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.

The political committee Let's Go Washington turned in signatures in support of the initiatives on Friday at the Secretary of State's office in Tumwater, the Washington State Standard reports.

Skagit County's new commissioner, Joe Burns, is a Sedro-Woolley City Council member. He's replacing County Commissioner Lisa Janicki, who retired last week.

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

The 2026 Bellingham Folk Festival is happening Jan. 22–25 at venues both conventional and unexpected.

Whatcom County rolled out its first-ever generative-AI policy in November, as government employees increasingly use the technology. The three-page document created guardrails as many cities throughout the state wrangle with the use of ChatGPT, Claude and other AI tools used by staff.

Richard Rutledge was reported missing on Dec. 28 near the Nooksack River.

At Northern State Recreation Area, there's a secluded spot where hikers can share memories and thoughts with someone they've lost and maybe even find some closure.

In 2026, all Whatcom County Council members will be expected to attend all committee meetings, after a narrow majority of the council voted in favor of expanding committee membership in December.

What could go wrong for flood-struck communities when the federal agency tasked with managing emergencies loses nearly 20% of its workforce in less than a year?

Bellingham's flagship brewery permanently closed in September 2025, but another local business is stepping up to carry its legacy forward.

For the past quarter-century, Twisp homesteader Katie Russell Sorensen has offered free skinning to appreciative deer hunters in what has become an October tradition in the Methow Valley.

SubX, a Ferndale-based cannabis producer and processor, opened its doors to a team of University of Washington researchers in early November. The UW team is performing a ground-breaking occupational health study to see what hazards cannabis workers are exposed to.

Officials and citizens across Washington state have criticized the Trump administration’s capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his comments about “running” the South American country.

Ahead of taking office in the new year at Whatcom County Council and the Port of Bellingham Commission, CDN's Annie Todd caught up with Elizabeth Boyle, Carly James and Jessica Rienstra about what they hope to accomplish as they take office.

Ferndale’s Geirean Hatchett will return to the University of Washington next season after his waiver for a seventh season of eligibility was approved. He will rejoin his brother, Landen, on a veteran offensive line that was considered one of the best in the nation before injuries.

President Donald Trump said Saturday that the U.S. will “run the country” of Venezuela until “a proper transition can take place,” following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a stunning move conducted without congressional notice or approval.

The Ag Water Board of Whatcom County hopes to file a motion to dismiss the controversial water rights lawsuit in the Nooksack Basin if given permission to do so.

Boy scouts around the region will be picking up Christmas trees from roadsides on Saturday, Jan. 3.

Many in the community are demanding that Whatcom County revisit gravel removal on the Nooksack River, which was done commercially in the 1960s through 1990s. But experts say it's not the silver bullet it may appear to be.

Ragfinery has set its opening date for next Friday.

Bellingham-based Atmospheric River Rats, which started as a documentary bike film, has since expanded into a series of community-oriented enduro races. A new film is also in the works.

Friday, Jan. 2, 2026 edition of Cascadia Daily News. Read online at replica.cascadiadaily.com/cascadia-dai... or pick up a print copy.

Plenty of attention is given to the big 9.0 magnitude likely to impact the Pacific NW in coming years. But other faults in NW Washington could produce their own damaging earthquakes, writes geologist Cliff Knitter, who lays out some likely local shaking scenarios in a CDN guest commentary.

From R&B to punk, indie and Americana, CDN staff choose their favorite albums from 2025.

Thousands of community members from across the region, and some from across the country, crowded the Birch Bay waterfront on New Year’s Day to take part in a potentially world record-breaking polar bear dip.

From the border towns in Whatcom County to the hamlets that dot the Skagit River, strife and goodwill played equal parts in the story of 2025. CDN photojournalists were there for much of it — now, we share with you the photos we think show how 2025 felt for us and for our thousands of neighbors.

Letters to the Editor: Tax overhaul, internet woes and 'affordable' housing.

The Whatcom County Council unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday night that supports putting Healthy Children’s Fund dollars toward protecting children affected by flooding.

On Dec. 23, volunteers with Bellingham Mountain Rescue searched through the night in hazardous terrain to find a missing snowboarder in the Mt. Baker Ski Area sidecountry.

Here’s a look at some of the new laws on the books starting Thursday.

Ahead of the new year, Cascadia Daily News reporters reflected on the standout movies they came across in 2025.

Two dermatologists abruptly left PeaceHealth this fall. The hospital declines to explain what happened.

An eight-legged ambassador to the Salish Sea was recently named after a salmon-bearing creek in Whatcom County. Chuck(anut) is now the main attraction for visitors to learn about octopuses, Chuckanut Creek, Salish Sea geography and Coast Salish languages.

Solano Rivera won nearly 60% of a school board vote in November, unseating incumbent member Wendy Ragusa, who had held the role for eight years. At 19 years old, Rivera is the youngest member on the Mount Vernon school board.

Experienced indoor gardeners regularly turn small indoor spaces into amazing mini-greenhouses. Master gardener Marie Metivier-DeMasters offers suggestions for getting started.

In early August, the leader of Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife had become so concerned with alleged behaviors of the citizen panel that he answers to that he asked Gov. Bob Ferguson to investigate.

The Washington State Patrol issued an Amber Alert for a 14-year-old Lummi Nation girl who went missing early Saturday morning. Anyone who sees her is encouraged to call 911.

As Opus Performing Arts' artistic director, Brooke Evans directs the ballet school's annual performance of "The Nutcracker."

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is considered a sacred place for the Native Gwich’in people. It’s also ground zero in the decades-long battle over oil drilling.

In just one year, Samish Elementary doubled the number of students who consistently met grade-level standards in math.

Washington state received an emergency disaster declaration following historic flooding in mid-December. But what's the likelihood the federal government will help the state recover from the flooding in a year that has seen seismic shifts to FEMA?

Skagit County is reminding flood survivors they have until Monday to fill out initial damage assessment forms for those impacted by the historic December flooding.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared a public health emergency Wednesday over this month’s flooding in Washington state, the Washington State Standard reports.

Super Duper Teriyaki is among the most reliable local spots for sampling Washington state's spin on fast food.

"Flooding is natural. Damage from flooding is not," Bob Freitag, a University of Washington expert of flood mitigation, writes in a Cascadia Daily News guest commentary. Even in an age of accelerated flooding, five "proven lines of defense" can and should be embraced by the public, Freitag writes.

Here at CDN HQ, we estimate we've published at least 2,500 stories this year. Here are some we can't stop thinking about.

This new cookbook highlights more than 50 recipes by U.S. immigrants.

More than 100 children in flood-hit communities received gifts and bags full of stocking stuffers on Christmas Eve as part of the nonprofit Whatcom Strong’s efforts to help families recover from the disaster.

The man accused of shooting two National Guard members near the White House last month, killing one, was charged in federal court Wednesday, moving the case out of the local court system, the Washington State Standard reports.