Bellingham sees high temp near 70 degrees amid higher-than normal temperatures for January, Whatcom County Jail inmate recaptured after attempted escape during stay at local hospital, Special election ballots to decide Whatcom school districts’ bonds and levies, Whatcom County Jail inmate recaptured after attempted escape during stay at local hospital, Special election ballots to decide Whatcom school districts’ bonds and levies, Millions slated for wildlife overpass in Skagit County, A WA bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses, BNSF Railway responsible for Tunnel 5 fire, damage, lawsuit says, The Federal Trade Commission is sending letters to funeral homes in Washington and across the country warning against illegal business practices.
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STORY: Bellingham sees high temp near 70 degrees amid higher-than normal temperatures for January
Bellingham saw an all time record high temperature of 68 degrees Monday.
The record comes as many western Washington cities are experiencing historically high temperatures for this time of year. On Sunday, Olympia set a January record with a high of 63 degrees. Seattle also had three consecutive days of over 60 degrees, temperatures not recorded in January for over 40 years.
According to the National Weather Service, normal temperatures in western Washington for this time of year range from the high 40s to around 50 degrees. Daytime high temperatures are expected to fall back into the upper 40s and low 50s by tomorrow.
STORY: Whatcom County Jail inmate recaptured after attempted escape during stay at local hospital
An inmate at Whatcom County Jail is facing new charges after allegedly trying to escape during his stay at St. Joseph Medical Center.
55-year-old David Gass was booked into jail on January 26th, a day after he assaulted a man in downtown Bellingham. On the 28th, Gass was receiving medical care at St. Joseph on police hold. He left the hospital, which was in violation of the terms allowing him to seek care at the facility, and refused to comply with the BPD’s orders once they contacted him outside St. Joseph.
Gass remains in custody at Whatcom County Jail on charges of second-degree assault, resisting arrest and first-degree escape.
STORY: Special election ballots to decide Whatcom school districts’ bonds and levies
Some residents were surprised by the Special Election ballot that arrived in their mailbox this week.
Bellingham School Superintendent Greg Baker took some time to explain more about why there’s a ballot in January.
GREG BAKER AUDIO Way Schools Are Funded
Because schools are not fully funded by the state or federal government, Baker says local funding is essential.
GREG BAKER AUDIO 85 percent
Baker also emphasizes that the current vote will not raise the school-funding portion of local property taxes.
GREG BAKER AUDIO Tax goes down
The consequences of not supporting the maintenance of this levy could be devastating for local schools.
GREG BAKER AUDIO Worst case
At the end of the day, Baker says the vote is critical.
GREG BAKER AUDIO Feel great
A range of operational levies will be present on ballots for voters living in the Bellingham, Ferndale, Meridian, Nooksack Valley and Mount Baker school districts. In addition, Blaine residents will be voting on a $157.5 million bond for capital upgrades to Blaine-area schools, as well as a $70 million bond in Lynden for a new High School.
Ballots can be returned in any official ballot drop box located throughout the county until 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 13th, while those returning their ballots by mail must have it postmarked by Election Day for their votes to be counted.
STORY: Millions slated for wildlife overpass in Skagit County
More than 8 million dollars have been slated for the Red Cabin Creek Wildlife Overpass Project on Highway 20 in Skagit County.
Nearly 8 and a half million dollars have been awarded to the Stillaguamish (still-uh-GWAH-mish) Tribe from the Federal Highway Administration for the project. The overpass will protect both wildlife and drivers by providing a safe passage for migrating elk, thus preventing collisions with vehicles. The Washington State Department of Transportation estimates there are a minimum of 5,000 deer-vehicle collisions and 200 elk-vehicle collisions in the state annually. Within Skagit County, herds of elk live on both sides of the highway and migrate between. The Stillaguamish Tribe used GPS collar data from the animals to analyze crossings, cross referencing that data with carcass removals as well as reports of elk-vehicle collisions to determine the best locations for the overpass.
The Stillaguamish and Upper Skagit Tribes will partner together to design, permit, and build the structure. The project is expected to take up to four years to be completed.
STORY: A WA bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses
A proposed bill would allow non-citizens to obtain professional licenses, such as those required to become a security guard or nurse.
House Bill 1889 would remove citizenship requirements from certifications for jobs. Many licenses require a Social Security number, something that undocumented people do not have. The bill would instead allow the use of an individual tax identification number. According to the Cato (KAY-toe) Institute, as of 2021, around 22% of U.S. jobs require a professional license or certificate. The bill lists optometrists, private investigators, private security guards, bail bond agents, money transmitters, and currency exchangers as professions that currently require licensees to be U.S. citizens. It also addresses the lack of clarity surrounding which licenses require an SSN, something that often misleads or dissuades undocumented students during the career-seeking process.
HB 1889 passed out of the House Committee on Consumer Protection & Business last week and has since been referred to the Rules Committee.
WX: Rain
There is a slight chance of rain today, with a high of 56 degrees and moderate winds. More rain will come later tonight, with lows of around 45. Rain is expected to continue overnight into 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: BNSF Railway responsible for Tunnel 5 fire, damage, lawsuit says
A new lawsuit filed against BNSF Railway alleges that they are responsible for a fire that burned over 500 acres in the Columbia River Gorge last year.
The lawsuit, filed in Skamania (skuh-MAY-nee-uh) County court, alleges that the Tunnel 5 fire started as a result of sparks, hot debris, particles, emissions and other materials from a passing BNSF Railway train that ignited nearby vegetation. It alleges that the railway company knew the risks of operating a debris prone 46-year-old locomotive amid high fire danger. The lawsuit cites a Department of Natural Resources report that identified brake debris and carbon emission particles found from that same train as being the cause of the fire.
The fire burned for over a week, burning nearly 550 acres and destroying 10 homes.
STORY:
The Federal Trade Commission is sending letters to funeral homes in Washington and across the country warning against illegal business practices.
In a recent release, the FTC announced that Mountain View Funeral Home and Crematory did not provide accurate information during undercover calls in February and August 2023. The funeral home gave materially different prices for the same goods and services on each call, violating the federal Funeral Rule.
A federal rule in effect since 1984 mandates the disclosure of itemized price information for general funeral services, including caskets and burial containers, and prohibits unauthorized fees, and the misrepresentations of legal requirements or ‘required’ purchases.
Although FTC staff does not currently plan formal legal action, Mountain View Funeral Home and Crematory has been advised to take immediate action to ensure accurate information is provided over the phone about prices and offerings.
