The Wandering ‘Hamster

INTROIndependent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for [Wednesday], [May 17th]. Good afternoon,I’m __. STORY: SPECIAL SESSION ENDS IN ONE DAYState lawmakers came together on a plan yesterday to make drug use anddrug possession a gross misdemeanor in the state. KUOW reports that the special session ended in just one day, with GovernorJay Inslee signing the bill not long after it was passed. Under the new law,first and second time offenses would be given a maximum penalty of 180days in jail and up to a thousand dollar fine. On the third offense, it would goup to 364 days in jail.  A State Supreme Court decision had effectively decriminalized drugpossession and public use in 2021 when it struck down the state’s felonystatute as unconstitutional. A temporary law was set to expire in July.  STORY: SETH FLEETWOOD TO RUN FOR REELECTIONBellingham Mayor Seth Fleetwood has announced he will run for reelection.  Fleetwood is an attorney who served on the Whatcom County Council andthe Bellingham City Council before he was elected as mayor in 2020 andbegan his position not long before the pandemic. He says his work while in office to maintain essential public services,address the housing affordability and homelessness crisis, and promotebusiness growth has improved livability in the city. Among his challengers for the position are Kim Lund, former director of theBellingham Public Schools Foundation; Mike McAuley, a former portcommissioner; and Chris McCoy, who founded Kombucha Town.  STORY: ALICIA RULE ANNOUNCES RUN FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVE Washington State Representative Alicia Rule has announced her run forcounty executive. Alicia Rule has been elected twice to represent the 42ndlegislative district, which covers most of Whatcom County, and has beenserving since 2020. Rule previously worked as a mental health worker and owns a smalltherapy practice. She served as a city councilmember in Blaine and aspresident of the Blaine Downtown Development Association. She says she wants to address homelessness and increase behavioralhealth support in the county. Rule joins incumbent Satpal Sidhu and county councilmember BarryBuchanan in the race for county executive.  STORY: SKAGIT DIALYSIS CLINIC MANAGER CONVICTED OF FRAUDThe manager of two dialysis centers in Skagit county was sentenced to 30months in prison today.U.S. Attorney Nick Brown announced that Jeanne Ang Rather, 51, a formerWashington resident, was sentenced today to 30 months in prison. Rather ischarged with Aggravated Identity Theft and Bank Fraud.In May 2021 Rather was indicted for stealing personal information from atleast 10 people who worked under her between September 2019 and March STORY: B.C. SENDS CANCER PATIENTS TO BELLINGHAMStarting May 29th, BC Cancer will temporarily refer eligible patients to clinicsin Bellingham.   The initiative is aimed at reducing wait times and increasing capacity forradiation treatments. The program hopes to support up to 50 additionalpatients per week and benefit approximately 4,800 people over two years.British Columbia is also expanding cancer care by through adding morecancer centers, upgrading existing facilities, and hiring more healthcarestaff. The goal is to meet growing demand and improve outcomes forpatients by providing vital radiation therapy. Eligible patients will have allcosts covered by Canadian health, including travel and accommodation. STORY: “High Court Examines Domestic Violence Survivors Right to ShieldRecords”Yesterday, the Washington state Supreme Court heard a case that involvesthe rights of employees to shield public records if they are survivors ofdomestic violence or sexual assault.Eric Tegethoff has the story.[WNS Audio: 1:48] WX:And now, here’s today’s forecast. We’ll reach a high of 76 degrees inBellingham this afternoon with clear skies expected all day. Plan on warm weather TO CONTINUE as temperatures should only reach a low of 60degrees tonight. More heat is on the way, tomorrow afternoon we’ll see a high of 74, and aswe approach the weekend more sunshine is anticipated.

