Allied Arts of Whatcom County Unveils New Space

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When Allied Arts of Whatcom County throws open its doors on February 7 with its Annual Membership Show, it will be a real celebration. With 45 years in the community and celebrating in a fabulous brand-new space at 1213 Cornwall in Bellingham, it’s the perfect place to showcase the 80 pieces in the show.

“As soon as we saw this space from the outside before we were even in the door, we said yes!” says Allied Arts Executive Director Kelly Hart. “This dream space combines a beautiful gallery, our very successful Art Thrift Store, and great office space for our staff and interns. And the vibes are good in a great part of town, right across from the Hotel Leo.”

From the first look at a bas-relief sculpture by artist Deb McCunn (supported by the Whatcom Community Foundation) installed on the archway entry, imagination is apparent and beckons people in. Once inside, it is obvious that Allied Arts has come of age. It is more than appropriate for the Grand Opening to feature the annual Membership Show exhibition in this sophisticated gallery.

As longtime Bellingham artist and Allied Arts member Ron Pattern says, “The new space is exciting.” He has a piece in the show at the Grand Opening and will be there with his artist/writer wife, Nancy Canyon. “I’ve always thought that artists did not have a center in Bellingham, and I think this space will be that and more.”

Executive Director Kelly Hart Perched on the desk with Liz Smyth, Program Manager and Cultural Outreach Director. Photo credit: Holly Redell-Witte

Art for Everyone at Allied Arts

Hart agrees. As she spins out some of the factors that went into the decision to move, she points out that Allied Arts exists to be sensitive to everyone’s needs from the artists in Whatcom County to the community of arts enthusiasts to staff and volunteers. “We have a great reach into the community, including opportunities for artists and staff to grow in their professional lives, for kids in schools, for veterans to express themselves through art, and for art enthusiasts,” says Hart.

Allied Arts already held a big figurative and literal space in the community. Moving that presence was no small feat. “It was a little crazy to do it in December, but we choreographed it well,” says Hart. The supportive Allied Arts Board of Directors and volunteers made sure Hart had plenty of help, doing shifts in the old space, where they also managed to mount a final, highly successful exhibition, in the thrift store wheeling and dealing, and at the Holiday Festival, which by the way had a $5,000 increase over sales last year even though it was seven days shorter.

Allied Arts was founded by a group of artists and art supporters focusing on giving artists practical ways to succeed as artists. Over the years, it evolved to serve the whole community. “Our community is even more specifically defined than others in the United States,” says Hart. “Giving us a chance to celebrate the many rich cultures and groups like Children of the Setting Sun Productions (CSSP), which uses the stories and traditions of the Lummi nation in its work.”

Allied Arts Give Artists the Tools They Need to Succeed

An artist’s business program kicked off in January, covering how to operate art as a business, manage taxes, copyrights, and write an artist’s statement and bio. The thrift store opened in 2010 and has proven to be wildly popular with area artists. One might find anything from frames of many sizes, paper, yarn, books on art, art objects, crafting materials, cabinets, easels, lots of stamps and ink stamp pads, pens, pencils, brushes, paints, crayons, pastels, tiles, clay — if you dream it, it is probably in the thrift store.

Outreach to the community is topmost in the mind of artist Scott Ward, who has chaired the Allied Arts Board of Directors for the past six years. “We’ve been really good about providing opportunities for connecting artists with each other and with the community,” he says, noting the extensive program in the schools with teaching artists and serving on regional and state advocacy groups. “Engaging the arts enthusiasts is always a bit more of a challenge,” says Ward.

A New Beginning for Allied Arts

“I think we’re on the precipice of broadening in the community,” says Ward. “The move into such an upscale location is a big step. We are taking ourselves seriously and believe the arts enthusiast community will, too.”

Ward adds that the active board brings stability, leadership, and guidance from members bringing experience with arts nonprofits in marketing, communications, raising money and building a strong financial structure by bringing in new donors. I love the ideation and creation of art, and now we have all the pieces we need to make it happen.”

Pattern says it well. ” In the past, it seemed as if people in Bellingham went to Seattle to buy the work of Bellingham artists. The new gallery space changes that.”

To learn more about the arts community, sign up for the Allied Arts newsletter.

Nuages, The Unknowns and Aperatonic Trio Put Contemporary Twists on Jazz

By

Anna Diehl

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Nuages The Unknowns Aperatonic Trio — Nuages has been an active group since before Sarah Yates joined in 2014, replacing a previous bassist. Photo courtesy: Sarah Yates

As the City of Subdued Excitement, Bellingham has inspired excitement with an understatedly influential music scene. Local bands Nuages, The Unknowns, and Aperatonic Trio all have members in common and combine jazz with an eclectic range of styles.

Nuages draws influence primarily from Django Reinhardt and takes its name from one of his songs. It features Michael-Paul Gurule on vocals, Nick Sokol on mandolin and tenor saxophone, Marceline Keene on guitar, and Sarah Yates on bass. They have performed for over a decade, combining Manouche jazz, American jazz, Brazilian samba, Argentinian tango, French chanson, and other styles.

The Unknowns started in 2018, combining jazz, blues, and soul with influences such as “R&B, Motown, Broadway ballads and swing,” according to their website. The group features Kim Bowman on vocals and piano, Caitie Bowell on vocals and guitar, Allison Bowman on vocals and ukulele, Sarah Yates on acoustic bass, and Melanie Sehman on drums.

Aperatonic Trio recently started hosting joint shows with the other two bands. It features Marceline Keene on guitar, Sarah Yates on bass, and Melanie Sehman on drums.

