Bellingham City Council votes to explore possible annexation of area northeast of city limits, Lynden council renews lease for Community/Senior Center, Port of Bellingham announces new restoration project, Silfab Solar leaving Bellingham waterfront facility, Whatcom, Skagit unemployment rates rise to highest levels since 2021, Member of Skagit and Whatcom drug distribution ring sentenced to prison, WA becomes first state to ban lead-contaminated cookware
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STORY: Bellingham City Council votes to explore possible annexation of area northeast of city limits
The city of Bellingham will consider the annexation of the Northern Heights neighborhood.
Part of the urban growth area, Northern Heights is located along Britton Road on the northeast edge of the city, and consists of 248 homes with approximately 700 people. Last week the city council voted 6-1 to begin a 180-day process to collect information about the potential impact of annexing 146 acres of land between Roma Road and Mount Baker Highway.
Councilwoman Lisa Anderson dissented, and cited concerns about police and fire response in the area, as well as possible funding issues. Despite Anderson’s concerns, nearly 60% of property owners in the affected area have endorsed annexation.
The study on annexation will include an assessment of the costs and impacts associated with providing police and fire services to the area.
STORY: Lynden council renews lease for Community/Senior Center
The Lyden City Council voted to renew the lease of the Lynden Community and Senior Center.
Operating since the mid 1990s without an updated lease, the new agreement gives the center a new description of services that they must provide to meet the city’s standards. According to recent reporting from the Lynden Tribune, City Administrator John Williams says that while the changes are long overdue, the updated lease was primarily housekeeping and shouldn’t affect how the center operates. Executive Director of the center, Jennifer Lautenbach (LOUT-en-bawk/LOUT-en-back), says that the update helps maintain the working relationship between the center and the city.
The renewal passed on March 18th.
STORY: Port of Bellingham announces new restoration project
The Port of Bellingham has announced a new restoration project to clean up the six digester tanks on the waterfront.
The plan for the iconic tanks is to have their old and failing paint cleaned off, then be allowed to rust so they look similar to the Acid Ball. The Port is working with the Washington State Department of Ecology, the Northwest Clean Air Agency and the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries to ensure that the work done on the large tanks is conducted with minimal harm to the environment. Pressure washers will be used instead of sandblasting to better control dust, and the water and paint will be collected using plastic sheeting.
The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of April.
STORY: Silfab Solar leaving Bellingham waterfront facility
Canada-based Silfab Solar is planning to leave the Bellingham waterfront in favor of a new facility in Burlington.
Silfab originally signed a lease for the Bellingham facility in 2018 following the purchase of Itek energy, which was located in the same building.
After struggling to meet demand for their solar panels Silfab then expanded to the Burlington location in 2021, director of marketing Lorraine Hoefler said in an email.
It is not clear exactly when Silfab will leave Bellingham – however, Hoefler says that the company does not own the building and that they are coming up on the last year of their lease.
STORY: Whatcom, Skagit unemployment rates rise to highest levels since 2021
Unemployment rates increased in both Whatcom and Skagit counties in February.
According to a recent report by the Washington State Employment Security Department, Whatcom County’s jobless rate rose about one percent– to 6.4 percent. Skagit County’s rate bumped up .7 percent to 6.9% in the same period. The unemployment rates are the highest since March 2021 but still remain lower than in April 2020 in the early stages of the pandemic.
Officials attribute the trend to seasonal factors and suggest that the numbers in March and April will provide clearer understanding.
STORY: Member of Skagit and Whatcom drug distribution ring sentenced to prison
Jesse Witteveen (WIT-tuh-veen), a Maple Falls resident, has been sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in distributing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Witteveen was apprehended after leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase, during which he threw bags of drugs out of the window. Witteveen’s actions were discovered to be part of a larger drug trafficking operation throughout Whatcom and Skagit Counties, which involved significant amounts of various drugs, cash, and firearms.
Other individuals involved in the drug ring have also received significant prison sentences. This case is part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces investigation– a collaborative effort of federal, state, and local agencies to combat high-level drug trafficking.
STORY: WA becomes first state to ban lead-contaminated cookware
Washington is the first state to ban the manufacture, distribution and sale of cookware contaminated with lead.
Passed by the state legislature earlier last month, House Bill 1551 restricts the sale of pots and pans containing lead levels exceeding 5 parts per million.
A 2022 University of Washington study in collaboration with King County revealed alarmingly high levels of lead in aluminum cookware manufactured overseas. The paper found a specific link between imported cookware and lead exposure in Afghan refugee families, brought with them during their move. The pots, pans, and pressure cookers are often uncoated, non-anodized, and made from discarded scrap metal. King County has started a swap program, allowing families to trade the lead-tainted cookware for stainless steel ones. Other lead-contaminated kitchenware has been found in local stores and online.
The bill is awaiting Governor Inslee’s signature.
WX: Sun
Your Whatcom County weather – expect sun today, with a high of 60 degrees and moderate winds. Tonight, clouds will roll in and temperatures are projected to drop to a low of 45. Rain will return starting tomorrow around noon.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman and Tristan Trudell. 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. If you would like to help keep local news accessible, check out our new Patreon page at patreon.com/kmrenews or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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