Don’t Blow Smoke Up My Glass

Christopher Morrison balances his time between being an active member of the Samish neighborhood and being one of Bellingham’s top glass blowing artists

Growing Up an Artist

Morrison’s interest in glass art started in high school where he had a great art instructor. He continued his art studies at Hartwick College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, and Pilchuck Glass School. Morrison said that “the combination of influences set him on the right path.” That path ultimately led him to Bellingham and Morrison Glass Arts which has been up-and-running for the last 14 years.

Morrison is not only a part of the glass blowing art community but also makes it a habit to engage in the Bellingham arts scene as a whole.

“I’m very much involved in the arts but I run a business,” Morrison said. “It’s a pretty big deal to run an art business especially in this economic climate.”

Cash or Smash

In addition to selling his artwork and commissioning art pieces around the city, Morrison has come up with other creative ways to bring in income for his studio. Every now and then he will host auctions or shows. Alexandra Wiley, a close friend and collector of Morrison’s work since 2003, recalls an auction that Morrison held which he called “Break It or Buy It.” He would begin auctioning off a piece and if no one bid on that piece, Morrison would proceed to shatter the sculpture to millions of pieces. While it might seem drastic to some, it is just Morrison’s eccentric way to encourage people to buy some art.

“It was the most amazing show I have ever been too. It was so fun and horrifying,” Wiley said. “The drama in the way his work plays out is really fun to watch; choreographed beauty.”

Art, Activism and Advocacy

In addition to running a studio, Morrison is on the board for Whatcom Museum, he is a part of the Bellingham Art Council, a member of Bellingham Arts Commission, and he is on the Commission for Fine and Performing Arts at Western Washington University.

Morrison also just recently joined the Samish Neighborhood Association. He mainly focuses on gathering background information on Samish in order to formulate ideas to better the neighborhood and the community of people within it.

“He is a community activist that is very well known in the area,” Wiley said. “Through his art he has become a community activist of good regard.

Due to his involvement in the arts, he has become more involved in other issues in the city.”

Shirley Forslof, next door neighbor to Morrison, said that he is a pleasant addition to the neighborhood and believes that his involvement in the Samish Neighborhood Association should help with the effort to improve the community.

“He ran for city council and after that we had our SNA membership meeting and he was interested in joining,” Forslof said. “This is another way to represent the neighborhood and another way to meet the neighbors from around the neighborhood.”

With all the things that Morrison does, art is always infused in his life in one way or another. It has the power to impact people on different levels whether it be with his installation piece that brings a splash of color to Village Books in Fairhaven or the special drinking glasses which are the only glasses that line the cubby holes of Wiley’s kitchen cabinets.

“I think his work is absolutely beautiful,” Wiley said. “And it makes me happy everyday.”

Preliminary Groundwork for Future Water Meters Disrupts the Lives of Some Residences in Ridgemont

Bellingham is taking steps toward becoming a more water conscious city by installing water meters throughout the entire city by 2017.

Ridgemont neighborhood in the Samish area has already started laying the groundwork for these future water saving devices. However, many Ridgemont residents were left a little perturbed after Public Works failed to inform them about the work they would be doing which started at the beginning of May and lasted for a few weeks.

Tension Between Workers and Residences

Terry Fahlstrom, a Public Works Operations Department employee, said workers chose to begin positioning the foundation for future metering in the Ridgemont neighborhood because it’s one of the city’s biggest trouble spots. Fahlstrom said that the confrontation, between Public Works and residences, is something he does not even like to even think about.

“It was just something we had to deal with that caused a ruckus,” Fahlstrom said. It was really uncalled for. We were just going about business as usual.”

No Water, No Party

However, business as usual that day included putting a halt on a neighborhood Mom’s Club party. Originally, the party was supposed to take place at one woman’s home but the party had to move elsewhere after Public Works shut off her water in the middle of the day and ended up accidently severing her cable.

Emily Pacheco, close family friend and neighbor to the woman, said that her friend was pretty distraught and that Public Works could’ve avoided the whole incident.

“They didn’t take the initiative to make sure people knew about it,” Pacheco said. “It could’ve easily been circumvented. We had no blanket notification.”

Issue Mended

The problem was a slight bump in the road for Public Works but it has since then been alleviated and everything is back on course. Public Works is making the effort to make sure that all residents are notified in advance before they begin digging any holes and shutting off water. . Every resident in Bellingham will eventually have to be on a metered water system and Public Works pre installation work will make it possible to put in meters in a more efficient manner when the time comes or perhaps even before then for those who want to get a head start.

