Whatcom students, educators and local legislators at a school funding town hall Tuesday night agreed the state needs to fully fund K-12 education. But the governor's proposed supplemental budget suggests cuts could be coming.

An adaptive art program at Cascadia Elementary in Ferndale makes it so all students can participate in art class.

I was so thrilled to write about a 19-year-old who won a school board seat in Mount Vernon, WA. The cherry on top was finding out that the candidate ran his campaign with the help of his friend, a 17-year-old college freshman. An amazing example of young people engaging in local politics:

A year has passed since CDN published a series highlighting indoor recreation gaps in Bellingham. Here's where three potential projects to expand access stand today.

Community members gathered on the winter solstice to mourn the 87 homeless people who died in Whatcom County this year.

More than 600 households have sought flooding recovery support from Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group, as of Dec 15. In Skagit, officials are still responding to ongoing flooding and landslide threats, but cities and towns have started assessing the impact so far as they prepare for more flooding.

Over the course of Saturday, it became clear that Mount Vernon and Sumas would face very different recovery efforts after historic flooding tore through the region.

It’s impossible to pick just one story from our tranche of flood coverage but this one probably hits the hardest. I am so proud to work with such dedicated, talented people at @cascadiadaily.com

Eleven significant floods have hit Whatcom County in the past century, while the Skagit River has reached flood stage more than 60 times in the same time frame. Residents have painful memories of past disasters.

The joy and relief when this family discovered that their chickens, stuck in a flooded coop, were still alive was a beautiful moment in a difficult last few days. Find the rest of our coverage of the NW WA floods at cascadiadaily.com.

Follow the FREE COVERAGE, as we work to keep our community informed and safe.

Heavy rains overnight have increased the potential for record-breaking levels of the Skagit River, prompting evacuation warnings. Plus, school and road closures, and aid information. Check back for live updates throughout the day.

The National Weather Service issued a flood warning for parts of Skagit County early Tuesday morning as the Skagit River near Concrete is expected to reach major flooding stages later today. You can check here for updates throughout the day.

Nearly 150 people showed up to the Whatcom Transportation Authority's typically quiet board meeting Thursday morning. Most expressed opposition to the WTA’s plan to raise bus fares

Edmundo "Mundo" Corrales, the Anacortes High School teacher who died in a car crash on Monday, is remembered for his warmth, humor and dedication to his work and those around him.

When I was combing through the 50 candidates running for school board in Whatcom and Skagit a few months ago, I noticed a name missing. Steve Jones, a Nooksack Valley School Board member for 36 years, wasn't running for reelection. I took the chance to speak with him about his long tenure:

School bus drivers are often underrecognized, but play an essential role in students' access to education. My colleague @santi8a.bsky.social and I spent some time with a Lynden school bus driver last month, for a story spotlighting drivers and discussing some of the challenges they face every day.

🧵 Recent story for @cascadiadaily.com: A female detective with the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is alleging a decade of workplace discrimination, retaliation and hostility, including the circulation among co-workers of a sexual AI-generated video of her. www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/nov/10/...

State Rep. Alicia Rule spent part of Thursday, Oct. 30, shadowing Cascadia Elementary's Principal as part of a statewide effort to get legislators to better understand the realities of education in 2025.

Voters appear to want change in a number of school boards across Whatcom and Skagit counties. My election night file:

Enjoyed covering this fascinating new class at Bellingham High School: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/nov/03/...

After cuts, furloughs and financial challenges, Whatcom Community College is undergoing a review to "ensure the long-term financial sustainability" of the institution.

Frogs, herons, canary grass and more: students at Explorations Academy are now spending part of a day every week on the school's new field campus in Everson.

Fifty people are seeking school board positions in Whatcom and Skagit counties this year. In some districts, the November election could majorly shake up school boards, shaping the direction of the district for the next four years. A rundown of Whatcom County candidates:

An academic program in Fairhaven is sending students back in time by encouraging them to read classic works of literature, learn Ancient Greek, and leave screens at the door.

