In 2003, Relentless Rain Led to Massive Landslides in Eastern Whatcom County

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2003-North-Cascades-Landslides-Pyramid-Creek-Washout-10-18-03 — Drenching rainfall between Oct. 17 and 18, 2003 led to a landslide that washed out 150 feet of the North Cascades Highway at Pyramid Creek. Wikimedia Commons photo

Each autumn and winter in the Pacific Northwest, it can seem like the rain and grey skies will never end. Sometimes, the precipitation doesn’t stop until the soil is so saturated that it gives way, causing landslides capable of causing death and destruction.

During the early morning hours of October 27, 2024, intense rainfall led to a small landslide that completely blocked the northbound lanes of Interstate 5 for hours, causing enormous traffic backups. For some, it conjured memories of prior local landslides, including one that blocked the Mt. Baker Highway east of Deming in January 2009, and damaged a home.

In the fall of 2003, rounds of record rainfall unleashed numerous landslides along the North Cascades Highway in Eastern Whatcom County. These slides caused millions of dollars in damage to roadways and infrastructure, and briefly cut off the tiny community of Diablo from the rest of the world.

Rock and tree debris from the Goodell Creek slide fortunately did not reach Highway 20, better known as the North Cascades Highway. Wikimedia Commons photo

“As Big as Volkswagens”

Between Thursday, October 16 and Friday, October 17, 2003, a significant fall storm hit Western Washington, dumping up to 10 inches of rain in places. The result in many areas was flooding, and Lieutenant Governor Brad Owen declared a state of emergency in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Such a responsibility normally falls to the governor himself, but Gary Locke was traveling abroad at the time.

In Eastern Whatcom County near the company towns of Newhalem and Diablo, a landslide near Pyramid Creek washed out a 150-foot section of the North Cascades Highway (State Highway 20), causing what would become the highway’s earliest-ever seasonal closure. The cause of the slide was likely from a 6-foot-diameter highway culvert filling with rocks, a Washington State Department of Transportation spokesperson told the Bellingham Herald at the time.

Heavy rain persisted into the weekend, and by Monday, October 20, trees and rocks (some of the latter “as big as Volkswagens,” according to the DOT spokesperson) littered Highway 20. DOT maintenance crews removed up to 200 dump truck loads of debris alone between Marblemount and Newhalem in order to reopen that section of highway, the Seattle Times reported. In some places, debris was 10 to 15 feet deep.

This National Park Service image shows the extent of the Goodell Creek landslide that occurred off the eastern slopes of Trappers Peak in later October of 2003, just west of the Newhalem. Wikimedia Commons photo

People also became stranded. Two men who attempted to check on their cabin northeast of Marblemount were rescued on October 20 by National Park Service rangers, having spent more than 16 hours stranded by high water. Some weren’t as lucky: In Snohomish County, 32-year-old Patrick Connelly was killed when he stepped on a downed power line while trying to extinguish a grass fire.

On October 20, the National Weather Service recorded an all-time single-day record for precipitation at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport of 5.02 inches of rain, smashing the old record from 1959 by more than 1.5 inches. The record still stands today.

Around October 27, an enormous landslide occurred when an eastern slope of Trappers Peak gave way and fell into Goodell Creek, just west of Newhalem. While the slide did not reach Highway 20, it dammed the creek with plenty of rock and wood debris.

“Like Popcorn in a Wind Tunnel”

By the end of October, damage to roads, trails, and structures inside North Cascades National Park was estimated around at least $1.7 million, with the possibility that full repairs would take months or even years. And Mother Nature did not stop there.

On the morning of Sunday, November 9, an estimated three million cubic yards of rock fell east of Newhalem between Afternoon and Fall Creeks, blocking another portion of Highway 20. The multiple weeks of bad weather had created conditions ripe for such a slide: a rain gauge approximately 4 miles from the site recorded 17 inches of rain between October 16 and 21, according to a 2006 research paper about the event.

These 2003 images are testament to the awesome power of landslides, and the ways in which they can re-arrange a landscape. Wikimedia Commons photo

As described by former Seattle Times reporter and current Cascadia Daily News editor Ron Judd, the slide created house-sized boulders “tossed about like popcorn in a wind tunnel.” The total rock mass was roughly 1,000 feet wide, 1,000 feet long and 100 feet thick, sweeping down to fill the Afternoon Creek drainage area with rubble up to 100 feet deep, Judd wrote.

Road access to Diablo, already eliminated from the east due to Highway 20’s seasonal closure, left the community totally cut off and roughly half of its 70 Seattle City Light employee-residents unable to leave. The further pummeling of Highway 20 generated additional concern for the company, as the roadway served as a critical construction and maintenance route for powerhouses of the company’s three nearby dams: Ross, Diablo, and Gorge.

