Legislative District 42 State Senate — razor-thin margin between Democrats, Air quality improves across the board in Whatcom and Skagit, Bellingham translator arrested on suspicion of stealing nearly $10,000 from client couple, Task force reminds civilians to keep drones away from fire-impacted areas as Spokane airspace declared no-fly zone, Work begins on Washington’s new ferries, Trump urges Senate to certify bill making daylight saving time permanent, Free or cheap, Ferndale Back-to-School night (kill 8/17-watch dating, Central WA data center scuppered (bump for time if needed), Central WA data center scuppered (bump for time if needed), F&C Aug 21, Children’s Craft Fair at the Bellis Fair Mall, Friday, August 21, 5:00 – 7:00 pm, Inside Bellis Fair Mall
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, August 7th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
UPDATE: Legislative District 42 State Senate — razor-thin margin between Democrats
Primary results in the 42nd Legislative District Senate race remain extremely tight, with just two votes separating the two Democratic candidates.
As of yesterday evening, Michael Alvarez Shepard has 12,856 votes, while Eamonn Collins follows with 12,854.
Republican Erika Creydt leads the overall field.
The Whatcom County Auditor says the next ballot update will be released today at 5 p.m.
STORY: Air quality improves across the board in Whatcom and Skagit
Air quality is improving across Western Washington as marine air pushes wildfire smoke out of the region.
Cooler onshore winds are clearing hazy skies and bringing temperatures back to seasonal highs in the 70s and 80s. The Northwest Clean Air Agency air quality map shows AQI numbers in the mid to low 50s around most of Bellingham. Similar numbers are found in Skagit, which means air quality for our region is now considered moderate.
While conditions are improving across the Whatcom and Skagit counties, smoke may linger near active wildfires and along the east slopes of the Cascades.
Residents can check current air quality in their area through the EPA’s AirNow monitoring network.
STORY: Bellingham translator arrested on suspicion of stealing nearly $10,000 from client couple
Bellingham police say a local man is accused of stealing thousands of dollars from his employer while working as his translator.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office says deputies began investigating after receiving a fraud report on June 17. The victim told investigators that their translator accompanied them to the bank and allegedly used sensitive personal information to withdraw nearly $3,000 from the victim’s account.
The victim also reported that the translator cashed $6,500 in fraudulent checks from the same account. Investigators believe that nearly $10k were stolen.
The 39-year-old suspect was arrested Wednesday and is being held at the Whatcom County Jail without bail.
STORY: Task force reminds civilians to keep drones away from fire-impacted areas as Spokane airspace declared no-fly zone
An FBI task force reminds civilians to keep drones away from Spokane’s temporary no-fly zone.
The FBI Counter-UAS Task Force includes members of the Washington State Patrol and the Spokane County Sheriff. They monitor airspace to make sure Unmanned Aircraft Systems are staying out of restricted airspace. Due to the fires in Spokane, all unauthorized aircraft are restricted from entering the area so aerial firefighters can use their aircraft safely.
Earlier this week, the task force identified 39 unauthorized drones within the restricted area. Aerial firefighting was paused and emergency response staff were at risk because of the disruption.
The Washington State Patrol says using a drone in restricted airspace is illegal, and can result in civil or criminal penalties. Drone operators should always check for temporary flight restrictions and no-drone-zones before taking off.
The temporary airspace restrictions in Spokane will continue at least until August 15th.
STORY: Work begins on Washington’s new ferries
Washington’s ferry system is finally getting new boats.
Shipbuilders in Florida began cutting steel yesterday on the state’s first new ferry in 11 years — a 160-car hybrid-electric vessel that will be the flagship for the next generation of Washington State Ferries. Eastern Shipbuilding Group is building three ferries under a contract that came in more than 30 percent lower than the in-state bid, saving taxpayers an estimated $360 million.
State ferry leaders say the new hybrid-electric vessels will boost reliability, cut emissions, and help restore service across Puget Sound.
The first ferry is scheduled for delivery in 2030, with two more arriving in following years.
