One More Bean; Voting; Videos; More; Song: Skin And Bones

Contents 10/30/2020
One More Bean (Halloween)
VoteWashington.Info
Vote Early
Here’s To The Women
From Where They Are
Clean-Up Party
Help A Neighbor?
Radio Free Fl!p: Old Woman All Skin And Bones

ONE MORE BEAN (HALLOWEEN)

Saturday and Sunday afternoons

Puppetry and, yes, a made up, humble, little story of the magic kind, is on curbside display in the Little Mighty Story Box.  A casual eye candy treat for all ages at the leisure and by the pace of your own feet. Part one from 1pm till after dark on Halloween and part two on Sunday at same times. Located at Victor/W. Connecticut. Do your thing! Lighten the gathering dark clouds! Celebrate imagination! ! ”Max” Eberhard Eichner, Puppeteller

VOTEWASHINGTON.INFO

Thanks for updating this Flip. Jake & his buddy are heroes for making public data more user-friendly. This data is used by political parties, campaigns, and PACs, it’s about time that regular folks have access too! ~ Jon Scanlon, Jaeger Street [I have found it very useful myself! ~Fl!p]

VOTE EARLY

Whether you are using the ballot boxes (recommended) or the mail, do not wait for the last minute. In a former election, over 1000 ballots were returned too late, and failed to be counted, sometimes missing the deadlines by minutes. Ballots dropped into a post office box after the last mail pick-up on Election Day won’t be counted even if you drop it before 8 PM. The last pickup time may be noon or earlier. Ballots taken to a ballot drop box after 8:00 PM won’t be counted either. There may be quite a line up on Election Day. Go early please. Best to vote this weekend, or at least Monday. The longer you wait, the longer the lines will be. And the harder it will be on the election workers. Let’s be kind to each other!

HERE’S TO THE WOMEN

A story of Suffrage, Linda breathes life into the 19th Amendment through words, songs, and images showing the struggles and triumphs that women endured to gain the right to VOTE! Due to the timely release Linda is making  this performance free to view until November 8th, and all donations made on Linda’s website through November 8th will go to The League of Women Voters. Here is the link:

https://youtu.be/Bk9hP-5Qz1w

You can view the short, 3-minute trailer here: 

www.lindasongs.com/suffrage

I am partnering with the FireHouse Arts and Events Center, here in Bellingham, where this was filmed.  It’s a gem of small theater who has made a strong commitment to virtually host performers.  Check their gallery to see the many offerings at affordable prices. www.lindasongs.com

AGAIN: FROM WHERE THEY ARE

“from where they are”, from Kuntz & Company is a screen piece that shares the perspectives of 14 children, ages 7-16, about their time and experience during COVID-19. We have heard from the Doctors, Politicians, and Scientists…..now it’s time to hear from the kids. Kuntz and Company is donating all profits gained through ticket sales from this piece to the FireHouse as a fundraiser, so not only will you get to watch an intriguing piece you will also be supporting the FireHouse so we can continue to support the community…it’s a win-win! Both of these new recordings are very relevant to the crazy times we are living in these days.

https://vimeo.com/ondemand/fromwheretheyare/472724088

CLEAN-UP PARTY

Put on a Halloween costume and head out anytime between October 21st and November 1st for a solo cleanup, send us your photos and win a chance for some sweet treats! Join Surfrider Northwest Straits Chapter, Surfider Western Washington University Club, and RE Sources to get that Trash Monster this fall!

We need anyone in Whatcom County who wants to lend a hand picking up trash! Just be sure to follow all health and safety guidelines and have fun out there!  Complete your cleanup anytime between October 21st and November 1st. Submit your photo along with the rough amount of trash cleaned up to Kirsten by 5 PM on November 1st for a chance to win some prizes, including some t-shirts, soap from Sea Witch Botanicals, and gift certificates to local Ocean Friendly Restaurants! We especially encourage folks to head out on Saturday, October 24th for Make a Difference Day, but anytime that works for you is a good time! 

Why? To keep our waterways clean and free of harmful garbage! And because we can’t organize larger cleanups like we usually do because of COVID, we’d love for everyone to still come together as a community to make an impact on the trash monster
DETAILS:  nws@surfrider.org 

HELP A NEIGHBOR?

On behalf of my good friend Jamie Jedinak, over on East Maplewood, I’d like to share this opportunity for our community to support her healing for this next year. We’ve created this GoFundMe site to make it easy. ~ Cindi Landreth

https://www.gofundme.com/f/jamie-needs-help?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&rcid=a61628ebdb614c1aa1ff408ece451650

RADIO FREE FL!P:  OLD WOMAN ALL SKIN AND BONES

This is the kind of stuff we used to scare each other with as kids. Not for the littlest ones! Jill Trinka sings this version. Jean Ritchie also did a great job on it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IQF0PbCmRY

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

VoteWashington Is Local, More Election News; Potato Gun; Halloween; Song: A Water Over Stone

CONTENTS 10/29/2020
VoteWashington Is Local!
Signature Match
Drop Box Recommended
Ballot Delivery
From Where They Are
Potato Gun Incident
Mayor Discourages Trick-Or-Treating
Jaeger Street Halloween House
Aaron Guest Concert
Radio Free Fl!p: A Water Over Stone

VOTEWASHINGTON is local!

Correction of a correction!

From a neighbor:
votewashington.info was developed by my husband Jake (Lynn Street) and his friend who lives on Sandy Point. They built it 3 years ago because the state site is challenging to navigate. It’s an all volunteer effort that uses public data from the Secretary of State site. Jake met with Kim Wyman today and she said she’d walk back her statement on it. The “rejected “ ballot language is from the public data file. ~ Elizabeth Hartsoch, mulliganelizabetha@gmail.com

https://www.votewashington.info/voter/wa/wm

From a news story:
“State political parties and lobbyists have been using and processing the available state voter data for years, and the creators of the site figured average citizens should have access to it, too.”