Musical Influences, Influencing Music

The bands combine members’ musical influences with technical knowledge in booking shows and making albums.

“We also pull in everyone’s unique backgrounds,” says bassist Sarah Yates. “Nick has a lot of background in folk music and bluegrass. Michael has a degree in jazz. He has this story about this mixtape he had of all these different saxophone players from different ages, including some smooth jazz and a lot of world music. He’s played with some musicians who are also Roma, and some are from Romania, so Eastern European influences.”

The bands also combine original compositions with improvisation.

“I played in jazz band in middle school and high school and things like that,” Yates says. “But as far as the kind of music that I really like to listen to and bring things from, I like Gregorian chants. I like folk music from different cultures. I like Greek folk music. And Marceline has a background in big band and is inspired by Julian Lage.”

Sharing World Music

Nuages and Aperatonic Trio have mainly played in Northwest Washington, while The Unknowns have toured nationally and even internationally.

“We’ve played all over Washington. We’ve done a tour in Eastern Washington and Idaho,” Yates says. “We play in Seattle a lot. And then this last summer, we went on a tour in Montreal, France, Belgium, Denmark, and Norway.”

Locally, the bands have shared favorite venues.

“Nuages has played at the Blue Room quite a lot and we like to play at that venue,” Yates says. “Aslan Depot, The Unknowns and Aperatonic Trio have played there. There’s a winery on Whidbey Island called Dancing Fish Vineyards and The Unknowns and Nuages played there a lot. And that’s my favorite place to play, and Nuages, for a long time, had a standing Friday night gig at the whole location.”

Making More Music

Even as Nuages members live in separate states or provinces, they continue to organize new work together.

“I think for Nuages, the biggest impact that it’s had has been reaching people who are looking for something a little bit different,” Yates says. “The music is very accessible and inviting, so people who have a hard time going to a jazz show and feel like they understand what’s going on can come to a new show, and it feels a little bit more accessible. And it also pulls in a lot of the influences from other musical genres.”

The Unknowns and Aperatonic Trio have also made their mark over a shorter timeline.

“It’s a little bit different with The Unknowns,” Yates says. “It makes you want to get up and dance. But something that we’ve seen a lot when we’ve gone places is that since it is an all-women’s group, a lot of women come up to us and say how awesome it is to see women represented in jazz. And we often play in venues where a lot of the bands are usually all men, and to have just something different come in, people say it’s really encouraging to them.”

Through their overlapping influences, bandmates have remained strong collaborators and friends.

“The most rewarding thing has just been the relationships that I’ve formed with my bandmates, as well as the connections I’ve made with other musicians and just other people in general,” Yates says. “It’s fun to play music with people and have good chemistry that way. But then, at the end of the day, when you know that you can call them and talk to them about anything, and they can talk to you about anything, you can spend 17 days together on a trip and get along.”

You can follow Nuages on Facebook, Spotify, and YouTube. The Unknowns are on Facebook and Instagram, and Aperatonic Trio is on YouTube, Instagram, and SoundCloud.

The Dream of Buying a Home May Be More Attainable Than You Think

By

Steven Arbuckle

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First Fed offers the new Washington Covenant Homeownership Program, designed to expand homeownership for certain minorities in Washington. Photo courtesy: First Fed

For too many of us, buying a home seems out of reach. The prices sound astronomical, and then there are down payments, closing costs, property taxes and insurance coverage requirements, which could include additional costs for private mortgage insurance (PMI) and flood insurance. It can feel like if you don’t have a pile of cash on hand you are simply not able or qualified to buy a home.

But in reality, there’s a long list of programs and institutions that can help bridge that gap. Tiffany Bergsma-Evans, AVP Senior Mortgage Loan Officer at First Fed, has spent years leveraging these programs to help people buy homes.

A Passion for Helping Homebuyers

Bergsma-Evans was born in Bellingham, where her mother worked as a Realtor®. She started her own career in real estate as a property manager in 1991 and then moved into banking in 2005. She quickly found her place in community banking, she says, because she values an employer that not only gives back to the communities in which they serve but also empowers their employees to step up and volunteer their time to support various local non-profits.

She has also discovered a passion for educating the public about buying a home, which often starts with the myth that buyers need to have a 20% down payment. Because our current local median house price is in the $700,000 range, buyers would need around $150,000 just to cover a 20% downpayment and closing costs — a number that puts home ownership out of reach for many area residents.

That’s where Bergsma-Evans steps in.

Navigating the Landscape

“If you’re a first-time home buyer, there are programs out there that only require a 3% down payment. If you’re not a first-time home buyer, you can purchase a home with as little as 5% down,” she says. “Let’s say you don’t have that 3% or 5% — that’s where Downpayment Assistance (DPAs) comes in. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC), or possibly the Federal Home Loan Bank, offers several options for DPAs, which contribute to your down payment and closing costs.”

Bergsma-Evans can show you that buying a home isn’t just fantasy and that First Fed can match homebuyers to local, state and federal programs that help in some surprising ways.

“For example, there are some cool definitions of what a first-time homebuyer is,” says Bergsma-Evans. “You can qualify if you haven’t owned a home in the last three years or if you co-owned a house with your spouse, but now you’re divorced with children.”

Redefining What ‘Covenant’ Means to Home Buyers

Unfortunately, Washington State has a history of racial discrimination in housing, especially through CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions). When developers planned neighborhoods, interested parties gathered to decide exactly what kind of homes could and could not be built there — and who could or could not buy those homes.

