Whatcom County special election ballots due Feb. 13, WWU extends commitment deadline to June 1 due to FAFSA delays, Thousands of Chinook wasted as bycatch in B.C. fishery, new report finds, State Patrol seeks to charge 6 in Gaza war protest that shut I-5 in Seattle, WA House passes fentanyl education bill, financial education bill
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, February 13. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Whatcom County special election ballots due Feb. 13
It’s election day in Whatcom County, and ballots are due by 8pm tonight.
You can register to vote, update your registration, or get a replacement ballot for the current Special Election which would provide an extension of current funding for schools, parks and fire districts. According to the Whatcom County Auditor, as of airtime today about 27% of eligible ballots have been returned.
Ballots can be submitted via drop box or by mail, as long as it’s postmarked today. Track the status of your ballot by visiting VoteWA.gov.
STORY: WWU extends commitment deadline to June 1 due to FAFSA delays
WWU is extending its commitment deadline to June 1st.
The move is in response to the university having to wait until the first half of March to receive FAFSA information on students. The U.S. Department of Education had introduced a new FAFSA application this year, which didn’t open until New Year’s Eve and experienced major issues. WWU agreed to push back their deadline, which was originally May 1st, to allow more time for students to make their college decisions. Similar actions have been taken by other universities around the country.
STORY: Thousands of Chinook wasted as bycatch in B.C. fishery, new report finds
A new report from Canadian fisheries officials reveals that nearly 30,000 Chinook salmon were unintentionally caught as bycatch in the Canadian trawl fishery, primarily targeting hake and walleye pollock.
This bycatch, the highest on record during the 2022-23 groundfish fishing season, constitutes a significant waste of Chinook, which are crucial food sources for endangered southern resident orcas in both Canada and the U.S. The report highlights the urgency of addressing bycatch issues, especially as it pertains to protecting vulnerable species like Chinook salmon and orcas.
Additionally, it coincides with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s efforts to increase Chinook production in hatcheries to support orca populations, with a focus on public review and input on the proposed program.
STORY: State Patrol seeks to charge 6 in Gaza war protest that shut I-5 in Seattle
The Washington State Patrol says it will recommend charging at least 6 people in relation to the Israel-Hamas war protest that shut down I-5 in Seattle.
The protest snarled traffic with a blockade of cars and people for nearly five hours on January 6th. No arrests were made at the time as the State Patrol said it was caught off guard by the scale and tactics of the protest. According to Chris Loftis, a State Patrol spokesperson, the most likely charges would be misdemeanor disorderly conduct.
Ultimately, the decision on whether to charge protesters will be made by King County prosecutors, after they review documentation and recommendations from the State Patrol.
Ten additional people involved with the protest are still being investigated.
STORY: WNS – Report: Foreign-influenced companies give big in WA elections
More than $67 million came into Washington state elections between 2018 and 2022 from foreign-influenced corporations, according to a recent analysis. Of the six states analyzed, Washington garnered the most campaign contributions. Reporter Eric Tegethoff (TEG-it-off) has more.
INFLUENCE AUDIO
STORY: WA House passes fentanyl education bill, financial education bill
Washington lawmakers recently passed a series of education bills which would require Washington middle and high schools to provide lessons on fentanyl as well as financial literacy.
House Bill 1956 would ensure proper education surrounding fentanyl and related opioids in health classes to as many seventh and ninth graders as possible.
According to Inslee’s office, over 90 percent of overdoses for people under 24 in Washington in 2022 were caused by fentanyl. The bill would require The Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction to work with the state Department of Health to provide up-to-date educational material on opioid education, with required annual updates to ensure the information is current.
House Bill 1915, sponsored by Representative Skyler Rude, would make financial literacy a graduation requirement in schools— providing basic education around credit, debt, and budgeting. Rude says the bill is a response to the number of young adults without financial skills and it has garnered support from more than 55 initial sponsors. Opponents of the bill argue it could interfere with graduation timelines. However, Rude claims the information can be inserted into current class curriculum.
If the financial literacy bill does not receive a hearing in the senate early learning and K-12 education committee by March first, it will not survive the season. If the fentanyl bill passes in the senate on Thursday, it could go into effect immediately. Both bills await senate approval.
WX: Sun
Today will be sunny with a high of 50 degrees and winds up to 15 mph. Tonight will be clear, as temperatures drop to a low of 32. Tomorrow is projected to bring more sun, with rain returning during the night.
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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