MAY 17, 2023 NEWS TRANSCRIPTRead More

INTROIndependent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for [Tuesday], [May 16th]. Good afternoon, I’m__. STORY: SPECIAL SESSION BEGINSWashington lawmakers are reconvening today for business left unfinishedfrom their regular session: tackling the public use of drugs in the state. Drug possession and use essentially became decriminalized by the stateSupreme Court in 2021 with the Blake decision and a temporary law on drugpossession is set to expire July first. The Seattle Times reports that lawmakers unveiled a plan yesterday tomake drug possession and public drug use a gross misdemeanor. Under theplan, first and second time offenses would be given a maximum penalty of180 days in jail and up to a one thousand dollar fine. On the third offense, itwould go up to 364 days in jail. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have been negotiating forweeks on the policy after a similar one failed in April, leading to the specialsession which began this morning.  STORY: ALICIA RULE TO RUN FOR COUNTY EXECUTIVEWashington State Representative Alicia Rule has announced her run forcounty executive. Alicia Rule has been elected twice to represent the 42ndlegislative district, which covers most of Whatcom County, serving since2020. Rule has worked as a mental health worker and owns a small therapypractice. She served as a city councilmember in Blaine and as president ofthe Blaine Downtown Development Association. She says she wants to address homelessness and increase behavioralhealth support in the county.Rule joins incumbent Satpal Sidhu and county councilmember BarryBuchanan in the race for county executive.  STORY: KRAKEN OUT AFTER GOOD RUNThe Seattle Kraken’s first postseason run ended last night. While tied in theirsecond series yesterday, the Kraken lost to the Dallas Stars. The game wastied 1 – 1 when Dallas rookie Wyatt Johnston scored with 18 seconds left inthe game, allowing the Dallas Stars to move into the Western conferencefinals.  Though they didn’t advance, the Kraken displayed a strong second year ofexistence. In their first playoff series, the Kraken defeated the ColoradoAvalanche, who won the 2022 Stanley Cup. STORY: NEW ORCA BILL SIGNED; VOLUNTEERS NEEDEDIn Olympia yesterday, Governor Jay Inslee signed new legislation creating amandatory one thousand yard vessel buffer around Southern Resident KillerWhales. The goal of the legislation is to protect orca pods from vessel noiseand disturbance; the new requirement will go into effect on January first,2025.The new bill also needs your help. The law directs that the WashingtonDepartment of Fish and Wildlife  must form a voluntary advisory group tohelp inform the development, outreach and education that will need to bedone to enforce the new legislation.The Center for Whale Research recorded that the Southern Resident KillerWhale population was at just 73 individuals last year. Killer Whales havebeen  listed as endangered since the start of the Endangered Species Act in2005.Even though the new law doesn’t go into effect until 2025, Fish and Wildlifemanagers still strongly encourage any boaters to give Southern ResidentOrcas as much space as possible. Currently the law states vehicles must stay a minimum of 300 yards away and at least 400 yards of the path in frontof or behind the orcas.The thousand yard rule applies exclusively to the Southern Resident KillerWhales. Fish and Wildlife encourages anyone interested in witnessing theKiller Whales to consider shore-based viewings as it poses significantly lessrisk to wildlife.Fish and Wildlife is accepting applications to volunteer through June 9th.Those interested are encouraged to review the Orca RegulationsCommunications Advisory Group website where they can find moreinformation. STORY: REPORT ON FOSTER YOUTHSTeenagers in foster care in the state face unique challenges as theytransition to adulthood. Eric Tegethoff has the story.  WNS AUDIO WX:And now, today’s weather. Thankfully for most of us the heat is beginning toback off today. We should see a high of 71 around 4pm today with mostly sunny skies accompanying the cool off. Tonight we can expect a low ofaround 62 degrees with even more clear skies. Tomorrow, it’ll be a bit warmer with a high of 76 that should reachBellingham around 3pm. Be ready for it to drop down to around 60 in thelate evening as well.

