Sheriff Warns of Bail Scam Calls + Bells Opening Day Is Here

Happy Wednesday, Bellingham. It is June 3 and summer is announcing itself. There is a lot to get into this morning: a phone scam targeting locals, Opening Day for the Bells, a ferry errand if you live on Lummi Island, and summer reading kicking off at the library. Let's get into it.

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⛅ Today's Weather: A 30 percent chance of early morning rain clearing by 9am, then becoming mostly sunny with a high near 72. South-southwest winds around 9 mph with gusts up to 23 mph. A nice afternoon on the way. Full forecast from the National Weather Service.

Safety Alert

The Whatcom County Sheriff Wants You to Hang Up

Scam calls are back. The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a fresh wave of phone calls where someone pretends to be a law enforcement officer and demands money, usually to cover bail, medical treatment, or ankle monitoring for a family member who has supposedly been arrested.

The calls are convincing. Many come from numbers with local Whatcom County area codes, and some even show up on caller ID as a law enforcement agency. The Sheriff's Office says most of these callers are actually located out of state or out of the country.

The official word is three words: just hang up. No one from the Sheriff's Office will ever call and ask for payment. If you receive a call like this, report it to the Sheriff's non-emergency line or submit a complaint at ftc.gov/complaint. Full details at the Whatcom Sheriff's warning.

Local Sports

Bellingham Bells Opening Day Is Here. Say Hi to Dinger.

Summer baseball is officially back. The Bellingham Bells opened their 2026 West Coast League season with their first home game at Joe Martin Field, 1221 Potter Street. The team is celebrating with a free commemorative pin for the first 500 fans through the gate.

WECU members can flash a debit or credit card at the entrance to buy one general admission ticket and get one free, and that deal runs all season long. The 57-game schedule runs through August. Full schedule and info here.

Transit

Lummi Island Ferry Punch Cards: Today Is the Day to Get One

Lummi Island Ferry Punch Card Sale and Exchange: Today Only

If you ride the Lummi Island Ferry and need to stock up or exchange punch cards, today is your window. The Whatcom County Ferry Division is holding its monthly punch card sale and exchange at the island-side Lummi Island Ferry Office from 5:40 a.m. to 2:40 p.m.

Two separate lines will form when both sales and exchanges are held at the same event. If only one purser is on duty, punch card sales take priority over exchanges. Payment by check, money order, or credit card only. Cash is not accepted. More information here.

Border News

Border Patrol's Blaine Sector Makes Two Arrests Near Sumas

US Border Patrol's Blaine Sector Targeted Enforcement Unit arrested two individuals near Sumas, Washington on May 27 for being illegally present in the country. Both are being held pending removal proceedings.

Sumas sits on the US-Canada border in northern Whatcom County near the Sumas-Huntingdon international crossing. The Blaine Sector covers roughly 97 miles of international border across northwestern Washington. Read the full report here.

Emergency Management

EOC Is Not Activated. County Wants Your Input on Hazard Planning.

Whatcom County Emergency Management Daily Briefing

Good news: the Whatcom County Emergency Operations Center is not activated and there are no active incidents. The county's Tuesday daily briefing was routine.

One note: Whatcom County is updating its Hazard Mitigation Plan and held a public meeting Tuesday evening at the Whatcom Unified Emergency Coordination Center, 3888 Sound Way. If you missed it, you can still provide feedback through the county's online survey. Not signed up for emergency alerts? Sign up for WhatcomReady at whatcomcounty.us.

School + Family

Summer Reading Is On at the Library. This One Is for All Ages.

Bellingham Public Library kicked off its 2026 Summer Reading program on June 1 and it runs through August 31 at all BPL branch locations. The best part: this one is for everybody, not just kids. Babies, children, teens, and adults all have a spot in the program.

Pick up a Summer Reading Activity Card at any branch, log your reading, and return the card for prizes. All children through teen years receive a free book. Kids 5-18 get a mystery coupon from a local Bellingham business. Adults are entered into prize drawings. Every participant gets a Summer Reading Superstar yard or window sign, which honestly sounds like a solid front yard move.

Cards are available now. Full details and branch locations here. Program sponsored by the Friends of the Bellingham Public Library.

The Upcoming Week

June 3-6 Around Bellingham

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School is out, baseball is back, and the sun is showing up. If you have been putting off getting the house sorted, this is a good week to stop doing that.

Cascade Home Cleaning is running a summer deal right now: book a deep clean plus ongoing routine cleans and your first routine clean is free. It is a great way to get a fresh start heading into the most social months of the year in Bellingham, without paying for the first follow-up visit.

Offer expires end of this week. Book online at cascadehomecleaning.com.