By mid-week, road crews had dynamited an incredible 50-ton boulder to carve a single-lane emergency road to Diablo. With more giant rock mass still perched precariously above the highway, the danger was considered very high.

Helicopters were needed to shuttle in fresh supplies and evacuate children of workers who’d normally bus to school in nearby Concrete; the children stayed with friends or family temporarily so they could continue to attend school.

An enormous amount of debris fell in the slide, covering Goodell Creek and the surrounding area in debris. Wikimedia Commons photo

On November 17, Seattle mayor Greg Nickels visited the Newhalem area, seeing the damage firsthand. But even then, the area’s forecast would not provide respite, calling for another 5 to 10 inches of rain in just 36 hours.

Two days later, on November 19, additional slide activity damaged the one emergency access lane available to Diablo. By the next afternoon, road crews had moved another 1,500 cubic yards of debris to re-clear the access road to Diablo. Small debris slides in the area continued into December.

Future Slide Prevention

The portion of the North Cascades Highway between Newhalem and Diablo remained closed until December 18, 2003. Even after, it would be open only to Diablo residents, their immediate families, National Park Service employees, and road crews.

The following February, a March 22 public re-opening was announced for the previously-pulverized six-mile stretch of Highway 20. The full highway would re-open to traffic on April 8, 2004, but the effects of the 2003 slides would linger.

In the area between Afternoon and Fall Creeks, flaggers intermittently restricted Highway 20 to one lane into the fall of 2005, while workers completed a $13 million state project to protect the road from future rockslides. It was finally completed in December 2005.

Out of the Mouths — and Minds — of Kids

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Holly Redell-Witte

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Tyler-Becker-Looks-On-As-Eilis-Plays-Ukelele — Gabriel's Art School first-grader Éilis plays the ukulele at a recent open mic. Photo credit: Holly Redell-Witte

“What kind of tree plays tricks on people?

A Conifer!”

Of course.

Akira Timberlake told this joke at a recent Friday evening performance at Gabriel’s Art Kids Open Mic. Akira was the lead-off comic among a group of several kids who showed to see the show. And although Akira was the only one who signed up to perform, once others saw him up on the stage, the ice was broken.

An evening of jokes, impromptu ukulele, piano composing, and “silly” dances followed with every child confidently performing. First-grader Éilis, and Elena, in the second grade, popped up and down several times with material as it occurred to them; and, even one younger brother, Leir, who isn’t yet in school, had a joke to tell.

It was entertaining, to be sure — who doesn’t love a good joke! — and according to Tyler Becker, a teacher who’s been on board for about two years, it successfully achieved the goal to give the children an opportunity to feel comfortable as they share their artist personalities with an audience.

Becker, who brings a legacy of communications and education, dreamed up the program. “A talent show we did once a year wasn’t enough,” he says. “I wanted to start something that happened more regularly, so the kids got consistent experience being on stage.”

Akira kicks off Gabriel’s Art Kids Open Mic with a joke. Photo credit: Holly Redell-Witte

Gabriel’s Art Kids is the pre- and after-school extension of the Robert Williams School, both founded by Gabriel Miles, a certified K-12 educator who believes kids should be “saturated in all of the arts, plus all of the academics.” She fully supports the open mic and is grateful to have such a creative staff. “What I love about this school is that I have these amazing teachers and what we do depends on the skills and talents they bring.”

Growing an Arts Community

A traditional open mic, like one that takes place regularly at Village Books, brings together people who read from their own work. Both Gabriel’s Art Kids and Village Books are important for growing an arts community. Just ask Paul Hanson, one of the three owners of Village Books, all of whom have a strong commitment to the community.

“Around the time of school budget cuts,” he says, “we wanted to see what we could do to fill a gap. If there were after-school programming cuts, we wanted to give kids a place and an opportunity to share their work.”

Hanson tapped Seán Dwyer, who already ran an open mic for more seasoned writers, to organize the monthly event.

Gabriel’s Art Kids second-grader Elena Photo credit: Holly Redell-Witte

The kids who have shown up for these open mics are a little older than those at Gabriel’s Art Kids, and already writing. Nine-year-old Aliena Ciscell was the first.

Ali, as she is called, thinks of writing and performing as a way to express something she’s thinking about.

“I write or draw things that I see, or that I read, and change them. That makes them better, in my opinion.” When developing a piece of writing, she says, “I read a page to myself in my head before I show it to my family.”

Her dad, Galen, recognizes how important an open mic can be. “It’s one thing to perform for yourself, [and] absolutely another to do it in front of other people,” says Galen. “Most kids are imaginative. There is a primary value in the experience of performing in front of an audience.”

