Man arrested in connection to attempted arson at north Bellingham apartment, Five people and a dog rescued in waters off Lummi Island, Federal Railroad Administration says cause of last week’s BNSF derailment near Custer has been identified, Garbage cans changing downtown, Whatcom opioid conference registration open, State Supreme Court agrees to take up case against Spokane camping ban, Inslee releases new abortion directive, PNW coast suffers from low oxygen, study finds, PNW coast suffers from low oxygen, study finds
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STORY: Man arrested in connection to attempted arson at north Bellingham apartment
A man was arrested in connection to an attempted arson and an incident of domestic violence at a North Bellingham apartment.
The 22 year-old man was arrested for first-degree arson and charges related to domestic violence early Saturday morning. According to the Bellingham Police Department, the victim called authorities around midnight to report an assault in progress at her North Bellingham apartment. The victim told officers that the suspect tried to lock her in the apartment, intimidating both her and her child, before they were able to escape. When first responders arrived, fire alarms were set off and flames were coming from items stacked on top of stove burners. The suspect was found and arrested for attempting to set the fire.
He currently remains at Whatcom County Jail on a $75,000 bail.
STORY: Five people and a dog rescued in waters off Lummi Island
On Sunday evening, Coast Guard first responders rescued five kayakers and one dog stranded in the waters northwest of Lummi Island.
A coordinated effort between stations in Bellingham and Port Angeles was able to locate the group after one of the kayakers activated their inReach satellite messaging device, which alerted nearby EMS to their predicament.
Bellingham Coast Guard reports that all, dog included, were wearing personal floatation devices at the time of rescue. One of the kayakers received medical treatment from EMS en route to the Bellingham station, but none required hospitalization.
STORY: Federal Railroad Administration says cause of last week’s BNSF derailment near Custer has been identified
The Federal Railroad Administration has identified the cause of last week’s train derailment near Custer.
The train, which was carrying molten sulfur, derailed near midnight last Tuesday. According to the recent reporting by the Bellingham Herald, the FRA said the incident occurred when traversing a switch in the railroad. The previous train had left a gap in the switch points, causing the next train to derail. BNSF’s investigation into the cause of the accident continues, and a full report will be released in about three months.
There were no reported injuries and the sulfur was not spilled in the accident.
STORY: Garbage cans changing downtown
New trash and recycling cans are coming to downtown Bellingham.
The City of Bellingham has announced that they will be transitioning to new downtown garbage and recycling cans after positive public feedback about the new bin models. The new bins downtown feature a larger carrying capacity that requires fewer pickups and will reduce transportation-related emissions. The new bins are fully enclosed with two options for hands-free and manual opening.
This is part of the city’s ongoing plan to revamp downtown.
STORY: Whatcom opioid conference registration open
Registration is now open for the 2024 All Hands Whatcom Opioid Summit, scheduled to take place June 25 and 26 at Bellingham High School.
The two-day event will delve into a variety of critical topics surrounding the Fentanyl crisis— from analyzing data and evidence-based practices to fostering empathy through powerful personal stories. Attendees will also engage in action planning sessions geared towards community investment and support.
The summit is open to everyone and free to attend. For more information and to register for the summit, please visit the official event website.
STORY: State Supreme Court agrees to take up case against Spokane camping ban
On Wednesday, the Washington State Supreme Court agreed to take up a case against a local Spokane initiative banning camping within 1,000 feet of schools, daycares, parks, and playgrounds.
The measure, known as Proposition 1, has been contentious ever since its approval in November. Proposition 1 has been questioned over its constitutional legitimacy under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling which states that cities cannot enforce anti-camping ordinances if they lack the shelter beds to accommodate those displaced. Last August, a joint lawsuit was filed by local homeless service providers to have the measure stricken from the ballot. A state superior court judge denied the motion the same month.
However, this lawsuit is only looking at the question of whether or not Proposition 1 is outside the scope of what a local initiative can do. If the Supreme Court rules against it, Proposition 1 will be stricken from the ballot this coming November despite voter approval.
STORY: Inslee releases new abortion directive
Governor Jay Inslee has directed the Washington Department of Health to ensure that hospitals in the state provide emergency abortion services as legally required.
This directive comes near the second anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, which overturned Roe v. Wade, and amidst the upcoming Supreme Court ruling on the Idaho v. United States and Moyle v. United States case. The Idaho case could criminalize emergency room doctors for performing emergency abortions.
In the statement, Inslee criticized politicians for interfering with critical healthcare decisions and emphasized that Washington has taken steps to protect patients’ access to abortion services, positioning the state as a safe haven for those seeking care unavailable in other states. He also reaffirmed Washington’s commitment to being a pro-choice state.
WX: Cloudy
Your Whatcom County weather today – Expect sun and some clouds, with a high of 63 degrees. Tonight will be cloudy, as temperatures drop to a low of 49. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Tomorrow is expected to be sunny all day.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Kye Salinas (KEY suh-LEE-nus), and Kyler Cantrell. 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. Check out our Patreon page or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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STORY: PNW coast suffers from low oxygen, study finds
A new study reveals that about half of the water near the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest coast experienced low-oxygen conditions in 2021.
The study from Oregon State University used data from 2021 to map out oxygen levels across the bottom 32 feet of the Pacific Northwest continental shelf. The research shows how the planet’s warming is fundamentally changing the ocean’s annual cycles and ecosystems, a shift that endangers culturally and economically valuable species like the Dungeness crab.
Lead scientist Jack Barth says the only way to change this low oxygen condition is to turn around climate change, meaning less CO2 emissions.
However, maps produced by the researchers will help guide sustainable fishing and site offshore wind farms away from healthy fisheries.
The study also warns that low oxygen conditions in our regional waters is expected to become common with global warming.