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/we-want-every-vote-count-creators-popular-unofficial-elections-website-cleared-by-investigators/JPJECQLSPZB6TCVAQE4FIELLOY/?

From the website:
Number of Challenged Ballots in Whatcom: 1073 (1.1%)
Ballots will first be received and then will either get accepted or challenged. Challenged ballots are not permanently rejected, they can be resolved through a process called curing, you can make sure your vote is counted if it has been challenged by contacting your county auditor’s office.

https://www.votewashington.info/voter/wa/wm

SIGNATURE MATCH

The auditor sends a letter to those whose ballots are rejected. We no longer have to go sign in person at the courthouse. (I did, and was given a form to sign). It was the same form that the auditor mails out and can be returned by mail. The deadline for returning them is later than election day. If received in the mail, it has to be signed and returned. ~  Robina Page

DROP BOX RECOMMENDED

While they will accept ballots postmarked by Nov 3, IIRC, printed very clearly on the ballot was that the last day they recommend you mail in your ballot was Oct 27. Now that we are past the 27th, from here on out everyone should hand deliver their ballot to the auditor’s office or drop it off in an official drop box. As of today it is likely too late to mail in your ballot with the guarantee it will be postmarked by Nov 3. ~ Tony Cava

BALLOT DELIVERY

Who needs help getting their ballots to the box? I’m ready to help. The USPS has been slowed and is no longer reliable to get it there in time. Give a holler! ~ Lisa Citron

FROM WHERE THEY ARE

Created by Kuntz and Company (KC), from where they are is a screen piece that shares the perspectives of 14 children, ages 7-16, on their time during these early months of COVID-19.

https://vimeo.com/472765861

KC’s work typically happens at the Firehouse Arts and Events Center, their home since 2005. As there is nothing typical about these past several months, this piece strays from live performance and comes into your home via your computer screen.

All money paid to view this piece ($5 rental charge) goes directly to the Firehouse.

[One of the children in the piece asks people watching to vote…which is why I am trying to get it viewed as much as possible NOW! Kuntz & Co has done amazing work for many years, linking arts to our community. Their work embeds local just-plain-folks in a matrix of skilled and compassionate professionals. They bring our own voices to us, set in beauty and deep emotion. I would never miss one of their performances. ~ Fl!p]

POTATO GUN INCIDENT 10/27/20

My family lives on Park Street across from Elizabeth Park.  Around 8:30 pm on Tuesday night we were startled by what sounded like a gunshot and then the spray of glass shards throughout our living room.  After calming our 7 year old daughter who was sitting several feet from the door, we determined that someone had shot a potato, likely with a potato gun, at our front door; shattering a thick glass panel on our front door and sending potato bits and glass all over our living room.  It was very frightening and despite the fact that we have video surveillance, due to the darkness and distance from which the potato gun was likely fired, nothing was captured on the video. We did notify Bellingham Police. We hope that this was a teenage prank gone wrong, rather than an intentional targeting of our family.  Either way, the resulting damage to our home and sense of security was concerning.  We wanted to notify the neighborhood in case others were also victims of such an incident and had more information.  We are also hoping that if any families have one of these potato guns they will ensure that it is not used in this manner on any other community members.  Thank you, ~ Mamie Guillaume, Park Street mamieguillaume@gmail.com.

MAYOR DISCOURAGES TRICK-OR-TREATING

From WhatcomTalk:  City of Bellingham, written by Janice Keller

With Halloween just around the corner, Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood joins local health officials encouraging everyone to celebrate safely to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. This includes avoiding traditional door-to-door trick-or-treating – especially in typically popular Bellingham residential neighborhoods – and incorporating face masks and social distancing into Halloween activities.

https://www.whatcomtalk.com/2020/10/27/mayor-encourages-healthy-halloween-activities-discourages-trick-or-treating/

JAEGER STREET HALLOWEEN HOUSE

Trick or Treaters: Due to Covid-19 we will NOT be partaking in handing candy out BUT we did do the outside up for ALL the neighborhood kiddos. Happy Halloween Columbia, have a safe night.  ~Jared Jones-Valentine, 2400 block of Jaeger (you can’t miss it!)

AARON GUEST CONCERT TONIGHT

Fairhaven College Live Streaming Music Festival Fall Series
Tonight, Thursday Oct. 29th,  7:00 PM
Folk Music: 
According to musician and songwriter Aaron Guest, rhythm and music will exist as long as there are particles in the air to vibrate. He uses styles and rhythms deviating from the classical style of his background, seemingly inspired by the beauty around him, reflective of the cycles of life, rising, falling, circling, spinning. To him, music is communication and people inherently know how to relate.

Click this link at 7 PM tonight:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/298533994557015

RADIO FREE FL!P: WATER OVER STONE

Gordon Bok with Ed Trickett & Ann Mayo Muir. Not scary. Really beautiful! There is something deep and ancient within this song. And profoundly spooky.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5L3qkx4I5RE

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Election Corrections; Song: Tam Lin

CONTENTS 10/28/2020
Election Corrections
Radio Free Fl!p: Tam Lin

CORRECTIONS

Mea Culpa! I made two errors yesterday. My apologies. Thanks to the many readers who let me know.

BAD WEBSITE

The website www.votewashington.info is not an official site of the Secretary of State or it’s County election partners. The site is not an official verifiable source of election information. The letter from our auditor said so, right above where I offered the link! And it was all over the news last night as well. The ballots listed on that site have not been rejected, but are being held for “curing.” It’s easy to fix problems with your ballot, and the auditor’s office is attempting to contact the voters on the list. You can still contact your friends to help them make sure their votes are counted.

Security Sleeve

I just phoned the Auditor’s office at 360-778-5102. They have a great recorded line with very detailed answers to common questions, so I didn’t have to bother a worker to get my answer. Which is that your vote WILL be counted, even if you forgot your security sleeve. Whew!

RADIO FREE FL!P: TAM LIN

Here is a powerful, traditional song, that centers on a confrontation of a knight with the Fairy Queen on All Hallows Eve (Halloween).  That night is when the veil between the spiritual world and the seen world is at its thinnest. (Link and description from local fiddler Barry Cole.)

