ts” include not steamrolling Book Clubbing your fellow book clubbers or forcing oth- with other writers and experts in the writing community for series of workshops, presenta- ers to contribute and veering away from PAGING NEW MEMBERS tions and conversations about writing, from the topic and book at hand. generation to publication and beyond. Fees 01.01.20 IF ONE of your New Year’s resolutions is to read more in 2020, it might behoove you Also, don’t forget that everyone reads include a boxed lunch from Evolve Chocolate to know there are approximately 30 book clubs in Whatcom County designed to help at their own pace. + Cafe. Reservations are required. .15 WWW.WHATCOMCOMMUNITYED.COM

01 you achieve that page-turning goal. “There will always be someone who # That may seem like an awful lot to choose from, but when you consider the varied reads the book in a day and someone MON., JAN. 6 interests of local bibliophiles, the number doesn’t seem so daunting. who doesn’t finish it until the day of GENERAL LIT: As part of a General Litera- By far, the largest aggregation of book clubs can be found at Village Books—most the meeting,” a recent article on book- ture Book Group meeting, discuss Matthew at the Bellingham locale. In the coming week, wannabe clubbers can drop by a General ish.com noted. “If you’re a speed reader, Desmond’s Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the Literature Book group to discuss Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City (Jan. don’t spoil the book for others. If you’re American City at 7pm at Village Books, 1200 11th St. In the tome, the sociologist follows 6); attend an Afternoon Book Chat to talk about Isabell Allende’s novel In the Midst of slow but steady, make sure you give your- eight families in Milwaukee as they each CASCADIA WEEKLY Winter (Jan. 8); go deep with Mary Oliver’s Upstream: Selected Essays at a Living with self enough time to finish. Keep in mind struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Meaning Book Group (Jan. 8); and find recipes and camaraderie in Alison Roman’s Noth- that everyone is busy, and cut your fellow WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM 10 ing Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having People Over at a Cooking Lit Book Group (also Jan. 8). readers some slack when needed.” But the list doesn’t stop there. Through January, Village Books will also offer a JAN 7-11 BOOK SALE PROMOTION: Find out more monthly Motherhood by the Book meeting, as well as Armchair Historians, A Year of For information on Whatcom County book about an upcoming Winter Book Sale Atwood, Engaged Citizens, a Science Fiction and Fantasy Book Group, Bellingham Mys- clubs, go to www.villagebooks.com, www. when Friends of the Library host book sale terians, Community Conversations—a limited-run book group focusing on topics con- wcls.org, or www.bellinghampubliclibrary.org doit

WRITERS’ CLUB: Students in grades 6-12 are bol of Christmas on the curb by 8am in Bellingham, invited to attend a Writers’ Club from 3pm-4pm at Ferndale, and Lynden. Scouts will knock on doors or the Ferndale Library, 2125 Main St. The weekly club leave envelopes for donations. SEE YA, SANTA! explores narrative structure, offers creativity exer- (360) 255-9194 23  cises, and is intended to hone your craft as a writer. No signup is required. CONVERSATION CAFE: Engage with your commu- FOOD  WWW.WCLS.ORG nity in a thoughtful way through meaningful dialogue at a “Conversation Cafe: Can We Talk About It?” event from 3pm-5pm at the Deming Library, 5044 Mt. Baker

THURS., JAN. 9 20 FICTION WRITING GROUP: Come meet other writ- Hwy. Using the Conversation Cafe format, table hosts ers who can help you get organized, give feedback facilitate small group conversations which value a and assist you with your writing goals at a Fiction diversity of opinion, respectful listening, and whole- B-BOARD  Writing Group meeting from 6pm-8pm at Village hearted connection. Entry is free. Books, 1200 11th St. This group is open to newcom- WWW.WCLS.ORG

ers and drop-ins and meets the second and fourth 19 Thursday of each month. GIMME SHELTER: Music, food and fun will be part

WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM of “Gimme Shelter: A Solidarity Shindig” starting at FILM  4pm in Mount Vernon at Lincoln Theatre, 712 S First St. Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit Al Otra COMMUNITY Lado (legal services serving refugees and asylum 16 seekers) and Madre Asunta (shelter in Tijuana, serv-

FRI., JAN. 3 ing children who have been displaced after deporta- MUSIC  MINDFULNESS WORKSHOP: Join local mindful- tion from the United States). Tickets are $20-$35. ness practitioner Tim Burnett, Guiding Teacher and WWW.LINCOLNTHEATRE.ORG 14 Executive Director of Mindfulness Northwest, for an

The Boy Scouts of Whatcom County will be picking up Christmas trees to recycle Sat., Jan. 4 in Bellingham, exploration of practices that promote awareness and TUES., JAN. 7 ART  Ferndale, and Lynden. The symbols of the season will be turned into mulch and compost for local re-use. well-being from 12pm-1pm at Village Books, 1200 BEER AND BUNCO: A “Beer and Bunco” series kicks 11th St. He will discuss the origins of mindfulness, off tonight from 7pm-10pm at Stemma Brewing Co., 13 touch on stress physiology, and explore how mind- 2039 Moore St. Register to reserve a spot and bring promotion events from 11am-1pm Tuesday through Lynden Library, 216 4th St. Contact the library for fulness practices can help us engage in our relation- $5 cash for buy-in. Saturday at the SkillShare Space at the Bellingham guest speaker details. ship to experience, reducing stress and enhancing WWW.STEMMABREWING.COM STAGE  Public Library, 210 Central Ave. (360) 354-4883 well-being. Entry is free. WWW.BELLINGHAMPUBLICLIBRARY.ORG WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM WED., JAN. 8 12 LIVING WITH MEANING: Mary Oliver’s Upstream: SELF-HYPNOSIS: Award-winning hypnotist and WED., JAN. 8 Selected Essays will be the focus of a Living with SAT., JAN. 4 author Erika Flint leads an “Introduction to Self- BOOKS AND TEA: Join in for a discussion, a warm Meaning Book Group at 2pm at Village Books, 1200 TREE REMOVAL: As part of the Boy Scouts of Hypnosis” from 6:30pm-8pm at the Community Food GET OUT  cup of tea, and a sweet treat at a monthly Afternoon 11th St. Whatcom County’s annual Tree Recycling Service Co-op, 1220 N. Forest St. Fees are $10. Books and Tea gathering from 2pm-3:30pm at the WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM Project, take off all decorations and place your sym- WWW.COMMUNITYFOOD.COOP 10 10 WORDS  WORDS   8 CURRENTS 6 VIEWS  4  Georgia on My Mind: Celebrating MAIL 

the Music 2  of Ray Charles DO IT  SPONSOR Liza SPONSOR Lois & Bob Nicholl Gossett 01.01.20 .15 01 #

SPONSOR CASCADIA WEEKLY

WINNER! BROADWAY.COM’S AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL 11 doit

FRI., JAN. 3 boarders, join Merry Mountain Ski WILD THINGS: Kids, adults and Club for a Ski Bus to Stevens Pass

adventurers can join Holly Roger of today with pickup starting at 6am

23  Wild Whatcom for a “Wild Things” in Bellingham before heading to Community Program from 9:30am- Burlington, Stanwood, and Monroe.

FOOD  11am every Friday in January at Lake The nonprofit club will have the outside Padden Park (East). Please bring a luxury coach available for the next HIKING RUNNING GARDENING simple, healthy snack to share, and six Tuesdays—and possibly beyond.

20 dress for the weather. Suggested Fees vary. donation is $5 per person. WWW.MERRYMOUNTAIN.COM WWW.WILDWHATCOM.ORG

B-BOARD  ALL-PACES RUN: Staff and volun- To kick off the monthlong roster of JAN. 3-6 teers are always on hand to guide BEGINNER BIRDING: A birding the way at the weekly All-Paces

19 activities, make plans ASAP to attend guide from Skagit Guided Adven- Run starting at 6pm every Tuesday a Salmon Run and Nature Walk start- tures will provide insights into at Fairhaven Runners, 1209 11th FILM  ing at 10am Sat., Jan. 4 in Concrete at choosing binoculars and a field St. The runs are 20 minutes out Ovenell’s Heritage Inn. Attendees can guide book to help you start iden- and back on two key routes—by tifying birds at “Beginner Birding” the water or through the woods. 16 choose to sign up for a 5K timed run, or classes from 10:30am-12pm Friday Entry is free. join a family-friendly nature walk to look at the Anacortes Senior Center, WWW.FAIRHAVENRUNNERS.COM MUSIC  not only for eagles, but also for osprey, and 2:30pm-4pm Monday at the deer, elk and beaver. Whichever outing Mount Vernon Senior center. Bring WED., JAN. 8

14 you choose, the routes along the river binoculars and bird books you pos- GROUP RUN: All levels of experi- ses. Binoculars will be available to ence are welcome at a weekly Group

ART  are guaranteed to be scenic. Run beginning at 6pm in Mount Later that morning, a free Wildlife practice with. Entry is $10. Please register at the senior centers. Vernon at the Skagit Running Com-

13 Hayride and Campfire originates from the (360) 474-7479 pany, 702 First St. The 3- to 6-mile Double O Ranch and continues through run is great for beginners or for

STAGE  250 acres of timber, pasture and a Con- JAN. 3-5 others wanting an easy recovery. servation Reserve Enhancement Program. DEEP FOREST EXPERIENCE: Entry is free. Attend “Deep Forest Experience” WWW.SKAGITRUNNERS.ORG While keeping an eye out for birds and 12 12 events from 11am-2pm Fridays beasts, guests will learn through Sundays through February GARDEN CLUB MEETING: “Prun- more about conserva- at Rockport State Park, State Route ing and Care in the Landscape” GET OUT  GET OUT  tion projects, selective 20, milepost 96. Guided hikes will will be the focus a presentation timber harvesting, and depart hourly from the Discovery by Debra Olberg at a Birchwood Center hourly. Park staff and vol- Garden Club Meeting taking place

