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The Vikings women’s soccer team fiercely led a match against the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks at the Robert S. Harringt...
10/22/2025

The Vikings women’s soccer team fiercely led a match against the Northwest Nazarene Nighthawks at the Robert S. Harrington Field on Oct. 16. Midfielder Mie Cairns scored a goal within the first few minutes of the game, assisted by Emily Rice and Olivia Connell.

The team continued their attack with a combined free kick shot by Rice and senior midfielder Morgan Manalili, followed by a goal by forward Claire Potter on the lower right of the field, assisted by Rice and Connell.

“I mean, our set pieces were awesome today,” said Assistant Coach Jamie Arthurs. “We scored, I think all three of them were off of set pieces, corner kicks, and an elbow restart. So it's exciting when we get to practice those a lot, and when we get to actually execute and score some goals on those, those are pretty impactful.”

Story by Katherine Konicke-Dunlop
Photo courtesy of Brady Rufner

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When asking a student to think about using food assistance at Western Washington University, a student's first reaction ...
10/22/2025

When asking a student to think about using food assistance at Western Washington University, a student's first reaction isn't always curiosity - sometimes it's hesitation.

Sometimes, students may assume that these programs are only for people who have no other options, rather than students who are able to scrape by. But as the quarter goes on, ‘scraping by’ could mean skipping breakfast, cutting portions or saying no to more expensive meal plans.

If this is you, you are not alone. Food insecurity is something WWU students deal with quietly. According to a 2024 survey led by Western, titled “Reassessing Basic Needs Security Among Washington College Students” 43.8% of students experience food insecurity.

Between tuition, rent and groceries that all seem to be rising in price, it's easy to fall short. Still, many of us don't reach out for help because we think asking for it means we’ve somehow failed.

But that stigma – that quiet internal voice telling us to handle everything on our own - is wrong.

Needing help doesn't mean you're doing something wrong; it means you’re living in a system that wasn't built for students to thrive without support.

Story by Devin Green
Photo by Devin Green

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For people who commute to and from Western Washington University, methods and access to transportation can vary signific...
10/22/2025

For people who commute to and from Western Washington University, methods and access to transportation can vary significantly. What is a quick car ride to campus for some is a long-distance travel for others.

To help raise awareness of these possible challenges, Western recently participated in the Week Without Driving event, which encouraged students and staff to explore alternative modes of transportation.

For Viv Kruft, a sophomore from Albuquerque, New Mexico, commuting to Western has always required extra planning. “I chose WWU because of its location right next to the ocean. I have always wanted to live in the [Pacific Northwest] and study marine biology, so Bellingham seemed like a good location for that,” Kruft said.

Story by Mishele Ross
Photo by Mishele Ross

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A new bird species was discovered in Little Squalicum Park by Bellingham’s birding community during the spring 2025 seas...
10/16/2025

A new bird species was discovered in Little Squalicum Park by Bellingham’s birding community during the spring 2025 season.

As of September, the great blue herons have established and completed a successful nesting cycle. The City of Bellingham partnered with Hamer Environmental to monitor the new species and release a protection plan.

“Someone had posted on our Whatcom Birds listserv maybe a year or at least a year ago that they’d seen herons at Squalicum,” said Jamie Donaldson, a member of the Audubon Society and birdwatcher of over 40 years. “I’d always been under the understanding that the only heron nesting site was at Post Point … so when someone posted on Whatcom listserv that they’ve seen a new nesting site at Squalicum, I was so excited.”

Story by Carden Mercier
Photo by Carden Mercier

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On Oct. 11, candidates for the Bellingham City Council gathered for a town hall meeting at Sehome High School to discuss...
10/16/2025

On Oct. 11, candidates for the Bellingham City Council gathered for a town hall meeting at Sehome High School to discuss an array of topics ranging from housing, protecting vulnerable groups and their rights, to communication and biking infrastructure.

The meeting was hosted by Cascadia Daily News and led by their executive editor, Ron Judd, and editorial consultant, Dean Wright. Members of the community were invited to hear from the candidates running for the city council, to which the event saw a 100-person turnout.

The candidates in attendance were Hollie Huthman (Incumbent), Leah Wainman of Ward 2, Edwin H. "Skip" Williams (Incumbent), Kerri Burnside of Ward 4, Michael Lilliquist (Incumbent) and Andrew Reding of Ward 6. Incumbents are those who currently hold office during an election.

Story by Bodey Mitchell
Photo by Bodey Mitchell

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For the upcoming 2026 year, the Whatcom Transportation Authority is working on changes to bus schedules and routes aroun...
10/16/2025

For the upcoming 2026 year, the Whatcom Transportation Authority is working on changes to bus schedules and routes around Western Washington University to improve timeliness and efficiency, with the help of student feedback.

Because WTA operates throughout Whatcom County, students who don’t own cars or can’t depend on campus parking often rely on the transit system. Therefore, the transportation service intends to increase service for priority populations and areas with new development, aligning bus schedules with Western’s class times, when heavy ridership typically causes overcrowding on buses.

