Samuel Joseph Gagnon

Similar stories:

• OUR VIEW: Time to celebrate teamwork as Whatcom Middle School reopens

  OUR VIEW: Time to celebrate teamwork as Whatcom Middle School reopens

  Congratulations to all those involved in reopening Whatcom Middle School just 21 months after the devastating fire Nov. 5, 2009.

  Bellingham Unified School District staff, Dawson Construction, Reid Middleton structural engineers, Dykeman architects, insurance companies and the city of Bellingham worked to complete the $15.7 million construction in record time.

  The school was slated to be closed for three years for repairs. But Sept. 6 will see Whatcom Middle School students return to classes together after being split among Bellingham High, Squalicum High, Fairhaven Middle and Geneva Elementary schools.

• Dueling lawsuits over Whatcom Middle School fire working their way through two courts

  Dueling lawsuits over Whatcom Middle School fire working their way through two courts

  BELLINGHAM - Whatcom Middle School is back open and filled with students and staff, but two civil lawsuits over a November 2009 fire that destroyed the school are still working through courts in Whatcom and Snohomish counties.

  Bellingham School District and Advanced Construction Inc., the company contracted to do the seismic upgrade work on the school leading up to the fire, have filed civil lawsuits against each other and other parties potentially involved in the fire that destroyed the school.

  Both sides are trying to make the other lawsuit disappear.

• Timeline for rebuilding Whatcom Middle School

  Timeline for rebuilding Whatcom Middle School

  January 2009 - Work begins on a $3 million project to improve the school's stability in an earthquake.

  Nov. 5 - Early-morning fire starts on the roof and spreads rapidly due to high winds. Before firefighters can extinguish the flames hours later, the roof collapses, the basement floods and the school is essentially destroyed.

  Nov. 12 - Whatcom students and staff return to class, with everyone split among Bellingham High, Squalicum High, Farihaven Middle and Geneva elementary schools.

• Whatcom County Jail report for Feb. 4-5

  Whatcom County Jail report for Feb. 4-5

  The Whatcom County Sheriff's Office lists the following people as being booked into the Whatcom County Jail Saturday, Feb. 4, and Sunday, Feb. 5. In many cases, charges have not yet been filed. Guilt is determined by the courts.

  SATURDAY, FEB. 4

  No booking agencies were available for Saturday's arrests.

• UN: Civilian deaths in Afghan war hit record high

  UN: Civilian deaths in Afghan war hit record high

  Last year was the deadliest on record for civilians in the Afghan war, with 3,021 killed as insurgents ratcheted up violence with suicide attacks and roadside bombs, the United Nations said Saturday.

Recent Stories in this Section:

• Jack Fish
• Alice Oostra
• Herbert Hatch
• Jim & Linda Ness
• Mikael Keoki Apana and Brittany LeeAnn Cox