Final Election Results, Resident Killed After Fireball Rips Through Bellingham Home, equipment breakdowns left two Bellingham fire stations without an engine to deploy Friday, Overdose death reported at Civic Field winter shelter, Blaine city council approves Plover restoration contract, WDFW researchers will use drones for swan and goose surveys in Whatcom, Respiratory illness in dogs’ first cases reported in WA, Don’t eat pre-cut cantaloupe if the source is unknown, CDC says, as deadly salmonella outbreak grows
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, December 5th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Final Election results
This year’s general election results have been certified by the Whatcom County Election Division.
In the Bellingham mayoral race, Kim Lund beat the incumbent, Seth Fleetwood, by 53 to 46%. Satpal Sidhu was re-elected as Whatcom County Executive with 57% of the vote, while his challenger, Dan Purdy, captured 42%. Undersheriff Doug Chadwick lost the race for Sheriff, trailing behind Donnell Tanksley by about five points.
In the County Council races, incumbent Kathy Kershner from District 4 was unseated by her challenger, after capturing only 47 percent of the vote compared to Mark Stremler’s 52. Ben Elenbaas was re-elected at District 5 after beating Jackie Dexter by 22%. Jon Scanlon won the contest for an at-large position at the council by beating Hannah Ordos in a 56-to-42 race.
The jail proposition was approved by 63% of the county’s voters. 66% of Bellingham’s voters voted in favor of the Greenways levy, 58% voted in favor of increasing the city’s minimum wage to more than the state’s current minimum wage, and the rental relocation initiative is also due to pass with 62% of voters in favor.
STORY: Resident Killed After Fireball Rips Through Bellingham Home
A Bellingham resident died after an open flame ignited an oxygen unit in the home on Friday.
The deceased was discovered on Sunday, when someone they knew went to check up on them after not hearing from them for several days. According to the Bellingham Fire Department, it is likely that the victim didn’t die from burns, but rather smoke inhalation. Police say the fire did not catch the structure on fire, and while there was no apparent damage to the exterior of the building, the interior was very obviously burned.
Nobody else was injured in the fire and It is unclear what open flame started it.
An investigation is ongoing.
STORY: Equipment breakdowns left two Bellingham fire stations without an engine to deploy Friday
The Bellingham Fire Department is facing a shortage of fire engines due to maintenance issues, prompting the city to redistribute firefighting equipment among its six stations.
Two stations were reportedly without fire engines for about 24 hours on Friday. Bellingham Public Works Department says that a lack of qualified mechanics at public works means no one is available to fix the fire pumps. Engines needing repairs are currently being sent to private companies for maintenance.
Fire Chief Bill Hewett attributed the situation to a “perfect storm” of mechanical troubles. The firefighters’ union has expressed concern on social media, emphasizing the vulnerability of parts of the city in the event of a large fire or emergency. The city is working to address the issue and plans to have the situation corrected by tomorrow.
STORY: Overdose death reported at Civic Field winter shelter
An overdose death was reported at Civic Field early yesterday morning.
Bellingham Police confirmed that two unidentified people were together when they arrived at Civic after the opening weekend of the Road2Home winter shelter program. The two people subsequently overdosed. Officers responded to the overdoses at around 3 am.
The winter shelter program opened on Friday, December 1st, in the locker rooms under the scoreboard at Civic Field.
STORY: Blaine city council approves Plover restoration contract
On November 27th, Drayton Harbour Maritime was authorized by the Blaine City council to finish the restoration on the Plover ferry.
The vessel transports passengers from Blaine to the Semiahmoo (sem-ee-AH-moo) Spit, but damages were discovered by the coast guard in fall 2022.
Drayton Harbour was initially given over $46,000 dollars to fix the boat, but failed to complete it before their contract expired. This past September, the city attempted to find another shipwright to finish repairs – but Drayton Harbour remained the sole bidder.
Drayton Harbour estimates the cost of repairs to be $82,000 with taxes – 7,000 more than the city budgeted for the project.
The non-profit now has until May 15th to complete the Plover, or they will receive a $200 penalty each day over the deadline.
STORY: WDFW researchers will use drones for swan and goose surveys in Whatcom
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife will conduct surveys of swan and geese in Whatcom using drones.
The plan comes as swan and geese migrate back to Whatcom and other counties in western Washington. Emphasis will be on flights over Fish and Wildlife managed lands, with WDFW seeking pre-approval by other landowners if additional areas are considered.
The purpose of the flights is to assess the Department’s ability to capture high quality images of swan and geese to better monitor the birds. Department biologists will also assess how population estimates based on imaging compare with more traditional ground counts.
No area closures or significant public impacts are expected.
STORY: Respiratory illness in dogs’ first cases reported in WA
The Washington State Veterinarian is urging dog owners to be cautious as an unidentified canine illness has now arrived in Washington state.
The unknown disease has been known to be fatal to some dogs, and resembles Canine Infectious Respiratory Disease Complex. Of the 16 reported cases, two have been confirmed in Snohomish and Clark counties. The affected dogs are recovering and the Washington State Department of Agriculture is investigating the remaining 14 cases. Experts have not observed transmission to humans.
To prevent the spread, pet owners are advised to ensure vaccinations, avoid dog gatherings, keep sick dogs isolated, practice proper hygiene, and contact a veterinarian if signs of illness arise.
WX: Flood Watch/Warning, Ferndale flooding
There is an active flood watch in much of Washington, including Whatcom County. As storms dump rain on fresh snowfall, the Nooksack River is projected to reach ‘action levels’ but mostly stay below flood level, with the exception being in Ferndale where it will reach just above the minor flood stage.
Skagit County will upgrade from flood watch to flood warning tonight, with the Skagit river cresting 6 feet over the ‘major flood level’ in Concrete, and 2 and a half feet above flood stage in Mount Vernon. Skagit County activated its Emergency Operations Center at 6 a.m. today and is urging drivers to avoid driving on flooded roadways. To view road closures, go to SkagitCounty.net.
Today’s high will reach about 56 degrees, with lows around 44 and light winds. The chance of rain is 100%, continuing throughout the night and into tomorrow.
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.
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.
