Inside Bellingham: October 8, 2026

Indigenous Peoples’ Day, construction updates, Whatcom Housing Week, and more: a news roundup from the City of Bellingham

October 08, 2026 - by City of Bellingham Communications Team
A large group of people pick up containers of food from tables

Join us for a community dinner and celebration Monday in honor of Indigenous People’s Day.

Celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day on Oct. 12 

Join us for an evening of community, culture, and celebration. We’ll kick things off with dinner catered by Seawolf Surf n Turf, followed by a powerful program centered on the theme “Answering the Call of our Ancestors” and highlighting youth voices. We’ll close out the evening with singing, dancing, and a community drum group. All are welcome — families, students, and neighbors! Learn more on the WWU website. 

Event details
Monday, Oct. 12 
Dinner and program: 5:30-8 p.m. | Jam and dancing: 8 p.m. – late 
Lummi Nation School, 2334 Lummi View Dr., Bellingham  

Improving public spaces  

Street and utility improvements continue around Bellingham as we replace aging infrastructure and make our streets safer and more reliable for everyone. Some projects are wrapping up, while others will bring temporary changes to how you get around. Here’s what to expect: 

  • Ellis Street, starting Oct. 8: Ellis Street between Sunset Drive and E. Illinois Street will be closed to through traffic for about two weeks for water main replacement and roadway improvements. Local access will remain open, with some parking restrictions. 
  • Fraser and Lincoln streets: Road improvements are nearly complete along Fraser Street between Puget and Valencia streets and Lincoln Street between Elwood Avenue and E. Maple Street. 
  • James Street and Kellogg Road, Oct. 14-16: The intersection will close for about three days for repaving as part of James Street Multimodal improvements project  to improve safety and travel for people walking, biking and driving along James Street. Detours will be in place, and flaggers will help residents access their homes during business hours. 

On Tuesday, Oct. 6, Mayor Kim Lund spoke at an event hosted by Indivisible, describing how the City is partnering with other cities to respond to federal actions that affect local communities and services. The City has joined lawsuits as either a plaintiff or a friend-of-the-court filer, including challenges to National Guard deployments to cities that did not request them and to federal funding decisions affecting Planned Parenthood, SNAP, and other programs. Learn more on our Protecting the Rights and Dignity of All page. 

Afterward, Mayor Lund and City staff answered questions about how the City is working to support the rights and safety of our immigrant community. Thank you to everyone who attended! 

Learn about innovative housing solutions 

We hope you’ll join us next week for our Whatcom Housing Week events! The Planning and Community Development team is gearing up for our Middle Housing Walking Tour, Home Share Happy Hour, a conversation about changes in housing regulations, and more!  Highlights include: 

  • City Housing Data Resources: Take a live tour of Bellingham’s key housing data tools. 
  • Middle Housing Walking Tour: Take a different kind of tour through the Lettered Streets neighborhood with Bellingham’s Planning and Community Development Director. 
  • Home Share Happy Hour: Turning Spare Rooms into Spare Income: Join us at Structures Brewing to have a cold beverage while learning about our new Home Share Program. 
  • Working within a Changing State Legislative Landscape: Learn about code changes the City team is working on, including anticipated impacts, timing, and approaches. 

Learn more about the City-facilitated events in our full news release. To see the full Housing Week events calendar and RSVP, visit the Whatcom Housing Alliance website. 

All Hands Whatcom Summit 

Registration is open for the 2026 All Hands Whatcom Opioid Summit happening Oct. 21–22. This year’s Summit, hosted by the Chuckanut Health Foundation, is focused on the moment our community is in, systems that are stretched thin, and the upcoming Medicaid cuts, impacts, and fallout. Everyone can attend to learn about local data, hear personal stories, and participate in creating action plans to support our community. Get more details and register on the Chuckanut Health Foundation’s website.    

Bellingham Regional Fire Authority and Fire Benefit Charge Public Hearing 

Calls for fire and emergency medical services have increased in Bellingham, and the cost to provide these services has also risen significantly. Forming a Regional Fire Authority (RFA) would secure new, dedicated funding for Fire and EMS and put millions of dollars back in the City’s budget to restore, maintain, and improve services the community relies on. Next week, the RFA Planning Committee is holding a public hearing where community members can learn about the proposed RFA plan and comment on the possible implementation of a fire benefit charge. Learn more on our event listing.  

Public hearing details 
Wednesday, Oct. 14 
6-8 p.m. 
City Council Chambers 

Fire fighters at work
Join us next week at a public hearing to learn more about an RFA and weigh in on the change.

Media Contact

City of Bellingham Communications Team:  media@cob.org

 

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