“Title companies are actually able to show that there were areas in Bellingham that were, for lack of a better way of putting it, ‘white only,’” Bergsma-Evans says. Today, home ownership rates still show the echoes of those policies, so she’s dedicated to spreading the word about our state’s new Covenant Homeownership Program.

To help fight the disparity in homeownership for certain minorities due to past housing discrimination, Downpayment Assistance, through the Washington Covenant Homeownership Program offered by the WHFSC, is available to buyers who meet specific criteria. First, you or your direct family members (parents, grandparents, etc.) had to live in Washington before April of 1968, when Federal Fair Housing Laws were enacted. Next, the qualifying income must be at or below 100% of the county’s median income where the home being purchased is located. Third, you must qualify, in one way or another, as a first-time homebuyer.

The program aims to increase the percentage of homeownership in our state for those borrowers of certain races who have been discriminated against in the past and still show low percentage levels of homeownership today. The final qualification is that the borrower must be able to document that they are of one of the following races: Black/African American, Hispanic, Native American, Alaska Native, Korean, Asian Indian, and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. Borrowers who can document all of these requirements to WSHFC satisfaction are able to qualify for the Covenant program.

When a borrower meets all the requirements, they can qualify for a Downpayment Assistance loan of up to 20% of the purchase price (maximum of $150,000) and finance a mortgage for 80% of the home’s value. The DPA is a second mortgage for 20% and does not accrue interest or require any repayment until such time as the homeowner sells or refinances their property.

Hopefully, a long history of being locked out of the housing market can start to look more like an open door.

More Than Mortgages

The opportunities don’t stop there. On the website for the WSHFC, homebuyers can look at interest rates, find programs that benefit them, and find classes that help navigate the huge number of resources available. In fact, there is enough information out there that it’s helpful for a homebuyer to have an expert in their corner.

Tiffany Bergsma-Evans is happy to connect with homebuyers to help them find the best mortgage programs to realize their dream of homeownership. In addition to knowing how to navigate the system, it’s clear that Bergsma-Evans has found her place within it.

“Part of the joy I get from this job is helping people into their first home,” she says. “There’s an overwhelming feeling of, ‘I can’t believe that just happened!’ when people achieve their dreams. It is just so satisfying.”

First Fed is a member FDIC and equal housing lender.

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New Hubble House Inn in Montesano Is Your Gateway to a Washington Coast Getaway

By

Kristina Lotz

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hubble house washington coast bed and breakfast montesano — The new Hubble House Inn in Montesano is a great bed and breakfast that gives you easy access to all Grays Harbor’s Washington Coast has to offer. Photo courtesy: Hubble House Inn

Traveling to the Washington Coast and looking for a place to stay that is steeped in history with accents of the present and lots of quirky personality? The new Hubble House Inn in Montesano is a great bed and breakfast that gives you easy access to all Grays Harbor’s Washington Coast has to offer.

Husband and wife team Nate Widener and Jen Watkins decided to leave the Seattle area when Nate was ready for a career change. With a background in technology and the entertainment industry, along with a passion and history for music, Nate was looking for a project. “I probably watched too much HGTV during COVID,” he laughs. “Like the fix-the-inn shows, I was kind of addicted. So we said, ‘You know, we could do this.’”

They started looking at places in Grays Harbor and dropped past the Hubble House on their way to Ocean Shores one weekend. “It was just such a beautiful, historic building,” he says. “We spent a little bit of time in Montesano, got to know the town as well, and saw what an opportunity it was. Almost a year later, here we are.” They purchased the Hubble House in January 2023 and opened the Hubble House Inn in May 2024.

Nate Widener and Jen Watkins (pictured) opened the Hubble House Inn in Montesano as the perfect place to stay on a Washington Coast getaway. Photo courtesy: Hubble House Inn

Hubble House History

The home was built in 1903 for George and Leticia Hubble. He was big in the lumber and timber industry, which explains some of the gingerbread stylings of the house, explains Nate. “He used to have two trees in the front yard, and he ran a beam between the two trees and grew vines, so it made a big ‘H’ in the front yard,” he adds. “So in 1903, 1904, this guy had his own branding on the corner.” This history tidbit was the inspiration for their Hubble House Inn logo.

Over the years the home had many owners, including a mayor of Montesano and a local dentist. They hosted a 1963 high school reunion at the Hubble House this past summer, and loved getting the perspective of what Montesano used to look like, versus now.

Inside, you will find the Hubble House carefully preserved. There are German-Bavarian-themed hand-painted murals from when the house was built by well-known French artist J. Hoffman, with scenes of castles, German towns and countryside. “There’s a red window that used to be a symbol for Free Masons back in the day to come, and they could get sanctuary there,” Nate says. “There are little booze-hiding spots from prohibition. We’re still finding stuff, it’s fantastic.”

Hubble house music room with instruments — You’ll find a music room full of instruments you can play when you stay at the Hubble House Inn in Montesano. Photo courtesy: Hubble House Inn

Places to Stay in Montesano: This Inn Brings the Amenities and the Whimsy

But if you are looking for the comforts of home when you plan a getaway to the Washington Coast, don’t worry, the Hubble House Inn has amazing amenities and unique finds that will keep you comfortable and entertained during your stay. Things like Brooklyn linens and quiet hours to make sure your sleep is deep and untroubled, Aveda and Pharmacopia-brand toiletries for every guest and ensuite bathrooms.