To inquire about water meters, call 360.778.7700 or visit this website.

City of Bellingham Water Conservation Tips and Facts

Bellingham Herald Q & A Article About Water Conservation

2010 Junior Ski to Sea Race

Team spirit, cheer, and a dose of good old fashioned competition embodied the atmosphere at Lake Padden on Saturday May 22 during the Junior Ski to Sea race.

Lake Padden Park transformed into a battle arena, on Saturday, May 22 where fearless competitors sported mohawks, ballet tutus, and duct tape warrior gear.

Race numbers pinned to the shirts of each participant freckled the landscape near the baseball fields, the epicenter of the entire event. Tents featuring sponsors, Kafe 104.1 fm, Fidalgo Bay Coffee, and a Sugar N Spice Mini Donut truck formed the perimeter around spectators and anxious contestants.

Schedule and Events

Junior Ski to Sea directly followed the Junior Race Parade which took place the day before and allowed for contestants to get pumped up about race day.

Race day started with check-ins for the elementary division at 8:00 am followed by the middle school division at 10:30 am and ended with the community division at 12:30 pm. This year a record breaking 192 teams signed up to compete in the race.

There are five legs of the race: running, three legged race, biking, soccer, and the obstacle course.

Pam Thomson’s son Jake has been involved in Junior Ski to Sea for four years now. He took second place this year on his team “Game Over” and plans on moving up to the middle school division. This year Jake was the obstacle runner for his team which means he had to go up and over barriers, go through playground equipment, weave around flags, get into a potato sack and race to the finish line and ring the bell.

“The obstacle course is all about speed, dexterity and coordination,” Thomson said. “I think it’s just a really fun-filled event. It’s healthy competition among peers and it’s not too overly competitive.”

Marketing and Events Director Sheila Connors has been a part of Ski to Sea for five years now. “My favorite part is the parade. It’s like herding cats and organized chaos,” Connors said.

As for the race, Connor enjoys seeing the elementary newbies race for the first time. She said Ski to Sea is great because it an event full of “crying, cheering, and emotions all over the place.”

Team Spirit

Teams showed their pride not only with their creative names but also by wearing matching team shirts. An elementary boy’s team named the “Justin Bieber Haters” wore t-shirts with a picture of the tween celebrity with an anti symbol over his face much to the dismay of many of the girl’s teams.

Emily Schwisow and Sydney Swanson, teammates on the middle school team “Victorious Secret,” have taken first place twice in previous years. They showed team spirit by donning pink shirts, pink war paint, glittery makeup, and pink ribbons in their hair.

Swanson said that her favorite part of Ski to Sea is winning while Schwisow thinks that going to all of the practices and seeing everyone is the best part.

Final Standings

After each division raced, an awards ceremony took place. Contestants anxiously surrounded the placing podium and hoped that they would get a chance to stand on it and receive a medal.

After medals were given and group photos of the winners were taken, there was a prize giveaway drawing for every section of each division. Bicycles, REI backpack packages, and WII video game systems were some of the prizes randomly awarded to contestants.

The elementary school boys team “LemonLime” shattered records this year with the fastest time in Junior Ski to Sea history. This year’s first, second, and third place winners in each division are as follows:

