Easy Fire continues to grow despite rain, new Ruby Fire sparks in southeastern Whatcom County, Mount Vernon police searching for person of interest in last week’s fatal Concrete house fire, Bellingham airport deputy director resigns one month after director’s firing, New Ferndale Civic Campus is reportedly almost fully designed and financed, WA falling short on childcare provider subsidies, Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Cantwell among lawmakers opposing Albertsons-Kroger merger
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, August 15th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Easy Fire continues to grow despite rain, new Ruby Fire sparks in southeastern Whatcom County
Despite the best efforts of firefighters and nearly two inches of rain, the Easy Fire has grown to over two-thousand acres.
According to an update this morning from InciWeb, 300 firefighters have been assigned to help contain it. And surprisingly, the rain may have actually made the situation worse. Recent rainfall caused a mudslide in the fire burn scar, sending mud, rocks, trees and other debris across Highway 20.
Another large fire, known as the Ruby Fire, which was caused by lightning last Friday, has quickly become another major problem for firefighters. An update from Inciweb this morning indicates that in less than a week the fire has grown to 820 acres with 0% containment, and has 50 personnel assigned to fight it. Experts expect the Ruby Fire to spread in all directions, growing by up to 500 more acres in the next three days.
According to InciWeb, the Easy Fire is expected to be contained in early September, but the estimate for containment of the Ruby Fire is Halloween.
STORY: Mount Vernon police searching for person of interest in last week’s fatal Concrete house fire
A person of interest has been identified in connection to last Friday’s fatal residential fire.
According to a news release from the Mount Vernon Police Department, a two-story residence south of Rockport was destroyed in the fire with surrounding buildings and vehicles sustaining extensive damage.
Three victims recovered from the scene of the house fire are undergoing forensic examination and are expected to be identified later this week. Along with the three victims, the Mount Vernon Police Department now believes there was a fourth person at the residence in the time leading up to the fire.
49-year-old Jason Birman was identified by a vehicle that investigators say is missing from the scene of the fire. Birman is the owner of a blue 1994 Chevrolet pickup truck with Washington plates. He is described as an avid four-wheeler who frequents Skagit and Whatcom counties.
Anyone with information on Birman’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Mount Vernon Police Department through their tipline.
STORY: Bellingham airport deputy director resigns one month after director’s firing
Staff turnover at the Bellingham Airport continues.
Emily Philippe (fill-EE-pay), the airport’s deputy director of aviation, has resigned from her position after 15 years working for the Port of Bellingham. Her last day at BLI was Tuesday, just weeks after Kip Turner, the airport’s former aviation director, was dismissed by the Port supposedly due to financial reasons.
According to the Port’s Executive Director, Rob Fix, Philippe initially put in her three-week’s notice after accepting another job, but the port decided to let her go immediately quote “out of an abundance of caution” unquote.
Philippe’s departure came just days after Southwest Airlines ended flights at Bellingham Airport. According to Port data, the airport lost nearly 40% of its business after Southwest’s departure.
STORY: New Ferndale Civic Campus is reportedly almost fully designed and financed
The new Ferndale Civic Campus is reportedly almost fully designed and financed.
City documents indicate that the nearly 19,000-square foot facility will be designed to accommodate a variety of municipal functions. The building, which will house Ferndale’s City Hall, Municipal Court and City Council, will include conference rooms; screens in all three lobbies, as well as a self-help kiosk that will allow residents to access information and pay their utility bills. The building would also have a secure entryway, also known as a sallyport, in the garage, and a secure elevator to transport prisoners to court.
According to the Ferndale Mayor Greg Hansen, 85% of the design phase has been completed, and is also close to being fully financed. The city of Ferndale has set aside nearly $4 million for the project, and extra money will be provided through state and federal grants.
STORY: WA falling short on childcare provider subsidies
A recent report from Washington’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families reveals that despite state subsidies, many families in Washington still cannot afford child care.
The report, titled the Cost of Quality Child Care and Market Rate Study, outlines key issues regarding childcare, such as inadequate subsidy rates, higher costs for younger children, staffing shortages, and legislative challenges.
State law mandates that child care providers be reimbursed at 85% of the market rate, but the report finds that current subsidy rates are far below this benchmark. In some cases, the difference is as much as $900 per month. Additionally, caring for younger children is more expensive due to higher staff-to-child ratios and more stringent licensing requirements. The report also states that many child care centers are not operating at full capacity, with significant vacancies due to staffing shortages.
Child care advocates are urging the Legislature to increase subsidy reimbursement rates to allow providers to pay living wages and offer benefits like sick leave, retirement contributions, and professional development.
While the report does not include specific recommendations it recognizes the importance of future policy discussions that include input from providers, and warns that making changes to meet state mandates could be costly for the state.
STORY: Rep. Jayapal and Sen. Cantwell among lawmakers opposing Albertsons-Kroger merger
Opposition to the proposed $25 billion merger between Kroger and Albertsons has intensified.
Over two dozen U.S. lawmakers, led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal and Senators Maria Cantwell and Ron Wyden, filed a legal brief supporting the Federal Trade Commission’s request to temporarily block the deal. The lawmakers share the FTC’s concerns that the merger could reduce competition, leading to higher prices for consumers and less bargaining power for union workers.
The merger requires federal and state approval and has faced legal challenges from Washington and Colorado, as well as skepticism about the effectiveness of selling stores to C&S Wholesale Grocers to maintain competition. Critics question whether C&S, primarily a wholesaler, can effectively operate the divested stores.
Kroger has assured that no stores will close and that employees will retain their jobs and benefits, but the merger remains contentious, particularly in Washington state, where Kroger and Albertsons have a significant presence.
The FTC will ask a federal court in Oregon to halt the merger temporarily, with some experts predicting that Kroger and Albertsons might abandon the deal if the injunction is granted. The lawmakers’ brief emphasizes the merger’s importance to consumers and workers, underscoring the significant impact it could have on the region.
The proposed merger has not yet been approved by regulators.
WX: Partly sunny
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Today’s weather is expected to be partly sunny, with a high in the low 70s. Expect calm south-southwest winds gusting up to 17 mph, and a nighttime low in the mid to high 50s. Tomorrow is expected to be much the same, with a slightly cooler high of around 71.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman (COOL-mun), Carlee Schram (CAR-lee SHRAM), Tristan Trudell, Kyler Cantrell, Anna Vickers, and Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson. 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. Check out our Patreon page or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thank you for listening.
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