Each of the four rooms has its own theme, which all nods to the Pacific Northwest and/or Nate’s and Jen’s playful personalities. Choose the Blue Spruce, themed for the important evergreens that shaped the area; a Wonderland room – that just might be haunted – with rabbits, stained glass and other whimsical touches; the Oceania, with its maritime theme; or the Attic, which plays to Nate’s love of music as well as the area’s iconic bands such as Nirvana. The Attic room has another special feature – a playable Pac-Man game that Nate said he actually bought for his wife during COVID. “Rumor has it if you beat the high score, you get a free night at the Hubble House Inn on your next visit,” Nate says. “One lady told us she stayed up until 2 a.m. with a bottle of wine to beat the high score.”

The Hubble House Inn offers an European-style continental breakfast. Honor bars are well-stocked and feature local wines and beers. Coffee, tea and baked goods are always around.

Hubble House dinning area — The Hubble House Inn offers a European-style continental breakfast. Photo courtesy: Hubble House Inn

Things To Do Near Montesano and the Washington Coast

Montesano is a great gateway location to all the county has to offer. Staying in Montesano allows you to choose your day’s adventure – whether that’s clam digging at the beach, shopping in Seabrook, or hiking in the rainforest. Nate says they have guests from all over the world who come, and each day, they have the opportunity to do something different. “We are a great place to start or stop your journey around the coast,” he says. For example, just an hour away, you can enjoy a sunset at any one of the many beaches or chase some waterfalls. “A lot of people rent boats for fishing as well.”

And course, the International Mermaid Museum and the tasting room at Westport Winery are a couple popular activities in the vicinity.

If you need a down day, or maybe the weather is not cooperating, the Hubbe House Inn has a music parlor full of instruments for guests to jam to their heart’s content. Being game lovers – as well as self-professed Kickstarter Junkies – Nate and Jen have also curated an incredible collection of board games, from family staples like Monopoly to rare and hard-to-find story, resource management games, role-playing (like D&D) and others. Ever heard of Dark Tower, Arkham Horror, or Crossbows & Catapults? We hadn’t either, but they certainly sound fun enough to plan a trip just to play them!

Book your stay in Montesano by visiting the Hubble House Inn website.

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PeaceHealth Welcomes Quynh Le, DO, Breast Surgical Oncologist

By

Kelley White

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PeaceHealth is a leading, not-for-profit medical organization with multiple primary and specialty care clinics and four hospitals in Northwest Washington, including PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham. Recently, new PeaceHealth physician Quynh Le, DO, sat down with WhatcomTalk to discuss her role as the only surgeon who is fellowship-trained specifically in breast surgical oncology in Whatcom County. Dr. Le also expressed her hopes for the future of PeaceHealth’s breast cancer program, where she serves as co-director of the Breast Cancer Program at the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center.

Education and the Early Years

When Dr. Quynh Le turned 19, she was actively involved in karate. During one of her classes, she broke her leg while sparring with her opponent. Dr. Le credits the expertise of the surgeon who helped heal her as the main inspiration behind pursuing her own career.

“It was the first time where I needed surgery, actual medical help,” says Dr. Le. “I was able to walk again within a couple of weeks — with a boot on, of course. I just thought that was so powerful, what that surgeon was able to do for me. He was able to give me back my freedom. From then on, I wanted to go to medical school and become a surgeon.”

Dr.Le sought her medical degree at Pacific Northwest University in Yakima after receiving her undergraduate degree in biochemistry from Washington State University in Pullman.

“I completed five years of general surgery residency at the Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan,” she says. “During my five years there, I became passionate about breast cancer care and breast cancer surgery, so I ended up applying and got accepted to the breast surgical oncology fellowship at the University of Southern California.”

Dr. Le trained at Keck Hospital, Los Angeles Country Hospital, and Hoag Hospital from 2020 to 2021. “During this time, I wanted to return to the Pacific Northwest, so I ended up working at Virginia Mason Chi Franciscan in Seattle for about three years. And while I was there, I recognized there were a lot of patients coming down from Bellingham to see me.”

Some patients were taking the bus all the way to Seattle for her specialized care. Dr. Le recognized the growing need for her skillset and healthcare specialty in the Whatcom area, eventually relocating to Bellingham and joining PeaceHealth. “Everything kind of fell into place,” she says.

The Only Whatcom Surgeon Fellowship-Trained in Breast Surgical Oncology

“Our community has several experienced cancer surgeons. What sets me apart is that my fellowship training focused specifically on techniques related to breast cancer surgery,” she says. “As a fellowship-trained breast surgeon, I have additional training in benign and malignant breast diseases. While at USC, I worked closely with well-respected breast surgeons concentrating on treating all breast diseases with most of our focus on breast cancer to truly master breast cancer treatment.” Dr. Le explains that when a patient needs multi-disciplinary care, they typically seek out those services in a larger area, such as Seattle. Her goal is to make that comprehensive, high-level care available here in Whatcom.

“That’s why I’m here,” she says. “I want to start a program where you can get your care in Bellingham, and it’s just as good as anywhere else. I think we just need someone to spearhead it, organize it and make sure it flows well.”

With Dr Le’s specialized training, she’s also able to combine tumor removal and with specific techniques to conserve breast tissue during surgery.

“My number one goal is to safely remove all of the breast cancer. Secondly, I want to provide an aesthetic outcome for patients undergoing breast cancer surgery. My fellowship training at the University of California taught me to not only remove the cancer but also prevent undue distortion of the breast, helping to maintain an aesthetically pleasing breast after all of the treatment for cancer is complete.”

This expertise and specialization enhance the surgery experience for patients, making the process faster and more efficient while also preventing delays due to scheduling conflicts between multiple surgeons. However, Dr. Le does partner with local plastic surgeons when major reconstruction is needed in combination with breast cancer surgery.

