Fire in Stimpson Family Nature Reserve, Drug use help is a higher priority in RV Owners, Bellingham man rushed to the hospital due to overheating, Washington is the global blueberry leader, Proposed $200m Vancouver – Seattle – Portland, Grace period on drug possession law to end
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, August 15th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Southbound Sunset Drive I-5 on-ramp closed
A semi-truck lost its cargo in a rollover accident on the Southbound Sunset Drive I-5 on-ramp late last night, blocking traffic on both I-5 and the on-ramp.
The I-5 has since been cleared of debris but the on-ramp is still closed. There is no estimate for when the ramp will be cleared.
The crash happened at 3 am, and no injuries were reported.
STORY: Fire in Stimpson Family Nature Reserve
A fire was ignited yesterday when a tree branch fell on power lines along Lake Louise Road in the Stimpson Family Nature Reserve.
Firefighters from Bellingham and surrounding Whatcom County battled the wildfire in dense forest and brush on the steep hillside. The fire was contained by 3:30 p.m., but firefighters continued to dampen the area and search for smoldering embers until 6 pm. Multiple fire departments, including the Department of Natural Resources or DNR, cooperated in controlling the fire and maintaining water supply. A DNR helicopter assisted by dropping water from above.
About a quarter of an acre was burned and no injuries or building damage were reported.
STORY: Drug use help a higher priority in RV owners
Bellingham city council is rethinking a city measure that would prevent RVs from parking within 1,000 feet of schools, libraries, playgrounds, public transportation centers, parks, and other recreational facilities.
Despite a growing concern from local youth centers about the activities of the RV owners, city council points to misbehavior as the issue, and not the parking itself.
During the city council meeting of the whole on Monday the committee agreed that working on drug addiction help and creating a designated safe parking area for RVs is a higher priority than the 1,000 ft mandate.
In an area with a skyrocketing housing market, the cost of living is becoming unaffordable for more and more residents within Bellingham.
Council president Michael Liliquist stated the 1,000 ft is excessive. The council also agreed that the erratic behavior and drug use isn’t what a lot of RVs owners exhibit.
The measure was pushed back to city staff for reevaluation this week.
STORY: Bellingham man rushed to hospital due to overheating
A 54-year-old Bellingham hiker was rescued by search crews during the weekend.
The search and rescue crews from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island were called to a trail in Okanogan County on Sunday evening, and found the
hiker to be suffering from a heat-related illness. The crews then contacted the hiker’s hiking party and transported him by helicopter to St. Joseph’s Hospital for further treatment.
STORY: Washington is a global blueberry leader
It’s blueberry season in Whatcom County and it’s no surprise that local stores and stands are filling up with the sweet-and-tart bundles of healthy antioxidants.
The United States dominates the global blueberry market, growing 95% of the blueberries on the planet and– due to ideal soil conditions– Washington and Oregon are the major producers. In 2021, Washington produced 180 million pounds of fruit. More than that, according to the Whatcom Conservation District, Whatcom County is the leading producer of blueberries in the state.
According to the Washington State Department of Agriculture, some key things to remember to get the best tasting fruit: blueberries only ripen on the bush, and once blueberries are picked, their sweetness and flavor don’t improve– only the color changes. Because berries are often machine-picked while unripe for durability during processing, grocery store blueberries are often more tart.
According to pickyourown.org, Whatcom County alone has at least 24 local blueberry farms, and many of them have U-pick options.
STORY: Proposed $200m bullet train Vancouver – Seattle – Portland
Washington State Democrats are asking the federal government for 198 million dollars to plan a high speed rail between Vancouver B.C., Seattle, and Portland.
Named the Cascadia High-Speed Rail project, the request was sent to the government this morning, asking for funding from President Biden’s 2 trillion dollar infrastructure program. 66 billion dollars of the program have already been earmarked for rails. The Washington state Legislature has also designated $50 million through 2025 to match federal contributions, plus a $100 million future state share. The plan has Surrey, Bellingham, Everett, and other cities surrounding Seattle as possible stop locations.
This railway would provide great benefits to an ever-growing region by providing both jobs and climate friendly regional trips, but issues are already presenting themselves. So far, the exact placement of the proposed tracks haven’t been decided. Unlike Amtrak and Sounder trains, they won’t be able to share space with legacy BNSF Railway tracks as the new trains will be too fast. Expenses are also piling up. The current funds will only be spent on planning and the whole project may cost upwards of 65 billion
dollars to complete. However, the trains would be much cheaper than the alternative of expanding and reworking I-5, which could cost more than 100 billion dollars.
The planning stage for the train will last around two to five years. There is currently no timeline for how long the whole project will take.
STORY: Grace period on drug possession law to end
Enforcement of the state drug possession law changes today, as police officers are now able to make arrests without first referring people to treatment.
The new law, which went into effect earlier this year, makes drug possession a gross misdemeanor punishable by up to 180 days in jail on the first two offenses, and up to a year on the third arrest. Previously, there was a provision in place that required the police to refer drug users to treatment programs at least twice before making any arrests, but that provision is set to end today.
Officers will still be able to refer people to treatment, though this will be left to their discretion.
WX: Heat Advisory in Place
It will be a hot day in Bellingham today, as the National Weather Service in Seattle issued a heat advisory warning for western Whatcom County, western Skagit County, Everett and nearby towns. The warning will remain in effect until 11pm. Expect day-time temperatures in the mid-80s-to-low-90s and overnight lows in the 60s.
Please make sure to drink plenty of fluids, if necessary seek out an air-conditioned room, and check up on your relatives and neighbors. If you work outdoors, wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing whenever possible. OSHA also recommends taking frequent breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments. In case of a heat stroke, call 911 immediately.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Myles Weber, Emma Toscani and Carlos Braga. 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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