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Russ Karns of Bellingham was confident his experimental steam-powered paddle-wheeler would work just fine, but that’s what shakedown cruises are for.

His test came Thursday morning, May 28, at Bloedel-Donovan Park, where he launched “Arthur M,” his hand-built…

Area libraries are readying their summer reading programs, which aim to keep young minds focused on learning — in a fun way — during the summer break from school.

Programs at the Whatcom County Library System and the Bellingham Public Library both kick off June 6. Details are at the…

“The Ariadne Connection,” by Sara Stamey, $17.95 paperback, $5.99 ebook. A deadly plague and a geomagnetic reversal threaten the world’s precarious balance. Can a mysterious healer save everyone and reset the world’s compass? Stamey teaches creative writing at ��������.

The Spanel Planetarium in Haggard Hall on Western’s campus will hold public shows June 3 and 17. The shows feature a live astronomer star talk with question-and-answer time, plus the feature-length, full-dome movie “Stars of the Pharaohs,” about the connection ancient Egyptians felt with the…

Vivian Yu, a 21-year-old computer-science major at the University of Washington, is graduating this June with a job already lined up — and four other offers she turned down.

Jessica Ramirez, a UW American ethnic studies major with a concentration in labor studies who is also graduating…

A college student from Portland is leading an effort to help children with autism in India.

Justin Loveland, a 2012 Madison High School graduate who is in his third year at Western Washington University in Bellingham, is seeking donations for a humanitarian project that he's been…