Top Stories: School closure recommendation; EV car share; road to Artist Point

The Bellingham Herald published several top stories on May 28, 2026, covering local education, transportation and outdoor recreation. Here’s a quick look at what readers need to know.

Here are key takeaways:

• A Facilities Planning Task Force recommended that Bellingham Public Schools close Carl Cozier and Columbia elementary schools beginning in the 2027-2028 school year to address declining enrollment. The district projects a loss of about 1,000 elementary students between 2018 and 2028 due to falling birth rates and home prices.
• The city of Bellingham is preparing to launch an electric vehicle car-share program with three vehicles — a sedan, a truck and an ADA accessible van — funded by a $630,000 Transportation Emission Reduction grant from Puget Sound Energy. The program, expected to launch in late September or October, will be cooperatively owned by members and initially partner with RE Sources, Opportunity Council and the Bellingham Food Co-op.
• WSDOT crews began clearing the final 2.7 miles of Mount Baker Highway to Artist Point on Wednesday, working through about 20 feet of snow. Seasonal snowfall reached 502 inches, the lowest total since the 2014-2015 winter, raising hopes for an early hiking season in the popular North Cascades destination.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.