Whatcom County

Rural libraries in Washington state and Texas are partnering with the University of Washington to help design strategies for fighting misinformation.

The Whatcom County Republican Party has put forward three nominees to finish the term of state Sen. Doug Ericksen, who died last month.

Officials are asking residents in northwest Washington to remain vigilant as another atmospheric river brings heavy rain to an area that experienced severe flooding earlier this month. A flood watch is in effect Tuesday through Thursday for Whatcom County.

Localized flooding in Washington from another in a series of rainstorms doesn't appear to be as severe as an extreme weather flooding event earlier in the month.

Damages from flooding last week in northwest Washington’s Whatcom County could reach as high as $50 million, officials said, as forecasters warn that multiple “atmospheric rivers” may drench the Pacific Northwest in the coming days.

Jose Garcia, 50, was one of the few fatalities from the flood. Garcia was married with four children: three daughters and a son. His children describe him as a loving and hardworking man who did whatever he could to put a smile on their faces. “I just got to stick by my mom’s side,” said Garcia’s son, Luis Garcia, 24. “She’s really hurting. She lost her other half.”

Gov. Jay Inslee says he was stunned to see how much water hit communities in Whatcom County and how fast it came in. He said that he will seek federal aid to help affected communities, and he warned of “a permanent state of attack by the forces of climate change.”

A flood wall completed in 2018 appears to have saved the city's historic business district from the devastation felt by other communities.

Lawsuits have been filed in several western Washington counties claiming auditors used uncertified voting equipment and manipulated thousands of ballots in an unspecified statewide race last year.

Health officials said Thursday that 108 COVID-19 cases have been linked to the Northwest Washington Fair in Lynden. A Whatcom County health official said that the number might continue to increase as they continue to investigate cases.