Signs Plus is a family affair. Jim started the company with his wife Jamie, and now daughter Sydney (middle) is a project manager on the team. Photo courtesy: Signs Plus.
A lot has changed in the sign industry over the years, but Signs Plus has continued to grow and stay current through it all. This local business grew from the ground up and now takes on extensive projects such as the signage at Paine Field’s new airline passenger terminal in Everett.
Signs Plus is a family affair. Jim started the company with his wife Jamie, and now daughter Sydney (middle) is a project manager on the team. Photo courtesy: Signs Plus.
Another memorable project was reworking the Bellingham Herald sign. “Re-doing the Bellingham Herald sign was a really fun project to work on,” says Signs Plus President Jim Sutterfield. “We had been maintaining it for years, but around 2015, the sign was in such poor shape, we suggested a rework would be the most cost-efficient route to go.”
Sutterfield says that if they hadn’t reworked it, parts of the old sign could have blown away in one of Bellingham’s many windstorms.
In order to complete the job, the Signs Plus team used the old sign as a model, constructing a new one exactly like it, piece by piece.
There were a couple major differences – most importantly, the old sign was made of steel, which had rusted. For the new version, Signs Plus used aluminum. And, instead of illuminating it with neon, the new sign was lit with RGB LED lighting.
This marks a major shift in the industry. In the past, fluorescent and neon were the main two lighting sources in outdoor signage, both popular until about five years ago, according to Sutterfield.
Signs Plus redid the Bellingham Herald sign in 2015 replacing it with RGB LED lighting. Photo courtesy: Signs Plus.
Now, many businesses are switching to LED illuminated outdoor signs for their storefronts. The RGB LED lighting systems provide increased capability and functionality, and allow owners to change the tint and color to their liking. Signs Plus has a wealth of experience in the creation and installation of RGB LED signage, neon signage and more.
“Since the price of LEDs has come down, it’s now more cost efficient to use LED when lighting our signs,” Sutterfield says.
RGB LED lighting’s increased functionality is another reason demand for LED lighting has increased. Using computer-programmed software and a Wi-Fi DMX (digital multiplex) controller, Sutterfield’s team can pre-program the signs so individuals can easily control the look.
Satori in downtown Bellingham has an RGB LED sign, which the Signs Plus team connected to a cell phone app, allowing the tint and color to be changed via mobile phone.
With innovative new services like these, it’s no wonder Signs Plus was named as a finalist for best large business of the year. Their accomplishment will be celebrated at the Annual Awards Dinner hosted by the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and presented by First Federal on December 6. The final winner will be named during the event.
Signs Plus has worked with Woods Coffee to create and install their signage. Photo courtesy: Signs Plus.
“We’re really excited and humbled to be up for the award of Large Business of the Year,” Sutterfield says.
Signs Plus now employs 32 people. They’ve come a long way from the sole business venture Jim started with his wife, Jamie, in 1992.
And there’s more to come. Sutterfield and his team are thrilled to be working on many new projects, including the Northern Quest Casino project in Spokane. Signs Plus has done all the design work for the casino’s signage, making it one of the largest projects they’ve taken on.
All signage manufacturing is drafted and completed in Bellingham. Afterward, Signs Plus sends an installation crew, tools and signs to the desired location. These installation crews travel all over Washington State, and even further flung, to install Signs Plus signs.
Another upcoming project? The team will take on all sign and design work for the Granary Building, set to open on the Bellingham waterfront near Waypoint Park in downtown Bellingham.
We’ve all known a friend or loved one who’s battled cancer. It’s a very scary disease with uncertain outcomes and uphill struggles. The world of chemotherapy and radiation treatment is tough to navigate, with many debilitating side effects, including nausea and loss of appetite.
Cannabis made a difference for one local woman fighting stage 4 cancer. Photo courtesy: 2020 Solutions.
One 2020 Solutions customer witnessed that debilitation firsthand after his wife’s diagnosis of Stage 4 follicular lymphoma. If you have follicular lymphoma that’s spread outside of your lymphatic system to an organ that isn’t next to an affected lymph node, you’ve reached Stage 4 of the disease. You also are at Stage 4 if it’s spread to your bone marrow, liver, lungs, brain or spinal cord. Not very good either way.
He wanted to alleviate her pain, so he enlisted cannabis to help her reach the light at the end of the tunnel. He and his wife asked to remain anonymous because they’re active in the community and want to avoid stigma and prejudice. This is their story: a real-life example of how cannabis helped save a life, relayed from their perspective.
Finding Help in Familiar Places
Frankly, I’m an expert pothead. I don’t care, I’ll say it. And it helped me so much. I know what cannabis can really do, especially now I’ve seen it firsthand. It’s the perfect medicine.
January 2018: that’s when my wife was diagnosed with stage 4 follicular lymphoma. Her lymph nodes had tumors. They’d grown to the size of an NFL regulation football. At first, they grew slowly – over a five-year period, to be exact. Often these certain types go undetected. They’re very common. Over the past couple years, she had been experiencing bowel issues and an inability to keep nutrients in her body. In the months before we went to the doctor, she’d lost 35 pounds.
We saw many doctors. Each gave us different reports but eventually, the cancerous mass was discovered. Following the discovery, we went to Seattle Cancer Care Alliance and they recommended a strong regimen of chemotherapy. My wife is from Texas; she’s very tough. So to the doctor, she says, “Go big or go home.”
As many know, chemotherapy has a long list of side effects. And oh, did those side effects come. Loss of appetite and her diminishing desire to eat were noticeable from the beginning. This was how she explained it to me: “It’s like the worst hangover you ever had in college combined with the worst flu you’ve ever had – for months at a time. But the worst part is, you don’t even get to get drunk.”
In addition to the chemotherapy, they gave her (expensive) prescriptions to help with the side effects. They didn’t work and it was terrible to watch her feel like she was always going to hurl. We needed to find another solution.
