Good morning, Bellingham.

Former math professors Victoria Anderson and Amber Goodrich opened The Bean Water – a mobile coffee stand in east county aimed at benefiting students and their families, following a three-year plan sparked during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Student workers at Western Washington University ended a five-day strike when they reached an agreement that adds layoff protections, increased sick and bereavement leave, wage adjustments, and mental health support — though the school did not agree to voluntarily recognize their union.

Student workers at Western Washington University ended their five-day strike with an agreement that provides new layoff protections, increased sick and bereavement leave, wage adjustments, and mental health support—though the university did not voluntarily recognize their union.

WWU will help the workers pursue formal bargaining rights in the upcoming legislative session.

Reports say water supplies in some areas have fallen below 75% of normal, which has led to emergency drought declarations and fires that hurt health and forests, while fishing is now allowed only during the day between Memorial Highway Bridge and Dalles Bridge—residents near burn areas may see smoky air. A local agency in Bellingham recorded high E. coli levels near a popular swimming spot in Bellingham Bay, and construction will close part of a trail until February while humpback whales stay in the Salish Sea until fall.

Since its April launch, WSDOT’s work zone speed camera program has recorded 2,618 infractions from drivers speeding in active highway work zones across Western Washington.

The agency will add more mobile cameras next month to boost safety on roads like I-90 and I-5 (114 second violations now carry a $248 fine).

Mariners are heading to Anaheim for a three-game series tonight after a rough homestand—Cal Raleigh remains the league home run leader—and the Pacers edged the Thunder in Game 1 last night while the Panthers will try to even the Stanley Cup Finals in Edmonton tonight.

Local updates note that the Seahawks have released their Top 50 list, Whatcom prep sports announced postseason awards, and WWU golfer Lauren F. Lee earned honorable All-America honors.

After a tough homestand where the Mariners won three of nine games at T-Mobile Park, they begin a three-game series in Anaheim tonight at 6:38 p.m. on KPUG—Cal Raleigh earned co-AL Player of the Week with seven home runs while Whatcom prep sports honored local athletes and the Seahawks released their full Top 50 players list.

Comedy Night with Scott Losse

9:30-11:30 p.m. — Boundary Bay Brewery & Bistro — Tickets required — Enjoy a night of laughs with national headliner Scott Losse in Bellingham.

Ann Aguirre Book Launch with Sarah Hawley

6-7 p.m. — Village Books and Paper Dreams — $6.44 - $20.44 — Celebrate the launch of Ann Aguirre's newest book with an engaging conversation and a book voucher.

Intro to the Laser Cutter

6-7 p.m. — Bellingham Makerspace — Free for members — Get insights on laser projects and learn about design tools with expert Jason Davies.

Tenderpile Smile Aisle Live Performance

8-11 p.m. — Aslan Brewing Company — Free entry — Enjoy a melodic evening of jazz music from the local group Tenderpile Smile Aisle.

Intro to Vector Graphics Workshop

6:00 – 7:30 PM — Bellingham Makerspace — $ — Learn to create stunning vector graphics using Inkscape for your creative projects.

Boulevard Park Concert Series: SpaceBand

6-8 p.m. — Boulevard Park Stage — Free — Enjoy an evening of old-school dance covers and new classics with the local favorite, SpaceBand.

Bellingham Festival of Music Opening Night 2025

7:30 p.m. — Performing Arts Center — $50--$60 — Experience a global musical tour with Artistic Director Marcelo Lehninger and pianist Simon Trpceski starting with The Russian Masters.

2025 Literary Citizenship Awards Ceremony

6-7 p.m. — Village Books and Paper Dreams — Free entry — Celebrate local literary citizens recognized for their contributions to the community.

Laser Cutter Q&A Session

6-7 p.m. — Bellingham Makerspace — Free for members — Get expert advice on laser projects and tools from Jason Davies in a casual setting.