Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Monday update from The Hamster Wheel.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

Or, hit reply to send me photos via email. 📧

Sleep issues, daily stress, and low mood are some of the most common health challenges people face. In this Wednesday evening class at Living Earth Herbs Apothecary, naturopathic physician Dr. Genevieve Wohlford will explore how herbal medicine can support the nervous system and help restore balance.

Participants will learn about several well-known herbs used to support relaxation, emotional resilience, and healthy sleep cycles. The class will also cover simple ways to incorporate these remedies into daily routines, including teas, tinctures, and other traditional preparations.

Space is limited
Call the shop at 360-734-3207 to reserve your spot!

At this point, I’m guessing most of you have heard about the slide that took place along I-5 south of Bellingham Thursday night. The event carved a debris field more than 100 feet wide leaving an estimated 3,000 cubic yards of jumbled soil, trees, and boulders on the northbound lanes of the freeway, forcing a full closure until crews clear debris and stabilize the slope.

Based on the photos by Finn Wendt published in Cascadia Daily News, the affected section appears to be just before the corner where you daylight into the open stretch of the valley.

A WSDOT news release on Saturday describes the conditions: “Boulders, some as big as buses and many others larger than pickup trucks, remain unstable and unsupported. Safety concerns about more active debris movement prevented immediate cleanup from starting.”

It’s clear from the photos that most of the debris are sandstone. That matched up with what’s visible from the freeway when driving that stretch. I’m curious though about the dark gray band above. Maybe just weathered sandstone, but there are interesting zones of metamorphic rock mixed into the strata around the Chuckanut formation.

At this point, WSDOT hasn’t published a prediction for when northbound lanes will reopen but describe how “crews will work seven days per week” to complete necessary cleanup.

In more positive transportation related news, WSDOT has announced they are beginning seasonal clearing of the North Cascades Highway. ❄

Crews will start on the east side at Early Winters (MP 178) and head west. Spring is on the horizon, and I’m ready for it. 🌸

If you’re able to tune into the Bellingham City Council Committee of the Whole meeting today at 2:40, it might be an interesting one. City staff will be presenting about a recent assessment of Bellingham’s long‑term public safety needs, and describing why they recommend forming a Regional Fire Authority as a way to fund fire and EMS in the years ahead. The meeting is streamed on YouTube.

LOCAL READS

Little Squalicum Estuary project models successful coastal habitat restoration
By Eli Voorhies · Salish Current
The City of Bellingham restored 4.85 acres of estuary habitat at Little Squalicum Creek in 2024, replacing a culvert with an open channel that allows fish to move upstream. Eli reports that surveys have since documented nine fish families, including Chum, Coho, and threatened Chinook salmon. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Transition in Leadership Marks New Chapter for Non-Profit | Sustainable Connections
By Suzi Tanski · Bellingham Alive
A leadership transition is underway at Sustainable Connections as two longtime staff members step into interim executive roles while the organization searches for a permanent director. Suzi explains that Jenna Deane and Delaney Skordal bring backgrounds in environmental education, nonprofit management, and community engagement to the position. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Monday
Blaine City Council, 6:00 pm, Council Chambers, agenda
Bellingham City Council, 10:00 am with regular meeting at 7:00 pm, City Council Chambers, agenda

Tuesday
Everson City Council, 7:00 pm, City Hall council chambers, agenda
Whatcom County Council, 8:45 am with regular meeting at 6:00 pm, Council Chambers agenda

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Stream Team: Help Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) maintain older sites that need love. Meet at NSEA’s campus by 8 am and your group leader will shuttle everyone to the site. You can expect to be back to NSEA at 12 pm. Register

Saturday
Lowell Park: Help the city steward this darling green space near Western Washington University. Get rid of invasive plants, add some native shrubs, and work to keep this park healthy and beautiful. Register

Sunday
Jensen Family Forest: Join the Land Trust and Whatcom Million Trees for a beautiful day at Jensen Family Forest near Custer, Washington, as they plant native trees and shrubs to enhance habitat. Register

Uisce Irish Pub
Guffawingham (comedy) | Mon 8:30 pm

The Claire Theatre
The Play That Goes Wrong (theater) | Thurs-Sun

New Prospect Theatre
William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar (theater) | Fri-Sun

Options High School Theater
Firebringer (theater) | Fri-Sun

BAAY Theatre
Sweeney Todd (theater) | Fri-Sun

Mount Baker Theatre
Aelita: Queen of Mars (film) | Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Salsa & Bachata - Viking Union - Mon 7 pm
Bellingham Embodiment Collective - Majestic Ballroom - Mon 6:30 pm
Contact Improv - Aikido Peace Education Center - Mon, class 5:30, jam 7 pm
Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 6 pm
B’ham Hop - Crystal Ballroom - Tues 8 pm
Honky Tonk - Odd Fellows - Tues 6 pm
Taster Tuesdays (hip hop) - Lost Giants Cider Co - Tues 6 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Flow Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Dance Fusion - BSAC - Sat 10:30 am
Contra - Fairhaven Library - Sat 7 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 6:30 pm
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Belly Dance - Karate Church - Sun 1 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sunday 10:30 am

A three-band bill featuring Grimiss, Sundaze, and Cat Positive play The Shakedown tomorrow, March 24 at 8 pm. The show leans into psych and alt rock, with Grimiss at the center, a Portland group formed in 2020 that builds songs around searing guitars and sultry yet powerful vocals.

Tyler Morgan Clarke performs at The Admiralty Lounge tomorrow, March 24 from 7 to 9 pm. A Bellingham-based musician and visual artist, Clarke works across a wide range of styles, bringing experience as a bandleader and collaborator in projects like the Tea Seas Trio and the B-4 Blues Band.

Motown and British Invasion Sing-a-long, FireHouse Arts & Events Center – A 3:30 to 5 pm sing-along featuring live backing musicians and songs from Motown and 1960s British Invasion artists, with donation-based admission supporting nonprofit Coffee and Sandwiches Together.

Monday Music & Trivia →

It’s a quiet night.
A good evening for a few rounds of Hand and Foot with friends or neighbors. ♠

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

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