What To Know About the Xumo, Xfinity’s New Streaming Device

Submitted by Comcast

The adoption of streaming video has been steadily increasing nationally and here in Washington. The popularity of streaming services like Netflix, Peacock, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and others contributes to this growth. Joining the variety of streaming boxes and sticks that allow consumers to access these services is a new consumer-friendly option available to Xfinity customers.

Xfinity Internet customers in Whatcom County have a new option to enjoy streaming entertainment in their homes with the launch of Xumo Stream Box. Available at no additional monthly cost, this unique 4K streaming device features a user interface with universal voice search capabilities, making it easy for consumers to find and enjoy their favorite streaming content.

Consumers have multiple options when considering a purchase or using streaming devices. Features, functionality, and customer benefits are some of the key considerations to answer: Why choose Xumo?

For starters, Xumo Stream Box offers all the same search and discovery features Xfinity cable TV customers receive with X1 in a new user experience that makes it even easier for them to navigate between their favorite live, on-demand or streaming content. Check out this video, and, or read below to learn more about what you can do with Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity:

Spend more time watching and less time searching

Finding something to watch across streaming apps can be frustrating and time consuming. Xumo Stream Box helps simplify streaming so you can spend less time searching and more time watching with key features like live TV at start-up, leading voice search, an integrated guide, and all the most popular apps preloaded and ready to watch.

You can search for a show or movie by saying its name into the included voice remote, and Xumo Stream Box will search across available apps and services to find it. Xumo Stream Box uses both AI-driven personalization and an in-house editorial team to surface content recommendations within the experience, helping you find something to watch without having to jump in and out of apps. 

Instant app access, with more ways to personalize than ever

Xumo Stream Box comes preloaded with hundreds of streaming apps, no need for you to download before they watch. You can simply say the name of the streaming service into the voice remote, and Xumo Stream Box will find and launch it.  For the first time, Xfinity customers will be able to build personalized viewing lists for every member of the family with “My List.” With just one click, you can add any show or movie available on Xumo Stream Box to a specific list, giving them a quick way to find what to watch next. 

Access Xfinity Stream channels quickly and easily

Live channels from Xfinity Stream are always front and center on Xumo Stream Box, making it easy for broadband customers to find something to watch among the app’s 20+ FAST channels, and for NOW TV customers to quickly access and enjoy their 40+ streaming channels from A&E, AMC, Hallmark, Warner Bros. Discovery, and more. New features like the “currently playing” tile that shows what’s airing on the last Xfinity Stream channel you watched, and the built-in channel guide makes browsing Xfinity Stream channels a seamless part of the experience. 

Xumo Stream Box is powered by EntertainmentOS, Comcast’s new entertainment experience that combines an intuitive UI, a robust metadata platform, and award-winning voice technology into a scalable experience. Xumo Stream Box is now available to new Xfinity Internet and NOW TV customers. If you’re interested in learning more about the device, you can visit www.xfinity.com/xumo

Bellingham and Lynden Residents Bring Holiday Cheer With Christmas Light Displays

For the holiday light shows in Lynden, music is also part of the experience as the lights are timed with festive playlists. Photo credit: Ryan Mitchell

On dark December nights, a drive through Whatcom County comes alive in brilliant color and holiday magic with houses’ and businesses’ gleaming Christmas lights. Complementing public events such as Holidays Downtown and the Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade, it’s become local tradition to canvass light shows and block-wide displays by dedicated residents.

James Street Estates, a manufactured home retirement community, delights Bellingham annually with light displays along every block. Visitors to this long-standing holiday favorite can spot displays in a double loop around Rowan Lane and Amanda Lane.

In Lynden, residential light shows include Emerald Way Lights (1751 Emerald Way), Cross Country Lights (1949 Emerald Way), and Charlee’s Lights on Grover by (1177 East Grover Street). These nightly events entrance visitors with strobing lights and playlists of Christmas music.

“I’ve always loved Christmas lights,” says Ryan Mitchell of Emerald Way Lights. “And I thought, what better way than to do it in our little town of Lynden? Nobody else was doing it at the time, so that would be something kind of fun to share with the community.”

As you’ll discover while passing through, the Bellingham and Lynden communities have many delightful light shows to share.

Light shows such as Emerald Way Lights typically have interactive elements, whereas displays such as James Street Estates (pictured) typically encourage passersby to circle through them at a leisurely pace from any direction. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

Spotlighting the City Lights

Local holiday light displays all started with enthusiasm for the craft and holiday spirit. James Street Estates’ displays resulted from an organized neighborly effort, and holiday light sellers Charlees Props started their light show in Sedro-Woolley before moving to Lynden.

“I really started back when they were having the NFL commercials [with] light shows,” says Mitchell. “And then I just happened to see one online and thought: That looks pretty cool. I started reading and learning as much as possible. And back then it was build-your-own, so it was kind of like building your own computer.”

