Go Fund Me starts for those involved in Terminal Building fire, DUI truck driver arrested after snarling traffic for two hours, Mental health concerns grow over social media use, Trust funds for low-income babies proposed, Biden moves to limit logging in old growth forests
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, December 28, 2024. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Go Fund Me starts for those involved in Terminal Building fire
Three of the four GoFundMe campaigns to help those impacted by the Terminal Building fire have exceeded their original goals.
One campaign for employees of the Harris Avenue Cafe and The Old Independent Coffeehouse has surpassed $86,000; another for the Dirty Dan Harris Steakhouse has raised over $11,000; and a third for top-floor tenants of the Terminal Building reached over $4,000 of the $48,000 goal so far. A separate fundraiser for the daughter of cafe owner Nate Breaux has also surpassed its $30,000 goal.
A body was recovered from the wreckage two days ago; however, the identity has not been confirmed. Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the fire.
STORY: Ferndale asks for help in locating arson suspects
Suspects are being sought in connection to a fire found yesterday at a picnic shelter in Ferndale’s Star Park.
The fire damaged the shelter, and additional damage was done to the bathroom structure nearby. Repair costs are estimated to be more than $5,000.
Anyone with information about the fire is asked to contact Ferndale Police by phone or via email.
STORY: DUI truck driver arrested after snarling traffic for two hours
Yesterday, a Semi Truck driver caused a collision on northbound I-5 – halting traffic for two hours.
The driver, Kulwinder Singh Bahat, (cool-WIND-er SING BA-hat) was later arrested on a charge of DUI as well as reckless endangerment. The accident caused no injuries but damaged several vehicles.
Traffic was clogged on the highway near Fairhaven Parkway before one p.m. yesterday and was cleared in about two hours.
STORY: Mental health concerns grow over social media use
Health professionals are warning about the mental health impacts of social media. But, they say, parents can play a role in protecting their kids. Reporter Eric Tegethoff has more.
MENTAL HEALTH AUDIO
STORY: Trust funds for low-income babies proposed
State lawmakers are proposing a new way to break the cycle of poverty for Washington’s poorest populations: a trust fund for the 40,000 children born each year under the state’s Apple Health program.
Nearly half of Washington’s babies are born into poor families, and the program aims to break that cycle. The Washington Future Fund would set aside a nest egg for each child. Those eligible could access the money between the ages of 18 and 35 for uses such as homeownership, a small business startup or higher education.
The bipartisan-supported initiative, also known as the baby bonds bill, awaits review in fiscal committees. While concerns about the program’s impact on current education investments and family income improvements have been raised, proponents argue it addresses deep economic inequalities, especially for racial minorities and rural populations in poverty.
The proposed program would set aside a minimum of $4,000 for each eligible child, which is estimated to grow to $15,000 by age 18, with potential for $35,000 if recipients wait. Other states, including Connecticut and Washington, D.C., have recently passed similar baby bonds programs, while several others are considering adopting this model.
STORY: Biden moves to limit logging in old growth forests
The Biden administration has announced new steps to protect old growth forests on National Forest lands.
Following an Executive Order signed on Earth Day 2022, these new measures update the Northwest Forest Plan, which helps manage federal forests in Washington, Oregon and California. The White House notes that around 25 percent of old growth forests are in these three states. The administration hopes that the new measures will allow the Forest Service to have consistent direction nationwide in conserving old-growth forests.
Last week’s announcement is part of a broader effort by the Biden administration to help protect national forests. Other actions have included a nationwide inventory of forests, as well as a joint report on opportunities for reforestation of federal lands.
WX: Rainy
Your Whatcom County weather today will reach a high of 55 degrees. Overnight, we’ll see mostly cloudy skies, a slight chance of rain showers and a low of 44. Winds are expected to be light and variable. Tomorrow– expect overcast and clouds, with a high of 53 and a low of 45 degrees.
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 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 ________________, thanks for listening.
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