1155 N. State St. Bellingham, WA 98225 360-676-2600 TheBellinghamHerald.com The Paper The Community

The Paper

Mission Statement/Motto: Whatcom County's best source for local news and information.

Founded: The tri-weekly Fairhaven Herald first went to press March 10, 1890, in the boomtown of Fairhaven on Bellingham Bay. The first editor was a colorful outspoken character, William "Lightfoot" Visscher. He oversaw the Herald's successful conversion to a daily paper before being fired after 18 months on the job. The Herald went through many changes in the early years, including temporary suspension and a merger with a weekly paper. In 1903, the cities of Whatcom and Fairhaven, which surrounded Bellingham Bay, consolidated into the city of Bellingham, and the paper became The Bellingham Herald. The Herald settled in its present location in 1926 at the then-newly constructed Herald Building.

Sidney Albert "Sam" Perkins bought the paper in 1911, and his heirs sold it in 1967 to Federated Publications. In 1971 Federated Publications merged with Gannett Co., Inc. The Herald successfully switched to morning delivery in 1997. Knight Ridder acquired the Herald in 2005, followed shortly by McClatchy's acquisition of Knight Ridder in 2006.

Mark Owings, President and Publisher
Julie Shirley, Executive Editor
Sam Aldrich, Retail Advertising and Marketing Manager
Amber Aldrich, Classified and Online Advertising Manager
Skip Gibson, Operations Director

General Hiring Contact: Human Resources Manager Kristen Reams: 360-715-2235, fax 360-676-7672, or e-mail kristen.reams@bellinghamherald.com

Distinction: The Bellingham Herald has been a local newspaper throughout its history. The community relies upon the Herald to reflect its values and to be vigilant on behalf of community interests. The Herald thoroughly dominates its local Whatcom County market. Despite media from Seattle and Vancouver, B.C., no newspapers, radio or TV stations can come close to the Herald's status as the most read source of local news. The Bellingham Herald excels in its coverage of local news, high school athletics, regional business news and outdoor recreation.

Market: Whatcom County is steadily growing, up 20 percent over the first decade of the new century. With many government-based organizations, the county has a stable economy. Magnificent natural scenery, unique cultural attractions and charming villages earn the Bellingham/Mount Baker region repeat mentions in national media as one of the best places to live in the United States. From Mount Baker to the nearby San Juan Islands, outdoor beauty and recreation abound. Western Washington University anchors an intellectual and cultural community with an especially strong music scene. Rich agricultural areas offer a choice of lifestyle different from nearby Seattle and Vancouver, B.C.

Circulation Area: Whatcom County is located on the newly named Salish Sea, just north of Puget Sound in Washington state and adjacent to the border with British Columbia, Canada.

Site:The Herald Building is centrally located in downtown Bellingham on the corner of North State and East Chestnut streets. The six-story building, built in 1926, accommodates The Bellingham Herald's offices and numerous other businesses. In 2009, McClatchy sold the building to two local investors, and the Herald secured a lease for its offices in the landmark structure.

Readership:
Print in Whatcom County
Average Daily: 39,538 (30.6%)
Average Sunday: 48,602 (41%)
Past 7 Days: 81,560 (55.2%)

Circulation: 18,828 daily; 23,144 Sunday

Single-Copy Sales: 9.9% daily; 20% Sunday

Size: Averages 20 pages daily; 42 pages Sunday

Production: The Bellingham Herald is printed on a Manugarphy DGM 440 press in nearby Mount Vernon at the Skagit Valley Herald's printing facility.

Color: Prints in process inks with extensive use of color

Software Technology: News -- APT version 3 and Quark; classified -- IPS ALS, Mactive PGL; circulation -- PBS 3.4; advertising -- Mactive; ad production -- IPS AdTrac, Adobe Creative Suite; AP/GL -- PeopleSoft, MS Office

Newspaper Website: TheBellinghamHerald.com

TheBellinghamHerald.com Usage: Exceeded 5 million monthly page views in October 2010 and exceeded 500,000 average monthly unique visitors in September 2010.