10 how wildlife habitat can unteers will lead 30- to 60-minute from 7pm-9pm at Whatcom Mu- be enhanced by ranch- walks under a dense canopy of old seum’s Old City Hall, 121 Prospect ing practices. growth fir, cedar, hemlock and St. All are welcome. WORDS  Throughout the maple trees. Many of the Rockport WWW.BIRCHWOODGARDENCLUB.ORG trees are more than 400 years old

 8 month, eagle-watching ATTEND and top out at 250 feet. During the THURS., JAN. 9 WHAT: Skagit stations at Howard walks, interpretive staff and guest AVALANCHE AWARENESS: Reps Eagle Festival Miller Steelhead Park, speakers will discuss the unseen from Northwest Avalanche Center WHERE: CURRENTS educational events at ecosystems that keep forests focus on “Avalanche Awareness” for Concrete,

WIKIMEDIA COMMONS WIKIMEDIA COMMONS the Skagit River Bald healthy, including salmon-bearing the winter backcountry traveler at

6 Rockport, and streams, animal scat and mycorrhi- 6pm at REI, 400 36th St. Register Marblemount Eagle Interpretive Cen- zal fungi. Entry is free; a Discovery in advance for the free event. WHEN: Jan. ter, and Skagit River

VIEWS  Pass is required to park. WWW.REI.COM/STORES/ 4-5, 11-12, 18- Eagle Viewing and Pho- WWW.PARKS.STATE.WA.US/574/ BELLINGHAM BY AMY KEPFERLE 19, and 25-26 4  tography Tours will of- ROCKPORT COST: Varies; HAWK WATCHING CLASS: Taking many events are fer a closer look at the MAIL  JAN. 4-5 over from Raptor Research NW’s free majestic birds, but each BIRDING FOR KIDS: Skagit Bud Anderson, Sue Cottrell will INFO: www. 2  Skagit Scenery weekend will also bring Guided Adventures hosts “Birding lead a Hawk Watching Class begin- concrete-wa. additional activities. for Kids” excursions from 2:30pm- ning tonight from 7pm-9pm at com DO IT  THE EAGLES HAVE LANDED On Jan. 11-12, for ex- 4:30pm Saturdays and Sundays Bellingham Unitarian Church, 1207 ample, a Native Ameri- through March. Prices vary; trans- Ellsworth St. The class continues WHEN SEEKING out the birds of prey who are the star at- can History, Storytelling, and More event portation and binoculars will be Thursdays through Feb. 6, and will provided. Reservations are required. include an all-day field trip. Fees tractions of the Skagit Eagle Festival, keep in mind that you’re at Marblemount Community Hall will add (360) 474-7479

01.01.20 are $175; registration and payment on their turf. tale-telling, music, puppetry and more must be received in advance. Organizers suggest those who plan to take part in eagle- to the mix. Jan. 18 brings a Night Sky SUN., JAN. 5 WWW.FALCONRESEARCH.ORG/2020- .15 RAPTOR-CLASSES 01 watching events during the annual celebration happening Sat- Photography presentation with Andy RABBIT RIDE: Join members of # urdays and Sundays through January in Concrete, Rockport, Mar- Porter to the Concrete Theatre, and a the Mount Baker Bicycle Club for a “Rabbit Ride” starting at 8:30am As a teaser blemount and beyond use a telescope, binoculars or a telephoto Birds of Prey presentation taking place VIRTUAL CRUISE: every Sunday at Fairhaven Bicycle, for next summer’s sailings, local lens to get a closer look at the vertebrates. They also caution Jan. 25 at Concrete High School will see 1108 11th St. The 32-mile route takes historical Brian Griffin leads a to “keep noise low and your movements slow,” and to remain in reps from the Sarvey Wildlife Care Center riders down Chuckanut and back via Virtual History Sunset Cruise your vehicle when possible to use it as a blind from which to offering an insider’s glimpse at the wild- Lake Samish. The group also holds presentation at 7:30pm at What- take photographs. life in Puget Sound. weekly rides Tuesdays, Wednesdays, com Museum’s Old City Hall, 121 Thursdays and Saturdays. Prospect St. Griffin has narrated CASCADIA WEEKLY Staying away from the river’s edge and gravel bars where ea- However you choose to celebrate the WWW.MTBAKERBIKECLUB.ORG the cruises for the past 11 years. gles feed is also recommended, as are reminders to use public ar- Skagit Eagle Festival—whether it’s on a 12 He is also a frequent guide for eas along the river and be courteous to local landowners. Drivers solitary expedition in Rockport or with TUES., JAN. 7 the popular Sunday afternoon Old should also adjust their speed according to traffic and weather, friends or family on a hayride—remem- SKI BUS TO STEVENS PASS: If City Hall history tours. Suggested keep an eye out for pedestrians, carry winter emergency gear, ber that nature takes center stage dur- you’re interested in joining a great donation is $5. group of adult skiers and snow- WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG and be aware that cell phone reception is apt to be sketchy in ing this annual event, and adjust your eastern Skagit County. behavior accordingly. doit

STAGE “guaranteed to start your year off with tons of laughter and loads

THURS., JAN. 2 of heart.” Tickets are $12-$16;

BREAKING BREAD: “A New Start“ evening shows include dessert. 23  will be the theme of a Breaking Additional showings happen Jan.

Bread anthology show at 7:30pm at 9-11 and 17-19. FOOD  the Sylvia Center for the Arts, 205 WWW.ALTATHEATRE.COM stage Prospect St. Julia Lafortune hosts,

THEATER DANCE PROFILES and as many as eight storytellers SUN., JAN. 5 20 will share a personal story relating DEPOT COMEDY CLUB: The to the theme. Bread will be pro- monthly Depot Comedy Club returns

vided by Avenue Bread, and drinks at 8pm at Aslan Depot, 1322 N. B-BOARD  will be available for purchase from State St. The show will feature the lobby bar. Entry is $5-$10. accomplished comedians Harry J.

WWW.SYLVIACENTERFORTHE Riley and Natalie Holt. Travis Nel- 19 ARTS.ORG son will host. Tickets are $15.

WWW.EVENTBRITE.COM FILM  GOOD, BAD, UGLY: Watch “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” at PANTY HOES: Stunning looks, 16 7:30pm every Thursday at the laughter and more will be part of Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St. the weekly Panty Hoes Drag Show

At 9:30pm, stick around for “The at 9:30pm at Rumors Cabaret, 1119 MUSIC  Project,” which tonight will feature Railroad Ave.

“Upfront Standup,” a monthly WWW.RUMORSCABARET.COM 14 event showcasing standup comedi- ans from the Upfront and beyond— MON., JAN. 6 ART  including Julian Thompson, Brock GUFFAWINGHAM: A weekly open 13 Seaman, Emmett O’Neill, Sethro mic for comedians, “Guffawing- 13 Tome, Jack Stewart, Kyle Engberg, ham!,” takes place at 9pm every Matt Benoit, Trevor Gjendem, and Monday at the Firefly Lounge, 1015 STAGE  STAGE  Michael Nelson-Brannan. Nathan N. State St. Entry is free. The event Romano hosts. Entry is $8 for the features approximately 20 standup

early show, $5 for the late one. comedians who each do a four- 12 WWW.THEUPFRONT.COM minute set. WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/

FRI., JAN. 3 GUFFAWINGHAM GET OUT  BRASS MONKEY: As part of the monthly Art Walk in downtown WED., JAN. 8

Bellingham, a Brass Monkey MENACE ON THE MIC: Attend 10 Theater Club show begins at 9pm a monthly “Menace on the Mic” at the Sylvia Center for the Arts, Standup Comedy Night night start- WORDS  205 Prospect St. Tonight’s theme ing at 8pm at Menace Brewing, is “The Inciting Incident.” New 2529 Meridian St. The 21-and-older plays will be read on the spot by event will feature comedians Nikki  8 BY AMY KEPFERLE who’s been running Improv Playworks a randomly drawn cast; actors Kilpatrick, Jack Slattery, and Trevor since leaving the Upfront—will host an who come ready to act get in free Gjendem, and featured act Mikey

introductory workshop on Wed., Jan. 15 and drop their name in the hat to Pullman. Joel O’Connor will be CURRENTS before a new series of classes start up. be randomly cast in one or more hosting the show. Entry is free. Class Act At the Upfront (www.theupfront.com), shows. Entry is $4-$5. WWW.MENACE-INDUSTRIES.COM/ 6 a variety of classes will begin in Janu- WWW.SYLVIACENTERFORTHE BREWERY

NEW YEAR, NEW YOU ARTS.ORG VIEWS  ary, many of them catering to beginners

IF THIS is the year you’ve finally decided to hack your way out and those looking to get out of their own JAN. 3-4 DANCE 4  of the shell of shyness you’ve been hiding inside, I’m going to heads and learn more about spontaneous SPACE TREK: The men and women go out on a limb and suggest that taking an acting class may be creation. Theatrical improv, musical im- of the USS Upfront will return to THURS., JAN. 2 MAIL  the stage when the popular im- FOLK DANCE: The Balkan Folk one of the best ways to do so. prov and more are also on the horizon. provised sci-fi show, “Space Trek,” Dancers meet from 7-9:30pm 2  For example, when I signed up for an introductory improv Other organizations with creativ- returns to the stage for 7:30pm Thursdays at the Fairhaven Library,

