WOTUS TO SCOTUS? P.08 + OFF-LEASH P.13 + BUSINESS BRIEFS P.22 c a s c a d i a REPORTING FROM THE HEART OF CASCADIA WHATCOM*SKAGIT*SURROUNDING AREAS 01-29-2020 • ISSUE: 05 • V.15

CASCADIA PET GUIDE: INSIDE!

INTO BELLINGHAM THE COCKTAIL WEEK COSMOS P.23

THE C.W. COCOANUTS STONEKING A MARX BROTHERS SONGS OF A BYGONE REMAKE P.14 ERA P.16 ship and Fine Arts Center Be Our Guest: 6pm-9pm, Sylvia Center for the Arts

A brief overview of this The Good Doctor: 7:30pm, Bellingham Theatre

23  Guild week’s happenings Murder on the Orient Express: 7:30pm, Anacortes

FOOD  Community Theatre THISWEEK 7:30pm, Phil Tarro Theatre, Skagit The Cocoanuts: Valley College

20 Serial Killers: 7:30pm and 9:30pm, Sylvia Center Space Trek: 7:30pm and 9:30pm, Upfront Theatre

B-BOARD  Nationally touring DANCE BE in the Show: 6pm, Mount Baker Theatre comedian Andrew Sleighter Folkdance Party: 7pm-10pm, Squalicum Yacht Club 19 will be on the lineup at the MUSIC

FILM  Hot Jazz Party: 2pm-5pm, VFW Hall monthly Depot Comedy Nuages: 7:30pm, Lummi Island Congregational Church 16 Club Sun., Feb. 2 at Aslan Sounds of Siberia: 8pm, Firehouse Arts and Depot. Events Center MUSIC  GET OUT Rowers Race: 10am, Swinomish Channel, La Conner 15 Deep Forest Experience: 11am-2pm, Rockport

ART  State Park

14 FOOD Anniversary Celebration: 12pm-11:30pm, Aslan Depot STAGE  Wine Tasting: 2pm-4pm, Seifert & Jones Wine Merchants 13 VISUAL Birds of Winter Art Walk: 2pm-5pm, downtown

GET OUT  Mount Vernon Folly Opening: 4pm-6pm, i.e. gallery, Edison Interlacements Viewing: 4pm, Jansen Art Center,

12 Lynden

PHOTO BY ROBERT MARE JR. BY PHOTO Bird’s Eye View Opening: 5pm-7pm, Smith & Val- lee Gallery, Edison WORDS  WEDNESDAY [01.29.20] Arts & Jazz: 7pm-10pm, Blaine High School

 10 ONSTAGE SUNDAY [02.02.20] Kilroy Was Here: 6:30pm, Lincoln Theatre, Mount Vernon ONSTAGE The Good Doctor: 2pm, Bellingham Theatre Guild CURRENTS WORDS The Cocoanuts: 2pm, Phil Tarro Theatre, SVC 6 Marty Wingate: 7pm, Village Books Depot Comedy Club: 8pm, Aslan Depot Gateway Show: 8pm, Upfront Theatre

VIEWS  [01.30.20] THURSDAY GET OUT

4  ONSTAGE Deep Forest Experience: 11am-2pm, Rockport Good, Bad, Ugly: 7:30pm, Upfront Theatre State Park

MAIL  Davis: 7:30pm, Sylvia Center for the Arts The Good Doctor: 7:30pm, Bellingham Theatre Guild FOOD

2  Community Breakfast: 8am-12pm, Rome Grange

2  The Cocoanuts: 7:30pm, Phil Tarro Theatre, Skagit Valley College, Mount Vernon Langar: 11am-2pm, Guru Nanak Gursikh Gurdwara, DO IT  DO IT  The Future of Modern Improv: 9:30pm, Upfront Lynden Theatre MONDAY [02.03.20] DANCE Violinist Carrie Krause and violist Victoria Gunn will ONSTAGE

01.29.20 Folk Dance: 7pm-9:30pm, Fairhaven Library be part of Salish Sea Early Music Festival concerts Guffawingham: 9pm, Firefly Lounge WORDS .15 7pm, Heiner Theater, WCC GET OUT 05 Chuckanut Radio Hour: Jan. 31 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, and Feb. 4 at Fir-

# All-Paces Run: 6pm, Fairhaven Runners FOOD Conway Lutheran Church. Backcountry Skiing Clinic: 6pm, REI Taylor Shellfish Winter Pop-Up: 6pm-9pm, Aslan Depot TUESDAY [02.04.20] Space Trek: 7:30pm and 9:30pm, Upfront Theatre State Park FRIDAY [01.31.20] Afterglow Comedy Hour: 9pm, Stemma Brewing Illuminight Winter Walk: 5:30pm, Riverwalk MUSIC Company Park Plaza, Mount Vernon Mozart Quartets: 7pm, Fir-Conway Lutheran Church

CASCADIA WEEKLY ONSTAGE The Good Doctor: 7:30pm, Bellingham Theatre Guild MUSIC VISUAL Early Music Festival: 7pm, St. Paul’s Episcopal Vortex Closing: 6:30pm-9pm, Mindport Exhibits VISUAL 2 Davis: 7:30pm, Sylvia Center for the Arts Murder on the Orient Express: 7:30pm, Anacortes Church Museum in Mind: 1pm-3pm, Whatcom Museum’s Community Theatre SATURDAY [02.01.20] Lightcatcher Building The Cocoanuts: 7:30pm, Phil Tarro Theatre, Skagit GET OUT Valley College, Mount Vernon Wild Things: 9:30am-11am, Lake Padden Park ONSTAGE SEND YOUR EVENTS LISTINGS TO Serial Killers: 7:30pm and 9:30pm, Sylvia Center Deep Forest Experience: 11am-2pm, Rockport Cinderella: 1pm and 7pm, Lynden Christian Wor- [email protected]

23  FOOD  20 B-BOARD  19 FILM  16 MUSIC  15 ART  14 STAGE  13 GET OUT 

WINNING 12 IS CLOSER THAN YOU THINK! WORDS  FEBRUARY  10 CURRENTS

‡ENTS 6

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23  THISWEEK

FOOD  Contact Cascadia Weekly:  360.647.8200

20 mail TOC LETTERS STAFF Advertising

B-BOARD  Sales Manager: Stephanie Young  ext 1  sales@ 19 cascadiaweekly.com

FILM  Editorial Editor & Publisher: 16 Tim Johnson  ext 3

MUSIC   editor@ cascadiaweekly.com

15 Arts & Entertainment Billie Eilish ruled the 62nd annual Grammy Awards Sunday Editor: Amy Kepferle ART  night at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. The 18-year-old  ext 2 musician took home five awards, including Best Album,  calendar@

14 Record and Song of the Year, Best New Artist, and Best cascadiaweekly.com Pop Vocal Album. Eilish made history by becoming the Music Editor: youngest winner of album of the year, and the second mu- STAGE  Carey Ross sician since Christopher Cross to win all four general-field  music@ categories in one year. cascadiaweekly.com 13 Production

GET OUT  Views & News Art Director: 04: Mailbag Jesse Kinsman  jesse@

12 06: Gristle and Views kinsmancreative.com 08: EPA alert Design:

WORDS  Bill Kamphausen 10: Last week’s news Advertising Design: Police blotter, Index Roman Komarov  10 11:  roman@ cascadiaweekly.com Arts & Life Send all advertising materials to [email protected] CURRENTS CONCRETE PLANT IS THE ROAR OF A ‘MINORITY’ 12: Clean slate NOT SET IN STONE In response to a recent letter on the Sudden 6 13: Off-leash Distribution I am one of many residents of Sumas who do Valley Community Association from former di- 14: The Cocoanuts Distribution Manager: not wish to have our local environment harmed by rector Larry Brown, I note that he is quick to VIEWS  Erik Burge a proposed concrete plant. The site is at high risk condemn anyone who might want to talk to the 15: Sedro sights  distribution@ 4 

4  of liquefaction, is over our aquifer, is adjacent to press about the situation in Sudden Valley as 16: Stoneking sings cascadiaweekly.com Whatcom: Erik Burge, our residential area, and will block a natural water “washing our dirty linen in public” and thereby MAIL  MAIL  18: Clubs Stephanie Simms corridor if we ever have another flood. “lowering our property values”—but this is not

2  19: Film Shorts Skagit: Linda Brown, Backfill of another industrial site is already the first time he has done this himself. Barb Murdoch causing problems with the groundwater flow His letter is full of half-truths and omissions,

DO IT  Rear End in our protected wetlands area. Sumas Creek, a and fails to forthrightly address the current situ- Letters salmon stream, also runs through the site. ation. He makes it sound as if there are a hand- 20: Free Will, Sudoku SEND LETTERS TO LETTERS@ CASCADIAWEEKLY.COM We have presented our opposition and many ful of whiners in the Sudden Valley community 21: Crossword scientific government and private studies who are hellbent on ruining things for everyone. 01.29.20 22: Business Briefs thatshow this is a very bad place to build for this Nothing could be further from the truth. type of industry. A large portion of the community is now really .15 23: Bellingham Cocktail Week

05 When this area was zoned industrial 30 years coming together on issues of common interest, # ago there was not the present awareness of po- and that community is not  in agreement with

©2020 CASCADIA WEEKLY (ISSN 1931-3292) is published each Wednesday by tential harm to our community’s environment. Brown’s views, something that he has not—in Cascadia Newspaper Company LLC. Direct all correspondence to: Cascadia Weekly PO Box 2833 Bellingham WA 98227-2833 | Phone/Fax: 360.647.8200 It needs to be subjected to a complete EIS and the past—apparently been able to accept. [email protected] rezoned. We have asked for an EIS but the local In a previous article in the Weekly, he went Though Cascadia Weekly is distributed free, please take just one copy. Cascadia Weekly may be distributed only by authorized distributors. Any person removing government does not deem this necessary. so far as to accuse Sudden Valley of “commit- COVER: Photo of Taylor papers in bulk from our distribution points risks prosecution We have done what we were able in this past ting community suicide” if any member of the SUBMISSIONS: Cascadia Weekly welcomes freelance submissions. Send material Melim at L&L Libations CASCADIA WEEKLY to either the News Editor or A&E Editor. Manuscripts will be returned if you year but are in need of other Whatcom resi- community disagreed with his views. In his cur- include a stamped, self-addressed envelope. To be considered for calendar list- by Anthony Ponce De ings, notice of events must be received in writing no later than noon Wednesday dents to help. rent piece, he did not mention the recent votes 4 the week prior to publication. Photographs should be clearly labeled and will be Leon returned if accompanied by stamped, self-addressed envelope. Next time it could be your own town. in Sudden Valley where percentages of the votes The potential destruction of the aquifer and cast against his ideas were well above 70 percent the impact on our health should not be seen as of the votes cast. an acceptable risk. This is not “a minority.” —Steven Brock, Sumas This is the voice of a community that Brown NEWSPAPER ADVISORY GROUP: Robert Hall, Seth Murphy, Michael Petryni, David Syre appears to be deliberately deaf to, despite tion to change bylaws to limit future bud- Don’t Miss the Celebrating 13 Fantastic Years it building into a roar. get increases to (a still quite reasonable) with fun skits, poetry, Yes, there is in fact a “vocal minority” 7 percent annually. The Chuckanut LIVE MUSIC in Sudden Valley, but it is not the one Did the “minority” support capping bud-

by Free Harmony Brown implies. To learn the true identity get increases? Did they ever! The amend- Radio HOUR Chuck Dingee & Sharon Mayson 23  of the so-called vocal minority, he need ment passed with 84.2 percent support. 13th Anniversary only look in the mirror. Not a minority. & BOOK TALKS! FOOD  Enjoy Reading Recommendations from —Robert Deckert, Bellingham But the SVCA board, while acknowledg- Show Local Librarians, Book Group Leaders, ing the vote and saying it will take effect and our Cast! Tickets 20 DOWN IN THE VALLEY in the future, chose to completely ignore $5 available at Village In the Heiner Theatre, WCC Larry Brown’s argument for support- it in the here-and-now and stick with the Books, eventbrite.com ing a homeowner association board that budget they had already drafted for 2020, and at the door. Thursday, January 30, 7pm B-BOARD  continually seeks significant increases in which hiked dues another 12 percent.

dues from community members is mislead- All told, dues have almost doubled in only Beloved NPR 19 ing at best, downright untrue at worst. He two years. Yet Brown and the current SVCA Radio Personality paints a picture of Sudden Valley residents board are amazed that people are angry. FILM  who voted overwhelmingly only two years Maybe Sudden Valley board members

ago to increase their own dues to help should ask themselves what the true pur- 16 fund community resources (by a 66.8 per- pose of the SVCA board is. Is it to serve DIANE cent majority) as a “minority” of people the facilities of Sudden Valley, or to serve MUSIC  being unwilling to pay their fair share. the people who make up Sudden Val-

