Abundance Swap in Bellingham an alternative to holiday shopping

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- If you feel like saving money and getting away from the long lines and crowds at big-box stores, there's another option to get your holiday haul.The 8th Annual Abundance Swap is happening in Bellingham next week.

Bellingham fishing derby forced to evolve with increasing shortage of salmon

BELLINGHAM, Wash. -- Three days of derby all come down to this -- the weigh in.Empty trailers sat ready and waiting in a packed parking lot at Squalicum Harbor Marina for hundreds of boaters to return Sunday after three days of fishing.Crab season officially opened up this weekend and anglers -- marked by green flags -- docked in Bellingham Bay to deliver their most prized possession, hoping to weigh in the catch of the derby.Salmon season officially opened July 1.“I've been doing it now for ten, twelve years,” said Kevin Walters, a fisherman from Lynden who drove down for the event. “It’s just a yearly fun opener to summer salmon.”But as the years have gone by something has changed.“The catch counts have gotten smaller.

What Western Washington University is doing to attract new students

BELLINGHAM -- Western Washington University is working to ignite local kids’ interest in STEM careers.“Our state lags behind in the number of kids with bachelor degrees, in the stem fields, and just generally in higher education.” Paul Cocke, Director of Communication WWU explained.WWU is working to bring students in Whatcom County above those statistics, using their own Environmental Sciences lobby as a sort of museum to attract students of all ages to learn on their turf.“We have a great place to study geology with active volcanism, we have glaciers here, lots of things.”Ben Paulson of the WWU Geology said with a smile. “There’s something to be said - especially in the sciences - about getting your hands on and you’re actually doing it so it’s active learning.”From wooly mammoth tusks, to mineral specimens, to artifacts of dinosaur descendants to the latest technology, there’s something for everyone to get their hands on.“Even when it’s just a small child and you’re playing with the sand they are seeing this contour lines something that they’re not even realizing but they’re learning passively as they’re playing actively, “ Paulson added. “It’s a good way of the geology department to do some outreach with the local K-12.

Bellingham Technical College receives grants for STEM programs

BELLINGHAM -- Bellingham Technical College just unveiled a new $650,000 grant to strengthen their STEM programs.In 2019 Bellingham Technical College will be offering 12 students a free ride to study engineering and change their lives.“Whenever you say ‘Hey!

Brewery scene booming in Bellingham

In just the last few years, there has been an explosion of breweries popping up in Bellingham, and many of them are now international award winners.