Bellingham City Council unanimously approves declaration of emergency, Landslide threat in Concrete, flood update in Skagit, Emergency action taken for state homeowners, Lynden School Board temporarily votes against facilities levy, Post Office to remain in Glacier, Sen. Murray moves to halt legislation adding AI to Medicare review process
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, December 16th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Bellingham City Council unanimously approves declaration of emergency
Bellingham City Council has announced a state of emergency after heavy rain and flooding caused significant damage across the city.
Council members passed the declaration unanimously, which allows Parks, Public Works, and other departments to spend money quickly on storm-related repairs.
Deputy Director of the Division of Emergency Management for the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Matt Klein, spoke with us this morning to give an update on the work being done in the community.
KLEIN 1 AUDIO
Several major closures remain in place. Little Squalicum Pier is closed indefinitely after storm-driven sinkholes undermined its supports. Hannegan Road is shut down between Bakerview Road and Smith Road, where flooding from Baker Creek damaged the roadbed. Woburn Street—part of the same north-south route—is also closed north of Lakeway Drive near Cemetery Creek.
Hannegan and Woburn together carry over 13,000 vehicles a day, making them key commuter routes. City officials say engineers are still evaluating the extent of the damage, and no timeline has been set for reopening, though a temporary fix on Hannegan may be possible.
STORY: Landslide threat in Concrete, flood update in Skagit
In Skagit County, eight homes in the Ericksen Road area of Concrete have been ordered to evacuate immediately, amid fears that continued rainfall could worsen a landslide discovered last week.
Town officials say it’s one of two recent landslides tied to heavy rain and Skagit River flooding. A second slide near Burpee Hill Road was identified Sunday, which prompted a Level 2 “get ready” evacuation notice for 32 homes in that neighborhood.
Concrete officials are working with the Red Cross to set up a local shelter for residents forced from their homes. The town remains under a Level 2 evacuation notice for Skagit River flooding, as more rain moves in. The Skagit River is forecast to crest at moderate flood stage tonight, reach major flood stage Wednesday morning, and drop to minor flooding by Friday.
We spoke with Jenn Rodgers, Skagit County Communications Manager and Lead Public Information Officer for a broader update on Skagit County.
RODGERS 1 AUDIO
STORY: Emergency action taken for state homeowners
Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer also issued an emergency order to provide relief to policyholders affected by last week’s atmospheric river and winter storms.
The order, in effect until February 12th, applies to all property and casualty insurers in the state. It requires that they offer a 45-day grace period for premium payments, waive late and reinstatement fees, and prevent policy cancellations for nonpayment unless requested by the policyholder.
The order also extends the notice period for policy non-renewals from 45 days to 120 days, to give residents extra time to manage coverage while dealing with storm-related disruptions.
STORY: Lynden School Board temporarily votes against facilities levy
The Lynden School Board has decided not to place a facilities levy on the February ballot, following three recent bond failures.
In a 3–2 vote, the board rejected moving forward now, and cited concerns about timing and voter fatigue. The proposed Facilities, Safety, and Technology Capital Levy would have raised 25 and-a-half million dollars over four years through a property tax increase of about one dollar nine cents per thousand dollars of assessed value.
District leaders say the levy could help address urgent needs, including classroom capacity, school safety upgrades, accessibility improvements, deferred maintenance, and a permanent home for Lynden Academy, which currently operates out of a leased building.
Unlike bonds, levies require only a simple majority to pass and do not create long-term debt.
However, the board says it plans to revisit the levy next year, with possible placement on an April, August, or November ballot.
STORY: Post Office to remain in Glacier
Representative Rick Larsen says the U.S. Postal Service has committed to keeping the Glacier Post Office open.
Larsen pressed the Postal Service after residents raised concerns that the small post office could close, potentially disrupting mail delivery for roughly 300 Glacier residents.
The Postal Service responded on December 5th and confirmed it would continue operations while working on a new contract. Larsen says he will continue working with local leaders to make sure the promise is kept.
STORY: Sen. Murray moves to halt legislation adding AI to Medicare review process
Sen. Patty Murray plans to introduce legislation Monday to block a federal pilot program that uses AI to review Medicare procedure approvals.
The WISeR pilot, set to start this Jan. 1st, would partner with tech companies to decide the necessity of certain procedures, like spinal surgeries and steroid injections. The Center for Medicare Services says it aims to reduce unnecessary procedures, but opponents warn it could delay care, add administrative burdens, and prioritize profit over patients.
Patient advocates, physicians, and hospital leaders have criticized the program. Dr. Matt Hollon, president-elect of the Washington State Medical Association, called the legislation an “important step” to prevent AI from obstructing care. Advocates say efforts to curb waste should focus on Medicare Advantage plans, where overpayments are highest.
Washington has about 1.6 million Medicare enrollees, roughly half in traditional Medicare.
WX: Breezy like Sunday morning
And now weather,
We’re set for another day of storms up in here, with today’s forecast calling for between a quarter and a half-inch of rain and winds up to 27 miles per hour. Daytime highs should be in the low to mid 50s, dropping to low 40s by this evening. These lows may feel quite chilli, however, as tonight will bring more rain and another wind advisory, lasting from 4 P.M. until 10 A.M. tomorrow, which may include gusts as high as 41 mph.
After the advisory lifts, tomorrow still looks to be blustery, with winds up to 30 mph driving a projected quarter-inch of rain.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, and Kai Blais-Schmolke. 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. To help support what we do, check out our Patreon, Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb________… thanks for listening!
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