Community steps up, but people could still freeze in Bellingham and Whatcom County / Noisy Waters Northwest

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/WinterHavenTentEncampment/permalink/316039602591758/

February 4, 2019 Dena Jensen

Accuweather said that it got down to 18 degrees last night in Bellingham and tonight the low forecast is for 16 degrees. Below freezing nighttime temperatures are expected for the next few days. In such extreme conditions, people who don’t have houses or other shelter which provide warmth and protection are in extreme peril. It just takes some sudden bad fortune, like slipping on ice unexpectedly, or having your car/sleeping quarters window smashed, to bring on deathly outcomes.

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Give COB’s Climate Action Plan Task Force your great ideas!/ Noisy Waters Northwest

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Click the graphic to access the list of members of the Climate Action Plan Task Force on the City of Bellingham website

January 25, 2019 Dena Jensen

A couple of weeks ago, one of the members of the City of Bellingham’s Climate Action Plan Task Force let me know that there was a place online where people could make comments/give input to the Task Force regarding related issues and the work that they are doing.

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Partial transcription of Undersheriff Park’s 1/15/19 presentation to Whatcom County Council Members / Noisy Waters Northwest

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Click the graphic to access the 11/21/18 Memo written by Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo regarding the request to repeal and replace WCC 1.28

I transcribed a portion of the presentation at the 1/15/18 Whatcom County Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee meeting given by Jeff Parks, Undersheriff, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office. The presentation was regarding an agenda item for the committee that I have discussed in a previous blog post.

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Elected officials, beacons, and blind spots / Noisy Waters Northwest

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Click the graphic to access the Facebook event for the January 14, 2019 Monday Dignity Vigil at Bellingham City Hall

January 10, 2019 Dena Jensen

When I received a response email from Bellingham City Council Member Michael Lilliquist today, I had to think hard about whether or not I should publicly remark on it. It’s not like it was, in many ways, remarkable in comparison to the few other email responses I have received from him. In fact, some Bellingham City Council Members do not respond to me – ever – regarding my emails asking them to reach out and develop relationships with frontline and marginalized community members. Most of the time, I don’t even expect them to email me back. I just want them to take action.

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Whatcom County Council committee considering repealing and replacing Whatcom County Code 1.28, Standards for Correctional Facilities / Noisy Waters Northwest

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Click the graphic to access the proposed ordinance to repeal and replace WCC 1.28 that includes a copy of Exhibit A

January 10, 2019 Dena Jensen

This week, now that the Whatcom County Council agenda for next week has been released, I have more questions about jail matters that I am uneducated on!

On the agenda for the Whatcom County Council Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee is a “Proposed Ordinance for Action January 15, 2019.” This proposal was introduced, (according to a reference on the copy of the proposed ordinance) by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office on December 4, 2018. I don’t know to what body or how that ordinance was introduced. There’s also a memo written by Sheriff Elfo explaining reasons for “repealing and replacing Whatcom County Code 1.28, Standards for Correctional Facilities.” 

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Whatcom County’s new online Legislative Information Center / Noisy Waters Northwest

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Click the graphic to access the Legislative Information Center on the Whatcom County Website

January 10, 2019 Dena Jensen

Are folks familiar yet with the Whatcom County Council’s new Legislative Information Center? This is an online access point on the Whatcom County website, which provides a new format not only for viewing past and present County Council regular and committee meetings, agendas, and minutes, but also provides access to an assortment of key types of local legislative information. 

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Outgoing 42nd LD Rep. Vincent Buys rings out the old year with H-2A malarky

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Click the image to access audio of the December 29, 2018 KGMI Saturday Morning Live radio show featuring outgoing WA 42nd LD Representative Vincent Buys

January 6, 2018 Dena Jensen

On December 29, 2018 KGMI Saturday Morning Live show radio host, former Whatcom Tea Party board member, and current Common Threads Northwest board member Kris Halterman interviewed outgoing Washington state 42nd LD Representative Vincent Buys. Democratic candidate Sharon Shewmake defeated Rep. Buys in the November 2018 election. Ms. Halterman had him on the show to talk about plans he has made for his future after leaving his elected office and what community issues he thinks will continue to be important here in Whatcom County in the year ahead.

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