Story by Ellie Wright
Photo by Ellie Wright

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Bellingham’s average rent has increased by 71.5% since 2015, largely due to an increased demand for housing. With an unc...
10/16/2025

Bellingham’s average rent has increased by 71.5% since 2015, largely due to an increased demand for housing. With an uncertain future for U.S. economics, there’s worry about the affordability of living in an area like Bellingham.

This is an especially significant problem for college students, many of whom don’t have the income necessary to find affordable housing in Bellingham. For years, property values and demand for rental units have increased, while drops have been virtually nonexistent.

Over the past few years, attempts have been made to quell rent increases. Statewide caps on rent hikes were put in place earlier this year, and Bellingham’s City Council has made attempts to minimize unaffordability. These changes have made very little impact on the city’s situation, however.

A major issue is that Bellingham has grown very consistently, yet the supply of housing hasn’t had time to catch up.

Story by Liam Britt
Illustration by Liam Britt

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Due to a shortage in staff and their abilities, Bellingham’s Urban Forestry Management Plan has been paused.In 2020, the...
10/15/2025

Due to a shortage in staff and their abilities, Bellingham’s Urban Forestry Management Plan has been paused.

In 2020, the City of Bellingham developed the Urban Forest Management Plan, with its cited goal to “develop strategies that would help maintain a healthy and desirable urban forest with well-coordinated, consistent, efficient and sustainable long-term urban forest management.”

With limited staff capacity and a $10 million budget deficit, the city has resorted to cutting services or relocating them, reducing staffing by eliminating vacant jobs and increasing the local sales tax in the 2026 budget.

Planning and community development director for the City of Bellingham, Blake Lyon, said the goal of the Urban Forestry Management Plan was to inventory and understand the health of the trees. The plan also aims to find a balance between maintaining the environment and developing housing.

Story by Adah Bassok
Photo by Adah Bassok

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Western Washington University’s women’s volleyball team celebrates a 3-1 victory after their match against the Universit...
10/15/2025

Western Washington University’s women’s volleyball team celebrates a 3-1 victory after their match against the University of Alaska on Oct. 9 at Carver Gym.

It was a close game with both teams fighting for the win, but the Vikings ultimately cinched it by pulling through in the fourth set. Devyn Oestreich, a senior outside hitter, helped lead the Vikings to a 6-1 record this season, with 22 digs and 21 kills throughout the game.

“It was really exciting. We battled really well together as a team, so it was super fun. There was lots of energy, lots of grit out there,” said Oestreich.

Story by Max Rivas
Photos by Caitlin Grygorcewicz

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For various members of the community, casinos provide more than an outlet for gambling; rather, they can be spaces for f...
10/14/2025

For various members of the community, casinos provide more than an outlet for gambling; rather, they can be spaces for fun and socialization, in between moments of personal satisfaction and relief.

These establishments typically offer a range of entertainment, including gaming and hospitality. The settings of these casinos invite guests through their ambient environments, providing an experience that is meant to engage and captivate visitors.

A casino guest, Terrance Wallace, said, “What I like about casino visits, to me, it’s more like a relaxation just to get away and give time to yourself and have fun doing it.”

Story by Mabaindu Mbawa
Photos by Mabaindu Mbawa

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Downtown Bellingham welcomes a new space for its 18+ crowd. Founded by the owners of Rumors Cabaret, -HUT- is a new club...
10/10/2025

Downtown Bellingham welcomes a new space for its 18+ crowd. Founded by the owners of Rumors Cabaret, -HUT- is a new club that was born out of the desire for more nightlife that catered to the younger adults of the city.

Em Sherwood, an employee for Rumors and -HUT-, spoke about the club’s opening, “I just freshly graduated from Western… One thing that I feel like every single person on campus complains about is the lack of 18+ spaces and the lack of 18+ things to do. So they were like, ‘We have this space, we have this need, let's bring this in.’”

What makes -HUT- unique as an 18+ space is its commitment to creating a safe environment for younger adults, with features such as soft age caps and mocktails/slushies instead of alcoholic beverages.

Story by Sophia Jellinghaus
Photos by Sophia Jellinghaus

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“Everyone is asking the question, ‘How much are we going to eat the cost of tariffs before passing that on to our custom...
10/09/2025

“Everyone is asking the question, ‘How much are we going to eat the cost of tariffs before passing that on to our customers?’” says Tim Shenkin, co-owner of Makeworth, a bright, plant-filled, brick-and-mortar coffee shop on North State Street.

At the cash register of a trendy local shop, the increased price of a cup of coffee might appear to be just another infuriating example of inflated prices in a desirable college town. However, these shops need our support as they react reasonably to far-reaching issues, including unprecedented tariffs and climate change-related weather events in distant countries.

As the coffee economy reverberates from the effects of Trump’s towering tariffs, small shops are the most vulnerable. Larger corporations might have the resources to keep prices down for customers, but by spending your money at a local shop, you are paying for more than just a cup of coffee.

Story by Sarah Zieger
Photo by Sarah Zieger

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