Here’s a version from Fairport Convention  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=47z5n7p9B3I

Same ancient song, sung acappella by my beloved Frankie Armstrong. I got to bring her to Bellingham to play a concert back in the 1970s. I still get chills remembering her magical performance of Van Deiman’s Land. I’ll see if I can find a version of that one after the Spooky season is over. She utterly commits herself to every word she sings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JVDbVfIKNs

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Voting; Rejected Ballots; More Halloween; Song: Bringing Mary Home

CONTENTS 10/27/2020
From Our County Auditor
Rejected Ballots
Halloween
  Virtual Pet Parade
  Lundquist Woods Closed For Halloween
  Halloween Songs From Zeke
Radio Free Fl!p: Bringing Mary Home

FROM OUR COUNTY AUDITOR

With the General Election just 7 days away, voters are reminded to vote and return ballots by Tuesday, November 3rd.  As of Monday, October 26th, 82,765 ballots have been received by the Auditor’s Office.   If you haven’t received your ballot, please immediately contact the Auditor’s Office at (360) 778-5102.

Citizens can still complete or update their registration but must do so in person at the Whatcom County Courthouse.  The Election Division of the Auditor’s Office will be open on Saturday, October 31st, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, to facilitate in person registrations or to access a ballot.  Anyone completing or updating their registration in person will be required to wear a mask, maintain the 6-foot social distancing standard and can expect long lines.

If returning your ballot by mail, a stamp is not required.  Ballots being returned by mail need to be postmarked no later than November 3rd. Voters waiting until election week to turn in their ballot are encouraged to use any of the 18 official elections drop boxes. Ballots can be returned in an official elections ballot drop box until 8:00 pm on Election Day. Drop box locations are listed on the insert enclosed with the ballot, in the Local Voters’ Pamphlet, or on the Auditor’s website at www.whatcomcounty.us/1574/Elections.

Voters wishing to know if their ballot has been received by the Auditor’s Office can go to www.VoteWA.gov to view their ballot status. The website www.votewashington.info is not an official site of the Secretary of State or it’s County election partners. The site is not an official verifiable source of election information. Voters with challenged ballots will be contacted by the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office to cure the ballot. Voters can check the status of their ballot by visiting the official source of information – www.VoteWA.gov.

For additional information contact: Auditor Diana Bradrick at (360) 778-5105.

REJECTED BALLOTS

If you took the time and energy to vote, and found out too late that your vote wasn’t accepted, would you be bummed? It turns out you can help your friends and neighbors make sure their votes are counted.

Here’s how it works: When your ballot arrives at the Auditor’s office, before it is ever opened, your signature is compared (by machine I think) to the one on your voter registration. If it doesn’t match closely enough, the machine spits out the envelope to be checked by a human. The workers who check them are very highly trained in signature matching. But sometimes the envelope wasn’t signed at all. Or it was signed by the wrong person. Partners and housemates mix up their ballots more than you might expect. You, yourself can go online to www.VoteWA.gov  to check your ballot status. But not everyone does that.

Who you voted for is a matter of absolute privacy. If they can’t figure out your signature and “cure” it – your envelope will never be opened or counted. And if your ballot isn’t in the little privacy envelope, it can’t be counted either because someone might be able to link your ballot to your name.

On the other hand, whether or not you voted is a matter of public record. This is a good thing because it’s how we can tell there aren’t “non-existent people” voting. It’s transparent. Anyone can check to see who has voted.

No one but the trained workers can get at the ballots. That vote counting area is really, really secure! When Zeke and I trained as election observers, there was serious security clearance. We had to sign in, show ID, get a button, and be let into the space. Workers made sure we could see what was going on, and explained all the processes to us, but we couldn’t get anywhere near touching a ballot.

But back to those rejected ballots: You can cure yours. At this point I think it’s a matter of going into the auditor’s office, or but you could phone and check online first. And the sooner the better! They try to make it easy. But you have to know there’s a problem. And here’s where friends can help.

You yourself can go online and click on the list of rejected ballots, and then scroll down and look for people you know. If you see someone, contact them and let them know to call the Auditor’s office. Often a pair of people from the same household have both had their ballots rejected – that’s where they accidentally signed each other’s envelopes.

Right now there are 1091 rejected ballots sitting at the auditor’s office. That’s only 1.2% of the ballots turned in so far, but it’s still a lot. We can help each other make sure everyone’s vote is counted. Here’s that list:
https://www.votewashington.info/voter/wa/wm/ballot/rejected

Here’s a map, broken down by precinct. Our neighborhood overlaps into four different precincts: 208, 209,201, and 222:
http://documents.co.whatcom.wa.us/weblink8/100/doc/4400508/Electronic.aspx

Voters in Precinct 210 have already turned in 72.6% of all the ballots sent to them.
Voters in Precinct 222 have turned in 72.0%.
Voters in Precinct 209 have turned in 68.4%.
Voters in Precinct 208 have turned in 60.8%.
https://www.votewashington.info/voter/wa/wm

I haven’t quite learned enough yet to be able to tell you how many ballots in our neighborhood have been rejected, but I bet we could reduce that number!   Love/Fl!p

VIRTUAL PET PARADE

Happy Halloween Week! We are partnering with Whatcom Humane Society to create a virtual Costume Parade with your four-legged friends. Cats, dogs, llamas and lizards, frogs, donkeys . Go to the Garden Spot Nursery facebook page and post  a picture of your pet in an awesome costume, and let’s have a blast! For the first 50  (heck! let us make a 100)  pets who post a photo, we will donate $5 per pet to Whatcom Humane Society. Donations help sustain and support our Humane Society’s programs to care and find homes for animals in Whatcom County. ~ Marcy Plattner

LUNDQUIST WOODS CLOSED FOR HALLOWEEN

With Halloween coming up very soon, we thought we should notify our neighbors that due to the pandemic, our ‘destination Halloween house’ will not be open for trick or treating this year.  We have not put up any outside Halloween lights like we normally do, and we will not be carving and lighting pumpkins, nor handing out treats. We have LOVED  being a great place to trick or treat for decades, but this year, it just isn’t the right thing to do, so we are not.  No one on the West end of Jefferson will be offering treats to our great neighborhood kids, but we think everyone will understand. And we thought we should save people a trip down our street! We do plan to light up for Christmas though!! Thanks. ~ Pat and Bob Lundquist, Jefferson Street

HALLOWEEN SONGS FROM ZEKE

Zeke has decided not to carve his traditional jack-o-lantern this year, but that didn’t stop me from digging out a couple of songs he’s written over the years. Do not assume these are children’s songs. I think both of us were warped by listening to Tom Lehrer as children, but at least our senses of humor match. I don’t tend to let mine out in public, but oh well, just for tonight..

