The Bellingham Herald

• WWU to lose 164 employees to budget cuts
  There will be about 164 fewer employees at Western Washington University next school year due to budget cuts, according to the draft 2009-11 operating budget released Wednesday, May 6.
  In a letter to campus explaining the budget and the budgeting process, WWU President Bruce Shepard said most of those position cuts will be handled by not filling vacant positions. However about 65 current employees will be laid off or not have their contracts renewed.
  In all, WWU is cutting about $18.9 million, or about 7.4 percent of the operating budget, over the next two school years. University officials changed the budgeting process this year, making it more transparent and adding budget revenue and expenses that weren't publically budgeted in past years.

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• WWU's Koppenberg qualifies for national tourney
  Western Washington University's Jake Koppenberg birdied the first playoff hole to break a five-way tie and earn the second and last individual national berth from a non-qualifying team at the NCAA Division II Central/West Men's Golf Super Regional, which ended Wednesday at the 7,016-yard Wilderness Ridge Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb.
  Koppenberg fired a 2-under 69 on the final day to finish in a six-way tie for ninth at 4-over 217, with five of those being from non-qualifying teams.

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• Bear documentary talk at WWU on Friday
  A Bellingham ecologist working to save bears on four continents via a feature-length documentary called "Beartrek" will speak Friday, May 8, at Western Washington University.
  Chris Morgan's presentation begins at 3 p.m. in room 125 of the Communications Facility. "Beartrek: A Global Campaign and Feature Film About a Motorcycle Quest to Seek the World's Rarest Bears" is free and open to the public. Morgan rides his BMW motorcycle in the film.
  His talk is part of the Huxley College Speaker Series.

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• Theater of the absurd
  The iDiom Theater presents Eugene Ionesco's comic drama, "The Lesson," directed by Western Washington University assistant professor of theater Rich Brown at 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, May 7-9, continuing May 14-16, at 1418 Cornwall Ave.

KGMI

• WWU budget plans would drop 164 positions
  Western Washington University has released a draft of what it calls an “austere” two-year budget. WWU officials say cuts are not across the board - reductions in academic programs are, on average, significantly below the cuts in other areas.

Lynden Tribune

• John Krieg, president, resigns from Lynden School Board
  Lynden School Board President John Krieg officially resigned his position on April 30, at the conclusion of a board meeting. A family move for Krieg to a location outside the school district forced the resignation.
  “It’s a hard thing for me,” Krieg said. “I never envisioned leaving before my term ended.” His four-year term continues two more years.
  Krieg has served on the district board of directors since 2003 and is an associate professor of economics at Western Washington University.

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• Bring on the big time
  When the players see the freshly painted parking lines, see the pressure-washed roof and see the signs with their school logos on them …
  When they step onto the green, gawk at the rough that’s thick enough to sink a vente cup from Starbucks and admire the flowers and beauty bark …
  When they walk under the sparkling chandelier, up the curved stairs, onto the second floor, and up to the window …
  They will know why Loomis Trail Golf Course and Semiahmoo Resort were chosen to host the NCAA Division II Men’s Golf National Championships on May 19-22.
  When the time came to put in bids for the event, Brett Eaton and WWU’s men’s golf coach Steve Card got together in the fall of 2006. They gathered pictures, memorabilia, accolades, yardage books, descriptions of all the amenities, everything they had to offer — you name it — and put in a bid for the event.