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. 📧

The Seattle International Comedy Competition returns to Bellingham for its 2026 finals, bringing five standout comedians to the Main Stage for one last shot at the title.

After battling through clubs across the Northwest, the finalists face off live at Mount Baker Theatre, where the winner will be announced that night. You help crown the champion, so bring your best laugh and get ready for a fast-paced evening of comedy, competition, and big reactions.

The Washington Department of Ecology posted an interesting update this week on the long-running Swift Creek project east of Everson. I’ve read about the effort to trap and contain the creek’s asbestos-laden sediment, but the new post includes photos 👇 that make the engineering easier to picture. The basic idea is to slow the creek down in stages so heavier sediment drops out behind low barriers, then dredge that material and move it into a dedicated repository. Ecology compares the system to running the creek through a series of sieves, with larger material caught upstream and finer sediment collected farther down.

The reason for all this is an interesting bit of local geology. A roughly 225-acre, slow-moving landslide on the west side of Sumas Mountain keeps feeding Swift Creek with sediment from serpentine rock that naturally contains asbestos and trace metals. That sediment builds up in the channel, reducing its capacity and contributing to flooding downstream. When dredged material dries out, the asbestos can also become airborne, creating a health concern. The landslide itself is not realistically stoppable, so the long-term strategy is to manage what the mountain keeps sending downhill.

The article also introduces a small carbon-removal experiment happening alongside all the flood-control work. Arca Climate Technologies is testing whether the minerals already present in Swift Creek sediment can be made to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere faster than they would through normal weathering. Their pilot uses an electric rover 👆 to till or “smart churn” the sediment, and future research could look at ways to make the material both safer and more effective at storing carbon.

Our newish nonstop to Portland appears to be finding its legs. Alaska Airlines launched the route in March, restoring a direct BLI-to-PDX connection for the first time in nearly eight years, and the response has been strong enough that the airline is already adding a second daily flight beginning Nov. 20. The new midday option will leave Bellingham at 12:35 pm, while the northbound flight arrives from Portland at 11:55 am.

That extra frequency is a vote of confidence in BLI. Airlines pay close attention to how many seats actually get filled, and service can grow, shrink, or disappear depending on demand. If Portland or one of its connecting destinations is in your plans, flying out of Bellingham helps make the case for keeping this option around. 👍

Judging by the number of emails I’ve received about it, the proposed closure of two Bellingham elementary schools has struck a chord with a lot of people. The school board is holding separate public hearings this week on the possible closure of Columbia Elementary and Carl Cozier Elementary, with Columbia up first at 5:30 pm tonight, Nov. 2, followed by Carl Cozier at 5:30 pm tomorrow, Nov. 3. Both hearings will be held at the District Office.

If you want to speak, doors open at 5 pm and you can sign up until 5:30, with each speaker given up to three minutes. Written comments can also be submitted through the district’s Listening Post. The board is not scheduled to vote on either closure at these hearings. Its next regular meeting is Thursday, Nov. 12, so these sessions are specifically for public comment before the board continues its deliberations.

LOCAL READS

Passing Through Unconscious States: Exploring the Liminal Spaces of Whatcom County
By Anna Diehl · WhatcomTalk
From Point Roberts and Peace Arch Park to abandoned Semiahmoo buildings and Bellingham’s stitched-together street grid, familiar places take on an in-between quality through the idea of liminality. Anna traces how border geography, urban legends and local art make that concept unusually visible across Whatcom County. Read more →

· · · · · · · · · · · · ·

Mayor Lund addresses Bellingham residents’ concerns about ICE
By Becca Adler · The Front
Mayor Kim Lund used an Oct. 6 public forum to outline Bellingham’s immigration-related policies and legal advocacy, including the city’s involvement in cases challenging limits on federal funding. Becca reports that some attendees still wanted clearer answers about how the city would respond to ICE activity affecting residents day to day. Read more →

CIVIC CORNER

Monday
Bham City Council Budget Work Session, 9:00 am, City Hall
Bham City Council, 10:00 am, City Council Chambers
Bham Public Works & Natural Resources Committee, 1:00 pm, City Hall
Bham Public Health, Safety, Justice, & Equity Committee, 1:10 pm, City Hall
Bham Budget & Finance Committee, 1:40 pm, City Hall
Bham Committee of the Whole, 2:15 pm, City Hall
Ferndale City Council, 5:00 pm, City Hall Annex
Bham City Council Regular, 7:00 pm, City Hall
Lynden City Council, 7:00 pm, City Hall

