Education | The Fourth Corner

Charter Propositions… On the ballot Proposition No. 1

Ballot Title Nov 4th 2025 Proposition No. 1 - Authorizing Councilmembers to Hire Dedicated Aides The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission has proposed an amendment to the Whatcom County Charter to authorize County Council members to hire aides. This measure would amend Section 2.22 of the Whatcom County Charter to allow each council member to hire a dedicated legislative aide. It also allows multiple council members to hire one joint aide if ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-08-26T11:31:08-07:00August 26, 2025|Education, Fourth Corner News|0 Comments

Whatcom County Charter Series: Balancing the Scales of County Government

Whatcom County Charter Series: Balancing the Scales of County Government By Hannah Ordos, Future 42 Director and Charter Commissioner Imagine a county government where the people elected to represent you are expected to County Courthouse oversee spending, craft legislation, and advocate for their communities—yet must do it all with barely any independent support. This November, Whatcom County voters will face a pivotal choice among 12 proposed charter amendments, including... Proposition 1: “Authorizing ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-08-26T10:50:34-07:00August 26, 2025|Education, Fourth Corner News|0 Comments

The Facts on Tyler Byrd

Smear First, Check Facts Later: The Truth About Tyler Byrd’s Record If you’ve heard that Tyler Byrd has been “MIA” as a Whatcom County Council member, you’ve been misled. That false narrative traces back to a March 2023 opinion piece in the Cascadia Daily News written by Democratic Party precinct officer Abe Jacobson, who regularly uses the platform to turn political spin into public record, whether the facts hold up or not. Let’s be ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-08-02T11:27:43-07:00August 2, 2025|Fourth Corner News, Fourth Corner News|2 Comments

Budget includes Highest raise in Taxes Ever

From the Republican Caucus in the State Senate: Voting for the bill in the Fourth Corner: In the Fourth Corner voted to pass…Sharon Shewmake(42nd), Liz Lovelett(40th),Derek Stanford(1st),Marko Liias(21st),Jesse Salomon(32nd),June Robinson(38th),John Lovick(44th) Their (Democrat) budget relies on MASSIVE property-tax increases that will also hit renters; a capital gains-style tax on innovation; cuts student aid for tuition at state-run colleges and universities; business tax increases, and much more, like a 38% fee increases on hunting ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-04-28T13:15:58-07:00April 28, 2025|Fourth Corner News|0 Comments

THE Full March 25th Executive Order on Election Integrity by President Donald Trump

Presidential Actions PRESERVING AND PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF AMERICAN ELECTIONS Executive Orders March 25, 2025 By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, it is hereby ordered: Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Despite pioneering self-government, the United States now fails to enforce basic and necessary election protections employed by modern, developed nations, as well as those still developing. India and Brazil, for ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-04-13T09:48:15-07:00April 13, 2025|Beyond the Fourth Corner, Fourth Corner News, Fourth Corner News|0 Comments

WA Farmers Put EPA and DOJ on Notice: Backroom Tactics will be Exposed

WA Farmers Put EPA, DOJ On Notice: Backroom Tactics Will Be Exposed "Save Family Farming files new public records requests to demand transparency, hold agencies accountable as EPA, DOJ continue campaign against Washington state farms." "Dairy closes under the cost of dealing with EPA and Department of Justice" (EVERSON, Wash.) Farmers are demanding transparency from the US Environmental Protection Agency and the US Department of Justice, by filing new requests for key public records ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-03-09T12:22:13-07:00March 9, 2025|Beyond the Fourth Corner, Environment and Climate Change, Fourth Corner News, Fourth Corner News|0 Comments

Who’s Raising Taxes in Whatcom County

Who's Raising Taxes in Whatcom County 2025 Hannah Ordos Future 42 Whatcom County Director LYNDEN, Wash. – As we reflecton 2024, the high cost of living and taxes have been a significant topic of discussion in our community and throughout the state. We can anticipate slight tax increases from time to time for essential services such as public safety, roads, and education. However, we also expect our local governments to prioritize financial responsibility, accountability, and transparency. Whether ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2025-03-02T17:53:27-08:00March 2, 2025|Education, Fourth Corner News, Rural Living, The Fourth Corner|1 Comment

John Lesow on Recent British Columbia elections and “growth management”

John Lesow Guest Writer In May of 2024, I suggested in a Guest Editorial that Planners in Washington and British Columbia were on the same page--the Wrong one--in their efforts to address the "Housing Crisis" and "Affordability" in their respective communities of Bellingham and North Vancouver, B.C. The results of the Provincial election in British Columbia on October 19 show that the electorate remains deeply divided on the government's plan to ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2024-11-07T09:58:03-08:00November 7, 2024|Beyond the Fourth Corner, Education, Fourth Corner News|0 Comments

Is Ranked-choice voting right for Whatcom County?

Is Ranked-choice voting right for Whatcom County? First the definition - Ranked-choice voting is when voters choose their top three candidates for positions in order of preference. If a candidate wins a majority of votes, he or she is declared the winner. If no candidate wins a majority of the votes, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated. All votes that rank the failed candidate as their first choice are eliminated and ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2024-10-14T10:11:08-07:00October 14, 2024|Education, Fourth Corner News, Fourth Corner News|1 Comment

National honor society is connected with NO on I-2109 at Puget Sound High School

Brian Heywood on October 14th Posted the following on his twitter account "That Damn Mormon": Brian Heywood - That Damn Mormon Jim Walsh & Brian Heywood @bkheywood ""LWSD and Redmond parents!!! Alert Did you know that the school is using your children and the national honor society and school time for political activity to promote a Teachers Union poltical agenda? The note that went out below mentions 2109 which would repeal ...

By Charlie Crabtree|2024-10-14T09:48:56-07:00October 14, 2024|Education, Fourth Corner News, Fourth Corner News|0 Comments