State Street reopens after fire at Bellingham bar, potentially caused by faulty fryer, Morning vehicle fires yesterday kept first responders busy around Custer and Ferndale, Bellingham man accused of spitting on woman, stabbing her companion on New Year’s Day, Whatcom County parents accused of abusing infant who was taken to hospital multiple times, Whatcom Community Foundation announces 2024 wellness, mental health grant opportunities, G investigating WA mobile home park owner after 100-plus complaints, Washington Students Boast Record-High Graduation Rates and Preparedness for Higher Education, Interview with Satpal Sidhu
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, January 4th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: State Street reopens after fire at Bellingham bar, potentially caused by faulty fryer
State Street reopened yesterday after a fire damaged the historic building.
The Bellingham Fire Department responded to a two-alarm fire at the State Street Bar just after 8:30 a.m. Officials shut down traffic along North State Street between Holly and Magnolia while crews battled the fire. Three tenants in the five upstairs apartments were out of the building when the fire started, while a tenant on the second floor evacuated the building as soon as they saw smoke outside his window. A cat was rescued from the building and given to Whatcom County Humane Society, where the owner can reclaim it. The street was reopened around 11AM after the fire was under control.
Unconfirmed reports from users online claim the fire was caused by a faulty fryer in the bar. One user states that the night before, they heard a bartender saying the fryer was, quote, “being weird” and texted the boss about it. Other users say the fire broke out when the owner tried to fix it in the morning. The building, built in 1901, is the second historic building damaged by fires in just a month.
STORY: Morning vehicle fires yesterday kept first responders busy around Custer and Ferndale
Multiple vehicle fires made Wednesday morning a busy one for first responders.
The first fire occurred at the Custer rest area on the northbound lanes of I-5, and involved a car sitting in the rest area parking lot, according to State Patrol officers. The driver was found safe inside a bathroom, and is believed to have been living in the vehicle.
First responders were called to another vehicle fire in a parking lot at the intersection of Haxton Way and Slater Road. The Bellingham Fire Department arrived first, and was able to put out the fire. There were no injuries, and no one was located near the car.
While no structures were at risk, both vehicles were considered a total loss.
STORY: Bellingham man accused of spitting on woman, stabbing her companion on New Year’s Day
A Bellingham man was arrested on Monday and charged with two counts of assault.
22-year-old Jayden Janisch was walking down Northwest Avenue when he spit on a woman, which prompted an argument between him and the woman’s companion. The companion raised his fists, to which Janisch responded by stabbing him in the chest with a pocket knife before walking away.
Multiple witnesses identified Janisch to police officers, and he was arrested on suspicion of first-degree assault with a knife and fourth-degree assault. This was not Janisch’s first arrest; in 2021, he was arrested on suspicion of malicious harassment and fourth-degree assault. In that instance, Janisch pled guilty to fourth-degree assault, and the malicious harassment charge was dropped.
According to Megan Peters from the Bellingham Police Department, the stabbing victim suffered a “significant injury” and was taken to Seattle for treatment.
STORY: Whatcom County parents accused of abusing infant who was taken to hospital multiple times
Two parents in Whatcom County, Destany Grace Jacobs (19) and Bryan Joshua Vanderhoek (26) (van-dur-HOKE), are facing charges of domestic abuse related to their 6-month-old child.
The couple is accused of assaulting their son since at least Oct. 12, leading to the child being brought to the Emergency Department with unexplained injuries. Hospital staff suspected child abuse, however, the child was released to the parents. Subsequent ER visits revealed additional injuries, prompting the parents’ arrest on Dec. 20. The child is now in the care of other family members.
The crimes qualify as domestic abuse, allowing prosecutors to seek exceptional sentences. Formal charges were filed on Dec. 21 in the Whatcom County Supreme Court. Jacobs pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on Friday and Vanderhoek’s arraignment has been rescheduled.
STORY: Whatcom Community Foundation announces 2024 wellness, mental health grant opportunities
Grants for 2024 from the Whatcom Community Foundation are now available for nonprofits, schools, government agencies, and tribal organizations.
The community foundation has three grants open. The first, Youth Philanthropy, will give up to $5,000 to organizations that work with children in Whatcom experiencing mental health challenges and youth homelessness. The second grant is Whatcom Nonprofit Wellness, offering up to $10,000 to help address issues of staff fatigue, turnover and burnout that are pervasive within nonprofits. Lastly is Project Neighborly, another $5,000 grant to fund projects that help develop a sense of community and promote neighborliness throughout the rural and urban areas of Whatcom County.
The Whatcom Community Foundation funded 61 projects in 2023, with nearly $600,000 going to the organizations across Whatcom. Each grant has their own deadlines for application, available to view online at WhatcomCF.org.
STORY: AG investigating WA mobile home park owner after 100-plus complaints
The Washington State Attorney General’s Office is investigating the owner of a Bellingham mobile home park.
Hurst & Son, a Port Orchard-based mobile home park landlord had over 100 complaints in 2023 from residents in parks across the state, including Bakerview Estates on Eliza Avenue. Complaints include rising rents of more than 10%– a practice called economic eviction– and poor services. The complaints allege violations of the Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act, including problems with lease renewal, lease terms, rule violation fees, utility charges, and park upkeep.
The investigation is ongoing, with no formal violations issued, and Hurst & Son is cooperating with the dispute resolution process. The company’s general manager stated they are working with the AG’s office and refrained from commenting further. The complex process is expected to take time due to the numerous tenants and varied issues raised in the complaints.
STORY: Washington Students Boast Record-High Graduation Rates and Preparedness for Higher Education
Last year saw more Washington high school students graduate than ever before.
According to data released by the office of the superintendent of public instruction (OSPI), the graduation rate has increased to 83.6 percent – setting a record high in the state for the class of 2023.
The graduation rates of American Indian and Alaska natives, homeless, as well as disabled students rose as well.
In addition, more high school students signed up for dual credit courses, which allows them to take university classes alongside their normal schedule. And fewer students are taking remedial courses in college, allowing them to start their secondary education at a higher level.
To learn more about state graduation statistics, the Washington State Report card is available online.
PROMO: Interview with Satpal Sidhu
In a new occasional series called Speak Out, KMRE reporters ask elected officials questions sent in by listeners. On a recent visit to the Cascade studio, Whatcom County Executive Satpal Sidhu sat down with KMRE to talk about important issues– including the recent approval for a tax to build a new jail in Whatcom County.
SATPAL JAIL AUDIO
Listen to the full interview with Satpal Sidhu today after the 5pm news.
WX: Cloudy, with some rain
Today will be rainy with a high of 49 degrees and winds with gusts of speeds of up to 21 mph. Showers will continue overnight, with a low of 39. Tomorrow expect more rain and wind.
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 ________________, and thanks for listening.
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