Visitors to James Street Estates can see Christmas figures such as Santa, reindeer, and snowmen across many yards, while Lynden’s light shows each illuminate a panoply within one property.

“Every year I try to grow it and try to add new props or items into the display,” Mitchell says. “I added what’s called a mega tree — a 15-foot tree — probably four or five years ago, which has 3,000 lights on it.”

Emerald Way Lights has also featured Seahawks-inspired light shows in blue and green. Photo credit: Ryan Mitchell

Creating Holiday Traditions

For long-term area residents, many local light displays have become synonymous with Christmas.

“The first couple of years, I was probably getting one hundred, two hundred cars,” says Mitchell. “I have a dozen songs I could play, but I shorten it to three or four songs on busy nights, because it’s probably upwards of 1,000 cars.”

As word has spread across social media, visitors have become more connected with these displays as a communal celebration.

“I started a Facebook and Instagram page a couple years ago, and once I started that on social media the general feeling from the community is people now make it their tradition,” says Mitchell. “I mean, I even had someone get engaged in front of the house, in front of the lights.”

Charlee’s Lights also runs lights on Halloween. During the off-season, residents appreciate community support in setting up displays.

“I just want everybody to know it’s all done for the holiday season and spirit, to make things traditional and fun and enjoyable,” Mitchell says. “It is a lot of work — it’s several days and countless hours to do it. So anybody that wants to jump in, feel free.”

New software has allowed residents to create more elaborate light shows, while previously the endeavor required hobbyists to learn their own programming. Photo credit: Ryan Mitchell

Planning Your Visit

When visiting these local light displays, residents advise that you drive slowly for both leisure and safety. Their social media pages have updates on which shows are being run, as well as special considerations on how to accommodate the neighborhood.

“We’ll put in little voiceovers segments in the middle of the show that reminds people that are watching to pay attention and be courteous of neighbors trying to get in,” says Mitchell.

To first-time visitors, these light shows are unforgettable experience they can look forward to repeating.

“The feedback that I hear — people will roll down their window while I’m out trying to fix something up on the roof — they just say how much they love the show,” Mitchell says. “Or while I’m setting it up in the middle of the day on the weekend, my neighbors will walk by and say how much they love it; it’s been made a part of their family tradition. That’s a pretty cool thing to know, that you’re part of their holiday season.”

Discover the Power of Wind and Solar at Puget Sound Energy’s Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility

Descending into Ellensburg, it’s impossible to miss the towering windmills over the horizon of Puget Sound Energy’s Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility high in the hills. With a peak capacity of 273 megawatts, the remarkable 11,000-acre facility demonstrates clean energy solutions designed to meet growing power demands.

Puget Sound Energy Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility
Puget Sound Energy has been the local energy provider for neighborhoods and communities across Washington for 150 years. With a firm plan for the future, they will continue to power the homes, businesses and cities with sustainable energy. Photo courtesy: NorthAmericaTalk

“As the state’s largest and oldest utility, we are proud to keep the lights on and the heat running for more than 1.5 million customers,” says PSE VP of Clean Energy Strategy Josh Jacobs. “In just a few short years, we’ve seen the devastating impacts of climate change worldwide and here in the Pacific Northwest. We know we need to act swiftly, and that’s why we’re determined to lead the way in the transition to clean energy.”

When Washington passed the Clean Energy Transformation Act (CETA) in 2019, a commitment was made to have an electricity supply free of greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. PSE has advocated for some of the country’s most ambitious clean energy policies. “To comply with CETA and meet our own goals, we’re undergoing one of the most significant transformations in our history and possibly of any utility in the country,” says Jacobs.  

Puget Sound Energy Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility
“PSE is committed to providing clean energy education and safe recreation to anyone who wants it,” says Jacobs. “Five facilities, including Wild Horse, are open for tours and recreation.” Photo courtesy: NorthAmericaTalk

Take a Tour of Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility

The electricity produced at Wild Horse Wind Facility is harnessed using wind and solar energy while minimizing environmental impacts. On average, each of the 149 turbines can produce enough electricity to power 440 homes or over 1,300 homes in high winds. Standing 351 feet tall, weighing 257 tons, and with a 264-foot swept blade diameter larger than a 747 airplane’s wingspan, these beacons of innovation create electricity in winds from nine to 56 miles per hour.

For an immersive understanding of renewable energy, Puget Sound Energy established a fascinating visitor’s center atop Whiskey Dick Mountain. Guests can get an up-close and personal experience of the science of renewable energy from April to November. The center is a fun learning experience for all ages with interactive and educational exhibits, while helpful staff provide engaging information.

Informative and exciting guided tours of the grounds and displays surrounding the visitor center offer an insider’s look at the intricate workings of power generated by wind and solar. Visitors can learn more about the layout of the wind farm, the speeds and patterns of wind, and the economics of solar and wind power, and even go inside the base of a wind turbine on a guided tour while discovering how renewable energy is produced.