Kids Open Mics at Village Books give youth a safe place to get that experience. “This is a forum to allow the children to express their creativity,” Dwyer says. “It gives them the understanding that this is something they are good at and appreciated for.”

Ten-year-old Sana Vinoth at Village Books’ Kids Open Mic. Photo credit: Holly Redell-Witte

Ten-year old Sana Vinoth has published two books in a series called Sana & Clara, two young girls who undertake missions to protect animals. Even with that success under her belt, the idea of reading to an audience came with a few jitters. “I was really nervous,” she says, “but also really excited, because I wanted to help the cause [worldwildlife.org] and I could articulate it to people.”

This fulfills another of Dwyer’s goals for the Kids Open Mics perfectly. “I see these kids learning that their work has a validity that will make continuing the effort to write a worthwhile project.”

The program began organically with just posters in Village Books. Now, Dwyer is doing outreach to all elementary school principals in the area. “Our goal is to encourage the creativity of the children in this area,” he says. “I remember when my mom praised the first thing I wrote, at 6; that made writing something I wanted to continue to do.”

Leir, who isn’t yet in school, also had a joke to tell at Gabriel’s Art Kids Open Mic. Photo credit: Holly Redell-Witte

Dwyer also mentioned that having a deadline to finish a piece of writing, a little like homework, for the last Monday of the month is a good habit to develop. At Gabriel’s Art Kids, that could have been the set-up for a joke told in October:

“Why did the boy eat his homework?

Because his teacher said it was a piece of cake.”

How fortunate for us and future generations that there are people elevating the art of the open mic.

Sign up for Kids Open Mic at Village Books.

Remembering Mabel Zoe Wilson: The Bookside Builder of Western Washington University Libraries

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Anna Diehl

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mabel-zoe-wilson-original-library feature — Like the rest of the university, the library (pictured in 1902) started in Old Main before gaining its dedicated space. Photo courtesy Special Collections, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University

Comprising Wilson Library and Haggard Hall, Western Washington University’s libraries are among the most impressive in the state. However, few visitors may know the story of Mabel Zoe Wilson, the librarian whose name appears in several areas of the system she built nearly from nothing.

Wilson was Western’s second librarian after Hattie Thompson and “acting librarian” Ada Clothier, who laid the groundwork for the needs of the original “Normal School” for teachers. Born 1878 in Athens, Ohio, Wilson aided Western’s growth into the four-year school it is today by building the modern library. While she left little biographical information behind, her story reflects an early history of women’s leadership in shaping liberal arts education.

Mabel Zoe Wilson famously exclaimed about her work’s beginnings: “There just wasn’t a library!” Finding mainly state-provided textbooks and only “a sheaf of bills from book firms and order sheets” for records, Wilson set out to build a formal system, despite no prior experience in library science. Perspectives on Excellence: A Century of Teaching and Learning at Western Washington University (ed. Roland L. De Lorme) speculates that “perhaps Dr. Mathes found her cheekiness as attractive as her academic credentials” when some accounts called her application “a prank instigated by friends.”

With Mrs. Clothier as assistant librarian, Wilson organized books using a card catalog. She applied the Dewey Decimal System, even leaving in 1909 to earn a librarian degree from the Albany (NY) Library School founded by Melvil Dewey. The new library boasted a collection of 6,000 volumes by 1905, with a Library Committee of Wilson and three or four faculty to request references and periodicals.

Western’s libraries included up to 25,000 volumes by the time Mabel Zoe Wilson retired in 1945. Photo courtesy Special Collections, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University

Western publication The Messenger described Wilson’s popular reputation among students and staff in early years: “She has merry wit, she’s clever too — but woe to her whose books are overdue!” Wilson’s own lectures and essays sought to communicate “the truth of Thomas Carlyle says, that the true University of these days, is a collection of books and all education is to teach us how to read.”

Creating Wilson Library

Wilson’s mission to expand the library for the growing student population gained new traction when Charles H. Fisher became president in 1923. The library contained nearly 15,000 volumes by 1915, but World War I and the Spanish Flu halted its growth. Wilson herself organized a 52,000-book library for Camp Lewis near Tacoma.

With Fisher’s support, Wilson made the case for a new library facility. Charles Bebb and Carl Gould, architects of University of Washington fame, expanded the campus into the modern liberal arts university it became under Fisher. The “student’s workshop” Wilson envisioned came to fruition in 1928 — featuring Renaissance arches, stained glass including the rotunda Wilson called “one of the most beautiful windows in the whole Northwest,” and oaken bookshelves holding more than 25,000 volumes.

During the infamous Red Scare-influenced hearing that led to Fisher’s dismissal by 1939, one trumped-up charge concerned his reluctance to name the library after a living person. Defending the university from accusations of “anti-American” reading material, Fisher told the committee: “The lists are always made up by the teachers of each department, submitted to Miss Wilson, and she in turn places the order. She never goes back on a request from a department of the institution. She thinks that the members of these departments are competent to place their orders for books.”

