Western Front - 2001 November 20

              TUESDAY, November 20,2001
The Western Front Western Washington University Volume 119 Issue 14 Bellingham, Washington
Access debate centers property ownership
By Robert Gara Jr.
THE WESTERN FRONT
Galbraith Mountain, located
west of Lake Padden, has been
used by a variety of outdoor
enthusiasts for more than 100
years. Mountain users have
accessed old logging roads and
man-made trails from two main
entrances located on Birch Street
and Galbraith Lane. Despite the
mountain's allure, most of its vast
acres he on private property and
are accessed illegally by moun­tain-
goers.
7 am not harming the
landowners by being out
there, but some really care!
Scott Morton
mountain biker
Many of the mountain
landowners, residents and users
have different opinions regarding
who may enter the trails and
where to properly do so.
The majority of the mountain's
trails are on private property
owned by residents, the Trillium
Lumber Corporation, Bloedel
Timberlands Corporation and the
City of Bellingham.
A misconception to many of the
Quoc Tran/The Western Front
Lake Padden and Bellingham Bay can be seen from the top of Galbraith Mountain.
mountain's users is that the
mountain trails he on private
property, said Mark Peterson,
president of the Whatcom
Independent Mountain Peddlers.
"WHIMPs is the informal/for­mal
stewards of the mountain,"
Peterson said. "We bike through
the mountain and provide assis­tance
to its users and owners
with first aid, maps and any other
form of help or advice."
Privilege to access trails differs
depending upon who owns the
land.
Some homeowners don't care
and some do, said Scott Morton,
Western senior and mountain
biker.
"I access Galbraith through
Birch Street, but it is a big place,
and it's not always convenient for
Village Books proposes height expansion
Laura Harlos/The Western Front
John and Sophia Baker browse together in Village Books.
The store may expand to include five condos.
By Keri Cooper
THE WESTERN FRONT
Village Books store owners'
proposal to build a complex of
five condos on top of their store
has created controversy between
the residents of the commercial
district of Fairhaven. ,
With the condos, the new
height of the building would,
reach 40 feet, five feet higher
than city height codes allow.
They will also obstruct the view
of many local businesses and
residents. Judson Plaza, one of
the major commercial complexes
in Fairhaven, will lose its water­front
view in 19 of its windows.
The Fairhaven Neighborhood
Plan intends to enhance urban
development, with buildings
that match the architecture and
support the urban destiny. The
plan breaks Fairhaven into 15
separate areas, with different
specifications in different areas.
The area where Village Books
is located is at zone 2B, which
only allows buildings to stand 35
feet tall without obstructing
already existing buildings' view
of Bellingham Bay.
The Bellingham City Council
voted 5-2 in favor of moving for­ward
with the plan Monday.
"The plan is flexible and can
work with already existing ordi­nances,"
Councilmember John
Watts said. "Any building built
will have to affect someone's
view."
Bob Ryan and Gene Knutson,
the two councilmen who voted
against advancing the plan, said
they believe this action is open­ing
the flood gates for all future
builders hoping to ignore height
restrictions.
"How in good conscious can we
say no?" Knutson asked about
future building plans. "We're
opening up a wicket we can't
close."
Patricia Marek, owner of the
Fairhaven Psychology Group in
Judson Plaza, said allowing tall
buildings to be built will soon
make residents feel dwarfed as
they walk down the streets.
Councilmember Barbara
Ryan said she favors the Village
Books addition. She said she
believes downtown Fairhaven
will benefit from the beautifica-tion
of buildings with historical
value.
"These buildings are a trea­sure,"
Ryan said.
Fairhaven business owner
Coenraad Zielstra said he wants
to ensure the building require­ments
won't be sacrificed where
building height regulations are
slightly higher.
me to ride in through the desig­nated
openings," Morton said. "I
am not harming the land owners
by being out there, but some real­ly
care."
Some homeowners next to
Galbraith's main trailheads
have resorted to extreme mea­sures
in hopes of stopping moun-
See GALBRAITH, Page 4
Rapists target
noticeably
drunk women
By Aaron Managhan
THE WESTERN FRONT
A young woman is out drinking
at a bar. During the course of the
night, her friends have left, and
she still needs to get home. A
stranger said he lives nearby and
can give her a ride home. Little
does she know that he has no
intention of going there.
"I had a student who caught a
ride home from a guy,"said Crime
and Sexual Assault Support
Services Crime Victim Services
coordinator Sarah Rankin. "A
friend of a friend or somebody
knew the guy. He drove her to his
house and raped her instead of
taking her where she thought he
was taking her."
Rankin said this scenario often
leads to the sexual assault or
rape of college-age women.
"Men will offer intoxicated
girls rides with what looks like
the intent, of sexual assault,"
Rankin said. "It appears they're
looking for drunk girls."
"Sometimes it's their first time
out on their own," Rankin said.
"You go out with friends, and
there are times you don't come
back with them. You're vulnera­ble.
A perpetrator is going to a
bar to find someone drunk. So
their vulnerability is sometimes
obvious."
Dave Doughty, University
See CRIME, Page 4
Rape survivor
tells her story
By Cara Hazzard
THE WESTERN FRONT
Western student Andrea
Jones* is normally an outgoing,
happy person.
Lately, she said she has been
afraid to be alone or be in large
crowds.
Jones was recently raped by
an acquaintance.
"It affects every single aspect
of my life," Jones said.
After the incident, Jones
received a full medical examina­tion
and filed a police report.
The investigation is ongoing.
Jones said since the incident,
she has at times felt constant
fear, anger and frustration.
"I couldn't be alone in the
house," she said.
Jones said she has also found
herself afraid of and resenting
anyone who resembles her
attacker.
"He still has control," Jones
said.
Jones said this incident has
also affected her friends.
"If the word comes up, I can
feel everybody tense up around
me," Jones said. "I do too."
Jones said contacting Sarah
Rankin, coordinator of Crime
and Sexual Assault Support
Services, has helped.
"Talking about it does help, as
hard as it is," Jones said.
Rankin has been Jones' liai­son
with the officer investigat­ing
the case, and has contacted
Jones' professors to excuse her.
Jones said Rankin has helped
her realize she did nothing
wrong. "Regardless, unwanted
sex is unwanted sex," Jones said.
Jones said the Counseling
Center was also very helpful.
'It's nice to have someone there to
talk to who knows exactly what
you're going through and that it's not
weird," Jones said.
*Name has been changed to pro­tect
the victim's privacy.
IN THIS ISSUE
Viking men drop
home opener
The Vikings lost their first
game to the Cascade College
Thunderbirds Monday
night.
See story, Page 8.
Students have mixed
views about enlisting
On-campus enlistment has
not increased
since the
Sept. 11
attacks.
Many college
students
choose not to
enlist.
See story, Page 6.
For news tips, call (360) 650-3162 or e-mail The Western Front at wfront@cc.wwu.edu http://westernfrontonline.com