Downtown Bellingham businesses are increasingly collaborating on events, coordinated marketing and technology to adapt to changing consumer behavior and strengthen the local economy. The RAD Bites food-tour and block-party series attracted more than 350 attendees in 2025 and sold over 400 tickets in 2026, with proceeds supporting the Bellingham Food Bank. A coordinated lunch campaign involving 19 restaurants increased dining-guide traffic by 175% and average lunch revenue by 19%. The Downtown Bellingham Partnership is also using a digital assistant to connect visitors with businesses and events, while working with city and state officials on street programming, vacancies, waterfront connections and other development priorities. The authors argue that downtown's future depends on shared investment and new experiences rather than simply recreating the past.

Author Edward Chisholm discusses his book Murder in Paris '68, which revisits the 1968 killing of Stevan Markovic, Alain Delon's former stand-in, and the scandal that connected film-star glamour with Paris's criminal underworld. Drawing on police and intelligence files, press coverage, and interviews, Chisholm explores Markovic's rise, Delon's relationships with gangsters, and the enduring mystery around the murder; he speculates about François Marcantoni's role but acknowledges that definitive answers may be known only to those present. The affair also provides a lens on elite life in 1960s France and the fading postwar boom, while the scandal initially enhanced Delon's dangerous public image and career.

Edward Chisholm's book Murder in Paris '68 revisits the Markovic Affair, in which Alain Delon's former bodyguard Stevan Markovic was found shot and wrapped in plastic in 1968. Delon was questioned and his associate François Marcantoni spent a year in prison, but the case was ultimately dropped without a definitive explanation. Drawing on police and intelligence files, press reports, biographies and interviews, Chisholm examines Delon's relationship with Markovic, the links between Paris's film elite and criminal underworld, and the scandal's connection to blackmail, political circles and Cold War intrigue. He concludes that the affair captured the fading glamour of postwar France and the darker social changes marking the end of the Trente Glorieuses, while acknowledging that the precise circumstances of Markovic's death remain unresolved.

Edward Chisholm’s book revisits the 1968 murder of Alain Delon’s former bodyguard, Stevan Markovic, whose body was found with a bullet wound and wearing Delon’s clothes. The affair implicated Delon and his gangster friend François Marcantoni, generated speculation about blackmail and political connections, and captivated France for years, although Marcantoni was ultimately released and the case was dropped. Drawing on police and intelligence files, press coverage and interviews, Chisholm explores the unresolved killing, Delon’s relationship with the criminal underworld, and the scandal’s broader significance as a symbol of the decline of France’s postwar boom and the end of an idealized 1960s glamour.

Author Edward Chisholm discusses his book Murder in Paris '68, which revisits the 1968 murder of Stevan Markovic, Alain Delon’s former stand-in, and the scandal linking the film star, gangsters and French political circles. Drawing on police and intelligence archives, press coverage and interviews, Chisholm examines the unresolved questions surrounding Markovic’s death and Delon’s relationship with him and gangster François Marcantoni, while acknowledging that the decisive details remain unknown. He places the affair within the glamour and criminal underworld of 1960s Paris and the broader transition from France’s postwar boom toward a darker era. The scandal initially reinforced Delon’s dangerous celebrity and his career continued to rise, although his star later waned.

Edward Chisholm discusses his book on the Markovic Affair, exploring the mysterious 1968 death of Stevan Markovic and the resulting scandal linking actor Alain Delon and gangster François Marcantoni. Drawing on extensive archival research, the book examines the intertwined trajectories of Delon, Markovic, and France during the end of the post‑war boom. The interview highlights unanswered questions, the blurred lines between glamour and criminality in 1960s Paris, and the case’s cultural impact, while also addressing Delon’s evolving public image and the story’s cinematic potential.

Downtown Bellingham is portrayed as recovering from mental-health challenges, housing scarcity, high living costs and generational changes among small-business owners. Lindsey Payne Johnstone, executive director of the Downtown Bellingham Partnership, points to investments by local retailers, arts organizations, restaurants, entertainment businesses and PLACE as evidence of renewed confidence. Beautification projects, storefront grants, events and city-backed Downtown Forward initiatives are also strengthening the district, and residents are encouraged to support downtown businesses and activities during the holiday season.

Ion Iliescu, Romania’s first freely elected post-communist president, leaves a divisive legacy marked by his role in the 1989 revolution, the violent 1990 Mineriads, and the country’s slow transition toward democracy and a market economy. Credited with guiding Romania toward NATO and EU integration, he was also later charged with crimes against humanity for deaths during the revolution and accused of enabling corruption and authoritarian tendencies. Political figures and analysts offered mixed evaluations following his death, reflecting ongoing national divisions over his impact on Romania’s modern political system.

The UK government’s plan to lower the voting age from 18 to 16 aims to expand the electorate and boost participation, adding an estimated 1.6 million new voters. International examples show mixed partisan effects but generally indicate higher turnout among 16- and 17-year-olds, with Austria and Scotland demonstrating sustained engagement when young people are enfranchised earlier. Expert analysis suggests younger voters may lean toward parties such as the Greens, though outcomes are not universally aligned with the political left. Studies from Scotland indicate that early voting fosters long-term participation, with those first voting at 16 or 17 significantly more likely to continue voting in subsequent elections.

The article details the tightly controlled procedures governing the papal conclave, including strict secrecy rules, logistical preparations, and the multi‑stage voting process used by cardinals to elect a new pope. It highlights historical examples of both rapid and prolonged conclaves, describes the symbolic use of white and black smoke signals, and notes recent controversies involving political figures such as Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron. It also touches on the conclave’s diverse electorate, the global influence of the Catholic Church, and past instances of media misjudgment and external pressure surrounding papal elections.