Having enjoyed marijuana recreationally for the last 40 years, it was an easy choice to consider. The doctors said we could use cannabis to help, but she couldn’t smoke it. I’d been vaping recently, using the Magic-Flight Launch Box and we designed a means to vaporize through it with its bottle-rocket attachment.
The next trick was finding cannabis she could vape. I was able to find B Buds, which are cheap and usually don’t sell too well, because they’re very dry. But for us, this was great. It’s perfect for vaping. I could spend $60 to $90 an ounce for her perfect medicine.
The cannabis enabled her to eat, gain weight and successfully get through the treatment. This type of cancer is so advanced. It’s Stage 4. She really was months from passing away. Her bowels could have ceased from functioning at any time.
I’m convinced, from what I saw, that cannabis helped enable her to eat, regain her appetite, calm her nausea and even help her sleep. Without it, she wouldn’t have been able to heal. After she vaped, she would clean her plate and eat everything I put in front of her. It was truly a blessing. I know she would certainly not be as healthy as she is now, and maybe she wouldn’t even be alive.
What’s great is, I didn’t even have to buy it off the black market. I didn’t have to almost get arrested. I didn’t have to break the bank and nobody scoffed or belittled me for trying to find cheap weed. A lot has changed in the last 40 years.
The 2020 Solutions staff knew I was trying to save somebody’s life; they were so helpful and kind. They worked with me to find what we needed. It was a godsend.
Without cannabis, I don’t know if she would be alive right now. I really don’t. She just completed chemotherapy and we think the cancer is totally gone. We went in for the final PET scan yesterday to see if it’s completely gone. We’re hoping for the best.
Curious?
Both the Iron Street and Guide Meridian 2020 Solutions locations have medical consultants on staff to help you find the cannabis product that works best for your needs. In addition to loose cannabis flower, they have a large selection of topicals, edibles (both savory and sweet), infused beverages, tinctures and CBD products. Their staff prides themselves on being discreet and professional. More importantly, they are extremely patient and genuinely compassionate.
Warning: This product has intoxicating effects and may be habit-forming. Marijuana can impair concentration, coordination, and judgment. Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. There may be health risks associated with consumption of this product. For use only by adults twenty-one and older. Keep out of the reach of children. Marijuana products may be purchased or possessed only by personstwenty-one years of age or older.
Morgan "MoMo" Brown, quarry resident, surveys her latest project: a "sunflower shower" allowing residents to bathe in the site's greenhouse. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Nestled among the trees between Old Highway 99 and Interstate 5, near the border between Whatcom and Skagit counties, you’ll find the Lookout Arts Quarry. There, on roughly 60 acres of property, is a land restoration project doubling as a festival site and campground.
The former quarry is home to the annual Bellingham Arts and Music Festival (BAMF), Sh’Bang and other artistic events, drawing hundreds of people over the course of a few days. But for a select group of artists, this unique place is also their full-time home, providing them a collaborative and communal living environment unlike any they’ve experienced before.
The Lookout Arts Quarry, about a 15-minute drive out of Bellingham, is host to several performance art festivals. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
The property has been in the hands of Ilando (I-Lando) Sparks and a rotating cast of shareholders, many of whom are also residents, over the last decade. Stepping onto the property, which is considered private except during public events, is to be transported to a world of calm and beautiful simplicity.
A Home in the Woods
The Lookout Arts Quarry is about one-third public event space, one-third active wetlands and one-third residential living area. At any given time, up to 18 people live here most or all of the year, with artists coming and going during the summer performance season. Other more temporary residents legally camp from May through October.
The full-time residents live mostly in uniquely-crafted tiny homes with a communal kitchen, library yurt, garden and swimming area that used to be a rock quarry. Pretty much anything you see on the property has been built by residents, for residents.
Sam Top is an installation artist and quarry resident who’s latest project is an outdoor shrine to the dead. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Camellia Nieh is one of those residents. The 41-year-old dance and movement artist first visited here two years ago, and for the past year, she’s called it home. A former Portland resident, Nieh spent much of the previous four years traveling aboard, including stints in Israel and aboard a ship circling the globe.
“This is the kind of place where someone who’s an artist and an adventurer can have a home base and a community,” she says. “This place checks all the boxes for what my priorities were in a home to share with my son: sustainability, non-violent communication; value placed on art and creativity and community and less on consumption.”
Residents of the quarry go through an application process and, once approved, gain full access to communal areas like the kitchen, a place that dictates the number of potential residents based upon food storage space. Different rent rates are available, and community service hours can net residents discounts. Becoming a shareholder of the land is also a process. If other shareholders approve, a new shareholder can purchase shares from a finite allotment. Shareholders can also sell their shares to other shareholders.
Back to the Garden
Lavender and other herbs hang from the ceiling inside a tiny home at the Lookout Arts Quarry. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Inside one of the tiny homes, it smells like a cup of tea. Mint, lavender and other garden herbs dangle from the ceiling, drying so they can be used for homemade teas and elixirs. This is the home of 29-year-old Morgan “MoMo” Brown and her three-year-old daughter Iris. The door to Iris’ room is shaped like a giant leaf.
Brown has lived here for just over two years. When she’s not engaging in shadow puppetry, she spends her time gardening, cooking and wildcrafting. She’ll turn cattail starch into shortbread cookies, and various plants into homemade medicines.
“There are a lot of actively-inspired and motivated people here,” she says of the quarry. Her daughter gets to be around those people, she adds, and that’s a great thing, especially since many of her daughters’ friends are chickens. “I think children flourish when they’re surrounded by many people who can offer them different things,” she says.
Brown plays a huge role in managing the property’s sustainable practices and permaculture, and that includes a truly impressive garden. A brief waltz through the grounds finds chestnut, cherry and apple trees, and inside the greenhouse are 22 tomato plants and dozens of sunflowers. The garden has seasonal squash, melons, cucumbers, kale, raspberries, blue elderberries and edible flowers, many of which are supplied to Dandelion Organics, a local produce delivery business.
Brown says they’ve also planted native species along the wetlands, which are home to beavers, blue herons, snakes, frogs and ducks, among other creatures.