After exploring the fascinating Renewable Energy Center, it’s impossible not to appreciate the process of transforming nature’s power to fuel the future.

Puget Sound Energy Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility
“Non-emitting generation sources like wind, solar, and hydro will play a significant role in helping us meet our ambitious clean energy goals,” says Jacobs. “We plan to add nearly 500 MW of wind and 300 MW of solar generation by the end of 2025.” Photo courtesy: NorthAmericaTalk

The Future of Clean Energy with Puget Sound Energy

As the Pacific Northwest’s largest utility owner of wind power, wind and solar currently comprise about 12% of PSE’s electric generation. It operates three large wind farms in the state, including Wild Horse, plus Hopkins Ridge Wind Facility in Columbia County, and its largest wind operation, the Lower Snake River Wind Facility, in Garfield and Columbia County. There’s even more in PSE’s portfolio, which includes wind energy purchases.

“We recently announced a 15-year agreement with Invenergy’s Vantage Wind Energy Center, enabling us to acquire 90 MW of clean energy per year,” says Jacobs. “We also have started receiving 350 MW of wind energy from NextEra Energy Resources, LLC’s Clearwater Wind Project in Montana. On top of that, we have started working on the expansion of our Lower Snake River Wind Facility and will break ground next year on constructing Beaver Creek, a new wind farm in Stillwater County, Montana.” 

Other projects include the Skookumchuck Wind Facility, which sends renewable energy to PSE through the Green Direct Program. This pioneering initiative empowers PSE’s corporate and governmental customers, including cities and state agencies, to procure their power from a dedicated, local, renewable source, ensuring a stable and cost-effective solution.

PSE is also consistently looking for ways to expand its solar footprint, including a recent power purchase agreement (PPA) with Avangrid at Lund Hill Solar Farm, the state’s largest utility-scale solar farm, allowing for more commercial and governmental customers.

Puget Sound Energy Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility
Puget Sound Energy will reach its clean energy goals through utility-scale renewables, new customer programs, distributed energy resources and continued energy efficiency. With multiple, reliable generation sources working together, PSE can continue to provide power without disruption if one energy source fails. Photo courtesy: NorthAmericaTalk

Puget Sound Energy’s Commitment to Resilient Clean Energy

While large-scale projects are critical to providing clean energy, the future of power will be more local and two-way.

“Distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop and ground solar and batteries that are sited in and benefit local communities will also have an important role in meeting our collective goals,” says Jacobs. “An example of this is our community solar program. PSE’s first community solar site was developed in 2021 in partnership with Olympia High School, and we have since launched five other sites across our service area. One of the key benefits of DERs is that they can provide greater resilience to extreme weather events.”

With Puget Sound Energy’s goal of clean energy solutions, projects like the Wild Horse Wind Facility utilize nature’s power to generate clean, renewable energy. It is an example of human innovation, adapting to changing needs, and an up-close look at a future powered by wind and sun.

PSE recently filed an update of its Clean Energy Implementation Plan with Washington’s Utilities and Transportation Commission. It will nearly double its clean energy portfolio by the end of 2025, up from 34% in 2020 to about 60% in 2025. “Based on our progress so far, we’re currently on track to meet or exceed our CETA obligation to achieve 80% clean or non-emitting energy by 2030 and 100% by 2045,” says Jacobs.

Wild Horse Wind and Solar Facility
25905 Vantage Highway, Ellensburg
509.964.7815

Sponsored

‘Fire & Story’ Set To Illuminate Bellingham’s Waterfront

Submitted by Paper Whale

Local placemaking agency Paper Whale presents “Fire & Story,” a unique winter event taking place at Bellingham’s Waterfront on January 18-20, 2024.

Presented as a gathering of folk, light, and lore, “Fire & Story” brings a collection of large, unique, and artistically designed sculptural fire pits as the stage for local storytellers. Dispersed across the Bellingham Waterfront as lighthouses, attendees can engage in illuminated stories and gather together in light and warmth during the darkest days in the year.

Photo courtesy Paper Whale

With more than 30 unique performances on display, attendees can expect a curated evening with voices from acoustic songwriters, poets, dance troupes, cirque, live blacksmithing, Lummi Nation and Nooksack Tribal members and more.

“The editorial team at Bellingham Review is excited to collaborate with Paper Whale to dream up this special event,” said Bellingham Review Editor-in-Chief, Jane Wong. “As a journal that is committed to inclusive community building and innovative literature, we are thrilled to spotlight past Bellingham Review contributors Troy Osaki, Shelby Handler, and Michelle Peñaloza at Fire & Story. Come by and cozy up with poetry by the fire — igniting our hearts, minds, and connections to each other.”

ocal placemaking agency Paper Whale presents “Fire & Story,” a unique winter event taking place at Bellingham’s Waterfront on January 18-20, 2024.