An Active Lifestyle in the Community

Outside of her work, Dr. Le enjoys every bit of the unique recreation Whatcom County has to offer. She snowboards, skis, golfs and hikes with friends and also enjoys cooking with her family. “I’m very passionate about golf,” she says. “I started learning how to golf when I was in medical school. During my residency at Henry Ford, while I was taking care of a patient in his 80s in the ICU, he said to me, ‘Why am I here? I’m so bored,’ and he mentioned he used to play in the PGA Tour.”

Dr. Le jokingly asked the patient if he could help fix her swing and grip. To her surprise, he said, “Yes! How else am I going to survive boredom in the ICU?” A video was taken of the entire interaction, and even now, Dr. Le references that sweet moment in time. “He made his daughter bring in a golf club so we could actually have something to practice on,” she says. “He completely changed my grip and my swing, and it’s still the same to this day. After that, I really got into golf. I find it so soothing and a mental relief from medicine, almost. I became serious about it when I moved here to Washington, and I still watch those videos to this day, just to make sure I’m doing everything correctly.”

Alongside her active lifestyle, Dr. Le also enjoys cooking with her mother. “I like to cook a lot of Vietnamese food because they’re my mom’s recipes,” she says. “It’s another way to connect with or keep in touch with my family, especially in our group chat where we send each other pictures of the final product.”

Cancer Services at PeaceHealth

PeaceHealth has a comprehensive roster of cancer services, including those for breast cancer and other breast care needs. They also work closely with Mount Baker Imaging for mammograms and breast imaging services.

In addition, PeaceHealth provides support services to help process a cancer diagnosis and educate the patient on every step of their healthcare journey.

PeaceHealth’s fully integrated system of care allows every specialist involved to collaborate effectively for the patient’s needs. They offer a host of services and expertise, including surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology, clinical trials and genetic testing, while working as a team to provide social work, financial advocacy and survivorship support for their patients.

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Lottie Roeder Roth: The History and Aftermath of Bellingham’s Pioneer Historian

By

Anna Diehl

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Of the history books on Bellingham and surrounding towns, Lottie Roeder Roth’s 1926 “History of Whatcom County” is a foundational text still in use. As curious readers can discover, its author’s life and works are intertwined with the local history she documented.

Charlotte “Lottie” Roeder Roth (1864-1933) was the daughter of Henry Roeder – a Bellingham founder who started the first coal mine, Roeder-Peabody Mill, and Chuckanut Stone Quarry – and Elizabeth Roeder. She became a historian with the Daughters of the American Revolution and married Charles Roth, who bought the stone quarry. Lottie Roth avidly supported social causes through organizations such as Aftermath Club.

The family is most remembered for the Roeder Home, which Henry’s son Victor Roeder commissioned from architect Alfred Lee in 1903 to 1908 using Chuckanut sandstone from Roth Stone Quarry. Lottie Roth’s own history and “History of Whatcom County” demonstrates one founding message of Aftermath Club: “They talk about a woman’s sphere, as though it had a limit: There’s not a place on earth or heaven, There’s not a task to mankind given, There’s not a life, death, or birth, That had a feather’s weight of worth, Without a woman in it.”

Aftermath Club

Operating from 1895 to 2003, Bellingham’s Aftermath Club was one of many literary societies nationwide where women advocated for their roles in the public sphere. Susan Fahey’s 1994 study “A Quiet Region of the Mind” attributes the name to the “second gleaning” of lifelong learning.

Lottie Roeder Roth served as club historian for 15 years, starting in 1908. She described the camaraderie, “to understand another is one of Heaven’s richest blessings, and to be understood by another is a satisfying gift.”

“The Bellingham Herald” quoted Roth on Aftermath Clubhouse, constructed in 1904: “Since the first coal mined on the Pacific coast came from Bellingham Bay, since the first sawmill on the coast was built on Bellingham Bay, since the first brick building in the state was built here, it was appropriate that the first woman’s clubhouse in the state should be erected in what is now Bellingham. The Aftermath clubhouse has the distinction of being the oldest in the state.”

“History of Whatcom County” emphasizes the influence of women’s clubs. “Most of the early members of Aftermath Club are listed by Roth as members of other organizations in the area, often as founders and officers,” Fahey writes, including “the Music Club, the Bellingham Women’s Music Club, the Progressive Literary Fraternal Club, the Twentieth Century Club, the PEO Club, the Ladies’ Cooperative Society, the Women of Rotary, the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Young Women’s Christian Association.”

Roth concluded her 1921-1922 club history, “What a pleasure it is to feel we are associated with so many capable women. The firm belief we have in each other strengthens each member. When it falls to their lot to entertain the others, that conviction of love and sympathy gives the required strength to carry forward what otherwise would be impossible.”

History of Whatcom County

Lottie Roeder Roth’s “History of Whatcom County” comprises two volumes: the first documenting historical events, the second influential people.

“This volume of ‘The History of Whatcom County’ is dedicated to the Spirit of the Pioneers,” Roth’s first volume opens, “not to any one of them, but to the Spirit of sturdy, steadfast honesty and industry and courage which pervaded them all and which we believe exists in the country today in the hearts and lives of its people.”

The first volume chronicles chapters such as the 1852 settlement, Fort Bellingham, Fraser Gold Rush of 1858, early coal mining, political development, railroads, rural towns’ emergence, Bellingham’s consolidation, and entrepreneurship until the time of writing.

“No Western story ever thrown upon the screen contains more thrills than does the actual history of Whatcom County,” Roth writes. “It was prefaced by the ‘Covered Wagon.’ Its background was California in the days of ’49. Its story is that of high adventure, both by land and sea. Upon its borders the history of Nations has been written. The romance of the mountains and of the forests is in its veins. It was written to the music of the waterfall and the ring of the woodsman’s axe.”

