November 12, 2017 Irene Morgan, Founder, Restorative Community Coalition
A hardy THANK YOU to everyone who stood tall in opposition to the now defunct jail tax – Proposition 2017- 6. You did NOT “Stand Down”, it was NOT a “Done Deal”, the “Ship had NOT Sailed”, the “Train is STILL in the Station” and it was NOT “a waste of our time”! The voters said NO, with an even greater margin – again! Continue reading
November 7, 2017 Dena Jensen
To try to stay on top of actions that will help reduce further injustice being perpetrated on incarcerated individuals at our downtown Bellingham jail I sent a letter today to Whatcom County Council and Deputy Executive Schroeder today about the consent agenda item on the Council’s Finance and Adminstrative Services Committee agenda tomorrow (11/8) about renovations on the downtown Bellingham jail. You can send one too! : council@co.whatcom.wa.us.
October 29, 2017 Sandy Robson
A joint campaign flyer paid for by the campaigns for four self-described “nonpartisan” candidates running for office in Whatcom County in the November general election, just arrived in voters’ mailboxes. The top of one side of the flyer reads: “Tired of Partisan politics? So are we.” The flip side of the flyer reads, in part: “We Don’t Want To Be Elected By A Political Party, We Want To Be Elected By The People.”
October 27, 2017 Dena Jensen
#RejectTheJailTax #GetFiredUpForJustice
It is infuriating that small city Mayors Mutchler and Korthuis are using mental health services and diversion programs to sell the jail sales tax to voters in this op-ed in the Bellingham Herald, when they were supporting the Jail Facility Finance and Use Agreement with no assurances of monies for these. Continue reading
October 11, 2017 Dena Jensen
Subject: Further perspective on ordinances to protect members of our undocumented immigrant community
Dear Whatcom County Council and Bellingham City Council:
I wrote to all of you last week regarding creating ordinances that would provide more protections for members of our undocumented immigrant community. I recently had a local government official share their perspective on that letter with me. In this case, it doesn’t matter who made the statements because I think portions of the perspective expressed to me were similar to those I have heard expressed at council meetings. Continue reading
September 22, 2017 Dena Jensen
Here’s my latest letter to the council regarding the need to renovate the existing jail facility now. It was sent to council@co.whatcom.wa.us, and copied to all the city councils, the County Executive, and the Sheriff. Keep writing and calling!
Dear Whatcom County Council:
I am writing to call on you to move forward as quickly as possible with renovations on our existing Whatcom County Jail facility on Grand Ave., that will address necessary and critical life safety issues. Continue reading
September 11, 2017 Wendy Harris
I have been informed that “Liberty Road” has invited private property rights advocates to swarm the County Council Public Hearings and Open Session tomorrow night. Among the purported offenses are public hearings for an Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code 8.13, Solid Waste Disposal District, regarding the Solid Waste Excise Privilege Tax (AB2017-244) and an Ordinance amending Whatcom County Code Title 20 Zoning and the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan relating to cumulative impervious surface coverage standards (AB2017-195). Continue reading
Click the graphic to access the full 7/17/17, Design2 LAST Building Assessment Studies and Cost Estimates for Capital Improvements at the Jail
September 8, 2017 Dena Jensen
This is the first time I have been able to locate this July 2017 Design2 Last study on the Whatcom County website although I kept thinking I was hearing it be referred to. This week on the Council Agenda for the Finance and Administrative Services Committee meeting (being held at 10:45 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2017) it says there will be a “presentation by Design2Last of findings included in the Building Assessment Studies and Cost Estimates Phase 1-B Report for capital improvements at the jail (AB2017-047A).” Continue reading
September 1, 2017 Sandy Robson
Back on August 2, 2017, I had written a piece about having heard Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo, who was a guest on KGMI’s “Saturday Morning Live” (SML) July 22, 2017, conservative talk radio program, hosted by local Tea Partier, Kris Halterman. Sheriff Elfo was there to discuss the proposed new Whatcom County Jail which would be funded by a sales tax, a tax that would last for the next 30 years. The jail sales tax proposition will appear on the November general election ballot, to be rejected or approved by Whatcom County voters. Continue reading
August 23, 2017 Sandy Robson
If you pay attention to local politics you probably know that in the 2016 general election, the Whatcom County Republican Party officially recommended then-candidate for President Donald J. Trump and his VP running mate, Mike Pence, on its 2016 “Republican Recommendations” list (shown in attached screenshot photo). And, even though many people have expressed disgust and anger with some, or most, of the Trump administrations’ actions thus far in his presidency, the Whatcom County Republican Party (known as the “Whatcom Republicans”) still displays, on its Whatcomgop.com website’s homepage, a graphic featuring the 2016 Trump/Pence logo with the “Make America Great Again” slogan alongside it. Continue reading
noisy waters northwest 
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