Paper Whale has been activating underutilized spaces in Bellingham with a goal to cultivate community by producing multi-sensory events that inspire and creatively activate placemaking.

The festival is FREE and for all ages and will be held at Bellingham’s Waterfront, between the pump track and the Granary Building at 1140 Granary Avenue.

The event will run Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
For a schedule and description of performing artists, please visit www.paper-whale.com.

Supported Living at Cascade Connections

Supported living is the largest program at Cascade Connections. Photo courtesy Cascade Connections

To belong is a powerful thing. At Cascade Connections, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering people with disabilities to enhance their quality of life, belonging is just the beginning. Freedom and choice are also central to the agency’s value system and its Supported Living services, which offer personalized care that enables people to live in their own homes and communities rather than in isolating institutions. Cascade Connections believes that enhancing the lives of people with disabilities starts with understanding and applying the principle of self-direction. Residential Operations Manager Mary Nestle-Klyn and Supported Living Area Manager Nikki Harangozo recently sat down with WhatcomTalk to discuss the importance of this principle when providing Supported Living services.

There are many programs at Cascade Connections dedicated to enriching the lives of people with disabilities. Photo courtesy Cascade Connections

As Operations Manager for Cascade Connections’ residential programs, Mary oversees the Home Care, Group Training Home, Quality Assurance, and Supported Living departments. When describing the agency’s services as a whole, which also include a Vocational Services department and a Training Center, Mary explains: “At Cascade Connections, our focus and our mission are to serve and support adults with developmental disabilities. I think something that sets us apart from other organizations is our focus on ensuring that our clients are really living a self-directed life and that they are integrated in the community, doing all the things they want to do.”

Cascade Connections’ Supported Living, or CCSL, provides highly individualized support based on the personal preferences, goals, interests, and needs of those receiving services. “It’s about what you want to do with your life,” Mary says. “Do you want to work on getting a job? Do you want activities, do you want to participate in church? It’s about helping people to live happy and fulfilling lives. And we’ve found that when people have choice over the things they’re doing, the behaviors that were keeping them in an institution go down dramatically, just by moving them into the community and allowing them to have that freedom we all experience.”

Enjoying life and integrating successfully with the community is top priority for Cascade Connections clients. Photo courtesy Cascade Connections

Often more fiscally responsible than institutionalization, Supported Living programs offer a way for people to get individualized services while staying connected to the wider community. As CCSL Area Manager Nikki puts it, “There’s nothing more devastating than when families can no longer provide support, and people have to leave their community to get the support they need.”

Nikki specializes in recruitment and onboarding of new clients, CCSL curriculum development, and manager training. She explains how the process of person-centered planning helps to ensure that individuals receive support that is as self-directed and personalized as possible. Each client participates in initial and ongoing, annual assessments of their goals and support needs. These assessments include anyone that the person wishes to invite, such as friends, family members, case managers, job coaches, and primary staff. Together, the client and their community make plans that will empower the individual to enhance their lives. These plans get revised and updated as needed during monthly staff meetings and regular check-ins with clients and their families.

At Cascade Connections, it’s important to help incorporate individual needs and interests when assisting with Supported Living for people with disabilities. Photo courtesy Cascade Connections

A former director of the CCSL program, Nikki emphasizes its robustness in comparison to other residential programs in Whatcom County. CCSL’s Direct Support Professionals are trained to provide an extremely diverse array of services that respond to individuals’ specific medical, financial, social, and emotional needs. Staff may assist with eligibility paperwork, budgeting, medical appointments, meal preparation, eating, personal care, communication, positive behavior support, hobbies, community activities, school, employment, and much more. Nikki says, “I’ve been at Cascade Connections for over a decade, and I’ve never worked the same day twice. Each day looks different for each person we support, just like for you and me.” She concludes: “We also learn so much from those we support. This work continually makes us better people.”

To learn more about Supported Living and Cascade Connections’ other essential programs and how you can help support this incredible organization, check out the agency website: www.cascadeconnections.org.

Sponsored

Unity Care NW Helps Patients With Medicaid Struggles

Photo courtesy Unity Care NW

Since April of this year, 8,268 Whatcom County-based Medicaid (Apple Health) patients — equivalent to more than double the seating capacity of Bellingham’s Civic Stadium — have lost healthcare coverage. This includes 11% of Medicaid members at Unity Care NW, a local federally qualified nonprofit health center that provides services regardless of a patient’s ability to pay.

While all Medicaid enrollees are usually required to reapply annually, Unity Care NW CEO Jodi Joyce says people enjoyed a pandemic-related pause in those redeterminations. When that pause ended this spring, many Washington State residents suddenly found themselves without coverage.  