Skeleton Inside  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSUHiksj5NI

Blood On The Pumpkin http://home.openaccess.org/flipandzeke/zeke/recordings/bludpkin.mp3

RADIO FREE Fl!P: BRINGING MARY HOME

Sung by the Country Gentlemen. This song is where I first met the Vanishing Hitchhiker. And one of my first introductions, at age 18, to Bluegrass music, by the inimitable fiddler Vivian Williams. (She and her husband Phil founded the Seattle Folklife Festival.) Vivian dug through her record collection, handed me this one and said she thought I’d enjoy it. She was right. I still sing it. A perfectly crafted story!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhOapbNhriM

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Needles; Voting; Story Box; Scavenger Hunt; More; Song: She Moved Through The Fair

CONTENTS 10/26/2020
Needles In The Neighborhood
Vote Early
League Of Women Voters
Little Mighty Story Box
Downtown Scavenger Hunt For Kids
Scarecrow Dummy
Re-Purposing Political Signs
Shout Out
Radio Free Fl!p: She Moved Through The Fair

NEEDLES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

From the Columbia Neighborhood Association Board
In recent months there have been reports of used hypodermic syringes (sharps) being found at several public sites in the Columbia neighborhood, such as the Share Hut on Walnut St, the Share Shack on Henry St, and in  Elizabeth Park.  Finding these potentially harmful sharps can be alarming, especially when children are considered.  In the interest of education to help us cope with something we cannot control, the Columbia Neighborhood Association Board consulted with the Bellingham Police Dept and the Whatcom County Health Dept about what to do when we find sharps. If you find a sharp, the recommended method for disposal is to don gloves, and have an empty water bottle or sports drink bottle ready. Set the bottle on the ground and use a pliers or tongs to pick up the sharp and put it in the bottle. Cap the bottle and tape it closed. Put it in a bag and put it in the trash, NOT in recycling.  For a video that demonstrates this method, click on the enclosed link.  

https://www.whatcomcounty.us/2802/Needle-Clean-up-Kits

Each family can reduce the risk to children by informing them of what a sharp looks like, and to not touch it or pick it up (like you would not pick up broken glass), but to report it to a grownup right away.  The video can help to show kids what a sharp looks like.

If you have any questions or feedback for the Columbia Neighborhood Association Board, you may contact them at columbianeighborhoodassociation@protonmail.com

Thank you, ~ Deb Valentine, CNA Secretary

VOTE EARLY

It seems fitting that you remind us of Tom Hunter Day.  He was such an inspiring community builder, and what better way of memorializing him than to get our ballots back to the Auditor (via drop box before 8 PM on Nov. 3—not a minute later!) or to the Post Office or in the mail by Nov. 2 (just to make sure it gets postmarked by Nov. 3).  Several hundred ballots have not been counted in some past elections SIMPLY BECAUSE a deadline is missed.  Thanks to all of you for good citizenship. ~ Tim Douglas

LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS

(Non-Partisan) In any election race, one vote could change everything. That one vote could be yours! You can still register and vote in person at the Whatcom County Auditor’s office during business hours through Nov. 3.

If you’ve received your ballot, make sure it is counted!

  1. 1. Vote EARLY: By mail by Oct. 27, in person, or via a ballot drop box by 8 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3.
  2. 2. Use the ballot drop boxes: Whatcom County has 18 ballot drop boxes. Find the one near you.
  3. 3. Make it Count: Don’t forget to sign the outside of your envelope and make sure your signature matches what’s on file at the auditor’s office. If you live in a household with multiple voters, make sure you sign the envelope with YOUR name on it.
  4. 4. Check it! About 3 to 4 days after you drop your ballot, go to VoteWA.gov to confirm that your ballot was accepted. Follow up with the Auditor’s Office if needed to confirm your vote was counted.

Thank you for being an active participant in American democracy. Your VOTE is your VOICE, and EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

LITTLE MIGHTY STORY BOX

Corner of Victor/W.Connecticut

This Halloween, the one and only, on special occasions installed, invites aimless, searching Halloween strollers of all ages to casual window-shop some eye candy offered via a two part display of imaginative puppet-telling. Walk or cycle by at your own pace! Colorful curbside dioramas will attempt to tell the tale of an obscure, mysterious two part sequel to the Jack and the beanstalk story called: “One More Bean.” Warning: Yes ! Evil Giants will be visualized !

The tableau of Act ONE will be on view SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, from 1 PM till after dark. Followed by Act TWO the next day, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 1, at same times, same place. Have a Healthy, Safe, Sane, Loving, Creative Harvest Time! No Tricks! ~ ”Max” Eberhard Eichner,  Puppeteller

DOWNTOWN SCAVENGER HUNT FOR KIDS

Our family just completed the Halloween Trick or Treasure Hunt put on by the city’s parks and rec department, and it was super cute and Covid friendly! It was $5/kid, and they get a goody bag at the end. It was a fun activity to get moving outdoors, masked up, and supporting our local downtown businesses. There’s another one coming up next month that I thought other families may want to know about:

They say no two snowflakes are ever quite the same. We can say the same about our Snowflake Scavenger Hunt! Venture around downtown looking for snowflakes in all the holiday windows as you shop for trinkets, baubles and gifts! Take a selfie with each snowflake, submit your photos by December 14th at 11pm (details on how to submit them will be on your registration receipt) and be entered into a festive holiday raffle full of gift cards, prizes and a few holiday surprises. Winners will pick up their prizes on Friday, December 18.