Wilson Library still stands as one of Western’s most impressive buildings, particularly the interior with its stained glass and ornate staircases. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

Wilson continued to expand the library’s inventory, staff, and instruction in credit courses until her retirement in 1945. Wilson Library officially bore her name on April 15, 1964 after a movement led by friends, former students, and colleagues. She died at age 86 only a few weeks after addressing the dedication ceremony, “I do not recognize myself.”

Interpersonally, Wilson was recognized for lavish parties and dinners with students and staff at local hotels. She shared a close friendship with Ella Higginson, Washington state poet laureate and longtime university supporter. Higginson’s letters said, “This is just to tell you how much I admire you and how much I love you — so I hope you’ll receive it before you turn homeward.”

Living on in Wilson’s Library

Today, Western Libraries includes more than one million books. Haggard Hall, named for president William Wade Haggard, adjoined the original library by 1960. The entrance to Wilson Library remembers Mabel Zoe Wilson by her portrait across from the bust of Ella Higginson, added 2018. The portrait’s plaque notes Wilson’s history, concluding, “We remember her as we believe she would have wished, as the creator of our library and an inspiration for sustained excellence in library service.”

Zoe’s Bookside Bagels is one of several areas of Wilson Library where Wilson’s name features. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

Bearing Wilson’s middle name, Zoe’s Bookside Bagels opened in 2010 by the entrance. It offers bagels, sandwiches, coffee, tea, and snacks that students and other visitors enjoy for the brainpower boost at the library.

The online resource MABEL (Multimedia Archives Based Electronic Library) uses a backronym of the foundational librarian’s first name. The search features digital collections from Western’s various colleges and Western Libraries, including the Archives and Special Collections.

Walking through the airy halls today, the spirit of learning that Wilson championed persists.

PeaceHealth Welcomes Surgeons to Clinic Teams

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by PeaceHealth

PeaceHealth recently welcomed several new surgery specialists to its clinics in Bellingham.

Dr. David Droullard. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

David Droullard, MD, MS, is a fellowship-trained colorectal surgeon at PeaceHealth. Dr. Droullard graduated medical school at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. He completed his colon and rectal surgery fellowship at Corewell Health, Michigan State University in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Patients can schedule an appointment with Dr. Droullard at 788-8608.

Dr. Bryan Demyan. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

Bryan Demyan, DO, is a board-certified orthopedic physician at PeaceHealth in Bellingham. His medical interests include orthopedic trauma and complex fracture care. Dr. Demyan received his medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine in Erie, Pennsylvania. He completed his orthopedic trauma fellowship at Grant Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio. His orthopedic surgery residency, where he served as chief resident, was at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation at South Pointe Hospital in Warrensville Heights, Ohio.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Demyan, contact PeaceHealth Orthopedics, Sports Medicine and Trauma Surgery at Medical Office Plaza at 360-733-2092.

Dr. Quynh Le. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

Quynh Le, DO, is a breast surgery oncologist in Bellingham. She completed her fellowship training in breast surgical oncology at the University of Southern California, with an emphasis on oncoplastic surgery during breast cancer management. She earned her medical degree from Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences in Yakima. She also serves as co-director of the Breast Cancer Program at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center.

Dr. Le sees patients at PeaceHealth General, Breast and Trauma Surgery at PeaceHealth Marble Clinic. Contact her at 360-788-8608.

Dr. Danielle Parlin. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

Danielle Parlin, PA-C, is a physician assistant in vascular surgery at PeaceHealth. Danielle received her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Pacific University in Hillsboro, Oregon. She graduated magna cum laude with a degree in biology from Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. She was born and raised in Bellingham.

To schedule an appointment with PA Parlin, call 360-788-6063, at the PeaceHealth Bellingham Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Clinic.

PeaceHealth Awards $610,000 in Grants to Community Health Partners

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by PeaceHealth

PeaceHealth is proud to announce donations totaling $610,000 in grants to local organizations working to improve the health, safety and quality of life in Whatcom County. These grants are part of PeaceHealth’s Community Health program, which has invested over $3.5 million in local initiatives over the past five years. The program reflects the hospital’s mission to go beyond healthcare services, working hand-in-hand with community partners to address pressing needs and provide resources where they are needed most.

Seven partners received grants in October, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, to address critical areas such as housing, food security, mental health, education and access to health services. These partnerships aim to address health inequities and empower local organizations to drive meaningful change.

“We recognize that good health extends beyond the walls of our hospital and clinics,” said Chuck Prosper, chief executive at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center. “By investing in these community organizations, we are helping address the impact of social drivers of health and creating pathways to a healthier, more equitable future.”