While the reasons for that varied widely, statewide data reveals that the vast majority lost coverage for what Joyce calls ‘procedural reasons’: in short, because redetermination documents weren’t completed.

In some cases, that’s because people were confused about how to complete the paperwork. Others, either assuming or knowing they’d no longer qualify for Medicaid, didn’t bother to re-apply. Unfortunately, some people lost coverage because documents were sent to out-of-date addresses and emails, and they didn’t know until it was too late.

Even worse, Joyce says that while the state committed to ensuring children six and younger remained enrolled in Medicaid, its system could not meet that goal. As a result, children lost coverage just like everyone else, and because the state lacks an automated reenrollment process, they are slowly being reenrolled by hand.

“If you’re a parent and you’ve been told your child no longer has insurance, you’re going to be scared to go to the pediatrician,” says Joyce.

Everyone who has an Apple Health plan will have a Blue ProviderOne card and will need to file renewal paper annually to stay enrolled. This can be done online at www.wahealthplanfinder.org. Photo courtesy Unity Care NW

The Effects of Loss

Nicole Fields, Unity Care NW’s population health manager, says many may not yet be feeling the full effect of coverage loss.

The biggest concern is people avoiding care due to financial issues, or not realizing that providers like Unity Care NW can treat them even without coverage. Nationwide, one in five uninsured adults go without needed medical care due to cost, Fields says, with those who lose care less likely to receive both preventative care and services for major conditions and chronic diseases.

The loss of a service or program means providers are left to examine data for what’s no longer there, which can be hard to quantify, says Fields. But for those who’ve lost coverage, the effects often equate to difficult decisions.

“I expect we’ll see folks having to make a choice between receiving medical care and paying for essentials like food, childcare, and housing,” she says. “People may be less likely to come in for preventative care services like cancer screenings or for help managing their diabetes.”

With open enrollment for statewide healthcare plans ongoing through January 15th, anyone in need of health insurance can speak with an Enrollment Specialist at Unity Care NW for free by calling 360.788.2669 to better understand what they’re qualified for and get them on the path to coverage. Photo courtesy Unity Care NW

Reenrollment Jumpstart

Joyce says that although they’ve yet to see such scenarios play out among their patient base, Unity Care NW is closely watching for a drop in demand for services that would suggest otherwise.

In the meantime, Unity Care NW is serving as a communication vehicle to let people know reenrollment is happening. The organization has undertaken an extensive multimedia strategy to reach its patients, including frequently texting them to offer help with their applications.

And with open enrollment for statewide healthcare plans ongoing through January 15, this is the time to act.

“Now is a period when people can consider their current insurance coverage and look for other alternatives,” Joyce says. “Our outreach and enrollment team can help people navigate what their choices are.”

Unity Care NW’s phenomenal team of Insurance Enrollment Specialists can help patients understand what they’re qualified for and get them on the path to coverage, whether that’s Apple Health or another qualifying plan. Speaking with an Enrollment Specialist is free and walk-ins are available at Suite 107 of Unity Care NW’s Bellingham office, located at 1616 Cornwall Avenue. Those interested can also make appointments by calling 360.788.2669.

“It can feel super overwhelming to go through the process alone,” says Fields. “We’re here to help you. Our mission is to increase the years of healthy life in the people and communities we serve.”

In the meantime, those without coverage should not hesitate to get the care they need. Unity Care NW offers a sliding fee discount program to existing patients, which means they may be eligible for reduced costs based on income. That slide is as low as $25 for medical care.

“We’ll never turn someone away based on income,” Fields says.

While Joyce is optimistic that the Medicaid reenrollment process will slowly but surely sort itself out, she understands that people aren’t about to suddenly stop needing the care they’ve been getting.

“I don’t think that 12% fewer people in Whatcom County need Medicaid than they did in April of this year,” she says. “It’s clearly having some impact on the ability for individuals to seek care.”

Community members interested in supporting Unity Care NW in providing their sliding fee discount program to cover the costs of care for struggling patients, can contribute at UnityCareNW.org/Give.

Sponsored

Western Washington University Partners With PSE, City of Bellingham, and Downtown Bellingham Partnership To Brighten Downtown

Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

From September to March each year, downtown Bellingham streets receive a literal brightening of cheer as plentiful lights appear wrapped around trees on busy corridors like Holly Street and Railroad Avenue.

From blue bulbs to signify the return of Western Washington University students to more traditional whites to bring festiveness to the holiday season, this lighting is made possible through a funding partnership between Puget Sound Energy, WWU, the City of Bellingham and the Downtown Bellingham Partnership.

The Foundation for WWU & Alumni was the original primary funder of the welcome lighting, but when their commitment changed, the university reached out to community partners to take a collaborative approach for this year’s funding.

