Latest news with #HollieHuthman
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bellingham, Wash., council pens letter to B.C. cities amid cross-border tensions
The mayor and council in an American city have penned a letter expressing a "commitment" to their "connection" with Canada amid ongoing tensions between the neighbouring countries. Bellingham, Wash., has long been a popular tourism destination for British Columbians looking to do a little shopping south of the border, with the town of around 90,000 people located 30 kilometres south of the border. But since U.S. President Donald Trump started threatening and imposing tariffs on Canada and travellers have reported being detained at the border, there's been a notable drop in visitors heading south in recent months, according to Statistics Canada. Recent data from border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland shows the number of vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south in April 2025, compared to the previous April, is down 51 per cent. Now, a letter signed by Bellingham city council president Hollie Huthman and Mayor Kim Lund says the city hopes the "peaceful partnership" between Canada and Bellingham will continue. "Though we live in separate nations, we share longstanding, collaborative relationships with the Indigenous communities that have lived in harmony with the land and the water for thousands of years," the letter reads in part. "We share the same responsibility for the families who have come to depend on generations of uninterrupted, cross-border transportation and commerce." Huthman told CBC News that she, herself, is the owner of a live music venue called the Shakedown, and that she was being told by Canadians that they couldn't visit right now, even though they loved her place. "The ability of bands to cross the border and that cultural exchange of music — it's become even harder," she said. "It was already hard, and it's become harder. And that's really unfortunate."At an April 28 Bellingham council meeting, Coun. Michael Lilliquist said the purpose of the letter is not to outline the economic importance of Canada. "It's a more personal message to fellow jurisdictions, kind of just renewing at a more cultural and personal level that we're still your neighbours, we still value you, we still want to work with you," he said. According to a spokesperson for the City of Bellingham, the letter was sent to nine Lower Mainland communities on May 21. Langley mayor unconvinced Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward said that while he hasn't received the letter as of yet, he understands why Washington state communities would be trying to reaffirm the relationship between the state and the province. "Canadians have been crossing the border for generations, supporting American businesses and participating in one of the largest open borders in the world," he said. But he said the message doesn't speak to him on a personal level. "My personal opinion is that the American government and the American establishment essentially decided that it wants to change the nature of the relationship." Woodward said he, like many other Canadians, is planning to spend his money and vacation time in Canada. Bellingham isn't the first jurisdiction to acknowledge the tension and hope Canadians will return to American travel; in mid-April, California Governor Gavin Newsom urged Canadians to visit the Golden State's sandy beaches and wine country. Point Roberts, Wash., has appealed to B.C.'s humanity for support — if a trade war gets out of hand, leaders aren't sure the community would survive. But Woodward said Bellingham should look elsewhere for support. "Bellingham should potentially look to Montana and maybe Oregon for those people to come up and support them, and not Canada."
CBC
28-05-2025
- Business
- CBC
With U.S.-bound traffic down 51%, Bellingham, Wash., council pens letter to B.C. cities
The mayor and council in an American city have penned a letter expressing a "commitment" to their "connection" with Canada amid ongoing tensions between the neighbouring countries. Bellingham, Wash., has long been a popular tourism destination for British Columbians looking to do a little shopping south of the border. But since U.S. President Donald Trump started threatening and imposing tariffs on Canada and travellers have reported being detained at the border, there's been a notable drop in visitors heading south in recent months, according to Statistics Canada. Recent data from border crossings in B.C.'s Lower Mainland shows the number of vehicles with B.C. licence plates heading south in April 2025, compared to the previous April, is down 51 per cent. Now, a letter signed by Bellingham city council president Hollie Huthman and Mayor Kim Lund says the city hopes the "peaceful partnership" between Canada and Bellingham will continue. "Though we live in separate nations, we share longstanding, collaborative relationships with the Indigenous communities that have lived in harmony with the land and the water for thousands of years," the letter reads in part. "We share the same responsibility for the families who have come to depend on generations of uninterrupted, cross-border transportation and commerce." Huthman told CBC News that she, herself, is the owner of a live music venue called the Shakedown, and that she was being told by Canadians that they couldn't visit right now, even though they loved her place. "The ability of bands to cross the border and that cultural exchange of music — it's become even harder," she said. "It was already hard, and it's become harder. And that's really unfortunate." WATCH | U.S. woman asks for cross-border compassion: U.S. woman