Whatcom Word, the word of Whatcom
- by City of BellinghamFree family fun, smoke support, renter protections, and our final Ask Us Anything of the year: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamKids Fest, behind the scenes of the Salish Star, community street projects, and more: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamChildren's craft fairs, new rental registration dashboard, and Cornwall Memorial Park restoration: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamThe new Division Street community will be run by HomesNOW!
- by City of BellinghamFirst responders at the Bells, volunteer opportunities, construction updates, and more: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamDowntown viewfinder, new advisory group, construction updates, Pride IN Bellingham, and more: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamAffordable housing, Free First Friday, holiday closures, lifeguards at Bloedel Donovan, and more: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamEven fireworks purchased legally in Whatcom County are prohibited within City limits.
- by City of BellinghamFan zone watch parties, Fourth of July updates, construction projects, and more: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- by City of BellinghamSpray parks, concerts in the park, ADU resources, library night at the Bells, and more: A news roundup from the City of Bellingham
- Smoke lingers for a bit longer, and weather will be warm and humid. Be sure to stay hydrated! A county-wide stage 2 burn ban in effect until further notice, no outdoor burning allowed.
- This week, two bats in Whatcom County tested positive for rabies. Bats are found all over the world and play a vital role in ecosystems. However, they can carry rabies, a deadly disease that is transmitted through bites or scratches.
- Hot days and smokey skies for the next couple of days. Be sure to stay hydrated! A county-wide stage 2 burn ban in effect until further notice, no outdoor burning allowed.
- August 4 Primary and Special Election unofficial results are available through certification on August 18, 2026.
- An Air Quality Alert and Heat Advisory are in effect for Whatcom County. Wildfire smoke from Canada may reach unhealthy levels this week, and temperatures are expected to reach near 90 degrees in parts of the county Wednesday and Thursday.
- The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office is opening a special appointment period to recruit individuals to write committee statements for the November 3, 2026 General and Special Election Local Voters’ Pamphlet.
- The Whatcom Chief will depart for dry dock on Saturday, September 12, 2026. We anticipate the ferry will return to its regular schedule on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
- Please plan for flagger-controlled single-lane closures between Ten Mile Road and E Pole Road from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily.
- Signs will be posted by July 31 at each end of Mosquito Lake Road to advise drivers of the closure. Please use alternate routes to avoid delays.
- Expect travel delays between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m., and use alternate routes whenever possible.
- Approximately 50 miles of county roads are scheduled for treatment this summer. Specific roads scheduled for chip seal will be announced each week throughout the program.
- If you get your drinking water directly from Lake Samish through your own private drinking water system, be aware that a recent surface water test found increased levels of microcystin, a cyanotoxin that can be produced by blue-green algae, in the lake.
- Whatcom County Health and Community Services was notified of a discovered wastewater discharge on the northwestern side of Lake Whatcom near the Agate Bay residential area. No wastewater entered the lake. There is no risk to public health at this time.
- Summer is in full swing! Warmer temperatures and extra nutrients in the water can cause blue-green algae to grow rapidly at this time of year. While not all algae blooms are dangerous, some can produce toxins that can make people and pets severely ill.
- Summer is here and so are conditions that lead to periodic algae blooms. If you get your drinking water directly from Lake Whatcom through your own private drinking water system, you should be aware that Harmful Algae Blooms can occur in Lake Whatcom.
- Visit our website to access the most current fecal bacteria water quality monitoring results.
- The National Weather Service has issued an Air Quality Alert and Heat Advisory for Whatcom County this week. Temperatures are expected to approach 90 degrees in certain areas of the county through Wednesday.
- Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning biotoxin levels have dropped in shellfish in southern Whatcom County. As a result, the Washington State Department of Health has lifted the biotoxin closure from Sandy Point south to the Skagit County border.
- Although some cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in Washington, the state is not experiencing an outbreak or an unusual spike in infections like seen elsewhere. None of the cases reported this season are linked to active outbreaks in other states.
- Event date: August 13, 2026 Event Time: 08:30 AM – 10:00 AMLocation: 110 Unity StreetWhatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 13, 2026 Event Time: 05:30 PM – 07:00 PMLocation: 322 N Commercial StWhatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 13, 2026 Event Time: 06:00 PM – 09:00 PMLocation: 5280 Northwest DrivePortable BuildingBellingham, WA 98226
- Event date: August 10, 2026 Event Time: 10:00 AM – 11:30 AMLocation: 509 Girard StreetBellingham, WA 98225Description:Hybrid – Zoom and In person
- Event date: August 17, 2026 Event Time: 09:00 AM – 11:00 AMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 18, 2026 Event Time: 10:00 AM – 10:30 AMLocation: 311 Grand Avenue Suite B3Bellingham, WA 98225
- Event date: August 17, 2026 Event Time: 10:00 AM – 11:00 AMLocation: 311 Grand Avenue Suite B3Bellingham, WA 98225
- Event date: August 13, 2026 Event Time: 09:00 AM – 10:00 AMLocation: 311 Grand Avenue Suite B3Bellingham, WA 98225
- Event date: August 13, 2026 Event Time: 07:00 AM – 08:30 AMLocation: 509 Girard StreetBellingham, WA 98225Description:Open Public Meeting of the Public Health Advisory Board
- Event date: August 13, 2026 Event Time: 08:30 AM – 04:30 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 10, 2026 Event Time: 08:30 AM – 04:30 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 10, 2026 Event Time: 09:00 AM – 11:59 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 17, 2026 Event Time: 08:30 AM – 04:30 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event dates: August 10, 2026 – August 14, 2026Event Time: 08:00 AM – 05:00 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 10, 2026 Event Time: 09:30 AM – 10:00 AMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event dates: August 3, 2026 – August 7, 2026Event Time: 08:00 AM – 05:00 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 20, 2026 Event Time: 05:30 PM – 07:30 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225
- Event date: August 20, 2026 Event Time: 03:00 PM – 04:30 PMLocation: 5280 Northwest DriveBellingham, WA 98226
- Event date: August 7, 2026 Event Time: 12:00 AM – 11:59 PMLocation: Whatcom County, WA 98225