workshop with Sheila Goldsmith of Improv Playworks (www.im- ity on the agenda include the youth- and 9:30pm performances Fridays 1117 12th St. Suggested donation DO IT  provplayworks.com) many years ago, I wasn’t prepared for it to focused Bellingham Arts Academy for and Saturdays through January at is $5; first-time visitors can attend alter the trajectory of my life. I had a theater minor, but hadn’t Youth (www.baay.org), the Sylvia Cen- the Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St. for free. Audience members can get in on (360) 380-0456 put it to use for more than a decade when I learned the ben- ter for the Arts (www.sylviacenterfor the action too—they’ll provide the 01.01.20 efits of saying yes, listening to my fellow students, and making thearts.org), Fairhaven’s Bellingham suggestions that inspire the impro- SAT., JAN. 4 active choices. I also discovered true teamwork is the key to a Circus Guild (www.bellinghamcircus vised “missions.” Tickets are $12. BALLROOM DANCE: All ages and .15 WWW.THEUPFRONT.COM levels of experience are welcome great scene. guild.com), and Anacortes Community 01 One class turned into a series of them, and when Goldsmith Theatre’s all-ages Class Act programs to attend a weekly Ballroom Dance # JAN. 3-5 from 7pm-9pm at the Bellingham teamed up with world-famous actor and improviser Ryan Stiles (www.acttheatre.com). THE CURIOUS SAVAGE: Alger Senior Activity Center, 315 Halleck to help open the Upfront Theatre, it wasn’t long before I was If time onstage is important to you, Lookout Thespian Association St. Suggested donation is $5. onstage with many of my fellow classmates on a regular basis. all of the aforementioned venues include (ALTA) presents its 2020 show, WWW.WCCOA.ORG Thing is, you don’t have to take an improv or acting class with opportunities for students to shine, and John Patrick’s The Curious Savage, the end goal of performing. Many people discover the positive most offer continued support in the vein at 7pm Friday and Saturday, and SALSA NIGHT: Join DJ Antonio 2:30pm Sunday at Alger Community Diaz as he mixes a combination effects of becoming more comfortable in their skin outweigh of advanced classes and mentorship. But CASCADIA WEEKLY Church, 1475 Silver Run Lane. The of Latin rhythms at Rumba North- those of wanting to be in the spotlight, and ultimately enhance if it’s change you’re looking for, remem- comedy about a wealthy widow west’s bimonthly “Saturday Salsa 13 the quality of their everyday lives. They become better public ber that a new year brings the chance who is committed to a home for Night” taking place from 9pm-12am speakers, are able to deal with curveballs and are more apt to for you to redefine your own trajectory, the mentally challenged because at Cafe Rumba, 1140 N. State St. forgive their own mistakes. whether it’s under the spotlight, or as a her stepchildren don’t like what Entry is $5. she’s doing with “their” money is WWW.RUMBANORTHWEST.COM With the new year in sight, many local theater companies are star in your own life. Either way, you’ll currently seeking students for upcoming classes. Goldsmith— be a winner. doit UPCOMING EVENTS

FRI., JAN. 3

23  ANACORTES ART WALK: The Good Stuff Arts, Red Salon Aveda, Trinity Skate Gallery,

FOOD  Pelican Bay Bookstore and Coffee Shop, Scott visual Milo Gallery, and the Majestic Inn and Spa will GALLERIES OPENINGS PROFILES be among those opening their doors for the 20 First Friday Art Walk happening from 6pm-9pm in downtown Anacortes. Entry is free. WWW.ANACORTESART.COM B-BOARD  Linda Rees, a lifelong weaver, is a force ART WALK: Pickford Art Studios, Western City Center, and Make.Shift Art Space will be

19 in the Bellingham weaving community. among the venues opening their doors for She works with abstract designs and col- the monthly Art Walk taking place from 6pm- FILM  ors that don’t “go” together. Her striking 10pm throughout downtown Bellingham. Pick tapestry near the craft rooms, “Traversal up a map at participating locales for a full listing of participants and exhibits. 16 Origin, (1981)” she wove in linen, wool WWW.DOWNTOWNBELLINGHAM.COM and nylon with gentle red shades set

MUSIC  against hues of blue and yellow. BAYOU ANNEX: Peruse landscape pho- The seasonal juried exhibit continues tography by Audra Lee Mercille during an 14 14 up the stairs with Gary Giovane’s “Wind- opening reception from 6pm-10pm at Bayou Annex Bar, 1300 Bay St. The works will show ART  ART  swept pine near the shore,” an acrylic through January. painting on cedar panel reaching out over WWW.AUDRALEEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM

13 an ocean of red and blue swirls. On the landing are Dotti Burton’s MAKE.SHIFT: An opening reception for “Eat Your Heart Out” takes place from 6pm-10pm STAGE  mixed-media “Geometrics,” a recent and very promising direction. In “#3,” at Make.Shift Art Space, 307 Flora St. The exhibit features works by Bridgett St. Meave she offers movement 12 and Cecilia Karoly-Listyer, Bellingham- and resolution in pastel based artists who incorporate textiles and yellows and blue, and captivating meditations on intimacy and

GET OUT  shades of gray, black community. See it through January. and red. And “#2” is a WWW.MAKESHIFTPROJECT.COM

10 restful puzzle of gray, SAT., JAN. 4 tan, black and white. ARTIST TALK AND DEMO: Christian Carlson At the top of the will demonstrate his encaustic technique WORDS  stairs Gene Jaress of- (painting with pigments suspended in molten SEE beeswax) and talk about how he approaches

 8 fers “Skagit Fields at WHAT: Winter the work at an Artist Talk and Demo taking Dusk”—the first of a se- Exhibits place from 2pm-5pm in Mount Vernon at Perry WHERE: Jansen ries depicting the Skagit and Carlson Gallery, 508 S. First St. His “Skagit

CURRENTS Art Center, Valley. Jaress sketched Winter” exhibit shows through January. 321 Front St., the scene in graphite, WWW.PERRYANDCARLSON.COM 6 Lynden “LUMMI MOUNTAIN FROM LEGOE BAY,” BY TRISH HARDING TRISH BY FROM LEGOE BAY,” “LUMMI MOUNTAIN then painted a color WHEN: Through VOYAGER OPENING: Sculptor and painter study from which he cut

VIEWS  Feb. 28 Steve Jensen will give an Artist Talk at COST: Entry is a set of woodblocks to 3:30pm in Edison at Smith & Vallee Gallery,

4  free achieve this lovely fine 5742 Gilkey Ave. A reception for his new BY STEPHEN HUNTER INFO: art print. It promises to exhibit “Voyager” will take place from MAIL  www.jansenart be an important project, 5pm-7pm, with works from previous museum center.org exhibitions on display and for sale, along

2  and I look forward to with carvings and paintings from his Nordic Winter Exhibits seeing all of the prints. series. The show will be up through Jan. 26. DO IT  In “Separated from Normal,” Trish Hard- In the Flex Gallery, “Northwest Masters” will NESTS, ISLANDS AND BEYOND ing’s oil pantings on the second floor cele- feature artworks by Kenneth Callahan, Ree brate the Lummi Island of her remembered Brown, Helmi Juvonen, John-Franklin Koenig, Philip McCracken, and Jay Steensma. Art Center—formerly the town hall—stages art shows in three gal- adolescence. The brilliant but peaceful THE JANSEN WWW.SMITHANDVALLEEGALLERY.COM 01.01.20 leries, hallways, the snack bar, piano lounge and along the stairs, making Lynden the “Coming Home” (oil on metal), finds the perfect place to visit on a blustery day. small Whatcom Chief ferry plowing an or- PATTERN OPENING: Attend an opening .15 reception for “The Language of Pattern” from 01 Running through Feb. 28, the winter exhibits feature Edison artist Kris Ekstrand ange sea beneath the gaze of Mt. Baker. # in the main floor “fine art gallery.” Her “Nests and Landscapes” are her response to Through Harding’s eyes, land and sea 4pm-6pm in Edison at i.e. gallery, 5800 Cains Court. The exhibit features the work of five the “brooding estuarine tidelands and farmland of the Skagit and Samish lowlands” become a dreamworld. In “Elephant regional artists—Allen Moe, Lanny Bergner, where she lives. Cage” (oil on canvas), beyond twisted Cathy Schoenberg, Robin Green, and James “Estuary, Twilight” and “Fir Island Calatore” give a waterbird’s view of the marsh, driftwood a faint, ghostly structure hov- Brems—working toward a shared language. peering through grass along twisting waterways toward murky skylines. These are ers under threatening clouds. (And look WWW.IEEDISON.COM accomplished with free, confident strokes, as are her monotypes of nests and bones. for the flying saucer above the technicol- SUN., JAN. 5 CASCADIA WEEKLY “Alight,” an oil painting depicting a nest under-painted in red and yellow, verges on or swirls of “Walking on Water.” BEREAL CLOSING: If you haven’t yet the surreal. Christen Mattix teaches at the cen- seen “Wanted: Ed Bereal for Disturbing 14 In the hallway you’ll find the work of Lori Nelson-Clonts, who reminds us that ter; her “Kaleidoscopic” paintings in the the Peace,” today from 12pm-5pm is your “Colors have cultural and emotional significance.” Her acrylic “Red Pot” is a vivid north upstairs gallery combine figura- last chance to do so at Whatcom Museum’s composition of crimson, black birds and orange poppies backed by a blue sky worthy tive images with stenciled “mandalas” Lightcatcher Building, 250 Flora St. The sprawling multimedia exhibit covers of Van Gogh. “Apple Greens” gives a view through green fruit and branches into a suggesting her “wonder at the stubborn decades of the Bellingham-based artist’s blue-green sky. beauty of the world.” Don’t miss them. doit WANTED: ED BEREAL FOR

DISTURBING THE PEACE 23 

ARTISTIC VOYAGES FOOD 

Attend an opening reception for Steven Jen- sen’s “Voyager” exhibit Sat., Jan. 4 at Edison’s 20 Smith and Vallee Gallery. “Northwest Masters” shows in the venue’s Flex Gallery. B-BOARD  “ICE GHOST VESSEL,” BY STEVE JENSEN VESSEL,” BY GHOST “ICE 19 work, and shouldn’t be missed. Admission is $5-$10 Fridays through Sundays through Jan. 11 at Camano

(free for members). Island at Matzke Fine Art Gallery and Sculpture Park, FILM  Ed Bereal; Miss America: Manufacturing Consent: Upside Down WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG 2345 Blanche Way. and Backwards, 2000-2015; Mixed media. Photo by David Scherrer. WWW.MATZKEFINEART.COM THURS., JAN. 9 16 TATTOO TALK: The Museum Advocates will host MINDPORT: “Vortex: Grid Interpretation” is cur- Last chance to see this thought-provoking a presentation by Old School Tattoo artist Paul rently on display at Mindport Gallery, 210 W. Holly exhibition. Closes January 5th! MUSIC  Foertsch at 12pm at Whatcom Museum’s Old City St. Based on a photo by Kevin Jones, “Vortex,” the 14 Hall, 121 Prospect St. Foertsch will talk about the chalk pastel piece features grids by WWW students; Lightcatcher | 250 Flora Street | whatcommuseum.org 14 artistry and current trends behind modern tattoos each completed one full-sized grid rectangle as well ART  and piercings, and he will share images of some of as a smaller piece. Evidence of observation, focus ART  his work. Entry is free. and well-developed mark making can be seen ex- -

WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG pressed can be seen expressed in personalized styles NOW PLAYING 13 across the larger drawing. Entry is $3. WWW.MINDPORT.ORG Fri, January 3 - STAGE  ONGOING EXHIBITS Thu, January 9 MONA: View the retrospective exhibit “Eve Deisher:

DEMING LIBRARY: “The Presence of Trees: Paint- Indicator” and “Portland Artists from the Permanent 12 ings by Lori Nelson Clonts” can be viewed through Collection” through Jan. 11 in La Conner at the LITTLE WOMEN (PG) 134m, In English Jan. 18 at the Deming Library, 5044 Mt. Baker Hwy. Museum of Northwest Art, 121 First St. With a stellar cast and a smart, sensitive retelling of its classic source material, Greta Gerwig's Little Women proves some stories truly are timeless. WWW.WCLS.ORG WWW.MONAMUSEUM.ORG GET OUT  Fri: (11:30AM), (2:30), 5:30, 9:00 FISHBOY GALLERY: Discover the contemporary folk PERRY AND CARLSON: Christian Carlson’s “Skagit Sat & Sun: (11:30AM), (2:30), 5:30, 8:30 art of RR Clark from 1:30-5pm Fridays or by appoint- Winter” is on display through January in Mount Ver- Mon: (11:30AM), (2:30), (5:30), (8:30) 10 ment at the Fishboy Gallery, 617 Virginia St. non at Perry and Carlson Gallery, 508 S. First St. Tue: (11:30AM), (2:30), 5:30, 8:30 319-2913 OR WWW.FISHBOYGALLERY.COM WWW.PERRYANDCARLSON.COM Wed: (11:30AM), (2:30), 5:30 - OCAP, 8:30 WORDS  Thu: (11:30AM), (2:30), 5:30, 8:30 FOURTH CORNER: View the work of painter Laurie QUILT MUSEUM: “Inside Outward: The Art of Potter at a “Timeline” exhibit on display through Jan. Sara Joyce,” Larkin Van Horn’s “Peace Series,” and UNCUT GEMS (R) 135m, In English  8 31 at Fourth Corner Frames and Gallery, 311 W. Holly St. “Recent Acquisitions” are currently on display at La Uncut Gems reaffirms the Safdies as masters of anxiety-inducing cinema WWW.FOURTHCORNERFRAMES.COM Conner’s Northwest Quilt & Fiber Arts Museum, 703 and proves Adam Sandler remains a formidable dramatic actor when given the right material.

S. Second St. CURRENTS GALLERY SYRE: Peruse a “New Works” exhibit of WWW.QFAMUSEUM.ORG Fri: (Noon), (3:00), 6:00; Sat & Sun: (Noon), (3:00), 6:00, 9:00 works by David Syre from 12pm-5pm Tues.-Thurs. at Mon: (Noon), (3:00), (6:00), (9:00); Tue: (Noon), (3:00), 6:00, 9:00 6 Gallery Syre, 465 W. Stuart Rd. A “Whatcom County RAGFINERY: A variety of textile-related workshops Wed: (Noon), (3:00), 6:00 - OCAP, 9:00; Thu: (Noon), (3:00), 6:00, 9:00

Youth Artist Exhibition” can be viewed through Feb. 27. happen on a regular basis at Ragfinery, 1421 N. VIEWS  VHS: VIDEO HUNTER SOCIETY (NR) 120m, In English WWW.DAVIDSYREART.COM Forest St. We're plugging in the VCR to the big screen! Bring a VHS tape you’d like to see WWW.RAGFINERY.COM screened, we’ll draw from a lottery and play the selected tape. It’s that simple! 4  GOOD EARTH POTTERY: As part of the 10th annual Fri: 9:00 - $3 Admission “Winter Warmers” Benefit and Cup Invitational, SCOTT MILO GALLERY: To celebrate 25 years of MAIL  peruse and purchase works by 30 guest artists from operations, 15 regional artists who have made an

across the country through January at Good Earth impact on the space will show their works through 2  Pottery, 1000 Harris Ave. Ten percent of all cup sales Jan. 28 in Anacortes at the Scott Milo Gallery, 420 A HIDDEN LIFE (PG-13) 180m, In English

in January will be donated to Maple Alley Inn, the Commercial Ave. Based on real events, A Hidden Life is the story of an unsung hero, Franz DO IT  Opportunity Council’s hot meals program. WWW.SCOTTMILO.COM Jägerstätter, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian WWW.GOODEARTHPOTS.COM peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering SKAGIT MUSEUM: View a “Henry Klein Homes: faith and his love for his wife Fanni and children that keeps his spirit alive. JANSEN ART CENTER: A “Winter Juried Exhibit” is Light, Form and Materiality” through March in La Fri: (3:00), 6:45; Sat: (2:30), 6:15; Sun: (3:00), 6:45; Mon: (3:00), (6:45) 01.01.20 currently on display at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center, Conner at the Skagit County Historical Museum, 501 Tue: (3:00), 6:45; Wed: (2:00) - OCAP, 8:00; Thu: (3:00), 6:45 321 Front St. Additional shows include painter and S. 4th Street.

FANTASTIC FUNGI (NR) 74m, In English .15 printmaker Kris Ekstrand’s “Nests and Landscapes,” WWW.SKAGITCOUNTY.NET/MUSEUM Mushrooms! Behold their power to heal, sustain and help regeneration of life. 01

Christen Mattix’s “Kaleidoscopic,” and painter Trish # Sat: (12:30); Sun: (1:00) Harding’s “Separated from Normal” exhibit. WHATCOM ART MARKET: Works by Whatcom Art WWW.JANSENARTCENTER.ORG Guild members can be perused daily at the Whatcom FANTASTIC PLANET THIRD EYE CINEMA (PG) 72m, In English Art Market, 1103 11th St. This month's selection programmed by our projectionist Jules LYNDEN LIBRARY: The artwork featured in the WWW.WHATCOMARTMARKET.ORG On a faraway planet where blue giants rule, oppressed humanoids rebel against annual teen art anthology, Whatcomics 2019, will be their machine-like leaders in this 1973 adult animated film by René Laloux. on display through January at the meeting room at WHATCOM MUSEUM: “Wanted: Ed Bereal for Sat: (10:00PM) - Admission only $5, Sponsored by ModSock the Lynden Library, 216 4th St. The public is invited Disturbing the Peace,” “What Lies Beneath: Minerals CASCADIA WEEKLY to view the collection of original art created by of the Pacific Northwest,” “City of Hope: Resurrec- GAUGUIN IN TAHITI: PARADISE LOST GREAT ART ON SCREEN Whatcom County teens any time the meeting room is tion City and the 1968 Poor People’s Campaign,” (NR) 90m, In English Paul Gauguin left France for Tahiti in search of deep 15 open and not in use for another program. “People of the Sea and Cedar: A Journey Through the immersions into lush nature, feelings, visions and colors. WWW.WCLS.ORG Tribal Cultures and History of the Northwest Coast,” Sun: 11:00AM; Wed: 5:45 - Tickets: $12 members, $10 general, $8 students and “John M. Edson Hall of Birds” can currently be MATZKE ART GALLERY: The 30th annual “Honey, viewed on the Whatcom Museum campus. PICKFORD FILM CENTER 1318 Bay St. THE LIMELIGHT CINEMA 1416 Cornwall Ave. I Shrunk the Art” Small Works Show can be seen WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG Admission: $8.00 Members, $11.25 General, $9.00 Mondays & matinees, $8.50 Students/Children/Military Movie Line: 360.738.0735 www.pickfordfilmcenter.org Parentheses ( ) denote bargain pricing rumor has it

23  FOR THE MOST part, I try to be optimistic about things, especially in this space, but FOOD  I’m throwing in the towel on 2019. Putting it plainly, it was a hard year, marked by too much loss, no more so than at the end. 20 music SHOW PREVIEWS RUMOR HAS IT On Christmas Eve, Scott Hartwich, founder and owner of Hammerhead Coffee, passed B-BOARD  away suddenly. Although Hartwich was not of the local music scene, he was so much

19 more than just that guy responsible for in- troducing his Velvet Elvis blend to the world.

FILM  He and his wife/partner Mary Burwell loved and lived and breathed

16 16 Bellingham. They didn’t just eat eggs benedict at MUSIC  MUSIC  the Mount Bakery or shop at the Co-op or hit up the

14 Farmers Market, they acted

ART  as evangelists for the town BY CAREY ROSS and people they adore. As

13 well, they donated Hammerhead Coffee to just about every charitable cause or organi-

STAGE  zation in town. That spirit certainly lives on in Mary, but it won’t be quite the same—at least not for a time—without her co-con- 12 spirator for good, Scott. Like so many people, I met Scott randomly

GET OUT  downtown, introduced by a mutual friend. And like everyone, I immediately warmed

10 to his genial nature, which was tempered by just the right amount of saltiness. Mostly, though, his was a steady presence, deeply WORDS  woven into the fabric of the community. It is

 8 easy to imagine him always being there. It’s hard to imagine him ever being gone. ternate narrative emerges, one in which the What was already difficult only became BY CAREY ROSS

CURRENTS word “perfectionism” is used often, and in more so less than a week later with word such a way that it becomes clear that trait that beloved Bellingham and Seattle musi- 6 has been more curse than cian Elijah Nelson, bassist for Black Breath, blessing at times. As men- and before that a member of Lago Volunteers VIEWS  Eric Johnson tioned above, at the very and Wizards of Wor, passed away in his sleep,

4  THE PERKS OF PERFECTIONISM least, Johnson has earned a couple of weeks after his 40th birthday. a reputation for being par- Elijah was a kind, quirky, delightful wizard MAIL  AS FAR as instruments go, guitars—and those who play them—get a lot ticular, although I’m guess- of a man who seemed to exist in a perpetual

