Cafe owner missing following fire that destroyed historic Fairhaven building, Authorities investigating email threat that forced Bellingham synagogue to cancel services, Residents of Samish Mobile Home Park pursue purchase, Mount Baker Schools superintendent stepping down early, Mount Baker Schools superintendent stepping down early, Plantation Rifle Range’s early cleanup estimate: $6.5M, BP restarts Olympic pipeline Wednesday after gasoline spill, Abortions jump 23% in WA as visiting patients reverse decade-long decline, More businesses opening at Bellingham’s waterfront container village
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, December 18th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Cafe owner missing following fire that destroyed historic Fairhaven building
The oldest continuously occupied commercially-run building in Fairhaven was destroyed in a fire on Saturday night, and one of the owners is yet to be found.
Firefighters first reported on the scene at midnight on Sunday, and declared it a two-alarm fire – requiring more equipment than a one-alarm.
The building used to house Tony’s coffee and now houses the Old Independent Coffee House and Harris Avenue Cafe. Private offices on the second floor above were also destroyed.
The owner of Harris Avenue Coffee, Nathaniel V. Breaux (BROH), is the only person associated with the building who has been declared missing. The building cannot be entered as the brick structure is too fragile, making it impossible to search the interior. The fire department is currently working to insure the structure’s safety.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
STORY: Authorities investigating email threat that forced Bellingham synagogue to cancel services
An email threat led to the cancellation of services at a local synagogue on Saturday.
Rabbi Joshua Samuels of Congregation Beth Israel in Bellingham, reported a security threat received via email. Torah study and Tot Shabbat was canceled for the day. The threat comes amid a reported rise in antisemitic incidents following the Oct. 7th attack by Hamas militants.
Bellingham Police and the Whatcom County Sheriff are continuing the investigation.
STORY: Residents of Samish Mobile Home Park pursue purchase
Residents of the Samish Mobile Home Park may soon own the property they live in.
In a meeting last Sunday, residents agreed to pursue a collaborative purchase of the site, which its developer-owner has put up for sale.
The residents have formed a cooperative that would own and manage the park, and are offering between $4.5-and-5 million dollars for the 3-acre park. City rules enacted last year state that the property owner, Michael Reams, is required to negotiate in good faith to close the sale. The rules are intended to protect mobile home owners in Bellingham, a city with few housing options for low-income residents.
After the property is inspected and the residents receive a loan offer, they will vote again on whether to finalize the purchase— a vote that will likely take place in February.
STORY: Mount Baker Schools superintendent stepping down early
The Mount Baker School District Superintendent is stepping down today.
Mary Sewright, superintendent of the school district for five and half years, announced in an email that she is going on leave six months early to focus on her health.
The Mount Baker School District had been one of three districts that signed an oversight agreement with the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction at the beginning of the school year due to its lack of a balanced budget. The “binding conditions” pact, which spans at least two years, assure the district’s access to money and allows the OSPI and the Educational Services District to closely review and recommend school district decisions.
School board officials voted Thursday to search for an external candidate to fill the interim position, hoping to provide an outside perspective on the financial issues. Nick Perigo, executive director of human resources and operations at the district, will serve as the superintendent designee until an interim superintendent is hired. Interviews and hiring would then take place in early 2025.
STORY: Plantation Rifle Range’s early cleanup estimate: $6.5M
The costs associated with cleaning up the Plantation Rifle Range could run as high as six-and-a-half million dollars.
Officials announced at a public meeting Thursday that soil samples taken at the rifle range found a 300-yard swath of lead contamination about 3-to-4 feet deep. Some of the soil samples had a concentration of lead that was almost 200 times the state contamination standard, and lead readings from broad areas on the range exceeded 10,000 parts per million. Additional costs will come with a redesign of the range, which is intended to limit lead contamination in both the soil and the wetlands on the site.
Lead had been allowed to accumulate unchecked at the Plantation Rifle Range since its opening in 1971. The high-powered rifle range and its adjacent range for small-bore weapons must remain closed until cleanup is completed, which would be sometime between late 2024 and 2025.
STORY: BP restarts Olympic pipeline Wednesday after gasoline spill
BP has restarted the Olympic Pipeline after repairing a tubing failure that caused a gasoline leak of approximately 25,000 gallons near Mount Vernon.
The main pipeline was shut down after a pressure loss caused by tubing failure in a concrete vault connecting to a pressure sensor. The restart followed repairs, integrity testing, and regulatory approval. The cleanup, involving the Environmental Protection Agency and local officials, has recovered nearly 7,000 gallons. According to the EPA, the spill resulted in the deaths of a beaver, a pine siskin bird, and a mallard duck.
Around 2,100 feet of boom remained deployed to contain the spill, with no signs of gasoline or sheen on the Skagit River.
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.
WX: Sunny
Today will be rainy with a high of about 51 degrees and a low around 43. Rain will persist during the night, and continue on for the rest of the week. Light winds will blow throughout the day, and will pick up tomorrow.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, 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: More businesses opening at Bellingham’s waterfront container village
The Port of Bellingham has announced the arrival of multiple new businesses on the downtown waterfront in 2024.
Zeeks Pizza and Bin 13 Wine Bar will both open up locations at the Portal Container Village, a collection of used shipping containers repurposed to highlight Bellingham’s art and culture. The Portal Putt mini-golf course will also expand to 18 holes, and additional retail space will be added for local artists to display their talent. A larger restroom will also be added to accommodate increasing visitors.
The Port of Bellingham is looking to expand the village again in 2025, and is currently turning to community members for ideas. For more information, or to submit a container business proposal, visit PortOfBellingham.com.
