First responders rescue driver after 50-foot fall of Mount Baker Highway, Search for missing climber in North Cascades National Park suspended after discovery of human remains next to tent, Newly christened Little Squalicum Pier could open by spring 2025, Whatcom County adding 1,600 acres to Stewart Mountain Community Forest, Whatcom homeless rate stays steady
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, August 27th. Good afternoon,
I’m ______.
STORY: First responders rescue driver after 50-foot fall of Mount Baker Highway
First responders rescued an unconscious woman from a vehicle that had driven off the road and plummeted 50 feet off Mount Baker Highway, near milepost 51.
According to Fire District 14 Chief Jerry DeBruin, rescuers were able to free the woman from her car and help her back up to the road using rope gear. District 19 also responded to the incident, according to DeBruin.
The driver was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center but only suffered minor injuries.
STORY: Search for missing climber in North Cascades National Park suspended after discovery of human remains next to tent
The search for a climber who was reported missing on August 22nd has been suspended, after human remains were found next to his tent on Sunday.
According to a missing person report from the National Park Service, 42-year-old Daniel Gabriel was climbing Mount Shuksan via the Fisher Chimneys route and was expected to return by August 23rd. He was reported missing to rangers last Thursday, the 22nd.
While park officials continue to work to identify and recover the remains, incident commander for the search, James Page, said he is unable to say anything about the cause of death.
Another missing hiker, 39-year-old Robert Shock, is still the subject of an ongoing search after being reported missing on August 5th. He was last seen at the 5-mile mark of the Chilliwack River Trail with his dog Freddy. Freddy was found on August 4th around the 8-mile mark by a forest ranger who brought the dog to Whatcom County Humane Society.
Shock is 5-foot-10 with a muscular build. He has dark brown hair, a beard, and usually wears a baseball cap. He has blue eyes and olive skin. If you’ve seen Shock or have any information on his potential whereabouts, please call the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.
STORY: Newly christened Little Squalicum Pier could open by spring 2025
The pier at Little Squalicum Park in north Bellingham Bay has finally been named.
The City of Bellingham received more than 900 submissions from the public for the potential name of the pier. Submissions ranged from “Piery McPierface” to the “Pier of Subdued Excitement”. In the end, the city council opted for a more simple approach.
The newly-named “Little Squalicum Pier” has been a top priority for the city for many years and is part of the Little Squalicum Park Master Plan adopted in 2010, the Shoreline Master Program, as well as the Parks and Recreation Open Space Plan. In a 2023 update to the plans, the city said that more access to the waterfront, in every form, has always been a desire of Bellingham residents.
The pier could open as a pedestrian walkway by next Spring.
STORY: Whatcom County adding 1,600 acres to Stewart Mountain Community Forest
Whatcom County announced they will expand the Stewart Mountain Community Forest by 1,600 acres, thanks to a $3 million state grant.
The County Council, acting as the Flood Control Zone District Board of Supervisors, approved the funding in a close 4-3 vote, along party lines. The expansion is part of a larger plan to increase the forest to 5,550 acres, with a total of 2,600 acres to be acquired in the second phase. The goal of the forest, established in 2022, is to protect the area while still allowing limited commercial logging. Home to diverse wildlife, the additional land will support long-term forest health, local jobs, and the production of high-quality wood products.
At the County Council meeting last night, Councilmember Jon Scanlon, who voted in favor of the purchase, highlighted the environmental benefits, which includes improved water quality in Lake Whatcom and the Nooksack River. Speaking against the purchase, Councilmember Mark Stremler said that the County has much more pressing issues than maintaining logging roads, thinning forests, and keeping culverts open. Tyler Byrd, Ben Elenbaas and Mark Stremler voted against the acquisition.
The land will be managed by Whatcom County in partnership with organizations like the Whatcom Land Trust, the Evergreen Land Trust, and the Nooksack Indian Tribe.
STORY: Whatcom homeless rate stays steady
A new ‘snapshot in time’ report by Whatcom County Health and Community Services says that the rate of homelessness in Whatcom County seems steady.
The report, produced in collaboration with the Opportunity Council, says that between 2023-24, the rate of people becoming homeless kept pace with the rate of people finding housing. The report says lack of affordable housing and low wages-compared-to-cost-of-living are the primary factors. According to the report, over half of the county’s renters are cost-burdened, putting them at higher risk of homelessness in case of financial emergencies. In addition, a record number of households sought housing services in 2023, but only about 20% received referrals due to a shortage of affordable housing due to the lack of available resources, leading to many eligible households being denied assistance.
Although the Point-in-Time-Count is traditionally used to track trends, it has limitations in accurately counting unsheltered homelessness. This year’s report also utilizes Housing Pool data to estimate and describe unsheltered homelessness, which is considered more reliable.
The report also emphasizes the need for increased investment in homelessness prevention services, affordable housing, and service-enriched shelter beds.
WX: Partly sunny
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Today’s weather will see sunny skies in the afternoon. Daytime highs will be in the mid-60s, with calm southwestern winds, and a nighttime low right around 50.
Tomorrow– expect to see a return to warm sunshine, with highs getting back up to around 70.
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, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick, and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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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