This is not only untrue, but sadly typi- ley? Because if the community can only REHM 15 cal of the attitude the SVCA board mem- be served through the extreme financial Tuesday, Feb. 11, 7pm at Sehome High School ART  bers and their supporters have taken to- strain of its members, maybe the commu- An Examination of the Right-To-Die Movement ward this “minority.” They are somehow nity is not worth serving at all? with One of the Most Trusted Voices in the Nation 14 continually stunned by the fact that SV —Daniel Bauer, Bellingham In conversation with

residents, many of whom are on fixed bud- (Edited for length) TICKETS local author National STAGE  gets, won’t just happily lap up whatever $30 admits 1; $40 admits 2 - available now Phyllis Shacter Tour! at Village Books & eventbrite.com dues increases they propose. Their lack of STOP FUNDING WARS Tickets INCLUDE a signed hardcover copy of When My Time Comes 13 understanding amazes me. By any measure, the War Powers Act For those who are unfamiliar with the has failed to constrain presidential war- AND MORE - see VILLAGEBOOKS.COM origins of why the “angry minority” Brown making. A simpler step would be to stop 1200 11th St, Bellingham, WA GET OUT  bemoans in his letter are so angry, a short funding wars. 360.671.2626 • Open Daily summary: In 2018, Washington state ex- Presidential contempt, cynical re-defi- & 430 Front St, Lynden, WA - Stop by! 12 tended a dubious bill called the Wash- nitions of “hostilities,” and the 2001 Au- ington State Uniform Common Interest thorization for the Use of Military Force WORDS  Ownership Act to now include HOAs. While (AUMF) resolution have diminished Con- WUCIOA has several effects on HOAs, the gress’ role in starting wars. The AUMF—  10 biggest is laid out in section 326 of the gives the president endless and geograph- bill, which says that any proposed budget ically unbound power to fight any person increase in an HOA must be rejected by a or group his secretary of state labels a CURRENTS majority of the members or the increase “terrorist.” It now even justifies Obama Sparkling Wine will be adopted. and Trump’s post-2001 revival of once-pro- 6 While that may sound fair on the sur- hibited executive branch assassinations. face, here’s the problem: If any members We cannot forget to throw some share VIEWS  4  do not vote either way on the proposed of scorn toward the people elected to VALENTINE 4  budget, their absence of a vote is essen- Congress who have allowed us to arrive MAIL  tially considered a yes vote. The result of at this dangerous point. Their persistent Feb 14+15 MAIL  this? In 2018, the SVCA board adopted a failure to end the War Powers Resolution 2  budget that included a 32 percent dues shows their cowardice, negligence and 6-9pm

increase on its members, despite the the power of unlimited campaign funds DO IT  fact that 697 community members voted from the defense industries to promote DINNER against the proposed increase, while only and fund endless wars in the name of 617 voted in favor of it. So yes, the “mi- “national security.” nority” was angry—because they weren’t Congress still retains its most direct Make your Valentine's Day 01.29.20 a minority, and they were staring down a constitutional instrument for ending wars: exceptional with an elevated .15 significant bill they were going to have money. One historical example—the ef- five-course dinner, featuring 05 # to foot personally. forts of the Nixon and Ford Administrations sparkling wine pairings with Rather than acknowledge the fact that to prolong and extend the war in Vietnam more people voted to reject the budget were scuttled by repeated denials of Con- each course for $99 per couple! than did to approve it and go back to the gressional funding in the early 1970s. drawing board, the SV board moved ahead This year, don’t vote for any candidate Book a “stay-cation” for $249 to anyway, and monthly dues increased who does not promise to end the funding include a hotel night stay, dinner, from $86.52 in 2018 ($1,038 annually) to for the Afghanistan, Syrian, Iraq, and Ye- and breakfast the next day! CASCADIA WEEKLY $127.37 in 2019 ($1,528 annually). men wars. Remember that it is your tax While board members tried to reassure money being wasted, and your children’s 5 LEARN MORE & MAKE YOUR RESERVATION AT SV community members that going for- futures that are being destroyed by these BTOWNKITCHEN.COM OR 360.392.6520 ward the increases would be reasonable, warmongers. LOCATED AT FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON SV community members were reasonably Bring the troops home now. HOTEL AT 714 LAKEWAY DR | BELLINGHAM suspicious and called for a special elec- —Thomas Gilmore, Bellingham THE GRISTLE

SHELTER FROM THE STORM: In welcome news, What-

23  com County and her cities are teaming up in a co- ordinated response to homelessness—expanding FOOD  both the size and scope of the Homeless Strategies Workgroup to include greater representation. The views YOUR VIEWS THE GRISTLE workgroup represents a comprehensive approach to 20 strategies to create housing opportunities, housing security and added capacity for year-round shelters. B-BOARD  Homelessness is growing sharply in Washington, spurred by a lack of affordable housing and a poorly

19 funded mental health and substance abuse system. The Whatcom County point-in-time census of home-

FILM  less residents indicates that from 2012-2019, the BY DAN HAMMILL county’s homeless population grew from an esti-

16 mated 493 to 700 people. Meanwhile, median home values increased 138 percent since 2000, and one in MUSIC  four working families can’t afford their basic needs. Kids World The Lighthouse Mission served approximately 1,800

15 people last year, according to data presented at the BOYS & GIRLS CLUB EFFORTS TO PRESERVE DAYCARE

ART  last session of the workgroup. It’s an issue not just for Whatcom County, but THE BELLINGHAM City Coun- able childcare slots in Whatcom

14 throughout the state. A Crosscut/Elway public opin- cil voted unanimously to help save County—532 kids receive services ion poll earlier this month found homelessness is Whatcom County’s licensed childcare. from this company. Boys and Girls

STAGE  at the forefront of voters’ minds, with a third of If you want to prevent unneces- Club of Whatcom County is seeking poll respondents identifying the issue as the state’s sary incarceration of adults, invest partners like the city to help them most pressing matter in 2020. in quality childcare. The facts are raise $300,000 to partially fill 13 “Despite a strong state economy, growing incomes, indisputable: healthy, resilient the forecasted financial gap and and above-average and improving family stabil- children that have at least one re- Whatcom County is considering

GET OUT  ity, Washington has the fifth-highest prevalence of sponsible adult in their lives are far adding an additional $1 million to homelessness in the nation. The count of people liv- more likely to succeed in school and help defray the costs of providing

12 ing unsheltered has increased every year since 2013, in life than kids that don’t. And lo- care for kids whose families rely and now totals over 10,000 people,” the state’s De- cally, we face a big problem when on Kids World. partment of Commerce noted in a 2018 report. it comes to making sure every child Whatcom County Communities cannot rely on WORDS  Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood set the tone of has a fighting chance. is a child-care patches and bandaids to care for our his administrative response to housing insecurity Whatcom County is a childcare kids. All 39 counties in Washington  10 early, agreeing to use city resources to help find desert. Six out of 10 families can’t desert. Six out of 10 State need relief when it comes to a new site for a tiny homes encampment for the find the reliable, safe and quality families can’t find childcare. And to be clear, this isn’t

CURRENTS homeless when the permit agreement ends for Unity childcare they seek. The disparity just babysitting. Research shows Village, the current encampment of HomesNow! The overwhelmingly falls to families the reliable, safe that the first 1,000 days of a per- 6 6 permit is set to expire in April, but the city is also who struggle financially and are and quality child- son’s life—roughly the first three considering a provisional extension of an extra two without adequate resources. Many years—shape learning, socializa- VIEWS  VIEWS  or three weeks beyond April to help in the orga- families are single-parent head of care that they seek tion, esteem, compassion and other

4  nization transition to the new site. Mayor Fleet- household. Others have both par- character traits that influence who wood and Planning Director Rick Sepler reported the ents working at least one job. But we become as adults. MAIL  agreement to Bellingham City Council this week. in all cases, childcare—when you a far lesser rate than they should Absent having a local, dedicated

2  HomesNow! has operated two temporary tent can find it—costs too much. No be, hovering near minimum wage. fund to support early childhood encampments on city property—Winter Haven be- one should have to spend a ma- Overall, it creates a business model development—like a Children’s

DO IT  hind City Hall and Spring Haven in the parking lot jority of their paycheck to cover that few seek and even fewer can Levy—the Legislature should ful- at WhatComm off Alabama Street. Unity Village is a childcare, but it happens every day. operate with confidence. Combine ly fund House Bill 1344. This bill “tiny-home” cluster on McKenzie Avenue near the What’s left over goes to rent and that with an increase in minimum would provide universal access to Post Point in Fairhaven. bills and not much else. But it’s not wage and a low unemployment rate childcare by 2025 and set the cap 01.29.20 The announcement represents a policy shift just about money; it’s the system and we continue to find ourselves that households will pay for child- from that of former Mayor Kelli Linville, who had that’s the problem. in the dearth of providers. And not care to seven percent of the fam- .15

05 informed HomesNow! the Fairhaven location would Qualified childcare providers— just for families with low incomes, ily’s income. Considering that in- # be the last piece of city-owned land that would be those that have staff members but for everyone. fant care costs more than in-state made available for an encampment for the homeless. trained to care for different ages It is within this perfect storm of tuition at a community college, The city had hoped the private sector, charitable and abilities—are reimbursed at influencing factors that City Coun- this could provide families a bet- organizations or other municipalities would step up the thinnest of margins—about cil was asked in December 2019 to ter head start and more opportuni- to provide additional encampments. 55 percent of the cost is covered put up $100,000 to support a lo- ties at both childhood success and To facilitate the search for a new site, and the by state dollars from Olympia. And cal nonprofit in their quest to take employment success for parents

CASCADIA WEEKLY siting of other housing solutions, City Council the people who have one of the over operations for Kids World, a that can work without the looming this week considered tandem ordinances for in- most important jobs in our com- local business that operates four stress of childcare costs. 6 terim housing and temporary shelters on public munity—caring for our kids dur- facilities—three in Bellingham land in expanded zones throughout the city. The ing their most formative develop- and one in Ferndale. Kids World ac- Dan Hammill is the Ward 3 Represen- ordinances are designed to reduce encumbering re- mental years—are compensated at counts for 16 percent of all avail- tative on Bellingham City Council. quirements to site such temporary housing, allow- ing the city to be more nimble in its response to VIEWS EXPRESSED ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF CASCADIA WEEKLY THE GRISTLE OYSTERS housing insecurity. The changes were reviewed and recommended by the COCKTAILS 23  Bellingham Planning Commission in

GIFTS FOR FOOD  November, and unanimously adopted DINNER by City Council. PAPER NERDS Unity Village currently holds capac- & PENCIL ENTHUSIASTS 20 ity to house 20 people, according to Doug Gustafson, chairman of Homes-

· B-BOARD  Now!, the charitable organization at CARDS JOURNALS the forefront of finding temporary SUPPLIES · PAPER

shelter for the homeless. HOURS 19 “We are extremely thankful to the Monday-Friday 10am-6pm T. 2014

S FILM  city for continuing to be a valuable saturday 10am-3pm E partner with us,” Gustafson said in

remarks to City Council. “HomesNow! 112 Grand Avenue, #101 Ω Bellingham, Wa 16 and Unity Village represents emergen- 360.734.0481 Ω bisonbookbinding.com

cy housing. It provides actual stable ROCK AND RYE MUSIC  housing for people while they get WRITE MORE LETTERS CLUB OYSTER HOUSE 3RD WEDNESDAY EVERY MONTH 7PM–9PM back on their feet and find permanent 1145 NORTH STATE STREET 15 housing,” he explained. “It does not IN THE HISTORIC HERALD BUILDING ART  interfere with other housing programs that are currently being implemented. 14 Because these structures are tempo- rary, they can be moved around as the WHY BUY USED? STAGE  homeless situation changes.” The organization fills an important 13 niche in the ecosystem of housing, specializing in temporary but non- Our refurbished appliances emergency shelter that provides a de- GET OUT  gree of privacy and personal security. Keep resources out of the landfill Other groups—like the Opportunity 1 12 Council and Bellingham Housing Au- thority—focus on providing perma- Cost less than 1/2 the price of new 2 WORDS  nent housing. Their tiny homes project builds a pathway from the streets and Last longer than new, and come  10 drop-in centers to larger, more per- 3 with a 90 day guarantee manent dwellings. Gustafson reported that about 30 percent of the residents Appliance Depot is a nonprofit project of ReUse Works. Your CURRENTS who have come through Unity Vil- purchases & donations support waste reduction & job training. 6 lage have found secure housing. 6 Just one volunteer organization is

802 Marine Drive | 360.527.2646 | ApplianceDepotBham.com VIEWS  doing this work, and gaps still remain VIEWS 

elsewhere in the comprehensive re- 4  sponse to housing insecurity. The tragic news at the height of MAIL 

January’s severe cold snap that a 2  homeless man was found dead in Bell-

ingham after suffering from exposure DO IT  and hypothermia serves to underscore the consequences of our society’s failure to solve the causes and condi- tions of homelessness. 01.29.20 “We need to continually acknowl- .15

edge there are victims everyday to 05 our inability to get enough people # doing things that are needed in enough places and manners of doing so to keep people from dying or being injured or becoming ill,” Blaine resi- dent Dena Jensen noted in a recent comment to the Homeless Strategies SWEETS FOR 305 E Magnolia St CASCADIA WEEKLY Workgroup. “Acknowledging these ca- Bellingham, WA 7 sualties is one thing that allows those YOUR SWEETIES. 360.671.0873 people to be granted dignity.” White Chocolate Cherry, The continued and coordinated ef- Find our daily menu at Sweetheart Cookies, and more. forts of many county agencies work- bellinghambread.com ing together may be a start. “Simply for the sake of corporate fac- tory farm and fossil fuel profits, Pres- ident Trump has stripped away the

common-sense ability of the federal gov-

23  ernment to monitor and protect our na- tion’s precious waterways from reckless FOOD  development and exploitation,” said Scott currents Edwards, director of Food & Water Justice NEWS POLITICS FUZZ BUZZ INDEX Program, Food & Water Action. “From our 20 critical wetlands to our mightiest rivers and lakes, irtually any body of water in B-BOARD  America could be seriously harmed and forever destroyed by Trump’s unconscio-

19 nable decision.” Not all states agree that the Obama-era

FILM  rule violated the principle of federalism— 16 MUSIC  This unprecedented 15 rule will destroy ART  more clean water

14 protections than any

STAGE  other single act in American history.” 13 —JAY INSLEE, WASHINGTON STATE GOVERNOR GET OUT 

12 the cooperative relationship between the federal government and the states. Wash- ington joined 23 states to continue sup- WORDS  port for the 2015 WOTUS definition. Governor Jay Inslee blasted the new  10 rule in a statement: “This unprecedented rule will destroy CURRENTS 10 CURRENTS more clean water protections than any other single act in American history. 6 BY TIM JOHNSON and accelerate critical infrastructure proj- Without a doubt, it is among the most ects,” Wheeler said. “After decades of flagrant steps taken by the Trump admin- VIEWS  landowners relying on expensive attorneys istration in their all-out assault on the 4  WOTUS to SCOTUS? to determine what water on their land environment and the Clean Water Act,” may or may not fall under federal regula- Inslee said. MAIL  NEW WATER RULE DRAINS WETLANDS PROTECTIONS tions, our new Navigable Waters Protection “Today’s action will decimate federal

2  Rule strikes the proper balance between protections for more than half the na- THE U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized the Navigable Waters Pro- Washington and the states in managing tion’s wetlands and hundreds of thou-

DO IT  tection Rule, narrowing the scope of waters subject to federal regulation under land and water resources while protecting sands of miles of streams—protections the Clean Water Act. The new rule replaces the 2015 Clean Water Rule’s definition our nation’s navigable waters, and it does that have been in place for decades, of “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS), which was repealed by the Trump ad- so within the authority Congress provided.” under both Republican and Democratic ministration last fall. “The agencies erred in ignoring their administrations. By allowing unfettered 01.29.20 In a decision hailed by ranchers and landowners, EPA Administrator Andrew own science on how waters, including wet- corporate pollution in our waters, EPA is Wheeler and Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works R.D. James announced lands, are connected to downstream wa- willfully threatening the healthy waters .15

05 the new restrictions end decades of uncertainty over where federal jurisdiction ters,” the Washington Department of Ecol- necessary for thriving communities, fish # begins and ends under the Clean Water Act. ogy and other state agencies concerned and wildlife habitat, and our vital outdoor EPA’s independent board of science advisers, many of whom were appointed with water quality and wildlife noted in recreation economy,” Inslee said. by President Trump, condemned the agency for ignoring important research and comments on the proposed changes. “The Inslee said he and other governors will the panel’s own advice as the agency scales back federal protections of the na- agencies did not give sufficient scientific explore responses to the new rule, includ- tion’s waterways. rationale to support their drastic change ing a possible legal challenge that could The revised definition identifies four categories of waters that are federally regu- in the definition of which waters and wet- reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

