Life of a Fake Journalist

Next quarter I will be working as an Arts & Life editor for the Western Front!

Bellingham is known for its breathtaking scenery and active community. Views of Mount Baker and Bellingham Bay, a diverse population and a vibrant downtown district showcase the area as serene and friendly. But when the lights turn off, businesses close for the evening and everyone goes home, walking Bellingham at night can be a bit creepy- and for good reason.

A proposed bill that would change university tuition control passed the Senate Finance Committee Monday night.

Etiquette may no longer be a required class, but that doesn't mean it is unimportant. Students enjoyed a three-course meal Wednesday night at the Viking Union Multipurpose Room while learning how the rules of etiquette can make or break a job interview.

Artwork from children's book illustrators around the world will go on display alongside Columbia Elementary School forth and fifth graders' art starting Feb. 10 in Wilson Library. More than 70 artists from 30 countries illustrated original book covers for the exhibit, which challenges the idea of judging a book by its cover.

(This was a very tough one to write.)

It can be hard to find a great book. Only you really know what you like. Until you read the book, it's almost impossible to tell which books are just hyped-up, and which are worthy of critic's praise.

Considering the title of this blog is life of a fake journalist, I am going to start posting more than just writing samples. I have also redesigned the page. Let me know what you think. The old template was just too boring.

By 2012, University Dining Services plans to increase Northwest-grown, fair-trade, organic and humanely produced food on campus by 20 percent.

Summer may seem far off for some, but in the bridal industry it's just around the corner...

Light-up sneakers squeak across the court as their owners scuttle after black and white balls gone askew. The coach is trying to herd the children in with a quick game of red light-green light. Parents watch on the sidelines, reminding their children to “listen to the teacher” and “use your feet, not your hands” as the children keep showing mom and dad what they can do. By the end of the 45-minute session, a few players have gone home after falls on the ground or bumps on the head got the best of them, but overall there are still smiles, giggles and enthusiasm from the little players. The team ends the day with a group chant of “have fun!” This is youth soccer with 5-year-olds, and it’s a step in the right direction.

From superhero training to all-ages dodge ball, gymnastics to soccer; the Whatcom Family YMCA has a program for almost any interest and any age. In a world filled with technology and overwhelming obesity rates in youth, Youth Sports Director John Bullard says the YMCA is a place for kids to get off the computer and onto the field.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that only about 25 percent of high school students are enrolled in physical education courses, and about half of America’s youth are not vigorously active. Derrick Mears, an associate professor in the physical education department at Western Washington University, says community programs such as the YMCA, which are designed to include all kids and not competitive, are the best programs for young children.

“We’re starting kids in competitive sports way too early. 5- and 6-year-olds should be learning hopscotch, not playing competitive sports,” Mears says.

The YMCA has set up good parameters for the programs that have age appropriate goals and activities for the children, Mears says. Well designed programs have the potential to extend beyond physical activity and encourage children to experience the social development that goes on with sports, such as working with others.

The YMCA attempts to build strong kids, families and communities with their programs by engaging children in activities together and having family events, as well as encouraging community members to volunteer at the YMCA to continue the programs. Bullard, who used to work with at-risk kids and teens before he came to the YMCA, says he sees these strong bonds every day.

“It’s definitely a nice break to work with children whose parents are so involved in their lives,” Bullard says.

Western Senior Nick Campbell volunteers as a youth soccer coach at the YMCA. He began volunteering as part of a field experience requirement for his kinesiology degree last spring, but has continued to volunteer since he finished the requirement. Campbell coaches teams between the ages of 3 and 6. He says his favorite part of the job is seeing the kids smile and laugh and have fun—and their faces when they make a goal can’t be beat.

The teams are designed to get kids interacting with one another and working together in a fun way, keeping in mind the YMCA motto of “respect, caring, honesty, responsibility.” Bullard says that at that age, soccer is more about not touching the ball with your hands than anything else. He says it often takes parents' help to keep kids from clambering over the one another to get to the ball. All of the YMCA teams are non-competitive and play rain or shine -- it is Washington, after all.

Raleigh Kukes just started her 3-year-old daughter Halsey in the YMCA youth soccer program. She says they tried to do soccer last year, but Halsey wasn’t quite ready for it yet. While Halsey was a little shy on the court to tell the coach her name, she joined in and played with the other kids. Kukes says she really enjoys the many different activities the YMCA has available for her daughter, so Halsey can get a wide variety of experiences to figure out what she’s interested in. Halsey is also in the ballet class.