2  of attention. The reasons for this are as obvious as they are understandable. ing some might put him in good mood that was somehow always au- Guitar players are typically front and center onstage, and within the tra- the persnickety category. thentic. Despite his tall stature, the abun-

DO IT  ditional band structure, they play the instrument that makes all the fancy ATTEND Then there’s the story dance of ginger hair held in place with one noise. Add some pedals and effects, and the noise gets even fancier. WHO: Eric about the batteries. of his many headbands and an imposing ap- Guitarists also have developed a reputation for being anywhere from par- Johnson Before we get to the pearance, Elijah made friends easily every- WHEN: 7:30pm ticular to downright persnickety. Obviously, this is an overbroad general- batteries themselves, it’s where he went. The only places he ever ex-

01.01.20 Thurs., Jan. 9 ization that does not apply to every person who picks up a guitar, but the WHERE: Lincoln probably pertinent to note hibited anything resembling aggression were stereotype has proven persistent across eras and genres of music. Theatre, Mount that, like many great gui- onstage with Black Breath and when he was .15

01 Take, for instance, Eric Johnson. The truly important things to know Vernon tar players, Johnson is manhandling a pinball machine. # about him are: 1. He’s a legendary guitarist who has been mentioned COST: $24-$39 always searching for what I’m not sure what Elijah loved more, music INFO: www. in the same breath as musicians as varied as Jimi Hendrix and Ali Farka he considers perfect tone, or pinball, but I would never wish to make lincolntheatre.org Toure—and just about every shredder in between and beyond. 2. He made and he uses his guitar less him choose. A fair number of Bellingham and a largely instrumental guitar album in 1990, Ah Via Musicom, that went as a vehicle for solos and more as a means to Seattle’s pinball machines bear his nigh-un- platinum, won him a Grammy and stayed on the Billboard charts for more create a fully formed ensemble piece with a beatable high scores at the top, along with than a year. 3. Fender has designed a series of signature Stratocasters single instrument. To achieve this, he uses a the ELF moniker that announced the wizard

CASCADIA WEEKLY to his exacting specs, and he prefers to keep his personal guitar collec- pedal board. been there and conquered all. Many lovely tion lean and well-edited. 4. His career spans four decades, and his oft- Here’s where the batteries enter the story tributes have poured in from his friends 16 imitated style has now passed through multiple generations of musicians and truth becomes legend. since his death, including one that says, “If who have come after him. 5. He’s a multi-genre multi-instrumentalist who The true part of the tale is that Johnson I ever see someone about to knock ELF off has an enviable knack of making intricate arrangements and challenging always uses Duracell batteries because they’re the Grand Champ score on any machine I will compositions appear effortless. reliable, readily available and his pedals al- absolutely slam tilt your game.” Seems a fit- However, you don’t have to scratch that surface very deep before an al- ways sound the same if he always uses the ting way to honor a real-life wizard. com. Tracks from the album have always JOHNSON, FROM PAGE 16 been part of Johnson’s set—in particular, “Cliffs of Dover,” the song that got him same batteries, a thing he discovered the Grammy—but a few years ago, he 23  when he put a higher-voltage battery began to play the record in its entirety into a pedal and it didn’t sound quite while on tour. Doing so brought to light FOOD  right to his ear. Seems simple enough. how his style has changed since then, Reasonable, even. and caused him to pick back up meth- 20 However, lore would have it that John- ods and techniques from the past, while son is obsessed with batteries, notices imbuing the familiar songs with the skill even the slightest differences between and wisdom that have come from the in- B-BOARD  them, knows exactly what each individual tervening years. As well, Johnson—for-

brand of battery sounds like, sleeps on merly devoted to the electric guitar—be- 19 a pillow stuffed with dead Duracells and gan to bond with the acoustic guitar in always carries a pair of nine-volts in one a big way, and has now recorded two al- FILM  pocket and a slingshot in another to de- bums of his brand of acoustic shreddery.

fend himself in case he’s ever attacked. Both circumstances caused a loos- 16  16 It’s possible I exaggerated slightly, ening of grip on his long-held perfec- MUSIC but I think you get the gist. tionism, and Johnson now sees the MUSIC  While his status as a battery fanatic artistry in leaving (some) things be

has not been honestly earned, Johnson and allowing for (a little) roughness 14 has spoken frankly as he’s gotten older around the edges. ART  about his reputation for perfectionism, No matter where’s he’s at in his mu- acknowledging that it has, at times held sical journey, Johnson remains a con- 13 him back or limited him, and has certainly summate performer, and each of his

contributed to some of the long periods tours has a purpose beyond just taking STAGE  between releases of his studio albums. a broad wander through his discog- But one of the things that keeps raphy. When he comes to Mount Ver- 12 Johnson an exciting and still-relevant non for a Thurs., Jan. 9 concert at the musician for more than four decades is Lincoln Theatre, he’ll bring “Classics: that he remains dynamic, and his rela- Past and Present” to town. The show GET OUT  tionship to his guitar and his own music will feature songs from his most recent remains ever-evolving. In recent years, acoustic album, EJ Vol. II, as well as 10 a couple of developments have had him a carefully chosen list of compositions reconsidering his relationship with per- from key points in his career. As is his WORDS  fection in ways that have been benefi- custom, he will tiptoe nimbly through cial for his continued growth—and for different genres, create a whole world  8 his fans old and new. of music with one guitar, and make it One of those was his revisiting of the all appear easy. Perfectionism defi-

album that changed it all, Ah Via Musi- nitely has its perks. CURRENTS 6

doit VIEWS 

SAT., JAN. 4 Artistic Director Dustin Willetts has chosen 4  MAPLE LEAF JAZZ BAND: Leigh Smith’s Maple several songs which present stories of triumph MAIL  Leaf Jazz Band will present hot New Orleans- over adversity, including pieces by award

style jazz for listening and swing-dancing winning-composer Jake Runestad, Craig Hella 2  at the Bellingham Traditional Jazz Society’s Johnson, Pentatonix, and Gawthrop. Tickets are monthly concert from 2pm-5pm at the VFW Hall, $16.50-$22. DO IT  625 N. State St. Snacks and beverages will be WWW.MOUNTBAKERTHEATRE.COM available. Entry is $6-$12. WWW.BELLINGHAMJAZZ.COM TUES., JAN. 7 WHATCOM CHORALE AUDITIONS: If you’re

WELCOME HOME RECITAL: Maya Enstad, a interested in singing with the Whatcom Chorale, 01.01.20 cellist studying at the Oberlin Conservatory auditions for the ensemble’s 2020 season will

of Music, will be the featured artists at the begin at 5pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, .15

Bellingham Festival of Music’s annual Welcome 2117 Walnut St. The chorale will perform 01 # Home Recital at 7pm at the First Congrega- Beethoven’s “Choral Fantasy” with guest pianist tional Church, 2401 Cornwall Ave. Raised in Henry From and works by Felix Mendelssohn on Bellingham, Enstad currently studies with Amir March 22, and “Canzone per voi,” a celebration Eldan at Oberlin and will graduate in 2020. of Italian songs, opera choruses and arias, on Admission is free for students, with a suggested May 30. Please call to schedule an audition. $15 donation for adults. No tickets are required (360) 595-8345 for admission.

WWW.BELLINGHAMFESTIVAL.ORG WED., JAN. 8 CASCADIA WEEKLY BILL ANSCHELL TRIO: Whatcom Jazz Music KULSHAN CHORUS: “Light is Returning” will Arts Center hosts a concert with the Bill 17 be the theme of a Kulshan Chorus concert at Anschell Trio from 7pm-9pm at the Sylvia Center 7:30pm at the Mount Baker Theatre, 104 N. for the Arts, 205 Prospect St. Entry will be $5- Commercial St. The concert is meant to show $10 at the door. how hope transcends even the darkest hour. WWW.WJMAC.ORG musicvenues 23 

See below for venue FOOD  addresses and phone 01.01.20 01.02.20 01.03.20 01.04.20 01.05.20 01.06.20 01.07.20 numbers WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 20 Anelia's Kitchen & Don Virgovic (5:30pm) Prozac Mountain Boys (7:30pm) Stage B-BOARD  Piano Night w/Aaron Guest Piano Night w/Paul Klein Boundary Bay Brewery (6pm) (5:30pm) 19

The Jim Cuddy Band, Oh Commodore Ballroom FILM  Susanna (8pm)

16 16 Culture Cafe Karaoke w/Aireekah (9:30pm) Open Mic (6pm) MUSIC  MUSIC  Edison Inn BareFeet (8:30pm) Bow Diddlers (5:30pm) 14

ART  Time Travel Burlesque w/Frisky Jo Passed, Scott Yoder, Blood The Shay & Shay Radio Hour, Dandelion, Guffawingham w/Keller Songs and Stories Open Mic Firefly Lounge Fandoms (8pm) Capsules (9pm) more (8pm) Reeves (9:30pm) (7pm) 13

Honey Moon Open Mic (7:30pm) The Sweet Goodbyes (8pm) STAGE 

Broken Bow

12 Mackinaw Kulshan Stringband One Lane Bridge (7pm) Muskrats (7pm) Brewing Co. (7pm) GET OUT  Make.Shift 10

Old World Deli MANtrio (6pm) WORDS 

After Party Drag Show Fierce Drag Show (8:30pm),  8 Rumors Cabaret Spin-off (10pm) Party Saturday (10pm) Panty Hoes Drag Show (9pm) Karaoke (9pm) (10pm) Flashback Friday (10pm)

Kosmo, Sam Cobra, Monstress

CURRENTS The Shakedown No Guts, Skates, Lipstitch (8:30pm) (8:30pm) 6

Silver Reef Casino DJ TonyBoi (9pm) The Takers (9pm) VIEWS  Resort 4  Skagit Casino MAIL  Groove City (9pm) Groove City (9pm) Resort