A Diverse Array
Arrington de Dionyso lays on his stomach in front of a 40-foot scroll of white paper. De Dionyso is one of the quarry’s rotating artists-in-residence, who stay at the quarry while completing a specific project. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Inside a rounded yurt that acts as a library, music room and place of artistic contemplation, Arrington de Dionyso lays on his stomach in front of a 40-foot scroll of white paper. Not far away, a saxophone case lies open on the floor.
The 43-year-old Olympia-based musician and painter is the latest artist-in-residence at the quarry. Currently, he’s working on a stop motion animation project that will produce a 10-minute video and a finished scroll drawing. He’ll exhibit both pieces here and in Bellingham, before continuing his travels.
“It’s stunningly beautiful,” he says of getting to live here for a month. “I’ve travelled all over the world, and I don’t have anything that immediately comes to mind to compare to this place.”
Cullen Beckhorn, 31, is a quarry resident who helps run the Artist Residency program. From a Canadian performing a one-woman rock opera to a Japanese dancer, the program has hosted a diverse array of artists who can best utilize the quarry’s resources, such as the dance studio built in the Warehouse, the main communal building onsite.
Beckhorn also helps book and manage performers for Sh’Bang, the largest event put on by residents of the quarry. What began about 10 years ago as an off-road soap box derby is now a three-day “festival of ideas” featuring dozens of live performers on five different stages. There are bands, circus performers, burlesque, puppetry and even a giant aerial piñata show. The stage areas themselves are also quite fun; one looks like a pirate ship, while another resembles a Wild West saloon.
“Basically, there’s too much going on, all the time,” says Sam Top, a 35-year-old installation artist who lives at the quarry part-time.
A Wonderful Place
Morgan “MoMo” Brown, a quarry resident, surveys her latest project: a “sunflower shower” allowing residents to bathe in the site’s greenhouse. Photo credit: Matt Benoit.
Each of the quarry’s residents seem to love this place for different but similar reasons.
For Nieh, it’s about having both a place to create and collaborators to do it with, being in nature, and being able to swim every day, even in winter, without clothes.
For Beckhorn, it’s the kindred spirits of the people and the landscape itself.
“By nature of what a quarry is, it’s extractive and exploitative of the land,” he says. “So, being in this site that’s been so damaged, and figuring out how to live with it in a way that’s more sustainable and mutually-supported, has been maybe the most exciting part for me.”
And for Top, it’s because the quarry community isn’t based around being a community; it’s based around creating something for others, whether it’s an event or a piece of art.
“The mission,” he says, “feels bigger than just making a nice place for us to be.”
The Lighthouse Mission has been serving three hot meals a day since 1923. Photo courtesy: Lighthouse Mission.
Hans Erchinger-Davis, executive director of Lighthouse Mission, recalls one woman who came in on occasion. “She never stayed long, only the night,” he says. She often slept in downtown Bellingham business doorways and occasionally showed up at the mission for a warm meal and a bed. This went on for over five years.
The woman seemed to have no desire to get off drugs – until the day when she doubled over with severe abdominal pain and was rushed to the hospital.
Over 250 meals are served to the needy every day at the Lighthouse Mission. Photo courtesy: Lighthouse Mission.
There she discovered the incredible. She was pregnant … and in labor.
She gave birth a couple hours later to a drug-addicted, newborn baby girl. CPS took the baby immediately, and the woman found a new purpose.
Everything changed. She now wanted to live a clean, drug-free life for her child. This time she showed up at the drop-in center with intention; she was dedicated to getting her child back. The Lighthouse Mission placed her in their Agape Home for women and into a recovery program. Six months later, she was allowed visitation rights.
“The woman was so joyous that she had her baby,” says Erchinger-Davis. “She now has her baby on the weekends and her visitation has grown. We see that a lot in the women’s shelter. Women lose their kids with CPS, then get [the opportunity] back; they get a shot at life again.”
A man receives advice from a counselor at Lighthouse Mission. Photo courtesy: Lighthouse Mission.
Lighthouse Mission recently launched a Street Connect Program that has been very well-received in the community. The Street Connect van trolls the city looking for homeless in need of help. Staff build trust with often paranoid and marginalized people who have learned to distrust others during their oftens dangerous lives on the street. Staff and volunteers offer sandwiches, socks, water, blankets, hygiene items, a free ride to the shelter and – most importantly – friendship and a kind ear for those who need it most.
The new program has been a huge success and “that’s been a real joy to see,” says Erchinger-Davis. “Reach out – Invite in,” is their fitting tagline.
Dedicated staff and Street Connect volunteers bring lunch and friendship to those in need. Photo courtesy: Lighthouse Mission.
The new program has been so successful, they’re already expanding with a shower trailer. It will be called “Shower Connect” and will be hitting the streets shortly after Thanksgiving with two separate shower stalls, each with a toilet, sink and a charging station. It will be parked around town in church parking lots and onsite at the mission.
“We’re really excited about that,” Erchinger-Davis says. “It provides dignity to people who feel bad about themselves. We will be posting a schedule on flyers through Street Connect. We’re continuing to look for partners to host the trailer.”
Erchinger-Davis enjoys the immediate results. “People show up dirty and they come out all clean and smiling,” he says. He would like to compel new volunteers to help out with Shower Connect and, in so doing, “dispel a lot of myths around homelessness.”
The mission is focused on helping every aspect of the individual and providing tools for them to not only survive for the night, but become healthy – mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. The Mission serves three meals per day and people are given the opportunity to access medical clinics, legal help, recovery services and employment classes.
“People don’t become homeless because they run out of resources,” says Erchinger-Davis. “They become homeless because they run out of relationships.”
A new Shower Connect mobile trailer will offer warm showers to the homeless around town. Photo courtesy: Lighthouse Mission.
One man worked with the mission for several years in his fight with addiction. One day, he confided to Erchinger-Davis that he hadn’t spoken to his daughter for 15 years. The man had never heard of social media and Erchinger-Davis immediately pulled his daughter’s profile up and showed the man her pictures. He then found out that he was a grandfather.