Recipients include:

Brothers to Brothers, $25,000: Funding supports this non-profit organization dedicated to improving the physical and mental well-being of Black men in Whatcom County. Its Health and Wellness Program aims to addresses the unique health challenges for Black men while raising awareness and offering resources for advocacy and care.

Catholic Community Services, Villa Santa Fe Baby Resource Center, $25,000: Funding will support the set-up of a mother and baby resource center at Villa Santa Fe, a farmworker housing community. Once open, Spanish-speaking families will have access to a calm and welcoming space to weigh their newborn before and after feeding, and a wealth of other resources.

Common Threads Food Truck, $40,000: Funding supports the food truck “Basil,” which brings free healthy meals and educational activities to low income, BIPOC and rural youth with access barriers to nourishing foods. Since the launch, Basil has served over 32,000 meals at its three after-school sites.

NAMI Whatcom, $25,000: Funding supports additional staffing for NAMI’s outreach to the Latine community, including the Ending the Silence program for youth, families, teachers and staff.

Road2Home, $60,000: Funding supports expansion of the Volunteer Ally Program, which provides comprehensive case management services to our unsheltered and recently housed neighbors.

Whatcom Street Medicine, $10,000: Funding supports a team of volunteer Medical Reserve Corps doctors and nurses providing empathy-based medical care for our unhoused neighbors on the streets, in homeless camps and at homeless shelters.

YWCA Bellingham, Emergency Shelter, $100,000: Funding supports an expansion of emergency housing and case management programs with the addition of a shelter dedicated to women and young children. This 20-unit shelter is set to begin operations in early 2025.

“Local data show that there is a great need for housing and shelter services that meet the unique needs of women and young children,” said Alle Schene, chief executive officer of the YWCA. “We are grateful to be able to provide some much-needed support to those who are particularly vulnerable. Expanding our services to include women and children is a long-time dream come true for YWCA Bellingham and we are thrilled for this opportunity to serve our community.”

These latest grant recipients join a long list of prior recipients including the Bellingham Food Bank, Birchwood International Market, Mercy Housing NW, Lydia Place, The Way Station Medical Respite Program and the Vamos Outdoors Project.

For more information about PeaceHealth Community Health initiatives, visit https://www.peacehealth.org/about-peacehealth/community-health.

Powering Through Black Friday: Preparing and Investing in Your Home with a WholeHome™ Generator

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing

Black Friday is almost here, and as one of the biggest shopping events of the year, it brings deals, crowds, and the excitement of finding the best bargain. But amidst all the chaos, there’s another looming challenge that’s often overlooked: winter weather and power outages. Whether it’s high winds, heavy snow, or an unexpected surge in power demand, a blackout can disrupt not just your holiday plans but your entire household.

If you’ve ever experienced a power outage, you know how disruptive it can be. A sudden blackout can result in lost food from refrigerators and freezers, heating or cooling systems shutting down, loss of hot or clean water, home security systems failing, and more. If the outage lasts for more than a few hours, the inconvenience is multiplied, leading to frustration, financial losses, and potential dangers, especially in extreme weather events.

The average number of annual weather-related power outages has increased by nearly 80% since 2011, and according to the Energy Information Administration, the average home will go without power for seven hours per year (energy.gov). To protect yourself during a winter outage, ready.gov and weather.com suggest taking a few precautions:

Plan for batteries or other alternative power sources for essentials that rely on electricity and ensure you have working flashlights for every member of your household.
Stock your pantry with nonperishable food and keep your freezer and refrigerator closed as much as possible. A fridge will keep food cold for about four hours, while a full freezer will maintain temperature for about 48 hours. Use coolers with ice if necessary, but when in doubt, throw it out! Cold food should not be consumed if its temperature reaches 40 degrees or higher.
Have your wood fireplace/chimney cleaned and secondary heat sources serviced (such as gas or pellet stoves) to ensure sure they’re in good, working condition. Firelight by Barron and Barron Heating & Air Conditioning provide both of these services!
Avoid carbon monoxide poisoning and install carbon monoxide detectors with battery backup on every level of your home. Never use a gas stovetop or oven to heat your home, and ALWAYS use portable generators, camp stoves, and charcoal grills outside and at least 20 feet away from doors and windows.
Wrap any exposed pipes with insulation and let faucets drip if freezing temperatures are a concern.
Close the doors of unused rooms and place towels under the doors to retain heat. At night, cover windows with shades, extra blankets or sheets.
If your water supply and quality could be affected (i.e. you have a well-water system), pre-fill your bathtub for hygiene needs and pre-fill spare containers or purchase enough drinking water for the whole family.
Turn off or disconnect appliances and electronics. Sudden electrical surges when power returns can cause potential damage to your equipment.
Establish alternate plans for refrigerated medicines or power-dependent medical devices and ask specific guidance on any that are critical.

