By: Ralph Schwartz

After worker victories, The Bellingham Herald’s union is in place
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Mar 2, 2021
With a recent dispute between the newspaper’s reporters and management over, the real work can begin.
4 min read · 3 comments
McClatchy seeks to break up union that includes Bellingham Herald staff
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Jan 11, 2021
While McClatchy appears ready to accept unionization among the Herald’s content creators, it would be on their terms.
4 min read · 5 comments
‘Now we will have a voice’—Bellingham Herald’s newsroom joins union
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Dec 22, 2020
After a takeover by a hedge fund with a history of decimating newspapers, The Bellingham Herald’s news staff is taking a stand.
7 min read · 2 comments
Portland protest: confessions of a riot tourist
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Aug 3, 2020
White guilt in tow, the author treks 260 miles from Bellingham to Portland to see what all the fuss is about.
7 min read · 4 comments
Anacortes Council member Lovelett to replace Ranker in state Senate
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Feb 5, 2019
Officials from Whatcom, Skagit and San Juan counties met Tuesday in Mount Vernon to appoint Liz Lovelett as state senator.
5 min read · 2 comments
Two dozen want Murphy’s Bellingham council seat
By Ralph Schwartz · Wed Sep 26, 2018
Candidates who seek appointment include two former City Council members.
2 min read · 18 comments
Tough choice for Democrats: Who will challenge Ericksen?
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue May 1, 2018
Attendees at the campaign kickoff for Tim Ballew II, state Senate candidate, heard good things about Ballew, bad things about Doug Ericksen–and nothing about Pinky Vargas.
5 min read · 7 comments
Ericksen a tough out for Democrats in 2018
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Apr 17, 2018
We take an early look at who is running for office this year in Whatcom County. Voters will elect a state senator, state representatives, a county councillor and prosecutor.
6 min read · 2 comments
One year in, Trump’s biggest Wash. donor has no buyer’s remorse
By Ralph Schwartz · Sun Jan 21, 2018
Peter Gigante of Fairhaven says Donald Trump will take action on the USA’s trade imbalance with China. This action should come soon.
6 min read · 2 comments
Count ‘em: 29 people seek vacancy on Whatcom County Council
By Ralph Schwartz · Wed Dec 20, 2017
Current County Council members will need to do their homework to separate the wheat from the chaff from the Eric Bostrom.
5 min read · 1 comment
Crowded field: 11 seek Whatcom council vacancy days before deadline
By Ralph Schwartz · Sat Dec 16, 2017
Nine men and two women so far seek a one-year appointment to the County Council.
4 min read · 4 comments
District-only dead? Whatcom council to weigh return to countywide vote
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Nov 20, 2017
Appearing on the council agenda Tuesday, Nov. 21, is a proposed 2018 ballot measure to return Whatcom to countywide voting for council. Discussion is planned for Dec. 5.
4 min read · 2 comments
Election recap: Conservatives start to make inroads on Whatcom Council
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Nov 13, 2017
District-only voting for Whatcom Council is having its intended effect, as one conservative takes a seat.
4 min read
Conservative Whatcom candidates distance themselves from GOP
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Aug 21, 2017
Candidates gave back a donation and did not seek the party’s endorsement.
5 min read · 1 comment
If Donovan defeats Glasser in county race, can she take his old seat?
By Ralph Schwartz · Fri Aug 11, 2017
In the confusing transition from 3 to 5 Whatcom County districts, a question arises: Who is eligible to replace Todd Donovan if he wins this fall and switches seats?
5 min read · 5 comments
Primary: I’m voting Jean Layton for city council—and you should, too
By Ralph Schwartz · Sun Jul 9, 2017
The Aug. 1 primary is more about who shouldn’t advance than who should.
5 min read · 4 comments
Democrat infighting emerges in Bellingham’s at-large race
By Ralph Schwartz · Sun May 14, 2017
Jean Layton will challenge incumbent Roxanne Murphy in what should be a good fight between two Democrats for Bellingham’s at-large council seat.
5 min read · 2 comments
100 days: Largest Wash. Trump donor, from Fairhaven, likes what he sees
By Ralph Schwartz · Wed May 3, 2017
Trump has been criticized for softening his stance on China. But Peter Gigante, who became Washington’s largest Trump donor largely because he supported the candidate’s trade policies, says “wait and see.”
4 min read · 11 comments
What did Ericksen know? Trump protesters facing trial seek subpoena
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Apr 4, 2017
The people facing trial for blocking Guide Meridian in Lynden on the day of Trump’s rally go after Sen. Doug Ericksen.
4 min read · 1 comment
Ericksen faces his detractors at town hall
By Ralph Schwartz · Sat Mar 4, 2017
At least Doug Ericksen showed up, but he didn’t say anything to reassure a largely hostile audience at Saturday’s town hall meeting.
5 min read · 5 comments
Swift Creek, loaded with asbestos and heavy metals, is getting out of control