Cascadia Daily News earned first in general excellence as well as the prestigious Community Service Award for the third year in a row.

A new bus station, housing and more will be coming to Bellingham's now-vacant Public Market site. The Whatcom Transportation Authority plans to officially purchase the property later this month and begin work on a transit-oriented development project, which could start construction by 2030.

Western will be launching a new initiative to boost enrollment, President Sabah Randhawa announced this morning in his annual State of the University address. That includes a new pilot to offer guaranteed admissions to eligible students in five counties.

This is no magic messaging to completely protect the public from election misinformation. But, it’s important to enact multiple layers of defense where possible. So, @cascadiadaily.com is knocking the dust off our reporting on last year about how voting works. www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/sep/08/...

Very cool to see the Seattle Times reference a recent story of mine as an example of local investigative journalism! Link to my investigation: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/jun/26/...

Thirty years ago, Dan Chaplik slipped an application to be a teacher at the Blaine School District under the door of the boardroom. Now, he sits at the front of the room as interim superintendent.

Artificial intelligence has arrived in local classrooms. Despite worries about its impact, many school districts have authorized its use in an effort to teach students how to use this powerful technology responsibly and ethically.

Wondering what your school district's budget and enrollment looks like going into the new school year? Check out this rundown of Whatcom and Skagit school district budgets.

It was such a joy to be at this unique school on the first day today! And amazing to see such emphatic community support in challenging financial times for school districts across the state.

The horror journalist Mariam Dagga photographed in the last months of her life. The last one is from the hospital where she was killed today. Curated by @apnews.com editors apnews.com/photo-galler...

What percentage of kindergartners have the measles vaccine? It's likely lower than the 95% immunization rate needed to stop the spread of measles.

Get free school supplies, immunizations and even a free haircut at back-to-school events across Whatcom and Skagit counties.

We break down elected officials salaries for Whatcom County @cascadiadaily.com. County Executive: $244,000, Prosecuting Attorney: $237,252 Sheriff: $230,124 Assessor: $173,652 Auditor: $173,652 Treasurer: $173,652 (This doesn't include benefit packages.) www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/aug/11/...

NEW: A beloved Mercer Island teacher was accused twice of sexual misconduct with students. The school district kept it quiet.

Superintendents across Washington are working on a proposal to fix issues with K-12 funding in the state. Two Whatcom County superintendents are taking part.

One of the last standing landmarks of old Birdsview, east of Concrete in Skagit County, will be sold. The Concrete School District doesn't have the funding to maintain the property, the superintendent said. But some community members lament the sale of the 120-year-old building.

Frozen federal education funding will be restored, the Trump administration announced Friday. That will mean millions of dollars that was in limbo will now arrive in Whatcom and Skagit County school districts for the upcoming school year.

CDN provides in-depth election coverage of Whatcom and Skagit counties for readers free, outside our paywall, as a public service by your locally owned newspaper. This month, our reporters are working diligently to bring you coverage of the 2025 primary. Read stories at link below or in this thread.

Due to federal funding instability, La Conner School District will eliminate an after-school program, a preschool set to start this fall, and programming that supports migrant and multilingual students.

Blaine School Board approved a one-year pause on the district's plan to merge its primary and elementary schools this fall, tasking new interim superintendent Dan Chaplik with finding alternative cuts.

Mount Baker School District has made "significant progress" in improving its financial position, state officials said two years after the district began receiving additional oversight from the state due to budget challenges.

What impresses me almost as much as the Lummi Nation's full-court press against fentanyl is the price tag of this project. For $1.7 million dollars, the Lummi Nation leveraged opioid settlements to create 40 private units with wraparound services. www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/jul/10/...

I'm a former radio host & news director, so @charlottealden.bsky.social's story in @cascadiadaily.com about the impact of threatened public broadcasting funding clawbacks on local community radio hits especially hard. Public, community #radio is also in danger downstream, directly and indirectly.