Bellingham Scoop: Thursday March 26

Today's Weather A chance of snow mixed with rain this morning through about 11am, then mostly sunny skies roll in this afternoon. High near 53. South wind 5 to 7 mph with no snow accumulation expected. Full forecast at National Weather Service.

Happy Thursday, Bellingham. A little mixed bag of weather to start the morning, but your afternoon looks much nicer. Here is what is happening around the county today.

Whatcom County Eyes Hannegan Road as New Jail Site

Whatcom County has reached a tentative agreement to purchase a 19-acre property at 4160 Hannegan Road in Bellingham as an alternative site for the long-planned new jail. The fair market value was appraised at $4,070,000, which is the agreed purchase price, pending County Council approval.

County Executive Satpal Sidhu called the switch a win for taxpayers. "Better construction conditions, a simpler permitting pathway, more compact construction timeline, and more convenient location," Sidhu said. "These factors will all save taxpayer money." The county estimates the new site could save up to $2.5 million in construction costs compared to the original La Bounty Drive property, which sat idle for over a decade.

The Hannegan Road location is close to Whatcom County's Behavioral Health Campus on Division Street, which is also home to the Anne Deacon Center for Hope and the future Whatcom Behavioral Care Center, both part of the larger Justice Project. The administration plans to bring the purchase to the Council for approval in the near future.

I-5 Landslide: Latest from WSDOT

The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office shared an update Thursday from WSDOT on the ongoing I-5 landslide situation south of Bellingham. Cleanup and monitoring efforts continue, and alternate routes remain in effect for affected drivers. If you are traveling south, allow extra time and check the Sheriff's post for the latest WSDOT guidance and current conditions.

Portal Way Delays Today Near the Roundabout

Ferndale drivers should expect some slowdowns today. Contractors are placing road striping near 6032 Portal Way, just north of the compact roundabout. Traffic revisions are in place and delays are possible. For details, see the City of Ferndale notice.

April 28 Special Election Coming for Lynden School District Voters

Whatcom County has announced a special election on April 28, 2026 for voters in the Lynden School District 504. Ballots will be mailed to registered voters ahead of election day. If you live in the Lynden School District and have questions about your voter registration, visit the Whatcom County Auditor's Elections page to confirm your information is current.

Blaine Border Patrol Reports Arrest Near Border

Blaine Sector Border Patrol reported that on March 20, agents arrested Carrie-Lynn Burnett, a Canadian citizen, near Blaine. Burnett has a prior arrest record for Social Security fraud and is currently awaiting removal proceedings, according to US Border Patrol Blaine Sector.

Send Off the Salmon Today + Events Worth Your Time

If you have kids and a free afternoon, this one is a must. Bellingham Public Library is releasing its chum salmon fry into Whatcom Creek today, March 26, from 4:00 to 5:00 pm at the Maritime Heritage Park Amphitheatre. The fry arrived as eggs back in January and have been growing in the library's aquarium ever since. NSEA staff will be on hand, and families are welcome to stick around for a salmon-themed storytime from 5:15 to 5:45 pm in the Pavilion.

Haven't seen them yet? The Children's Department at Central Library still has them in their tank this morning. Or tune in to the library's livestream at bellinghampubliclibrary.org.

Looking for more to do this week? Check the full events calendar at bellingham.org/events for what's happening around town through the weekend.

BSD Shares What Its Facilities Task Force Is Working On

Bellingham Public Schools has posted a video explaining the work of its Facilities Planning Task Force. If you have been curious about what the task force is evaluating and what it could mean for school buildings in the district, this is a good place to start. Watch the video on the BSD website.

The Upcoming Week