Erchinger-Davis helped him create a page of his own and connect with his daughter. Several weeks later, Lighthouse Mission bought the man a plane ticket to visit her in Los Angeles. Although he still struggles with addiction, he now has a new reason to strive for sobriety.
“Imagine how that feels; the loneliness, the worst of human emotions,” Erchinger-Davis says. “We’re going to love you no matter what. This relationship is for life. We’ll be here for you. That’s a powerful thing, to know that there’s always a home here.”
Erchinger-Davis and his staff are dedicated to the well-being and recovery of thousands of people every year. They tirelessly connect with populations that aren’t always easy to work with. The majority have alienated all others around them, due to past trauma, mental illness and addiction. Eighty percent of those who walk through the doors are mentally unwell. Staff welcomes them as they are and lovingly press on.
The Lighthouse Mission has been serving three hot meals a day since 1923. Photo courtesy: Lighthouse Mission.
“We’re after the human heart,” says Erchinger-Davis. “What we really enjoy is seeing the transformation. This is a long-term solution. The goal is that when they move out, they’re a productive person, engaged in the community. They have their life back.”
The Lighthouse Mission is 100 percent privately funded by generous donors. They host one large fundraiser every year called “A Light in the Night.” The next one is coming up March 2, 2019. Buy your tickets early, as they always sell out.
The Lighthouse Mission welcomes a variety of donations and volunteer hours. New toiletries and catered leftovers are all lovingly accepted and passed on to the needy as well. They also accept these items, which help further their mission of uplifting those most in need.
Nelson's Market/Marlin's Cafe sits on the corner of Humboldt and Potter Street, right on the old trolley line. Photo credit: Marissa Dykman.
If you’ve ever yearned to be transported back in time – back to the ages of trolleys, lavish Victorian architecture and charming corner markets – then a trip to Nelson’s Market is just what you need.
A callback to Victorian times, this general store is located in the heart of the historic York neighborhood and is a true testament to community involvement and preservation. Despite being located in ever-progressing Bellingham, the market, built in 1895, retains its historic roots and remains a hub for members of the community. They proudly decree the motto: “The stationary float in the parade of life.”
Owner Anne Mackie shows off the photo wall depicting Nelson’s history. Photo credit: Marissa Dykman.
“As the world changes, we’re still here,” explains Anne Mackie, who co-owns the market and café with her husband, John Ostby.
Ostby purchased Nelson’s Market over 37 years ago, renovating it from the ground-up and adding Marlin’s Café in the late 2000s. Marlin’s Café derives its name from Ostby’s slow pitch softball team, and three large, decorative Marlins are on display throughout the building. The space is decorated with Ostby’s collection of vintage memorabilia, from sports banners to old posters, and neon signs. Although the café started out serving only breakfast, word quickly spread in the neighborhood and business grew. They now serve three meals a day, seven days per week.
Originally built as York Addition Meat Market, the butcher shop was converted into Nelson’s Market in 1916. Because of its location off Humboldt Street next to the trolley line, it became a “hub of activity,” says Mackie.
The Meat Market was even a participant in the very first Ski to Sea Race in Bellingham! The building’s rich history is still on display in the café, where visitors can see original photos of the Meat Market, previous owners, and peek back into the old York neighborhood.
Nelson’s Market has been in the York neighborhood since 1895, and originally started out as a butcher shop. Photo credit: Marissa Dykman.
“We’re about honoring the past and carrying it into the future,” says Mackie.
In fact, the market and café serves up more than just food and necessary provisions – it’s a gathering place for community involvement. Mackie, a board member on the York Neighborhood Association Board, is committed to seeing a healthy, safe and historically protected community.
“We want to see it maintain its integrity,” says Mackie.
According to the City of Bellingham’s official website, the York neighborhood is one of the oldest neighborhoods in the city. A majority of its houses were built between 1890 and 1910, with approximately 260 houses currently contributing to the neighborhood’s historic designation. It is a densely populated, multi-generational neighborhood that actively resists re-development and the tearing down of old buildings.
“It would be a shame to lose this,” says Mackie.
Nelson’s hosts several community events throughout the year, from sponsoring a little league team, helping with neighborhood clean-ups, and providing free ice cream cones for children on their last day of school. During the holidays, neighbors gather outside the Market for the annual York Holiday Caroling Party and Horse Wagon Rides, where participants give donations to the food bank in exchange for a ride in authentic horse-pulled buggies to a nearby nursing home to sing Christmas carols.
“Our food is a good bargain and great quality,” says owner Anne Mackie. Photo courtesy: Annie Mackie.
“We build a sense of community, so that everyone looks out for each other,” says Mackie.
And, of course, you can’t forget about the food! Marlin’s Café focuses on authentic, from scratch food, breakfast to dinner. Their specialties include homemade soups with meat and vegetarian options, hamburgers and hand-cut fries, a plethora of fresh seafood dishes, and their mouth-watering biscuits and gravy.
Because of the central location of the café, it is especially popular as a weekend breakfast stop for families, and a great place for college students to grab a quick breakfast burrito before heading off to school. “It’s really a convenient neighborhood,” says Mackie.
However, as with any business, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing. When Ostby purchased Nelson’s in the early 1980s, it was in a state of disrepair and the Marlin’s side of the building was boarded up. After working on every square inch and “taking the floor down to dirt,” as Anne puts it, they rebuilt the kitchen, built seating, and double-paned the windows for energy efficiency.
Although the start-up of Marlins was slow, Nelson’s Market was able to carry it financially, and now they are both vital entities. “We’re fortunate to have the support of the neighborhood,” says Mackie.
Nelson’s Market/Marlin’s Cafe sits on the corner of Humboldt and Potter Street, right on the old trolley line. Photo credit: Marissa Dykman.
