Western Front - 2005 May 24

              HE WESTERN FRONT
AY, MAY 24, 2005 • WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY • BELLINGHAM, WASH. • WESTERNFRONTONLINE.COM
ISSUE 16
VOLUME 133
Cracking down on meth
CHRIS HUBER/The Western Front
An abandoned Femdale home remains vacant since a clandestine meth lab set caused a fire two years ago. A
proposal by the health department would force owners of homes used as meth labs to clean them within 90 days.
A new proposal would require homeowners to
decontaminate methamphetamine labs within 90 days
BY ADRIANA DUNN
The Western Front
An abandoned property, once home to
a methamphetamine lab, is a public health
hazard that may be exposing unknowing
residents living near Deer Creek in
Ferndale to its toxic remnants.
The Whatcom County Health
Department will introduce an ordinance
June 21 to the Whatcom County Council
that proposes restricting the amount of
time homeowners have to decontaminate
their properties. The County Council will
vote following the public hearings July
12.
"There is currently state law saying
that if your property has been used as
a clandestine drug lab that you have to
decontaminate it," said Jeff Hegedus,
environmental supervisor for the
Whatcom County Health Department.
see METH, page 6
Professor garners
nature award
BY KIRA FREED
The Western Front
A passion for education, action and seeing results
is what motivates one member of the Western faculty,
said Bob Teller, a retired Fairhaven professor, and
RE Sources recognized tha* passion Saturday.
RE Sources, a Bellingham nonprofit
environmental education organization that offers
educational programs focused on waste reduction
and recycling, honored Wendy Walker, Huxley
College of the Environment's visiting assistant
professor, as an Environmental Hero of 2005.
"When I found out, I felt a little sheepish, but I felt
honored," Walker said about receiving the award.
"The title hero has a ring of valor to it."
RE Sources honored Walker and five other
community members at a banquet Saturday night
for their commitment to the environment and
Whatcom County.
Crina Hoyer, who organized the third annual
RE Sources Environmental Heroes banquet, said
Walker received several nominations from co­workers,
former students and community members.
Hoyer said the multiple nominations were important
to the RE Sources committee that reviewed the
nominations in selecting Walker for the award.
Hoyer said that when she informed Walker of the
award, Walker seemed surprised.
"She said to me, T don't think I need external
gratification, but boy, it feels good,' " Hoyer said.
"Environmental heroes don't do this for money
or recognition, so it is important to honor them
publicly."
Walker, a 1970s Fairhaven College alumna,
returned to Western to teach in the environmental
studies department in the early 1990s and brought
back with her nearly 20 years of environmental
education experience. She taught in several public
schools in the Puget Sound region and worked as
an interpreter for the National Park Service and the
National Forest Service in Washington, she said.
Teller submitted an award nomination for Walker.
He said that when she joined the Western staff, co-see
HERO, page 8
Students fish for credit
Western s summer fly-fishing class is back
by popular demand
BY DERRICK PACHECO
The Western Front
Western students will occupy the
waterways of Whatcom County for
a fly-fishing course for the second
consecutive summer quarter.
June 20 - July 17 environmental
sciences professor Leo Bodensteiner will
instruct Environmental Sciences 397T
the art, science and ethics of fly-fishing
course for undergraduate students.
Bodensteiner also will teach a
variation of Environmental Sciences
397T, called the stream science for
educators. The weeklong course will
run July 1 8 - 2 4 and is specifically
designed for educators at any level
interested in stream ecology that
they can take back to the classroom,
Bodensteiner said.
"The concept of this class was started
by members of the NSEA (Nooksack
Salmon Enhancement Association)
board of directors, staff members,
volunteers and membership," NSEA
program director Rachel Vasak said.
"We have an advisory committee,
and members of the committee have
monthly meetings with the professor."
Bodensteiner will teach students
through lecture and field trips to
recognize how streams function in an
ecological sense, how people have
see FLY-FISH, page 8
Interim jail to reduce crowding
BY BRADLEY THAYER
The Western Front
Whatcom County Jail inmate
Adrian Hall has seen six to seven
cell mates sleeping on the concrete
floors at one time, he said.
"You have people sleeping on
the floor," Hall said. "It affects
everybody. It might even be
tougher for the officers."
Pete Klein, Whatcom County
Jail corrections sergeant, reiterated
the fact that holding 262 inmates
in a jail built for only 148 people
is affecting life for everyone at the
jail, which is why the county will
be building an interim facility.
"Whenever you put any
see JAIL, page 8
MICHAEL MURRAY/The Western Front
Corrections Sgt. Pete Klein and Corrections Deputy Eric
Grant talk in the booking area of the Whatcom County
Jail.
COURT CLASSIC
Community recognizes a
local basketball fixture.
FEATURES, PAGE 9
FDA needs to revise policy banning
homosexual men from^onr"
SCUBA TIME
Western students and
Bellingham residents dive
into the great blue sea.
SPORTS, PAGE 13