Good morning, Bellingham.

Ed Curtis’s Kementari’s Creatures on Chestnut Street fills a gap in exotic pet care that emerged after a downtown pet shop burned in 2019.

The store offers tarantulas, dart frogs and ball pythons — drawing pet lovers from across the region, while Curtis remains cautious about expanding amid current uncertainties.

Whatcom County Health and Community Services is offering free flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines for uninsured adults and children under 19 at its Girard Street Clinic + the service follows state health recommendations for immunizations.

Bellingham Bay and its beaches (including Chuckanut Bay and Larrabee State Park) remain closed for recreational shellfish harvesting because unsafe levels of biotoxins were detected, according to Whatcom County Health and Community Services on Sept.

30. Residents should check the shellfish safety map for updates.

Starting today, recreational crabbing reopens in local waters including the San Juan Islands, Bellingham Bay and the Strait of Georgia — anglers can harvest up to five male Dungeness crabs per day until Dec.

31 and must submit summer crab catch reports to avoid a penalty.

Western's freshman forward Madeline Mays (an Oak Harbor native) was named D-II National Player of the Week after scoring five goals in wins over Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific; the team, now ranked No. 17, will travel to Western Oregon tomorrow afternoon before facing Saint Martin’s on Saturday.

WWU freshman Madeline Mays was named national player of the week after scoring five of her team’s six goals in wins over Montana State Billings and Seattle Pacific.

The Vikings returned to national rankings at No.17 + will travel to Western Oregon tomorrow before facing Saint Martin’s in Lacey Saturday.