CASCADIA WEEKLY lated under the Clean Water Act that include navigable waters and the core tributary lands are WOTUS.” “Washington will not stand idly by as systems that flow into those waters. The rule also details what waters are not subject Others were also critical of the new rule, the Trump administration eviscerates crit- 8 to federal control, including streams and gullies that only contain water in direct re- saying it will drastically reduce the federal ical protections for our natural resources sponse to stormwater; groundwater; many ditches, including most farm and roadside government’s ability to monitor and regu- and everything we hold dear,” Inslee said. ditches; farm and stock watering ponds; and waste treatment systems. late high volumes of pollution into much “We are reviewing the final rule now and “EPA and the Army are providing much-needed regulatory certainty and predict- of the nation’s waterways and called it an exploring all options to protect clean wa- ability for American farmers, landowners and businesses to support the economy egregious corporate handout. ter for all Washingtonians.”  HOME LOANS AND REFINANCE

Marie BjornsonTeam 23 

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byn eerene B-BOARD 

Marie Bjornson - Certified Mortgage Planner 19 Reverse Mortgage Planner, CPA, CMPS , NMLS #111765 360-676-9600 | [email protected] FILM  Louise and Marie www.wa-mortgage.com | 112 Prospect Street 16

*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 agency. Copyright©2018 Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation. NMLS#2289.4750 S. Biltmore Lane, Madison, WI 53718, 1-866-912-4800. All MUSIC  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 restrictions and limitations may apply. Equal Housing Lender. 15 ART  - NOW PLAYING 14

Fri, January 31 - MARTIN TAYLOR STAGE  Thu, February 6 Friday, February 7 7:30pm “No matter how complex or daring, Taylor’s interpretations never short 13 1917 BEST PICTURE + 9 OTHER OSCAR NOMINATIONS change the melodies; indeed, his remarkable fluid touch embues a seamless (R) 119m, In English, French & German w/ English subtitles - Sam Mendes' 1917 is a beauty. Martin Taylor is something to behold.” ~ The Washington Post

hard-hitting, immersive, impressive technical achievement. GET OUT  Fri: (2:45), 6:00, 8:30; Sat & Sun: (11:50AM), (2:45), 6:00, 8:30 360.416.7727 mcintyrehall.org Mon: (2:45), 6:00, 8:15; Tue: (2:45), 8:00 On the Mount Vernon Campus of Skagit Valley College 2501 E College Way, Mount Vernon

Wed: (2:45), 6:00 - OCAP, 8:30; Thu: (2:45), 6:00, 8:30 12

LITTLE WOMEN BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY OSCAR NOM (PG) 134m, In English - Greta Gerwig proves some stories truly are timeless. WORDS  Fri: (3:00), 5:30; Sat & Sun: (Noon), (3:00), 5:30; Mon: (3:00) 10

Tue: (3:00), 6:00; Wed: (3:00) - OCAP, 5:30; Thu: (3:00), 5:30 The Cascadia Weekly  10

PARASITE (R) 122m, In Korean w/ English subs BEST PICTURE SAG WINNER! IS PROUD TO PRESENT With Parasite we find writer-director Bong Joon Ho in total command of his craft. CURRENTS Fri - Mon: 8:45; Tue: 9:00; Wed & Thu: 8:45  CURRENTS

THE CAVE (PG-13) 106m, In English & Arabic w/ English subs - Oscar nominee Feras 6 Fayyad (Last Men in Aleppo) delivers an unflinching story of the Syrian war. Mon: (5:45) Fiction 101 VIEWS 

ALWAYS IN SEASON INDIE LENS POP-UP (NR) 90m, In English A writing contest open to all members of the community. 4  Relatives of lynching victims, the perpetrators and others confront their history.

Tue: (5:45) - Free admission. Presented by showing Up For Racial Justice Bellingham MAIL 

2  2020 OSCAR NOMINATED SHORT FILMS (NR) 112m, In English 84m Includes Dcera, Hair Love, Sister, Memorable, Kitbull ANIMATION: DO IT  Fri & Sat: 5:20; Sun: 8:25; Mon: (6:20); Tue: 8:50; Thu: 8:50 LIVE ACTION: 105m Includes Brotherhood, Saria, Nefta Football Club Fri & Sat: 7:30; Sun: 5:55; Mon: (8:30); Wed: 8:00; Thu: 6:20

CLEMENCY (R) 112m, In English Clemency mines serious social issues in 01.29.20 this gripping drama, brought to life by an outstanding cast led by Alfre Woodard.

Fri & Sat: (2:40); Sun: (1:15); Mon: (3:45); Tue: (3:05) .15 Wed: (3:05) - OCAP; Thu: (3:45) 05 #

COLOR OUT OF SPACE (NR) 111m, In English Fri: 10:00PM

FANTASTIC FUNGI (NR) 74m, In English Sat: (12:40); Sun: 3:55

DEATH BECOMES HER THIRD EYE CINEMA (PG-13) 103m, In English Sat: (10:00PM) - Admission is only $5 thanks to our sponsors Modsock There are two categories:

THE PRADO MUSEUM: A COLLECTION OF WONDERS 1) Young Adult (18 and under) 2) Open (19+) CASCADIA WEEKLY Sun: 11:00AM; Wed: 5:45 - GREAT ART ON SCREEN (NR) 90m, In English 9 IN SEARCH OF MOZART GREAT COMPOSERS (NR) 129m, In English Tue: 5:45 - Back by popular demand! Winners will be featured in the March 18th issue. PICKFORD FILM CENTER 1318 Bay St. THE LIMELIGHT CINEMA 1416 Cornwall Ave. Submit 101 words of short fiction by 5pm on 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 March 1st to: [email protected] AVALANCHE DANGER

23 

FOOD  eek tha 20 t W B-BOARD  LAST WEEK’S W

e 19

h a

FILM  NEWS T 16 JAN23-28 s BY TIM JOHNSON MUSIC  15 ART  14 STAGE  01.23.20

13 THURSDAY

Phillips 66 and Renewable Energy Group announced they will scrap plans

GET OUT  for a renewable diesel facility proposed at Cherry Point, citing permitting delays and uncertainty. “We are all surprised with this sudden announcement,”

12 Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu said in a statement. “This is the kind of project that is much needed in our county and our nation to transition to renewable fuels. I believe this project had several tangible benefits to our WORDS  community and the whole region like an economic boost and high wage jobs, a transition pathway to renewable fuels and substantial capital investment in  10 our county.” [Whatcom County] CURRENTS 10 CURRENTS Senator Doug Ericksen pledges his support to help revive the Ferndale re- newable diesel plant. “We are working very hard to restart the Green Apple 6 project,” Ericksen said in a statement. We are working with the governor’s OF WSDOT PHOTOCOURTESY office and reaching out to other interested parties to establish a pathway Heavy snow and rain have contributed to a high risk of avalanches in the North Cascades. Due to safety concerns, state VIEWS  forward. We will leave no stone unturned.” [Washington Legislature] highway officials temporarily closed a portion the Mount Baker Highway east of Glacier, and Highway 20 near Newhalem. 4  Wyoming will take legal action against Washington over its blocking of MAIL  a key coal export terminal on the Columbia River, a decision long awaited by cords generated in the Pacific Northwest

2  state lawmakers who see the west coast terminal as crucial to bringing Powder and contain treaty documents for tribes River Basin coal to international markets. Wyoming has joined Montana in in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Alaska,

DO IT  asking the U.S. Supreme Court for a hearing on the dispute. [Billings Gazette] along with extensive military, land, court, census and other documents on much of Cooke Aquaculture Pacific is granted a five-year permit to farm steelhead the region’s history. [Seattle Times, AGO] in Puget Sound. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) 01.29.20 approved the company’s permit, allowing Cooke to transition its net pens 01.28.20 from Atlantic salmon to all-female, mostly sterile steelhead. After hundreds .15 TUESDAY PHOTO COURTESY USCG COURTESY PHOTO 05 of thousands of Atlantic salmon escaped a Cooke net-pen structure in 2017, # the company faced some $332,000 in fines over water quality. The company’s The U.S. Coast Guard rescued a man adrift on his Gov. Jay Inslee appoints David Freeman pivot to steelhead could allow it to continue operating in Washington waters, dingy in Bellingham Bay Thursday after he was to the Whatcom County Superior Court. [WDFW, Seattle Times] beset by weather. The 26-year-old Ferndale man was He replaces Justice Raquel Montoya-Lewis, rowing his seven-foot wooden watercraft across the bay to an anchored sailboat, which he claimed to be who was recently appointed to the Wash- 01.27.20 working on, when he lost his oars and had no other ington State Supreme Court. Freeman has means of propulsion. The man had no life jacket, worked the past nine years for the Wash-

CASCADIA WEEKLY MONDAY possessed no means of communication, and was ington State Employee Security Depart- Washington’s Attorney will review a federal panel’s decision to close the not wearing adequate clothing for the conditions. A ment as a review judge in the Commission- 10 Coast Guard Station response boat crew took the National Archives in Seattle, a blow to tribes and historians in four states. man aboard. He reportedly suffered from the early er's Review Office. Before his work for the The Public Buildings Reform Board, which examines ways to trim federal prop- stages of hypothermia and was assisted by emergen- state, Freeman worked as a senior prose- erties deemed excess, has recommended the sale of the 73-year-old archives cy medical service technicians. cuting attorney for the Whatcom County building and its 10-acre site. The archives are a repository for all federal re- Prosecutor's Office. [Office of Governor] On Jan. 3, Blaine Police checked on a ve- OF hicle parked in front of a local business. WHATCOM Officers found a lady sleeping behind the FUZZ COUNTY wheel. “The officers made contact and 52 WOMEN 23  determined it was a medical condition,” BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OF BELLINGHAM AND WHATCOM COUNTY

BUZZ FOOD  police reported. “She refused to be seen by paramedics. Officers cleared after RESOLUTION UNRAVELING they determined she was safe.” 20 On Jan. 18, Bellingham Police checked on a report of a man acting erratically On Jan. 12, the owner of a Blaine busi- at a gym. ness called police about an unknown in- B-BOARD  dividual acting strangely who was possi-

RED-EYE FLIGHT bly associated with a white van parked 19 On Jan. 26, the theft of one beer was in the business parking lot. Officers reported by a convenience store near attempted to locate the individual, who FILM  Bellingham International Airport. was recognized as a known transient in-

dividual with no known vehicles associ- Betty Barats and Joy Dunne register voters at Bellingham’s Zuanich Park 16 FOOT-LONG FELONY ated with him. The business owner was The League of Women Voters (LWV) On Feb. 14,1956, four local women—Ina On Jan. 25, Bellingham Police investi- advised since the vehicle was parked on MUSIC  gated a theft at the Subway at the Regal private property, towing arrangements was organized on Feb. 14, 1920 as a Kirkman, Margaret Joule, Jessie VandeWeter- “mighty political experiment” aimed to ing and Marian Doubt—signed the articles

Cinema complex. would have to be made by the business. 15 help newly enfranchised women exercise of incorporation for the LWV of Bellingham

their responsibilities as voters. Since 1973 Inc. Today the LWV of Bellingham/Whatcom ART  BURGER KING On Jan. 14, police learned a suspicious both women and men can be members. LWV is 300 members strong. Standing committees On Jan. 17, Bellingham Police escorted a truck had been parked for an entire day on operates at the local, state and national work on racial justice, climate change, vot- 14 man out of the Cordata Dairy Queen. the property of a Blaine resident. Per their level and is officially nonpartisan—it neither ing rights and, of course, the core mission

conversation, the truck was having me- supports nor opposes candidates or parties. of registering voters and holding candidate STAGE  BUCKET BRIGADE chanical issues. The homeowner became However, it does support a variety of pro- and issue forums during election season. The On Jan. 23, a man called 911 to report a suspicious after the vehicle remained gressive public policy positions after careful public is welcome at all of our educational 13 bucket was on fire outside his apartment parked on her property the following day study of an issue. meetings. on Texas Street. Bellingham Police later and requested officers investigate if the determined the fire was inadvertently vehicle was stolen. “The vehicle was not 2020 marks the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage and the formation of the League of Women GET OUT  caused by a lit cigarette. reported stolen and the complainant was Voters. Every week in 2020, the LWV is proud to feature a woman who made a difference in What- advised since the vehicle was on her prop- com County through their accomplishments, active community involvement or inspiring representa- 12 ZIP-GUN ZIPPO erty, it was up to her to have the vehicle tion in different fields. Visit the LWV website to learn more www.lwvbellinghamwhatcom.org. On Jan. 23, Bellingham Police searched towed,” police reported. WORDS  for someone reported with a weapon downtown. Officers made contact with On Jan. 3, Blaine Police spoke to a busi- 10  10 the person and found the weapon to be a ness owner about an ongoing problem oc- index lighter that looked like a small handgun. curring in the business’ parking lot. “The owner told police that several cars were CURRENTS CURRENTS  CURRENTS On Jan. 14, a 31-year-old man broke into using their parking lot at night. She went a business in downtown Bellingham and on to say that although she did not know 6 stole a pack of cigarettes. what they were doing, she had found nu- merous used hypodermic syringes in the VIEWS 

NO EXIT lot on multiple occasions,” police report- 4  On Jan. 19, Blaine patrol officers re- ed. The officers provided her with options 5 MAIL  sponded to a report of a vehicle backing and information on different ways to pro- Number of confirmed cases of the Wuhan Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) reported in down the northbound on-ramp at In- ceed with addressing her issue. the United States, as of Jan. 28. The first case was reported in Everett, infecting 2  terstate 5. Officers learned the vehicle a resident of Snohomish County who had traveled to China. The virus, which was first identified last month in Wuhan Province, has so far infected more than 4,500 was now at a local gas station. Officers On Jan. 21, Blaine Police located an il- DO IT  people and killed 106, in an outbreak that has been reported in five countries—now contacted the driver and spoke with him legally parked motorhome. The vehicle including the United States. about the dangers of backing down an was parked in a residential zone, had no on-ramp. The driver apologized. He told current registration displayed and had no officers that he was lost and that he traceable owner information. Officers cit- 01.29.20 wouldn’t do it again. ed the vehicle and waited on scene until .15

it was determined the vehicle was likely 05 3 # MOTOR HOTELS abandoned and there were no reasonable Number of deaths in Whatcom County attributed to influenza this flu season. The On Jan. 11, Blaine Police officers means to contact the unknown owner. The County Health Department reported 10 more cases of the flu were confirmed in the checked on a suspicious vehicle parked motorhome was impounded. week ending Jan. 18 and 10 people were hospitalized for it. So far this flu season, 36 in a family’s yard. The vehicle was re- people have died in Washington. ported to be running and parked with On Jan. 21, Blaine Police learned of a no one inside. Officers arrived and found trailer blocking the roadway. Officers the driver was asleep at the wheel. “The determined the trailer had broken loose CASCADIA WEEKLY driver was determined to not be under from the vehicle towing it and struck 4.4 11 the influence of alcohol but was arrested another vehicle. “While investigating, Percent of recent doctor visits in Washington that are from people with a flu-like for operating a vehicle without a license the trailer owner arrived on the scene illness—far above the state’s baseline of 1.5 percent of visits related to the flu. and an ignition interlock device. The and said he noticed it was no longer be- registered owner of the vehicle could not hind him when he returned home,” po- be contacted and the SUV was towed. lice reported. SOURCES: Centers for Disease Control; Whatcom County Health Department; Seattle Times doit WORDS COMMUNITY

