The coronavirus has had a major impact on our local community. Healthcare workers are risking their lives to care for COVID-19 patients, we’re wearing masks to the grocery store, schools are closed and many of those fortunate enough to remain employed are working from home. We’ve invited members of our community to dig deeper into life during this pandemic in KMRE Cornavirus Stories.
If you missed the episodes live on the air, you can listen to archived episodes here. Have an idea for an episode? Want to be a reporter for Coronavirus Stories? The KMRE staff can help with technical details. Contact KMRE’s Program Director at program@kmre.org to get the conversation started.
Listen to KMRE Coronavirus Stories: Whatcom Unified Command Volunteers
Learn about the COVID mass vaccination event coming up in Whatcom County in March 2021. Community contributor Susan Lindsey speaks with Shannon Hardie, Chief Operating Officer at Unity NW, about the collaborative efforts of Unity Care NW, SeaMar Community Health Center, PeaceHealth, Whatcom County Health Department, Family Care Network, Bellingham Technical College, and Whatcom Unified Command to bring vaccinations to our community.
What’s it like to be cut off from the rest of your country during a pandemic? Community contributor Susan Lindsey explores pandemic life in Point Roberts, Washington.
Community contributor Susan Lindsey explores the impact of the pandemic on a Bellingham based boat charter company. Learn about how San Juan Sailing and Yachting adapted and innovated during the coronavirus era.
Community contributor Susan Lindsey speaks with Julie Jackson from Bellwether Real Estate and Ryan Larsson from Coldwell Banker Bain about the trends in the housing market and the influence of the Coronavirus pandemic on the way we use our homes.
Community contributor Susan Lindsey explores how the local fishing community began to recover after their largest primary sales avenue was shut down. Learn about the Bellingham Dockside Market.
Brought to us by Mary Vermillion, Community Relations Manager at Whatcom County Library System. The Islander is a small grocery store on Lummi Island in Whatcom County which serves not only as a place to pick up daily necessities, but as a community space for people to meet. Owner Brad O’Malley and Producer Tim Hodgson talk about many changes to the store and how they’ve been working to raise awareness about the local landmark.
Whatcom Museum educator shares about the Whatcom Squared Art project working to turn the Lightcatcher Building into a stained glass patchwork. Margaret Bikman also speaks with Chelsea Macias who shares about the Suffrage Special Whistle Stop Tour, a virtual tour to celebrate the ratification of the 19th amendment.
Margaret Bikman finds out what’s up with the NW Washington Fair during the pandemic. She chats with CEO Chris Pickering and Superintendent Coordinator Amanda Stidham. We also hear from one of the beneficiaries of Fair events, the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Cancer Center.
Margaret Bikman talks with Sara Southerland, Food & Farming Director at Sustainable Connections. What’s up with the Whatcom County Farm Tour this year? Also, the emphasis on eating local during a pandemic.
Local musician Robert Sarazin Blake joins Margaret Bikman for this episode of KMRE Coronavirus Stories. How does a touring musician innovate during a pandemic? How do you produce an event like the Subdued Stringband Jamboree when we aren’t allowed to gather in crowds?
Community contributor John Stark talks to Superintendent of Bellingham Public Schools Dr. Greg Baker to get an update on how local schools are reacting to the ever-changing coronavirus landscape.
Margaret Bikman discusses the scaled back 2020 Sunnyland Stomp, dubbed the Sunnyland Soft Shoe, with organizers Erin Boyd and Kendall Dodd.
Community contributor John Stark returned to the Bellingham Food Bank to get an update on how this important, local resource is weathering the pandemic. Featuring Mike Cohen, Executive Director of the Bellingham Food Bank.
Community contributor Margaret Bikman checks in with B’ham Parks & Recreation. Lauren Woodmansee and Rosa Caldwell share how they have adapted recreation programs during a pandemic.
Our local arts community continues to innovate and persevere. Join Margaret Bikman for a conversation with Teresa Dalton, owner of Firehouse Arts & Events Center in Fairhaven and Valerie Dalena from Stiletto Rosso Productions.
Marla Bronstein joins Margaret Bikman – Marla is the event producer for Bellingham’s Elizabeth Park Concert Series. She’s also involved with the Bellingham Theatre Guild and the Columbia/Eldridge Neighborhood Chalk Art Festival. So, how do you pivot a long standing outdoor concert series during a pandemic? (hint: involve a community radio station). Also, how the B’ham Theatre Guild actors are staying “ready” for the day they can perform on stage for an audience.
Margaret Bikman checks in with Tami Landis, Museum Educator at WWU Western Gallery and Sculpture Collection, and Christina Claassen, Marketing & PR Manager at Whatcom Museum. What is the visual art experience without people around to see it?
Margaret Bikman speaks with Deborah Brown, Artistic Director of Whatcom Chorale, and with Karee Wardrop, member of the Board Of Directors at Jazz Center of Bellingham. We learn how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted their organizations and how they’re looking to implement technology to bring the arts to people in this time of social distancing.
Margaret Bikman talks with Alice Clark, the Executive Director of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership. Hear about how our downtown businesses are fairing during this challenging economic time, how they plan to move some of our favorite downtown events to a virtual setting and plans for reopening businesses.
Journalist John Stark interviews Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu in the early days of the Stay At Home order due to coronavirus.
John Stark interviews Bellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood about his role in the local Coronavirus response and possible outcomes for the city and its’ residents in the future.
WWU student Jacob Pederson spotlights volunteer efforts at Maker Space to make PPE for healthcare workers and organizations in Washington.
Jacob Torres focuses on Food Insecurity due to the coronavirus crisis and speaks with representatives from the Bellingham Food Bank, local Meals On Wheels and the restaurant Ovn.
Margaret Bikman continues her look into the impact of the coronavirus crisis on our local arts community. In this new episode, she chats with Kelly Hart, Executive Director of Allied Arts.
Margaret Bikman checks in with Mary Vermillion, Community Relations Manager at Whatcom County Library System, and Paul Hanson, co-owner at Village Books and Paper Dreams. How have they adapted to support our community during the Stay at Home Order?
Jacob Torres talks with Bonnie Southcott of the Whatcom County Community Face Mask Team and Eric Hayes, Chief Marketing Officer at Superfeet, about local efforts to make Personal Protective Equipment for healthcare workers.
We invited community members to help tell our local stories about how life in the age of coronavirus has impacted them. Margaret Bikman, from Entertainment News NW, talks with Michael-Paul Gurule, who leads a Gypsy jazz quintet call Nuages, and is Artistic Director of the Whatcom Sound Jazz ensemble.
Margaret Bikman from Entertainment News Northwest talks with Annette Bagley, Director of Marketing for Bellingham Whatcom County Tourism, and John Purdie, the new Executive Director of Mt. Baker Theatre – about the Whatcom Arts Project and how we can all support our local arts community.
The coronavirus Stay At Home order has severely impacted our local arts community. Margaret Bikman talks with Yaniv Attar, Music Director of Bellingham Symphony Orchestra and Juliette Machado, who works with BAAY and Bellingham Repertory Dance.