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Dec 5, 2016
A rainy autumn is worsening the Swift Creek landslide, and a long-term fix seems nowhere in sight.
3 min read
Time for white people to do something for #BlackLivesMatter
By Ralph Schwartz · Fri Sep 23, 2016
As of 5 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 22, two black people have died in the past week at the hands of police: Keith Lamont Scott, 43, in Charlotte, North Carolina; and Terence Crutcher, 40,in Tulsa,
2 min read
Seahawks fumble on awkward #AllLivesMatter play
By Ralph Schwartz · Fri Sep 16, 2016
The National Football League has an image problem: drugs, violence against women, and an epidemic of permanent brain damage among its players leap to mind. Just when it looked like the league
2 min read
Erin Jones’ campaign for boss of state schools takes a hit
By Ralph Schwartz · Fri Sep 2, 2016
Living in a left-leaning state with a top-two primary, liberal voters in Washington sometimes must look for finer shades of distinction between the candidates who make it to the general election.
2 min read
Where’s the accountability, Bellingham police?
By Ralph Schwartz · Fri Aug 26, 2016
Apparently, Bellingham police are unhappy with criticism stemming from the ongoing wave of cops killing black people.  One Bellingham officer, Michael de Ruiter, penned an op-ed for The
2 min read
NPR abandons doomed experiment in online commenting
By Ralph Schwartz · Sat Aug 20, 2016
"On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog." But they find out quickly enough. New Yorker cartoonist Peter Steiner captured something true about our virtual reality with this 1993 caption. But
2 min read
Boring, predictable Trump plays to conservative Lynden crowd
By Ralph Schwartz · Sat May 7, 2016
Supporters say he will beat Hillary Clinton.
3 min read · 3 comments
Citizens: BPD dismissive of people of color
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Apr 26, 2016
Group cites failure to investigate assaults on anti-police-racism marchers
3 min read · 5 comments
Five districts pass; GOP incites conservatives to fight map in court
By Ralph Schwartz · Thu Apr 21, 2016
Republicans rolled over and approved the Democrats’ map to set the stage for a legal challenge
3 min read · 3 comments
Don’t speak at tonight’s Districting Committee hearing
By Ralph Schwartz · Wed Apr 13, 2016
If you do, you better make sure you have something to say that’s going to change someone’s mind.
2 min read · 3 comments
Deck stacked against Republicans at Districting Committee hearing
By Ralph Schwartz · Wed Apr 13, 2016
Fate of new county five-district map remains uncertain.
4 min read · 5 comments
No sign of agreement as districting committee enters final phase
By Ralph Schwartz · Wed Apr 6, 2016
After a public hearing next week, the committee will be asked to vote on a five-district map for Whatcom County in two weeks.
4 min read · 5 comments
Dems, GOP primed for legal fight over districts
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Mar 15, 2016
Not even a letter from a coal terminal spokesman can save them now.
4 min read · 2 comments
The state of citizen journalism is strong: Two receive deArmond awards
By Ralph Schwartz · Fri Mar 11, 2016
The third annual deArmond dinner celebrated the work of Sandy Robson and Neah Monteiro.
4 min read · 2 comments
Districting Committee: GOP accuses Democrats of gerrymandering
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Mar 8, 2016
The Republicans made concessions on their district map but took a final stand at Nooksack, Everson and Sumas.
4 min read · 6 comments
Districting Committee: Republicans lack legal compass
By Ralph Schwartz · Sun Mar 6, 2016
Republicans and Democrats remain far apart. Democrats have the legal high ground, but Republicans would go to court to challenge that if necessary.
5 min read · 1 comment
D’Angelo undaunted by fine: ‘I had to make the moral choice’
By Ralph Schwartz · Mon Feb 29, 2016
Chiara D’Angelo comes across as emotionally intelligent and uncompromising in her high-stakes Coast Guard hearing.
4 min read · 1 comment
‘Goodwill’ wanted but lacking on Districting Committee
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Feb 23, 2016
Republicans focused their efforts on torpedoing the Democrats’ five-district proposal at the second committee meeting.
3 min read · 4 comments
Anchor-chain activists face hefty fines
By Ralph Schwartz · Thu Feb 18, 2016
The Coast Guard has levied $30,000 in fines on two Bellingham climate activists. They will fight to have the fines dropped.
5 min read · 16 comments
Redistricting: Democrats may have upper hand
By Ralph Schwartz · Tue Feb 9, 2016
Republicans and Democrats traded barbs on the first day of the Districting Committee, but Dems may have won the first battle.
4 min read · 5 comments
Ralph Schwartz

Ralph Schwartz

Citizen Journalist · Writing Since Feb 4, 2025
After writing for NWCitizen for five years, Ralph Schwartz helped launch a new Whatcom County newspaper, Cascadia Daily News, joining the staff in December 2021 as government reporter. Before the Daily News, he worked for 14 years at professional newspapers, most recently the Methow Valley News and The Bellingham Herald.

Total lifetime comments: 12

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