2 

Stones Throw Brewery DO IT  PHOTO BY JO PASSED BY PHOTO SHAKE THE BABY TIL Swinomish Casino and JO PASSED/Jan. 3/ THE LOVE COMES OUT/ The Wingmen (9pm) The Wingmen (9pm) Karaoke (6pm) Lodge Firefly Lounge Jan. 4/Make.Shift 01.01.20

Uisce Irish Pub Irish Night (7:30pm) .15 01 # The Vault Wine Bar Walter Burkett Spencer Redmond Trio and Bistro

The Pharcyde, Mostafa, more The Walrus (6pm), Tiny Dancing Queen w/ Wild Buffalo (8pm) DJ Little (9:30pm)

CASCADIA WEEKLY Alternative Library 519 E. Maple St | Anelias Kitchen & Stage 513 S. 1st St., La Conner • (360) 466-4778 | Beach Store Cafe 2200 N. Nurgent Road, Lummi Island • www.beachstorecafe.com | Bellewood Acres 6140 Guide Meridian, Lynden • (360) 318- 7720 | Big Lake Bar & Grill 18247 WA-9, Mount Vernon • (360) 422-6411 | Boundary Bay Brewery 1107 Railroad Ave • 647-5593 | Brown Lantern Ale House 412 Commercial Ave., Anacortes • (360) 293-2544 | Chuckanut Brewery 601 W. Holly St. • 18 752-3377 | Commodore Ballroom 868 Granville St., Vancouver • (604) 739-4550 | Conway Muse 18444 Spruce/Main St., Conway • (360) 445-3000 | Edison Inn 5829 Cains Ct., Edison • (360) 766-6266 | Firefly Lounge 1015 N. State St. | Honey Moon 1053 N. State St. • 734-0728 | Kulshan Brewery 2238 James St. • 389-5348 | Make.Shift Art Space 306 Flora St. • www.makeshiftproject.com | Rockfish Grill 320 Commercial Ave., Anacortes • (360) 588-1720 | The Royal 208 E. Holly St. • 738-3701 | Rumors Cabaret 1119 Railroad Ave. • 671-1849 | The Shakedown 1212 N. State St. • www.shakedownbellingham.com | Silver Reef Casino 4876 Haxton Way, Ferndale • (360) 383-0777 | Skagit Valley Casino Resort 5984 N. Darrk Lane, Bow • (360) 724- 7777 | Skylark’s Hidden Cafe 1300 11th St. • 715-3642 | Stones Throw Brewery 1009 Larrabee Ave. | Studio B 202 E. Holly St. Ste. 301 • www.studiobellingham.com | Swinomish Casino 12885 Casino Dr., Anacortes • (888) 288-8883 | The Underground 211 E. Chestnut St. • 738-3701 | Underground Coffeehouse Viking Union 3rd Floor, WWU | Village Inn Pub 3020 Northwest Ave. • 734-2490 | The Waterfront 521 W. Holly St. • www.waterfrontseafoodandbar.com | Wild Buffalo 208 W. Holly St. • www. wildbuffalo.net | Send your music info to [email protected]. Deadlines are always at 5pm Friday. film ›› showing this week

23 

FILM SHORTS FOOD 

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Forest

Gump was just the warm-up. Obviously Mister Rogers 20 was the role Tom Hanks was born to play. Feel free to ugly cry from the opening scene to the closing credits. You’ll be in excellent and plentiful company. B-BOARD  HHHHH (PG • 1 hr. 48 min.)

19  A Hidden Life: Based on real events, from visionary 19 writer-director Terrence Malick, this is the story of FILM  unsung hero Franz Jägerstätter, who refused to fight FILM  for the Nazis in World War II, and never loses faith despite being threatened with treason charges and 16 possible execution. HHHHH (PG-13 • 3 hrs.)

Bombshell: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, and MUSIC  Margot Robbie play two real-life women and one semi-

real composite character that teamed up to take down 14 Roger Ailes in a surreal #MeToo moment in the last ART  place you’d expect one to happen: Fox News. HHH (R • 1 hr. 58 min.) 13 Cats: People have expended millions of words to

try and explain how this strange and terrible movie STAGE  happened when the answer is quite simple: Obviously A HIDDEN LIFE director Tom Hooper has never seen a cat. See, it all makes sense now. H (PG) 12 HERE AND I AM SO EXCITED. Five out of five stars Ford v Ferrari: Ostensibly, this is about legendary car forever. One million stars if Baby Yoda makes an designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon), who, under the appearance. (I realize that my five-star rating is not GET OUT  auspices of Ford and with the help of driver Ken Miles reflective of the general critic experience, but frankly (Christian Bale), took on the Ferrari racing monopoly. I just don’t care. It’s Star Wars. Let me have this.) HH✍

Mostly it just looks like a couple of Oscar-winning ac- HHH (PG-13 • 2 hrs. 35 min.) 10 tors driving fast cars and having the time of their lives HHHHH Mark my words, Adam Sandler is going doing it. (PG-13 • 2 hrs. 32 min.) Uncut Gems:  WORDS  to get an Oscar nomination for his unhinged portrayal Frozen II: It’s Disney’s world and we’re all just living of a jeweler who only knows how to make monumen- in it. There’s nothing we can do about that. We need tally bad decisions at breakneck speed and you heard  8 to learn to let it go. HHHH (PG • 1 hr. 44 min.) it here first. Maybe not first, but definitely not last. HHHHH (R • 2 hrs. 15 min.)

The Grudge: This is a "reboot" of the 2004 film, CURRENTS which was a remake of the excellent Japanese original movie Ju-On—and I somehow managed to lose all in- 6 terest while typing that. Just watch Ju-On and thank

me later. HH (R • 1 hr. 33 min.) VIEWS  THE GRUDGE

Jumanji: The Next Level: This franchise is proof 4  that the Rock’s considerable charms are enough to overwhelm and overcome even the most mediocre Little Women: Louisa May Alcott’s timeless tale should not include a made-up scenario in which a MAIL  premise and razor-thin plot. I’m not mad about it. I’m of the March daughters—Amy (Florence Pugh), female reporter trades sex for information. HHH (R • charmed by him too. HHH (PG-13 • 1 hr. 40 min.) Beth (Eliza Scanlen), Meg (Emma Watson), and the 2 hrs. 9 min.) 2  irrepressible Jo (walking Oscar nomination Saoirse Knives Out: With the possible exception of the next Ronan)—Marmee (Laura Dern), neighbor Laurie (Timo- Spies in Disguise: A family-friendly buddy comedy Showtimes DO IT  installment of the Star Wars saga, no movie is more thee Chalamet) gets a retelling by writer/director in which Will Smith and Tom Holland voice animated eagerly anticipated (by me) than this Agatha Christie- Greta Gerwig, and brings with it all of the Oscar buzz. characters that look a lot like Will Smith and Tom Regal and AMC theaters, please see inspired comedic murder-mystery with an incredible HHHHH (PG • 2 hrs. 15 min.) Holland, someone gets turned into a pigeon and www.fandango.com. HHH cast—Daniel Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Toni the fate of the planet is at stake. (PG • 1 hr. 01.01.20 Collette, Christopher Plummer, and more—and Rian Richard Jewell: What this could’ve been: Another 41 min.) Pickford Film Center and Johnson doing the writing and directing honors. HH feather in Clint Eastwood’s directorial cap. What it PFC’s Limelight Cinema, please see .15 HHH (PG-13 • 2 hrs. 10 min.) is: A cautionary tale about how your real-life account Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: IT’S FINALLY www.pickfordfilmcenter.com 01 # CASCADIA WEEKLY

19 Sudoku BY ROB BREZSNY love you’ll craft in 2020. May I suggest you confine your

experiments to no more than ten versions? INSTRUCTIONS: Arrange the digits 1-9 so that each digit occurs once in

23  each row, once in each column, and once in each box. LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Leonardo da Vinci

FOOD  FREE WILL worked on his painting "The Last Supper" from 1495 to 1498. It’s a big piece—about 15 by 29 feet. That’s sudoku for March 10, 2007 difficult one reason why he took so long to finish. But there

20 was another explanation, too. He told his patron, the 20 ASTROLOGY Duke of Milan, that he sometimes positioned himself ARIES (March 21-April 19): “We are all hostages in front of his painting-in-progress and simply gazed 8 5 9 of the joy of which we deprive ourselves,’ wrote poet at and thought about it, not lifting a brush. Those B-BOARD  REAR END  Odysseus Elytis. Isn’t that an astounding idea? That were times he did some of his hardest work, he said. we refuse to allow ourselves to experience some of I trust you will have regular experiences like that in 1 4 the bliss and pleasure we could easily have; and that 2020, Libra. Some of your best efforts will arise out 19 we are immured inside that suppressed bliss and of your willingness and ability to incubate your good pleasure? I call on you, Aries, to rebel against this ideas with concentrated silence and patience.

