🐹 Whatcom Heroes 🚒🚒

Good morning, Bellingham. This is your Monday update from The Hamster Wheel.

Hamsters, I’m awed by all the gorgeous photos you’ve sent to share with the community. 🤩 So many amazing photographers! Such a beautiful landscape for shutterbugging! I’m excited each morning when I open my inbox. Keep them coming!

Have fun, and stay safe out there!

~ Val & Evan

In today’s Hamster Wheel:

• Whatcom County Heroes

• Winter Blooms

• Food & Drink

• Music & Nightlife

Nature, Community, Sasquatch, UAP

Photos From the Hoods

Tag @bellinghamsterwheel on Instagram or reply to this email to get your photos in The Hamster Wheel.

Weather Forecast

Monday: 44°F 🌡️ 33°F | Fog then ⛅ Partly Sunny | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 ESE 2 mph

Tuesday: 45°F 🌡️ 33°F | ⛅ Partly Sunny | 🌧️ 0% | 💨 NE 2 mph

Bellingham Bay Tides

Moon Phases

Weather & Tides from NOAA. Moon data astronomyapi.

Events, Updates & News Around Town

Get off the Hamster Wheel

South Whatcom Firefighters Battling California Fires

Four members (E22 crew) of the South Whatcom Fire Authority, Lt. Jen Squire, FFs Sean Hecker, Annie Leete, and Ethan Gerard, 👇️ set off in the early morning hours last Friday to join a regional strike team working to contain the blazes ravaging Los Angeles.

The strike team, consisting of members from the “DuPont FD, Snohomish County Fire Dist. 21, South County Fire (Snohomish), and Central Whidbey Fire, along with a Strike Team Leader from Snohomish County,” reached Davis CA around midnight on Saturday where they rested up and passed equipment inspections while preparing to accept an assignment.

On Sunday morning, the E22 crew was assigned to the Palisade Fire, and by the afternoon, they joined crews in the Mandeville Canyon area providing structure protection.

The South Whatcom Fire Authority posted that “the crew has already reported that the amount of damage they are seeing is unbelievable, but they are ready to [help] these communities the best way they can.”

The photo above, 👆️ sent by the E22 crew, appears to show fire damage along the Malibu coastline as they enter the area affected by the Palisade Fire.

Our prayers are with this team and all the men and women who have put themselves in harm's way to protect the families of Los Angeles County. 🙏 We want everyone to come home safely.

Winter Blooms Around the Ham

Last week, I mentioned how much I’ve been enjoying the scattering of winter blooms around the county. And, I invited you to send a photo when you spotted a flower that brought a little springtime-like joy to your day. Here are some of the beautiful photos we received (and one from my garden 🙂):

In other news…

📔 The introvert in me loves this!!! 🙂 Ponderosa Beer and Books, an all-ages beer bar located along Roeder Ave, announced they are holding a Silent Book Club each Monday (that’s today) from 6-8 PM.

Ponderosa Beer and Books was founded a few years ago by classically trained flutist and book lover Jessie Polin. Jessie fell in love with craft beer during her time playing in the Boise Philharmonic Orchestra, and opened her Roeder Ave watering hole after a stint at Fremont Brewing in Seattle.

Your invited to bring a book of your choice to read from 6-7 during silent reading, then optionally participate in unstructured book chit chat from 7-8 PM. Ponderosa offers a selection of lagers, saisons, other funky beers, cider, and wine.

🧵 Kulshan Brewing is holding its monthly Pour It Forward event tomorrow (Jan 14) a the Sunnyland Taproom. 10% of ALL daily sales will be donated to the Ragfinery.

This is an excellent opportunity to gather with friends over a tasty beer, AND support a cherished nonprofit organization that was recently impacted by a structure fire at their Forest St textile diversion center.

🏙️ The Bellingham City Council meets today (Jan 13) at 10:30 AM, with the Regular Meeting at 7 PM. You can review the agenda online. This public meeting is held in the Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall or watch online. This may be a particularly interesting meeting for two reasons. The council will be hearing public comment for the first time since November of last year, when it was discontinued due to security concerns. You can read about the new format. They will also discuss the proposed ordinance to eliminate parking requirements for new developments in Bellingham. This change could significantly impact the feasibility of many projects but is likely to meet some resistance.

🚜 The Whatcom County Council meets tomorrow (Jan 14) at 6 PM in the Council Chambers at the County Courthouse or watch via Zoom. You can review the agenda online.