Other Websites:
WhatcomMagazine.com
NorthwestHeatlhMagazine.com

Employees: 77

Major Advertisers: Macy's; Greenhouse, JCPenney; Sears; Target; Rite-Aid; Fred Meyer; WalMart; Walgreens; Best Buy; Key Bank; Whatcom Educational Credit Union; Lowe's; The Home Depot; Silver Reef Casino; Samuel's Furniture, Dewaard & Bode Appliances; Diehl Ford; King Nissan Volvo; Haggen Food & Pharmacy; Hardware Sales; Mt. Baker Theater; Wilson's Furniture; Yeager's Sporting Goods; Nooksack River Casino; Hearing Northwest; Coldwell Banker; Fairhaven Realty; Windermere; Muljat Group; John L Scott; Roger Jobs; Frontier Ford; Wilson Motors; Northwest Honda; Comcast; Michaels; Office Depot; JoAnn Fabrics; Big 5; Old Navy; Petco

Creative Ventures:

Online:
Growing abilities in mobile, eEdition, newsletters, story comments, blogging, video and multimedia; online guestbook for obituaries.

Print:
Each week The Bellingham Herald publishes Careerbuilder Weekly, an employment section. Classified specials are NW Autos and NW Homes, which alternate weekly. Regular classified sections include Homefinder and Wheels.

Special Publications:
The Bellingham Herald produces several glossy magazines, including: Whatcom Magazine, an upscale lifestyle piece that publishes to more than 30,000 homes four times a year (every-other month) and is mailed to magazine subscribers and delivered with the newspaper; and the annual Northwest Health. The Herald publishes dozens of special sections each year, including: 102 Things to Do, Ski to Sea Program, Northwest Dining Guide, Northwest Washington Fair Program, Jobs and Homebuyer's Guide.

Well-Known Newsroom Personalities: Community columnist Dean Kahn and business editor David Gallagher put a face on local coverage.

The Community

The Market: Whatcom County is located along the Canadian border 90 minutes north of Seattle. Surrounded by natural beauty and recreation, Whatcom County is often ranked as one of the best places to live in the United States. A few examples: In 2010, Forbes named Bellingham one of the best small places for business and careers. In 2008, National Geographic Magazine named Bellingham one of the Next Great Towns in the West. In 2007, Bellingham was declared one of the safest cities in the United States by Sperling's Best Places, and was named one of the eight great places you never heard of, by Mother Earth News.

Other publications and organizations have honored Bellingham as, among other things, one of the most secure places to live, one of the best places to retire, one of the best paddling towns, one of the cities with the cleanest air, and as a bicycle-friendly city, a great place for active seniors to live, and one of the most dog-friendly cities in the country.

Bellingham's national recognition contributes to a proud community that supports tremendous economic, cultural, tourism and housing growth. Bellingham’s 80,000 residents enjoy short commutes to work, plentiful parks and open spaces, and low crime rates. Civic initiatives continue to improve the city, including Whatcom Museum's new "Lightcatcher" building. Upcoming projects include redevelopment of the downtown waterfront at the former site of a Georgia Pacific plant. Bellingham is home to Western Washington University, Whatcom Community College and Bellingham Technical College, creating an excellent pool of talent for local employers.

Whatcom County, Bellingham's home, has 200,000 residents living in multiple small cities and unincorporated territory. The smaller communities have their own unique character, including the seaside communities of Blaine and Birch Bay, the Dutch-heritage farming town of Lynden, and the rustic village of Glacier at the base of Mount Baker. Noteworthy county events include the Ski to Sea race, a seven-leg relay race from Mount Baker to Bellingham Bay; the Northwest Washington Fair; Lynden's Heritage Celebration; the Deming Log Show; Blaine's Fourth of July BBQ; Sumas' Bull-A-Rama; and the Point Roberts Garden Tour.

Educational systems such as the university and public schools are major employers in Whatcom County. In addition, economic diversity supports and stabilizes the area. In manufacturing, BP Cherry Point Refinery and Alcoa Intalco Works, an aluminum smelter, are major employers. Haggen operates regional grocery store chains. Visitors from Canada help support a broad array of retailers. St. Joseph Hospital and myriad clinics make a strong medical sector. And the Native American casinos and vast selection of restaurants enhance the tourism, hospitality and entertainment industries.

