Screenshot of the ‘Whatcom Coalition for Economic Growth’ Facebook page
December 13, 2019 Dena Jensen
This month, folks may have been seeing sponsored Facebook ads for the Whatcom Coalition for Economic Growth. This is a fairly new “project” of the Whatcom Business Alliance that seems to be putting on a full court press during this time that the Whatcom County Planning Commission is reviewing the Cherry Point Amendments. This WBA effort is not unlike Cascade Natural Gas’s misinformation campaign regarding the Climate Action Plan Task Force. Continue reading →
It is surely fitting for protectors of Native American treaty rights and the Salish Sea to be enjoying a collective sigh of relief due to the defeat of Tony Larson’s 2019 campaign to become Whatcom County Executive. The particular disaster of a man becoming County Executive, who had championed a proposed coal terminal project at Xwe’chi’eXen that was in opposition to the wishes and treaty rights of Lummi Nation, was averted. Continue reading →
Corky fired up the MiniVan for a tour of one of the city’s neighborhoods to check up on the Hamsters’ participation in the election cycle. Only a few were flagged as “Voted,” so it was turn-out-the-base time in Blue Bellingham to counteract the efforts by the tarred and feathered candidates to turn out their Tea Party/Trumper settler base.Continue reading →
Screen shot of the (C1 report) for the Coalition for a Better Northwest Washington filed with the Public Disclosure Commission. The C-1 report, originally filed on August 21, 2019, as shown in this screenshot, displays a submission date of October 22, 2019
November 2, 2019 Sandy Robson
Currently, Tony Larson is running for Whatcom County Executive against Satpal Sidhu. A political action committee (PAC) named the “Coalition For a Better Northwest Washington,” was recently formed to support Larson’s candidacy, and to oppose Satpal Sidhu’s candidacy. Continue reading →
Click the graphic of a photo of a smiling man with short gray hair, mustache and goatee in a dress shirt and sport coat, with text beneath the photo to access the Whatcom Democrats post, “E-Board censures Bobby Briscoe for comments made on the record at a Port meeting,” on their website
Screen shot of a May 9, 2017 tweet (that was subsequently removed from their Twitter feed) by Whatcom Business Alliance’s Step Up Twitter profile.
October 15, 2019 Dena Jensen
To me, the biggest argument against Whatcom Business Alliance (WBA) president, Tony Larson, being elected as Whatcom County Executive, is that he makes false statements. Over the last number of years, Mr. Larson made numerous false claims which have targeted numerous Whatcom County Council Members and others. Meanwhile, it is additionally unacceptable that during our current climate crisis, Tony Larson has made himself a champion for fossil fuel expansion, including a massive coal export project, at Xwe’chi’eXen, Cherry Point, and is now allowing himself to be promoted through the endorsement of the pro-Trump Whatcom County Republican Party.
Cropped image of Tony Larson from the Meet Tony page on his campaign website
October 2, 2019 Jay Taber
[Editor’s Note, October 11, 2019: According to a communication from James McKinney today, who is mentioned in Jay Taber’s post below, Mr. McKinney has not been an executive director of Common Threads Northwest for two years. However, the perception that he remains the executive director is, to this editor, understandable, since a list of the current leadership of Common Threads Northwest is not available on their website. A phone call was made to Common Threads Northwest today to verify who their leadership includes, but no one answered and a recording stated their mailbox was full. Meanwhile, there is a February 6, 2018 Bellingham Herald video* with a caption that refers to Jim McKinney as being the executive director of Common Threads Northwest. Additionally, there is a November 30, 2018 annual report for Saturna Capital** — in which Mr. McKinney is listed as a trustee for Saturna Capital– that identifies him as the executive director of Common Threads Northwest.Mr. McKinney is also currently identified, at the Crew List which is linked to on the Saturna Capital website About page, as being the executive director of Common Threads Northwest.*** Again, according to Mr. McKinney, he is not currently the executive director of Common Threads Northwest. – Dena Jensen, Noisy Waters Northwest]
Click the graphic image of the Whatcom County Courthouse with people on the steps and a branch in the foreground to access audio recording of the Whatcom Community Justice Forum on Soundcloud
July 26, 2019 Dena Jensen
I listened to the KGMI recording of the Whatcom Community Justice Forum today. There was a lot of good information presented, however it did seem rather like a giant campaign ad for Sheriff Elfo with a final plug for a new jail thrown in at the end. There was actually less focus on a new jail in the forum, though, than there was when Sheriff Elfo was on KGMI’s Saturday Morning Live radio broadcast last weekend.
Local business advocacy and non-profit organization, Whatcom Business Alliance (WBA), sent out a May 2, 2018 email blast to its members, thanking those who attended the “Leaders of Industry” event hosted by the WBA the week before, and promoting its “Step Up for Business Advocacy” program. The email was signed by WBA’s recently hired Public Policy Director, Brett Bonner, who has been involved in Republican politics in Whatcom County for many years.
noisy waters northwest 
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