Register here: https://apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/Activity_Search/downtown-snowflake-scavenger-hunt/6523

Very best, ~ Beth McGinty (former organizer for our July 4th neighborhood picnic!)

SCARECROW DUMMY

I have a dress mannikin on a long pole made of spray foam (very light weight) that I would love to donate to any family wanting a head-start on their Halloween scarecrow (or ghost).  Please contact Rachel Budelsky at budelsky@comcast.net if you would like me to send you a picture or if you’d just like to claim it sight unseen!”

RE-PURPOSING POLITICAL SIGNS

I am hoping that folks will re-purpose their political signs after the election. My 5th grade students cut them up for various vehicles, villages, rocket fins, and anything that comes to mind that can use this type of material. They can be left at the corner of Walnut & Connecticut, under the fir tree. Thanks! ~ Gary Brandt

SHOUT OUT

Here’s a shout out for Pepper Sisters, a local business with yummy food for over 30 years in the making, to warm your inner self, serving southwestern comfort food with a northwest flair since 1988. Many gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options, all scratch made with love. Indoor / outdoor dining as well as takeout, Tuesday-Sunday 4:30-8, till 9 Friday & Saturday. https://peppersisters.com/. ~ Susan Albert, Cherry St.

RADIO FREE FL!P: SHE MOVED THROUGH THE FAIR

Anne Briggs was 19 when she recorded this in 1963. An English folks singer, she inspired a generation of British singers though she never sought commercial success. I’ve heard the last verse as either “my young love came in” or “my dead love came in.” The latter makes it a very different story! Ghosts….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dyUsXgL7ow

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Ballot Counting & Videos; Halloween & Covid; Scarecrows; Tom Hunter Day; Song: Lyke Wake Dirge

CONTENTS 10/25/2020
Ballot Counting Explained
    Short Informational Videos
Halloween & Covid
York Scarecrow Throw Down
Tom Hunter Day 10/24
Radio Free Fl!p: Lyke Wake Dirge

BALLOT COUNTING EXPLAINED

Some years back, Zeke and I volunteered to be election observers down at the courthouse. We sure learned a lot! The first thing I’d like you to know is that I was impressed and touched at the ferocious dedication of the workers who count our ballots. The culture in that department is complete commitment to count every single legitimate vote, while appropriately weeding out any illegitimate ones.

There is also a complete paper trail from our mail in ballots, which would make it very difficult to mess electronically with our ballots. I remember watching Whatcom Auditor Debbie Adelstein (since retired) hefting huge boxes of ballots and making sure that every single one was organized and filed where it could be found and double-checked later if needed. The attention to organizing every detail was amazing. I wound up wishing for Debbie a hot tub and massage at the end of every day, and probably physical therapy when the election was over. I’m delighted that the Auditor’s office still carries that commitment. Here are a bunch of videos from them, explaining aspects of voting.

Short informational videos about voting from Whatcom County Auditor, Diana Bradrick.

https://vimeo.com/464836314 (1 minute 8 seconds) – Get your ballot in early!
https://vimeo.com/466971636 (1 minute 53 seconds) – All about ballot security.
https://vimeo.com/466971637 (1 minute 33 seconds) – Make sure your ballot is counted.
https://vimeo.com/466971658 (54 seconds) – Use a ballot drop box!
https://vimeo.com/466971660 (1 minute 19 seconds) – Rejected ballot? Your next steps.
https://vimeo.com/466971674 (1 minute 15 seconds) – How to get a replacement ballot.
https://vimeo.com/466971686 (42 seconds) – Election results.
https://vimeo.com/462458486/034f93737f – LWVBWC’s Michelle at WWU drop box. Every Vote Counts!

HALLOWEEN & COVID

The Whatcom County Health Department considers trick or treating to be high risk, and offers other suggestions.

https://www.whatcomcounty.us/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=2234&fbclid=IwAR1zP-5Jl1igw0jkrmPhmpohV7_DnD-k4QwVvCEoaho2HduUQ170yL3KHWA

YORK SCARECROW THROW DOWN

Anne Mackie, here, with York Neighborhood Association.  I got a call from someone outside the neighborhood who was interested in the details about our Scarecrow contest, so I thought I would reach out to you.  It was announced in the Weekly, so it has gained some external interest.We just wanted something fun for the kids to do on Halloween (adults, too). So the details are, if you want to announce it (or not):

York Neighborhood’s Wine & Roses Garden Club is sponsoring a “Scarecrow Throw Down” contest. The scarecrows are popping up around the neighborhood with Halloween Sat. Oct. 31 being the deadline to enter the contest. The list of addresses will be published by then on YorkNeighborhood Facebook https://www.facebook.com/yorkneighborhood and our website, yorkneighborhood.org

If someone wants to “enter” their scarecrow they can email to:

Garden@Yorkneighborhood.org

OR…if they have a great scarecrow in another neighborhood, let us know so we can come take a picture!