In 2006, "Inc" magazine rated Bellingham as fifth-hottest boomtown under 150,000 in population, based on recent job growth. In December 2006, the city was ranked fourth among metropolitan areas of 150,000 to 500,000 in the "Third Annual Most Secure U.S. Places to Live" rankings from Farmers Insurance Group of Companies. The rankings took into consideration crime statistics, extreme weather, risk of natural disasters, environmental hazards, terrorism threats and job loss numbers.

Conveniently located between Seattle to the south (90 miles) and Vancouver, B.C., to the north (60 miles), the culture and activity of larger cities is easily accessible from the comfortable lifestyle of a more rural setting. Whatcom County’s residents enjoy a spirit of entrepreneurship and growth in an environment of spectacular scenery and close-knit community.

Location: Whatcom County, Wash., borders Canada to the north, overlooks Bellingham Bay and the San Juan Islands to the west, and oversees Cascade Mountains in the east, with Seattle a 90-minute drive to the south. Whatcom County encompasses more than 2,000 square miles, with much of the territory rugged mountains that are part of the Mount Baker-Snoqualmi National Forest and the North Cascades National Park. Elevation ranges from sea level to a high of 10,788 at Mount Baker, where the skiing is considered some of the best in the Northwest.

Transportation: Interstate 5 provides easy access north to Vancouver, B.C., and south to Seattle, while the Mount Baker Highway and Trans-Canada Highway 1 provide travel east and west. The Alaska Marine Highway ferry system's southern terminus is a Port of Bellingham terminal in Bellingham's Fairhaven neighborhood, where Amtrack and Greyhound also have stations. Bellingham International Airport is home to small regional airlines for quick trips to Seattle, Las Vegas and a growing list of other destinations. Whatcom Transportation Authority provides bus service throughout the country, and smaller ferries reach the San Juan and Lummi Islands.

County Population: 200,434 Whatcom County

County Households: 88,205 Whatcom County

Household Growth Rate: 36.8% Whatcom County (2000-2009)

Education in Whatcom County: 87.5% have high school degrees; 27.2% have bachelor's degrees

Ethnic Makeup in Whatcom County: 89.6% white; 1.1% African American; 3.8% Asian/Pacific Islander; 3% American Indian/Eskimo; 3% other; 2.3% multiracial; 7.2% Hispanic

Median Age: 35.2

Median Household Income: $49,159

Median Home Value: $296,500

Climate: The Puget Sound region has a reputation for rain. Actually, it's cloudy and overcast much more than it is rainy. Average annual rainfall is only 39 inches. It snows once or twice each winter in the lowlands and the snow does not last long. The average daytime high temperature in July is 75 degrees, while the nighttime low in January is 33 degrees. The warming influence of Puget Sound and the protection of the Cascade Mountains give Whatcom County its mild climate. While the winters are damp, the summer has long days, lots of sunshine and low humidity. Bellingham was named among "the top 10 cities in the nation with the cleanest air" by the American Lung Association from 2001 through 2006.

Major Employers/Industries: Western Washington University; St. Josephs Hospital; local school districts; Haggen Inc.; Whatcom County Government; City of Bellingham; BP Cherry Point Refinery; Lummi Indian Business Council; The Markets LLC; Alcoa Intalco Works; Sodexho; Anvil Corp.; Silver Reef Hotel Casino & Spa; Fred Meyer; T-Mobil USA; Sterling Life Insurance; Haskell Corp; Health Tecna Inc.; ConocoPhillips; Cascade Dafo Inc.; Nature's Path Foods; Samson Rope; Trans-Ocean Products; Ryzex Group; Dawson Construction; Andgar Corporation; Diamond B Constructors; IMCO General Construction.

Major Retailers: Macy's; Fred Meyer; Wal-Mart; JCPenney; Sears; Kohl's; Target; Costco; Rite-Aid; Walgreens; Best Buy; Samuel's Furniture; DeWaard & Bode; Haggen Inc.; The Markets LLC; Hardware Sales; Wilson's Furniture; Yeager's Sporting Goods; Office Depot; Old Navy; Petco; Petsmart; Discount Tire.

