PeaceHealth to restore palliative care after criticism, Air quality “unhealthy” for Parts of Whatcom County, Tokitae’s ashes will return to Salish Sea without consult from Lummi Nation, Birch Bay construction work to begin August 28th, Blood Donations urgently needed, New Legal hotline for minors, Free and Cheap
______________________________
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, 25th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: PeaceHealth to restore palliative care after criticism
After facing criticism from both patients and the local community, PeaceHealth in Whatcom County has made the decision to reinstate its outpatient palliative care program.
The move follows discussions held between PeaceHealth and the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Foundation. Specific details regarding the program’s relaunch are not currently available, however Peace Health says its primary objective is to develop an outpatient palliative care program that is sustainable and scalable.
Peace Health says the end-of-life program ended on May 26th due to financial constraints, resulting in the retention of only a limited in-home care staff. The decision to terminate the palliative program was met with strong disapproval from patients and onlookers who believed the closing contradicted PeaceHealth’s mission and commitments to its donors.
PeaceHealth also closed its allergy clinic and overnight sleep lab earlier this year.
STORY: Air quality “unhealthy” for parts of Whatcom County
The air quality in parts of Whatcom County continues to be unhealthy today, as more smoke from the wildfires in the North Cascades makes its way into the region overnight.
N95 masks are strongly suggested for those planning to spend time outside, and people– especially those in sensitive groups– are encouraged to invest in an air purifier or a simple box fan filter in order to keep more particles from entering their lungs.
STORY: Tokitae’s ashes will return to Salish Sea without consult from Lummi Nation
The orca known as Tokitae (Toh-kuh-tay) is coming home to the Salish Sea, but not as intended or expected.
After the orca died earlier this week, a necropsy was performed at the University of Georgia to determine the cause of death, her body was cut into pieces to make a preserved skeleton for display at a later time, and her body was cremated.
The Lummi Nation, who consider orca to be their relatives, has expressed shock and displeasure at the actions taken by the Miami Seaquarium. Lummi elder and activist Raynell (ray-NELL) Morris says the nation wanted the orca’s body to be returned intact so the nation could give her a funeral in their tradition.
Despite the lack of consultation, Morris flew out to Miami as soon as she heard the news and will fly back with Tokitae’s ashes.
STORY: Birch Bay Drive construction work to begin August 28th
Construction work on Birch Bay Drive is due to start at 7AM on Monday.
Drivers can work slowdowns due to intermittent shoulder and partial lane closures along the waterfront road for the next three weeks, except for Labor Day.
STORY: Blood donations urgently needed
The Washington State Department of Health and Northwest Blood Coalition are urging people to donate blood now to avoid a summer blood shortage.
The summer months are often referred to by first responders as the “100 Deadliest Days” due to a seasonal spike in car accidents which results in a constant demand for blood at a time when donations typically go down.
Despite opening donor eligibility guidelines on August 7th by removing restrictions based on sexual orientation, the Red Cross has seen a shortfall of about 25,000 blood donations nationwide during the summer and does not expect to meet the needs of patients in the Northwest this month. Smoke and unhealthy air conditions canceled several blood drives, making matters even worse.
To learn more about where you can go to donate blood, visit the Vitalant, Cascade Regional Blood Services, Bloodworks Northwest, or American Red Cross websites.
STORY: New legal hotline for minors
A new legal hotline has helped minors in Washington state consult with lawyers before being questioned or searched by police.
The new hotline, a product of a law passed in 2021, aims to ensure young people are informed before they waive those rights. The hotline is staffed by seven attorneys from the Office of Public Defense, with four on call at any given time. One goal of the hotline is to reduce the chance of kids being pressured into making false confessions.
As of last fall, Washington was one of only three states to enact laws requiring that youth speak to an attorney before police can interrogate them.
STORY: Free and cheap
Looking for free and cheap things to do this weekend?
Tonight, Boulevard Park will have another free, family-friendly concert starting at 6. The High Mountain String Band will be performing bluegrass music and Edaleen Dairy will be there selling treats. The Bellingham Farmers Market will also be happening downtown from 10-2. For something more nature-related, a salmon sighting event will be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday by the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association at the Thompson Creek Bridge. The sighting is free and starts at 10 am.
Tomorrow, Waffles in Paradise will be hosting the PNWaffle Festival at the Commercial Street Plaza downtown from 11 to 5. There will be live music, art, and of course waffles. Admission is free. For movie goers, The Princess Bride will be screened at the Fairhaven Village Green starting at dusk. Tickets are 7 dollars.
On Sunday, The Majestic Ballroom will be having their weekly salsa dance classes at 6 with open dance from 7 to 8. The lessons are 7 dollars per person.
WX: Haze and heat
This weekend is going to be hot, with temperatures reaching the mid-80s. Smoke from the nearby Blue Lake fire and the Sourdough fire has made its way to western Whatcom County, creating a haze that will make the temperature feel hotter than it is. Today, the high will be 80* and the overnight low is expected to be 61*. We can expect to see some smoke clearing by the end of the weekend and a potential storm as early as Monday.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Susan Lindsey, Emma Toscani and Carlos Braga. 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. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening.
###
