Thursday, June 27, 2013, 7 pm

St. Luke's Community Health Education Center

3333 Squalicum Parkway, Bellingham WA (near St. Joseph's Hospital).

Also Saturday, June 29, 2013, 1 pm, Blaine Library, 610 Third Street.

Admission Free. Sponsored by United for National Healthcare. (360) 398-2295, supporter@unitedforhealthcare.org

BELLINGHAM --The Whatcom County Democrats are proud to announce their endorsed candidates for local office. After hearing speeches from a broad spectrum of candidates, the Democrats endorsed the following candidates:

• Barry Buchanan, Ken Mann, Carl Weimer and Rud Browne for County Council

• Gene Knutson, Michael Lilliquist, Pinky Vargas and Roxanne Murphy for Bellingham City Council

• Renata Kowalczyk and Michael McAuley for Port of Bellingham

• A Yes vote on Initiative 522 - GMO labeling

Over 120 dues-paying members of the Whatcom County Democrats gathered last Thursday to vote in their endorsement process. To qualify for an endorsement, each candidate needs to receive more than 2/3rds of the votes in that race. Candidates seeking the endorsement were given time to speak and answer questions from the audience.

"We stand for openness and transparency and our endorsement process reflects those values," said County Chair Mike Estes. Candidates receiving the endorsement will be granted access to party resources, and are allowed to display the Whatcom Democrats endorsement on their printed materials. "We believe in supporting quality candidates for local office that share our commitment to efficient government, a thriving economy and protecting Whatcom's natural resources," said Estes.

The endorsement meeting was filmed by the Center for New Media and is available online.

This Thursday, 7pm - 9pm at Norway Hall on Forest St in Bellingham

Our next monthly meeting will be held on Monday, May 13th at New York Pizza (902 North State Street) beginning at 11:30.  Lunch is available for $8.99 and up.  Rosalinda Guillen, from Community to Community, will be talking to talk to us about the Dignity Campaign.  Also, some of the candidates for Bellingham City Council or Whatcom County Council will be speaking.    Everyone is welcome to join us!  For more information call Linda Pace at 734-1697.  

Our annual plant sale is coming soon. Mark your calendars for June 7th, 8th and 9th, and the best plant sale ever. It will be held at 2920 Eldridge Avenue, from 9 AM to 2 PM. We still need need your plants!  Potting parties will be happening at Ronalee's house and plants can be dropped off at any time at 2920 Eldridge, where there is a special area set up in the front yard.  

Call us at 647-7661 if you have plants to donate and need help digging them up.  
 

The 42nd District Democrats and the NW Washington Central Labor Council, AFL- CIO stepped up to help the Friends of the Ferndale Library campaign to pass the $550,000 bond to raise the final funding needed to build a new library in Ferndale.

by Anne Mosness

by Natalie McClendon

Initiative 522: "The People's Right to Know Genetically Engineered Food Act" will require all sellers of non-GMO food to document their products to prove it doesn't contain even a speck of genetically engineered material. Retailers can be fined up to $1,000 a day if they sell food that is "mis-labeled" by not disclosing that it is "partially produced with genetic engineering" or, vaguely, "may be partially produced with genetic engineering."

Bellingham’s annual Ski to Sea Parade takes place May 25th, and the Whatcom Democrats’ parade entry has been accepted by the Ski to Sea officials. Outreach Chair Daydre Phillips has an exciting concept for our group. We will showcase the open and welcoming nature of our party by marching under “the big tent”. We want to have Democrats from all walks of life and professions, walking together under a colorful, light-weight tent held up by bamboo poles.

With one of our long-time volunteers moving to Portland and another volunteer taking a job as a campaign manager, we are SERIOUSLY short of volunteers to staff the office. We are looking for two people to cover the office Monday and Wednesday afternoon (12:00 noon – 2:00 PM) shifts. Additionally, we need “temporary” volunteers to cover “occasional” vacancies created due to planned vacations, illness, etc.