Robots Are Coming to WWU, TownHomes Get Pushback, Planned Leader Board Has Neighbors Upset, PeaceHealth Proposes 20-Plan, New Month, New Laws, Emergency Order to Protect Orca New Laws, Text to 911 Starts, Two Opportunities to Help the Environment,
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, July 3rd. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: ROBOTS ARE COMING TO WWU
Aramark, the current food service provider at Western Washington University, has notified the State Employment Security Department of its plan to lay off nearly 400 employees in Bellingham.
WWU recently announced that it will begin a new contract with Chartwells Higher Education starting September 1st. According to Chartwells, it prioritizes sourcing food from local and regional farmers and has plans to introduce “virtual restaurants” that offer robot-delivered meals to students who place mobile orders.
While Aramark’s layoffs are scheduled for the end of August, WWU has stated that affected employees will have the opportunity to be hired by Chartwells.
STORY: TOWNHOMES GET PUSHBACK
Seattle-based Stream Real Estate is facing criticism for its proposed development in Bellingham, which involves the removal of 327 trees.
StreamRE Townhomes would be located next to the Bellingham Golf and Country Club. The removal of numerous old-growth conifer trees has raised concerns among a group dedicated to preserving trees in Whatcom County. According to the group, the development should prioritize tree preservation and protection. While the project plans to mitigate tree removal by planting replacement trees on-site and on the golf course property, critics believe more needs to be done. They propose modifying the development plan to eliminate or redesign some townhomes, change the placement of buildings to preserve existing clusters of trees, and ensure replacement trees are planted in perpetually protected land.
The StreamRE Townhomes development is expected to begin construction by summer of 2024, unless modifications are required.
STORY: PLANNED READER BOARD HAS NEIGHBORS UPSET
A proposed electronic reader board near the 15th Street entrance of Lowell Elementary School’s is getting some pushback from neighbors who argue it would clash with the historical aesthetic of the area.
Bellingham Public Schools intends to install electronic reader boards in all its schools, funded by the school construction bond. The planned reader board for Lowell will be 8 feet tall and display event information from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. According to administrators, the school believes that the reader board will improve accessibility and inclusivity, and help community members navigate the campus.
Some neighbors are gathering signatures for a petition against the project, and will submit them to the city and school board for consideration.
STORY: PEACEHEALTH PROPOSES 20-YEAR PLAN
PeaceHealth is seeking city approval for a 20-year plan that includes construction of a new west wing at St. Joseph’s, complete with a rooftop helipad.
The project, known as the Peter Paulsen Pavilion, will also involve upgrades to the emergency department and childbirth center. The construction of the 120,000-square-foot addition is set to begin in fall 2024. According to PeaceHealth, the rooftop helipad will enable more efficient patient transfers to the emergency department.
The master plan will undergo a public hearing before the Bellingham Planning Commission, and if approved by the city council, will be effective until 2042.
STORY: NEW MONTH, NEW LAWS
It’s July, and Senate Bill 5536 is officially in effect.
The bill emerged from a special legislative session earlier this year, and makes possession of controlled substances a gross misdemeanor. The law took effect on Saturday and carries a maximum sentence of six months in jail for the first two convictions and a maximum fine of $1,000.
Starting July 23rd, additional laws will also go into effect, including measures which will protect residents from robocall scams, elevate hazing from a misdemeanor to a felony, and impose harsher penalties for sexually abusive prison guards.
STORY: EMERGENCY ORDER TO PROTECT ORCA
An emergency order from the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife now requires whale-watching boats to maintain a distance of at least 1,000 yards from 11 vulnerable whales.
According to the DFW, this action comes in response to the poor health of ten Southern Resident orcas, along with one likely being in the late stages of pregnancy. New legislation passed in the spring will establish a mandatory 1,000 yard buffer zone around the orca starting in January 2025.
STORY: TEXT TO 911 STARTS
Text-to-911 service is now available in all counties of Washington state.
Text-to-911 is intended to be used in situations where speaking may be dangerous or impossible, such as during a home invasion or personal medical emergency. To use the service, enter “911” in the “To” field of your phone and include your location and the type of emergency aid needed, such as medical, fire, or police assistance.
The state Emergency Management Division says that calling 911 is still the preferred method in most cases.
STORY: TWO OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP THE ENVIRONMENT
For those interested in working outside to help the environment, here are two opportunities of note.
Whatcom County Public Works is organizing a beach cleanup in Birch Bay on Wednesday, July 5th. Volunteers will help remove litter and debris from the beach area after the 4th of July festivities. The cleanup will take place at 7930 Birch Bay Drive from 9 a.m. to Noon, and necessary supplies and refreshments will be provided to the participants.
And every Saturday in July, the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association will lead volunteer teams in removing invasive plants from the river in order to help salmon habitat. The organization provides work gloves, tools, refreshments, and a shuttle service to and from the work sites. People of all ages can participate, but volunteers under 14 years old must be accompanied by an adult. More information and registration can be found at N-SEA.org.
WX: Sunny and Warm
Smoke from wildfires in Canadian provinces such as British Columbia and Alberta is anticipated to reach Whatcom County on July 4th. The Washington Smoke blog, a collaboration between state, county, federal agencies, and Indian tribes, has been monitoring the situation and noted that changing winds could result in smoke impacting Washington.
Today’s high is near 80, with overnight lows in the upper 50’s. For the Fourth of July expect temperatures near 80 with a light breeze from the northwest. Look for continued sunny and warm weather for the remainder of the week.
OUTRO:Today’s newscast was produced by volunteer Myles Weber. 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 listener donations. The KMRE News Team will be off tomorrow, but back on Wednesday. Have a happy and safe holiday, everyone. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening.