Tuesday
Port of Bham Board of Commissioners, 4:00 pm, Harbor Center

Wednesday
Bham Parks & Recreation Advisory Board, 7:30 am, Pacific Street Operations Center

Thursday
WTA Board, 8:00 am, WTA offices
Bham Greenways Advisory Committee, 7:00 pm, Pacific Street Operations Center

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday
Galbraith Devilcross Traverse: Join the Whatcom Mountain Bike Coalition to build and maintain trails on Galbraith Mountain. You will help care for the trail system with guidance from an experienced trail crew leader. Register
Bellingham: Join NSEA to remove protective blue tubes and cages from older restoration sites. You will help prevent trunk damage, reduce litter, and support the survival of planted trees and shrubs. Register

Friday
Kelsey Reserve: Join Whatcom Land Trust and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association at Kelsey Reserve. You will plant native trees and shrubs, help with trail work and invasive species removal, and learn about the reserve's wetlands, forests, meadows, and streams. Register

Saturday
Cornwall Memorial Park: Join the City of Bellingham and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) at Cornwall Memorial Park. You will plant native trees and shrubs and remove invasive weeds near Squalicum Creek to improve water quality, restore salmon habitat, and support the urban forest and wildlife habitat. Register

Sunday
Whatcom Humane Society Wildlife Rehab Center: Join Whatcom Million Trees Project to plant trees in a 12-acre former hayfield. You will help continue the site's multi-year reforestation project. Register

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

BAAY Theatre
High School Musical JR. (theatre) | Fri-Sun

New Prospect Theatre & The Upfront
Bellingham Improv Festival (comedy) | Fri-Sun

The StrongBox @ Dancing For Joy
Critters! (dance) | Sat, Sun

BAAY Theatre
Robin Hood (theatre) | Sat, Sun

FireHouse Arts & Events Center
About Face: Disrupting Ballet (film) | Sun

The Upfront Theatre
Various performances

Salsa & Bachata - Viking Union - Mon 7 pm
Bellingham Embodiment Collective - Majestic Ballroom - Mon 6:30 pm
Country Line Dancing - Wild Buffalo - Mon 6:30 pm
Contact Improv - Aikido Peace Education Center - Mon, class 5:30, jam 7 pm
Cuban Salsa - Cof& - Tues 6 pm
Taster Tuesdays (hip hop) - Lost Giants Cider Co - Tues 6 pm
Contemporary Dance - Aikido Dojo - 6:30 pm
B’ham Hop Swing - Hotel Leo - Wed 7 pm
Tango Practica - The Majestic - Wed 6:30 pm
Revolution Fusion - Karate Church - Thurs 7 pm
Square Dancing (Chuckanut Squares) - Bellingham Senior Center North - Thurs 6:30 pm
Dance for people with PD and other neurological conditions - Firehouse Arts Center - Thurs 11 am
Sunset Silent Disco - Zuanich - Sat 4:00 pm
Beginner Ballet - Karate Church - Sat 10 am
Beginner Contemporary - Karate Church - Sat 11:30 am
Dance Fusion - BSAC - 10:30 am
Salsa Collective - The Majestic - Sun 5:30 pm
Open Floor Conscious Dance - Bellingham Fitness - Sun 10:30 am

Singer-songwriter Jeffrey Martin performs alongside Canadian musician Sam Weber tonight, November 2, from 8 to 10 pm at the New Prospect Theatre. Martin, a former high school English teacher who left the classroom to pursue music full time, is known for his storytelling and reflective songwriting. Tickets

Galan Trio brings its Kinesis Project to Western’s Performing Arts Center Concert Hall tonight, November 2, at 7:30 pm. The Greek chamber ensemble specializes in contemporary music, with more than 40 compositions written specifically for the group. Admission is free! 😁

Big Door Prize performs a tribute to John Prine at The Admiralty Lounge on tomorrow, November 3, from 7 to 9 pm. Featuring Dave and Shelly Lyon with Collin Topolski on upright bass, the group focuses on Prine’s songwriting and the many duets he recorded with fellow musicians.

It’s a quiet night.

Monday Music & Trivia →

It’s a quiet night.

Tuesday Music & Trivia →

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