Whatever unique needs you and your family may have, the impact of a power outage can be drastic. And while we all should be prepared for emergencies, an automatic WholeHome™ generator can solve a number of these worries. As the name suggests, a WholeHome™ generator doesn’t just power a few appliances—it can restore power to your entire home in a matter of seconds. That means no more fumbling with your portable unit in the pouring down rain. No more choosing to power your refrigerator over your lights, or freezer over your heat. And imagine coming home from holiday travel to a cold, dark home with frozen pipes. With a WholeHome™ generator, your power will seamlessly remain on, whether you’re home or not.

Black Friday typically coincides with black, stormy nights, which can bring heavy snow, freezing rain, and high winds. But no matter what the weather brings, a WholeHome™ generator will give you the peace of mind that your home will remain safe, warm, and comfortable. This season, we encourage you to consider one of the best investments you can make for your home—an automatic WholeHome™ generator from the experts at Barron Electrical. For a limited time, you’ll save $500 on an on-demand style system, to keep on your lights, heat, and even internet without interruption (allowing to keep at that Black Friday shopping!). As your Pacific Northwest home and building performance experts since 1972, we stand by Our Mission: Improving Lives™.

Cascade Connections Raising Funds to Increase Accessibility

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Group home residents and staff at Pioneer Park in Ferndale — Photo provided by Cascade Connection

Submitted by Cascade Connections

Cascade Connections invites our community’s support in raising $120,000 for much-needed renovations to increase accessibility at our group home. We have plans to complete two major projects that will improve the residents’ quality of life:

Laundry Room Renovations: We need to install wheelchair-accessible counters (for folding laundry), a stainless-steel sink with a power hose, and three washer/dryer sets. These upgrades will increase residents’ independence and skills because they will be able to access the laundry room unassisted and fold their own laundry.
Bathroom Renovations: In four bathrooms, we need new counters, mirrors, cabinets, and sinks that are accessible for people in wheelchairs. These upgrades will increase residents’ autonomy and skills by enabling them to brush their own teeth and wash their own hands.

Group Home resident Peggy with Cascade Connections Executive Director Allison Hill. Photo provided by Cascade Connections

Cascade Connections started in 1980 with our group home, Cascade Christian Home. The group home was founded with the hope that adults with disabilities could live and participate in their own community. When it was built, Cascade Christian Home (CCH) served our population very well. “Over the years, needs have changed and people are aging in place. With the current bathrooms and current laundry room, individuals can’t be independent even if they want to because of the physical barriers that are in place,” says Cascade Connections Executive Director Allison Hill.

For many residents, particularly those in wheelchairs, the layout of these spaces has limited their independence. According to Katie Buckley, CCH Assistant Site Manager, “Even the simple task of washing hands is difficult with our current set-up.” These much-needed renovations will allow residents to complete more personal care tasks independently.

“When you can do things for yourself, you feel better, you feel included, you feel empowered,” Hill says.

Group Home resident Debbie receives help at the washroom sink. Photo provided by Cascade Connections

Please partner with us to empower these individuals. Your donations will make it possible for our residents to reach their full potential. To learn more about this essential project, please take a moment to watch our new video: https://bit.ly/cch-fundraiser

About Cascade Connections: In 2023, Cascade Connections supported 96 individuals with disabilities to live in Whatcom County. We supported 201 people with disabilities in finding or maintaining employment and created 44 new jobs by partnering with local employers. Our Training Center supported over 100 students to complete our Home Care Aide training program and become caregivers in Whatcom County. Cascade Connections cannot do this work without support from the wider community!

Peoples Bank Offers Tips for Fraud Prevention

By

Matt Benoit

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In 2023, Washington residents lost over $253 million to fraud, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data. Nationwide, 2023 fraud numbers were even more sobering: Americans cumulatively lost more than $10 billion.

There’s no shortage of ways in which to be scammed these days, from suspicious emails posing as your bank, a service provider or even a prince, to innocent-seeming text messages and phone calls. Pair this with the increasingly-convincing use of technologies like artificial intelligence and voice-cloning, and it’s no surprise that many people fall for scams.

Renee Naidu. Photo courtesy Peoples Bank

Fortunately, Peoples Bank provides plenty of ways to educate yourself about fraud prevention and protect your finances against everything from banking fraud to phishing scams.

Many Ways to Deceive

There are many types of scams someone can fall for. Renee Naidu, VP, Deposit Operations Director at Peoples Bank, says the most prevalent scams people fall for are those involving “social engineering,” or personal attempts to engage a potential victim.

It may start with a fake text message claiming to be your bank, or making initial contact with the seeming innocence of having contacted the wrong phone number.