Food & Drinks

Hamsters Gotta Eat

Monday Food Trucks
A Que Tacos @ Goods Local Brews
Burnt Side Down @ Stemma Brewery
Calcutta by Simmering Tava @ K2
El Tapatio @ 4124 Strider Loop Rd
Luchadora @ Wander Brewing
Outpost Eats @ Kulshan Brewery (James St.)
Tacos El Tule @ West Marine (Meridian St)

Tuesday Food Trucks
A Que Tacos @ Goods Local Brews
Burnt Side Down @ Stemma Brewery
Calcutta by Simmering Tava @ K2
El Pollo Feo @ Kulshan Brewery (Roosevelt K2)
El Tapatio @ 4124 Strider Loop Rd
Galley 2 Go @ Stones Throw Brewery
Luchadora @ Wander Brewing
Outpost Eats @ Kulshan Brewery (James St. K1)
Tacos El Tule @ West Marine (Meridian St)
Tam Tam Pizza @ Fringe Brewing
The Galley @ Ponderosa Beer + Books

Mow the lawn? Nah.

Killer Condos & Apartments

1015 Railroad Avenue UNIT 504
This unit is in the Morse Square complex, perched on the hillside above Gruff Brewing. You get a fantastic downtown location, and the view looks out over Bellingham Bay and the old Georgia Pacific peninsula. Plus, it has beautiful finishes. 😍 Listing.

7806 Birch Bay Drive UNIT 204, Blaine
I've been obsessed with these Birch Bay condos lately. You get so much more for your money and are only a few minutes from Bellingham. It's pretty slick. 🙂 This one's a two-bed, and you get access to the beach, indoor pool, hot tub, tennis court, racquetball court… the list goes on. Listing.

Performance Arts This Week

Dance of The Hamsters

Hot Box:
iDiOM Theater | Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30 PM

STOMP:
Mt Baker Theatre | Mon 7 PM

Into the Woods:
New Prospect Theatre | Sat, Sun 7 PM; Sun 2 PM; understudies Sun 7 PM

Vaudevillingham:
Bellingham Circus Guild | Wed 7 PM

Bachata : WWU Salsa and Bachata Club @ Viking Union MPR | Mon 7 PM
 Swing : B’ham Hop @ Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom | Tues 7 PM
Cuban Salsa : Beginning Cuban Salsa @ Rumba Northwest | Tues 6 PM
Cuban Salsa : Intermediate Cuban Salsa @ Rumba Northwest | Tues 7:15 PM
Scottish Country : Scottish Dancing Workshops @ Fairhaven Library | Wed 7 PM
 Tango : Tango Practica @ The Majestic Ballroom | Wed 6:30 PM.
Bachata : Bham Bachata @ ‘ONO Kitchen & Bar | Thurs 7:30 PM
Pop/EMD : Sorry For Party Rocking @ Wild Buffalo | Sat 9 PM
Techno/EMD : Digital Kiss Rave @ The Blue Room | Sat 9 PM
 Salsa : The Salsa Collective @ The Majestic Ballroom | Sun 5:30 PM

Music & Nightlife

Spinning Into The Night

Monday Music
Bella Ciao | Open Mic | 7 PM
Corner Taphouse | Open Mic | 6 PM
Firehouse A&E Center | Scot Rainey Jazz Trio  Jazz  | 3:30 PM
Greens Corner | Open Irish Music Session  Celtic  | 6 PM

Monday Games & Trivia
Trivia Night @ Ono Kitchen & Bar | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ Paws for a Beer | 6:15 PM
Trivia Night @ Zeeks Pizza & Fountain Brewing | 6 PM

Tuesday Music
Aslan Depot | Jazz Night  Jazz  | 8 PM
Menace | Invitational Blues Jam Blues | 7 PM
Greens Corner | Allegra Ziffle's Monthly Old-Time Fiddle Jam  Folk  | 6 PM
The Admiralty Lounge | Veronica West  Singer-Songwriter  | 7 PM
Zeeks Pizza | The Other Thing  Jazz  | 6 PM

Tuesday Games & Trivia
Bingo @ CHeBA Hut | 7 PM
Cribbage Tournament @ Kulshan Brewing K2 | 6 PM
Trivia Night @ Corner Taphouse | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ Uisce Irish Pub | 7 PM
Trivia Night @ Thirsty Badger | 7 PM

Hakuna matata

To All Our Readers

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Have a great Monday!!