TOM HUNTER DAY 10/24

Who Will Sing For Me?  (Oops! Was going to send this yesterday, and my weekend wound up too busy. So sing a day or two late, eh?) Tom used to live over on Victor Street. He made such a big impact in the world that after he died, the governor declared October 24 at Tom Hunter Day. Happy Belated Tom Hunter Day, neighbors! In this recording, Tom sings a song I sang with him many times. This recording is a particularly spacious and tender one. Richard Scholtz gently supported and egged him on with mountain dulcimer twining and responding. This is unlike any other version you’ve ever heard of this song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HT54FXVhB3Q&list=PL1IA3FWU1EebKRnX5o45QTtLwhOsLRlOU&index=98

RADIO FREE FL!P: LYKE WAKE DIRGE

The Young Tradition (1965)

I promised spooky songs and this certainly counts! The lyrics are printed in the comments, though they don’t match exactly. You’ll need them unless you’re way better at accents than I am! The singing and the story are truly spooky.  For the classically trained musicians listening, check out the fantastic pickardy third at the end of each verse. What amazing singing! (Thanks to Jon Bartlett & Rika Ruubsaat for the link!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3JyVHOq7PQ

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Cold Weather Coming; Show Up For Love; Ballots; Halloween; Lots More; Song: Cold Is The Night

CONTENTS 10/23/2020
Cold Weather Coming
Show Up For Love
Missing Ballot?
Check Your Ballot Status
Rejected Ballot
Halloween Activities
Little Girls Purse Found
Ambo
Wasps
Stationary Bike?
Grass Mowing?
Lehrer Correction
Radio Free Fl!p: Cold Is The Night
Spooky Songs

COLD WEATHER COMING

And big winds. Tonight through the weekend. Nighttime temperatures may drop into the 30s.

SHOW UP FOR LOVE

Sunday, October 25th at 2pm at Bellingham City Hall

There is an event this Sunday at City Hall — part of a larger community response to swastikas that were placed on a number of businesses two weeks ago. This gathering is intended to bring people together to learn from each other and share strategies for responding to incidents of hate and intimidation.  We are not interested in promoting “us against them” messages but rather in facilitating more thoughtful conversations about how each of us can help. ~ David Crook, Elm Street

https://www.facebook.com/events/1032786493814079/

MISSING BALLOT?

Ballots for the November 3rd General Election were mailed to all registered voters on October 14th. Voters who have not yet received a ballot should contact the Auditor’s office right away to get a replacement at 360-778-5102 or elections@co.whatcom.wa.us. You can even get a replacement ballot online, but if you do, they will automatically cancel your other ballot.

Complete registrations and address updates early and online at VoteWA.gov or by mail before October 26th to avoid a trip to the office. Anyone completing or updating their registration in person will be required to wear a mask, maintain the 6-foot social distancing standard and expect long lines election week.t

If you need to update your signature, and you have a driver’s license, you can match your voter’s signature to the one on your license, and then you will have an easy way to double-check in future years when it’s time to sign your ballot.

CHECK YOUR BALLOT STATUS

To check the status of your ballot enter your first/last and date of birth at VoteWA (voter.votewa.gov). To find the status, click the Menu button (blue on top left) and then pick ‘Ballot Status’  in the drop box.  I returned my ballot in ballot box on 18th; it was recorded as returned on 19th and then marked as ‘Accepted’ over last couple of days. ~ Carolyn Gray

REJECTED BALLOTS

I thought our community would be interested to have this site handy. A list of Whatcom County ballots that have been rejected (usually signature disparities). The auditor may not have a contact for you. Or a friend. Worth checking.  ~ Ann Shannon on Utter St.

https://votewashington.info/voter/wa/wm/ballot/rejected?fbclid=iwar25rcu_3csle0g6s1ro4grzmiiw3m9hkq1oz5pwcrktxjqrblpfm1jpznw

HALLOWEEN ACTIVITIES

Margaret Bikman has gathered a great collection of things to do this year. Check it out!

https://www.whatcomtalk.com/2020/10/13/halloween-is-still-a-thing/

LITTLE GIRLS PURSE FOUND

Found on 2700 block of Utter St. a little girl’s purse: denim with owl appliqué.
Kathy Piscitello, 201-956-7544

AMBO

Shout out to Ambo Ethiopian restaurant owned by Mulu Belay and her family.  We were so happy that after leaving Terra Organica, she found a new spot at 902 N. State Street Suite 104. Thank you for cooking up our favorite comfort food and for your smiling faces when we pick up our to go orders!!
Monday- Saturday—lunch hours 11-3 and dinner hours 5-8  ~ Jill Schmitz  W. Illinois Street 

WASPS

We had pest control come to treat a wasp hive at the intersection of Jefferson and the alley between Lynn and Jaeger.  We put up boxes to block the sidewalk and a cone marking the location of the hive.  If the treatment works they should be gone in a few days. ~ Dan Pollard

STATIONARY BIKE TO BORROW / RENT?

Hi neighbors! I recently had hip surgery and am in the process of rehab. I’m wondering if anybody has a stationary bike that they aren’t using that I could rent or borrow for about 3 months — manual, electric, anything would be great. I’d be happy to transport it both ways. Thank you so much!  — Liz Mogford (Liz.Mogford@gmail.com). 

GRASS MOWING?

Wanted: Professional grass mowing service that uses electric mower wanted for residential yard in Fairhaven. Do you have someone to recommend?  ~ Lora Eckert  leckert@comcast.net

LEHRER CORRECTION

Are you sure you’re right about Lehrer?  His webpage seems to say the LYRICS are public domain.  I don’t seen any mention of his music. ~ Rob Lopresti (retired government documents librarian. I bet he’s right!)

RADIO FREE FL!P: COLD IS THE NIGHT

Cindy Kallet, Ellen Epstein and Michael Cicone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECbHvOG9VSE

SPOOKY SONGS

I’ve been having great fun finding recordings of a bunch of my favorite seasonal songs. Tomorrow I’ll start running them!