Elementary School Girls

1. The Brightly Colored Rainbow Peoples 29:04.2

2. Hot Tamales 29:27.4

3. Sugar Mammas 30:38.1

Elementary School Boys

1. LemonLime 25:43.4

2. Game Over 28:10.3

3. Extreme Focus 28:13.4

Elementary School Co Ed

1. The Super Six 28:32.1

2. Elimeinators 28:47

3. Scorpions 28:59.9

Middle School Girls

1. The Meteorites 28:15.1

2. Rangers 28:30.8

3. The Terminators 28:49.2

Middle School Boys

1. Just Out of Prison 24:51.3

2. Little Caesars Pizza 25:34

3. Lyncs 25:53.7

Middle School Co Ed

1. 3+3=1 26:04.5

2. The Duct Tape Warriors 26:05.5

3. Dandilion Thunder 26:32.7

Community Elementary School

1. American BUZZNUTZZ 30:40.4

2. Eagleridge Elementary Boys 30:48.7

3. Eagleridge Elementary Co-ed 32:29.3

Community Family

1. No Nombre 0:25:01.6

2. Le-Janigos 0:32:55.6

3. The Practice Run family 0:34:33.6

Community Open

1. No Nombre 0:25:01.6

2. Hometown Hobos 0:26:57.0

3. The Men in Pink 0:27:09.5

Future of Yew Street

On April 27, 2010, the matter of Yew Street becoming developed as an Urban Growth Area was brought to a vote during a Bellingham County Council meeting. Council members Kathy Kershner, Bill Knutzen, L. Ward Nelson, and Sam Crawford all supported this matter but five votes were ultimately needed for it to pass and the county executive has the ability to veto four votes. Therefore, Yew Street will preserve its current standing as an Urban Reserve. According to Nelson, the council and the mayor did not want Yew Street to be developed as an Urban Growth Area, despite the fact that it was included in the comprehensive plan, because they felt that it was not necessary for the population growth.

What does this mean for the future of the Yew Street area? According to Crawford, Yew Street will remain an Urban Reserve in order for the city of Bellingham to conduct a more thorough study to assure that it would be appropriate for it to be an Urban Growth Area in the future. Yew Street has only been classified as an Urban Reserve since Nov. 24, 2009 but prior to then, Yew Street was considered an Urban Growth Area for many years.

“I didn’t support the decision for it to be an Urban Reserve. I wanted it to stay as an Urban Growth Area” Crawford said. “It’s been an Urban Growth Area for 15 years but now the city is having second thoughts.”

The Yew Street Urban Growth Area issue will be up for review again in 2011. However, the state has extended the deadline until Dec. 2014. By law, they have to have reviewed it by that date but the county council would still like to strive to have Yew Street reviewed by 2011 regardless of the three year extension.

“This is like the second bite at the apple,” Crawford said. “We’re going back and taking a look to see if it was the right decision.”

"Yew Street as an Urban Growth Area: Resolved?" by Michelle Naranjo (previous article about Yew Street)

Whatcom County Council Agenda Ordinance- proposed on April 13, 2010

"Lawyer Up!" by Tim Johnson: article in the Cascadia Weekly regarding the County Council board meeting (page 8)

34th Street Sagas: Speeding, Students, and Sewers

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34^th Street, spanning from Connolly Avenue to Taylor Avenue, continues to be a problem spot for drivers, pedestrians, and residents of the surrounding neighborhoods.

34^th Street is home to 52 residents ranging from Western students to people who have lived there since the 1960s. Over the years, 34^th Street has evolved into a through-street used by people who want to access the freeway.

Narrow road does not inspire a lot confidence when it comes to safety

The street itself is not a very safe one due to several factors. With the width measuring to 18 ft. 6 in. across, the narrow road is made even narrower when people parallel park on the side of the road leaving even less road for pedestrians to walk on.

Gary Vodopich, a resident in the area, says that when Western students have parties, even more cars flood the side of the road which cuts into 8 ft. of the driving area. So not only do the cars and the narrow road itself make for an unsafe environment but the road is not pedestrian friendly in the first place since there are no sidewalks.

Vodopich also foresees an increase in traffic in the future due to a housing development that is being put in on the south end of 34^th Street near Connolly Avenue. As a result, 34^th Street could possibly turn into a high traffic area because all of those future residents would most likely end up using the road as a thoroughfare.

Speed bumps prove to be only somewhat effective

Vodopich has lived in his home since 1965 and played a major role in getting speed bumps installed on 34^th street. The bumps, which are flat and made of rubber, were originally supposed to be a temporary fix for the street and if more problems were to arise, then further measures would be taken and permanent speed bumps would be installed.

However, the temporary bumps ended up being a lot more work than was originally expected. The bumps took three days to install and required the use of 286 bolts so it was ultimately decided that they would remain in the road until further notice.

Vodopich also believes that the street draws in more speeders because 34^th is known for not having officers out monitoring the area. Apparently the area cannot get an officer to catch high speed repeat offenders due to cut backs in the police department.

City Council member Jack Weiss says that residents of the 34^th street area are at the top of list in terms of safety and should consider themselves lucky to at least have speed bumps in the neighborhood. He feels that people have lost sight of what is real versus what is perceived.

“My street feeds into the technical college and people speed on it all the time,” Weiss said. “It is a predominant problem throughout the entire community.”