MAY 16, 2023 NEWS TRANSCRIPTRead More

INTRO Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for [Monday], [May 15th]. Good afternoon, I’m ______.  STORY: BIDEN TO OPEN LANDS TO CONSERVATION LEASES The Biden administration is proposing to prioritize conserving government-owned lands alongside oil drilling, livestock grazing, and other interests.  In an interview with the Associated Press, Tracy Stone-Manning, director of the Bureau of Land Management, explained that the changes aim to address the increasing pressures of climate change and development.  The proposal would create a framework that would allow conservationists and others to lease federally owned land so it can be restored and would work similarly to cattle grazing, where land is leased as it is being used. Stone-Manning also explained that the federal government has leased its land out like this before, but there’s never been a dedicated program for it.  Republican lawmakers are heavily criticizing the proposal, arguing that it would ultimately just exclude businesses such as mining, agriculture, or energy development.  The Biden administration is facing pressure to allow more drilling, but the proposed rule aims to strike a balance between conservation and other uses of federal lands. Environmentalists generally support the changes, though they emphasize the need for careful consideration of potential unintended consequences. Public meetings and discussions are being held to gather feedback on the proposal.  STORY: INTERNATIONAL TRAVELERS NO LONGER NEED COVID-19 SHOT People traveling to the United States no longer need to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19. The Biden administration ended the requirement last week for air travelers, and the Department of Homeland Security soon followed by ending the requirement at border entries and ferry ports.  Canada ended their vaccination requirement in October.  STORY: WSDA RAMPS UP ASSAULT AGAINST JAPANESE BEETLE A year after the invasive Japanese beetle was found in Washington, the State Department of Agriculture is ramping up efforts to control it. In Wapato, a small town just to the south of Yakima, the Department of Agriculture will use insecticide on more than fifteen hundred properties -, encompassing around 500 acres.  The Japanese beetle is a pest to more than 300 plants, including economically important crops like roses, grapes and hops. Last year over 23,000 Japanese beetles were captured in the state.  STORY: ALOHA SIGN TO BE REINSTALLED The Aloha Motel neon sign which stood on Samish Way since the 60s will be reinstalled tomorrow after undergoing restoration.  The City of Bellingham sold the site of the Aloha Motel to the Bellingham and Whatcom Housing Authorities in 2017. The site is now the center of the construction of the Samish Commons, a large housing project, set to be completed this summer.  Samish Commons will provide 171 affordable apartments, as well as offices for the Housing Authority and an early learning center.   STORY: COWS BLOCK I-5 LANE NEAR CUSTER If you were heading up 1-5 yesterday near Custer, you might have experienced a strange traffic jam. Loose dairy cows on the freeway caused some delays, but they were safely removed.  STORY: CITY OF BELLINGHAM NAMES FIRST FEMALE FIRE CAPT The Bellingham Fire Department made history last week when it promoted Bellingham’s first-ever female fire captain.  A total of four promotions were honored at a pinning ceremony– Sarah Pernick was promoted to Fire Captain, Shawn Linville to City Fire Marshall; Matt Munger  to Battalion Chief; and Tom Kettman was promoted to Fire Chief. STORY: VOTING RIGHTS LEGISLATION The state legislature passed a law aimed at enhancing the Washington Voting Rights Act and making it easier to challenge unfair election practices. Eric Tegethoff has the story.  WNS AUDIO WX: And now, here’s today’s weather. We’ve got more warmth on the way this week, today be ready for a high of 85 in Bellingham. It’s going to cool off in the evening reaching a low of 59 degrees. A heat advisory is still in effect so be sure to stay cool and be safe, Bellingham. Tomorrow it’s going to cool off a little more, we can expect to see a high around 75 degrees with a low of 57 in the evening. OUTRO: Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carl Bryden and Questen Inghram. Tune in to local news on KMRE weekdays at 3, 4 and 5 p-m, and on demand at kmre.org. For news tips and feedback, please send an email to 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.

MAY 15, 2023 NEWS TRANSCRIPTRead More