Washington issues statewide outdoor burn ban, COVID on rise in Western Washington, Affordable housing residents call for action amidst heat wave, Summer EBT program aims to provide for food-insecure families and youth, Bellingham approves $350K in funds for downtown beautification project, Gas prices in Whatcom and WA decline, WA State Democratic staff vote to unionize
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, July 11th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Washington issues statewide outdoor burn ban
A burn ban is in effect for all of Washington state.
The ban, issued by Washington’s Department of Natural Resources, went into effect yesterday and will run through September 30th. The move came in response to the heat wave that hit most of the state last week.
The ban will apply to the two million acres of Washington’s forests controlled by the DNR, as well as any other lands under its jurisdiction. According to a news release by the department, the ban covers quote “burning, campfires, the use of charcoal briquettes, and prescribed burns” unquote, with an exception for prescribed fires for ecological purposes and community protection.
According to DNR’s wildfire dashboard, Washington has already seen 695 fires this year.
STORY: COVID on rise in Western Washington
The annual summer surge of COVID-19 infections has begun, fueled by the spread of new variants, and as millions of people travel this summer, infections are expected to increase.
According to the CDC and the state Department of Health, wastewater surveillance – one of the more reliable ways of tracking COVID’s spread – shows an increase of the virus in Washington over the last 45 days. State data also shows an increase in the percent of hospitalizations and emergency room visits due to COVID in June. The CDC also found that cases are growing or likely growing in 39 states, and they do not appear to be declining.
Although experts say this summer wave should remain mild, it’s a reminder to remain vigilant, particularly among those who are medically vulnerable.
CDC vaccine advisers say they will release their newest recommendations on updated COVID-19 shots in the fall.
STORY: Affordable housing residents call for action amidst heat wave
Bellingham residents living in affordable housing complexes are concerned about rising temperatures in their buildings.
Lack of air conditioning is common throughout the Northwest, and especially prevalent in affordable housing developments, however many low-income senior residents say they are at a higher risk for heat-related illness.
According to county records, in 2021, a resident in Eleanor apartments, one of Bellingham’s affordable housing complexes owned by Mercy Housing, died of heat stroke. Recent reporting by the Bellingham Herald says residents of Eleanor were unable to open some of the windows in their rooms more than a few inches, and claim the housing development’s upstairs hallways regularly reach 85 degrees.
Residents of Trailview, another Bellingham affordable housing complex owned by Mercy Housing, have also voiced concerns. They claim the community rooms which have air conditioning were closed due to a lack of management.
Temperatures are currently dropping, but County health advisors remind everyone to remain safe and hydrated during the scorching summer heat.
STORY: Summer EBT program aims to provide for food-insecure families and youth
There’s a new program aimed at alleviating summertime food insecurity.
The Summer EBT program provides a pre-loaded card to Washington families who are eligible for free or reduced-price school meals. The card has about $120 in SUN Bucks per child for grocery purchases that expire four months after the card is issued. Washington U.S. Senator Patty Murray– who helped champion the federal bill that funded the program– says at least half-a-million Washington children will benefit it.
Families who are already signed up for programs such as SNAP and TANF (TAN-if) are automatically enrolled in SUN bucks.
STORY: Bellingham approves $350K in funds for downtown beautification project
The City of Bellingham has announced it will invest nearly $350,000 to enhance the downtown area through a new grant program.
The program will use $250,000 from the lodging tax fund and $97,000 from the general fund to support various projects designed to beautify and activate downtown spaces. Mayor Kim Lund proposed the grant program in spring. Despite a short one-month application period, the city received 43 project proposals.
A review committee selected three major projects from the public art nonprofit Paper Whale: immersive gallery experiences ($60,000), alleyway activations ($100,000), and murals on the Lakeway/Interstate 5 underpass ($90,000). Additionally, four smaller projects will receive general fund support, including a mural on the Lee Memorial Park staircase, a mural on the Whatcom Museum firehouse, and an interactive “Trike Trak” where riders on trikes can create art.
The project designs await approval from the Bellingham Arts Commission. The city anticipates three rounds of $250,000 grants, and encourages applicants to resubmit proposals for future consideration.
STORY: Gas prices in Whatcom and WA decline
The price of gas in Washington state is headed down this year, providing some relief for consumers.
According to AAA (triple A), the national average gas price was $3.54 per gallon on Monday, nearly the same as last year’s numbers. However, Washington State’s gas prices are down by 67 cents from last year, sitting at $4.29 per gallon as of Monday.
Washington state is ranked third for highest gas prices in the country. Fuel at the pump runs 75 cents above the national average.
STORY: WA State Democratic staff vote to unionize
The stage is set for the first-ever contract negotiations between Washington state lawmakers and some of their most trusted employees.
Democratic staff in the state House and Senate voted overwhelmingly to unionize Monday. They join their Republican peers in both chambers who elected to form bargaining units last month. Workers in each of the four partisan caucuses will sit down with administrative leaders of the House and Senate to negotiate separate agreements covering wages, benefits and working conditions.
Under Washington state law, employees of the Democratic and Republican caucuses in each chamber must be in separate units. However, they can negotiate collectively on economic issues. When bargaining begins, several subjects are off-limits, such as the length of the work day during a legislative session. The law also specifically bars legislative employees from striking, participating in work stoppages, or refusing to perform job duties.
Any completed deals must be ratified by Oct. 1st, and if funded and signed into law by the governor, would take effect July 1st of next year.
WX: Sun
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Temperatures will continue to gradually decrease today, with a projected high in the mid-70s. Expect southwestern winds clocking in at roughly 7 mph for most of the day, and more variable direction at night. Evening lows will be in the upper-mid 50s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Carlee Schram (CAR-lee SHR-am), Tristan Trudell, Kyler Cantrell, Ikumi Mashiko, Anna Vickers, and Theron (th-AIR-in) Danielson. 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 thank you for listening.
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