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Cat Still Missing; Haunted Trail; Vaccine Survey; More; We Will All Go Together When We Go

CONTENTS 10/22/2020
Lost Cat Is Still Missing
Kulshan Street Haunted Trail
Ballot Counting Explained
Vaccine Survey
Childcare Provider
Kind Neighbor
The Groove Doctors
Radio Free Fl!p: We Will All Go Together When We Go

ALERT: LOST CAT IS STILL MISSING

Our 3 year old grey tabby cat went missing on 10/19. His name is Sabre (no tags…he rips them off) from our house near Henry and Jefferson. He’s normally an indoor/outdoor cat but since we relocated him from a different neighborhood we were trying to wait until he was acclimated. Sabre had other plans and escaped through a window. If you see him please call/text Laura Rudy 360.510.1569

 bellingham.craigslist.org/laf/d/bellingham-lost-grey-tabby/7217382348.html 

KULSHAN STREET HAUNTED TRAIL

COMING SOON! My friends and I have designed and decorated the first annual HAUNTED TRAIL! All Ages Welcome! Masks, Hand-Sanitizer, and Social Distancing will be Enforced. Join us Friday, October 30th & Saturday, October 31st from 6:30PM until 10PM on the 2700 Block of Kulshan Street (North End) – Happy Halloween! ~ Grayson Stone, 2730 Kulshan Street, 360-788-3730 GraysonStone31@gmail.com

[Our eldest son is putting on a COVID aware, open air, sanitized haunted trail on Friday and Saturday night with masked up BHS ghouls. There will be hand sanitizer and masks required for entry and social distance a must.  It is all ages friendly, but obviously kids scare differently. You still need to be the judge. These are really good kids building this and they’re not out to traumatize…much!]

BALLOT COUNTING EXPLAINED

I will write later today with details about how ballot counting works.

VACCINE SURVEY

Once there is a safe and effective vaccine available, there may not be enough for everyone. The Washington State Department of Health is creating a plan for how to prioritize COVID-19 vaccine and we want your feedback. Specifically, we are looking for:

  • Recommendations on how COVID-19 vaccine should be prioritized across Washington state.
  • Insight into how people are currently feeling about the vaccine in general.

Please take this survey to provide feedback by 11:59PM, Monday, October 26, 2020 and share with your relevant partners and networks. This is a general feedback opportunity and we are especially interested in hearing from communities, partners, workers, businesses, and sectors who are disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

PART-TIME CHILDCARE PROVIDER

Hey all! My name is Caitlin and I’m currently in search for a part-time job within the child care field. I have experience working in child care starting at the age of 13. Throughout this time, I have done everything from volunteering, to babysitting for the occasional date night, to nannying, and also interning with a school counselor in an elementary school. If you would like to learn more about myself and check out my resume, please feel free to email me at caitlin.miarecki@gmail.com

From Kaitlyn Teer: Caitlin is a WWU grad who has worked as a part-time nanny caring for our infant, and I couldn’t recommend her more highly. She is wonderful with children, a conscientious caregiver, and just absolutely delightful. I’d hire her in a heartbeat if I could, and I’m happy to pass this along for her and to serve as a reference. kaityteer@gmail.com

KIND NEIGHBOR

Please give a shout-out to my neighbor who returned my checks this A.M. that were sent to her house.  I didn’t see who it was.  Nearsighted.  But very appreciative.  Maggie Milici

THURSDAY CONCERT

Fairhaven College Live Streaming Music Festival Fall Series
The Groove Doctors w/ Les Browning & Deb Hawley
Oct 22 7;00 pm

https://www.facebook.com/groups/298533994557015/

Les Browning brings decades of success to the dance floor with energy and excitement. Les is a veteran of big and small stage, intimate clubs and dance venues, dinner houses and juke joints. Les has been highly successful as a performer, songwriter, and radio personality and is an important member of “The Groove Doctors” patent Funk, Soul, Rock, and R&B music generating that feeling of Love and Energy through both the Bands Originals & Standards …

Deb Hawley got her start as a Blues singer at the former 3-B Blues Jam nearly 30 years ago where she qiuckly became indoctrinated in the Whatcom County Blues scene. Two years later as a vocalist in “The Melody Ranch Band”she met her husband David, the drummer in the band. She has performed with her husband in clubs & festivals throughout the Pacific Northwest- their most noteable band was “Debbie Maguire & The Blues Tornadoes” with Andy Koch. Deb is an intense performer who’s voice is the heart and soul of the Groove Doctors.

RADIO FREE FL!P: WE WILL ALL GO TOGETHER WHEN WE GO

I just spent a fun hour or so trying to find a Tom Lehrer song that I could imagine actually posting to the neighborhood. This one pushes the limits hard, but I think most of you can probably handle it. Tom Lehrer was a key voice of my childhood. He gloried in  speaking truth to power in the most offensively hilarious way he could find. (Or maybe hilariously offensive.) All while playing absolutely stunning piano. Anyway, I just found out that at age 92, he just declared all of his music to be Public Domain, donated to the Commons. There are a couple other songs of his that I’ll post when the right time arrives. For those of you not born in the 1950s, an ICBM was an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile, a delivery system for nuclear warheads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frAEmhqdLFs

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Haunted Trail On Kulshan Street; Buried Belling-History II; Free Science Set; More; Song: Joy Of Living

CONTENTS 10/22/2020
Haunted Trail On Kulshan Street
Buried Belling-History II
Free Stem Science Set
Seeking Red Croquet Mallet
Retiring Van
Radio Free Fl!p: Joy Of Living

HAUNTED TRAIL ON KULSHAN STREET

COMING SOON! My friends and I have designed and decorated the first annual HAUNTED TRAIL! All Ages Welcome! Masks, Hand-Sanitizer, and Social Distancing will be Enforced. Join us Friday, October 30th & Saturday, October 31st from 6:30PM until 10PM on the 2700 Block of Kulshan Street (North End) – Happy Halloween! ~ Grayson Stone, 2730 Kulshan Street, 360-788-3730 GraysonStone31@gmail.com

BURIED BELLING-HISTORY

A Virtual Tour of Bayview Cemetery
Wednesday, October 29, 2020 At 7 – 8 PM PDT

They added another date! Good thing because I told everyone else about it before I signed up myself, and then they were full. This time I signed up before posting! I just checked, and there are 24 spaces left (out of 100).

