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

I rolled out a major update to weather and tides pages this weekend. The tides page in particular is much improved, I think, but please send feedback if you notice anything amiss or if there’s something I can add to improve it’s usefulness. 🌊 The game pages got some love too.

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Evan

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

Give your child a summer filled with creativity, movement, and confidence. At the Bellingham Circus Guild's Youth Circus Summer Camp, students learn the fundamentals of aerial silks, juggling, clowning, and performance in a fun, supportive environment designed to encourage exploration and self-expression.

Led by experienced instructors, campers build new skills, make new friends, and discover what they're capable of through the magic of circus arts. No experience necessary, just a willingness to play, learn, and have fun.

On Sunday, the Washington State Department of Transportation announced the reopening of the North Cascades Highway (State Route 20), after completing substantial repairs over the last couple of months.

In a blog post about this year’s efforts to reopen the historic highway, WSDOT describes how atmospheric river events we experienced in 2025, and early 2026, caused major damage to the roadway, including a rock slide near Colonial Creek Campground and more than 1,000 feet of lane that was undermined or collapsed.

While not the most gripping read ever 😆, the blog post does put into perspective the scale of effort required to maintain a winding mountain highway at elevations above 1,500 feet.

The Whatcom County Death Matters Group meets again tonight, June 15, for a presentation by Brian Flowers titled Writing Your Own Obituary. "Brian believes that writing your own obituary can be an act of love for your family and friends, as well as for yourself. Brian brings a playful sense of humor to this workshop as he provides you with all the tools you need to write your own tribute." The group meets at St. Paul's Episcopal Church Parish Hall on Walnut Street, from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

The final WSU Whatcom Master Gardener Plant sale of 2026 is happening this week at Hovander Homestead Park in Ferndale. It’s a self-serve situation that started on Saturday and runs through Father’s Day.

Proceeds from the sale support Master Gardener Demo Gardens in Whatcom County as well as their educational efforts throughout the year. Current Demo Gardens are at Hovander Park, We Grow Garden (across the street from the Bellingham Food Bank), Gardens at the Roeder Home, and a Therapy Garden at St. Joseph Hospital.

Ken Rose from the Master Gardeners Education Team mentioned that “the gardens at Hovander are spectacular right now,” so whether you shop or not, a visit to the park will be worth the drive.

Tomorrow night, June 16, Community Boating Center is holding another Tide Talks event at the Squalicum Boathouse. Olivia Fross, a Research Coordinator and Lead Field Staff with The Salish Sea School in Anacortes, will present Researching Washington's Endangered Seabirds: the Tufted Puffin and Marbled Murrelet.

“From rugged coastlines to offshore islands, Olivia’s work combines adventure, science, and stewardship to better understand and protect these endangered species in the Salish Sea and beyond.” Register here if you’d like to attend.

LOCAL READS

Logging expands in Whatcom County at the forefront of fire season
By Benji Cook · The Front
Galbraith Mountain sits at the center of competing visions for Northwest forests, with logging operations, mountain biking trails, watershed protection, and habitat conservation all sharing the same landscape. Benji explains how local timber managers defend active harvesting while critics question the pace of logging and long-term forest recovery. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Which Jail Site Is a Preferable Location?
By Liam Walsh · Whatcom Watch
Whatcom County has shifted its proposed jail site from La Bounty Drive to Hannegan Road, arguing the new location will reduce construction costs and avoid many of the wetland mitigation challenges that complicated the earlier plan. Liam reports that county officials believe the move could save about $2.5 million and shorten the construction timeline. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Monday
Bellingham City Council, 1:00 pm w. regular meeting at 7:00 pm, City Hall
Juneteenth Flag Raising, 11:00 am, City Hall
Lynden City Council, 7:00 pm, City Hall Annex
Ferndale City Council, 5:00 pm, City Hall Annex

Tuesday
Whatcom County Council, 9:00 am, County Courthouse
Whatcom County Food Systems Committee, 4:30 pm, 110 Unity Street zoom
Bellingham Public Library Board of Trustees, 3:30 pm, Bellingham Central Library

Thursday
Bellingham Planning Commission, 6:00 pm, City Hall
WTA Board, 8:00 am, WTA office

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Monday
BFDF Mini Farm: Help Birchwood Food Desert Fighters with weeding and planting at their mini-farm located just down the road from 4107 Jones Lane on Jones Lane. Details

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

Thursday
Galbraith Mountain: The only thing better than being on a beautiful trail is knowing you helped build and maintain it. Register to work on the Blue Steel trail. Register

Saturday
Squalicum Beach: Join RE-Sources at Little Squalicum Beach to help clean up the shoreline and keep pollution out of Bellingham Bay. Register
Beach Sweep Paddle: Join the Community Boating Center’s monthly Beach Sweep paddle where they kayak to nearby shoreline areas to collect debris and help keep the coastline clean. Register

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

Bellingham Circus Guild
Vaudevillingham (circus) | Mon

Mount Baker Theatre
Out of the Box (dance) | Tues

New Prospect Theatre
The Lament of Morin, Mumphries, Halstrom and Rose (theatre) | Tues-Thurs

The Claire Theatre
Cinderella (theatre) | Wed-Sun

Bellingham Theatre Guild
Next To Normal (theatre) | Wed-Sun

Aslan Depot
Afterglow Comedy Hour (comedy) | Thurs

South Whatcom Library
Secret Mind of Slime (film) | Thurs

The Pier, Pt. Roberts
Comedy Night (comedy) | Fri

DUG Theatre
Problematic Word Play (reading) | Fri

Bellingham Theatre Guild
LUYE- Exit, Pursued by a Bear (reading) | Sat

Pickford on Grand
Respect the Rez: Inside the Lummi Blackhawks’ Title-or-Bust Season (film) | Sat

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
Taster Tuesdays (hip hop) - Lost Giants Cider Co - Tues 6 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Revolution Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Ballroom, Swing, Latin - The Majestic - Fri 6:30 pm
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 8:00 pm
Beginner Ballet - Karate Church - Sat 10 am
Beginner Contemporary - Karate Church - Sat 11:30 am
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sun 10:30 am

Bob Paltrow and Cathy Taylor perform at the Admiralty Lounge on Tuesday, June 16, from 7 to 9 pm. The duo combines guitar, keyboards, and vocal harmonies for a set that spans four decades of music, from 1980s favorites to contemporary rock, folk, blues, country, and pop. Alongside familiar songs, they also perform original material by both artists.

New Prospect Theatre hosts The Alum Ridge Boys & Ashlee tomorrow, June 16 from 8 to 10 pm. Rooted in the Blue Ridge traditions of Southwest Virginia, the band explores a transitional period in American music when old-time, country, and emerging bluegrass influences overlapped and evolved together. Tickets

All Comers Track and Field, Civic Stadium – Check-in begins at 5:15 pm and events start at 6 pm for this all-ages track and field series featuring running, jumping, and throwing events for first-time participants and experienced athletes alike.

Monday Music & Trivia →

Mallard Soccer Trivia Night, Mallard Ice Cream – A free World Cup trivia event at 6 pm featuring soccer-themed questions, team competition, and a variety of prizes, including a grand prize for the top-scoring team.

Twin Sisters Mobile Market, Kulshan’s Sunnyland Taproom – From 4:30 to 7 pm, shop seasonal produce, pasture-raised eggs, meats, and other farm goods from more than 20 Whatcom County farms while supporting Twin Sisters Mobile Market’s efforts to improve local food access across the county.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

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