Other authors contributed chapters: Captain J.W. Tarte on seafaring, J.W. Edson on natural history, and Eva Lambert on the Lummi and other Native American groups. J.J. Donovan and Hugh Eldridge also reviewed the work.

Roth’s preface concludes, “This work is offered, not with the feeling that it is a complete or perfect volume, but in humble spirit, acknowledging the defects and limitations of what has been, nevertheless, an honest attempt to form a permanent and readable record of the county and home we love.”

Remembering Lottie Roeder Roth

Roth lends her name to two local landmarks: Lottie Street, which is accompanied by other streets named for the family (Henry, Elizabeth, Victor, and the Roeder surname) and Lottie Roth Block. Charles Fisher commissioned Elmer H. Fisher to construct the 1890 Chuckanut sandstone building. It has housed apartments since 1918 after supporting storefronts.

The Aftermath Clubhouse, sold in 1977, is now an event venue. Since 1971, Roeder Home has been a county park with scheduled tours.

As all these monuments are on the National Register of Historic Places, so is Lottie Roth’s “History of Whatcom County,” which is a monumental testament to its author and her family’s formative place in that history.

Bellingham Bops, Jives and Swings Through 100 Years of Jazz History

By

Anna Diehl

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Bellingham jazz history — As shown in this 1957 photo, Western Washington University had a concert ("stage") band that set precedents for their development of jazz curricula. Photo courtesy: Special Collections, Western Libraries Archives & Special Collections, Western Washington University

Bellingham in the 1920s calls to mind a few exciting chapters of local history, including the “Wild West” era of saloons ending with Prohibition, the rail and streetcar boom, and the Tulip Festival. And since the “Jazz Age,” Bellingham also has held an understated but influential foothold in jazz.

Jazz music, considered one of the only uniquely American art forms, originated in the African-American community in the 1910s and 20s. It soon evolved into subgenres such as big band and swing, bebop, Dixieland, and crossovers with blues, ragtime, and world music. Jazz has traditionally moved from big cities to small, including from Seattle to Bellingham.

“The Less Subdued Excitement: A Century of Jazz in Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington,” by Milton Krieger, catalogs local history. The 2012 book cites public records and musician interviews to breathe the spirit of our jazz scene and its evolution.

Early Jazz History

Krieger describes how a 1921 photo from Diehl Ford’s opening years shows possibly Bellingham’s first jazz performance with “A four-piece band, with men on violin, string bass and clarinet and a woman on piano.”

The first chapter singles out four Bellingham jazz pioneers: pianist and organist Einar Moen, saxophonist Mel Mckee, and violinists and reed instrumentalists Art Hoeruegel and Joe Szymanski. These men led bands on KVOS radio and venues such as Mount Baker Theater, The Leopold Hotel, Henry Hotel (later the YMCA), and Elks Club through the 1920s and decades onward.

“Against the grain of one stereotype about jazz […] all four of these pioneers lived to or past the age of eighty-three,” Krieger writes. Many mentored the following generations.

Krieger also interviewed Ken Husfloen, Bob Nunamaker, Walt Germain, and Gordon Downs, some of Bellingham’s oldest surviving jazz musicians at the time of writing. They played with early pioneers while sharing the youth’s enthusiasm for jazz pre-World War II.

The post-war period brought prosperity, leisure time, transportation, and new media to connect Bellingham’s jazz pioneers with other cities. Musicians played “perhaps two dozen Whatcom and Skagit grange halls,” including female orchestras and artists such as Irene Waters, Harriet Hatch, Anne Gillett, Mamie Rowlands and her daughter Barbara, and sisters Harriet and Echo Oxford. Many played the emerging modernist jazz and bebop.

As the chapter on Musicians Union Local 451 describes, jazz musicians unionized between 1936 and 1970. This enabled them to play venues and secure fair pay after a 1934 city ordinance against live music following the repeal of Prohibition.

Bellingham on the National Stage

The chapter “Our Mainstream Jazz” describes how, by 1970, jazz gained a modernist, formalized sensibility after the influence of artists such as Louis Armstrong and Benny Goodman. Local combos included The Blue Notes, The Lemon Drops, and The Skippers.

Bellingham also saw performances by legendary jazz artists. Les Brown’s and Tommy Dorsey’s big bands visited, while Jimmie Lunceford and Duke Ellington played venues such as Forest Grove Ballroom and Bellingham Armory. “Wynton Marsalis has three times followed Mount Baker Theatre concerts by joining jam sessions in nearby clubs,” as Krieger notes, and more recently returned in 2023.

Krieger also notes, “‘A list’ artists have booked Bellingham between Seattle and Vancouver dates since the 1920s.” Additionally, Western Washington University and high school students at the Blaine Jazz Festival have enjoyed clinics with jazz masters.

The chapter on Western describes how the school’s jazz education started with Don Walter’s 70-member concert band in 1950 after its music department began in 1945. Today’s Performing Arts Center building opened the following year. The program grew into the 1960s when Walter Zuber Armstrong, “John Coltrane’s and Rahsaan Roland Kirk’s student” and Western’s second African-American faculty member, introduced the first jazz course.

Western’s concert band expanded after the influential 1960s-70s leadership of directors Phil Ager and Bill Cole. Today, Western offers Jazz Studies ensembles and teaches some of the best high school players in Running Start.