FILM  2 8 1 human tendency. As I see it, one of your main tasks in 2020 is to permit yourself to welcome more bliss, SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): By 1895, Henry to aggressively seize more pleasure, and thereby free James had already published 94 books. He was re- 16 yourself from the rot of its nullification. nowned in the U.S. and England, and had written the 6 8 3 works that would later lead to him being considered

MUSIC  TAURUS (April 20-May 20): At age 22, Taurus- for a Nobel Prize. Then, at age 52, although he was born Dutch citizen Willem de Kooning sneaked not physically fit, he decided to learn how to ride a 1 5 6 3 8 2 into the United States. He was a stowaway on an bicycle. He paid for lessons at a bicycle academy, and 14 Argentina-bound freighter, and stealthily disembarked cheerfully tolerated bruises and cuts from his frequent

ART  when the ship made a stop in Virginia. As he lived falls as an acceptable price to pay for his new ability. in America during subsequent decades, he became a I admire James’ determination to keep transforming. 7 5 9 renowned painter who helped pioneer the movement Let’s make him a role model for you in 2020. May 13 known as abstract expressionism. His status as an he inspire you to keep adding new aptitudes as you illegal immigrant rarely presented any obstacles to outgrow your previous successes. 6 4 3

STAGE  his growing success and stature. Not until age 57 did he finally became an American citizen. I propose we SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): When Sagit- make him one of your role models in 2020. May he in- tarian composer Ludwig van Beethoven created the

12 7 5 spire you to capitalize on being a maverick, outsider, Eroica symphony in the early 1800s, many observers or stranger. May he encourage you to find opportuni- panned it. They said its rhythms were eccentric, that ties beyond your safety zone. it was too long. One critic said it was “glaring and

GET OUT  bizarre,” while another condemned its “undesirable 4 9 2 GEMINI (May 21-June 20): When British novelist originality.” This same critic concluded, “Genius E. M. Forster was in his late 30s, he had sex with proclaims itself not in the unusual and fantastic but http://sudokuplace.com

10 another person for the first time. Before that he had in the beautiful and sublime.” Today, of course, Eroica published five novels. After that, he produced just one has a different reputation. It’s regarded as a break- more novel, though he lived till age 91. Why? Was he through event in musical history. I’ll go on record WORDS  having too much fun? Looking back from his old, age, here, Sagittarius, to say that I suspect you created he remarked that he would “have been a more famous your own personal version of Eroica in 2019. 2020 is

 8 writer if I had published more, but sex prevented the the year it will get the full appreciation it deserves, latter.” I suspect that sensual pleasure and intimacy although it may take a while. Be patient. will have the exact opposite effect on you in 2020, Gemini. In sometimes mysterious ways, they will make CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): I’m going to CURRENTS you more productive in your chosen sphere. speculate that sometime in the next six months, you will experience events that years from now you’ll look 6 CANCER (June 21-July 22): “Every part of our back on as having been the beginning of a fresh uni- personality that we do not love will regress and verse for you. What should you call this launch? I sug-

VIEWS  become hostile to us,” wrote poet Robert Bly. I don’t gest you consider elegant terms like “Destiny Rebirth” know anyone who doesn’t suffer from this problem at or “Fate Renewal” rather than a cliché like the “Big

4  least a little. That’s the bad news. The good news for Bang.” And how should you celebrate it? As if it were us Cancerians (yes, I’m a Crab!) is that 2020 will be a the Grand Opening of the rest of your long life.

MAIL  favorable time to engage in a holy crusade to fix this glitch: to feel and express more love for parts of our AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In 2020, I

2  personality that we have dismissed or marginalized. believe you will be able to summon the insight and The result? Any self-sabotage we have suffered from kismet necessary to resolve at least one long-running

DO IT  in the past could dramatically diminish. problem, and probably more. You’ll have an enhanced ability to kick bad habits and escape dead-ends and LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): As a young adult, Leo-born uncover liberating truths about mysteries that have Raymond Chandler worked as a fruit-picker, tennis flustered you. Frustrations and irritations you’ve racquet-stringer, and bookkeeper. At age 34, he began grudgingly tolerated for far too much time will finally 01.01.20 a clerical job at the Dabney Oil Syndicate, and eventu- begin to wane. Congratulations in advance, Aquarius! ally rose in the ranks to become a well-paid executive. The hard work you do to score these triumphs won’t

.15 The cushy role lasted until he was 44, when he was always be delightful, but it could provide you with a

01 fired. He mourned for a while, then decided to become curiously robust and muscular kind of fun. # an author of detective fiction. It took a while, but at age 50, he published his first novel. During the next 20 PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Let’s say you wanted to years, he wrote six additional novels as well as numer- dress completely in silk: shirt, pants, vest, scarf, socks, ous short stories and screenplays—and in the process shoes, hat, underwear all made of silk. And let’s say became popular and influential. I present this synopsis your dream was to grow and process and weave the silk as an inspirational story to fuel your destiny in 2020. from scratch. You’d start with half an ounce of silkworm eggs. They’d hatch into 10,000 silkworms. Eventually The fame of Virgo-born those hard-working insects would generate five pounds

CASCADIA WEEKLY VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Italian poet Ludovico Ariosto (1474–1533) has persisted of silk—enough to create your entire outfit. So in other through the ages because of Orlando Furioso, an epic words, you’d be able to generate an array of functional 20 poem he authored. It tells the story of the Christian beauty from a small but concentrated amount of raw ma- knight Orlando and his adoration for a pagan princess. terial. By the way, that last sentence is a good descrip- This great work did not come easily to Ariosto. It wasn’t tion of what I think your general approach should be in until he had written 56 versions of it that he was 2020. And also by the way, dressing in silk wouldn’t be finally satisfied. I suspect you may harbor an equally too crazy an idea in the coming months. I hope you’ll perfectionist streak about the good works and labors of have fun cultivating your allure, style and flair. rearEnd crossword

some records measure (high treason) 52 “Good ___!” 23  38 Gin fizz fruit 68 Layer on the 34 Twenty dispens- 53 Designation 39 Where the grid’s farm ers of some meat FOOD  circled letters 69 “Hilarious!,” 35 Use clippers markets 20 denote the NW, online 36 Croatian-born 55 “That’s a mistake 20 NE, SW, SE and engineer Nikola ...”

centermost loca- DOWN 37 Manta’s cousin 57 Do stuff? B-BOARD  REAR END  tions 1 Halloween cos- 38 Do really poorly 58 List closing 42 Be compatible tume option 40 Pizza chain 59 “Read Across 19 43 “Meh” 2 Really dig started in Chi- America” org.

44 “Blueberries for 3 Company known cago, informally 60 Long-nosed fish FILM  ___” for copying oth- 41 Obsessive anime 62 “The Joy Luck

45 Grandmas, for ers’ material? fan Club” author Amy 16 some 4 Talks too much 45 Least spiteful 47 Bookcase mate- 5 Morning droplets 46 “SNL” alum MUSIC  rial 6 Atlantic, e.g. Gasteyer 48 Praising enthusi- 7 “Know your 49 Country house 14 astically rights” org. 50 Line to the audi- ART  50 Make a request 8 Unwilling to bend ence 51 E-I link 9 French word be- 51 Toy company 13 54 Mythical flyer fore “cuisine” or known for pop STAGE  56 Crewmate of “couture” culture collect- Spock and Sulu 10 Breakfast hrs. ibles 12 58 “A Wrinkle in 11 Ran across Time” author Mad- 12 Book reviewers, Last Week’s Puzzle

On the Map GET OUT  REPRESENTING A FEW LOCATIONS eleine L’___ briefly 61 Take ___ (lose 15 “Time to get a

ACROSS 17 Monkees member 24 Put a curse on some money) move on!” 10 1 Like some dental Peter 25 Marker on a wall 63 Indigo dye 21 Former VP Agnew

floss 18 “Champagne map source 23 Body spray brand WORDS  5 1988 Dennis music” bandleader 27 Leftover 64 Bluish greens 26 “Deal!” Quaid movie Lawrence 30 Musical come- 65 “Baby” character 28 Mango dip  8 8 Regretful feeling 19 Ages from oxida- dian Minchin in “The Mandalo- 29 Do a kitchen job

13 Brightness out- tion 31 Editor’s “put it rian” 30 Word in many CURRENTS put? 20 Swiss flag fea- back in” 66 Furniture chain college names 14 ___ Domani ture 32 Knee injury site, to meander 31 Brakes too fast, 6 (wine brand) 22 Cafe ___ (coffee briefly through maybe VIEWS  16 Made mellow drink) 34 They’re next to 67 Jeweler’s weight 33 ___-majeste ©2020 Jonesin’ Crosswords 4  MAIL 

HOME LOANS AND REFINANCE 2  OYSTERS DO IT  COCKTAILS Marie BjornsonTeam

DINNER 01.01.20 .15 01

more confident home #

Marie Bjornson - Certified Mortgage Planner Reverse Mortgage Planner, CPA, CMPS , NMLS #111765 EST. 2014

360-676-9600 | [email protected] CASCADIA WEEKLY Louise and Marie www.wa-mortgage.com | 112 Prospect Street 21

*Fairway is not affiliated with any government agencies. These materials are not from HUD or FHA and were not approved by HUD or a government ROCK AND RYE agency. Copyright©2018 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. NMLS#2289.4750 S. Biltmore Lane, Madison, WI 53718, 1-866-912-4800. All OYSTER HOUSE rights reserved. This is not an offer to enter into an agreement. Not all customers will qualify. Information, rates and programs are subject to change without notice. All products are subject to credit and property approval. Other 1145 NORTH STATE STREET restrictions and limitations may apply. Equal Housing Lender. IN THE HISTORIC HERALD BUILDING LOCATED JUST EAST OF BELLINGHAM IN BEAUTIFUL WHATCOM COUNTY Where VOLVOs GO KIDS STUFF to Keep on Going. 23  • Diagnosis • Repairs • Service

FOOD  • Parts in Stock • Pre-Purchase Inspections • Late Model and Vintage Pre-Owned Volvos RainbowAutoService.com • Internet cafe and barista on site! 20 20 Call: 360-734-6117 Text: 360-319-1294 Locally owned and environmentally responsible. Email: [email protected] Taking care of you and your Volvo since 1986. 2729 Jensen Rd. MON-THUR 8am-6pm BUSINESS B-BOARD  REAR END  Visit Homes For Sale in Whatcom County BRIEFS 19 01.01.20 PLAYTIME HAS BEGUN We're here to help BY CAREY ROSS After working their way through FILM  JUST SOLD you reach your real unforeseen obstacles, PlayDate, an indoor play area in Bellis Fair Mall,

16 estate goals! GIVE EM THE AXE opened Dec. 27—and I gotta say, it THROW THE AXE AT EM looks pretty cool. The centerpiece is Call Jerry Swann For Details a massive jungle-gym-esque structure MUSIC  After a loooong period of dormancy, signs of life have appeared at 1414 Corn- with tunnels and slides and things to Best 360.319.7776 climb and crawl through and bounce 14 Choice wall Ave., aka the Elks Build- on, most of which is enclosed by net- R EAL T Y Broker# 100688 ing. I’ve been watching the ting and thoroughly padded. Are adults ART  activity with great interest, allowed to play there? Asking for a and recently discerned it to be friend (me. I’m asking for me). Are 13 Open Every Day! Representing Local Artists Since 1969 11am-6pm the near-future home of Bellingham birthday parties there only for kids? Asking for the same friend. AXE, an axe-throwing bar. If you’re STAGE  Winter Warmers PLAYTIME IS OVER Benefit & National unfamiliar with the concept, it’s exactly what it sounds like: a place According to an announcement on

