Bellingham PD arrests middle schooler following alleged shooting threats on social media, Bellingham barbershop reports burglary early Wednesday morning, Port officials working “extra hard,” to resume air travel at Bellingham Intl Airport, WCC presidential candidates narrowed down to three, public forums to be held in January, Demand for skilled workforce collides with lowered enrollment at state community colleges, Free and Cheap, Bellingham accepts fault in lawsuit of teenager injured while crossing street in 2022, Two skiers rescued from tree wells on Mount Baker over the weekend
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, December 20th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Bellingham PD arrests middle schooler following alleged shooting threats on social media
A Kulshan Middle School student was arrested for allegedly posting threats on social media to carry out a school shooting.
Police received a tip about the threats Wednesday evening and, with help from the school district, identified the suspect. He was arrested and booked into the Whatcom County Juvenile Detention Center on suspicion of felony harassment, which is a class C felony in Washington.
STORY: Bellingham barbershop reports burglary early Wednesday morning
Thousands of dollars in cash and tools were stolen when The Barber Shack in Bellingham was burglarized early Wednesday morning.
The suspect entered by smashing the back window of the salon, which caused extensive damage. Surveillance video shows the suspect, described as a woman wearing a green beanie, blue surgical mask, and a tarp. Jared Valentine, the shop owner, is urging anyone with information to contact Bellingham Police.
STORY: Port officials working “extra hard,” to resume air travel at Bellingham Intl Airport
The Port of Bellingham says it will implement strategies to expand air service at Bellingham Airport following the departure of Southwest Airlines.
Port commissioners approved an airline incentive package on Tuesday to attract new carriers and routes. The plan includes waiving terminal landing and parking fees for two years and providing up to three years of marketing funds. Unlike minimum revenue guarantees, this package is funded through airport revenues and does not require community-raised funds.
Despite the exit of Southwest, existing carrier Alaska Airlines is adding a fourth daily flight to Seattle in January, while Allegiant will offer year-round flights to Las Vegas and Palm Springs starting next summer. Allegiant remains the largest carrier at Bellingham Airport and serves more passengers than Southwest did during its tenure.
Airport officials remain optimistic the new incentive package will secure new routes and partnerships.
STORY: WCC presidential candidates narrowed down to three, public forums to be held in January
Whatcom Community College has announced three finalists to replace outgoing President Kathi Hiyani-Brown (hee-AWN-ee).
The candidates, who will introduce themselves to the community through public forums are–––
Pakou Yang, (paw-KOO) the provost at Century College in Minnesota, with two decades experience in higher education. Yang will speak on January 13th at 8 a.m.
Mark Curtis-Chavez, the provost at College of DuPage in Illinois, a first-generation college graduate with 20 years of experience in higher education. He will speak on January 14th at 8 a.m.
And finally, Justin Guillory (GILL-uh-ree), former president of Northwest Indian College on the Lummi Reservation, with 18 years at that institution and 12 as president. Guillory will speak on January 16th at 8 a.m.
The forums will allow candidates to share their vision for the college and address current challenges. The new president will succeed Dr. Hiyane-Brown, who will retire on March 2nd after leading the college for 18 years.
STORY: Demand for skilled workforce collides with lowered enrollment at state community colleges
Washington employers rely on community colleges to address a skilled worker shortage, but declining enrollment is creating challenges.
Full-time enrollment at the state’s 33 community and technical colleges is more than 13% below pre-pandemic levels. According to the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, shifts in student family obligations, as well as preferences driven by work, have contributed to the drop.
Community colleges, known for training mid-skilled workers in fields like construction and healthcare are critical for addressing workforce gaps. Apprenticeship programs focused on the trades report a 91% job placement rate, with post-completion wages reaching just over $50 an hour. However, industries such as professional services, education, and health services are facing increased demand, with the Seattle metro area alone experiencing a shortage of over 6,000 credentialed workers in mid-skill, high-paying roles.
The state’s job skills training program, funded by a $7.5 million annual grant, partners with employers to train workers. Participation in the program has grown significantly, with the manufacturing sector comprising two-thirds of participants. However, unemployment in the Seattle metro area rose to 4.5% in September, and a shrinking labor force poses challenges for employers.
Experts say the shortages will be more acute for some industries than others and stress the need to expand credential programs to meet future workforce demand.
STORY: Free or cheap
It’s Friday – if you’re looking for something free or cheap to do this weekend, here’s a bit of what’s going on around the county.
Tomorrow is Winter Solstice, the darkest day of the season. To celebrate the occasion, Elizabeth Station at 1400 West Holly will be hosting its tenth annual Darkest Days Solstice Party. All day long, the bottle shop will be showcasing its finest barrel-aged brews. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Tomorrow will also see the Fishermen’s Pavilion in Squalicum Harbor host its third annual Holiday Dockside Market. From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., fishermen selling their fresh catch will be joined by food and craft vendors, as well as a performance by the Bellingham Youth Jazz Band at noon. Free cookies!
The Lincoln Theatre in Mount Vernon will be publicizing its stance on whether Die Hard really is a Christmas movie by hosting a late-night screening at 10 p.m. tomorrow. Tickets starting at $8.50 can be purchased at the Lincoln Theatre’s website.
Finally, the Pickford Film Center in Bellingham will be wrapping up its Holidays at the Pickford series with two classics just before Christmas Day. There will be showings of The Muppet Christmas Carol Saturday and Sunday, while Christmas Eve will see two screenings of It’s a Wonderful Life. Tickets starting at $7 can be purchased at the Pickford’s website.
WX: The cloud bank foreclosed on my cloud house.
And now weather:
Expect heavy cloud cover, along with infrequent afternoon rain with highs in the mid-50s. Wind gusts from the south-east may reach speeds of up to 16 miles per hour today. Evening lows are projected in the low 40s. Rain should taper off with gradual clearing.
Rain and strong wind will continue through the weekend, with gusts expected to reach up to 20 mph. Please exercise caution when out and about.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Riley Weeks, Brodey O’Brien, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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 _David Korb_______________… thanks for listening.
##
STORY: Bellingham accepts fault in lawsuit of teenager injured while crossing street in 2022
STORY: Two skiers rescued from tree wells on Mount Baker over the weekend
According to CEO Gwyn Howat, two people were rescued from tree wells at the Mount Baker Ski Area on Saturday.
The rescues were separate incidents that occurred near Chair 6 in the expert area. The skiers were saved without serious injuries, thanks to prompt rescue responses.
Tree wells are voids in deep snow around tree bases, and pose a significant risk of snow suffocation if individuals become trapped and are unable to remove themselves. Howat emphasized that 90% of people in tree well incidents cannot free themselves. In one case, a skier’s partner called ski patrol after hearing cries for help. In the other, bystanders were directed by people on a nearby chairlift to assist.
Howat praised the Mount Baker community for their awareness and quick actions, which she said were lifesaving. Skiers and snowboarders are advised to stick to groomed paths to reduce risk.
The dangers of tree wells have been underscored by two recent fatalities at Mount Baker: Ferndale firefighter Capt. John DeVenere (du-vu-NEER) in 2023 and snowboarder William Kamphausen (CAMP-how-zen) in 2022.
Leave a Reply