BPD investigating attempted smash-and-grab at pot shop, Several car vs property incidents in Whatcom County recently, Ferndale woman accused of attempting to bribe deputy with drugs while detained, Western’s Early Childhood Education earns state’s first NAEYC accreditation for bachelor’s program, Bellingham Bells to host 2024 West Coast League All-Star Game, Wintery weather forecast for Whatcom County beginning this weekend and continuing into next week, Tree coverage in cities crucial as planet warms, WA research shows, 42nd District Town Hall airs on KMRE, Low wages, high costs: WA prisoners say they’re being exploited, according to report
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, February 22nd. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: BPD investigating attempted smash-and-grab at pot shop, Several car vs property incidents in Whatcom County recently
The last week has seen multiple car and building crashes in Whatcom County.
First responders were dispatched Friday evening to East Sunset Drive and Britton Road, where police found a car with heavy frontend damage, and the smashed rollup door of a business. The driver was arrested and charged with a DUI.
On Sunday, a car crashed into Slice of Heaven bakery on North Samish Way. According to co-owner Marci Abshire (AB-shur), the vehicle ran through the outside fence and seating area, before barreling into the bakery. The minor driver reportedly suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the crash and according to the Bellingham Police Department, was said to have been suffering a mental crisis at the time. The collision forced Slice of Life to close for a few days as a result.
Police were dispatched Monday evening to another car crash at a Ferndale business. They arrived to find that the building suffered a small dent and no one had been injured.
Finally, police are investigating an attempted burglary at the StarBuds dispensary on Samish Way. Early Tuesday morning, a stolen Kia Sorento was reportedly used to smash into the front of the store multiple times before the suspects fled. The incident resulted in $50,000 worth of damages to the building. It comes amid similar incidents of cars being used to ram into cannabis stores, more frequently in King County.
Anyone with information is asked to contact BPD’s non-emergency dispatch line.
STORY: Ferndale woman accused of attempting to bribe deputy with drugs while detained
A Ferndale woman is being accused of attempting to bribe a deputy with drugs and threatening other deputies during her arrest earlier this month.
43-year-old Elisha (uh-LEE-shuh) Rick, along with some of her relatives, refused to leave another relative’s home on Curtis Road on February 10th. After they eventually left, authorities were notified of the incident, and given a description of the vehicle she had left in.
Upon her arrest, Rick offered drugs to a County Sheriff’s Office deputy in exchange for her release, and threatened to kill the deputy if she was detained. Rick was arrested on suspicion of felony harassment, bribery, violating a no-contact order for domestic violence, and driving with a suspended license. This is not her first brush with the law; she had outstanding warrants for indecent exposure to a minor and violation of a protection order.
Rick remains in custody at the Whatcom County Jail.
STORY: Western’s Early Childhood Education earns state’s first NAEYC accreditation for bachelor’s program
Western Washington University’s Early Childhood Education program has earned the state’s first-ever accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Western now offers one of just two bachelor-level ECE degree programs on the West Coast that have passed the association’s rigorous accreditation process. During the site visit in 2023, evaluators observed classes at Western and met with students, faculty, staff and administrators, along with directors of childcare centers and elementary schools that are longtime partners of Western’s Early Childhood Education Program.
WWU was one of only four programs in the country to receive accreditation from NAEYC in its recent round.
STORY: Bellingham Bells to host 2024 West Coast League All-Star Game
The Bellingham Bells have announced they will host this year’s West Coast League All Star Game.
The event highlights players from all 16 West Coast League teams, and offers activities such as a community adaptive baseball game, a player pro-style workout with major league baseball scouts, as well as a skills challenge showcasing top All-Stars.
The game itself will be held on July 17th and college players from across the country will compete at Joe Martin Field. Tickets go on sale April 1st.
Play ball!
STORY: Wintery weather forecast for Whatcom County beginning this weekend and continuing into next week
Weather forecast models indicate potential snowfall this weekend, particularly in the higher elevations of the Cascades.