STORY: Trump urges Senate to certify bill making daylight saving time permanent
President Trump is urging the U.S. Senate to pass legislation that would make daylight saving time permanent nationwide.
In a social media post Tuesday, Trump called the twice-yearly clock changes “foolish, inconvenient and, in some cases, very costly.” He urged Republican senators to lift procedural holds and allow the bill to move forward.
The bipartisan Sunshine Protection Act passed the House in July on a 308 to 117 vote. The measure would end the practice of changing clocks twice a year by keeping the country on daylight savings time year-round.
Supporters say this could reduce traffic accidents, crime, and some health risks, while also giving people more evening daylight.
The bill faces opposition in the Senate, with Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton arguing the change would lead to much later winter sunrises, making mornings darker for schoolchildren and commuters.
STORY: Free or cheap
It’s Friday – if you’re looking for something free or cheap to do this weekend, here’s a bit of what’s going on around the county.
The Whatcom Museum has free admission and extended hours until 9pm tonight. The Lightcatcher hosts Illuminating Illusions from 6 to 7pm, where visitors can experiment with projectors to create large-scale visual effects. At Old City Hall, Devin Champlin’s Artful Ambience begins at 6pm, pairing original music with animations in the Rotunda Room.
The Whatcom County Granges will hold their summer picnic this Saturday at the Rome Grange at 2821 Mt Baker Hwy. It starts at 4 p.m. Guests should bring their own grill items, tableware, and a dish to share. And a lawn chair is recommended for outdoor seating.
Ferndale hosts a free Play, Learn, & Connect Festival this weekend. The event runs Sunday from 11 to 2pm at Pioneer Park, with giant building blocks, arts and crafts, hands-on learning activities, and food trucks. It’s designed to celebrate play while connecting families with local programs and services.
The Skagit County Fair runs today through Sunday at the fairgrounds in Mount Vernon. Admission for Friday and Saturday is $16 for adults, and $14 for youth and seniors. On Sunday, all general admission drops to $12. The fair’s main entrance is at the South Gate on Taylor Street.
WX: They made me a LIAR
And now weather…
The heat advisory has been extended until 10 P.M. tonight.
Be prepared for sunshine and highs in the low 80s. Air quality indicators predict a moderate-to-light amount of smoke. Evening forecasts call for a warm night, with lows in the upper 50s.
Expect things to cool a bit over the weekend— both Saturday and Sunday should bring partial cloud cover with temperatures falling back into the 70s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, Kai Blais-Schmolke, Jenny Lam, Nate Landi, Natalie Jones, Noelle Reger, and Sean Lynch. Tune in to local news on KMRE weekdays at 3, 4 and 5 p.m. For news tips and feedback, send us an email at news@kmre.org or call 360-398-6150. KMRE is a nonprofit community radio station, powered by your donations. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb________… thanks for listening!
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STORY: Ferndale Back-to-School night (kill 8/17-watch dating)
Families getting ready for the new school year have a one-stop event coming up in Ferndale.
Ferndale High School will host a back-to-school resource night on Tuesday, August 18th, from 4 to 7 p.m. The event offers free school supplies, an immunization clinic, twenty-dollar sports physicals, community resource booths and more. Families can also connect with support services to prepare for the year ahead.
No registration is required, and all district families are welcome.
STORY: Central WA data center scuppered (bump for time if needed)
A proposed natural gas power plant planned to supply electricity to a Central Washington data center has been canceled.
Texas-based VoltaGrid had proposed installing 14 gas generators in Quincy to serve the nearby Vantage data center campus, but withdrew its air quality permit application after environmental groups submitted more than 500 public comments opposing the project. Grant County Public Utility District officials confirmed the project will not move forward, saying the on-site power generation is no longer needed.
The proposal had drawn criticism over its emissions and its connection to the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence data centers.
F&C Aug 21
Children’s Craft Fair at the Bellis Fair Mall
Friday, August 21, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Inside Bellis Fair Mall
Enjoy a wide array of handmade crafts and baked goods created by children ages 13 and younger. All items are priced $5 or less; cash only sales. Fun for all ages to shop for unique treasures and support local youth.
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