Suspect in Ferndale High School bomb threat arrested, Bellingham Police seeking information on whereabouts of missing man, Cargill announces closure and demolition of Ferndale dairy plant, Whatcom County to hire full-time archaeologist following costly mishandling of indigenous cultural materials, Proposed gravel mine near Sumas likely to require additional environmental impact studies prior to approval, EPA announces $82 million in grants to improve Washington ports and waterfront infrastructure, Washington tops list of most energy-efficient states
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, October 30th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Suspect in Ferndale High School bomb threat arrested
A 14-year-old Canadian has been arrested in connection with a bomb threat that targeted Ferndale High School earlier this month and led to the evacuation of staff and students.
The arrest on Monday is part of a larger investigation, as the teenager is suspected of making dozens of false emergency threats, or “swatting” incidents, across the U.S. and Canada. Schools, businesses, and government facilities across 12 U.S. states and parts of Canada were targeted, causing widespread disruption and emotional impact on affected communities. Craig Tremaroli, the FBI Special Agent in Charge, credited domestic and international collaboration in stopping the ongoing disruptions.
In a press release, Ferndale Police reassured the public of their ongoing commitment to student and staff safety and acknowledged the incidents may be part of a broader swatting trend.
STORY: Bellingham Police seeking information on whereabouts of missing man
Bellingham Police is seeking the public’s help to locate 44-year-old Donald Cameron, who has been missing since June.
Cameron, believed to be unhoused in the Bellingham area, is described as white, 5’9″, and 180 lbs. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact BPD.
STORY: Cargill announces closure and demolition of Ferndale dairy plant
Cargill is closing its Ferndale plant.
In a news release, the global food processor announced it is permanently stopping production at its Ferndale facility in mid-November. The company attributed its decision to the number of upgrades and investments needed to modernize the facility at Third Avenue.
Cargill, a family-owned enterprise which currently operates in 70 countries, has operated in Ferndale for 88 years. Kelly Sheehan, the company’s media relations director, says that the company is working with the 12 Ferndale employees to find them employment at other Cargill facilities.
Once the plant is closed, it will be demolished, and ownership of the land will be retained by Burlington Northern Railway. No official closing date or demolition date has been set for the plant.
STORY: Whatcom County to hire full-time archaeologist following costly mishandling of indigenous cultural materials
The Whatcom County Council has approved an exemption to its hiring freeze to recruit a full-time archaeologist.
Last summer, a Public Works crew working in Point Roberts removed hundreds of yards of soil from a culturally sensitive site during drainage work without consulting an archeologist. The subsequent mishandling of Indigenous cultural materials is now expected to cost the county hundreds of thousands of dollars.
As a response, the county established policies that require archaeological assessment for projects in sensitive areas. According to Public Works Community and Tribal Liaison Roland Middleton, the county has been working with outside consultants for years, however the price of consultants is going up while the number of consultants able to address these issues are going down.
The county says a few applicants have already applied for the position, and they hope to have a person hired by the end of the year. The new archaeologist will oversee cultural training for staff and conduct site reviews.
STORY: Proposed gravel mine near Sumas likely to require additional environmental impact studies prior to approval
The Whatcom County Planning Department is likely to require additional studies for the proposed Ranch Quarry gravel mine near Sumas.
Cowden Inc. is seeking approval for the proposed mine, which consists of a 70-acre hard rock pit on 108 acres between Sumas Mountain and Vedder Mountain. According to company president Brent Cowden, the pit would provide gravel and rocks for future development and safety projects without disrupting existing homes and the community.
However, some of those living near the proposed quarry site are opposed to the development, and say they fear that the mining operation would negatively impact nearby bodies of water, as well as salmon, wildlife, air quality and other factors.
The project has been under review by the county planning department since 2021. In May 2023, the county technical review committee requested additional studies be done by Cowden on factors such as stormwater management and asbestos testing. The studies, provided to the planning department a year later, were assessed by the planning department during the summer.
On September 26th, the department sent a letter to project representatives warning that the proposal would likely have significant adverse environmental impacts that cannot be mitigated. The letter further stated that an official Determination of Significance ruling would require the project proposal include an in-depth Environmental Impact Statement.
If Cowden opts to go forward with the plan, once the EIS is complete, the county will make a recommendation on the application to the hearing examiner.
STORY: EPA announces $82 million in grants to improve Washington ports and waterfront infrastructure
The Port of Bellingham received about $1.5 million planning grant as part of $82 million in federal funding awarded to Washington state ports for waterfront infrastructure.
Anacortes received the largest award of just over $65 million, and more than $9 million is going to Port Angeles through the EPA’s Clean Ports Program. U.S. Senators Cantwell and Murray emphasized the importance of these grants for port competitiveness and local economic growth.
Though Bellingham received a smaller amount in this round, Port of Bellingham spokesman Mike Hogan told The Bellingham Herald that port officials appreciated the grant. Hogan also highlighted over $50 million in state and federal grants secured in the last two years for projects, including a recent almost $18 million grant to enhance its rail connectivity.
Port executive Director Rob Fix noted that the port supports 6,000 jobs in Whatcom County and emphasized the community’s commitment to expanding maritime infrastructure.
STORY: Washington tops list of most energy-efficient states
A new WalletHub study ranked Washington as the most energy-efficient state in the contiguous U.S..
According to the consumer financial website, the study analyzed factors like low residential energy use and low average miles driven. Washington scored almost 80 out of 100 for energy efficiency, took second place in home efficiency, and eighth in auto efficiency. Key factors include long-standing state investments in energy conservation, robust utility programs, and building and appliance efficiency standards.
WX: Have you ever seen the rain?
And now for the weather:
Cloudy skies are expected to return today, with rain forecasted throughout the day, particularly in the afternoon. Daytime highs will be in the low 50s, and wind gusts are expected to reach up to 20 mph. Expect evening lows in the low 40s.
The forecast for Halloween calls for partly sunny weather in the afternoon, and rain in the morning and evening, just to make trick-or-treating extra spooky.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman (COOL-mun), Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Brodey O’Brien, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick, and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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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