Single family residence vs. multiple student residence

Five of the houses within close proximity to Vodopich’s home are student houses which Vodopich feels do not belong in the neighborhood. The 34^th Street region is zoned as a single family residence region. He feels that the students treat their habitats like garbage cans.

“They have no courtesy to the neighborhood,” Vodopich said. “To them it’s just a bed. To me it’s a home.”

With eight to ten students to a home, things can get pretty hectic especially when they throw parties. Vodopich recalls one of the student houses getting into trouble many times tallying up numerous offenses including four 911 calls, two animal control incidents, a citation for litter, and an incident which involved the use of two police crews. Vodopich just wants it to be a nice family residence like it used to be.

“The city is scared to death of Western so they won’t do anything about it,” Vodopich said. “The city doesn’t support efforts to change anything because they’re afraid they might upset someone.”

As far as Weiss is concerned, Western students can live wherever they please. Even though the city-wide rule states that only three unrelated people can share an apartment or home, Weiss feels that the city’s focus should be set toward other issues.

“We don’t have the interest or the money to look into the matter,” Weiss said. “It’s not a priority. We’re not into investigating what’s going on in people’s bedrooms.”

Sewage troubles

In addition to the speeding and student housing issues, Merrill Ling, a retired Western maintenance mechanic and resident in the area, is most concerned with the fact that there is no sewer system within his area. He thinks that it would be nice if the city pushed the issue a little more. Apparently residents have sat down with Public Works to voice their concerns about the sewage but Ling says they are still waiting to see results.

“It’s been like watching paint dry for the last two years,” Ling said. “The rules keep on changing from when I built my house 40 years ago”

He says the sewer system was top of line years ago when his house was built but now Ling has had to install a port-o-potty in his home because the health department has shut him down.

Concerns still continue

At first glance, the narrowness of 34^th Street itself might appear to be the only problem with the area. However, many various concerns have stemmed from the road itself and have spilled over into the surrounding neighborhoods, affecting the residents as well as the overall atmosphere.

“I’m just a grumpy old fart that wants his old neighborhood back to how it was before,” Vodopich said. “I just want to be able to walk down the street and not have to look over my shoulder and worry about getting run over.”

Padden Provides Peace for the Pregnant

Lake Padden offers an ideal trail not just for runners and bikers but for mothers-to-be as well.

It is springtime at Lake Padden. Fishermen span the shoreline, kids get together to play a game of football, runners lap the trail, and the contrasting colors of lifejackets with kayaks add color to the lake. For sister-in-law Bonnie and Lina Philbrick, it’s just another day of walking for them. Except this time, Bonnie will be walking on the day her first baby is to be due. “I think this is the pregnancy secret of Bellingham,” Bonnie Philbrick said as she moved to the side of the path to let a group of enthusiastic teenagers race on by.

Babies Prefer Uneven Trails

Trotting ahead on the trail, Lina’s son Lukas greets some ducks and stomps through as many puddles as possible. Lina and Bonnie take turns pushing Lina’s other son Tomas in a stroller as he snoozes for the entire walk. Bonnie says that babies find the bumpiness of the stroller on the rocky trail comforting because it is a similar to what they are used to when they are in the womb.

We were told that we are having a girl but to not be surprised if it came out as a girl…,” Bonnie Philbrick said. “…which is good because I thought I was going to have a boney octopus. That’s what it feels like.”

Benefits for Mother and Child

In conjunction with yoga, Bonnie Philbrick says that walking Lake Padden’s loop trail has been a defining part of her exercise regime while she has been pregnant. “Giving birth is like a marathon,” Lina Philbrick said. “You wouldn’t run a marathon without practicing a little for it first,” Bonnie Philbrick said.

Bonnie Philbrick finds Lake Padden’s trail to be ideal due to its varying changes in levels. The midwives at the Bellingham Birth Center, where she plans give birth to her child, advise her to walk such trails in order to build up her endurance.

Catriona Munro, a midwife at the Bellingham Birth Center, believes that there is a connection between people who are more physically active and having an easier labor process.

“We say 30 to 60 minutes a day, like walking around Lake Padden, so you’re out of breath,” Munro said. “Exercise lowers pregnancy complications, helps the mother’s mood and less aches and pains occur.”

Walks at the park also help with Bonnie Philbrick’s pregnancy induced carpel tunnel which she developed about five months into her pregnancy. She had to stop wearing her ring due to all the swelling that occurred but the walking aids in pushing all the excess fluids around.