Local youth education was extracurricular at Bellingham High School by the 1950s, when The Swing Kings became the first jazz band to influence later programs. Sehome High School included jazz shortly after it started in 1966, with the Swing Choir and Jazz Choir becoming classes by the late 1970s. Beginning in 1998, Squalicum High School developed jazz programs into the 2000s.

Bellingham Jazz Today

The book’s remaining chapters describe venues and current local jazz. As Krieger describes, big names in local jazz clearly trace their influence to local and regional educators before them. Current organizations include the Bellingham Community Band, Swing Connection, Bellingham Traditional Jazz Society, and Jazz Center of Bellingham.

Youth education has continued with Blaine Youth Jazz Camp, which started in 2002, along with its high school program and Canadian traffic, and Whatcom Community College through Running Start. Music educators such as Kevin Woods, Frank Kuhl, Mark Schlichting, and Matt Kenagy have supported numerous schools and organizations. Jud Sherwood’s The Jazz Project started in 1997 and funds Mark Kelly’s Bellingham Youth Jazz Band for local middle schools.

Clayton Medeiros’ poem “Bellingham Jazz,” concluding the book, summarizes the scene: “A sensibility beyond categories written across the faces and bodies/Of players in time’s meditation, euphoric, exuberant, anguished, Ahead of the beat, behind the beat, in the pocket, Right here in Bellingham.”

Cascade Connections Offers a Hand Up Into The Workplace

By

Steven Arbuckle

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Creating classrooms that are dedicated to helping disabled people enter the workforce is Cascade Connections' newest effort towards a brighter future. Photo credit: Gregg Hill

Kristin Nguyen was born in Bellingham graduating from Bellingham High School and Western Washington University. She knew she eventually wanted a career that allowed her to help people, but she spent her school years working in a grocery store.

Little did she know that’s where she would get her first taste of helping. “Back when I went to school, people with disabilities weren’t integrated. They were in separate classrooms. So my first exposure was customers shopping in my store, and their support staff taught me how to get to know and treat people,” she says.

That same grocery store soon hired a person with a disability, and Nguyen watched firsthand as the employees came together to help their new coworker be successful. That spirit continued when she started work at Cascade Connections, and over 28 years later, she is still with them as the Vocational Services Administrator.

Cascade Connections Prepares Students for Transition

In the 45 years that they have been operating, Cascade Connections has always advocated for people with developmental disabilities in a variety of ways, including supporting them in the job market. In 2024, they unveiled a program that specializes in preparing a younger participant for working life while they are still high school students.

“It’s not a conversation that people necessarily start when somebody turns 16, and we want to change that. The sooner you start talking about what your future will look like, the more successful you’ll be in finding the jobs that you want. We encourage high school students to get jobs and experience while they’re in school, but people with disabilities have often been left out of that,” Nguyen says.

Working in Whatcom County Schools

Cascade Connections has partnered with the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, a part of Washington State’s Department of Social and Health Services. They have also hired a teacher, Gregg Hill, who has experience working with people with disabilities, to travel to five different schools in the county and work with students.

Those students are enrolled in the Community Transitions program, which helps students up to 21 years of age move from school life into the adult world. Hill teaches a variety of workplace subjects, including “soft skills” like time management, self-advocacy, financial literacy, and setting goals, which go into finding and keeping a job.

“I’m excited to have the opportunity to teach in different high schools in the county. This program fills a huge need for students, and it’s great to see support and options for students as they transition from high school to the next step in their life, whether that’s college, tech school, internships, or straight into a vocational career,” Hill says.

Into The Workplace With Cascade Connections

Cascade Connections has assembled a wealth of information about a diverse array of workplaces and career paths and uses interest tests to help figure out what kind of direction a student might like to take. Those students can explore their options by touring job sites, shadowing workers and taking paid internships. This allows them a chance to try out different types of jobs and workplaces, as well as learn how it feels to work alongside coworkers and take direction from a boss.

The program started in October of 2024, with 47 students at high schools in the Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Meridian and Mount Baker school districts. They are preparing to tap into a roster of interested employers already connected to Cascade that numbers in the hundreds.

Cascade Connections is always on the lookout for more employers to work with. Anyone interested in learning about the program and its benefits for their business is encouraged to reach out to Cascade Connections.

Who Really Benefits?

The rewards for the students are apparent. They receive an education tailored to their needs and speaks to their interests. Plus, having a job leads to a broader worldview, more social opportunities and, of course, the chance to gain financial independence.

For employers, there are many benefits as well. Besides helping the youth in their community, employers are able to work with and meet potentially qualified applicants for future openings. Many of these students could be an untapped resource for underfilled industries. Individuals with disabilities have a much lower turnover rate than others. Internship opportunities for students are not paid by the employer.

There is another factor that Nguyen says is a little harder to put into words regarding the effect supported employment has on workplace culture, “Really, people are just nicer to each other. One person needs support, so everybody becomes more supportive of each other. You go back to basics, putting things in place to help this person learn and making sure things are going well for them. It lowers the stress level when you feel like you’re contributing to somebody’s success,” she says. “One of the biggest reasons I like this job is showing the rest of the world what it’s like to include people who are different in our lives. We are all better people because of it.”

Whatcom Transportation Authority Recognized for Culture of Safety, Training, and Lifesaving Actions

By

LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Whatcom Transportation Authority

At their annual Heroes Breakfast, the Northwest Washington Chapter of the American Red Cross presented Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) with its Corporate Citizen Award. Red Cross created this award to recognize WTA’s culture of safety, training, and “doing what’s right.”

As part of the award ceremony, the Red Cross shared this short video. It includes footage from past years in which several WTA employees were caught on camera performing lifesaving actions. Each of the featured employees is a past recipient of Red Cross Hero Awards.

