Lummi Nation leader urges Biden to declare national fentanyl emergency, Donnell Tanksley names Sheriff’s Office leadership team, City of Bellingham considers extra level of security after another park is vandalized, Memorial bench will honor Henry King, who was slain at Bellingham’s Boulevard Park, Olympic Pipeline spills gasoline, highway closed, school closure announced near Mt Vernon, Amazon packages overwhelm San Juan postal system, Supreme Court won’t hear WA case over LGBTQ+ conversion-therapy ban, Don’t eat pre-cut cantaloupe if the source is unknown, CDC says, as deadly salmonella outbreak grows, Abortions jump 23% in WA as visiting patients reverse decade-long decline, Lighted bikes and all-ages fun
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STORY: Lummi Nation leader urges Biden to declare national fentanyl emergency
The Lummi Nation called on President Biden to declare a national fentanyl emergency during the Tribal Nations summit at the White House last Thursday.
According to Chairman Anthony Hillaire, a national state of emergency would remove barriers that hinder the Tribal Nations’ abilities to address the fentanyl crisis, which so far has killed more people in the Lummi Nation than the COVID-19 pandemic. Back in September, the Lummi Indian Business Council declared an emergency over the fentanyl crisis.
A day before the summit, President Biden had signed an executive order aimed at facilitating the access to federal funds by tribal governments, and granting those governments greater autonomy on how those funds are used. A press release from the White House stated that federal agencies are now required to ensure funding for tribes is accessible, equitable and flexible. Mr. Hillaire said in a panel discussion that the executive order is a step in the right direction.
STORY: Donnell Tanksley names Sheriff’s Office leadership team
Newly elected Whatcom County Sheriff, Donnell Tanksley, has announced his leadership team.
Deputy Sheriff Steve Harris has been promoted to undersheriff and will take office on January first. He will replace Undersheriff Doug Chadwick who ran against Tanksley in the November 7th election.
Detective Erik Francis has been selected as the chief civil deputy/chief of investigations and support services. Both Harris and Francis have over 28 years of experience in the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office.
Other key positions, including Chief Corrections Deputy Caleb Erickson and Chief Criminal Deputy/Chief of Field Services Jason Gum, will remain unchanged. Holly Woll-Salkeld will serve as the interim deputy director of emergency management, succeeding John Gargett, who is retiring. Other hiring is also underway.
Tanksley’s transition to sheriff takes place on the first of January.
STORY: City of Bellingham considers extra level of security after another park is vandalized
The city of Bellingham is addressing persistent overnight vandalism in parks by considering additional safety measures.
The Parks and Recreation Department director, Nicole Oliver, revealed plans to implement locked gates at night at certain locations and says she is also considering hiring additional overnight staff. Plans were announced after deep ruts were left in the grass at Boulevard Park in November, and additional damage was done to the lawn and ball fields at Lake Padden Park last weekend.
Oliver acknowledged that labor contracts would need to be adjusted to add evening shifts for staff. The new steps could be taken early next year.
STORY: Memorial bench will honor Henry King, who was slain at Bellingham’s Boulevard Park
A memorial bench will be placed at Bellingham’s Boulevard Park in honor of a man killed last March.
The man, 48-year-old Henry King, was fatally shot on the boardwalk between Boulevard Park and Taylor Dock. 22-year-old Elijah Belmont of Marysville was arrested last week in connection with the murder.
King was a well-known local figure who would sit on a bench and chat with passers-by at Boulevard Park. Fernando Gonzalez, the manager of the Bellingham Metro News site on Facebook, organized a GoFundMe campaign as a tribute to King. The effort raised over $2,200 in just three hours, with part of the money going to King’s funeral expenses and the rest going to the memorial bench.
STORY: Olympic Pipeline spills gasoline, highway closed, school closure announced near Mt Vernon
The Olympic Pipeline leaked near Mount Vernon on Sunday, spilling gasoline into a nearby ditch and creek.
According to a tweet by the Department of Ecology, the leak happened in a vault used to access the pipeline, spilling gasoline into Hill Ditch and Bulson Creek. In response to the leak, crews have placed containment booms in Fisher Creek and other waterways connected to Hill Ditch to prevent the gas from spreading. The spill has caused the Conway School, a nearby K-8 school, to close today, as well as Highway 534 from the I-5 off-ramp to Bulson Road. Air monitoring has been performed at nearby homes and gasoline vapor concentrations are within safe limits.