Whether you’re looking for a historical experience, a place to get involved, a delicious brunch, or to simply grab a few household items, Nelson’s Market and Marlin’s Café is a community must-see. Fortunately, it’s located just off Lakeway Drive and tucked directly outside the ever-moving Downtown, making it the perfect hidden treasure of Bellingham. Although off the beaten path, according to Mackie, the support of the community has kept Nelson’s alive for well over a century. “This place could live another 150 years-easily,” Mackie says.
The old gym, which has been open since 1968, has been updated over the years. Some of the changes have included new bleachers and green wall padding. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
In the winter of 1968, the Sehome High School gym saw its first season. Now, 50 years from its opening, the whole school is being rebuilt, with its new gym opening after winter break this January. The rest of the new school will open for the second semester.
Colin Cushman is the Athletic Director for Sehome High School. He has been working there since 1992, over half the time that the current gym has been open. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
The process to build the new school has been extensive. “There was a design committee two years ago, where the design was put together, and that was probably about thirty people,” says Colin Cushman, the school’s Athletic Director.
The committee included teachers, assistant superintendents from the district office, community members, an architect, and a few people from the construction company. “We started with what do we see as the main purpose of the school,” Cushman explains. “We came up with some driving principles to help us through the design. [We wanted it to be] student friendly, so that there were a lot of places for classrooms to break out into the hallway areas, lots of places for socializing, and also the ability to sustain growth or changes that might happen, because we probably need to have this building for another 50 years. The architects guided us through the nuts and bolts of our ideas and how we could put those actually to work for our building, to meet our needs.”
Sehome’s many awards are displayed in the gym’s foyer, in between the boys and girls locker rooms. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
For the new gym, this means modernization and ease of use. “I didn’t want the big, giant gym like they have at Bellingham or Squalicum,” Cushman says. “I wanted to have a bigger gym than we have, but have a separate gym so that when you have some sort of event going on in the main gym, you could still do other things. You don’t have to find another place for teams to practice or PE classes. If we have an assembly, and we take a half hour to set up for the assembly, then the PE classes get displaced right now. But with an auxiliary gym, they can go into that space. We could set up in the main gym, and everyone still can do their thing. It’s way more efficient and allows for a lot of different things to happen at the same time.”
The construction of the new building has happened right behind the current one. Students can see its progress from various places on campus. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
This also allows for c-team, JV and varsity games to happen concurrently, as there will be two courts in the main gym and one in the auxiliary gym.
There’s also better technology and design for assemblies and other events. The current Sehome gym has very poor acoustics, which interferes with band performances and the sound system during school assemblies. In the new gym, there will be a state-of-the-art sound system, as well as a large video screen.
These additions mark a huge change from the original gym, which has seen minor updates through the years. “When I first started here, we had these wood bleachers that you had to pull out by hand, and they were treacherous, to say the least, because there were gaps in between,” says Cushman, who started working at Sehome in 1992. “They were always worried that kids were going to fall through them or something like that. It also was really dark in that gym all the time. We did a lot of little things to try and lighten it up and make it a happier facility.”
In addition to a newer and more modern gym, the new Sehome will also have an updated and larger theatre. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
However, the move into the new gym will still be bittersweet for the Sehome community. “We’ve had a lot of teams come through,” Cushman says. “We had a team back in the mid-90s that a lot of people consider the best high school basketball team in the state of Washington, ever. They went undefeated – they won the state championship by like 40 points – and we had some games in there that year that were really, really fun; great memories. It’s not so much necessarily the gym but the things that were happening in the gym that were really cool.”
The very last day for the current Sehome gym will be December 14. To celebrate, there will be a “Bellinghome” basketball game against Bellingham High School, one of Sehome’s main rivals. The game will include friendly spirit competitions and crowd involvement.
The old gym, which has been open since 1968, has been updated over the years. Some of the changes have included new bleachers and green wall padding. Photo credit: Serena Keenan.
“We’re also going to have alumni invited in,” Cushman says. “Different people from different decades, and honoring the different things that have happened in the gym. Make it a neat little sendoff. At that point, that’ll be it – last thing we’ll have in there. Then, we’ll do a celebration when we open the new gym too. Lots of fun stuff.”
Over winter break, the old gym will be knocked down to make room for construction parking, after a team goes through and salvages parts for resale. Throughout the next year, the old building will be demolished and new sports fields will be built. By October 2019, the new Sehome High School should be up and running – looking forward to another 50 years.
Olympia's Downtown for the Holidays Jingle Bell Parade always delights with festive floats and smiling faces. Photo credit: Julie Alonso.
The weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are by far my favorite. It’s all about long-standing traditions with family and creating a lifetime of memories. In my house, nothing goes better with that extra piece of Thanksgiving pie than settling in to watch A Christmas Story.
Santa rides in style with Lacey Fire in the annual Lacey Parade of Lights. Photo courtesy: Experience Olympia & Beyond and City of Lacey.
“Christmas [is] on its way. Lovely, glorious, beautiful Christmas around which the entire kid year revolved,” as the narrator so eloquently puts it. This quintessential holiday classic reminds me of everything I love about the holiday season. The twinkling store front displays, fresh cut Christmas trees, festive parades and, of course, the joyful (albeit freighting) visit with Santa. If you aren’t familiar with the movie, Ralphie, the main character and narrator, reflects on the merriment and joy leading up to Christmas in his snowy, quaint midwestern town.
While every town offers ways to celebrate, it’s always fun to load up the family and get out and explore. Thurston County has plenty of decidedly different ways to welcome the holidays. Whether you want to make a day of it or spend a weekend, Experience Olympia & Beyond offers a few suggestions to help you create your own Christmas story (Red Rider BB Gun optional).
Shop for Fresh Cut Christmas Trees
Olympia’s Downtown for the Holidays Jingle Bell Parade always delights with festive floats and smiling faces. Photo credit: Julie Alonso.
Thurston County, home of the bountiful byway, is the perfect place to get your fresh-cut tree and other farm fresh goodies. Sure, you can buy a tree most anywhere, but if you’re looking for an experience, visit Hunter’s Tree Farm, located at 741 Yelm Hwy SE in Olympia. It’s like a trip to Santa’s workshop (or at least his stables), complete with wood burning stove, live reindeer and free hot cocoa and coffee in Mrs. Claus’ kitchen. And on the first three weekends in December, you can even meet the big guy himself.
