Snow impacts much of city services, Multiple burst pipes cause damage across Whatcom, Multiple burst pipes cause damage across Whatcom, Blaine landlord arrested after allegation he pointed firearm at a tenant’s mother, Fire and Story begins tomorrow, Rent-cap bill gets second chance in Olympia, Initiative 2117 to repeal WA climate act takes key step toward ballot, Alaska Airlines, Boeing named in second lawsuit brought by passengers over 737 Max 9 blowout
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, January 17th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY:Snow impacts much of city services
It’s a winter wonderland out there today, and crews are working to clear priority travel routes for essential services, including police, fire, and bus lines.
Whatcom County school districts have closed for the day and slick roads due to snowfall are being reported. Whatcom Community College, Western Washington University, Bellingham Technical College, and NW Indian College are all closed. Some flights are delayed as well.
The City of Bellingham is advising the public to limit unnecessary travel. Several City facilities, such as Bellingham Public Library locations, Whatcom Museum, and Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, are all closed. Continued snow in the forecast means that neighborhood and side streets will be tricky to navigate today and tomorrow. Drivers are urged to give snow plows space, allow extra time for travel, and consider public transportation.
The Bellingham Municipal Court, and City Hall have varying levels of service disruption. Emergency severe weather shelter information is available from the County’s website. Residents are encouraged to report snow-related issues, and updates on weather-related impacts will be provided on the City’s social media channels throughout the day.
STORY: Multiple burst pipes cause damage across Whatcom
Record cold temperatures in Whatcom County have caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, and public buildings.
The extreme cold resulted in frozen pipes, sprinkler activations, water problems, electrical hazards, and public service requests. Firefighters responded to an increased number of emergencies, with almost 550 alarms answered during the recent weather event. Although no deaths related to cold exposure were reported, various facilities experienced damage, including restrooms at city parks, Bellingham Public Schools district offices, the Whatcom Museum’s Lightcatcher galleries, and fire stations.
The full extent of required repairs is unknown, but preliminary estimates suggest the cost of damages could be tens of thousands of dollars or more.
STORY: Blaine landlord arrested after allegation he pointed firearm at a tenant’s mother
45-year-old Westlee Adam Brock from Whatcom County has been arrested for first-degree assault.
According to county records, the arrest comes after an alleged incident on Sunday evening when Brock, a landlord in Blaine, reportedly pulled a gun during a dispute with a tenant and the tenant’s mother. The confrontation occurred when the woman was helping her son move out of Brock’s rental property and Brock pulled out a gun and held it to her head.
The motive behind the incident was not specified. He is currently being held at Whatcom County Jail.
STORY: Fire and Story begins tomorrow
Fire and Story, a free event in which artists and songwriters gather around a fire to share their work, will begin tomorrow night.
Several fire pits will be placed along Bellingham’s Waterfront, located at West Laurel St and Granary Avenue. Performances by storytellers, comedians, and dancers will be open to the public. Tents have been set up to protect from rain and snow.
The family-friendly event will start at 5pm tomorrow night, and continue every evening through Saturday.
STORY: Rent-cap bill gets second chance in Olympia
Despite failed attempts in the previous legislative session to limit annual rent increases for tenants, Washington officials are considering new restrictions.
A report from the Washington State Housing Finance Commission and the Department of Commerce identifies challenges in affordable housing, citing a lack of available affordable homes, a growing income-rent gap, and the delicate balance between stabilizing renters and housing providers. The report also suggests measures such as limits on rent hikes, incentives for housing providers, reviewing policies contributing to rent burdens, and developing equitable rent increase practices be explored in order to ease the crisis.
A final version of the report is expected in December, and the Commerce department hopes it will inform future policies in ways that will address both tenants’ and landlords’ needs.
STORY: Initiative 2117 to repeal WA climate act takes key step toward ballot
The initiative to repeal the 2021 Climate Commitment Act has collected enough signatures to appear on the ballot.
The repeal effort, Initiative 2117, will go to the state Legislature where the Democratic majority will be unlikely to adopt it into law, so it will then be placed on the November ballot. The initiative looks to repeal a state policy, which began last year, that requires the state’s top polluters to pay for their greenhouse gas emissions by buying allowances at quarterly auctions. Supporters of the repeal say the carbon markets cause extra fees on things like gasoline or home heating to be pushed on to consumers. Supporters say that the auctions are effective ways of cutting emissions and raising money for green initiatives.
Let’s Go Washington, the organization behind the initiative, submitted more than 400,000 signatures for the repeal initiative in November, with the Secretary of State certifying the results on Tuesday.
The measure is one of six the group is trying to add to the ballot this year– most are efforts to roll back policies passed by Democrats.
STORY: Alaska Airlines, Boeing named in second lawsuit brought by passengers over 737 Max 9 blowout
Four passengers of the Alaska Airlines flight that experienced a fuselage panel loss are suing Alaska Airlines and Boeing.
According to King County superior court documents, the lawsuit alleges negligence by both companies, leading to physical and emotional distress for the passengers. The plaintiffs, two from California and two from Washington, claim malfunctioning oxygen masks added to their fear during the incident. The complaint points to a pattern of negligent actions by Boeing, referencing the Boeing 737 Max 8 crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. Boeing CEO Dave Calhoun’s acknowledgment of a quote “quality escape” and a door plug failure is also cited.
This is the first lawsuit against Alaska Airlines regarding the incident. The lawsuit argues that Boeing violated its duty of care by manufacturing a defective door plug. Alaska Airlines is accused of negligence for allowing the flight despite documented pressurization issues.
WX: Snow, Wind Advisories
There is a Winter Storm Warning in effect today until 4 pm, covering the lowlands of western Whatcom County. Additional snow of up to 3 inches and light ice are expected. Travelers are advised to keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle if you need to be out on the roads.
Today will be snowy and rainy, with a high near 33 degrees and light winds. Precipitation should stop later today, with a low of 25, and wind chill values between 18 and 13 degrees. Tomorrow we’re projected to have another half inch of snow, mixed with rain. Bundle up, stay warm, and stay safe!
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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