“WWU is delighted to continue to partner with the City of Bellingham to help make our downtown bright, vibrant, and welcoming for all,” says WWU Director of Community Relations Chris Roselli. “The downtown lights brightening up the darker months, our many shared community events throughout the year, and city banners welcoming our students home after summer are all powerful markers of our lasting partnership and commitment to the town we love.”

Liz Purdy, PSE’s community affairs manager, says the partnership was a natural fit considering the partners had already worked together on numerous community endeavors through the years.

“This is an easy, very tangible way for us to see a direct result of funds — creating light, creating economic opportunity,” Purdy says. “It sounds kind of basic, but the entities that are participating in this all want to see a thriving downtown Bellingham.”

Photo courtesy Downtown Bellingham Partnership

PSE provided $15,000 towards the lighting effort, which was matched by the three other partners.

“The lighting is part of our extensive efforts to create and promote a safe, welcoming environment downtown,” says Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood. “We’re so pleased to work with our partners on projects like this one, which adds so much joy to our downtown streets in the winter months.” 

Jenny Hagemann, communications manager for the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, says the downtown lighting — which stays up until March 1 — is a great example of behind-the-scenes work done in the name of promoting downtown safety, visibility, and aesthetic design.

It also fits in nicely with DBP’s flower basket program, which begins with fundraising in February and sees baskets installed in early April, Hagemann says. The lighting is especially helpful before and after the holiday season, when downtown restaurants and retailers can see a bit of a dip in business.

Having the lighting is also a big boon to DBP itself. Among their biggest fundraising activities is the November 10 Holiday Wine Walk, which provides 600 tickets for Bellinghamsters to frequent 16 different downtown locations for wine samples and shopping deals.

The lighting also was a nice touch for the recent Bellingham Exit Festival, the inaugural edition of which had a positive impact on weekend traffic downtown. And with the City of Bellingham’s recent recommitment to its downtown safety plan, the lighting simply helps foster a safer, welcoming vibe during some of the year’s darkest months.

“This is preserving a downtown asset that people have come to not just expect, but definitely value,” Hagemman says. “Especially the businesses that are on the tree-lined streets. They look forward to it.”

Purdy appreciates the lighting every time she goes downtown during the late fall and winter months.

“It’s just a dark, dreary, rainy scene sometimes,” she says. “Having that additional bright presence is something we all see as a contributing factor to help people feel welcome downtown, and making it a more inviting place for people to go and visit regularly.”

Sponsored

Maritime Heritage Park: A Self-Guided Tour Through Salmon Ecology and Artistry

The south end of Maritime Heritage Park connects directly with the Old Town and Commercial District areas by the waterfront. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

When you grow up in the Pacific Northwest, public school means salmon school. We learn about the salmon’s life cycle as an eternal return from freshwater to seas and back again. We recite the old mnemonic for the five species on one hand: thumb for chum, index for sockeye, middle for king, ring for silver, pinky for pink. In Bellingham, Maritime Heritage Park reflects these lessons with a scenic vantage point on the salmon’s journey from Whatcom Creek into the harbor.

Located on the traditional lands of the Lummi and Nooksack People, Whatcom Creek gets its name from the word for “noisy, rumbling water” in both peoples’ languages. From 1852 to 1885, the Roeder-Peabody Mill operated at the present-day park site — and the ruins of its concrete foundations still stand on the creek bed. Maritime Heritage Park started in 1978 when its fish hatchery restored the area from a sewage treatment plant and industrial waste site.

At the northwestern edge of the park, Bellingham Technical College operates the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon hatchery, which rears salmon in the spring and releases them in the fall. Perry Center, the central building near the holding ponds, hosts the BTC Fisheries and Aquaculture program to maintain the hatchery. At the southeastern side, the City of Bellingham operates the Environmental Learning Center to educate schoolchildren on field trips.

For community members, Maritime Heritage Park provides many self-guided learning opportunities to discover both natural and artistic beauty.

During late fall, visitors can view mature fish in the salmon run that enters the creek. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

Interpretive Signage

At the BTC salmon run and holding ponds, numbered signs explain each step of the salmon life cycle at their junction. Visitors can view juvenile salmon in the holding ponds in spring and mature salmon heading seaward in the salmon run in fall. Still other City of Bellingham signage describes the area’s history and ecology.

The City of Bellingham collaborated with Columbia Elementary School students in 1995 and Whatcom Middle School students in 2010 to create the Native Plant Trail signs. These signs showcase children’s drawings with information on the ethnobotany of native plants’ uses, their habitat value, and their physical characteristics. The trail runs along the east side of the creek.

For more place-based learning, the City of Bellingham offers the Ecology Field Journal. This interactive printout uses science questions and word games to acquaint children and adults with the riparian environment they find walking through the park.

Beyond the waterfalls at Maritime Heritage Park, visitors can see salmon make their way downstream and secure permission to fish. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

Whatcom Creek Salmon Art Trail

Local artists have honored the natural beauty of salmon and other local features all along the Whatcom Creek Salmon Art Trail — which the City of Bellingham’s map depicts in the shape of a salmon.