According to the National Weather Service, a strong front bringing heavy rain in lowland areas, snow in the mountains, and gusty winds is anticipated to arrive starting Saturday.
As onshore flows increase Sunday night into Monday, colder air high in the atmosphere is expected to result in a rain-snow mix in lowland areas. Western Whatcom County is expected to experience a mix of snow and rain during evenings and early mornings. The National Weather Service suggests a 40% chance of 12 inches of snow for Snoqualmie Pass and 80% for Stevens Pass by Monday.
According to the modeling, there is also the possibility of another system moving into the region on Tuesday.
STORY: WNS – Tree coverage in cities crucial as planet warms, WA research shows
Trees in urban areas provide benefits for people, including decreased temperatures and improved air quality, according to new research out of Washington state. Reporter Eric Tegethoff (TEG-it-off) has more.
TREES AUDIO
WX: Rain
Your Whatcom County weather today– expect sun today with a high near 54 degrees, and moderate winds. Temperatures will drop to around 37 tonight. Tomorrow — expect fog in the morning, with the sun coming out in the afternoon.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman 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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STORY: A proposed bottle-deposit bill in Washington would help the environment — and low-income communities
The Washington legislature is considering a bill to create a bottle-deposit system.
Washington is the 11th state to consider a bottle bill. House Bill 2144 would not only create a bottle-deposit system, but would also pay a premium for bottles returned by nonprofits that support very low-income individuals who rely on this source of funds. This acknowledges an inherent inequality in this part of the recycling system. The proposed legislation would place a 10-cent deposit on nearly all plastic, metal or glass bottles sized from 4 ounces to a gallon. It would also build in a review process to ensure that collection sites are accessible and convenient across the state.
According to a report from Eunomia Research, among the 10 states with active bottle bills, nine boast the highest recycling rates in the country, recovering roughly 40% to 65% of all recyclable materials produced. According to one of the only quantitative studies on the topic, conducted in Santa Barbara, California in 2011, fewer than 50% of bottles are returned by the household that purchased them. For the low-income households that collect them, though, this can add up to $2,800 dollars of additional income per year. The bill seeks to acknowledge the informal workforce and their contributions.
The bill has just been declared dead in the house.
STORY: 42nd District Town Hall airs on KMRE
Elected officials from the 42nd Legislative District held a town hall meeting last Saturday.
COVID kept Representative Joe Timmons and Senator Sharon Shewmake (SHOE-make) at home, however Representative Alicia (uh-LEE-shuh) Rule was in attendance and answered all the questions asked by constituents. If you were unable to attend, KMRE will air the event in its entirety this Friday at noon. Or you can also listen on-demand at kmre.org.
STORY: Low wages, high costs: WA prisoners say they’re being exploited, according to report
A new report characterizes Washington’s incarceration system as akin to modern-day slavery.
The report by advocacy group Columbia Legal Services (CLS), based on surveys and interviews with prisoners, details a system that compels individuals in prison to work for as little as $1 per hour, and at the same time face exorbitant costs to maintain their health and connections to the outside world.
Most incarcerated individuals in Washington prisons hold jobs, with a significant portion involved in correctional industries like food service or furniture construction, which can pay higher wages. However, according to CLS respondents, many are coerced to take those positions as those incarcerated often struggle to afford necessities like food and hygiene products due to inflated prices in prison commissaries. Advocates say the inability to save money while in prison contributes to higher rates of recidivism.
The Department of Corrections disputes some aspects of the report, pointing out that the 13th Amendment’s exception for criminal punishments allows for such labor practices, and highlighting the fact that some prison jobs pay up to $2.85 an hour.
The report calls for legislative action to address these systemic issues and support measures to improve the successful reintegration into society of former-prisoners upon release. Despite recommendations for policy changes, such as higher wages and reduced costs, the state has not addressed these concerns in the current legislative session.