Another great option for artisan holiday decor, farm fresh foods, trees and evergreen wreaths is Schilter’s Family Farm, located at 141 Nisqually Cutoff Road SE in Olympia. A visit to the nativity scene in the 140 plus year-old barn offers a sense of peace you won’t find elsewhere. And don’t forget to grab some of their delicious homemade fudge to fill a stocking or two.
Downtown for the Holidays
Stop by to see Santa on the first three weekends in December at Schilter’s Family Farm. Photo courtesy: Experience Olympia & Beyond and Schilter’s Family Farm.
If you’re looking for a good old-fashioned hometown experience, ring in the holiday season with Olympia’s Downtown for the Holidays, Sunday, November 25. Best known for the Jingle Bell Parade and the annual tree lighting ceremony held in Sylvester Park, this hallmark event hosts family-friendly festivities all day. Step in out of the cold and back in time as the historic Hotel Olympian is transformed into a scene right out of the North Pole. Get your photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus before swinging by the Washington Center for the Performing Arts to view and vote on the elaborate, delicious smelling gingerbread houses and castles on display. Then come back at 5:00 p.m. in your best circus attire or Victorian apparel and take part in the Greatest Showman Sing-Along. Get a detailed list of the festivities by visiting the Olympia Downtown Alliance website.
No trip downtown, especially during the holidays, is complete without window shopping. Grab a hot beverage and meander the cozy blocks of downtown Olympia’s shopping scene. Watch as store fronts come alive for Twinkle Fest and pick up a unique gift for friends or family. This annual holiday decorating contest runs all season offering patrons an opportunity to vote for their favorite and win prizes.
Oly on Ice
Ring in the New Year family-style with the Hands on Children’s Museum’s Noon Years Eve Party in Olympia. Photo courtesy: Experience Olympia & Beyond and Hands on Children’s Museum.
Olympia is celebrating the opening of the area’s first outdoor ice rink – Oly on Ice, located at the new Isthmus Park. Nothing says winter merriment quite like ice skating with family. The fully equipped rink will open every day (except Thanksgiving) beginning November 16 and January 6, with the grand opening celebration on Sunday, November 25 during Olympia’s Downtown for the Holidays. For a decidedly different experience, meet your favorite Nutcracker characters or dress-up like a super hero during the themed skate nights, every Thursday following Thanksgiving from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Look at the Lights
For a different take on traditional light displays and parades, there are two unique options in Thurston County – one by land, the other by sea. On Saturday, December 1, head over to Olympia’s Port Plaza to watch the annual Parade of Lighted Ships. Santa and cheerful carolers welcome the fleet of floating merriment at 6:00 p.m. For an experience out of the elements, make reservations at one of the area’s portside restaurants. On December 3, bundle up and head over to Sleater-Kinney and 7th Ave SE in Lacey for the Lacey Parade of Lights at 6:30 p.m. This homegrown event features vehicles of all shapes and sizes decked out in thousands of twinkling lights. Then stay around for the annual tree lighting in Huntamer Park.
Everyone will find delight as ships twinkle in the night for Olympia’s annual Lighted Boat Parade. Photo courtesy: Experience Olympia & Beyond and Yacht Club.
For those that love fire trucks and caroling, swing into the Tumwater Christmas Tree Lighting Festival on December 8 from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Local choirs fill the Tumwater Fire Station with holiday cheer, while the community takes part in free crafts and games as they await Santa’s arrival on the antique fire truck.
And if you’re looking for a family-friendly way to celebrate the end of 2018, round out the holidays at the Noon Year’s Eve Party at Olympia’s Hands on Children’s Museum. This fun spin on New York City’s celebration is for the kid in all of us. Meet storybook characters, do crafts and experience the ball drop every hour (without missing out on any beauty sleep)!
There are more than enough reasons to spend your holidays in and around Thurston County. Spend a day or weekend creating your own decidedly different Christmas story. For help planning your stay, visit the Experience Olympia & Beyond website or give them a call at 360-704-7544.
Barb and Mark Fuller, two of the owners of Entertainment News Northwest. Photo courtesy: Barb and Mark Fuller.
Entertainment News Northwest (ENNW) is in its 15th year as premier art and entertainment publication of Northwest Washington. A 2014 recipient of the Mayor’s Arts Award, this free, monthly, multi-page glossy magazine reports on arts and events in Whatcom and Skagit Counties where ENNW is a fixture.
The 10,000 copies printed each month are distributed to more than 200 locations and can be found in Whatcom and Skagit county libraries, both Community Food Co-ops and Village Books.
Barb and Mark Fuller, two of the owners of Entertainment News Northwest. Photo courtesy: Barb and Mark Fuller.
Loyal supporters and advertisers of ENNW may not know that owners Barb and Mark Fuller are making plans to retire from the helm of ENNW.
Where It All Began
Barb was working part time doing marketing for TCBY, bringing yogurt samples to exercise classes. One day, the store manager asked her to create a promotional flyer. She had never done anything like that before, but having her first MAC at home, with determination and grit, she did as asked.
Over a short period of time, she taught herself graphic design. This was 1992, and when more design work started coming in, she and Mark created Our House Publishing (OHP). Barb soon found herself getting steady work doing graphic design for Minuteman Press and creating memorial programs for local funeral homes.
Mark retired from his public service career in 1997 and was able to spend more time working with OHP. Their largest client at that time, the Bellingham Theatre Guild, had them producing programs and occasional swag (t-shirts and tote bags) for their season of plays.
This is the first cover of the first edition of Entertainment News Northwest from February, 2004. Photo courtesy: Barb and Mark Fuller.
One of their many customers at the time was “Town and Country Jewelers,” formerly located in the Bellwether Plaza. The owner introduced them to the manager of the Bellwether Hotel, who asked them if they could create a bi-annual glossy lifestyle magazine that would showcase Whatcom County, to be placed in every hotel room.