WED., JAN. 29 FRI., JAN. 31

23  BODIES IN THE LIBRARY: Se- KIDS NIGHT OUT: Students in attle native Marty Wingate reads grades K-5 can explore a variety

FOOD  from her new mystery, The Bodies of STEAM (Science Technology En- in the Library, at 7pm at Village gineering, Arts and Math) at Kids words Books, 1200 11th St. This modern Night Out @ Western from 6pm- COMMUNITY LECTURES BOOKS 20 mystery set in Bath, England 9pm on the Western Washington pays loving homage to the classic University campus. Fees are $50. Agatha Christie novel. (360) 650-3308 OR B-BOARD  Library System venues are still respon- WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM [email protected] sible for paying for damaged or lost THURS., JAN. 30 SUN., FEB. 2

19 materials, the good news is that the WARREN BOOK CLUB: Attend an CENSUS RECRUITMENT: Learn change is permanent. In order to make Elizabeth Warren “Pints & Policy” more from a census worker about FILM  sure everybody has continual access to Book Club from 6:30pm-7:30pm at the 2020 census at Census Recruit- library materials, late fees will no lon- the Colophon Cafe, 1208 11th St. ment events happening from [email protected] 1pm-5pm at the SkillShare Space at 16 ger be accrued. the Bellingham Public Library, 210 “We began talking to patrons about CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR: The Central Ave. These time-limited MUSIC  this change toward the end of 2019, and Chuckanut Radio Hour celebrates jobs are important to a successful the response has been positive,” Belling- its 13th anniversary with high- census. Flexible hours, weekly pay

15 ham Public Library Director Rebecca Judd lights and clips from some of the and paid training will be discussed. best of 2019 and beyond at 7pm WWW.BELLINGHAMPUBLIC

ART  says. “Our community supports our goal at Whatcom Community College’s LIBRARY.ORG to improve access to libraries for all Bell- Heiner Theater, 237 W. Kellogg Rd.

14 ingham and Whatcom County residents— Entry to the monthly radio variety MON., FEB. 3 regardless of their circumstances.” show is $5. CANDLEMAS: Join Echoes

STAGE  Christine Perkins, executive direc- WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM Bellingham for “Indoor Church: tor of the WCLS and frequent Cascadia Candlemas” from 6:30pm-8pm at FRI., JAN. 31 the Old Parish Hall, 2116 Walnut Weekly contributor, is also on board with 13 VALLEY WRITERS: Bring pen St. Come to this casual service that the new agenda, pointing out that fines and paper or a digital device—and honors the coming light of spring were a financial barrier to a number of an open mind—to the bimonthly with song, reflection, discussion

GET OUT  people using their local book hubs. “Valley Writers” meeting from and a blessing. Entry is free. “We understand that it’s sometimes 1pm-3pm at Sudden Valley’s South WWW.ECHOESBELLINGHAM.ORG Whatcom Library, 10 Barn View 12 12 hard to return materials to the library,” Court. Participants write from TUES., FEB. 4 she says. “Weather, family demands, prompts, and the event is facili- UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT: A schedule changes; life has a way of tated by local poet and writer CJ quarterly “Understanding Conflict” WORDS  WORDS  confounding our best plans. Some com- Prince. Explore what you think you workshop takes place from 5pm- munity members are also challenged by don’t know but already do about 8pm at the Whatcom Dispute Reso-  10 lution Center, 206 Prospect St. The uncertain housing or transportation.” writing during the monthly writ- ing group. event focuses on communication Whatcom County joins a growing list WWW.WCLS.ORG and conflict resolution skills ap-

CURRENTS of libraries across the state who have plicable to home, community and already eliminated fines, including Se- SAT., FEB. 1 work. Fees are $95. 6 attle Public Library, Fort Vancouver Re- YOU CAN JOURNAL: Journal WWW.WHATCOMDRC.ORG types, styles, supplies, ways to gional Library, Kitsap Regional Library, VIEWS  organize a journal, and fun, cre- WED., FEB. 5 Port Townsend Public Library, San Juan ative tips you can use will be part HOW TO PODCAST: Adam Farn-

4  Island Public Library, Sno-Isle libraries, of a “You Can Journal!” workshop sworth leads a “How to Podcast” Jefferson County Library, and Spokane from 10:30am-12pm at the Blaine workshop at 7pm at the Anacortes MAIL  public libraries. Library, 610 3rd St. Entry is free to Public Library, 1220 10th St. Farn- the interactive event. sworth will share tips and tricks

2  A Frequently Asked Questions primer (360) 305-3637 for creating your own podcast. on BPL and WCLS websites provides more Entry is free.

DO IT  of the particulars, but suffice it to say MON., FEB. 3 WWW.ANACORTESWA.GOV the powers that be are confident the GENERAL LIT: As part of Whatcom lack of fines won’t lead to bad behav- READS, attend a General Literature LOVE WORKSHOP: Monique BY AMY KEPFERLE ior. The majority of library borrowers Book Group focusing on Eowyn Stefens leads an Excellence

01.29.20 Ivey’s To the Bright Edge of the World NW Workshop on the topic of already return their materials on time, at 7pm at Village Books, 1200 11th “Love” at 7pm at Village Books, they note, and research shows eliminat- St. The group meets on the first 1200 11th St. She’ll explore two .15 Monday of each month, and new authors who invite us to identify 05 ing fines on overdue material has little

# Clean Slate significant impact on return rates. members are always welcome. what gets in our way and how to “We do not believe that overdue fines WWW.WHATCOMREADS.ORG celebrate individual passions, SAY FAREWELL TO LIBRARY FINES personalities and other unique- teach responsibility, nor do we think WED., FEB. 5 ness. Entry is free. BY THE end of 2019, I had approximately $3 in late fees at that is part of the library’s mission,” TEEN WRITING GROUP: A pro- WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM the Bellingham Public Library that I kept meaning to take care they say. “It is our job to provide equi- fessional writer will lead aspiring of. I knew once the amount reached $10, I’d no longer be able to table access to information. By imposing young authors at a Teen Writing THURS., FEB. 6 Group event from 2:30pm-3:30pm at FISH TRIVIA NIGHT: Join the CASCADIA WEEKLY proceed to the checkout lane. fines and prohibiting people from bor- the Anacortes Public Library, 1220 Nooksack Salmon Enhancement But my procrastination paid off. On Jan. 2, 2020, those over- rowing books when the fines add up, we 12 10th St. Each session there is a new Association for its 10th annual due fines had been forgiven and I—along with every other li- are negatively impacting the people who writing prompt and participants Fish Trivia Night fundraiser at 6pm brary cardholder in Whatcom County—was able to start the new may need us the most.” have the chance to share their at 122 West Brewing Co., 2416 year with a clean slate. creative writing with the group. Meridian St. Entry is $5. And although people who check out books, movies, CDs, For more details, go to www.bellingham WWW.ANACORTESWA.GOV WWW.N-SEA.ORG magazines and other materials at the BPL or Whatcom County publiclibrary.org or www.wcls.org doit

FRI., JAN. 31 ington, Stanwood, and Monroe. The WILD THINGS: Kids, adults and nonprofit club will have the luxury

adventurers can join Holly Roger of coach available for the next two

Wild Whatcom for a “Wild Things” Tuesdays—and possibly beyond. 23  Community Program from 9:30am- Fees vary.

11am at Lake Padden Park (East). WWW.MERRYMOUNTAIN.COM FOOD  outside Please bring a simple, healthy HIKING RUNNING GARDENING snack to share, and dress for the ALL-PACES RUN: Staff and volun-

weather. Suggested donation is $5 teers are always on hand to guide 20 per person. the way at the weekly All-Paces WWW.WILDWHATCOM.ORG Run starting at 6pm every Tuesday

at Fairhaven Runners, 1209 11th B-BOARD  to enhancing our namesake procliv- WINTER WALK: Join the Mount St. The runs are 20 minutes out Vernon Downtown Association, and back on two key routes—by

ity for constructing and maintaining 19 the City of Mount Vernon, and the water or through the woods. boundless miles of rustic single-track Tri-Dee Arts for the sixth annual Entry is free.

thorough variably complex terrain. “Illuminight Winter Walk” tonight. WWW.FAIRHAVENRUNNERS.COM FILM  Thanks to an evolutionary anomaly The fun kicks off by making paper lantern luminaries at 3:30pm at WED., FEB. 5

that occurred during a catastrophic 16 Tri-Dee Arts (215 S. First St.), Blaine lightning strike on an old pack-rat-in- WINTER GARDENING: continuing with live music at 5pm C.O.R.E. (Community Organiza-

fested miner’s cabin where two members at Riverwalk Park Plaza, followed tion for Resources and Education) MUSIC  of the Mt. Baker Ranger District trail by a 5:30pm procession with lit lu- presents a free “Winter Gardening

crew happened to be sorting through a minaries (approximately one mile). and Soil Basics” workshop from 15 horde of metal-bearing quartz crystals Entry is free. 4pm-6pm at the Blaine Library, WWW.MOUNTVERNONWA.GOV 610 3rd St. Discover what can be ART  one fateful storm-wracked night dur- “wintered over” in your garden, the ing the summer of 1927, Rattus semita JAN. 31-FEB. 2 effects winter has on your soil, and 14 are unique among the vermin species of DEEP FOREST EXPERIENCE: how to best prepare for a healthy Attend “Deep Forest Experience” summer season. Planting tables the world for being exceptionally well- STAGE  endowed with muscular forepaws and events from 11am-2pm Fridays will be available to help guide your through Sundays through February opposable thumbs. seed buying. The class repeats 13 at Rockport State Park, State Route from 10am-12pm Sat., Feb. 8. 13 Thus, instead of congregating around 20, milepost 96. Guided hikes will WWW.WCLS.ORG residential areas, industrial zones and depart hourly from the Discovery GET OUT  retail centers like our speedier but con- Center hourly. Park staff and vol- GARDEN CLUB MEETING: A rep GET OUT  siderably less dexterous big-city cous- unteers will lead 30- to 60-minute from Green Earth Compost will dis- cuss where green recycling is done ins are wont to do, we prefer to spend walks under a dense canopy of old growth fir, cedar, hemlock and maple at a Birchwood Garden Club meet- 12 summers camping outside and working trees. Entry is free; a Discovery Pass ing at 7pm at Whatcom Museum’s our haunches off at remote project lo- is required to park. Old City Hall, 121 Prospect St. All WORDS  cations deep in the mountains, as far WWW.PARKS.STATE.WA.US/574/ are welcome. away from paved roads and the gener- ROCKPORT WWW.BIRCHWOODGARDENCLUB.ORG  10 alized hustle-bustle of modern society SAT., FEB. 1 THURS., FEB. 6 as possible. ROWERS RACE: Sound Rowers and AVALANCHE AWARENESS: Reps The onset of winter, however, inevi- Paddlers will host its first Rowers from Northwest Avalanche Center CURRENTS tably exerts profound and immediate Race of the year starting at 10am focus on “Avalanche Awareness” effects upon our migratory patterns, on the Swinomish Channel in La for the winter backcountry traveler 6 which tend to vary considerably depend- Conner. Entry is $10-$20. at 6pm at REI, 400 36th St. Learn

WWW.SOUNDROWERS.ORG to access the Northwest Avalanche VIEWS  ing on climatic preferences. STORY AND IMAGE BY TRAIL RAT Center bulletins and weather

A significant faction of my compatriots PRUNING PARTICULARS: “Prun- reports, recognize basics signs 4  migrate to warmer equatorial locations, ing So You Don’t Have to Prune So of avalanche danger, and learn where they lord over sun-soaked beaches Often” will be the focus of a class simple was to help avoid avalanche MAIL  with author and Northwest Flower danger. Register in advance for the

with plenty of cold drinks and exotic Off-leash & Garden Festival speaker Christina free event. 2  fruit to whet their whiskers for a song. Pfeiffer from 11am-12pm in Mount WWW.REI.COM/STORES/

KEEPING AND CARING FOR RODENTS Tempting as that sounds, I seldom Vernon at Christianson’s Nursery, BELLINGHAM DO IT  find sufficient cause to leave the City 15806 Best Rd. Entry is $8. KNOWN TO inhabit all continents except Antarctica and of Subdued Excitement during the off- WWW.CHRISTIANSONSNURSERY.COM TRAVELOGUE: Mike Powell shares stories and slide focusing on comprising more than 40 percent of all known mammal species season anymore. “UHURU 65 Degrees South, or How

FEB. 1-2 01.29.20 on Earth, members of the order Rodentia—including but not lim- Ever since a kindly lady welcomed BIRDING FOR KIDS: Skagit I Learned to Sail” at a Travelogue ited to mice, rats, squirrels, porcupines, beavers, gerbils and me into her household many moons Guided Adventures hosts “Birding taking place from 7pm-9pm at for Kids” excursions from 2:30pm- Whatcom Museum’s Old City Hall, .15 capybaras—comprise a prolific and highly diversified biological ago, I have contented myself with the 05 niche thanks to our uncanny ability to adapt and thrive in many joys of having an entire food/water 4:30pm Saturdays and Sundays 121 Prospect St. Suggested dona- # through March. Prices vary; trans- tion is $5. less-desirable areas where most other land-based vertebrates dish to myself—not to mention a cozy portation and binoculars will be WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG either cannot or will not. second-story den replete with book- provided. Reservations are required. But do we make good pets? shelves, desk and a bed with a big sack (360) 474-7479 FLY FISHING FILMS: Anglers Although I can’t speak on behalf of all rats when it comes of goose feathers to help insulate my of all ages are invited to attend to characterizing the domestic traits of the particular breed of hairless parts. TUES., FEB. 4 the annual Fly Fishing Film Tour SKI BUS TO STEVENS PASS: If starting at 7pm in Mount Vernon at bewhiskered bounders to which I belong, you would be hard- It’s a pretty cush life for a glorified CASCADIA WEEKLY you’re interested in joining a group the Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St. pressed to find a more cognizant, well-seasoned proponent. rodent, just as long as I don’t shed too of adult skiers and snowboarders, Tickets to the family-friendly event 13 Physiologically speaking, compared to our much longer and much fur on the loveseat or let our Maine join Merry Mountain Ski Club for are $16-$18. leaner outdoor adventure-loving kinfolk Rattus fluvia (river coon house cat zero in on me whenever I a Ski Bus to Stevens Pass today WWW.LINCOLNTHEATRE.ORG with pickup starting at 6am in rats) and Rattus mura (wall rats) we trail rats—Rattus semita— go scurrying around the kitchen at mid- SEND EVENT INFO TO: Bellingham before heading to Burl- [email protected] are equipped with short limbs, stumpy tails and exceptionally night to inhale crumbly bits of my favor- robust fur-bearing bodies that lend themselves in no small way ite crackers and cheese. doit

