Family of missing owner of burnt Fairhaven building releases statement, Memorial honors homeless people who died this year in Whatcom County, Memorial honors homeless people who died this year in Whatcom County, Everson P.D. awarded large rescue vehicle, Port seeks to up its game at Bellingham’s ‘working waterfront’, Port seeks to up its game at Bellingham’s ‘working waterfront’, Pac-12 legal battle ends as UW, departing schools agree to settlement with WSU, OSU, Free and Cheap
______________________________
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, December 22nd. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Family of missing owner of burnt Fairhaven building releases statement
It is believed that restaurant owner Nathaniel Breaux (BRO) was in the Terminal Building when it caught fire late Saturday night.
The family says they expect his body to be recovered in the next few days.
Mr. Breaux owned both the Harris Avenue Café and the Old Independent Coffeehouse on the ground floor of the Terminal Building — he was confirmed missing on Sunday. By Monday, bouquets of flowers began arriving along a fence near the ruin. His family plans to share details about a memorial fund in the next few weeks.
STORY: Memorial honors homeless people who died this year in Whatcom County
A memorial event last night at Bellingham City Hall honored the lives of 87 homeless individuals who died in Whatcom County this year.
Around 100 people with candles gathered at City Hall, while the names of 84 individuals were read aloud by members of the Opportunity Council’s Homeless Outreach Team. Three individuals remain unidentified. The memorial, an annual tradition since 2015, pays respects to those who died while homeless. The names are collected from partner service providers, and this year, they were cross-referenced with the county medical examiner’s office.
In addition, a mayoral proclamation declared December 21st, 2023, as a day of observation and mourning for those who died while living on the streets, encouraging community efforts to address the root causes of homelessness.
STORY: Everson P.D. awarded large rescue vehicle
The Everson Police Department has acquired a mine-resistant ambush protected vehicle through a U.S. Government Surplus Grant.
In a recent release, the City of Everson says the vehicle is valued at $733,000 but won’t cost the city anything, and is intended for flood rescue operations. The new vehicle will be added to a Humvee and a riverboat– all obtained since the November 2021 flood– expanding the city’s disaster preparedness. The new MRAP (EM-rap) can navigate deeper waters than the Humvee, and the Police Department has already started a training program for operating the vehicle.
STORY: Port seeks to up its game at Bellingham’s ‘working waterfront’
Starting in January, the Port of Bellingham is set to embark on a $27 million dollar, two-year modernization project for the Bellingham Shipping Terminal.
During a tour of the terminal with a federal trade official on Wednesday, local port representatives announced the project, funded partly by a federal grant, and aims to attract more vessel traffic and create more waterfront jobs. While the exact job impact remains uncertain, the emphasis on “breakbulk” cargo is noted for its labor-intensive nature, potentially leading to more jobs per cargo-pound compared to larger ports.
The project involves dredging the waterway, replacing the deteriorating wharf, and introducing a new dock with state-of-the-art stormwater treatment. Port officials stress the environmental benefits as well as preparation for increased cargo demand nationwide. However, concerns from residents regarding noise highlight potential conflict over increased heavy-industrial activity on the waterfront.
STORY: Statewide DUI enforcement campaign kicks off
Last week, increased DUI enforcement kicked off – resulting in a higher arrest rate of impaired drivers.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the state experiences a spike in the number of fatal accidents related to drunk driving at this time of year. According to recent reporting from KGMI, Lynden police have also added seven more officers on patrol, resulting in six DUI arrests in one day.
A bill is also slated for consideration in the upcoming legislative session to lower the acceptable blood alcohol level to .5 percent.
STORY: Pac-12 legal battle ends as UW, departing schools agree to settlement with WSU, OSU
A settlement has been reached in the Pac-12 legal battle.
A statement by both Washington State and Oregon State universities said that the 10 departing schools, including the University of Washington, have agreed in principle to a settlement that departing schools will “forfeit a portion of distributions over the remainder of the 2023-24 year” as well as provide guarantees against potential future liabilities.
Estimates indicate the forfeiture could amount to between $5-and-10 million dollars per departing school. As for potential future liabilities, those could include a class-action antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA (N.C. 2A.) that could carry billions of dollars in damages.
Washington State and OSU both expressed concern about the possibility of being held liable for an eight-or-nine-figure bill after the other schools left the conference. However, even with the settlement, Oregon State president Jayathi Murthy (jay-AH-thee MUR-thee) eplained that Oregon State’s athletic funding could still lose up to $40 million dollars.
STORY: Free and Cheap
Looking for something to do this Holiday weekend? Well there are many events going on around the county.
From Friday through Sunday, the Festival of the Arts is being held near the Bellingham Crown Plaza. The event runs from 10 to 6, and has a host of holiday vendors, workshops, and performances.
Bellewood Farms and Distillery will be offering free photos with Santa on Saturday, with drinks and s’mores kits available for sale. His visit will last from noon and 4pm.
And finally on Sunday, the Haven Church in Everson is holding their Christmas concert during service at 10:30 am. The concert will be led by Sherman Andrus, who has performed for over 60 years.
WX: Rainy
Today will be rainy with a high of about 49 degrees and a low around 35. The wind will have gusts with speeds of up to 20 mph. Tomorrow will be mostly sunny and Sunday will be cloudy and rainy.
OUTRO:
Just a reminder that the News Team will be off for the holiday on Monday and Tuesday. 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 listener 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_______________ and from all of us here at KMRE, Happy Holidays.
###