who frequents B.C. says human connection needed amidst tariff turmoil 3 months ago Duration 4:04 CBC's On The Coast heard from an American listener, who lives just south of the B.C. border in Washington state, on the importance of approaching international relations on a "personal" level. Suzanne Wheeler said she comes to Vancouver every Wednesday to listen to live music at Frankie's Jazz Club. At an April 28 Bellingham council meeting, Coun. Michael Lilliquist said the purpose of the letter is not to outline the economic importance of Canada. "It's a more personal message to fellow jurisdictions, kind of just renewing at a more cultural and personal level that we're still your neighbours, we still value you, we still want to work with you," he said. According to a spokesperson for the City of Bellingham, the letter was sent to nine Lower Mainland communities on May 21. Langley mayor unconvinced Langley Township Mayor Eric Woodward said that while he hasn't received the letter as of yet, he understands why Washington state communities would be trying to reaffirm the relationship between the state and the province. "Canadians have been crossing the border for generations, supporting American businesses and participating in one of the largest open borders in the world," he said. But he said the message doesn't speak to him on a personal level. "My personal opinion is that the American government and the American establishment essentially decided that it wants to change the nature of the relationship." Woodward said he, like many other Canadians, is planning to spend his money and vacation time in Canada. Bellingham isn't the first jurisdiction to acknowledge the tension and hope Canadians will return to American travel; in mid-April, California Governor Gavin Newsom urged Canadians to visit the Golden State's sandy beaches and wine country. Point Roberts, Wash., has appealed to B.C.'s humanity for support — if a trade war gets out of hand, leaders aren't sure the community would survive. But Woodward said Bellingham should look elsewhere for support.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Candidate filing period is over. Here's who's running in Whatcom County
A filing period closed Friday for races in nonpartisan off-year elections that focus on the Whatcom County Council, Bellingham and other city councils, courts, school boards and local commissions such as fire districts and cemetery officials. Nonpartisan offices with three or more candidates will appear on the Aug. 5 primary ballot. Otherwise both candidates will advance automatically to the general election, the Whatcom County Auditor's Office said. According to Washington state election law, the top two finishers in the primary will advance to the Nov. 4 general election, regardless of political party affiliation. All races this year are nonpartisan. Only residents of a certain County Council district or Bellingham City Council ward can vote for those candidates in a primary. At-large seats are citywide or countywide. Here's who's running in key Whatcom County races: First-term Ward 2 council member Hollie Huthman is facing a challenge from Leah Wainman. Ward 2 generally encompasses Bellingham neighborhoods east of Meridian Street and north of Sunset Drive. It also includes part of Sunnyland. ▪ Huthman, who has a bachelor's degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminology, is owner of The Shakedown, a downtown live music venue. She served two years as the at-large member and was elected in 2021 to a four-year term representing Ward 2. She is currently serves as council president and chairs City Council meetings. ▪ Wainman is an epidemiologist with the Washington state Department of Health, a member of the Whatcom County Public Health Advisory Board and on the board of the Whatcom County Dispute Resolution Center. First-term Ward 4 council member Skip Williams is being challenged for re-election by Kerri Burnside. Ward 4 generally encompasses eastside Bellingham neighborhoods, including Whatcom Falls and Silver Beach. ▪ Burnside is a renter advocate and president of the Silver Beach Neighborhood Association. She is a member of the Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Committee, the Housing Advisory Committee of Whatcom County and serves as an organizer with the Bellingham Tenants Union. ▪ Williams, a former teacher and union official who has lived in Bellingham for more than 30 years, was elected to the Ward 4 council post in 2021. Four-term council member Michael Lilliquist is facing a challenge from Andrew Reding for a fifth straight four-year term representing Ward 6, which includes the Edgemoor, South and Fairhaven neighborhoods, plus most of Samish and Happy Valley and part of South Hill ▪ Lilliquist, who was first elected to the Ward 6 seat in 2009, has a doctorate in behavioral neuroscience from the University of Texas at Austin. He has cast votes over the years as part of a City Council majority whose focus is on housing, especially different types of housing, as the state grapples with record-high rents and home prices, along with a surge in homelessness. ▪ Reding is the former chair of the Whatcom Democrats and a member of the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission. He is a public policy analyst who has served with the U.S. Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security, preparing reports on human rights and affidavits for court cases. He served on the city council of Sanibel in southwest Florida. Council member Jace Cotton is running unopposed for re-election the City Council's at-large seat, a two-year term. Cotton is former vice chair of Whatcom Democrats and former campaign director at Community First Whatcom, a grassroots organization that promoted initiatives to raise the minimum wage and increase renter protections. Cotton led a November 2021 effort to get every vote counted and secure a win for the countywide Proposition 5, the Healthy Children's Fund. Kaylee Galloway is running unopposed for her second straight term representing the south part of Bellingham, including downtown. Galloway is the current chair of the County Council, running the meetings. She has a master's degree in policy studies from the University of Washington at Bothell. Before winning a seat on the council in 2021, she was a legislative aide for 40th District state Rep. Debra Lekanoff and a former aide to U.S. Rep. Suzan DeBene and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell. She also served on the Whatcom County Climate Impact Advisory Committee and the Bellingham Community Development Advisory Board. Three candidates have filed to run for the Whatcom County Council District 2 seat, covering northern Bellingham. Todd Donovan, a political science professor at Western Washington University, is not running for re-election. ▪ Elizabeth Boyle is an organizational consultant and has worked with local government and nonprofits in areas such as community health, the opioid crisis, youth well-being, and tribal environmental advocacy. She previously owned and operated two other businesses, Decorating Your Life and Treasury of Memories. Boyle has a degree in business administration from West Virginia University. She served in PTA leadership for 12 years (PTA president at Roosevelt Elementary and Whatcom Middle schools) and served as a class co-president at Squalicum High School. ▪ Mike Cullum of Bellingham is principal of Mary Purcell Elementary School in Sedro-Woolley. He is currently serving on the Whatcom County Civil Service Commission. ▪ Maya Morales of Bellingham told The Herald that she is a legislative advocate, educator, artist and community organizer. She founded WA People's Privacy, a people's tech justice and data privacy advocacy entity, helping to pass the My Health My Data Act in 2023. She advocated this year for the People's Privacy Act and rent stabilization. She ran unsuccessfully for the Bellingham City Council in 2023. Morales is a current member of the Whatcom County Charter Review Commission. Councilman Tyler Byrd of Sudden Valley is seeking his third four-year term in District 3, which encompasses the rural Whatcom County cities of Everson, Nooksack and Sumas, along with the foothill communities of Kendall, Maple Falls and Glacier, the South Fork Valley communities of Acme and Van Zandt and the communities of Geneva and Sudden Valley. Only registered voters in District 3 can vote in this race. ▪ Byrd, who is with MacAuthority, has spent more than 20 years in financial services and business management. He serves on the council's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and the Finance and Administrative Services Committee. ▪ Kyle Christensen is a former mayor of Sumas and flood recovery manager for Whatcom County. He is director of the Whatcom Long Term Recovery Group. He has been a Umatilla County sheriff's deputy and a real estate agent. He has served on key committees, including the Whatcom County Housing Advisory Committee. ▪ Daniel Probst of Acme is a trail ultrarunner and race director. He previously worked in metal fabrication. ▪ Jessica Rienstra of Nooksack is a psychiatric nurse practitioner who works for the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board, serving the health care needs of 38 federally recognized tribes. She is member of the 2025 Charter Review Commission. County Councilman Barry Buchanan is seeking a fourth term for one of two at-large seats on the council and is facing Misty Flowers, chair of the Whatcom Republicans. ▪ Buchanan, who lives in Bellingham, served seven years in the U.S. Navy, working on aircraft electronics and later became an engineer at Lockheed Martin, where his project included the space shuttle and the Hubble Space Telescope. He also served one term on the Bellingham City Council and has served as the County Council chairman. ▪ Flowers is a musician and anti-vaccine activist who ran unsuccessfully for the Whatcom County Council in 2021 and for county executive in 2023. Also in 2023, Flowers was rejected for an appointment to the Whatcom County Public Health Advisory Board because of her vocal opposition to vaccines and her public resistance to COVID-19 health requirements, according to previous Bellingham Herald reporting. Michael Shepard is running unopposed for the Port of Bellingham Commission District seat. Three people are seeking the Port of Bellingham Commission District seat: ▪ Ken Bell is seeking re-election to a fourth straight term for District 2. According to his Port biography, he is president of Best Recycling, a waste management company working in remote locations like the Yukon Territory, Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland and the Aleutian Islands. He is also CEO of the Iron Creek Group, a company with patented revolutionary thermal remediation technologies used for cleaning up contaminated soils. ▪ Kaylin A. Bosley, who lists a Tulalip address, filed Friday morning and didn't immediately respond to a Herlad request for information. ▪ Carly James of Bellingham filed Friday afternoon. No biographical information was immediately available. ▪ The only contested seat is for Ward 2, Position 4, a four-year term currently held by Mayor Pro Tem Rhyan Lopez. Three candidates will vie to advance to the general election: Ray Leone, Isaac Newland and Steven Tojek. ▪ There's a three-way race for the Position 2 seat between David Daniels, Brett Egbert and Richard Postma.