STAGE St. Teams will perform a new episode each weekend, and the

WED., JAN. 29 audience “votes off” a team until

23  KILROY WAS HERE: Skagit the winners are crowned. Tickets Academy presents Kilroy Was Here are $7-$12.

FOOD  at 6:30pm in Mount Vernon at the WWW.SYLVIACENTERFORTHE Lincoln Theatre, 712 S. First St. ARTS.ORG stage Entry is free. 20 THEATER DANCE PROFILES WWW.LINCOLNTHEATRE.ORG SAT., FEB. 1 CINDERELLA: Witness a clever THURS., JAN. 30 retelling of a beloved fairytale at

B-BOARD  GOOD, BAD, UGLY: Watch “The the final showings of Cinderella at Good, the Bad and the Ugly” at 1pm and 7pm at Lynden Christian 7:30pm every Thursday at the Worship and Fine Arts Center, 515 19 Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay St. Drayton St. Tickets are $7-$12. At 9:30pm, stick around for “The WWW.SHOWTIX4U.COM FILM  Project,” which tonight will feature “The Future of Modern Improv.” BAAY FUNDRAISER: Attend “Be Entry is $5-$8. Our Guest: A Fundraiser for BAAY” 16 WWW.THEUPFRONT.COM from 6pm-9pm at the Sylvia Center for the Arts, 205 Prospect St. MUSIC  JAN. 30-31 Tickets are $25. DAVIS: Find out what happens WWW.SYLVIACENTERFOR

15 after the tragic death of a cat THEARTS.ORG unleashes a bizarre series of ART  events in the life of his owner Nate SUN., FEB. 2 at showings of local playwright COMEDY CLUB: The monthly 14 14 Dinah Lankerovich’s Davis at 8pm Depot Comedy Club returns at 8pm Thursday and Friday at the Sylvia at Aslan Depot, 1322 N. State St. STAGE 

STAGE  Center for the Arts, 205 Prospect The show will feature accomplished St. Tickets are $8-$15. comedians Andrew Sleighter, Cam- WWW.SYLVIACENTERFORTHE eron Mazzuca, and Vanessa Dawn.

13 ARTS.ORG Tickets are $15. WWW.EVENTBRITE.COM JAN. 30-FEB. 2

GET OUT  THE GOOD DOCTOR: Watch a GATEWAY SHOW: Attend a Neil Simon and Anton Chekhov monthly “Gateway Show” at 8pm

PHOTO BY MARCUS BADGLEY MARCUS BY PHOTO collaboration when The Good Doc- at the Upfront Theatre, 1208 Bay

12 tor continues this weekend with St. Tickets are $15 (general) to performances at 7:30pm Thursday $25-$30 (VIP). heiress. The wacky structure could only through Saturday, and 2pm Sunday WWW.EVENTBRITE.COM WORDS  BY AMY KEPFERLE be a Marx Brothers musical.” at the Bellingham Theatre Guild, Morris points out that the play also 1600 H St. Jim Lortz directs the WED., FEB. 5  10 “comedy with music.” Tickets are Attend serves as a history les- MENACE ON THE MIC: $8-$16; additional performances a monthly “Menace on the Mic” The Cocoanuts son. He says the Marx take place Feb. 6-9. Standup Comedy Night night start-

CURRENTS Brothers represent the WWW.BELLINGHAMTHEATRE ing at 8pm at Menace Brewing, A MARX BROTHERS REMAKE vaudevillians who sur- GUILD.COM 2529 Meridian St. Entry is free. 6 vived the economic WWW.MENACE-INDUSTRIES.COM/ FRI., JAN. 31 BREWERY DAMOND MORRIS centered his dissertation on the topic crash that forced many VIEWS  COMEDY HOUR: Attend the of vaudeville in Oregon state during the Great Depression, so entertainers out of monthly Afterglow Comedy Hour FEB. 6-8

4  he’s thrilled that a Marx Brothers remake of The Cocoanuts is the industry during from 9pm-10pm at Stemma Brewing HENRY V: Behold timeless scenes currently playing at Skagit Valley College’s Phil Tarro Theatre. the Great Depression, Company, 2039 Moore St. Nikki of love, war and politics when Wil- MAIL  As the chair of the drama department at SVC, Morris had some ATTEND and were also able to Kilpatrick hosts. Entry is free. liam Shakespeare’s Henry V opens WHAT: The WWW.STEMMABREWING.COM this week with showings at 7:30pm

2  say in this season’s theatrical lineup, but he didn’t have any adapt to technological Cocoanuts Thursday and Friday, and 2pm control over an unforeseen accident that caused him to have to WHERE: Phil transitions in film and JAN. 31-FEB. 1 and 7:30pm Saturday at Western

DO IT  recuse himself from bringing the play to fruition. Tarro Theatre, radio during that same EXPRESS MURDER: An adaptation Washington University’s Performing Knowing the show must go on, Morris handed off the reins to Skagit Valley time frame. of Agatha Christie’s Murder on the Arts Center’s DUG Theater. Tickets choreographer Glynna Goff, who took over as director. And in ad- College The Cocoanuts learn- Orient Express begins this weekend are $7-$12. with performances at 7:30pm Friday WWW.TICKETS.WWU.EDU dition to her duties as musical director, Diane Johnson has been WHEN: Jan. 30- ing curve extends

01.29.20 Feb. 2, Feb. 6-9 and Saturday at the Anacortes Com- leading the crew in the scene shop. COST: $7-$17 to its cast and crew, munity Theatre, 918 M Ave. Tickets Luckily, Morris’ synapses are still firing, so he was able to INFO: www. which is comprised of are $20. .15 DANCE WWW.ACTTHEATRE.COM 05 provide an in-depth explanation about why producing The Co- skagit.edu/ both SVC students and # coanuts is such a big deal. The show is based on the 1926 play drama experienced actors SAT., FEB. 1 The men and women The Dance Studio and subsequent 1929 film by the Marx Brothers, he notes, with from the community. SPACE TREK: JUST DANCE: of the USS Upfront will return to presents “BE in the Show: Just text by George S. Kaufman and music by Irving Berlin. Students Matthew Small (Zeppo), and the stage for showings of the im- Dance” at 6pm at the Mount Baker “The musical itself, while popular, was lost to history,” Morris Tanner Cobbel (Chico) are working with provised sci-fi show, “Space Trek,” Theatre, 104 N. Commercial St. furthers. “We had Kaufman’s book but Berlin’s score was lost. Matthew Riggins (Groucho) and John at 7:30pm and 9:30pm Friday and Entry is $10. Mark Bedard with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival put it back Gonzales (Harpo) in the main roles and Saturday at the Upfront Theatre, WWW.MOUNTBAKERTHEATRE.COM 1208 Bay St. Tickets are $12. CASCADIA WEEKLY together using Kaufman’s book and pulling Berlin’s music from Morris says the dynamics between the WWW.THEUPFRONT.COM FOLKDANCE PARTY: Dance to live the Library of Congress. “brothers” hearkens back to how the play 14 Balkan music by Osem i Devit at a “The musical is now a hilarious nonstop pun- and wordsmith- was originally created. SERIAL KILLERS: iDiOM Theater’s Folk Dance Party from 7pm-10pm fest for Groucho, with the slapstick comedy of Harpo and Chi- “The Cocoanuts was moved from the annual “Serial Killers” kicks off at the Squalicum Yacht Club, 2633 co, beautiful music with wonderful Berlin harmonies from the stage to the silver screen,” Morris says, this weekend at 7:30pm and S. Harbor Loop Dr. Suggested dona- 9:30pm showings at the Sylvia tion is $15. ensemble, a jewel heist centered around a femme fatale, and a “and now we are placing it back where it Center for the Arts, 205 Prospect (360) 920-5962 story of denied love between bellhop Zeppo and a high-class belongs—onstage.” doit

UPCOMING mentia and their care partners are EVENTS invited to attend a new program designed to engage participants

FRI., JAN. 31 with an art-filled experience, 23  VORTEX CLOSING: Attend a clos- “Museum in Mind,” from 1pm-3pm

ing reception for “Vortex: Grid In- at Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher FOOD  visual terpretation” from 6:30pm-9pm at Building, 250 Flora St. Fees are GALLERIES OPENINGS PROFILES Mindport Exhibits, 210 W. Holly St. $25-$30.

Based on a photo by Kevin Jones, WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG 20 “Vortex,” the chalk pastel piece features grids by WWW students; white enameled steel with emerald each completed one full-sized grid ONGOING B-BOARD  glass windows—perfect for your back- rectangle as well as a smaller piece. WWW.MINDPORT.ORG EXHIBITS

yard lawn. 19 ARTWOOD: Lathe-turned objects Somers draws on neolithic iconogra- SAT., FEB. 1 will be featured through February at

phy and Chinese bronzes for inspiration NEW EXHIBITS OPENING: “The Artwood Gallery, 1000 Harris Ave. FILM  in his complex objects made from metal, Global Language of Headwear: WWW.ARTWOODGALLERY.COM Cultural Identity, Rites of Passage,

clay and fabric. His attractive “Steel 16 and Spirituality” and “Conversa- Peruse landscape Boxes” contrast the warmth of lacquered BAYOU ANNEX: tions Between Collections: The photography by Audra Lee Mercille

steel with brilliant gold leaf. The “Free- Smithsonian American Art Museum during through January at Bayou MUSIC  formed Boxes” are fabricated of Raku and the Whatcom Museum” open Annex Bar, 1300 Bay St. 15 clay, encaustic, wire and plastic wrap. today from 12pm-5pm at Whatcom WWW.AUDRALEEPHOTOGRAPHY.COM 15 Somers’ “Memories of Mustang” com- Museum’s Lightcatcher Building. ART  The former shows through April 26, View the work ART  bines wooden sticks, wetted fabric and FOURTH CORNER: the latter through Jan. 3, 2021. of painter Laurie Potter at a “Time- rusted steel mesh, evoking spirits of Entry is $5-$10. line” exhibit on display through 14 plains Indians and ex- WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG Jan. 31 at Fourth Corner Frames and Gallery, 311 W. Holly St. pansive vistas. Quite STAGE  beautiful is his small BIRDS OF WINTER: A “Birds of WWW.FOURTHCORNERFRAMES.COM Winter” Art Walk takes place from “Triptych”—mixed

2pm-5pm throughout downtown GALLERY SYRE: Peruse a “New 13 media including raku- Mount Vernon. As many as 15 Works” exhibit of works by David fired clay and steel. participating businesses and galler- Syre from 12pm-5pm Tues.-Thurs.

In contrast are ies will feature local and regional at Gallery Syre, 465 W. Stuart Rd. GET OUT  Somers’ paintings of artists exploring the natural world, WWW.DAVIDSYREART.COM including bird-themed art. ravens. One, entitled SEE WWW.MOUNTVERNONDOWNTOWN.ORG GOOD EARTH POTTERY: As part 12

“TREES,” BY AMY VANDERVELDE AMY VANDERVELDE “TREES,” BY “Never”—in acrylic, WHAT: Grand of the 10th annual “Winter Warm- gold leaf, rice pa- INTERLACEMENTS: Watch the ers” Benefit and Cup Invitational,

Opening Exhibit WORDS  WHERE: Trinky per, burlap and silk documentary Interlacements at peruse and purchase works through Busiu, 809 thread—is realist and 4pm at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center, Jan. 31 at Good Earth Pottery, 1000 321 Front St. The movie made by Harris Ave.  10 Eastern Ave., haunting. Sedro-Woolley fiber artist Marilyn Romatka and WWW.GOODEARTHPOTS.COM The “Grand Open- WHEN: 10am- her husband highlights the local ing” exhibit also in- connections made through the fiber JANSEN ART CENTER: A “Winter 5pm daily CURRENTS INFO: www. cludes work by two arts. Entry is by donation. Juried Exhibit” is currently on dis- trinkybusiu.com painters, Steve Mortz WWW.JANSENARTCENTER.ORG play at Lynden’s Jansen Art Center, 6 321 Front St. “TRIPTYCH,” BY BRIAN SOMERS “TRIPTYCH,” BY STEVE MORTZ 4,” BY “GLYPH and Seattle-based Amy

FOLLY OPENING: Attend an open- WWW.JANSENARTCENTER.ORG VIEWS  Vandervelde. Mortz’s four “Glyph” pan- ing reception for Natalie Niblack’s

els strongly evoke the “white writing” of most recent body of work, “Folly,” MONA: “Especially Special: A 4  BY STEPHEN HUNTER Mark Tobey with their “all-over” tangles from 4pm-6pm in Edison at i.e. gal- Celebration of Betty Black” and an of lines. But the iconography is all his lery, 5800 Cains Court. “Exhibition from the Permanent MAIL  WWW.IEEDISON.COM Collection” can be viewed through

own; cartoons of men, women, twisted March 15 in La Conner at the Museum 2  Trinky Busiu bodies, faces, breasts, phalluses, cats, BIRD’S EYE OPENING: An open- of Northwest Art, 121 S. First St. airplanes, happy faces and indecipher- ing reception for the invitational WWW.MONAMUSEUM.ORG DO IT  SET YOUR SIGHTS ON SEDRO able scribbles. “Glyph 4” demonstrates “Bird’s Eye View” exhibit takes how an internal edge can suggest three place from 5pm-7pm in Edison at RAGFINERY: A variety of textile- Smith & Vallee Gallery, 5742 Gilkey related workshops happen on a be the next big thing? Have Edi- dimensions—in this case, a multicolored WILL SEDRO-WOOLLEY Ave. The eighth annual invitational regular basis at Ragfinery, 1421 N. 01.29.20 son, La Conner, and Mount Vernon run out of space and become tower. And his use of discordant, oppos- celebrates the migration of birds Forest St. too expensive for new galleries? ing hues—faded greens against rose, and birders to the Skagit Valley. WWW.RAGFINERY.COM .15 WWW.SMITHANDVALLEEGALLERY.COM

