In the Media

Thursday, July 21, 2011 - Mukilteo Beacon

A local singer-songwriter has won a $500 scholarship from the America’s Alcohol Certified Education Association for his song “Send a Friend.”

Will Franz, a 2008 graduate of Kamiak High School, won the scholarship because his song helps to raise alcohol awareness.

America’s Alcohol Certified Education Association provides alcohol server training, which promotes responsible service and sales of alcohol.

Thursday, July 21, 2011 - The Bellingham Herald

Downtown Bellingham Partnership has hired a new executive director, Robert "Rob" Camandona.
A longtime Bellingham resident and civic leader, Camandona brings experience in tourism, finance, marketing and business management.

Thursday, July 21, 2011 - The Bellingham Herald

Services will be held Saturday, July 23, for Hugh Fleetwood, a longtime philosophy professor at Western Washington University who held true to his beliefs in the public realm even when it ruffled some people's feathers.
Fleetwood died Sunday at the age of 81. A longtime member and leader of the American Civil Liberties Union, he was an early supporter of Whatcom County's public defender's office and a key board member of Interfaith Coalition, which supports housing and medical programs for needy people in the county.

Thursday, July 21, 2011 - The Bellingham Herald

Will Glazier is the trumpeter, vocalist, booking manager and general manager for Bellingham band Snug Harbor, whose first full-length, self-titled album was released last month. The album is available at local stores, on snugharbormusic.com and digitally at CDBaby and iTunes. For more on the band, who plays with the Fabulous Party Boys at 9 p.m. Saturday, July 23, at the Wild Buffalo, go to the band's Facebook page.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - The Olympian

The Public Employees’ Benefits Board is voting Wednesday afternoon on a package of health-care proposals that is going to formally drive up Washington state employees’ health care costs next year.

Workers in two-dozen unions are bound by health-care agreements that require them to pay 15 percent of base premiums in January, up from 12 percent. But other out-of-pocket costs are in the offing, too – including new $100 co-pays for Group Health participants who get MRIs, CTs and PET scans.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - The Olympian

Funding higher education aimed at meeting the needs of a more demanding and global marketplace will be a key focus of the National Governors Association meeting this week in Utah, Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire said Friday.

Gregoire said that as more jobs demand degrees beyond high school diplomas, it is imperative that states invest more in higher education and trade schools.

“Our work force is not prepared to meet the demands of the future,” she said.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - KOMO News

Soon you'll be able to enjoy the beauty of Western Washington University without having to step foot on campus.

A Google team spent Monday riding around campus on a specially-outfitted tricycle to take panoramic photographs of the campus from the ground.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - The Olympian

The Evergreen State College Foundation, a nonprofit group that raises money and manages private donations for the college, has been awarded a $3 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - The Washington Post

DEBATE IS intensifying over the federal Pell Grant program. Some see runaway spending that can’t be sustained in the face of the mounting national debt; others believe no one with skill and determination should be denied a college education for lack of financial resources. We think it’s shortsighted to try to save money by denying people the chance to better themselves, but there is merit in making the program more cost-effective.

The Pell Grant program, started more than 30 years ago to make college accessible to low-income students, is on the chopping block as President Obama negotiates with Congress on how to rein in the country’s debt. The needs-based grants, which do not have to be repaid, can be used at traditional state or private institutions as well as for-profit schools. (Disclosure: Among those for-profits is Kaplan, a subsidiary of The Washington Post Co.) Republicans are clamoring for cuts in Pell grants, either through reducing the maximum award size from $5,550 or restricting student eligibility. The budget passed by the House would slash the maximum grant by 45 percent and cut about 1.5 million students from the program.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011 - KGMI 790-AM

A team from Google was spotted scanning the scenery of Western Washington University’s campus earlier this week.

University spokesperson Paul Cocke says images of the campus will soon be on Google Street View.