First confirmed death due to ‘tranq’, Ferndale Farmstead wins cheese award, Ferndale Farmstead wins cheese award, City announces collaboration with local solar nonprofit, New City minimum wage goes into effect May 1st, Cost of Plantation Rifle Range cleanup could rise, Ferndale Farmstead wins cheese award, WA state announces changes in highway construction due to deaths, EPA denies request for stricter standards
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, April 8th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: First confirmed death due to ‘tranq’
Officials from the Whatcom County Health Department have announced the county’s first tranq-related death (TRANK).
Tranq, a slang term for xylazine (ZY-luh-zeen), is described by the Center for Disease Control as “a nonopioid sedative”. The drug has been increasingly detected in illegal fentanyl drug products and overdose deaths. As xylazine is not an opioid, life-saving medications such as Narcan do not reverse its effects.
A statement by Whatcom County said that toxicology results found multiple drugs were present, including fentanyl and methamphetamines. The identity of the deceased person has not been released.
STORY: Ferndale Farmstead wins cheese award
Ferndale Farmstead, announced that their cheese has won several awards at the World Champion Cheese contest.
The Contest, organized by the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, is a prestigious global competition for cheese, butter, and yogurt. Ferndale Farmstead was started by the Wavrin family in 2015 and is considered a seed-to-cheese farm– they feed the cows that give the milk to make the cheese.
The farm was recognized for four cheeses in the contest, and won first place for their smoked provolone – beating out Wisconsin and South Dakota.
STORY: City announces collaboration with local solar nonprofit
The City of Bellingham has announced efforts to promote adoption of solar panels as part of its efforts to achieve carbon neutrality.
To help homeowners interested in installing the technology on their homes, the city is collaborating with Solarize Whatcom, a non-profit group purchasing program. The aim is to simplify the process of going solar and make it more accessible. Residents can receive a free home assessment, access discounted prices on solar equipment, and choose from vetted local installers.
STORY: New City minimum wage goes into effect May 1st
Starting May 1st, employers within Bellingham city limits must pay their employees the new city minimum wage of $17.28.
The change comes after Bellingham voters passed an initiative last November to establish a city minimum wage. Additional increases will be linked to increases in the Washington State minimum wage. Additional information can be found on the city’s website.
STORY: Cost of Plantation Rifle Range cleanup could rise
Cleanup of lead at the Plantation Rifle Range could cost taxpayers more than the County originally thought.
The original estimate for lead removal at the range was $1 million dollars. The current estimate has risen to between $6.5 and $13.8 million dollars, according to recent information from Whatcom County Parks & Recreation Operations Manager Christ Thomsen. Besides the lead mitigation, some of the additional cost will come from a redesign of the range, intended to limit future accumulations in the soil and in wetlands on the site. Final estimates won’t be known until Kane Environmental consulting completes a site characterization study. Last Thursday, Thomsen (who is also the Cleanup Project Manager) said the numbers should be available by early summer.
The Plantation Rifle Range has been closed since November 2022. The range has been operated by Whatcom County Parks since the early 1970s.
STORY: WA state announces changes in highway construction due to deaths
The Washington State Department of Transportation announced it will be changing its construction procedures to help alleviate the number of fatalities in road crews.
According to WSDOT (WASH-dot) 61 workers have been killed while working on the roads since 1950. Despite an average of more than 1,200 crashes in highway work zones annually, the severity of these incidents has escalated due to increased reckless driving, particularly speeding and distractions.
Governor Jay Inslee addressed the issue at a recent memorial event, and has signed a bill to expand speed camera usage in work zones. In addition, the Department of Transportation will adjust work schedules and lane closures to enhance worker safety.
STORY: EPA denies request for stricter standards
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rejected a request from the Washington State Department of Ecology to tighten limits on harmful chemicals.
Washington state lawmakers previously mandated the department of Ecology petition the EPA for stricter federal PCB limits. Despite Washington’s efforts to lower polychlorinated biphenyls– also known as PCBs– that enter the state’s waterways, the EPA deemed the change unnecessary at this time, citing insufficient evidence. This decision comes despite bipartisan support in Washington to address PCB pollution, which poses risks to salmon and other aquatic life as well as human health.
Despite the setback, both the Ecology department and supporters of the legislation remain committed to reducing PCBs, encouraging voluntary measures from manufacturers and retailers.
WX: Sun
Your Whatcom County weather – We’ll have rain for the rest of the day, continuing on into the evening. The high today is 48 degrees, winds 10-20 mph, with an overnight low near 45. Tomorrow, expect more rain, with some scattered sun breaks.
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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