State house approves limited draft of bill granting unemployment benefits to striking workers, Maintenance will close two stretches of Bellingham I-5 this Thursday and Friday, Bellingham Municipal Court to hold Law Day events over coming weeks, Whatcom County Council proposes electoral boundary changes in and around Lynden, AG’s office joins coalition in support of law firms targeted by Trump executive orders, Ferguson to appeal FEMA denial of WA bomb cyclone relief, Trackside to reopen in coming weeks
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, April 15th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: State house approves limited draft of bill granting unemployment benefits to striking workers
Organized labor scored a significant legislative victory Saturday as the Washington State House passed a bill granting unemployment benefits to striking workers.
However, the final version was met with mixed reactions after lawmakers added a four-week cap on benefits—eight weeks shorter than the Senate’s original proposal. Senate Bill 5041 passed the House with a 52-to-43 vote. Seven Democrats joined Republicans in opposition.
The bill now returns to the Senate, where lawmakers must decide whether to accept the House’s amendment or push to restore the longer benefit period. The Senate had previously rejected a similar four-week cap before passing the bill 28-to-21.
Supporters argue the measure would ease financial stress during labor disputes, leveling the playing field for workers in prolonged negotiations. Republicans oppose the bill, and warn it would incentivize strikes and
unfairly burden taxpayers and businesses not involved in labor disputes. An attempt to exclude teachers and hospital workers from eligibility failed.
If enacted, Washington would join New York and New Jersey as the only states offering unemployment benefits to workers on strike. The new policy, including the four-week benefit limit, would take effect January 1st of next year and sunset at the end of 2035.
STORY: Maintenance will close two stretches of Bellingham I-5 this Thursday and Friday
The Washington State Department of Transportation will close lanes and ramps along southbound I-5 in Bellingham on Thursday and Friday to conduct maintenance work.
From 3:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Thursday, the left lane of southbound I-5 will be closed between the West Bakerview Road and Sunset Drive interchanges for an overhead sign replacement. At the same time, the Northwest Avenue and Guide Meridian on-ramps to southbound I-5 will also be closed.
From 5 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Friday, the right lane of southbound I-5 will be closed between the Meridian Street and Sunset Drive interchanges for pavement repairs.
Drivers are advised to expect delays and plan alternate routes during the scheduled maintenance windows.
STORY: Bellingham Municipal Court to hold Law Day events over coming weeks
The Bellingham Municipal Court will host a series of public events between April 22nd and May 5th to educate the community about the local court system.
The events, held in honor of Law Day, will include court proceedings, meet-and-greets with judges and legal professionals, as well as demonstrations involving canines and drones. Eighth-grade students from Bellingham middle schools will participate in some of the events as part of an educational partnership.
All events will take place at the Bellingham Municipal Court building. Find out more information at the City of Bellingham website — c.o.b.org.
STORY: Whatcom County Council proposes electoral boundary changes in and around Lynden
The Whatcom County Council will propose changes to Lynden’s electoral boundaries at their regularly scheduled meeting today.
According to the county councilors, the changes have become necessary because the city of Lynden annexed over 36 acres of land from the county last year, and has continued to sustain steady population growth. Over 16,000 people currently live within city limits. Whatcom County law dictates that precinct boundaries should contain a maximum of 1,500 registered voters.
If approved, the proposal would split the 128th precinct, covering property north and east of Lynden, into four sections. In addition, the 611th precinct, to the south and west, would divide into two sections.
The boundaries for county, legislative, and electoral elections would not change.
STORY: AG’s office joins coalition in support of law firms targeted by Trump executive orders
The Washington State Attorney General’s Office announced yesterday it would join 21 other states in a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s current actions against law firms.
Recent executive orders from President Trump target two particular firms in the District of Columbia Court District whose advocacy, clients, and staff he claims are a threat to national security. Washington Attorney General Nick Brown compared the president’s actions to an attack on the rule of law.
In a recent press release, the coalition claimed Trump’s executive orders are unconstitutional, and are motivated by a personal dislike for the law firms. They say their goal is to maintain a judicial system that is free to support controversial cases or unpopular clients.
STORY: Ferguson to appeal FEMA denial of WA bomb cyclone relief
The Trump administration denied Washington state’s request for federal disaster relief following last year’s destructive bomb cyclone, which caused tens of millions of dollars in damage.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a brief, one-page letter on Friday stating that federal assistance “is not warranted,” without further explanation.
Governor Bob Ferguson announced plans to appeal the decision, calling it quote “another troubling example of the federal government withholding funding” unquote.
Last November’s storm caused widespread destruction; it damaged hundreds of homes and businesses, and left large areas without power. Additionally, two people were killed by the storm. Then-Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency across multiple counties, unlocking one million dollars in state recovery funds for King, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties. Low-interest federal disaster loans were also made available in several others.
Locally, Whatcom County saw at least 16 homes damaged in Sudden Valley, with six families displaced. However, the county did not meet FEMA’s damage threshold to qualify for federal assistance.
The state has 30 days to submit an appeal. FEMA indicated it would work with Washington officials to identify additional damage information and
explore alternative assistance options through other federal agencies or volunteer organizations.
FEMA also canceled full reimbursement to North Carolina on the same day for its ongoing response to Hurricane Helene (huh-LEAN), fueling accusations of political bias as both states are led by Democratic governors.
WX: All the Bright Stuff
And now for the weather:
A brief stint of morning clouds is expected to give way to a warm, mostly sunny afternoon, with highs around 60 degrees. The skies should continue to clear as the afternoon wears on, leaving us with a mostly cloudless evening with lows dropping down to around 40 degrees.
More sunshine is expected tomorrow, so hurrah for all the iguanas in the audience.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren) and Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg). 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. Check out
our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening.
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STORY: Trackside to reopen in coming weeks
Kulshan Brewing Company’s Trackside Beer Garden will re-open for its fifth season on May 2nd.
Located on the Bellingham waterfront, Trackside is known for its laid-back vibe, wide beer selection, and strong community atmosphere. The 25,000-square-foot outdoor space features 20 taps of local beer, cider, and nonalcoholic drinks, live music every Friday and Saturday, and is family and dog-friendly. Guests are welcome to bring their own food or grab a bite from nearby food trucks.
Trackside will be open from Monday through Thursday from 3-to-9 p.m., and on weekends from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.