As the video states, “Whatcom Transportation Authority workers are the eyes and ears of their community.” “It’s no accident that when faced with a life and death situation, WTA workers are trained and prepared.”

WTA’s Training Department was specifically honored for its commitment to providing ongoing training and for fostering a workplace where people are “equipped and encouraged to be the heroes that they are.” WTA’s mission is to enhance our community by delivering safe, reliable, efficient, and friendly service, offering environmentally sound transportation choices, providing leadership in creating innovative transportation solutions and partnering with our community to improve transportation systems.

Powering Through the Storms: Your Ultimate Guide to WholeHome™ Generators and Battery Backups With Solar

By

LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing

While the Black Friday chaos has cooled, winter blackouts still abound. Pacific Northwest storms continue to bring heavy rains and raging winds that threaten flooding, property damage, and power outages—all of which can disrupt not just your plans but your entire household.

From failing refrigerators to heating systems shutting down to loss of hot/clean water, the impact of a power outage can be drastic. An automatic WholeHome™ generator can solve many of these worries, powering not just a few appliances but restoring power to your entire home in a matter of seconds. No more fumbling with your portable unit in the pouring rain, choosing to power your refrigerator over your heat, or coming home to a cold, dark home with frozen pipes. With a standby generator, your power will seamlessly remain on whether you’re home or not.

A WholeHome™ generator, or standby generator, is a smart solution to keep your home running during an outage, but the experts at Barron Electrical also offer a next-level package to enhance your home’s energy resilience: a battery backup system with solar. Providing ultimate energy independence, environmental benefits, and long-term cost savings, the addition of this combo can greatly improve the value, reliability, and sustainability of your home.

A battery backup system is an effective way to power your home during an outage, as it stores electricity for use when the main power source is unavailable. It captures and holds energy from the grid (when it’s up and running) or from a renewable source, like solar panels, and stores it in a large battery. When the grid goes down the system automatically switches to battery power, keeping essential appliances running like lights, refrigerators, medical equipment, and more. Battery backup systems are becoming increasingly popular in homes and businesses because they provide a reliable power supply while optimizing energy usage during peak demand.

A battery backup system can power your home on its own or alongside a generator. Many large generators take a few minutes to start up, so a battery backup seamlessly fills the gap, ensuring an uninterrupted transition. Additionally, a generator can charge the battery while running, providing a continuous power supply even during extended outages. On its own, a battery backup system can keep your home running for a limited time, depending on its size and your household’s energy usage. For longer backups, many systems allow you to expand storage by adding additional battery units.

Battery Backup System Pros

Seamless Power Supply: Battery systems offer an automatic switch-over to backup power during an outage, ensuring no interruption.
No Noise or Emissions: Unlike generators, battery backups are silent and produce no emissions, making them environmentally friendly and ideal for noise-sensitive environments.
Eco-Friendly: Battery backup systems can be charged with renewable energy sources like solar, reducing your carbon footprint.
Low Maintenance: Battery systems require significantly less maintenance than generators, which typically need fuel, oil changes, and regular upkeep.
Federal Tax Credits: Homeowners can take advantage of federal tax credits of up to 30% for installing a battery backup system as well as waived sales tax.
Efficiency: When connected to solar, battery backups can store energy during off-peak hours when electricity rates are lower, reducing overall energy costs.
Smart Features: Many modern battery backup systems come with smart monitoring features, allowing users to track energy usage, battery status, and more, often via a mobile app.

Battery Backup System Cons

While there are many benefits to a battery backup system, there are a few potential drawbacks that are important to consider:

Limited Storage Capacity: Depending on the size of your system, a standalone battery backup may only be able to store a limited amount of energy, which could be insufficient for extended power outages.
Upfront Cost: A battery backup system is a significant investment, especially if it’s designed to power your entire home. However, the 30% federal tax credit and sales tax exemption can help offset this cost.
Battery Lifespan: Batteries wear out over time and will need to be replaced, typically after 10-15 years.
Energy Demand: Larger homes or those with high energy consumption (like air conditioning or multiple appliances) may require larger batteries or additional units to meet energy needs.

Combining a battery backup system with solar panels provides many key advantages, including the ability to store excess solar energy for later use. When your solar panels produce more electricity than your home needs, such as during a sunny day, the excess energy is stored in the battery backup system. This stored energy can then be used when solar production is low, such as at night, during cloudy weather, or in the event of a power outage, significantly enhancing your energy independence.

If you currently have a solar system that can power your home and charge your battery during the day, additional solar panels may not be necessary, as the battery can store enough surplus energy for nighttime use or in case of an outage. Higher energy needs, however, such as electric heating or cooling or supply for a longer backup duration, may benefit from additional panels, especially for larger homes with high energy demands. Keep in mind that not all batteries are created equal. Some systems lose energy during storage and retrieval, so it’s important to consider the efficiency of the system you choose.

As the storms rage on, now’s a great time to upgrade your energy resilience by investing in the whole package—a WholeHome™ generator and battery backup system powered by solar. While standby generators are ideal for immediate power during an outage, combining them with a solar and a battery system allows you to optimize your home’s energy storage and usage, reduce your carbon footprint, and enhance your energy independence. Plus, Barron Heating AC Electrical & Plumbing is now offering a “No Pay Till May” special, meaning no payments, no interest till May of 2025. We encourage you to take advantage of the current 30% tax credit and state incentives, as well to make a smart, sustainable investment for the future. As your Pacific Northwest home and building performance experts since 1972, we stand by Our Mission: Improving Lives™.

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