Border patrol agents report backpacks full of cocaine in forest north of Lynden, Whatcom maritime industry found to be “significant generator of economic activity,” in 2024, List of Christmas dinners and businesses closing for the holidays, Federal Railroad Administration and state legislature award $55 million for planning of Cascadia high-speed rail project, Federal Railroad Administration and state legislature award $55 million for planning of Cascadia high-speed rail project, State treasurer says Washingtonians should check to see if they have missing money
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, December 24th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Border patrol agents report backpacks full of cocaine in forest north of Lynden
Border Patrol agents discovered two backpacks with over a million dollars’ worth of cocaine during a routine search in the woods near Lynden last Thursday.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials reported that 30 brick-like packages of cocaine, valued at over $1.1 million, were handed over to the Drug Enforcement Administration for further investigation.
STORY: Whatcom maritime industry found to be “significant generator of economic activity,” in 2024
According to a new report by the McKinley Research Group, Whatcom County’s maritime industry, including the Port of Bellingham, significantly contributes to the local economy.
McKinley’s analysis says the local marine-related economy supports 6,400 jobs, provides over $400 million in labor income, and generates $1.6 billion in business revenue. Key sectors include maritime logistics and shipping, commercial fishing and seafood processing, and shipbuilding and maintenance.
According to Port officials, they plan to modernize infrastructure, address historic contamination, and expand property to increase maritime growth. Plans for 2025 include a $36.7 million budget for projects at Bellingham International Airport, the Shipping Terminal, and the Marine Industrial Park in Fairhaven.
STORY: List of Christmas dinners and businesses closing for the holidays
While most businesses and services in Bellingham will be closed tomorrow for the holiday, some will remain open.
Services that will be closed include the Post Office, WTA bus services, banks, libraries, city services, and major shipping stores like FedEx and UPS. Walgreens and Rite Aid will also be closed.
One local grocery store, however, will be open — Safeway on Sunset Drive.
And if you decide you want to take a break and eat out, several local restaurants are offering special Christmas Eve and Christmas Day meals, including:
The Lighthouse Bar and Grill at the Hotel Bellwether will have a Christmas Eve, as well as a Christmas Day buffet.
Keenan’s at the Pier at The Chrysalis Inn & Spa will be open both days.
B-Town Kitchen & Raw Bar will offer a three-course holiday dinner tomorrow only from noon to 5 p.m.
Three-course Christmas dinners today and tomorrow will also be available at Packers Kitchen + Bar at the Semiahmoo Resort.
Lombardi’s Italian Restaurant and Wine Bar will offer a special dinner menu today only.
Also open today until 8 p.m., Skylark’s Cafe has a special menu with prime rib and desserts.
And finally, Northwater at the Airport Holiday Inn & Suites will be open both days with a holiday menu.
Each restaurant offers unique holiday menus, and reservations are either required or highly recommended.
STORY: Federal Railroad Administration and state legislature award $55 million for planning of Cascadia high-speed rail project The Pacific Northwest is making progress toward a regional high-speed rail line, though actual construction still remains 15 to 20 years away.
Last Wednesday, the Federal Railroad Administration awarded nearly $50 million for planning the Cascadia High-Speed Rail, with Washington state contributing an additional $5.6 million. Funded by the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the proposed rail would span the 350-mile Cascadia
Megaregion from Vancouver to Portland, and allow travel between Seattle and Vancouver in under an hour at speeds up to 250 mph.
A comprehensive service development plan, including route selection and capital projects, is expected within four years. The projected cost is $42 billion, which is less than half the estimated $108 billion to expand Interstate 5 in Washington.
In the meantime, Amtrak announced that it will expand its services in Whatcom and Skagit counties, with restored and increased routes that are expected to have a more immediate impact on local transit. Additionally, the Washington State Department of Transportation says it is conducting studies on both the high-speed rail and Interstate 5 to address congestion and infrastructure challenges in the region.
STORY: Increased minimum wage and paid sick leave among WA workers’ protections set to begin in 2025
Starting next year, workers in Washington will benefit from increased pay and expanded rights under new state rules.
The statewide minimum wage will increase to $16.66 per hour. Thanks to an initiative passed in 2023, Bellingham’s 2025 minimum will match Seattle’s at $17.66 an hour; however, from May 1st to December 31st, it will go up to $18.66 per hour.
Companies with 50 or fewer employees will be required to pay overtime to workers that earn $69,305 or less annually. For larger companies, that wage is $78,000.
Non-compete agreements will be limited to workers earning over $123,000 and contractors who make more than $300,000.
Finally, workers will be allowed to take paid sick leave to care for household members and partners, or during child daycare or preschool closures.
Further details are available on the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries’ website.
STORY: State treasurer says Washingtonians should check to see if they have missing money
Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti is asking Washingtonians to check if they have unclaimed property being held for them by the state Department of Revenue.
Unclaimed property could come in the form of an old checking account, a certificate of deposit, an uncashed payroll check, a utility refund, or a security deposit that might have been returned to your old residence and never forwarded. According to Pellicciotti, the funds go back to the state, but it’s possible to search on claimyourcash.org and get the money back.
According to the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators, nearly one in seven people in the United States have unclaimed property. In the 2023 fiscal year, over 300,000 claims were approved, which resulted in nearly $139 million sent to Washingtonians.
It should be noted that filing a claim is always free and no government representative will directly call or email anyone regarding unclaimed property. Furthermore, the public asked to rely only on trusted sites like claimyourcash.org when searching for and claiming their property.
WX: A Christmas Eve storm, just not the one you were hoping for. And now for your Whatcom County weather:
An overcast start to the day is expected to give way to more winds and rain in the evening, with a slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs are projected in the low 50s, with gust speeds expected to reach up to 30 miles per hour later at night. Evening lows will be somewhere in the mid-40s.
The wind and rain are expected to continue throughout Christmas and Boxing Day, so here’s hoping Santa’s reindeer have a strong union.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Riley Weeks, 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.
KMRE News will also be taking some holiday time, but we’ll be back on Friday. I’m ________________, thank you for listening, and Merry Christmas!
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