“They find a connection and then use that to evolve the conversation into sending money,” Naidu says.

The most nefarious method of doing this involves playing the long game, Naidu adds. A scammer may build up a relationship off an initial “sorry, wrong number” text, building a level of misplaced trust before asking for money.

“It can be really elaborate,” she says. “They play it very slowly, and they’re willing to get to know their mark, starting with even a simple greeting. Then, they’ll let it drag out for months and slowly rob them blind.”

Often, these asks might be towards an investment opportunity in real estate or cryptocurrency. FTC data shows investment scams are particularly successful: consumers lost more than $4.6 billion – more than any other type of scam – in 2023, up 21% from 2022. Money lost to bank transfers and cryptocurrency scams in 2023 exceeded all other methods combined, according to the FTC.

“We have seen someone lose significant amounts of money because they believed the person on the other side [of the phone] was doing investments with them,” Naidu says.

How to Spot a Scam

There are many things you can do to discern the legitimacy of a message or request.

Naidu says to always be mindful of a message’s urgency and if they’re asking to input passwords or other sensitive credentials to further a process. It’s also helpful to take notice of an email’s actual “sent from” address and the area code of texts and calls. If a text claiming to be your Washington bank has a Florida area code, that’s a red flag. If the IRS is contacting you by phone, it’s not the IRS; they traditionally contact taxpayers by mail.

If a suspicious contact is asking for cash, such as through PayPal or even through the mail, that’s another warning sign.

“Asking for cash is a huge red flag,” Naidu says. “Nobody legitimate would ask you to take cash to an ATM or to a money-service provider to get them payment.”

Similarly, no legitimate entity is going to insist on being on the phone with a victim while they are in the process of committing fraud. Some scammers are known for acting threatening or intimidating, especially to the elderly, Naidu says.

Even when your bank does reach out, asking if you made a particular transaction because fraud on your account is suspected, those messages will never ask you for money or give an elaborate set of instructions. Normally, confirmation of suspected account fraud results in your bank card being frozen to discontinue access by whoever has infiltrated your account.

When in doubt about a potential scam, Naidu always says to check things out with those you trust, whether it’s your bank, a utility provider, or a software company. Call or visit your local office, and do not respond to the suspicious message you’ve received.

“Always reach out to a contact that you know,” she says. At Peoples, that can be a bank employee, contact info found on your bank statement, or the phone number written on back of your bank card.

Even if fraud is not directly related to your bank, Naidu says to always notify your bank if financial information may be exposed elsewhere.

“There are things that you may not realize could be impacted,” she says. “If you find out there’s fraud based on unauthorized internet provider account access, you don’t know how much information they got from that access.”

In other words, be transparent, she adds: the bank can’t help if they don’t know what’s going on.

Other Resources

While Naidu points out that there isn’t currently a centralized database to report potential spam and scam phone numbers, pending legislation may one day force phone service providers to hotlist the numbers that scammers are using.

Several government agencies have plenty of links and resources, however, to help you if you fall for a scam. These include websites like consumer.gov, which provides a step-by-step guide based on the particular type of scam you’ve fallen for.

Likewise, the FTC has numerous resources for dealing with fraud, including a reporting process and several tools that train people what to watch out for. Peoples Bank also has a helpful webpage full of information and educational material.

With these tips in mind, any potential scammers you come across will hopefully wind up in the same place: out of luck, and away from your wallet.

From the Barrens of Antarctica to Bellingham Harbor

By

Kelley White

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Scott-Gilbert-Fishing copy — From Maryland to Antarctica and back up to Bellingham, Scott Gilbert has led an adventurous and full life. Photo provided by Scott Gilbert

Folks at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa are a family of hardworking people who care about their positions and the quality of their work. That kind of work ethic can’t be taught, so it’s no surprise each and every one of the staff has an interesting story to share. Among some of the more adventurous of the staff, maintenance engineer Scott Gilbert has been to the very lowest point of the world — literally — and back again. Not to mention, he plays in a Grateful Dead cover band in and around Bellingham.

Early Life

Growing up in Western Maryland, Gilbert was a part of small-town culture with children going out, exploring, and playing with other wandering kids before returning home each night. Gilbert was always drawn to the water.

“My grandparents lived in Annapolis, so I spent lots of time messing around in boats on the Chesapeake Bay,” he says. “Once you start playing around in boats as a kid, you’re a boat guy forever.”

Gilbert began competitive swimming when he was a young boy and continued on to a national level through high school and beyond. “My freshman year of college I had an injury that took me out of that game,” he says, “but I ate, slept and breathed swimming for the majority of my early life.”