Recently a new gallery, Trinky Busiu, at 809 Eastern Ave., has mauve versus yellow—creates a very 05 sprung from the minds of three well-known Skagit artists—Milo contemporary feeling. WHATCOM ART MARKET: Peruse # ARTS & JAZZ: Celebrate the works by Whatcom Art Guild mem- White, Brian Somers, and Lyn McJunkin. For White, it’s a relief In contrast, the mixed-media panels efforts and accomplishments of bers at the Whatcom Art Market, to have an attractive space where customers can appreciate his by Vandervelde are delightfully restful students at Blaine Fine Arts Associa- 1103 11th St. sculptures without having to stumble over hazardous tools and and expansive, the brushwork imagina- tion’s 23rd annual “Arts & Jazz” fun- WWW.WHATCOMARTMARKET.ORG materials in his metal shop. tive. Jewel-like colors are enlivened by draiser taking place from 7pm-10pm The public has enjoyed the marriage of White’s sculptural steel the gray background. Does her otherwise at Blaine High School’s Cafetorium, WHATCOM MUSEUM: “What Lies 975 H St. Entry is $5-$7. Beneath: Minerals of the Pacific with McJunkin’s beautiful glass in many galleries and outdoor abstract “Trees” find its name from the CASCADIA WEEKLY WWW.BLAINESD.ORG/ Northwest,” “Who Are We? Washing- installations in Skagit Valley—Camano Island, the Mount Ver- many handsome vertical lines? BLAINE-HIGH-SCHOOL ton’s Kaleidoscope,” “People of the 15 non Riverwalk, and on the La Conner waterfront. Now, their work Afterwards your perusal, visit the Sea and Cedar,” and “John M. Edson is available to see and purchase at Trinky Busiu. Here, White’s nearby Woolley Market. At the trendy TUES., FEB. 4 Hall of Birds” can currently be viewed rolled steel embraces McJunkin’s sparkling filigree of pate de grocery, deli, cafe and self-service pub MUSEUM IN MIND: People with on the Whatcom Museum campus. early-stage memory loss or de- WWW.WHATCOMMUSEUM.ORG verre glass in “Depletion” and “Refreshing Ice.” you’ll find refreshment and meet young Their stunning “Aplarium Minor” is an eight-foot tower of folks and old-timers, too. rumor has it

23  ALTHOUGH I HAVE wandered into and out of past Bellingham Music Film Festivals, FOOD  last year was the first time that I sat inside a theater at the Pickford Film Center and watched a whole program of submissions 20 music SHOW PREVIEWS RUMOR HAS IT with other festival attendees. I was incredibly entertained. B-BOARD  During my long tenure as a Pickford pro- jectionist (my side

19 job) and as a former judge of a couple of

FILM  local film festivals (and one karaoke

16 16 contest, but we don’t need to talk MUSIC  MUSIC  about that), I have seen a lot—as in, a

15 lot—of nonprofes- BY CAREY ROSS

ART  sional filmmaking. Some of it is astonish- ingly good (some not so much), a portion

14 of it doesn’t make sense, and nearly all of it is very weird in some distinct and fascinat-

STAGE  ing kind of way. The chosen submissions of the Bellingham Music Film Festival, by and large, fall into 13 those overly broad categories, but they’re somehow more charming when they come in

GET OUT  the form of music videos. Perhaps the ab- breviated format requires stronger choices

12 and more stringent editing. Maybe videos made by and for musicians have intrinsically different character and style than those WORDS  made by other folks. It’s possible music vids on the whole are just more fun.  10 I don’t have the answers at present, but I’ve got until Fri., April 3, which is when the

CURRENTS festival takes place, to figure them out. But if you’re wanting to submit one of 6 those strongly choiced, stringently edit-

PHOTO BY CHEYANNE FLUKE CHEYANNE BY PHOTO ed, intrinsically different, more fun mu- VIEWS  sic videos to the Bellingham Music Film

4  Festival to be scrutinized by its esteemed time. Stoneking’s style is panel of judges, you have until the final, MAIL  BY CAREY ROSS often described as being drop-dead deadline of February 1 to do so.

2  bluesy, specifically the Depending on when you’re reading this, variety that originates in you still may have time to make a music DO IT  C.W. Stoneking New Orleans, while incor- video between now and then, so get your porating jug band music, creative juices flowing and go for it. SEEING IS DISBELIEVING country, calypso and other Speaking of flowing juices (may I never similar genres. If Robert type those words again), the Aslan Depot 01.29.20 BEFORE LOCAL musician and crafter of community shenanigans Pace ATTEND Johnson and Tom Waits had is celebrating its two-year anniversary on Rubadeau brought him to my attention, I had never heard of C.W. Stoneking. WHAT: C.W. a baby and sent him out Feb. 1 with an all-day party. Along with .15

05 The purpose of Pace putting Stoneking on my radar wasn’t to make a casu- Stoneking, Hot on the vaudeville circuit, live music from 7-11:30pm, Aslan will be # al music recommendation. Rather he was letting me know the musician was Damn Scandal, he might one day end up cracking into cases of every single bottle coming to town for a Sat., Feb. 8 concert at the YWCA ballroom. Anytime The Shadies sounding like Stoneking. project they’ve released as well as their WHEN: 7pm Sat., someone who doesn’t book a lot of shows brings to town an artist he con- Feb. 8 So far, so good. favorite beers from other breweries. Sam- siders “one of the finest ambassadors of modern old-time,” I’m interested. WHERE: YWCA But then you see him, pling specially crafted beers and watching So I gave Stoneking a listen. Intrigued, I took the natural next step of Ballroom, 1026 N. and he’s a lanky white Aus- bands play is not a bad way to for you watching some of his videos. Forest St. tralian dude with slicked- celebrate a birthday, even if the birthday

CASCADIA WEEKLY This was a miscalculation, one from which I am still trying to recover. COST: $25 back hair and a shiny gui- you’re celebrating is not your own. I can’t INFO: www. Should you find yourself similarly curious, I urge you to go straight to tar, and it is so incongruous remember the last time I went to a 2-year- 16 cwstoneking.com the videos lest you be thrust into a state of confusion that mirrors my own. to hear that voice come out old’s birthday party that involved live mu- Here’s the deal: Stoneking sounds like an old-timey throwback jam. His of that body, that you watch video after vid- sic and a variety of handcrafted beer. But songs are original, but they seem like they could’ve been playing on your eo trying in an attempt to comprehend what that’s probably because I’ve never been to grandma’s record player in the background when you were a kid, only for you’re seeing. a toddler’s birthday party. Maybe they’re you to rediscover them as an adult—familiar and unfamiliar, all at the same At least, that’s what happened to me. all like that. Reach, a modern-day blues-rock bona STONEKING, fide, if ever there was one. It’s fitting that White, who often seems FROM PAGE 16 more like a character than a man, would 23  It’s as if he time-traveled and shape- be drawn to a man who could also be a shifted, and is now here from the past in character. Is Stoneking for real, with his FOOD  his borrowed body to sing us stories of all-white ensemble, fantastical stories a bygone era. I know such a thing is not about hoodoo doctors and shipwrecks, 20 possible, and yet when I see Stoneking, and voice from a hundred years ago? A it makes me wonder. few songs in, such questions cease to

Some things about the old-timey Aus- matter. Whatever it is, it’s a good show. B-BOARD  sie do track, however. He sounds like a And when he brings that show to Visit Homes For Sale in Whatcom County

nimble, assured guitar player, and indeed Bellingham, he’ll appear in excellent 19 he is just that. He has the enviable abil- company. Hot Damn Scandal, the Shad- We're here to help ity to play in a style that appears effort- ies, Three for Silver, and the dancers of JUST SOLD FILM  less without being showy about it. His B’ham Hop will be on hand to set the you reach your real

voice is both raspy and resonant, his scene before Stoneking takes the stage. 16 estate goals!  16 songs are rich in storytelling, and all of The concert is all-ages, but should you

Call Jerry Swann For Details MUSIC that combines to create a transportive grow parched and need to seek adult MUSIC  experience for his audiences. libations, the Redlight is offering a 30 Best 360.319.7776

While Stoneking is still a little-known percent discount to presale tickethold- Choice 15 R EAL T Y Broker# 100688 quantity in our neck of the woods, in ers on the day of the show. ART  Australia he’s a bigger deal. He’s been Speaking of tickets, they’re fairly lim- performing and touring there for 15 or so ited and cost $25, which, yes, is steeper 14 years, his albums have charted and he’s than the cover charge of many shows. I

won a couple of ARIA Awards, the Aus- don’t have the numbers or anything, but STAGE  tralian equivalent of Grammys. Stateside, I suspect the price of the ticket might be he’s caught the attention of Jack White, related to the costs of luring Stoneking 13 and appears on the former White Stripes to Bellingham. After all, time-travel and frontman’s 2018 album, Boarding House shape-shifting cannot be cheap. GET OUT 

doit 12

WED., JAN. 29 harp) and throat singer Nachyn Choreve will be WORDS  MATT JORGENSEN QUARTET: Seattle-based the featured performers. Tickets are $18. drummer Matt Jorgensen brings an all-star lineup WWW.FIREHOUSEPERFORMINGARTS.COM to a Whatcom Jazz Music Art Center concert at Pepper Sisters  10 7pm at the Sylvia Center for the Arts, 205 Pros- TUES., FEB. 4 pect St. Entry will be $5-$10 at the door. MOZART QUARTETS: A Salish Sea Early Music Flavors of New Mexico

WWW.WJMAC.ORG Festival concert begins at 7pm at the Fir-Conway CURRENTS Lutheran Church, 18101 Fir Island Rd. Attendees FRI., JAN. 31 can hear flutist Jeffrey Cohan, violinist Carrie Serving Dinner Tuesday - Sunday 6 EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL: “Mozart Quartets” will Krause, violist Victoria Gunn, and cellist Caroline Happy hour Tuesday - Thursday be the focus of a Salish Sea Early Music Festival Nicolas on period instruments performing the VIEWS  concert at 7pm at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, complete “Mozart Quartets for Flute and Strings.” Comfort food 2117 Walnut St. Flutist Jeffrey Cohan, violinist Suggested donation is $15-$25 (free for those 18 1055 N. State peppersisters.com 4  Carrie Krause, violist Victoria Gunn, and cellist and younger). from scratch Caroline Nicola will play the complete “Mozart WWW.SALISHSEAFESTIVAL.ORG MAIL  Quartets for Flute and Strings” performed on pe-

riod instruments. Suggested donation is $15-$25 WED., FEB. 5 The Global 2  (free for those 18 and younger). MUSIC CLUB CONCERT: Bellingham Music Club

WWW.SALISHSEAFESTIVAL.ORG presents the best music students of Whatcom Language of DO IT  County at a 10:30am concert at Trinity Lutheran Headwear SAT., FEB. 1 Church, 119 Texas St. Entry to the family-friendly HOT JAZZ PARTY: Kick off Mardi Gras month by event is free and open to the public.

joining the Bellingham Traditional Jazz Society for WWW.BELLINGHAMMUSICCLUB.ORG Cultural Identity, 01.29.20 a Hot Jazz Party from 2pm-5pm at the VFW Hall, 625 N. State St. Josh Roberts and Friends will be Rites of Passage,

THURS., FEB. 6 .15

playing Chicago-Swing hot jazz of the 1920s and JAZZ LECTURE: “Benny Goodman: The Orchestra 05

and Spirituality # ’30s, and all ages are welcome. Entry is $6-$10. and the Groups” will be the focus of a talk and WWW.BELLINGHAMJAZZ.COM presentation with Seattle-based jazz clarinet- ist and 1930s enthusiast Jacob Zimmerman from NUAGES IN CONCERT: Hear the music of Django 2pm-3:30pm at the Anacortes Public Library, 1220 Reinhardt when Nuages performs from 7:30pm- 10th St. The free event will be illustrated with 9:30pm at the Lummi Island Congregational audio and video. Church, 3913 Legoe Bay Rd. Suggested donation is WWW.CITYOFANACORTES.ORG

$10-$20 to explore the wide world of jazz. CASCADIA WEEKLY

(360) 961-1559 GLOBAL SPICE: Haiqiong Deng, a performer (Akkapa-ri), Brazil; Mid-20th century; Kayapo/Mekranoti Headdress Courtesy of International Arts & Artists. Feathers, cotton, reed. of the traditional Chinese instrument zheng (or 17 SOUNDS OF SIBERIA: Hear traditional folk mu- guzheng), performs at the first Global Spice world See 89 hats and headdresses from 42 sic from Sakha and Tuva at a “Sounds of Siberia” music concert of the year at 8pm at Western concert at 8pm at the Firehouse Arts and Events Washington University’s Performing Arts Center countries around the world. Opens Feb. 1st! Center, 1314 Harris Ave. Yuliyana Krivoshapkina, Concert Hall. Tickets are $8-$12. the foremost master of the khomus (a kind of jaw WWW.TICKETS.WWU.EDU Lightcatcher | 250 Flora Street | whatcommuseum.org musicvenues 23 

See below for venue FOOD  addresses and phone 01.29.20 01.30.20 01.31.20 02.01.20 02.02.20 02.03.20 02.04.20 numbers WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 20 Anelia's Kitchen & Don Virgovic (5:30pm) Levi Burkle (7:30pm) Stage B-BOARD  Two Year Anniversary Comedy Club Aslan Depot Party (all day) (8pm) 19

FILM  Piano Night w/Aaron Guest Piano Night w/Paul Klein Boundary Bay Brewery (6pm) (5:30pm)

16 16 Theory of a Deadman, W3apons Commodore Ballroom Theory of a Deadman, W3apons (8pm) (8pm) MUSIC  MUSIC 

Whole Milk, Timmy Sunshine John Hoover and the Mighty Quinns Culture Cafe Karaoke (9:30pm) Open Mic (6pm) 15 (9pm) (6pm) ART 

Edison Inn The Dizzys (8:30pm) Bow Diddlers (5:30pm) 14

Love on the Brain w/Desmond John Statz, Kelsey Sprauge Tetrachromat, You May Die In Daniel Champagne (6pm), Trio Subtonic Keith Harkin (6pm), Guf- Songs and Stories Open Mic STAGE  Firefly Lounge Pounder, Dallas Flowers, more Daniel Champagne (3pm) (7pm) The Desert, XSuns (9pm) (9pm) fawingham (9:30pm) (6pm), Karaoke (9pm) (9pm) 13 Honey Moon Open Mic (7:30pm) DJ Zoie Mizuna (10pm) Corwin Bolt with Meghan Yates (8pm) GET OUT  East Coast Dave and the Kulshan Brewing Co. One Lane Bridge (7pm) Midwest Swingers (7pm) 12

Menace Movie Monday: Menace Brewing Open Mic (6pm) Saturday Sounds w/Dadz N Ladz (6pm) Groundhog Day (6pm) WORDS 

 10 Old World Deli Live Music (6pm)

After Party Drag Show Queer AF Drag Show (8:30pm), New Music Thursday (10pm) Party Saturday (10pm) Panty Hoes Drag Show (9pm) Karaoke (9pm) CURRENTS Rumors Cabaret (10:30pm) Flashback Friday (10pm) 6

Them Folkes, Biblioteka, Indigo Ashes Of Existence, Avoid, Sails The Shakedown Jackie, Peyote Ugly, Cop Talk (8:30pm) Dino (8:30pm) Up (7:30pm) VIEWS  4  Silver Reef Casino DJ TonyBoi (9pm) Bleeding Tree (9pm)

MAIL  Resort

2  Skagit Casino Radio 80 (9pm) Radio 80 (9pm) Resort DO IT 

Sam Halbert and Friends GROUNDHOG DAY/Feb. 3/ Stones Throw Brewery The Devillies (7pm) (7pm) Menace Brewing 01.29.20 Swinomish Casino and Guy Johnson Band (9pm) Guy Johnson Band (9pm) Lodge .15 05 # The Vault Wine Bar DANIEL CHAMPAGNE/ Trio Sueno (7pm) Mary Ellen Lykins and Craig Adams (7pm) and Bistro Feb. 1-2/Firefly Lounge

Contrast w/Celestino Cortez, Wild Buffalo 90s Till Now (9pm) SpaceBand, DJ Clint Westwood (8pm) The High Children, more (8pm)

CASCADIA WEEKLY Anelias Kitchen & Stage 513 S. 1st St., La Conner • (360) 466-4778 | Beach Store Cafe 2200 N. Nugent 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. • 752-3377 | Commodore Ballroom 18 868 Granville St., Vancouver • (604) 739-4550 | 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 Resort 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 

1917: This Sam Mendes-directed, Roger Deakins- lensed World War I drama, already a critical darling, 20 announced itself as a major awards contender with Best Director and Best Drama wins at the Golden

Globes, as well as 10 Oscar nominations in all the cat- B-BOARD  egories that matter. HHHHH (R • 1 hr. 50 min.)

