Voters to decide on Whatcom Jail…again, Bellingham to vote on affordability initiatives, County Council Passes Ban on Floating the South Fork, Write in Mayoral candidate still running, Arne Hanna changes locks, Legislation grants rideshare drivers more rights, No aurora for us, Washington recognized for outstanding special education work, Report finds inequities in juries across Washington
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, July 12th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Voters to decide on Whatcom jail…again
Whatcom County voters will decide whether to approve a larger jail and services for at-risk individuals this November.
Previous jail proposals in 2015 and 2017 failed, but if this proposal passes, a 0.2% sales tax increase would generate significant funds over 30 years. The funds will initially prioritize paying off the construction bond, and then a behavioral care center will be built alongside the jail.
The final jail size and cost are undetermined, but a large jail has been requested by mayors throughout the county. For reference, a 440-bed jail at the Ferndale site is estimated to cost around $137 million.
STORY: Bellingham to vote on affordability initiatives
The Bellingham City Council has decided to let voters decide on two community-led initiatives designed to address the affordability crisis.
The first aims to raise the city’s minimum wage incrementally to $1 above the state minimum wage by May 2024, and an additional $2 above the state minimum wage by May 2025. Concerns have been raised about the potential unintended consequences of raising the minimum wage, particularly for seniors on fixed incomes and city employees who would be exempt from the wage increase.
The second initiative proposes that landlords provide three months’ rent as relocation assistance if they increase the rent by 8% or more.
The council has called an emergency executive session to discuss the legal aspects of the tenants’ rights initiative, but the community group behind the initiatives expressed confidence in their legal standing and pointed to other municipalities in Washington that have successfully implemented similar initiatives.
The initiatives will be voted on in the general election on November 8.
STORY: County Council Passes Ban on Floating the South Fork
The Whatcom County Council passed an ordinance that bans rafting on the South Fork of the Nooksack River from June through October.
The ban is part of an effort to protect wild Chinook salmon populations, whose spawning grounds are disrupted by recreational activity. The ban will be lifted when salmon populations reach 50% of their recovery goal of nearly 10,000. Current populations have reached only 2% of that goal.
The ordinance passed with a vote of 4-3, despite questions over the effectiveness of the ban and the economic impact on towns reliant on income from aquatic recreation.
STORY: Write In Mayoral candidate still running
According to reporting by the Bellingham Herald, Joel Johnson, a grassroots candidate for Bellingham mayor, has registered as a write-in candidate after his petition to be included on the primary election ballot was not accepted.
Johnson, a community and labor organizer, emphasized that he is not entrenched in city government or a millionaire, presenting himself as a candidate for change. The other candidates on the ballot for mayor include Chris McCoy, Kim Lund, Seth Fleetwood (the current mayor), Mike McAuley, and Kristina Michele Martens.
Tune in to the first in our series of conversations with the Mayoral candidates today after the 5pm news.
STORY: Arne Hanna changes locks
The Arne Hanna Aquatic Center in Bellingham will install new locks on its lobby bathrooms following incidents of illegal drug use, one resulting in a death.
The locks, which cost approximately $2,300 each, will help staff monitor restroom use more effectively.
STORY: Legislation grants rideshare drivers more rights
Over 15,000 Lyft drivers in Washington state are seeing benefits from recent legislation that grants more rights to rideshare drivers.
The State Department of Labor and Industries has received 45 complaints from drivers since the new law came into effect. After investigations into three of the complaints they found that Lyft had underpaid their drivers by a small fraction of a cent for each minute and mile of their trips. After notifying Lyft, a self-audit was conducted, resulting in nearly $193,000 in back pay being distributed to the drivers.
The new laws for rideshare drivers include minimum trip rates, paid sick time, and paid rest breaks.
STORY: No aurora for us
Contrary to recent news reports and social media buzz, experts say that the chance of seeing the northern lights in the United States this week is unlikely.
Media reports had cited a University of Alaska aurora forecast, suggesting that 17 states could witness the phenomenon. However, experts explain that the conditions and predictions do not support this. Experts clarify that the current solar conditions would likely only create a glow on the horizon in northern states.
STORY: Washington recognized for outstanding special education work
Washington state has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education for its successful efforts to improve special education in K-12 public schools.
For the first time, Washington received the highest level in the annual review of compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. According to a recent report from the Superintendent of Public Instruction., this is due to significant investment in special education support services over the past five years.
O.S.P.I says while there is more work to be done, it is proud of the recent progress and remains dedicated to preparing all students for success.
STORY: Report finds inequity in juries across Washington
A report released by the Washington State Minority and Justice Commission reveals that people of color and those with lower incomes are underrepresented in juries in Whatcom County and across the state.
The study, conducted in collaboration with Seattle University researchers, collected over 250,000 survey responses and is considered the largest and most comprehensive survey on juror demographics in Washington. The findings indicate that Black and Indigenous jurors face significant barriers to jury service in Whatcom County. The report also highlights disparities in education and income levels among jurors compared to their respective county populations and recommends increased efforts to reach people in underrepresented groups.
The study also suggests that email be considered for jury-related communications.
WX: Sunny and Warm
Your Whatcom Weather today is sunny with scattered high clouds and a high of around 71 degrees. Expect an overnight low of around 56. Tomorrow, clouds will dissipate, gradually becoming mostly sunny. Temperatures are expected to be back near 80 for the weekend.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Sarah Edmonds and 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. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening.
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