Mount Baker schools to cut $3M in spending, Ferndale breaks ground on city’s first official skatepark, Sandy Point fire district to appeal to voters to move flood-prone fire station, New WA law will allow traffic cameras on more city streets, Free and Cheap
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Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, March 29th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Mount Baker schools to cut $3M in spending
The Mount Baker School Board has approved the reduction of 25 full-time staff as the school district repairs its finances.
The District has struggled with its budget since last summer, when it entered binding conditions with the state. To meet those conditions this year, they needed to increase their general fund balance to about $1.2 million. According to superintendent Phil Brockman, that goal is likely out of reach for this year.
The board approved the reduction of 15 certificated elementary and secondary full-time staff and 10 classified full-time staff. According to the district, the cuts will reduce spending by about $3 million. Mount Baker has about 124 certificated staff and 88 classified staff.
The exact cuts will be determined in the coming weeks.
STORY: Ferndale breaks ground on city’s first official skatepark
The City of Ferndale will host the groundbreaking ceremony in April for the future Metalworks Skatepark.
The new park will be located on Second Avenue across from the former American Legion building and was approved at the December Ferndale City Council meeting, where dozens of people showed up in support. Common themes of the supporters were a sense of belonging and a safe space for youth who have outgrown traditional parks and playgrounds. City of Ferndale spokesperson Megan Juenemann (JUNE-uh-min) said the park is expected to open this fall.
The ceremony will take place on Wednesday, April 10th.
STORY: Sandy Point fire district to appeal to voters to move flood-prone fire station
The Sandy Point fire district is asking voters to approve the relocation of their flood-prone fire station.
Whatcom Fire District 17, which serves Sandy Point Shores, Neptune Beach, and the western portions of Lummi Indian Reservation, has experienced two significant flood events at their main station on Sucia (SU-shuh) Drive. One of those events exceeded $750,000 in repairs and resulted in delayed emergency services.
The fire district board of commissioners approved mounting an appeal to voters in the upcoming April levy election to build a new fire station outside the flood zone.
Supporters say Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery has offered an elevated Slater Road property at no cost, which would considerably lower the costs of the project, but construction funds will still require an additional 2 to 3 million.
In the April election, the district will ask voters to support an increase in the district’s property tax to pay for the relocation.
STORY: New WA law will allow traffic cameras on more city streets
A new law in Washington state expands the use of traffic cameras to crack down on drivers who run red lights, speed in work zones, and fail to stop at crosswalks.
Governor Jay Inslee signed the legislation on Tuesday, citing the effectiveness of speed cameras in reducing accidents and fatalities. The move comes amid rising traffic-related deaths. The bill allows for the deployment of cameras in more areas, including state routes within city limits and work zones on city and county roads.
The legislation stirred debate along party lines, with Democrats supporting it for safety reasons while Republicans raised concerns about revenue generation and fairness in fines. Despite disagreements, proponents emphasize the goal of encouraging safer driving habits rather than solely punishing offenders.
Cities and counties must justify camera placements with data on collisions and speeding incidents and in 2026 will be required to report the revenue collected. Penalties for violations captured by traffic cameras are capped at $145 per incident but can be doubled in school zones.
STORY: Free and Cheap
It’s Easter weekend and here are a few events happening around the county.
After 2 months at the Bellingham Public Library, 200 chum salmon are ready to be released into the wild. The library is hosting a release party to transition the fish from their tank to Whatcom Creek. The event will take place at 1 p.m. on Saturday, starting with a gathering at the central branch of the library for a ceremony before moving to Maritime Heritage Park.
Also on Saturday, the Arne Hanna Aquatic Center is hosting an egg hunt. The aquatic egg hunt will feature multiple hunts for eggs filled with toys or candy along with other activities in between. Bring your swimsuits and towels and be ready to get wet. Tickets are 9 dollars.
On Sunday, Boundary Bay Brewery is hosting a free Easter Egg Hunt for kids. The bistro opens at 11 am, and the hunt starts at 1 pm in the beer garden.
Also on Sunday, Semiahmoo Resort is hosting Easter events. There will be free games, face painting, balloon art and cartoon drawings starting at 11:30 am. The egg hunt will begin at noon and include prizes that can be redeemed at the resort.
WX: Sun
Your Whatcom County weather today: expect a clear and sunny day, with a high of 56 degrees and light winds. Tonight, temperatures will drop to a low of 38. More sun and clear skies are expected all weekend.
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 visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb_______________… thanks for listening.