Gilbert is the maintenance engineer at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa. Photo provided by Scott Gilbert

Transitioning to maintenance engineer

As an adult, Gilbert followed his deep connection with the water and eventually moved onto a sailboat, embracing life on the sea. However, in order to comfortably afford the lifestyle, Gilbert sought to find work in a distant land.

“It all started in Antarctica,” he says. “Prior to doing this, I had been a cook for a long time, and I ended up in Antarctica working at McMurdo Station as a way to make money during the North American winters so I could have summers off to keep sailing.”

At first, Gilbert primarily cooked for the scientists at McMurdo Station while one of his good friends ran the maintenance shop. “He approached me because he needed somebody who knew kitchen equipment and could work on it,” says Gilbert. “I had worked on most of the equipment, so it kind of backdoored my way into the maintenance shop, and then subsequently I learned about boilers and motors and electronics, and all of the things involved with maintenance. I’ve been a tinkerer all my life, but never professionally, and that was my entry into the professional realm of facilities maintenance.”

Scott worked in Antarctica for 13 Austral summers, a timespan he explains is November through March every year.

Unlimited outdoor recreation was part of the draw to Bellingham for Scott Gilbert. Photo provided by Scott Gilbert

Settling in Bellingham

When Gilbert and his then-wife decided to embark on a land-based life once again, they chose Bellingham for its proximity to the water as well as its countless recreational outdoor activities.

“I really like the access to the marine environment,” Gilbert says. “I’m also an outdoor recreationalist so, the opportunities for that here are great: fishing, skiing, hiking, boating. And I’m a musician, so I really enjoy the music scene.”

The Sleepy Alligators

With his Grateful Dead cover band, The Sleepy Alligators, Gilbert plays guitar and vocals in some of Bellingham’s most beloved musical hotspots.

“The core of the band started around 2015, and a good friend of mine was one of the guitar players,” he says. “I had played with him previously in another band. He passed away a few years back, at which point that band stopped playing. The other guitarist gave me a call to see if I would be interested in sitting in with them to play a set for our buddy’s memorial party.”

Gilbert didn’t hesitate to join them as he knew the material well and admired the talent of the other musicians.

“It was the reunion of that band and was supposed to be a one-off, but before the memorial even happened, we’d already played a couple of gigs we got hired for and had more gigs lined up,” says Gilbert. “We all looked at each other and said, ‘Well, I guess this is what we’re doing now.’”

“I feel very fortunate to play with this group of musicians,” Gilbert says. “They’re all very talented and adept at playing in an ensemble. I like to say that everybody listens more than they play, and that definitely makes the musical interaction among us a lot more fun and fulfilling for everyone.”

Scott Gilbert plays guitar and sings vocals for local Grateful Dead cover band the Sleepy Alligators. Photo provided by Scott Gilbert

At The Chrysalis

As for Gilbert’s career at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa, he appreciates going to work every single day and interacting with both the guests and his fellow staff members.

“I really enjoy working at The Chrysalis,” says Gilbert. “We’re affiliated with the Hilton chain, but still independently owned by Mike Keenan. He’s a wonderful, easy guy to work for. The management staff here are great, responsive. I’m a Hilton-affiliated employee, but the feeling of my job is that I work for a small business. I like that.”

Despite a relatively predictable routine in his day-to-day duties at the inn, Gilbert still finds a problem to solve every now and then. “I’ve done this 1,000 times, and I’m going to do it 1,000 times more, but then there’s also a certain amount of head-scratcher problem solving when things arise,” he says. “I don’t think I would like it all one way or the other, but this provides a really good mix of the two. I’m a maintenance engineer here, so I fix broken stuff and keep the building working like it’s supposed to work.”

Throughout his life, Gilbert finds that maintaining a positive outlook is one of his primary motivations. “I try to meet daily and long-term challenges with a positive outlook, but I know that doesn’t always work,” he says. “I really do try to enjoy what’s around me in my life and keep it moving.”

Whatcom County Holiday Drive To Support Lydia Place and Brigid Collins Support Center

By

LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by John L. Scott Real Estate Bellingham

Realtor Nick Piro, along with brokerage John L. Scott Real Estate Bellingham, are reaching out to the community to help take this 8th annual holiday drive to the next level, with the goal to contribute 1,000 clothing items and gifts to local nonprofits Lydia Place and Brigid Collins Family Support Center.

Join the movement by donating items like toys, clothing, non-perishable food, or toiletries to any of the drop-off locations below between now and December 10th.

Thank you for helping make the holidays special for those who need it most. Let’s come together and spread the joy!

Drop-off Locations:
Lynden Fire Department
@griffithfurniture
@dewaardandbode
@iautohaus1
@larrabeelagerco
@johnlscott_bellingham
@lennysbikeshop
@overflowtaps
@mytrafficman
@evergreenbellingham

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Early Life

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