Whatcom County Primary Update, MIPA in place for man last seen leaving Bellingham hospital, Two Anacortes refineries fined over $1.3 million each for improper waste management, Auditor seeks volunteers for Nov voters pamphlets, AG enforces new housing law, yielding refunds, $212 million allocated for affordable rental housing, 20 WA school superintendents convene to re-envision state’s “broken,” K-12 model, Abbotsford Air Show this weekend, Free or Cheap (Kill 9/12)
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, August 7th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Whatcom County Primary Update
Ballots are nearly all counted in Whatcom County’s August primary, with a 30 percent voter turnout. As of 5 p.m. yesterday, about 33 ballots remained uncounted.
In County Council races, Elizabeth Boyle will likely face Maya Morales (mo-RAH-liz) in District 2 this November. Incumbent Tyler Byrd lost his District 3 seat; Jessica Rienstra (reen-STRAH) will challenge Kyle Christensen for Byrd’s seat. Ken Bell and Carly James will compete for Port of Bellingham Commissioner.
Finally, two local levies passed: South Whatcom Fire Authority and Whatcom County Rural Library District.
The next election update is set for August 18th, with certification scheduled a day later.
STORY: MIPA in place for man last seen leaving Bellingham hospital
The State Patrol has issued a Missing Indigenous Person Alert for a man last seen in Bellingham.
71-year-old Nathan Roy was last seen walking away from St. Joseph Medical Center on Sunday. Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing about 220 pounds, Roy has white hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a shirt and sweatpants.
Authorities are asking anyone with information on his whereabouts to call 9-1-1.
STORY: Two Anacortes refineries fined over $1.3 million each for improper waste management
The Department of Ecology has fined two Anacortes refineries for improper waste management.
According to Ecology, the two refineries, HollyFrontier Sinclair and Tesoro, have been warned about this issue for nearly a year. Both facilities were storing large amounts of waste in unsafe ways that could harm the environment.
Sinclair had an overflow of waste water that leaked into the spill containment area in 2023. The area was not designed to hold hazardous substances. It wasn’t cleaned for 11 months, which caused damage to the liner and a potential environmental contamination. Sinclair will have to pay a little over $1.3 million.
Tesoro’s penalty is related to the company’s management of a 150,000-gallon pond that held spent sulfuric acid from industrial processes at its Marathon Anacortes refinery. The waste water had the same acidity level as battery acid, which could’ve leaked through the pond and caused an environmental issue. Inspectors eventually flagged the issue, but it took Tesoro nine months to attempt a solution. They were penalized nearly $1.4 million.
STORY: Auditor seeks volunteers for Nov voters pamphlets
The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office is now seeking volunteers to serve on “against” committees for several local ballot measures in the November voters’ pamphlet.
Committees are needed to write statements opposing various county charter amendments, school district levies, and fire district tax measures. Since some districts did not appoint these committee members, state law directs the Auditor to find and appoint up to three people for each committee.
For details and ballot resolutions, visit the Whatcom County Auditor website.
STORY: AG enforces new housing law, yielding refunds
Washington’s new rent stabilization law is being enforced for the first time.
Attorney General Nick Brown announced that his office has reached agreements with eight landlords across the state who violated the law.
The landlords — who own properties in cities including Bothell, Edmonds, Kennewick, and Yakima — agreed to cancel illegal rent increases and refund tenants any excess rent. More than 250 households are covered by resolutions that were filed in courts across five counties.
The law, signed in May, caps annual rent increases for most tenants and took effect immediately. Landlords who raised rents beyond the cap after May 7th are now being held accountable.
Brown says protecting tenants under this new law is part of broader efforts to address Washington’s housing crisis. Lawmakers behind the bill say enforcement is essential, and that this is how the law was meant to work.
Tenants who believe they’ve been affected by unlawful rent hikes can file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.
STORY: $212 million allocated for affordable rental housing
And in more housing news, Washington state leaders are allocating $212 million for affordable rental housing.
Governor Bob Ferguson and the Department of Commerce say the money will help close the housing gap across the state by supporting new affordable rental projects.
Funding comes from several programs, including the state Housing Trust Fund and federal sources. Research from the Department of Commerce shows that the state needs more than a million new homes in the next 20 years in order to meet need and anticipated growth, and more than half of those must be affordable to people earning less than 50% of the median family income.
STORY: 20 WA school superintendents convene to re-envision state’s “broken,” K-12 model
Two Whatcom County school leaders are helping lead a statewide effort to reform how Washington funds K-thru-12 education.
Cascadia Daily News reports that Ferndale Superintendent Kristi Dominguez and Meridian Superintendent James Everett have joined a group of more than 20 superintendents from across the state. The group says the current funding model is broken, and that it’s leaving school districts like theirs struggling to meet student needs.
Ferndale cut $6 million from its budget this year. Meridian cut $1 million — after cutting $2 million last year. Dominguez said there’s something broken in the system, adding that Washington’s funding model follows staffing formulas rather than student needs.
The group plans to develop a proposal by October to present to state lawmakers. They’re working with education experts from the University of Washington.
STORY: Abbotsford Air Show this weekend
Two F‑35 fighter jets turned heads over Bellingham last night, sending social media into a frenzy as they roared across the sky. Some lucky residents even snapped photos of the rare sight.
The jets are part of this weekend’s Abbotsford International Airshow, running Friday through Sunday. Performers include the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the F‑35 Lightning II Demo Team, Ghostwriter Nate Hammond, and Wingwalker Sam.
The event features more than 350,000 square feet of military and civilian aircraft displays, where spectators can meet pilots and explore aircraft inside and out.
On the ground, over 40 food trucks will offer a wide range of eats — from festival classics to international favorites. There’s also an interactive STEM Zone, with flight simulators and activities for aviation fans of all ages.
For details, schedules, and tickets, visit abbotsfordairshow.com.
WX: Jean Grey, followed by Jean Mostly Blue
And now for the weather:
We’re looking at some A.M. rain petering out around mid-morning today, followed by some gradually emergent partial sunshine. Daytime highs are projected in the upper-60s today, alongside a max U.V. index rating of 5. We can expect the partial cloudiness to persist into this evening, wherein we’ll see temperatures fall to lows in the mid-50s.
Tomorrow looks to return us to the glory days of consistent sunshine. Hurrah!
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THARE-un) Danielson, Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Bella Mae, Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Nate Landi (LAND-ee) and Hailey LeRoy (luh-ROY). 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: Free or Cheap (Kill 9/12)
https://www.whatcomcd.org/run-with-the-chums — Sat, Sept. 13
Mark your calendars for the 13th Annual Run with the Chums on September 13th at BP Highlands in Birch Bay.
This free, family-friendly 5K fun run celebrates salmon, clean water, and community. All ages and paces are welcome, and the scenic course offers stunning views of Whatcom County’s shoreline.
Kids 10 and under can enjoy the Smolt Sprint obstacle course starting at 9:30 a.m., with the 5K kicking off at 10.
Check-in opens at 8:30 a.m.—arrive early for a free T-shirt while supplies last.