Higher Learning: Western Washington University; Whatcom Community College; Bellingham Technical College; Northwest Indian College

Arts & Culture: Western Washington University Performing Arts Series and Outdoor Sculpture; Pickford Cinema; The Whatcom Symphony Orchestra; Whatcom Museum; Mount Baker Theatre; Bellingham Railway Museum; Northwest Ballet Theatre; American Museum of Radio and Electricity; Downtown Sounds Alley Concert Series; The Upfront Theatre; Allied Arts of Whatcom County; Dance Gallery Bellingham; iDiOM Theater; Mindport Exhibits; Bellingham Theatre Guild; Downtown Gallery Walks; La Bella Strada and Chalk Art Festival; Northwest Dance Festival; Lynden Pioneer Museum; The Jazz Project; Kulshan Chorus

Sports: Bellingham Slam (International Basketball League); Bellingham Bells (West Coast Collegiate Baseball League); Western Washington University Vikings (NCAA Division II) has national and regional championship teams; area high schools have state championship teams and athletes. Recreational sports include kayaking, skiing, hiking, running, biking, fishing, snowboarding and many club teams.

Major Annual Events: The biggest event is the Ski to Sea Festival, which features an 85-mile relay race. Eight-member teams ski, run, bike, canoe and sea kayak from the Mount Baker Ski Area to Bellingham Bay. Other major community events include: The Northwest Washington Fair; Fairhaven's Dirty Dan Days; Greek Orthodox Festival; Bellingham Scottish Highland Games; Procession of the Species Parade; La Bella Strada and Chalk Art Festival; Lynden Heritage Days; Deming Log Show; Raspberry Festival; Bull-A-Rama; Lummi Island Reef Net Festival; Lynden PRCA Rodeo; Point Roberts Garden Tour; and numerous foot and bike races, many or charity fundraising.

Tourist Attractions: Mount Baker Ski Area; The San Juan Islands; Fairhaven Shopping District; Chuckanut Drive; Lynden

Recreation: Golf; freshwater and saltwater fishing; hiking; camping; biking; sailing; boating and kayaking. North Cascades National Park is nearby; Larrabee State Park is beautifully situated along scenic Chuckanut Drive

Nightlife: Downtown Bellingham and the more upscale Fairhaven Historic District have lively entertainment and restaurants. Dining out is popular and there are restaurants for every palate and pocketbook. Bellingham's music scene favors indie rock and acoustic, but cover bands and rock groups also are common. Bellingham attracts nationally known bands and has been the birthplace of such groups as Death Cab for Cutie. There are a good dance clubs, and jazz, blues, punk and bluegrass can be found at certain venues. Mount Baker Theater brings in national touring music and theater groups.

Famous Citizens: Two-time Oscar winner Hillary Swank grew up and went to high school in Bellingham and acted for the community theater group Bellingham Theatre Guild. Ryan Stiles of TV's "Who's Line Is It Anyway" currently lives just south of Bellingham, and political personality Glenn Beck graduated from high school in Bellingham. Musical groups Death Cab for Cutie and The Posies started in Bellingham, and Trey Azagthoth, guitarist of death metal band Morbid Angel, was born in Bellingham. Former NFL quarterback Doug Pederson attended Ferndale High School. Ferndale native and WWU alumnus Michael Koenen is a kicker for the NFL's Atlanta Falcons.

Trivia: Whatcom County is responsible for nearly 90 percent of the state's raspberries. Mount Baker is the snowiest place on earth, setting the world record for most snowfall in the winter of 1998-99. Squalicum Harbor is the second largest in Puget Sound with 1,900 pleasure and commercial boats. Lynden has Washington State's largest Dutch settlement, including a 72-foot working windmill. Bellingham is the No. 1 Environmental Protection Agency-designated "Green Power Community" in the nation, based on the fact that 11 percent of the electricity consumed comes from local renewable sources such as wind, solar and biomass.

Bellingham/Whatcom Chamber of Commerce and Industry
360-734-1330
www.bellingham.com

Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism
800-487-2032
www.bellingham.org

Recent Issues of the Newspaper:
Past copies may be obtained by calling the circulation department at 360-676-2600, ext. 466.

(This profile was last updated on Nov. 3, 2010)