From the editor's desk:

The second election of Donald Trump last November shifted the floor for most U.S. news organizations — and not just because of Trump's consistently anti-First Amendment bent. 

The change was profound at national news publications, many of which, clinging to ill-fitting story framings of the past, have struggled to document in a clear manner the nation's drift into what now qualifies as authoritarianism.   

The shifts were a lot more subtle at small, hyperlocal publications such as ours. (One result: It precipitated CDN's dropping of national syndicated content from The Washington Post, after owner Jeff Bezos joined tech bros in the throne line to kiss the president's ring. To date, CDN has received no complaints.) We saw it as an opportunity to present more local viewpoints through letters and guest commentaries, which we have done, upping the numbers of both. 

It did, of course, adjust our thinking about our role in covering a new order in federal government, upon which local leaders have long relied to help pay for infrastructure, disaster relief, social programs and even some school funding. We expected significant impacts locally; they have been seen all around us and surely will intensify.  

As I wrote in November, our job is to document that sea change in our backyard and critically, its impacts on the lives of our neighbors — not just governments and institutions — in Northwest Washington.  

I think we can and should do a lot more, but our newsroom has done some fine work to date. One example is this week's CDN Sunday Read, summer reporter Risa Schnebly's up-close portrayal of a local migrant farm-working family whose lives have been altered by fears of deportation. 

Immigration stories, beyond just language barriers, are sensitive because many story subjects are legitimately fearful about being snatched from the streets if they appear in media. We think they are important, as reflected by our offering them free to the community.  

We appreciate these workers' courage to speak about their life changes, and their confidence in us to be circumspect in our work.  

It's the least we can do to drive the impact home at a personal level. Thanks for making such work possible by subscribing or donating to your hometown news organization.  

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Sunday read

Cary Gustafsen, a Bellingham Food Bank staff member, helps place a box of food inside a person's car in July. (Santiago Ochoa/Cascadia Daily News)

'We hardly leave the house': Quiet impacts of federal deportation efforts on families

The fear of detention and deportation has kept many migrant families in Whatcom and Skagit counties from leaving the house for months, often not even to go grocery shopping or to medical appointments. On top of the barriers to access, the social isolation and anxiety take a massive mental health toll on adults and kids alike. 

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Stories of the week

News

Bellingham's newest tiny house village opens on Northwest Avenue

Local officials and residents of Bellingham's newest tiny house village celebrated the opening of the village on Northwest Avenue on August 26.
North Haven is a combination of two villages previously in the Puget neighborhood and Fairhaven.

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Opinion

Was that City of Bellingham email written by AI or a real human? Does it matter?

The City of Bellingham was a victim of its own efficiency this week — a swift response to a public records request put the city front/center in a news report about local government's use of generative AI. The resulting questions about accountability and trust vs. obvious efficiency are valid, says CDN Executive Editor Ron Judd, who explains the local newspaper's own AI policies. 

Letters to the Editor: County accountability, ICE, indoor rec and stormwater science

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Sports & Rec

Former NBA and MLB pro from Mount Vernon brings life lessons to local athletes

Mark Hendrickson is one of 13 individuals to have played in both the NBA and MLB. He recently described what it takes to succeed in sports at the Lincoln Theatre on Aug. 21.

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Living

Day Trip Diaries: Driving North Cascades Highway

The North Cascade Highway's west-side leg between I-5 and Washington Pass packs in an overwhelming amount of attractions — and if you're lucky enough to live in Northwest Washington, this stretch is also doable as a day trip. 

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