Well Being of Walkers

Bonnie Philbrick feels that the trail overall is really safe. She mentioned that one time, an odd man suddenly emerged from the bushes but other than that, she feels there are no safety issues in and around Lake Padden. Several of her friends have volunteered to walk with her since it is a 3 mile trail although she feels that even if she were to be walking alone and something were to happen to her, someone would be close by and be able to get help since the park is always bustling with people.

The distance between Bonnie and Lina’s homes is somewhat significant so they usually chose Lake Padden as a half way spot for their families to meet up. Bonnie anticipates that she will not give birth until next week despite her due date. She says that if she is still pregnant this weekend, she plans on meeting up with the family at Lake Padden for a barbeque and some fishing.

After running through too many puddles, Lina Philbrick stops to take off Lukas’ drenched muddy shoes and replaces them with rain boots so that he may be better equipped for more puddle excursions. Meanwhile, Bonnie Philbrick observes a man calling to his basset hound to hurry up and catch up with him. As the somewhat rotund hound saunters on by, Bonnie Philbrick looks at him and declares, “He looks like me! Good thing I have two legs or else my belly would be dragging on the ground.”

Yew Street as an Urban Growth Area: Resolved?

County Council members have decided to forego the restoration of Yew Street as an Urban Growth Area for the time being.


“To be or not to be?” is certainly the question concerning Urban Growth Areas surrounding Yew Street in Samish neighborhood. Urban Growth Areas, in the Yew Street region of Samish, have been an on and off again hot topic amongst county officials for the last several years.

Meeting Ajourned
On April 27, 2010, the Bellingham County Council had a meeting to discuss and vote on the future of Yew Street as it pertains to Urban Growth Areas. In the end, the vote was 5-2 in favor of not restoring development plans in this particular region; at least for now. Council member, Bill Knutzen, said that even though the council currently has decided to forgo the restoration of Yew Street as an Urban Growth Area, that doesn’t mean that it couldn’t change. In addition to filing an ordinance within the next few weeks, Yew Street will be included in the 2011 comprehensive plan. So once again, Yew Street development plans remain up in the air.

Surrounded by trees and within close range to Lake Padden, the Samish neighborhood offers its community a quaint atmosphere. The absence of businesses in Samish adds to a more secluded and calm feeling overall. Both residents and county officials believe that feeling could be shaken if Yew street were to become an Urban Growth Area.

What is an Urban Growth Area?
An Urban Growth Area is an area that can be subdivided into smaller lots and therefore allow for more urban development to occur within that designated area and less development to occur outside that area. Greg McCracken, President of the Samish Neighborhood Association, feels that this project could have the potential to cause several problems in the area.

“The SNA board is concerned about traffic throughout the neighborhood if they develop in the area above Lake Padden,” McCracken said. “Many of our roads are not made to handle arterial traffic and any increase on them would be a cause of concern for the safety of pedestrians and drivers as well.”
McCracken voiced concern for increased traffic around Lake Padden specifically and not just the neighborhoods and streets surrounding it. His fear is that the increased activity in that area could harm the ecology of Lake Padden in a similar way that Lake Whatcom experienced ecological damage.

Through The Eyes of Residents
For some residents living along Yew Street, the idea of development is strongly welcomed. Donna and Gordon Smith have lived in Samish for the last 30 years and are now retired and enjoy daily walks up and down Yew Street hill. The Smiths think that it is high time for Yew Street to embrace the title and features of an Urban Growth Area.

“A lot of people don’t want to see this side of town get ignored but that is what’s happening,” Donna Smith said. “Development is happening toward Meridian and the airport but they don’t want any development on Lakeway. The closer you get you Lakeway, you’ll find that more people want it developed.”

The intersection of Lakeway Drive and Yew Street is a region of Samish where housing developments have already started to pop up. However, not many of these homes are selling due to the fact that no one is really looking to buy homes during the current economic recession.

Another issue with Yew Street is that the city controls all water and sewer lines which aren’t available to all parts of the region. “Anything above city limits in the Yew area will mean you have to put in your own well,” Gordon Smith said. “It used to be mandatory to hook up to the water line beyond city limits but then they changed their minds.”

So even though there are varying opinions on what should or should not be done in the Yew area, residents will have to wait even longer to hear the council’s consensus and to see the conclusion of this ongoing matter.