Bellingham Public Schools admits liability in school bus sexual assault case, Presence of outside consulting firm inside PeaceHealth invokes fear of another round of layoffs, Judge’s ruling maintains Sumas’ status as member of ongoing Nooksack water rights lawsuit, New traffic analysis identifies crash hot spots, Round of bills fail to pass WA House, Ferguson meets with NBA commissioner to discuss potential return of Seattle SuperSonics, STORY for 2/6 Free/Cheap: Salish Seed swap
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, February 6th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Bellingham Public Schools admits liability in school bus sexual assault case
Attorneys for Bellingham Public Schools have admitted the district was negligent in the case of a boy who was sexually assaulted on a school bus.
The lawsuit, filed by the boy’s family in 2024, alleges the district failed to protect the child despite knowing another student had a history of assaults on the bus. While the district initially denied responsibility, new court filings show it has accepted liability for negligence and resulting damages. A trial set for July will focus only on the amount of harm suffered by the family.
The district as well as attorneys for the family say they cannot comment as the case moves toward trial.
STORY: Presence of outside consulting firm inside PeaceHealth invokes fear of another round of layoffs
Employees at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center say the presence of outside consultants is raising fears of layoffs.
According to Cascadia Daily News, workers say consultants from Huron Consulting Group have been seen around the hospital for weeks, which has prompted concern about staffing cuts — especially in the laboratory.
On Tuesday, lab assistants delivered a petition signed by more than 400 employees, and warned that fewer lab staff would mean delays — and harm — to patient care.
PeaceHealth says the consultants are conducting an organizational review to improve long-term stability, but would not say whether layoffs are in the offing.
The hospital’s lab assistants, represented by SEIU 1199NW, say staffing levels are already stretched thin — and any cuts would hurt patients in Whatcom County’s only hospital.
STORY: Judge’s ruling maintains Sumas’ status as member of ongoing Nooksack water rights lawsuit
A Whatcom County judge rejected a request to remove Sumas from a water rights lawsuit.
The lawsuit filed by the Washington State Department of Ecology is aimed at defining historical water rights of the Nooksack watershed. The Nooksack and Lummi tribes support the suit. Officials say they are gathering information about who uses water county-wide, and how much is used, to better understand how much needs to be reserved for environmental protection, including salmon.
The city of Sumas attempted to remove their claim because they say they are in the Fraser River watershed. But Superior Court judge David Freeman denied the petition, essentially saying that a clearer picture of all claims and interests was needed before taking on the broader legal issues. Two groups — Whatcom Family Farmers and Sumas Out — say the decision is frustrating and could force residents into a costly legal process, even though it may later turn out it does not apply, to them, at all.
The Nooksack River watershed encompasses all of Whatcom County and part of northern Skagit County, including surface water and groundwater. Up to 30,000 claimants are expected to declare their water usage by May 1st.
STORY: New traffic analysis identifies crash hot spots
A new analysis from WSDOT has identified several traffic safety hot spots in Whatcom County.
In the new I-5 Operations and Demand Management Analysis, state transportation officials say the biggest problem on I-5 through Bellingham isn’t traffic volume — it’s weaving. WSDOT points to seven interchanges packed into eight miles, which encourage short local trips on the freeway and create conflict with the constant merging.
In the first nine months of 2024, more than 200 crashes were reported between Old Fairhaven Parkway and Slater Road, with nearly 70 percent occurring between noon and 6 p.m. According to the data, the worst trouble spot is the Iowa Street interchange. Ramp meters have been discussed as a way to reduce crashes, but there’s currently no plan to install them in the Bellingham corridor.
Crash totals are lower on I-5 through Ferndale, but fatal crashes have historically been higher, largely due to higher speeds on the straight, 70-mile-per-hour stretch of freeway. The roundabout at Portal Way, built in 2018, has emerged as a major safety concern. During heavy northbound traffic, backups from the roundabout can spill onto I-5 and create dangerous conditions near the Main Street exit.
The City of Ferndale says it plans to expand the roundabout to two lanes, add lighting and sidewalks, and reconfigure ramps to improve traffic flow. They had hoped to begin in this year, but no timeline has been confirmed.
UPDATE: Round of bills fail to pass WA House
The first key legislative deadline in the statehouse has ended the run for dozens of bills during the short 60-day session.
Proposals that stalled include a statewide four-day workweek, changes to homeschooling requirements, restrictions on police hiring former ICE agents, and several efforts to protect children online. Other measures that failed to advance addressed food access in under-served communities, reforms to judicial appointments, expanded tribal representation on the Fish and Wildlife Commission, and limits on unauthorized encampments on college campuses.
Lawmakers say the next deadline means measures that cost money will face steeper hurdles, while bills tied to the state budget remain exempt from deadlines. Many sponsors acknowledge that their proposals are dead for the year, though several plan to revive them in future sessions.
STORY: Ferguson meets with NBA commissioner to discuss potential return of Seattle SuperSonics
Washington Governor Bob Ferguson met with NBA commissioner Adam Silver yesterday to discuss the possibility of the Seattle Supersonics’ return.
The Supersonics left town in 2008, to become the Oklahoma City Thunder. Silver has stated the league would decide this year whether to pursue expansion.
Seattle remains a top contender for an expansion team alongside Las Vegas, with Governor Ferguson voicing his support for a Supersonics return in his annual address to the state legislature.
STORY for 2/6 Free/Cheap: Salish Seed swap
It’s Friday and sunny — perfect for getting out. Here are some affordable options.
Tomorrow, get ready for spring with the Salish Seed Swap. Bring seeds to share and talk about gardening. $10 suggested donation; though no one is turned away for lack of funds. At the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship from noon to 3pm.
Also on Saturday, Cuentos y cantos / Stories and Songs. A bilingual story time for kids and their families. Enjoy fun stories and songs in both Spanish and English. 11 AM to noon at Bellingham Library’s Bellis Fair branch,
On Sunday at 9am, get outside with Second Sunday Birding at Little Squalicum Estuary – Join a free guided bird watching walk.
Also on Sunday, why not check out the Menace Brewing Puppy Bowl?
It’s their second annual Puppy Bowl and the SeaPaws are set to take on the BarkHawks at noon. Puppies will play on a miniature field and are pit bull terrier mixes. The dogs are provided through a local dog rescue non-profit. Guests will have the opportunity to adopt a puppy on site.
WX: So, did I get the part?
And now weather:
We close a week of pleasant weather with more mild temperatures and partial sunshine. Highs are projected around the mid-50s, with increasing clouds as we head into the evening. Rain is likely overnight, with lows in the mid-40’s.
Saturday, expect rain again with highs in the mid-50’s, and southeast winds gusting into the low 30’s.
Seahawk Sunday should begin with rain, and taper off through the day.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, Austin Wright, Tyler Warne, and Kai Blais-Schmolke. 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 your donations. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb________… thanks for listening!
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