Sorry For the Update Delay: Contrary to ugly rumor, and no doubt wishful thinking in some local government offices, B. Hammer has not been muted, nor recycled. Just busy. Lots of pent-up wisdom — or something — should follow. God knows.
Quite the Bold Move: By Lynden’s Mayor, Scott Korthuis, vetoing the city council’s nixing of fluoride in the local water system. Our advice to Hizzonner: Take a taste tester with you to the Moo-Wich lineup at the NW Washington Fair next month.
Please Make the Grocery Trauma Stop: Sezhere that all the local Haggen haunts, plus the Safeway, are up for grabs yet again in another grocery merger selloff. May we suggest: Someone needs to spin up a court order requiring they all become Trader Joe’s. A win-win-win-win-win-win-win-win for the peoples of two entire nations.
Anyone Got a Match? Props to CDN’s Science Fellow, Ben Long, for documenting the environmental cost of all the Fourth of July tomfoolery during which local residents get liquored up, fire toxics-laden projectiles into local bays and drinking water sources, then go back home to sleep it off before getting up to fire off letters about environmental degradation. God Bless America.
Terminology Tweak: In a reelection-pitch email on July 12, incumbent 40th district Rep. Debra Lekanoff outlined stakes of the presidential election, declaring the utltra-right Project 2025 plan an outline of “potential policies of a conservative presidency, presumably led by Donald Trump.” Au contraire; Trump is an authoritarian, not a conservative. The GOP hasn’t run one of those for the White House office since Mitt Romney.
Inbox PR Pitch O’ the Week: “Sunday, July 21st forecasted as Washington’s Most Perfect Evening of the Year,” says a PR disinformation firm. This can mean only one thing in Bellingham: Public Works is going to wait out the evening rush and finally pave over the original Oregon Trail wagon train ruts around the I-5 Samish Way interchange!
Or: Is it the grand opening of the Railroad Avenue Super Loo? They’re killing us here.
Lions and Tigers and Nextdoor Alarmists, Oh My: Sounds like people are seeing a lot of bears, bobcats, coyotes and other megafauna popping up in local streets and backyards. This is being portrayed on anti-social media, as usual, as a traumatic civic threat. Or as locals used to call the same phenomenon before the Tesla Incursions: summer.
Better Late Than Never Ever: The top cop shop at the Bellingham Police Department (motto: “To Protect and Ultimately Serve,”) has finally released a sketch of local perps believed responsible for the 1907 Sikh Riots. All leads considered.
The Hammer publishes online monthly and is updated somewhat regularly; ronjudd@cascadiadaily.com; @roncjudd.
Ron Judd is CDN's executive editor; his column appears Fridays; reach him at ronjudd@cascadiadailycom; 360-922-3090 ext. 102; @roncjudd.