“Of course we can,” Mark said.
It was agreed the magazine could be distributed to other local hotels as well. Mark solicited local businesses, sold ads, and Fourth Corner View was born.
Every six months for the next three and a half years, they printed a beautiful long form magazine that included stories on Colophon Cafe’s chocolate cake, Ski to Sea, Yeager’s, Mark Twain, Edward R. Murrow, Karolyn Grimes who played ZuZu Bailey in the film “It’s A Wonderful Life,” and Bellingham resident Noemi Ban. Jeff Jewell and Todd Warger from the Whatcom Museum were helpful from the beginning with finding historical photos.
After completing a few issue cycles, the Fullers felt the moment was right to create a monthly “what’s happening” magazine, as there was nothing else being published at the time. Northwest Events and Lifestyle Review had filled that niche in the past, but had been out of print for months. Shortly after their final issue of Fourth Corner View, Barb, Mark and six other people on the original publishing team pulled together their first issue of ENNW in February 2004.
Barb says her favorite part of publishing the magazine is designing the cover. “I love processing the photos and editing the printed copy,” she says. “I love the calendar section and knowing what is happening before anyone else does.”
Meredith Murray, Licensed Real Estate Broker and selling agent for ENNW. Photo courtesy: Meredith Murray.
Mark is proud of the fact that ENNW has always been a cooperative effort with Barb and partners Gladys Crnich and Lynna Dunn Fuller, as well as retired partners Dorothy and Cary Worthen, each bringing their special skill set and taking responsibility for design, content, grammatical correctness, layout and bookkeeping. Mark offers to those who may be interested in owning a magazine that ENNW is a profitable and popular publication that has not required a full time staff of people. “It has not been a full time endeavor for the four working partners,” he adds.
They have the magazine up for sale with Real Estate Listing Broker Meredith Murray of MacDonough Real Estate. Meredith keeps the magazine’s current issue readily available for the entire month “so I can keep track of and attend the many offerings – from music and poetry to art exhibits and workshops.” She also appreciates the feature articles.
Speaking of feature articles, the magazine boasts a team of loyal and regular monthly contributors (like me). And Margaret Bikman, who was Arts and Entertainment coordinator at The Bellingham Herald for 27 years, has been a contributor both in print and online for ENNW since August 2017. Margaret has expressed her interest to continue sharing her enthusiasm for the arts in Whatcom and Skagit counties with readers of ENNW.
Mark and Barb agree that successful new owner(s) do not need to be a fine artist, dancer or actor. They should only be enthusiastic about being involved and promoting the arts to the community. Interested parties are invited to contact Meredith Murray at 360-739-0871.
Fantastic views of Mount Baker and the North Cascades are the backdrop to Semiahmoo Resort. Photo courtesy: Samantha Stewart.
Located in the middle of Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay, Semiahmoo Resort serves up stunning views of Peace Arch Historical State Park and the British Columbia city of White Rock. The scenic getaway is great for bird watching and viewing ocean wildlife – but that’s not all; the resort offers year-round fun via its many seasonal programs. The best part? You can even enjoy these activities during the Pacific Northwest’s rainy season.
The resort is located on the Semiahmoo Spit in the middle of Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo Bay. Photo courtesy: Semiahmoo Resort.
General Manager Nicole Newton says Semiahmoo’s versatility is what makes it great. It’s a place for families, retirees, couples and newlyweds. And it’s a place with a variety of activities, events and happenings, regardless of the season.
Need a massage? You got it. Want to watch a movie with the kids in an expansive movie theater? Yep, you can do that too. Or perhaps you want to have a nice meal, dining on original Pacific Northwest cuisine. You’re in the right place.
In addition to these year-round activities at Semiahmoo Resort, there are specific seasonal programs. These events are very popular during the winter and fall months.
You don’t have to wait for summer to take a vacation. Read on to discover eight events you won’t want to miss this fall and winter at Semiahmoo Resort.
1. Winemaker Dinner Series
Semiahmoo Resort is the perfect place to celebrate your holiday season. Photo credit: KIPMAN Creative.
Gather at Semiahmoo Resort this fall and winter to take part in the Winemaker Dinner Series. This is your chance to taste notable wines paired with seasonally inspired menus. Each wine dinner features vino from a different winery. The Semiahmoo culinary team works with them to create each dinner’s menu.
The Cline Family Cellars will host a dinner on Thursday, December 13.
2. Wreath Making
Tis the season! Come by Semiahmoo and join in a class to create your own wreath out of fresh pine, pine cones and more. Creating a wreath at Semiahmoo is a lovely way to remember your time there and, once you’re done, you can take your wreath home and hang it up to celebrate the holidays. The wreath-making class at Semiahmoo lasts from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21 and costs $30 per wreath.
It’s time for Semiahmoo Resort’s Thanksgiving Scramble! You don’t want to miss this competition on Saturday, November 24 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The Thanksgiving Scramble is fun for the whole family and it’s Semiahmoo’s second time hosting the annual event. Participate in this relay race and get a chance to win some fantastic prizes. The Thanksgiving Scramble is complimentary to all overnight guests, and costs $5 for families not staying at the resort.
5. Cadée Distillery Takeover
Fantastic views of Mount Baker and the North Cascades are the backdrop to Semiahmoo Resort. Photo courtesy: Samantha Stewart.
Cadée Distillery takes over Packers Kitchen + Bar at Semiahmoo Resort on Friday, December 14 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Cadée Distillery crafts award-winning spirits, with a focus on innovation and creating unique American Spirits. The distillery is located on Whidbey Island and has won multiple awards since opening in 2013.