The eastern field features boat-inspired sculptures: Phillip Baldwin’s “Four Ages of the Seas” (2000) and Gerard Tsutakawa’s “Confluence” (2000), which runs a fountain in the warmer seasons.

A placard by the Salmon Woman Totem describes the story of Salmon Woman, Raven, and Bear, which explains the origins of salmon runs and the black bear. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

On the east edge of the creek, the 1997 Salmon Woman Totem by Lummi House of Tears Carvers conveys the traditional Coast Salish story of Salmon Woman, Raven, and Bear. Steve Seymour’s “Steel Salmon Going to Salmon Woman” and “Returning Salmon” complement this pole, depicting salmon in constructed stream beds swimming to and from the creek. On the northernmost trail, Mike McRory’s “Eagle Memorial Totem” (2000) commemorates the victims of the 1999 Olympic Pipeline explosion.

At the west creek bank, Elizabeth Conner’s “Quiet Middens, Noisy Waters” (2000) uses concrete pilings to represent the area’s industrial history as a landfill.

Still other art installations fall outside the park boundaries. “Centennial Story Pole,” outside the Whatcom County Courthouse, started with Joseph Hillaire in 1953, and Felix Solomon and Scott Jensen restored it in 2007. The 1990 “Centennial Mural” by East Los Streetscapers on Prospect Street, once depicting salmon and native villagers, has since been replaced due to disrepair.

Outside Maritime Heritage Park, the Salmon Art Trail includes installations such as this totem pole outside the Whatcom County Courthouse. Photo credit: Anna Diehl

Further Exploration Downstream

Maritime Heritage Park’s other amenities include an amphitheater reservable for public events and performances, picnic tables, and a children’s slide. The highway bridge above the northern waterfalls provides one of Bellingham’s locally iconic views. From the amphitheater and fields, you can view the waterfront to the south and Whatcom Museum’s historic building to the north.

The City of Bellingham and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) jointly maintain the BTC fish hatchery and frequently arrange work parties to repair riparian habitat. NSEA offers educational and stewardship programs at this park and others in Bellingham’s watershed.

Perry Center and other BTC facilities are occasionally open for public tours, and Fisheries and Aquaculture students typically take all their courses there. Further north along Whatcom Creek, you can observe another BTC salmon hatchery at Whatcom Falls Park.

Between its natural environment changing and public displays remaining constant, Maritime Heritage Park gives Bellingham many reasons to return with the seasons like the salmon before them.

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center Provides Range of Patient Support Services

Left to right: Kim Moses, Hannah Brown, Kathy Millson, and Matthew Smith are PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center nurse navigators who guide patients through their cancer journeys with all manner of support. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

In the summer of 2016, Ferndale resident Pat Flaherty went to a local ear, nose, and throat doctor for a hearing test prior to being approved for hearing aids.

After the test, the doctor also examined Flaherty’s mouth. He was shocked by what he saw: white papillomas or growths, covering the inside of Flaherty’s throat and mouth. Before long, the 66-year-old was diagnosed with throat cancer and sent to Bellingham’s PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center for treatment.

Flaherty underwent tonsil and soft tissue surgery, followed by 32 radiation sessions between August and November 2016. He lost 70 pounds and completely lost his sense of taste for a time, but the treatments put him into remission.

Still cancer-free today at age 73, Flaherty was aided not just by timely medical intervention, but by a range of patient support services available at the cancer center. From financial advocacy and social services to clinical trials, genetic testing, and nurse navigators who coordinate care between providers,  patients can find plenty of help along their cancer journey. 

“The care was absolutely top-of-the-line, every step of the way,” he says. “It was a family away from home.”

Ferndale resident Pat Flaherty survived throat cancer thanks to top-notch medical treatment and patient services like support groups and nutrition classes. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

Multiple Levels of Support

During his treatments, Flaherty relied on nutrition classes to learn how best to stay nourished. Loss of taste diminished his appetite significantly, and Flaherty drank plenty of Ensure as an easy method for getting proper nutrition.

Carol Brumet, the cancer center’s outreach coordinator, says meal supplement shakes like Ensure are offered to any patient actively losing weight during radiation and chemotherapy treatment.

Flaherty also made use of massage therapy — one of the holistic therapies offered prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although some of these therapies haven’t yet resumed, popular weekly yoga sessions are occurring again.

But perhaps the most important service Flaherty utilized was support groups, which are offered for patients, caregivers and family members. At these meetings, participants receive practical and emotional support for illnesses in a safe and caring environment.

Pat Flaherty, cancer survivor, and Carol Brumet, Cancer Center outreach coordinator, recently spoke about the care Flaherty received at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

Flaherty attended a men’s cancer support group during his treatment. Barely two years later, he found himself joining another support group when his wife Karen — a longtime cancer center volunteer — was diagnosed with brain cancer. Despite various treatments, she passed away in September 2019 at age 62.