19  Bad Boys For Life: Will Smith and Martin Lawrence 19 team up one last time (until the next time) as Miami FILM  cops looking to take down some big baddie in this FILM  entertaining, high-energy buddy comedy you’ll likely forget five minutes after you leave the theater. HHH 16 (R • 2 hrs. 4 min.)

Clemency: Alfre Woodard will break your heart MUSIC  and leave you in awe as a prison warden overseeing

executions who begins to have a crisis of the soul 15 when tasked with preparing to put to death a man who maintains his innocence. HHHHH (R • 1 hr. 52 ART  min.) 14 Dolittle: Robert Downey Jr. plays the man who can

talk to animals (is it because of his accent of unknown STAGE  origins? Is that why they can understand him?) and reunites with fellow Avenger Tom Holland (now a dog instead of a spider) to fight Thanos one last time (or 13 save a princess, same same). H (PG • 1 hr. 46 min.)

THE RHYTHM SECTION Frozen II: Wait, it's not a sing-along anymore? Does GET OUT  that mean people are not allowed to sing along? I am confused and anxious about this. Help me, Elsa. nation for composing the score. HHHHH (PG-13 • 2

HHHH (PG • 1 hr. 44 min.) hrs. 35 min.) 12

Guy Ritchie, whose movies are like A mysterious house in the wilds of

The Gentlemen: The Turning: WORDS  the cinematic equivalent of Axe Body Spray but also Maine, a couple of disturbed orphans (one of which somehow likeable, remains true to form with another is Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard), and a new nanny gangster thriller starring Matthew McConaughey, who has no idea what she’s getting herself into. What  10 Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, Colin could possibly go wrong? H (PG-13 • 1 hr. 35 min.) Farrell, and more. HHH (R • 1 hr. 43 min.)

Underwater: Research team goes seven miles deep CURRENTS Gretel & Hansel: In trying to discern what this to the ocean floor only to unleash a slightly differ- movie was all about, I stumbled upon a 2013 film ent terrifying monster from every other terrifying 6 titled Hansel & Gretel Get Baked, which is about a monster who has ever been unleashed since Alien first

brother and sister who battle a witch that uses magic did the unleashing back in 1979. HH (PG-13 • 1 hr. VIEWS  marijuana to lure teens into her home. Going out on a 35 min.) limb to say that’s the best Hansel & Gretel of all time 4  and this movie should just go home. HH (PG-13 • 1 Weathering With You: GKIDS, the distribution hr. 27 min.) house dedicated to carefully curated hand-drawn ani- MAIL  mated films that have racked up a slew of Oscar nods,

Jojo Rabbit: From the singular mind of Taika Watiti brings us another beautifully rendered story, this time 2  comes this story of a boy, his idiot imaginary friend of a burned-out man, a woman who can control the

Adolf Hitler (yes, that Hitler, but not really) played by weather and a decidedly unconventional love story. DO IT  Watiti and all the satirical WWII hijinks they get up GRETEL & HANSEL HHHHH (PG-13 • 1 hr. 51 min.) to. HHHH (PG-13 • 1 hr. 48 min.)

HH Jumanji: The Next Level: This franchise is proof War hero William H. Pitsenbarger, who saved more intended: In a movie theater, on the big screen. 01.29.20 that the Rock’s considerable charms are enough to over- than 60 men during the bloodiest battle of the war HHH (Unrated) whelm and overcome even the most mediocre premise and then had his incredible bravery buried by the U.S. .15 HHH and razor-thin plot. (PG-13 • 1 hr. 40 min.) government until Sebastian Stan (as Pentagon staffer Parasite: One of the few feel-good stories emerging 05

Scott Huffman) came along to ensure he received out of the mess that is this year's Academy Awards # Just Mercy: Michael B. Jordan plays Bryan Steven- the Medal of Honor he deserved. HHH (R • 1 hr. 55 nominations is this film's six Oscar nods, including son, a Harvard-educated lawyer who has dedicated his min.) Bong Joon Ho's trio of nominations for Best Picture, life to defending the wrongfully accused, as he takes Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. HHHHH on the case of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx) on death Little Women: Louisa May Alcott’s tale of the March (R • 2 hrs. 12 min.) row for a murder he did not commit. HHHHH (PG-13 daughters gets a retelling by writer/director Greta • 2 hrs. 16 min.) Gerwig, who somehow didn't get an Oscar nomination, The Rhythm Section: Blake Lively dons a very bad possibly because she's not a man. HHHHH (PG • 2 wig and seeks revenge after her family was killed in a CASCADIA WEEKLY Knives Out:  This Agatha Christie-inspired comedic hrs. 15 min.) plane crash that was no accident. Spoiler alert: Jude Showtimes murder-mystery boasts an incredible cast—Daniel Law is in this movie, so obviously he’s the surprise 19 Craig, Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Oscar Shorts: Just ahead of the Academy Awards villain. See also: nearly every other movie he’s ever Regal and AMC theaters, please see Christopher Plummer, and more—and Rian Johnson on Sun., Feb. 9 (tickets are still available for the been in. HH (R • 1 hr. 49 min.) www.fandango.com. doing the writing and directing honors. HHHHH Pickford's annual Oscar soiree, by the way) see the (PG-13 • 2 hrs. 10 min.) short films nominated in the live action and animated Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: No one can Pickford Film Center and categories. This is likely your only chance to watch agree on anything about this movie except this: PFC’s Limelight Cinema, please see The Last Full Measure: The true story of Vietnam the shorts the way the filmmakers and the Academy John Williams totally deserves his 52nd Oscar nomi- www.pickfordfilmcenter.com rearEnd sudoku comics BY ROB BREZSNY ing to their needs and wants. For some of us, our

service feels like a burden. It’s grating or humbling

23  or inconvenient, or all of the above. For others of us, being of service is fulfilling, even joyful. We find

FOOD  FREE WILL a rich sense of purpose in our devotion to a higher cause or deeper calling beyond our selfish concerns. Among the 12 signs of the zodiac, you Virgos are more

20 likely than most to carry out the latter kind of service. 20 ASTROLOGY I bring these thoughts to your attention because the Sudoku ARIES (March 21-April 19): My favorite ancient coming weeks will be an excellent time to re-evaluate, Greek philosopher was the rascal Diogenes. As a reconfigure, and reinvigorate your own service. B-BOARD  REAR END  joke, he carried around a lantern during the daytime, INSTRUCTIONS: Arrange the digits 1-9 so that each digit occurs once in proclaiming, “I am just looking for an honest man.” LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Author David Markson each row, once in each column, and once in each box. When Alexander the Great, the most powerful man in imagined what it would be like to write a novel that 19 the world, came to meet Diogenes while he was relax- lacked conflicts or confrontations—in other words, ing outside and asked him if he needed any favors a novel unlike any ever created. Libran author Ursula sudoku for March 24, 2007 difficult FILM  done, he replied, “Yeah, stop blocking my sunlight.” Le Guin also fantasized about stories with plots that As for Plato, Diogenes complained that the famous weren’t driven by strife and struggle. Since many of us philosopher talked too damn much and misinterpreted are addicted to entertainment that depends on discord 16 9 3 2 the teachings of Socrates. I encourage you to borrow to be interesting, we might find it hard to believe some of Diogenes’ attitude in the coming weeks. Ac- Markson’s and Le Guin’s dream would ever happen. But

MUSIC  cording to my analysis of the astrological omens, it’ll I’m pleased to inform you, Libra, that your life in the be healing for you to experiment with being brassy, coming weeks may be exactly like that: a fascinating 9 6 saucy and sassy. Emphasize what makes you most adventure with few hassles and wrangles. 15 unique, independent and self-expressive.

ART  SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): According to Scorpio 4 2 1 3 TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus author painter Georgia O’Keeffe, success is irrelevant. The most Anthony Trollope (1815–1882) published his first novel crucial life-long effort that anyone can be devoted to 14 at age 30. During the next 37 years, he completed 48 is “making your unknown known.” Did she mean mak- additional novels and 18 works of nonfiction. Critics ing your unknown known to yourself? Or making your 4 6

STAGE  liked his work well enough, but were suspicious of his unknown known to other people? Or both? According to prodigious productivity. When they discovered that my analysis of the astrological omens, the coming weeks one of Trollope’s motivations for writing was to make will be a favorable time for you to do both. So I hope 2 5 8 9 4 6 13 money, they disapproved. Then they found out that you will tease out your best and biggest mysteries from Trollope kept a watch nearby as he worked, determined their hiding places. Give them expression. to generate 250 words every 15 minutes. The critics 7 9 GET OUT  hated that even worse. Creative artists are supposed to SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): You Sagittar- court inspiration, not adhere to a schedule—at least ac- ians have a talent for burning bridges that really do cording to the critics. But I approve of and recommend need to be burned. Your intuition often guides you to

12 Trollope-like behavior for you in the coming weeks, assess when the time is ripe to withdraw from connec- 8 7 1 2 Taurus. Cosmic forces will be on your side if you do. tions that no longer benefit you. On the other hand, you sometimes burn bridges prematurely. You decide WORDS  GEMINI (May 21-June 20): In accordance with that they are in such disrepair that they’re of no use to 5 4 the astrological indicators, I invite you to rise and soar you, even though it might serve your ultimate interests

 10 and glide during the coming weeks. I encourage you to fix them. I offer these thoughts as a preface for my to expand and enlarge and amplify. Don’t wait around advice: 1. Ref urbish rather than burn a certain bridge hoping to be asked to explore and experiment and im- you’re a bit disenchanted with. 2. Build at least one 2 8 7 provise—just do those things. It’s high time for you to new bridge that will be valuable in the future. http://sudokuplace.com CURRENTS enjoy stirring quests and research projects and missions dedicated to discovery. Be a fun-loving pioneer. Sample CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): The shape 6 the joys of being a maverick and outlier. of the planets’ orbits around the sun is elliptical, not circular. Capricorn astronomer Johannes Kepler

VIEWS  CANCER (June 21-July 22): I love living in (1571–1630) was the first person to figure this out. the material world. Its crazy-making demands and He didn’t like it. He really wanted the orbits to be

4  exhilarating rewards are endlessly entertaining. Despite circular. That would have been more satisfying to his having been born as a fantasy-prone, overly sensitive aesthetic and spiritual sensibilities. Explaining the

MAIL  Cancerian, I’ve become fairly earthy and well-grounded. arduous labor he did to arrive at his conclusion, he I have a good job, a nice house, a smart wife, and an wrote, “Take pity on me, for I have repeated these

2  interesting daughter. On the other hand, I also love calculations 70 times.” In the big picture of our living in the soul’s realm. I have remembered and understanding of the universe, of course, his discovery

DO IT  recorded an average of three dreams per night for many was felicitous. It’s not a problem that the orbits are years. Although I don’t take drugs, I cultivate alternate elliptical, merely the truth. In the coming weeks, states of consciousness through meditation, prayer and Capricorn, I foresee you engaging in a process that’s ritual. I’ve long been a student of depth psychology, metaphorically comparable to Kepler’s. Hard work will which has trained me to be as focused on my soul as yield useful, if unexpected results. 01.29.20 my ego. In accordance with current astrological omens, my fellow Cancerian, I urge you to hang out more than AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): Please don’t imi-

.15 usual in the soul’s realm during the coming weeks. tate or repeat yourself in the coming weeks. Refrain

05 from relying on formulas that have worked for you # LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Can I talk you into being before. Resolve to either ignore or rebel against your more tender and open-hearted toward the people who past as you dream up fresh gambits and adventures. care for you? I don’t mean to imply that you are cur- Treat your whole life like an improvisatory game that rently too hard and closed. But all of us can benefit has just one purpose: to attract and stir up useful from enhancing our receptivity, and the coming weeks novelty. If you do these things, Aquarius, I can practi- will be prime time for you Leos to do just that. I cally guarantee that you will win the game. think you’ll find it easier than usual to deepen your listening skills and intensify your sensitivity. You’ll Poet Robert Bly

CASCADIA WEEKLY PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): have an acute intuitive grasp of the fact that you can believes that each of us has a special genius, and the earn yourself huge blessings by expressing love and key to understanding and fully activating that genius 20 compassion in very practical ways. is in our core wound. In other words, the part of us that got hurt the worst is potentially the generative VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): All of us are in source of the best gifts we have to give. Do you know service to someone or something—to certain people where that is in yourself: the wound that could be or ideas or situations. We provide them with help or the source of your blessing? Now is a great time to energy or mirroring or love. We are dutiful in attend- investigate this tantalizing mystery. rearEnd crossword

Tokyo thriller published robot Playing at my 35 “___ Nub” (com- in 2012 24 Sea ___ (Popeye House” band ___ 23  mon name of the 62 Bygone Toyota villain) Soundsystem FOOD  1983 song called model 26 Peabody Award- 41 Freshen up, as “Ewok Celebra- 63 Drink from a winning Issa lipstick 20 tion”) flask 27 In bygone times 42 Annoying racket 20 36 House vote 64 Red Sox rival, on 28 “Prelude to the 43 Rosemary bits 37 ___ Lipa (“New scoreboards Afternoon of a 44 Milk source, to B-BOARD  Rules” singer) 65 Jousters’ horses ___” (Debussy a kid REAR END  40 What China work) 45 “Queer Eye” food became the DOWN 29 Dessert also and wine expert 19 third country to 1 Parlor, in La Paz known as cr譥 Porowski FILM  achieve with the 2 Boat with three caramel 49 Easy basket Chang’e 3 mission hulls 31 Stooge’s laugh 50 Atlanta research in 2013 3 2020 Best Sup- syllable university 16 43 ___ dab in the porting Actor 32 First Family of 51 Arm of the sea middle Oscar nominee the 1840s 53 2012 AFTRA MUSIC  46 Suffix with pup- 4 Talking bear film 33 2012 or 2013, merger partner pet or racket of 2012 e.g. 54 Chooses 15 47 Key West, e.g. 5 Occupied, as a 37 Itinerary mea- 56 Online outbursts ART  48 Minnow’s home lavatory sure 58 Pos. opposite

49 Sign of sorrow 6 “From Peru to ___ 38 Insecure, in a 60 Incensed feeling 14 51 Fascinated with hear the power of way 52 Go bad Babylon” (Philip- 39 Mature STAGE  53 Role for Smith, pine island name- 40 “Daft Punk is Decade in Review, Part 2 Cartwright, Ka- dropped in Enya’s 13 FUN STUFF FROM 2012 & 2013 vner, or Castel- “Orinoco Flow”) laneta 7 They receive paper Last Week’s Puzzle GET OUT  ACROSS in 2012 by 9,300 26 Home of the 55 Athlete’s knee assignments 1 It’s produced in participants in Nevada Museum injury site, often 8 Crew member a Van de Graaff Lindsay, Ontario of Art 57 Swedish duo 9 What a celebrity 12 generator 18 Book-based 27 Opera highlight with a breakup might use at a

7 Glass with a radio movie series that 28 Actress Claire of song that hit #1 hotel WORDS  cadence ended in 2012 “The Crown” on the UK Singles 10 “Who ___?”