6. Gingerbread Houses
Making a gingerbread house is one of the most memorable holiday pastimes, and now you can do it during your stay at Semiahmoo Resort. Get ready to demonstrate your craftiness and join the gingerbread house-building party. Each participant will decorate their own mini gingerbread house. Graham crackers, frosting and candy are all provided. The cost for this event is $30 per gingerbread house. The gingerbread extravaganza will be held on Saturday, December 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Saturday December 22 from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
7. New Year’s Eve Bash
It’s been fun 2018, but it’s time to move on. We’re already counting down the days until 2019! Get those New Year’s resolutions ready, don your finest attire and bring your best dance moves to Semiahmoo Resort’s New Year’s Eve Bash.
From 5:30 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Dec. 31, Semiahmoo Resort will be rockin’ as they ring in the new year. The New Year’s Eve Bash will feature dinner, a balloon drop, champagne toast and live music.
Tickets for the event are $75 for adults and $16 for children (6-12), while children under 5 are free. Don’t want the buffet dinner, but want to come for the party? No worries, it’s only $35 for entry after 9:00 p.m.
Semiahmoo Resort has a plethora of events and activities you don’t want to miss. So take a break and make your holiday season truly merry and bright.
The intriguing Leader Block building has over 100 years of history. Photo courtesy: Leader Block Wine Co. & Eatery.
Ferndale’s Leader Block is a special place. “The leader block building has an interesting, distinct history as a vibrant, underground speakeasy,” says Robert Pinkley, owner of the Leader Block Wine Co. & Eatery.
Located in downtown Ferndale, the building has a sordid past. “Upstairs was a barbershop and a drugstore, and that was a front for the speakeasy that was located in the basement,” says Pinkley, who has owned the building for the past 15 years. He’s found old bottles and distilling equipment in the basement, complete with an old timey speakeasy door. If you can imagine a pioneer Great Gatsby structure, the Leader Block is it. It’s rumored that the top floor was home to a brothel.
Leader Block Wine Co. and Eatery is open with a fresh, creative Italian menu. Photo credit: Jessica Hamilton.
Eventually, police somehow caught on. Perhaps it was when floods of people dressed to the nines were seen heading down the basement steps every Friday and Saturday night. Or maybe it was when they staggered back out again in the middle of the night. The building is right in the middle of Main Street, after all. However it happened, the police force figured it out. And that’s when it happened: the violent police raid.
Not much is known about the specifics of the raid or the speakeasy, except for the remnants in the basement. “It’s hard to find documentation of illegal activities,” says Pinkley, but rumor has it that the brothel’s madam, now known as Lady Leader Block, was killed during the raid.
A server delivers fresh Italian food to Ferndale guests. Photo courtesy: Leader Block Wine Co. & Eatery.
Although she died almost 100 years ago, her ghost is alive and well today. Doors sometimes open and glasses are pushed off counters. “She mostly loves to break glass,” says Brett Wiltse co-owner of the Leader Block. And there are a lot of witnesses to prove it. Even guests have seen wine glasses mysteriously fall off of shelves while dining at the bar. She’s a friendly ghost, with a nice spirit – glass breaking aside – but no one has ever seen her head on. “No exact figures, but you’ll be down there [in the basement] and see something out of the corner of your eye,” says Wiltse.
After extensive renovations, Pinkley recently opened the Leader Block Wine Company and Eatery on the main floor of the building and transitioned it from a wine bar to a full Italian Restaurant. It’s so fresh that the walls still smell faintly like varnish, but it’s already incredibly popular and receiving rave reviews from new fans. “This is just what Ferndale needed,” he’s often told by guests. The fresh Italian food is made from scratch and has caught on like wildfire. On Wednesday nights, diners spill out the front door waiting for tables while Roy Knaak plays live on the saxophone.
Owner Robert Pinkley, Brett Wiltse and Amberleigh Brownson pose in the entrance. Photo courtesy: Leader Block Wine Co. & Eatery.
“I have a family background in agriculture,” says Pinkley, whose family lived in the Yakima Valley where they were “orchardist and hop farmers and also had tertiary relationships with the Batali family where we source our cured meats and derive our inspiration.”
Pinkley has big plans in the Whatcom County area and is bringing his love of historical buildings with him. “I have been a developer of turn-of-the-century buildings and also a wine exporter and I decided to put those two together,” says Pinkley.
He brings the vision and Wiltse, his business partner, provides the brawn, making the spaces come alive with his experience in construction. “The Leader Block wine company has established itself in Ferndale at the Leader Block building but has ambitious plans to go to other regions in Western Washington to open tasting rooms and restaurants,” says Pinkley.
He’s currently looking for spaces in older buildings around Whatcom County. Each will be unique and specific to the area, but go by the Leader Block name.
Roy Knaak plays saxophone for a packed house on Wednesday nights. Photo courtesy: Leader Block Wine Co. & Eatery.
Pinkley prides himself on hiring local people, including Amberleigh Brownson, number three to their company trifecta. Brownson used to co-own EAT Restaurant and Bar in Bellingham, but sold her half of the business to start a restaurant consulting company. Now director of operations, she has a wine that bears her name and silhouette sold at Leader Block.
Taking full advantage of their sordid speakeasy past, Leader Block has fun playing up the building’s history with legitimate, historical, speakeasy drinks utilizing old fashioned recipes with a Whatcom twist. For example, the Ferndale Sazerac is a classic drink made with local blueberries. On December 5, they’re planning a huge end-of-prohibition party.
Currently Leader Block is open for social hour and dinner and will open for lunch on October 22. They’ll be opening up for morning coffee, espresso and a light breakfast shortly thereafter.
The intriguing Leader Block building has over 100 years of history. Photo courtesy: Leader Block Wine Co. & Eatery.
The entertainment is always changing and Pinkley is hoping to bring in traditional Whatcom County Jazz as well.
“This area has a pretty impressive history of jazz music,” says Pinkley.
“Ferndale is the fastest growing city in Whatcom county with a lot of new net migration of young families, professionals and retirees,” he says, adding that he “feels it’s high time for the community to remember and embrace the past and bring it into the present.”
A wine club with monthly winemaker dinners, member perks and private wine storage will be offered in November.
Come out for a drink and, if you’re lucky, you may even spot Lady Leader Block.
Submitted by Barron Heating, AC, Electrical & Plumbing
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