To this day, Flaherty is still involved with the brain tumor caregivers’ support group, essentially acting as a facilitator for new members.

“This is my part of giving back,” he says. “Because people are going through what I went through. You just need support from somebody that’s been in your shoes.”

Nurse Navigators Provide Helping Hands

Kim Moses — a PeaceHealth oncology nurse navigator — was among Flaherty’s first contacts after his diagnosis.

Nurses like Moses guide patients throughout their cancer journey and are often the first professionals a cancer patient speaks to after the initial delivery of cancer news at a doctor’s or surgeon’s office.

“We’re reaching out to people well before they’re in this building,” says Moses. “It’s a lot of allaying those [initial] fears: giving them education about their diagnosis, as well as planning.”

That planning includes logistics well beyond a basic course of treatment, says nurse navigator Kathy Millson. Transportation needs and insurance coverage are all part of the assessments navigators provide each patient, no matter their situation.

Millson once navigated for a blind homeless woman who lived in various motels. Despite extra hurdles, the woman received the treatment she needed along with wraparound social services outside the cancer center. Even when patients receive cancer treatment elsewhere, such as in Seattle, nurse navigators typically coordinate care with those institutions, she says.

PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center offers hope and healing. Photo courtesy PeaceHealth

To Hannah Brown, a nurse navigator specializing in lung cancer, the ability to stand in a patient’s corner as they battle cancer is immensely worthwhile.

“It’s very meaningful to be able to provide that individualized support and advocacy for patients,” she says. “We meet them where they’re at — angry, calm, or scared. No matter what they’re feeling, we’re there as a support person and able to help them tailor their care for what their goals are.”

Matthew Smith, another nurse navigator, says cancer center financial advocates like Denise Bobb often receive some of the most emotional responses from patients when they find out their treatments are being covered without financial hardship to them.

“People are crying and hugging in the lobby,” he says. “It’s really neat.”

Patients at the cancer center can also get lab work done in-house three days a week, and access a resource library — staffed by kind and helpful volunteers — that offers plenty of knowledge and tips for adjusting to diagnoses and treatment regimens.

And while the pandemic involved plenty of fear and inconvenience for cancer patients, one lasting positive has been the increased use of telemedicine, both for patients and providers. Moses says that tumor boards — meetings where cancer cases are presented and discussed among multi-disciplinary teams — are now more efficient and better-attended when providers meet digitally.

While cancer can be life-altering and scary, comprehensive patient support services at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center ensure that no patient walks their path alone. 

“We love our patients,” says Brumet.


Featured photo: Kim Moses, Hannah Brown, Kathy Millson, and Matthew Smith are PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center nurse navigators who guide patients through their cancer journeys with all manner of support.

Sponsored

Access to High-Speed Internet Expands in Whatcom County

Submitted by Comcast, written by Rodrigo Lopez

Access to the Internet is a fundamental aspect of modern life, influencing education, communication, economy, social connections, innovation, and overall well-being. It has transformed how we learn, work, interact, and access information, becoming an indispensable tool for everyone. 

Rodrigo Lopez is Senior Regional Vice President of Comcast’s Pacific Northwest Region. Photo courtesy Comcast

As Washington’s largest internet service provider, we play a critical role in connecting you to all the opportunities that broadband offers. That is why we continually invest in our technology and infrastructure, which includes expanding our broadband network throughout the state. In fact, in the last three years, we’ve invested $1.1 billion in our technology and infrastructure in Washington, including upgrades to our network. 

As part of this ongoing investment, we expanded access to our intelligent, fast, reliable fiber-rich network to more than a thousand additional Whatcom County homes and businesses this year. All these locations now have access to service with residential broadband speeds faster than 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), and business speeds up to 100 Gbps. 

For local families, this can mean more access to remote learning, virtual work, access to telemedicine, entertainment, social networking, and information. Local businesses may benefit by reaching a broader market, facilitating e-commerce, and supporting the growth of online entrepreneurship. This can lead to increased economic activity and job creation.

By expanding internet access in Whatcom County, we’re also helping to bridge the digital divide for income-constrained households. Since 2011, our Internet Essentials program has made affordable, high-speed Internet available to nearly 4,000 Whatcom County households, many for the first time. This has reduced disparities in access to information, opportunities, and services. 

Eligible customers can get home Internet through our Internet Essentials or Internet Essentials Plus service tiers at no cost if they participate in the federal government’s Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), which provides qualifying households a $30 monthly credit toward Internet and mobile services.

We’re proud to expand our robust fiber-rich network to more local homes and businesses and be a part of the community in Whatcom County. We’re dedicated to providing internet access to as many people as possible because we know that connecting people to the power of technology is essential and life changing. 

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