Kolby LaBree of the Good Time Girls Bellinghistory Tours will lead a virtual tour, highlighting some of the fascinating history of Bayview Cemetery, with filmed footage and historical photographs. Founded in 1887 when the town of Whatcom purchased a 10-acre plot along the road to Lake Whatcom, Bayview Cemetery is the only remaining cemetery in the town of Bellingham. We will explore how the cemetery has grown and highlight some of the history of its most interesting monuments. Question and answer session included! Event will be hosted via “Zoom” and last around an hour $10/person (half price of an in-person tour and you don’t have to leave your couch!) We appreciate your virtual love and support during these historic times!

 http://apm.activecommunities.com/bellingham/Activity_Search/8111

https://bellinghistory.com/

FREE HOMESCHOOL STEM SCIENCE 4TH-6TH GRADE ACTIVITY SET

I have an unused 4th-6th grade Scholastic STEM activity set that we ended up not needing for our family’s curriculum. I can porch drop in the neighborhood. Offering free to someone who would find it useful in this most “interesting” of school years.  Here is a link with more specifics:

https://shop.scholastic.com/teachers-ecommerce/teacher/books/superscience-stem-instant-activities-grades-4-6-9781338099010.html

Courtney Dunne, Utter Street, courtneyfdunne@gmail.com

SEEKING RED CROQUET MALLET

My daughter would like to borrow a red croquet mallet from someone in the neighborhood to go with her Halloween costume. If you happen to have one and don’t mind parting with it for a few days, please email us at natashapeter13@gmail.com. We would need it by Wednesday, October 28th. Thank you! ~ Natasha Antonova, Henry Street

RETIRING VAN

Our mechanic says it’s time for our old van to go to the junk yard. It still runs fine to get there under its own power. Any suggestions as to where we take it?  Fl!p 360-671-4511

RADIO FREE FL!P: JOY OF LIVING

Ewan MacColl. A giant of the folk music community. The song you probably have heard of which he wrote is The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, for a then-16-year-old Peggy Seeger (Pete Seeger’s younger sister). I got an email yesterday morning from Peggy: The bi-annual gathering to celebrate Ewan MacColl is still taking place this week at 12 midday on Thursday, October 22nd (the date of Ewan’s death), at the tree dedicated to his memory in Russell Square, London. There is a GoFundMe Campaign to raise money to install a bench next to the tree and we’re very nearly at the target. Read about it here: https://gf.me/u/y3huxa

This is an amazing farewell song, which Ewan wrote after he knew his time left with us was almost done.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sseyUtOvetA

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.

Winter Coat Drive; Small House Project; Rental; Song: Turning Toward The Morning

CONTENTS 10/19/2020
Winter Coat Drive
Referrals For Small House Project
Good Result
Rental Available
Radio Free Fl!p: Turning Toward The Morning

WINTER COAT DRIVE

Short timeline! The Interfaith Coalition Winter Warmth Drive is currently underway. Coats are being donated (safely, with COVID-19 protections in place) and will be going out to our neighbors in need through local agencies who work with people experiencing homelessness or poverty.

You can donate gently-used or new winter coats (please, no clothing, light jackets, or other non-winter items) to help neighbors stay warm this winter! Put in a plastic bag labelled with the # of coats, sizes, and gender (if applicable), and twist-tied shut (no knots please).

You can take coats, bagged as described above, to any B’ham Banner Bank location tomorrow, Tues., Oct. 20. You must call to make an appointment to drop off at the bank.

Or bring bags to the Bellingham Senior Center (315 Halleck) on Wed. Oct. 21, 4pm to 6pm.

We will be filling coat orders on October 24th and need volunteers to make this happen. Would you be interested in helping, or can you spread the word about this opportunity? We will be making every effort to do this safely but suggest that you do not volunteer if you are in a high-risk category or your health is compromised in some way. Feel free to contact me with questions.

On Saturday, October 24th we will be at Assumption Catholic Church Gym (behind the church at 2116 Cornwall Ave.) sorting, bagging, tagging, and delivering coat orders. These shifts are available:
9am – 12noon
12noon -3pm
3pm -5:30 pm

Each shift is to arrive 15 minutes early to learn protocol and job duties. All volunteers will wear face masks and shields (we will have both available), gloves, and will be checked with a non-contact thermometer. All necessary hand-washing and sanitizing supplies will be in place, and work areas marked for social distancing. We may need volunteers willing to drive their own cars and deliver coat bags to agencies, so please let us know if you would prefer that shift. Drivers will not enter the gym but are given the bags outside and then deliver them to agencies’ front doors. 

Although we may have some pre-packaged snacks available, please provide your own lunch and water bottle. You will be standing and/or walking for your shift but do have a need for at least one volunteer per shift who is sitting at a table.

Feel free to connect if you have any questions. This year is a big unknown for us as we’ve never done this before. We have no idea how many coats will be donated, and that means we need to be very flexible until we see what comes in in the next two weeks. Thanks for your interest! I’ll look forward to hearing from you. 

Janie Pemble, janie@interfaith-coalition.org

REFERRALS FOR SMALL HOUSE PROJECT

I’m looking for someone to do a small project on my 1901 house involving removing drywall, some electrical work, putting up 3/4 inch plywood, and installing drywall over it.  Do you know anyone who’s able and willing to do this kind of work?  I’m interested in someone you can give a good reference about.  Thanks. ~ Susan Witter, Williams Street, susan.z.witter@gmail.com

GOOD RESULT

Our water filters all have gone to good homes! Best, ~ Steve and Michael Scott

RENTAL AVAILABLE

We are moving out of our beautiful rental on December 1st. Here is a link to tour the home and the contact info of our landlord if you know anyone who might be interested. It’s a WONDERFUL home!
Erin Furbee. # 1-971-645-8583

https://www.redfin.com/WA/Bellingham/2420-Lafayette-St-98225/home/15821584

TURNING TOWARD THE MORNING

Gordon Bok, with Ed Trickett & Ann Mayo Muir

Written for these very days of the year. As I write, I suddenly realize that I’m sharing with you all the songs I longed to share with my mother in her last years. Sadly, it was the wrong music for her tastes. I am so grateful that all of you let me share with you my lifetime of beloved songs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU1FUgcv1Lc

Love/Fl!p 360-671-4511  2518 Cherry Street flip@columbianeighborhood.org

If you want to ask me to post something, just email me. If it’s urgent, phone. If it’s a real emergency, call 911.