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.

Data from the WA state education agency shows that more than $6 million is at risk for Whatcom and Skagit county schools with the Trump Administration's recent review of several K-12 programs. This includes funding for migrant students, English language learners and after-school programming.

@peacehealth.bsky.social made a last minute decision to shut the media out of a discussion with @repricklarsen.bsky.social about local impacts of cuts to Medicaid and Medicare tied the megabill signed into law by President Trump on July 4.

The family of a man who was shot and killed by Sedro-Woolley police in 2022 will receive $2 million in a settlement with the city. The City of Sedro-Woolley determined the shooting of David Babcock was justified in 2022, and the officer involved returned to the force.

The family of David Babcock, who was shot and killed by a Sedro-Woolley police officer in February 2022, will receive $2 million in a settlement with the city to resolve their wrongful death lawsuit.

Around two years in the making, I'm stoked to put this project out into the world! This is what @cascadiadaily.com is all about. Support local journalism!

More than a year ago, I received a tip about a teacher who was put on administrative leave at the Mount Baker School District. Since then, it's been a string of records requests and waiting. Today, the story is out: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/jun/26/...

It’s so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of the news cycle, but every year these ceremonies offer a front-row view of joy, pride and possibility.

I had such a wonderful time talking to these students from across Whatcom and Skagit counties. It was so beautiful to hear them all unite behind the idea that the world just needs more empathy right now. Read here: www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/jun/07/...

SUNDAY READ: Cascadia Daily News asked schools in Whatcom and Skagit counties to select students to meet with CDN reporters for group discussions about their views on life post graduation.

Students spoke about personal challenges, navigating a digital world and fears for the future. You can read more here.

This story by @charlottealden.bsky.social for @cascadiadaily.com makes me so happy! What better way to use a settlement over public records withheld by @wwu.edu than to invest in student-led investigative journalism. @ire.org www.cascadiadaily.com/2025/jun/03/...

The Salish Sea Deaf School is one of three deaf schools in the state, providing services to students in seven districts across Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish counties. Three women started the school after seeing limited options for deaf and hard-of-hearing students.

The day Washington's rent cap legislation went into effect, renters at one Bellingham apartment complex received a letter (dated two days prior) informing them their rent would be going up to match market rent. For some residents, the increase is as much as 38%.

Bellingham Public Schools will eliminate about 25 full-time positions as part of an expansive strategy to address a projected $15 million budget shortfall. Administrators will all see pay freezes next year, with many — including the superintendent — taking furlough days to save $1 million.

The state Legislature's budget brings some additional funding to education, with the best news coming for special education funding. But educators say the funding from the state still doesn't cover districts' operational costs or meet the needs of all students.

1/2 Feeling abandoned by the system, but not the people, I shared my son’s story. 🇨🇦🇨🇦 #mentalhealth #momsky #shareyourstory #TBI #ABI 🙏 @cdnaffairs.bsky.social www.canadianaffairs.news/2025/05/05/h...

A team of five sailors, scientists and undergraduate students set sail from Anacortes on Saturday. They're off on a 14-month research and education expedition, circumventing around North and South America.

Besalynn James is one of at least 114 missing Indigenous persons in Washington. The Lummi Elder has been missing for 100 days and her family is frustrated with law enforcement efforts.

Lynden approved the language of complaints it will send to the federal government over Washington's gender inclusion policies. This week, the Trump administration launched an investigation into the State Superintendent's Office.

The state Legislature's budget brings more bad news for Western Washington University. Cuts to higher education mean an $8 million cut in state funding for Western. That's on top of the recurring deficit the university is already trying to address.

Former internal auditor Antonia Allen will be awarded a total of $3.85 million from WWU, after the two parties settled the university's appeal earlier this month. Last year, a jury determined that Allen was a "whistleblower," and was retaliated against and wrongfully terminated by administration.

Cuts to AmeriCorps grant funding have already impacted some Northwest Washington nonprofits hard: Common Threads Farm, which provides gardening and cooking education to school districts across Whatcom County, has had seven of its 11 employees placed on administrative hold without pay.

The future of Western Washington University's student-run recycling center is uncertain after students were given a stop work order last week. It's unclear what the future holds now for the center which processed about 2,400 pounds of recycling daily.

Second and third places, news sites in Detroit and Houston. First place: Cascadia Daily News in Bellingham.

So very honored to see @cascadiadaily.com named Best Digital Independent Community/local news site in the 91st annual National Headliner Awards by the Press Club of Atlantic City. Credit to a dedicated, hardworking staff of our Bellingham, WA based independent news startup.

For anyone aware of the tragedy at Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival, here's a thread of GoFundMe's available to help support the many victims. (copy pasted from my friend 'J' in the Vancouver Filipino community) 🧵