12 Invitational Cup Show their Facebook page, Perch & Play where you can drink beer and throw 10% of all cup sales in made the decision to shutter as of Dec. hatchets at targets (under carefully 31. For the past couple of years, the January will be donated GET OUT  controlled conditions, of course). indoor play area on North State Street to Maple Alley Inn They plan to be open soon and are has been operated by nonprofit Skoo- kum Kids. Despite being well-loved by 1000 Harris Avenue, Bellingham WA (360) 671-3998 www.goodearthpots.com currently giving the public the chance 10 its patrons, it has been operating at to weigh in on lane names, so head to the a loss and so Skookum Kids made the Bellingham AXE Facebook page and throw hard decision to close the business WORDS  your axe in the ring, so to speak. in order to focus more fully on their R primary mission of supporting those in  8 EAT UP, BUTTERCUP the foster system. MORE DAYS IN THE WEEK Probably owing to ners with chicken dinners every day of CURRENTS S A R the amount of times A the week except Sundays. In a similar H

6 R

I I’ve tried to have a C vein, Ferndale’s New Mexico Tamale H

A

R

D

chicken dinner on a S Company has expanded its hours and O VIEWS  Tuesday only to be re- N is now open on Mondays. Eat a smoth-

4  buffed by my inability ered burrito (go for both the red and to remember their hours green sauces) at their tiny storefront, MAIL  Cranberry orange with of operation, Bantam 46 is now open bring a dozen tamales home, live hap-

on Tuesdays. Now we can all be win- pily ever after. 2 

DO IT  sweet orange spice

cream cheese IS BACK! LET THE WINE FLOW CHANGES AT VINOSTROLOGY 01.01.20 With her customary warmth and frankness, Vinostrology owner Katie Bechkowiak recently in- .15

01 formed folks that she had sold her downtown wine # destination, and Vinostrology’s last day as we’ve known it for the past six years was Dec. 28. Before you dive into a bottle of merlot to soothe your sorrows, it should be known that Katie described the new owners as being “terrific” and reassured everyone that she would train them in the ways of the gourmet popcorn. Stay tuned to see what comes next. CASCADIA WEEKLY

22 TELL ME EVERYTHING If you’ve got business news you’d like to share, please email [email protected]. It won’t keep me from wan- am pm am pm am pm Mon - Fri 7 - 4:00 • Sat 7:30 - 4 • Sun 8 - 3 dering the streets, looking in windows, but every bit helps. doit

THURS., JAN. 2 kitchen in the world is Langar at WINTER POP-UP: Taylor Shell- Darbar Sahib, Amritsar India, where fish will host a Winter Pop-Up they serve 100,000 people a day 23  from 6pm-9pm Thursdays through every weekend, and 50,000 a day 23 the winter at Aslan Depot, 1322 on weekdays. FOOD  N. State St. Enjoy Dungeness (360) 398-1184 FOOD  crab, oysters, deals on beer pair- chow ings, 20 percent off the bottle MON., JAN. 6 RECIPES REVIEWS PROFILES list, and more. COMMUNITY SOUP KITCHEN: 20 WWW.ASLANBREWING.COM Volunteers and donations are welcome at a weekly Community SAT., JAN. 4 Soup Kitchen, which happens B-BOARD  DISTILLERY TOUR: Pull back the from 6pm-7pm every Monday until curtain to see how a real grain- March 30 at the Little Cheerful 19 to-glass distillery turns locally Cafe, 133 E. Holly St. The event grown agricultural products into provides meals to the homeless FILM  award-winning spirits such as community in Whatcom County, bourbon, whiskey, gin, vodka and and all are welcome. (360) 738-8824 more at a Tour and Tasting taking 16 place from 2pm-3pm at Chuckanut Bay Distillery, 1311 Cornwall Ave. TUES., JAN. 7 MUSIC  Entry is $15 and includes a tasting TEA FOR BEGINNERS: Adults flight of spirits, a guided tour, are welcome to attend a free “Tea

and a souvenir shot glass. Please for Beginners” presentation from 14 register in advance. 2pm-3pm at the Bellingham Public ART  WWW.CHUCKANUTBAY Library, 210 Central Ave. During DISTILLERY.COM each session, tea will be shared

with participants, and there may 13 BLIND TASTING: Stop by for a be opportunities for hands-on

Blind Tasting Experiment from participation. Topics covered will STAGE  2pm-4pm at Seifert & Jones Wine be tea basics, history of tea, the Merchants, 19 Prospect St. Staff basics of brewing tea, the basics of

will be pouring four wines that tasting tea, and more. The event 12 have something in common. It will repeats Tuesdays through January. be your job to try to figure out WWW.BELLINGHAMPUBLIC what the connection is. Maybe they LIBRARY.ORG GET OUT  are all examples of one varietal. Maybe just one producer. If you WED., JAN. 8 have never tasted wine “blind” BEE CLASS: Blaine C.O.R.E. (Com- 10 (Yep. In a brown paper bag), it munity Organization for Resources

gives you great perspective on and Education) presents “Mason WORDS  what you are tasting. Entry to the Bees: Alternative Pollinators” at a 21-and-over event is free. free class happening from 4pm-6pm  8 WWW.SJWINEMERCHANTS.COM at the Blaine Library, 610 Third St. four cups of homemade chicken stock, a The workshop will provide an over- BY AMY KEPFERLE POTLUCK SOCIAL: Join your view of the crisis in our bee popula- pint of cremini mushrooms, olive oil, salt neighbors and make new friends tion and introduce participants to CURRENTS and pepper, half-and-half, and a bottle of when the Sudden Valley Com- native pollinators. Learn how to 6 white wine. munity Association hosts a establish and maintain a healthy In a stock pot, I sauteed the diced Potluck Social from 5pm-7pm at colony in your yard and neighbor- Soup is Magic VIEWS  leeks, onion and garlic in olive oil on me- the Sudden Valley Dance Barn, 4 ing areas. Local beekeeper Capp Clubhouse Circle. Bring your favor- Connors will have live honeybees on

NO POTATOES, NO PROBLEM dium heat. After letting the mix soften ite tried-and-true dish or create hand during demonstration, as well 4  for about five minutes and stirring fre- something new. Make an appetizer, as a list of available locally sourced ONE OF the most important things I’ve learned from my fellow quently, I added the chopped mushrooms a main dish or a dessert. Attend- bees. The class repeats from 10am- MAIL  ees are responsible for providing 12pm Sat., Jan. 11. Soup is Magic Facebook group members is that, at least where and gave it another three or four minutes 2  soup is concerned, rules are meant to be broken and recipes can before adding the chicken stock, a couple their own dishes, silverware and WWW.WCLS.ORG beverages (no alcohol allowed). typically be tweaked to fit your personal preferences. cups of wine, and a few thyme sprigs. I (360) 255-3080 COOKING LIT BOOK GROUP: DO IT  Whether we’re discussing the myriad wonders of spicy squash simmered the brew for about another 30 Discuss Alison Roman’s Nothing soup, how to make stock for split pea soup, what’s in the bowl minutes, adding more wine along the way. SUN., JAN. 5 Fancy: Unfussy Food for Having for fisherman stew, the best chili recipes, the psychological When it looked like the mix was suf- COUNTRY BREAKFAST: Attend People Over at the monthly Cook- benefits of drowning the sorrows of being sick during the holi- ficiently cooked, I removed the thyme an all-you-can-eat monthly Coun- books & Cooking Lit Book Group 01.01.20 try Breakfast from 8am-12pm at taking place from 4pm-5pm on the days by slurping a bowl of Cup-O-Noodles, or posting a plethora stems from the pot and used an immer- the Rome Grange, 2821 Mt. Baker mezzanine level of Village Books, .15

of mushroom soup recipes designed to keep us warm throughout sion blender to puree the soup until it was Hwy. Pancakes, French toast, eggs, 1200 11th St. Members are welcome 01 the winter, the vibe in the group is one of acceptance and mu- smooth. Then I stirred in a splash of cream sausages and beverages will be on to purchase food and beverages # tual admiration for what’s in the bowl. and salt and pepper, threw some chopped the menu. Entry is $3 for kids, $7 from Evolve Chocolate + Cafe. Last Saturday, I was in the mood for leek soup, but didn’t have parsley on top, and called it good. for adults (free for children under WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM 6 years old). any potatoes and, due to Christmas fatigue, wasn’t keen to leave Served with a couple of buttery slices (360) 961-3491 THURS., JAN. 9 the house to get any. Since I typically only make leek soup with of garlic bread for dipping purposes, the PAELLA NIGHT: Reservations taters, I knew it was time to think outside the box. After perus- savory-yet-simple meal was a revelation LANGAR: All are welcome at a are recommended for a monthly ing a whole bunch of recipes and scrolling through the Soup is of flavors—ones I didn’t have to leave Langar event from 11am-2pm in “Paella Night” dinner taking place CASCADIA WEEKLY Magic page for further inspiration, I embarked on a journey to the house to experience. I thought of Lynden at Guru Nanak Gursikh Gurd- from 5:30-7pm at Old World Deli, wara, 176 E. Pole Rd. Langar is the 1228 N. State St. Entry is $5 for 23 make my own version of mushroom and leek soup. reaching out to tell my co-conspirators sacred community free kitchen of kids 12 and under, $25 general After digging up four medium-sized leeks from the waning sup- that the earthy concoction left me more the Sikh people and every temple (includes one serving of paella ply in my vegetable garden, I brought them inside to add to the convinced than ever that soup really is serves delicious vegetarian food— and a side salad). Tonight’s paella other ingredients I’d gathered for my edible experiment—a medi- magic, but I have a feeling that’s some- which they invite the general will be seafood focused. um-sized yellow onion, a bulb of garlic, fresh thyme and parsley, thing most of them already know. public to come eat. The largest free WWW.OLDWORLDBELLINGHAM.COM ON SALE NOW!

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