10 Base times with “Breaking 29 Becomes dim Chart in 2013 (“Les Miz” song)  10 height Dawn - Part 2” 30 2012 song that 59 Game that “The 11 Fixed illegally 14 “Garfield” cat 19 Q&A feature, on was YouTube’s Price Is Right” 12 Gas in fuel mix-

15 “As much as you Reddit most-viewed vid- devoted all six tures CURRENTS

want” 20 Like Dali’s art eo until “See You pricing game 13 Team in a sign- 6 17 Type of music 22 Spear-shaped fish Again” surpassed segments to in a stealing scandal

video with a 23 Need an ice bag it in 2017 2013 episode 16 Taking a sick day VIEWS  world record set 25 8-Down’s need 34 Yoko born in 61 Gillian Flynn 21 Floor-cleaning ©2020 Jonesin’ Crosswords 4  MAIL 

2  DO IT  01.29.20 .15 05 # AUTHOR EOWYN IVEY VISITS WHATCOM COUNTY MARCH 5—7 EXPLORE THE BOOK’S THEMES AT GATHERINGS LEADING UP TO HER VISIT INCLUDING: Bellingham Cocktail Week-Think & Drink Evolve Chocolate + Café, Wednesday, February 5, 6-7:30 p.m. Reservations recommended. evolvechocolatecafe.com CASCADIA WEEKLY Washington’s Undiscovered Feminists (A Humanities Washington program) Bellingham Public Library, Central Library, Friday, February 14, 6–7:30 p.m. 21 Whatcom County Library System Ferndale Branch, Saturday, February 15, 2–3:30 p.m.

Information and a full event list at whatcomreads.org. Read the book. Join the conversation. PARTY IN THE PARKS SUPERFEET LEVELS UP

23  STOP THOSE DOGS FROM BARKING If you’ve ever had sore soles, odds are someone FOOD  in your life has recommended Superfeet insoles as a cure for your achy woes. Now the innovative Ferndale company has inked 20

20 a contract with New Balance to provide a range of its insoles to the athletic company, including fancy custom insoles that utilize 3D printing, proof that BUSINESS Superfeet has come to us from the future to ensure our comfort in the present. B-BOARD  REAR END  BRIEFS 19 01.29.20 BY CAREY ROSS bank, the Orca Food Pantry. Anyone beer, wine and snacks, is making the FILM  can donate—bring transition to full-fledged cocktail bar. If ORCAS IN THE NEWS nonperishable food their cocktails are half as inventive as

16 SHOW THEM THE MONEY CITY OF FERNDALE and personal hygiene what they concoct using beer, wine and Whatcom Commu- items to the food bubbles, we will all be drinking pretty.

MUSIC  SEEKS FEEDBACK nity College recently Sure, you can currently take an bank on the second announced that they’re online quiz to discern what kind floor of the Syre GUMBO FOR GOOD 15 the recipients of a of cheese you are, but your time Student Center. Help create a reality in DOLLARS FOR DVSAS

ART  $100,000 grant from might be put to more productive which students only have to worry about If you’ve had a hankering for shrimp National Endowment for use filling out Ferndale Parks and their next test, not their next meal. and grits, a po boy or a heaping bowl

14 the Humanities. They were awarded the Rec’s survey to help them choose of popcorn shrimp, hie thyself to Bayou highly competitive grant to fund a proj- what events to sponsor in 2020. POUR ME ANOTHER on Bay on Thurs., Jan. 30, which is STAGE  ect called, “Situating Ourselves in the I took the survey and cast strong KISMET CAFE GETS when the downtown purveyor of Cajun/ Salish Sea: Using Experiential Learning votes for music in the parks, a SPIRITED Creole cuisine and strong cocktails will

13 and Storytelling to Inspire Critical Think- community game of capture the Tucked away in the What- donate 15 percent of the day’s sales to ing about Place.” Nice work, Orcas. flag and a water balloon fight. com Museum’s Lightcatcher DVSAS. The nonprofit works tirelessly Building is Kismet Cafe, to support survivors of sexual assault

GET OUT  Feel free to follow my lead at FEED THE FOOD BANK www.cityofferndale.org. which opened a little less and domestic violence. The least we Whatcom Community College is also than a year ago. According to the notice can do is throw down an oyster shooter

12 seeking donations for its depleted food on their door, the sweet spot that offers on their behalf. WORDS 

MOUNT BAKER THEATRE  10

CURRENTS Honor 6

VIEWS  Ray Charles

4  WITH EMMY-WINNER CLINT HOLMES, GRAMMY-WINNERS TAKE 6

MAIL  AND TOM SCOTT, AND THE INCOMPARABLE NNENNA FREELON

2  JOIN AN ALL-STAR CAST on our Main Stage in tribute to Ray Charles, an

DO IT  American treasure. This concert event features iconic tunes from the catalogue of this genius who transcended cultural upheaval to spread his music around the world. Expect blues, jazz, country, sensational sounds, and a gospel choir!

01.29.20 “ . . . ELECTRIFYING SONGS AND MUSIC. You couldn’t help but get goose bumps from the incredible vocal power of six-time Grammy .15 Georgia on My Mind:

05 nominee vocalist Nnenna Freelon . . . and 10-time Grammy Award- # Celebrating winning vocal group Take 6.” the Music —Robin Leach, Las Vegas Sun “[The] BADDEST VOCAL CATS ON THE PLANET! ” of Ray Charles —Quincy Jones about Take 6

CASCADIA WEEKLY FRIDAY FEBRUARY 7 7:30PM SPONSOR $69.50, $59.50, $51.50, $29.50* 22

SEASON Book Now for Inspiration at MountBakerTheatre.com SPONSOR *Plus applicable fees. Mount Baker Theatre is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the performing arts. doit

THURS., JAN. 30 largest free kitchen in the world is WINTER POP-UP: Taylor Shell- Langar at Darbar Sahib, Amritsar fish will host a Winter Pop-Up India, where they serve 100,000 23  from 6pm-9pm Thursdays through people a day every weekend, and 23 the winter at Aslan Depot, 1322 50,000 a day 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., FEB. 3 RECIPES REVIEWS PROFILES list, and more. COMMUNITY SOUP KITCHEN: 20 WWW.ASLANBREWING.COM Volunteers and donations are welcome at a weekly Community PESTICIDES IN YOUR FOOD: Soup Kitchen, which happens B-BOARD  Nutritionist Tom Malterre dis- from 6pm-7pm every Monday until cusses pesticides in our food, the March 30 at the Little Cheerful

booze. We gather over drinks to share 19 food, art, poetry, music, stories and dangers they pose, and what you Cafe, 133 E. Holly St. The event can do to lower your exposure provides meals to the homeless FILM  more, so it only made sense to us that from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the community in Whatcom County, Cocktail Week would eventually celebrate Community Food Co-op, 1220 N. and all are welcome. (360) 738-8824 those other elements of what a healthy Forest St. Entry is $5. 16 nightlife culture looks like.” WWW.COMMUNITYFOOD.COOP WINTER SALADS: Chef Jesse This is Holodnick’s third year co-orga- MUSIC  SAT., FEB. 1 Otero helms a “Winter Salads” nizing the citywide celebration, and she ASLAN ANNIVERSARY: A second course from 6:30pm-9pm at the

says there’s a lot to be excited about, in- anniversary celebration will take Community Food Co-op, 1220 N. 15 cluding a two-day Tasting Expo at Hotel place from 12pm-11:30pm as Aslan Forest St. He’ll demonstrate a trio ART  Leo—which will feature local and regional Depot, 1322 N. State St. As part of warming winter salads—smoked distillers showing off their products—a of the festivities, the Depot will lentil, orange, and mushroom be releasing a new barrel project salad; creamy beet and walnut 14 Bartender Challenge, a “Women of the In- titled 2 Deep (Brett Pale Ale). salad served with pork meatballs;

dustry” meet-up, a Cider Education event, They will also break out a case and a roasted sweet potato, STAGE  and tons of specials for folks who work in of every bottle projected they’ve cashew, and winter greens salad. the industry. Addition- released to date, and will feature Fees are $45. 13 ally, a “recovery room” live music starting at 7pm. WWW.WHATCOMCOMMUNITYED.COM WWW.ASLANDEPOT.COM at the Happy Place will TUES., FEB. 4 feature goods by local WINE TASTING: Stop by for a WINTER SOUP: Mataio Gillis and GET OUT  artisans and samples of “Demystifying Aperitif and Diges- Kraig Halterman will team up for non-alcoholic products tif Wines” tasting from 2pm-4pm a “Winter Soup, Stew and Curry” 12 not yet available for pur- at Seifert & Jones Wine Merchants, class starting at 6:30pm at Ciao 19 Prospect St. Renee Stark from Thyme, 207 Unity St. Attendees chase in Washington. Prime Imports will be pouring and will learn how to dress up their WORDS  ATTEND Holodnick says she explaining. Entry to the 21-and- soup repertoire with polenta- WHAT: and her co-organizers’ over event is free. mushroom soup, shakshuka stew,  10 Bellingham schedules leading up to WWW.SJWINEMERCHANTS.COM and Thai Green Curry. Entry is $48. Cocktail Week and during Bellingham WWW.CIAOTHYME.COM WHERE: More POTLUCK SOCIAL: Join your Cocktail Week are ex- than 25 venues neighbors and make new friends CHOCOLATE AND SPICE: Prep for CURRENTS PHOTO BY KATHERYN MORAN KATHERYN BY PHOTO throughout pected to be “bonkers,” when the Sudden Valley Com- Valentine’s Day by signing up for Bellingham but hopes they can carve munity Association hosts a a “Chocolate and Spice” course 6 WHEN: Feb. 1-9 out time to enjoy the Potluck Social from 5pm-7pm at with Isabel Castro and friends COST: Prices people and places that the Sudden Valley Dance Barn, happening from 6:30pm-8:30pm VIEWS  BY AMY KEPFERLE vary 4 Clubhouse Circle. Bring your at the Community Food Co-op,

make the city’s craft 4  INFO: www. favorite tried-and-true dish or 1220 N. Forest St. Learn how to bellingham cocktail scene a unique create something new. Make an make a quick and easy chocolate cocktailweek. one—whether it’s by appetizer, a main dish or a des- bark using simple whole ingre- MAIL  sert. Attendees are responsible dients, various spice blends and com showcasing locally and Into the 2  regionally produced spir- for providing their own dishes, more. Fees are $35. silverware and beverages (no WWW.COMMUNITYFOOD.COOP

its and ingredients, or via creating “fun alcohol allowed). DO IT  Cosmos and joyful” experiences for their patrons. (360) 255-3080 WED., FEB. 5 For those who might be planning a COOKING LIT: Join a Cookbooks BELLINGHAM COCKTAIL WEEK first date during BCW, Holodnick has a SUN., FEB. 2 & Cooking Lit Book Group to dis- few ideas—including the aforementioned ROME BREAKFAST: Attend an cuss Yotam Ottolenghi’s Plenty at 01.29.20 all-you-can-eat monthly Commu- 4pm at Village Books, 1200 11th “FAR OUT” is an apt way to describe the latest incarnation Cocktail Tales tours, the AQUA Brunch at nity Breakfast from 8am-12pm at St. The book is a visually stunning .15

of Bellingham Cocktail Week, which takes place Feb. 1-9 at more Evolve Chocolate + Cafe, or keeping it the Rome Grange, 2821 Mt. Baker collection featuring exciting 05 than 25 venues throughout the city. easy by grabbing a special at any of the Hwy. Pancakes, French toast, flavors and fresh combinations # This is not only due to the fact that the theme for this year is participating bars or restaurants. eggs, sausages and beverages will that will become mainstays for “Into the Cosmos,” but also because the libations-related lineup “Maybe play a board game and try a be on the menu. Entry is $3 for those looking for a brilliant take kids, $7 for adults. on vegetables. goes way beyond the sampling of spirits. Cosmic Background Radiation at End- (360) 961-3491 WWW.VILLAGEBOOKS.COM For example, the Good Time Girls will be leading “Boozy Bell- game, sample something from the Guide ing-History” tours, and live music, brunch gatherings, trivia to the Constellations Menu at Mambo LANGAR: All are welcome at a SOUP & BREAD: Karina Davidson contests, poetry readings, educational happenings, cocktail Italiano, or play the Choose Your Own Langar event from 11am-2pm in will offer three innovative varia- CASCADIA WEEKLY games, tarot readings, “mocktail” events, food specials and Adventure cocktail game at the Back Lynden at Guru Nanak Gursikh tions on the classic winter pairing Gurdwara, 176 E. Pole Rd. Langar is of soup and bread at a “Hearty 23 much more are also slated to take place. Door Bar,” she says. “Or maybe sample the sacred community free kitchen Soups and Breads” class from “I think I always assumed Bellingham Cocktail Week would re- some spirits at the Tasting Expo. of the Sikh people and every 6:30pm-9pm at the Community flect the rest of what makes our city so unique,” project manager “Man, it feels like there are endless temple serves delicious vegetar- Food Co-op, 1220 N. Forest St. Sara Holodnick says. “While the main focus is on the vibrant possibilities for first-date plans during ian food—which they invite the Entry is $45. cocktail scene, there’s a lot more that goes into that than just Cocktail Week.” general public to come eat. The WWW.WHATCOMCOMMUNITYED.COM ON SALE NOW!

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