The pipeline, owned by BP, runs along a 299-mile corridor from Blaine to Portland delivering fuel to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and Harbor Island. The pipeline exploded in 1999 in Bellingham, killing three people.
Keltner said the Department of Ecology does not yet have an estimate on how long cleanup will take.
STORY: Amazon packages overwhelm San Juan postal system
The San Juan Islands are experiencing Christmas-time chaos as an overwhelming surge of Amazon packages has inundated the local post office.
The problem is attributed to a shift in Amazon’s delivery contracts, with reports suggesting a switch from UPS to USPS in some communities. Workers at the United States Postal Service (USPS) on San Juan Island and in rural Bemidji (buh-MID-gee), Minnesota, are facing overwhelming package volumes, leading to delays in mail delivery. In Friday Harbor, tents have been set up outside the facility to handle the surge.
Both USPS and UPS acknowledge staffing challenges. Senator Amy Klobuchar has initiated a congressional investigation into these issues, expressing concerns about the impact on postal operations, workers’ stress, and mail delays.
STORY: Supreme Court won’t hear WA case over LGBTQ+ conversion-therapy ban
The Supreme Court has declined to hear a case regarding the enforcement of laws prohibiting conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children by state and local governments.
The decision, opposed by three conservative justices, involved an appeal of Tingley v. Ferguson heard in the Western District of Washington which upheld the state’s ban on ‘conversion therapy’. The lawsuit in question was filed by a family counselor, Brian Tingley, who argued that the law infringed on his speech rights.
Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito believed the court should have taken up the case, citing concerns about restricting counselors’ speech. Justice Brett Kavanaugh also voted to hear the case. Approximately half the U.S. has laws against ‘conversion therapy’.
WX: Sunny
Today will be partly sunny with a high of about 49 degrees and a low around 35. Rain and fog will come late tonight, persisting over the night. Tomorrow’s temperatures will be about the same.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Alex Michael, and Tristan Trudell. 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. If you would like to help keep local news accessible, check out our new Patreon page at patreon.com/kmrenews or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening.
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STORY: Don’t eat pre-cut cantaloupe if the source is unknown, CDC says, as deadly salmonella outbreak grows
And finally, if you’re in the mood for something more active, volunteer work parties are happening every Saturday until December 16th throughout Bellingham’s parks. Volunteers are needed from 9AM-12pm– you can find out which parks are being worked on by visiting volunteerbellingham.org.
STORY: Abortions jump 23% in WA as visiting patients reverse decade-long decline
The number of abortions in Washington increased by 23% in 2022, reaching the highest level in a decade.
New data released by the Washington State Department of Health shows 20,000 abortions were performed, nearly 3,800 more than the previous year, reversing a long-term decline. The Department of Health attributes the rise to the U.S. Supreme Court overturning the constitutional right to abortion.
Nonresidents seeking abortions in Washington hit a modern peak, accounting for 7% of all abortions, with a 46% increase from the previous year. The trend of out-of-state individuals seeking abortion care in Washington has been ongoing since 2017. Despite the overall increase, the majority of procedures were concentrated in specific counties, notably in the Puget Sound region.
The data suggests that even in states without severe abortion restrictions, individuals may cross borders for care, emphasizing the importance of factors beyond legal regulations.
FREE FRIDAY
Lighted bikes and all-ages fun: The weather outside might seem frightful, but a bunch of lighted bikes, music, hot cocoa and general merriment will be delightful!! Save the date for the 3rd annual Lighted Bike Parade, December 9, 4:30-6:30 p.m. This all-ages event starts in Downtown Bellingham (at Depot Market Square – 1100 Railroad Ave) and Fairhaven (at Hillcrest Church – 1400 Larrabee Ave) and converges at Boulevard Park for live music and other entertainment. Free and open to all. Costumes are encouraged, holiday cheer is required! Co-hosted with WTA, Downtown Bellingham Partnership, Fairhaven Association, Whatcom Smart Tips and Western Washington University.
