Lead developer of major Whatcom County housing projects files for bankruptcy, Public invited to submit information for new wildlife status reports, WA ferries fare system restored, after outage brought hours of delays, Farmers and growers seek leeway under new agriculture overtime law, NW states, tribes reach ‘historic’ deal with feds over Columbia River Basin fish and dams, Free and Cheap
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Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, December 15th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Lead developer of major Whatcom County housing projects files for bankruptcy
A real estate development company involved in major projects in Whatcom County has filed for bankruptcy under Chapter 11.
Harbor Custom Development, Inc., was the lead developer for the Grandis Pond project, a 992-unit housing and commercial development in Blaine but withdrew from the project in September. According to a company release, despite the filing, Harbor will continue normal operations while preparing a Reorganization Plan.
The official bankruptcy filing includes information about Grandis Pond and other Blaine projects. The company’s total assets are estimated to be between $100-and-$500 million dollars.
The company has not responded to requests for comment but is expected to continue selling properties and operating multifamily projects during the bankruptcy process.
STORY: Public invited to submit information for new wildlife status reports
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeking information from the public to inform several species status reports.
The Dept is seeking information about the burrowing owl, Mount Rainier white-tailed ptarmigan (TAAR-muh-gin), island marble butterfly, and the wolverine. They want to know more about demographics, habitat conditions, threats, population trends, and existing conservation efforts for each species.
Whatcom County is home to the wolverine and the white-tailed ptarmigan. Wolverines currently live in high-elevation landscapes around North Cascades National Park, after being reestablished there in the 90s. However, the population in all the Cascades is fewer than 25 individuals. The white-tailed ptarmigan has a similar range and has a population of around 1000.
Additional information will help the Department assess the conservation status of each species and guide further recovery efforts.
STORY: WA ferries fare system restored, after outage brought hours of delays
On Thursday, the fare system for the Washington State Ferries was restored after an outage earlier that morning.
According to The Seattle Times, during the outage, staff resorted to writing receipts by hand and transferring the information into the state’s online database. The system was eventually rebooted late that morning. In his new supplemental budget, Governor Jay Inslee outlined a plan to spend millions on recruitment and upgrades for the aging ferry system.
The cause of the malfunction is still under investigation.
STORY: Farmers and growers seek leeway under new agriculture overtime law
Starting in January, farmworkers in Washington will be eligible for overtime pay after working more than 40 hours a week.
This change comes after 2021 legislation removed a 60-year prohibition on overtime pay for farmworkers. However, agricultural producers are seeking to relax the new rules for up to three months annually during peak harvest times, citing staffing needs.
The debate centers on the impact of added costs on the state’s agriculture industry, as well as concerns about the economy’s overall health. Supporters of the new regulations argue that farmers can adjust hiring and scheduling, while opponents stress the need for flexibility.
Washington joins California as only two states that allow farmworkers to earn overtime after 40 hours. An Oregon law mandates overtime after 55.
STORY: NW states, tribes reach ‘historic’ deal with feds over Columbia River Basin fish and dams
In a major agreement, the federal government has promised to spend $1 billion dollars to help restore salmon and other fish runs.
The administration reached the deal with Oregon and Washington, the Nez Perce (NEZ PIERCE), Umatilla (you-muh-TIL-luh), Warm Springs, and Yakama tribes on Thursday. The new money would be combined with other spending and delivered over the next decade to help restore wild fish and assist in the construction of at least 1 to 3 gigawatts of tribally sponsored clean-energy production. The agreement also contains a compromise to decrease spillage of the Snake River dams during the summer and fall, but increase the amount of spilled water in the spring to help young Chinook migrate to the sea.
However, not everyone is happy with the deal. Local tribes and environmental groups have been fighting to remove the dams completely, and this agreement does not guarantee any further action on that front. However, the settlement does pause the legal fight over wild fish restoration that began in the 90s. It also includes a commitment to begin replacing the hydropower provided by the dam, giving hope that dam removal may be possible in the future.
STORY: Free and Cheap
Looking for something to do? There are plenty of holiday events going on across the county.
The Lynden Heritage Museum is having its Winter Open House on Saturday from 1 to 5pm. The museum will have live re-enactors in special exhibits, refreshments, and sweet treats. Registration is available online.
Bellingham Makers Market is holding the Holiday Makers Market at the Cruise Terminal this weekend, from noon to 5 pm. The market will have hand made goods, foods, and other gifts for sale.
The Pacific Arts Market will be open for its final days today through Sunday from 10am to 6pm. The market is located at Bellis Fair, in a building outside the food court. Vendors will be selling a variety of homemade goods at the market.
And finally, if you’re in the mood for something more active, volunteer work parties are happening this Saturday throughout Bellingham’s parks. Volunteers are needed from 9AM-12pm – you can find out which parks are being worked on by visiting volunteerbellingham.org.
WX: Sunny
Today will be mostly sunny with a high of about 51 degrees and a low around 38. Clouds will come later, with calm winds blowing throughout the day. This weekend will be a mix of sun and clouds, with a low percent chance of rain.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, and Tristan Trudell. 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. If you would like to help keep local news accessible, check out our new Patreon page at patreon.com/kmrenews or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb_______________… thanks for listening.
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