June 10, 2020 Dena Jensen
I sent an email to Bellingham Police Chief David Doll and Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, on Monday, 6/8/20, and received Chief Doll’s reply (pictured in the graphic) yesterday. I have received no response from Sheriff Elfo at this time. Continue reading
Click the graphic of members of the Homeless Strategies Workgroup, each shown in their own video squares during a virtual meeting, to access the video recording of the May 29, 2020 Homeless Strategies Workgroup meeting on the Whatcom County website
June 1, 2020 Dena Jensen
On May 29, 2020 Whatcom County’s Homeless Strategies Workgroup held its first meeting since March, 13, 2020, shortly after Governor Inslee declared a State of Emergency regarding COVID-19. Here is a link to the meeting agenda: http://whatcomcounty.us/DocumentCenter/View/47558/Meeting-Agenda-24—2020-05-29
Below is an email I wrote to the Homeless Strategies Workgroup regarding that May 29 meeting.
Click the graphic to access the above Public Hearing Notice and any others for the week of June 2 on the Whatcom County website
May 27, 2020 Dena Jensen
Click the graphic to access a copy of Whatcom County Council Member Ben Elenbaas’s “Letter to Governor as amended on 5.19.2020” on the Whatcom County website
May 21, 2020 Dena Jensen
Subject: Please develop resources to help businesses and community members be resilient during the current health emergency
Dear Whatcom County Council:
So far, I have listened to the first two hours and the last hour of your 5 hour Whatcom County Council meeting from May 19, 2020. During that time a lot of attention was brought by Council Member Ben Elenbaas to the idea that the Coronavirus is going to stay with us for a long time, perhaps infinitely. Continue reading
Click the graphic of a Facebook post showing two workers in blue clothing holding signs at a strike for safe working conditions and hazard pay in Eastern Washington to access the post on Community to Community Development’s Facebook page
May 13, 2020 Community to Community Development
UPDATE ON EMERGENCY RULES IN HOUSING IN AGRICULTURE: The Dept of Labor and Industries has finally released the rules for housing. In spite of all the public comments, the position and arguments of C2C and familias Unidas por la Justicia, science and medical data on how this deadly virus is transmitted the State Agencies have chosen to risk farm workers lives in favor of the economic interests of the corporate agricultural producers, mostly tree fruit . We would like to thank all of our friends and allies for standing with farm workers during this difficult time. Much more will be required from all of us, to support farm worker families and communities, given this lack of protections from our State Government.
Click the graphic of a man in dark pants and jacket on one side of ditch and a woman in hooded jacket and jeans on another side of ditch to access The Northern Light Article, “As re-opeing begins, local infections rise”
May 8, 2020 Dena Jensen
It’s time to contact your Whatcom County Council representatives for those who are concerned about our County promoting activities generating more in-person human interactions, potentially in close proximity, that without critical precautions (including proper timing) advised by health experts, can result in a significant surge in COVID-19 cases. The Council voted this week to send a letter to Governor Inslee urging him to open retail businesses not deemed to be essential ahead of the timeline the Governor has outlined that seeks to avoid a potentially unmanageable surge in COVID-19 cases and fatalities.
Continue reading
Click the graphic of a Facebook post showing a photo of a farmworker’s open hands stretched forward full of fresh strawberries to view this post on Community to Community Development’s Facebook page
April 25, 2020 C2C
Below is the full text of the Saturday 4/25/2020 Action Alert from Community to Community Development. People can send in a comment now to beat the Monday 4/27/20, 5:00 p.m. deadline!!
Screenshot of a portion of the emergency ordinance which Whatcom County Council Member Ben Elenbaas proposed at the 4/21/20 Whatcom County Council Meeting
Dear Whatcom County Council:
I recently listened to your April 21, 2020 County Council and Health Board meeting and wanted to address your discussion of the emergency ordinance, “SUPPORTING A THOUGHTFUL APPROACH TO DOING BUSINESS IN WHATCOM COUNTY DURING THE COVID 19 PANDEMIC,” proposed by Council Member Elenbaas. https://whatcom.legistar.com/View.ashx?M=F&ID=8264036&GUID=09006792-35A3-43D4-AF30-ACD95D3197B2This was brought forward as an emergency ordinance, which failed 5-2 with Council Members Elenbaas and Byrd in support, but with most Council Members, along with their legal counsel Karen Frakes, noting that the ordinance would have been illegal and in violation of Governor Inslee’s Stay Home Stay Healthy order. However after voting down the proposed emergency ordinance, County Council Members perplexingly went on to vote unanimously to have the same proposal introduced to be considered as a regular ordinance at the next Whatcom County Council meeting.
April 20, 2020 Sandy Robson
At an April 19 protest at the state Capitol in Olympia, Washington, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Tim Eyman fist-bumped a woman, posed with her for a photo and laughingly proclaimed something that is actually true in its most literal sense, “We’re risking death right now.” On April 19, Eyman, a 2020 candidate for Washington governor and serial initiative filer, posted a 3-hour Facebook live-streamed video of the protest against Washington state Governor Jay Inslee’s stay-at-home order that has been in effect since it was first issued on March 23, and extended for an additional month on April 2. Continue reading
Click the graphic of Whatcom County Council Member Ben Elenbaas in front of a microphone at a radio studio to access a podcast of KGMI’s February 29, 2020 Saturday Morning Live radio show.
February 29, 2020 Dena Jensen
Whatcom County Council Member Ben Elenbaas was a guest on Kris Halterman’s February 29, 2020, KGMI Saturday Morning Live Radio Show. His appearance on the show followed his inaccurate and inflammatory characterization of actions of the Bellingham-based environmental organization, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities, at the February 11, 2020 Whatcom County Council Meeting. Continue reading