Bullard says he is always impressed with kids' willingness to help one another. He recalled one basketball team in which every player had made a basket except for one kid. This boy was taller than most of the other players, but uncoordinated. At the last game, all the team members kept passing the ball to him to give him a chance to make a basket. He finally did and the whole team went into an uproar of cheers.

The YMCA offers a variety of other programs for children to enjoy. Dance, swim, rock climbing, and running are just a few of the many programs the YMCA offers. The YMCA also offers a wide variety of adult activities as well. Members of all ages have access to the gym, swimming pool, rock climbing wall, and fitness center. There are also many classes available including yoga, volleyball and adult ballet.

If you walk onto the Western Washington University campus, you will undoubtedly see numerous girls walking around with their skinny jeans tucked into a pair of faux-suede Uggs, or Ugg look-alikes.   While these “rain boots” are the current fashion trend across America, this reporter is having trouble figuring out why.

      After seeing these not-so-stylish boots around for over a year, I finally broke down and bought myself a pair, since my rain shoes consisted of ballet flats and my Converse Chuck Taylors.  While I originally looked at getting myself a pair of authentic Australian Uggs, the retail price of $144 on Zappos.com was a bit steep for my college-kid budget--I went for a Wal-Mart knock off for $12.

      Before I decided to go with the pair from Wal-Mart, I shopped around to get an idea of the quality differences between the Wal-Mart $12 shoes and the pricey Jung+G Fashion shoes for $50.  Although I’m no cobbler, they all seemed to be about the same, minus various color options.

      My first complaint is that these boots are terribly designed.  It is almost impossible to find a size that fits. Your usual size will be able to fit your foot snugly in them, but the leg won’t be able to accommodate your pants.  A size or two bigger will fit your pants, but your foot will have a lot of wiggle room.  I think it would be beneficial to widen the leg a bit to fix this problem.  I purchased a size eight instead of my usual size seven to fit my pants between the boot and my leg.

      It took a good 10 minutes to get my pants shoved in the boots far enough that my feet were in the foot part of the boot instead of the leg.  Then I noticed the seam along the top of the boot had already started to fray (most likely just a Wal-Mart issue). Already frustrated and late, I ran out to catch the bus to campus.

      While trying to run, my feet were constantly moving around in the boot and caused me to miss-step a number of times. Add this to rainy weather and you get a girl stumbling down the sidewalk to catch the bus while frantically trying to stay upright.

      A big difference you will find with the Uggs and the look-alikes are the soles.  The Ugg soles are rubberized and grooved to help you maintain traction, while the look-alikes use foam soles with little grooving or grip to help you out.  This turned out to be just as much of a problem as the fit. 

      As I got on the bus my foot slipped on the stairs, causing me to face plant into the person standing in front of me.  I apologized and quickly found my seat, noticing the water already seeping through my socks.  When getting off the bus I made sure to step carefully and had no problems, assuming it was just because of my rush that I had slipped earlier.  Unfortunately, as soon as I stepped off the brick-laid path up to the Communications Facility onto the smooth concrete I slipped again.

      This time, my feet went completely out from under me and I managed to end up face down in a puddle.  A few people stopped to help me up and asked if I was all right. One guy kindly informed me “It’s slippery, you should watch your step.”  (No, really?)  Already embarrassed, I simply thanked him and said I’d keep that in mind.

      Sitting here now, soaking wet and disgruntled, I think my $12 could have been spent on something else.  Even if the boots had better traction, the design makes them hard to walk in and they provide very little protection from the rain and puddles that surround Western’s campus.  Maybe the $144 authentic Uggs would be better, but I don’t plan on spending that kind of dough on shoes that don’t even look that great.

The cancellation of Western Washington University’s football team left football fans with little to cheer about—until now.  The announcement of the Next Level Football League starting a team in Bellingham is putting fans in a much better mood.

            “I’m pretty stoked about it,” said football fan Casey Silva.  He said while he didn’t attend many of the WWU football games, he plans to attend some of the Bellingham Blitz’s games.  Matt Jackson, also a football fan, said he gives it a thumbs-up.  He said he wished there was even more football in the area.  “I’m a football fan all the way," Jackson said, "there can never be too much football.”

            Even residents who do not regularly follow football think the Bellingham Blitz team is a good idea.  Sherry Sayre, who said she doesn’t really follow football said, “I don’t really know about it, but it sounds like a good idea.” 

Alice Despopoulos was initially concerned about the cost to the city. She was relieved to find out that the team was privately owned and hoped that a good turnout would benefit the community.   The city may actually benefit financially from the team, since the team will be playing their games at the city-owned Civic Stadium.  According to the City of Bellingham's website, the city’s fees for the use of the stadium range from $80-900 an hour depending on the use of the stadium.

