Planned closure of Everson-Goshen Road rescheduled for next week, New law expands property tax relief for seniors, the disabled, and veterans, Local Council member pushes for new hospital zone, WWU begins construction on new Student Development and Success Center, Hovander Park largely reopens following flooding closure, Bellingham Port Authority installs new sets of bike lockers at BLI and Fairhaven transit station, Skagit County seeking residential input on new agritourism rules, SCOTUS’ challenge of Colorado ban on conversion therapy raises concerns for future of Washington’s similar law, Star Park open house on April 6, FREE OR CHEAP
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, April, 1. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Planned closure of Everson-Goshen Road rescheduled for next week
Everson-Goshen Road will be closed next week.
Whatcom County Public Works has rescheduled a full closure of Everson-Goshen Road for erosion control work. The road will be closed to all traffic—including emergency vehicles and school buses—from April 6th through April 10th, daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The closure is about half a mile north of East Smith Road, and officials say the schedule may change depending on weather conditions.
STORY: New law expands property tax relief for seniors, the disabled, and veterans
Property tax relief is expanding for seniors, people with disabilities, and disabled veterans in Whatcom County.
A new state law raises income limits to qualify for property tax relief across Washington, depending on county. It also lowers the disability rating requirement for veterans from 80 percent to 40 percent– two moves which opens the program to more homeowners.
In Whatcom County, the new income threshold rises to 72-thousand dollars plus exemptions to total about 79-thousand-500 dollars for individuals. The changes take effect with 2027 property tax statements, and officials say more residents are expected to qualify for relief.
STORY: Local Council member pushes for new hospital zone
Whatcom County Councilman Jon Scanlon wants to give residents an option to PeaceHealth.
Scanlon says he hopes to gather 17,000 signatures to give voters the chance to vote on establishing a public hospital district in the November 2027 general election. Scanlon hopes the initiative will pave the way for expanded health care in rural east Whatcom County, with a potential clinic.
KMRE News reporter Austin Wright sat down with Councilman Scanlon in Bellingham to talk about why the issue is important.
SCANLON AUDIO 1
Scanlon says that two hospital districts already exist in Whatcom County— one in Newhalem, and one in Pt. Roberts, so the effort is not re-inventing the wheel. He, along with grassroots organization Community First Whatcom, say they are modeling their efforts on examples like the hospital district found in Kitsap County. For Scanlon, however, the most important part of the effort is giving the community an option to address the real impacts of the healthcare crisis.
SCANLON AUDIO 2
To hear the interview in its entirety, stay tuned after the 5 PM news.
STORY: Hovander Park largely reopens following flooding closure
Hovander Homestead Park has reopened after flooding forced its second closure this year.
The popular park in Ferndale is now accessible, though the playground and some areas remain closed for repairs. The park had just reopened after December flooding before another atmospheric river shut it down again on March 21st.
Visitors are asked to follow posted closure signs and avoid work zones.
STORY: WWU begins construction on new Student Development and Success Center
Construction is underway on a new student services building at Western Washington University.
According to a recent release, the 54-million-dollar Student Development and Success Center will bring advising, enrollment services, a basic needs pantry, and study spaces into one location on the south end of campus. University officials say the project is aimed at improving graduation rates, especially for underrepresented students.
Construction is expected to wrap up in fall 2027, with some parking closures and traffic delays in the area during the work.
STORY: Bellingham Port Authority installs new sets of bike lockers at BLI and Fairhaven transit station
The Port of Bellingham has installed bike lockers at both the airport and the Fairhaven Transit Station.
Riders can reserve lockers through the Movatic app for up to two weeks, with rates starting at five cents an hour. Funding for the lockers included a $9,000 grant from Whatcom Transportation Authority. The Fairhaven station connects travelers to ferries, buses, and Amtrak Cascades trains, while the airport serves regional flights and Bellair Charters to Sea-Tac.
Advocates say the project is part of a broader push to improve bike access and expand transportation options across Whatcom County.
STORY: Skagit County seeking residential input on new agritourism rules
Skagit County is asking for public input on proposed new rules for agritourism.
Residents have until April 15th to comment on draft regulations that would govern activities like farm tours and events on agricultural land. County commissioners are expected to take up the proposal later this month.
The issue has sparked years of debate, with some farmers pushing to protect farmland, while others say tourism income is essential to staying in business.
The draft code would limit how often events can be held and how many people can attend, with stricter permits required for larger operations. It also emphasizes that tourism must remain secondary to farming.
Officials say the goal is to balance economic opportunities for farmers with preserving agricultural land and minimizing impacts on neighbors.
STORY: SCOTUS’ challenge of Colorado ban on conversion therapy raises concerns for future of Washington’s similar law
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled against a Colorado ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ minors.
In an 8-to-1 decision, the court sided with a Christian counselor who argued the law violated her First Amendment rights. Writing for the majority, Justice Neil Gorsuch said the state improperly restricted what counselors can say to patients.
The ruling does not immediately overturn Colorado’s law but sends it back to a lower court under a stricter legal standard—one that could make such bans harder to uphold.
Washington is among more than 20 states with similar restrictions. State officials say they are now reviewing the decision for its potential impact.
Medical groups, including the American Psychiatric Association, continue to oppose conversion therapy, calling it harmful and not supported by scientific evidence.
WX: Raint ‘n switch
And now for the weather:
Expect our spring weather to keep playing the hits today, with rain, slight gusty winds, and temperatures in the mid-50s. Temps are expected to drop into the low 40s tonight…and it keeps raining until Thursday.
Thursday night it should start to clear, giving way to partly sunny skies for the holiday weekend.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Austin Wright, Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Kieran (KEAR-un) Dang, and Bella Farris. 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, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________… thanks for listening!
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STORY: Star Park open house on April 6
The City of Ferndale is inviting the community to celebrate a new addition aimed at making local parks more inclusive.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for a new communication board at Star Park is set for Monday, April 6th at 11:30 a.m.
The boards use symbols and pictures to help children communicate, especially those with disabilities, making it easier to interact and play.
Following the ceremony, families are invited to stay for a free Spring Break Bubble Playdate featuring games, activities, and community fun through 1 p.m.
FREE OR CHEAP
Small Looms – Saturday, April 4, 12:00 – 3:00 pm SkillShare Space, Central Library: Hands-on weaving with fiber arts projects for library patrons of all ages. Members of the Whatcom Weavers Guild will bring projects to demonstrate as well as allowing the community to drop in for some firsthand experience.
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