The Bellingham Blitz general manager Mike Kulcheski and co-owner Tom Abbott gave the City Council an informative presentation on the NLFL at the Feb. 12 City Council Meeting, but did not ask for any support.  Kulcheski also highlighted that there is an exclusive three-year contract with Comcast to televise the games.  Silva said he looked forward to watching the games as well as attending them. 

Nicole Valencia was not as enthusiastic as Silva.  "I'm not going to watch it, but it's a good option for people who like it," she said.  Valencia also said that the new team is good for an area as large as Bellingham, especially since the WWU football program was cut.

The City Council recognized 55 employees at the meeting held Monday night for their service and dedication to the city and community. City employees who worked for the city for 20, 25, 30 and 35 years were given Employee Recognition Awards. A Certificate of Appreciation was also given to Doug Starcher for his work on the Bellingham Planning Commission for the past eight years.

WTA bus riders enjoyed free rides Wednesday and Thursday as the WTA partnered with Bellingham Whatcom Project Homeless Connect (PHC). The PHC, sponsored by United Way, offered a variety of services to homeless people throughout the area, including medical, employment, and legal services.

Bruce Johnson, a volunteer coordinator, said “it went better than we expected.” Johnson said that more than 300 volunteers and 200 service providers helped roughly 60 homeless people from the community.

 One of the few issues on the City Council’s agenda Monday night was the Fairhaven Branch Library funding.  City Council met with the Library board earlier that day to discuss transferring up to $600,000 for further repairs of the Fairhaven branch from funds budgeted to the Central branch. 

      The Fairhaven Branch Library has already been guaranteed $2.2 million in the budget for repairs to the roof, steps, new stucco on the outside of the building and seismic protection.  The library is now requesting up to $3.2 million for further renovations, such as a new interior design and further seismic protection.

      John Servai, chair of the Advocacy Budget of the Friends of the Fairhaven Branch Library, spoke up at the meeting urging City Council to stick with the current budget so renovations could start in June without delay.  Servai said “we are out of time” and many of the renovations requested were not needed, such as the updated interior layout and seismic protection in the ceiling.

      Servai went on to say that the library board and the administration had not allowed the Friends to be a part of the plans, but that “you can bet we tried.”  Servai said the Friends do not support the presentation earlier that day given to the City Council.

      Bruce Deile, a homeless man living in Bellingham, also showed his support of the library.  Deile said he goes to the library to get out of the cold and that “the only recourse some of have is the library.”

      City Council decided to hold off on any decisions regarding the Fairhaven Branch Library branch until a public meeting, scheduled for Feb 5 is held, and public opinion can be heard on the matter.

      After the meeting, Councilman Terry Bornemann said “we just don’t have the extra [money].” Bornemann also said that he was concerned that the Central Branch was willing to give up its $600,000 for its needed repairs to the Fairhaven Branch Library, and wondered if the money could have been budgeted elsewhere in the first place.

      The public meeting scheduled for Feb 5 will be held in the Fireplace Room at the Fairhaven Branch Library from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. Brad Cornnwell of RMC Arcitects will be there to review the Fairhaven Branch Library renovations, according to a press release.  The public is invited to attend and provide input on the Fairhaven Renovations. 

The City Council ratified the Bellingham noise ordinance to allow piling removal along Bellingham Bay around some residential areas.

The Sehome neighborhood’s development project may be in jeopardy, according to Council Member Terry Bornemann. The biggest issue council members face is “how to deal with the current financial crisis” caused by the poor economy.

In an interview with Bornemann Thursday, he said the current economic situation is affecting the local revenue that pays for city projects. Bornemann also said the council needs to “really work to adjust for that.”

The Sehome neighborhood project, which has been in the works for many years now, may be set on the backburner if City Council cannot find the resources to fund the project. The proposed “urban village” redevelopment would convert the strip malls and motels that currently line Samish Way into sidewalk shops and businesses with residences above.

Mohinder Singh, a manager at the Coachman Inn on Samish way says he thinks the project “will be good for the area” and “help us to compete with the Guide [Meridian].”

The idea is to make the Sehome neighborhood into a place where people shop, live, and work, much like Fairhaven is designed. The current plan will help to accommodate the growing population throughout the area.

The Sehome neighborhood development project is just one of many neighborhood redesigns that are currently in the works; however Sehome has taken the lead, according to Bornemann.

The project will require rezoning of many areas, and possibly new ordinances to allow for taller buildings that can house both businesses and residences. The project will also include a landlord accountability law to make sure buildings are up to code and that landlords are responsible for their tenants.

The final project proposal is set to be reviewed by the Council sometime in the next few weeks.