Weather-related school delays and closures this Wednesday, Mount Vernon middle schooler arrested after bringing gun to school, One dead, one rescued from disabled sailboat near San Juan Islands, Whatcom inmate dies following suicide attempt, Bellingham cafe employees walk off the job, protesting unfair policies and intimidation, Whatcom severe weather shelters continue to house hundreds as winter storm persists, Bill to decrease Amtrak Cascades travel time to be read by House Transportation committee, WA exports set to be impacted by tariff war with Mexico, Free. As well as cheap.
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, February 5th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Weather-related school delays and closures this Wednesday Snow and ice continue to disrupt life in Whatcom County.
Many school districts operated on a two-hour delay today, namely Lynden, Meridian and Nooksack Valley. Nooksack Valley did, however, operate normal bus routes, except for students at Minaker (meh-nuh-KERR), Deeter and North Pass. Meanwhile, both Ferndale and Blaine school districts closed today, as did the Lummi Nation School and Early Learning.
On their end, Bellingham Public Schools operated on time with snow bus routes in effect. The Mount Baker School District also operated on time; their usual Wednesday schedule already includes a 90-minute late arrival schedule. Buses there followed snow routes, and there was no morning preschool.
Many high school sports games scheduled for today were cancelled, including a Bellingham vs. Blaine girls’ basketball game, both Blaine vs. Mount Vernon games for boys and girls’ basketball, and a Lynden Christian girls’ basketball game against Lakewood.
WWU, WCC and BTC are all operating on a normal schedule today.
According to a WTA post, several bus routes are detoured today, including Route 50, which is detouring on Ferndale Road, and Route 72, which is missing stops on Deming Road and the Santa Fe Trail. A paratransit bus with snow chains will serve neighborhoods in Kendall. Just like yesterday, however, no zone or flex service will be running today.
Forecasts show a chance of snow showers at Bellingham Airport today and tomorrow.
STORY: Mount Vernon middle schooler arrested after bringing gun to school
A student at LaVenture Middle School in Mount Vernon was arrested for bringing a gun to school.
Classmates reported seeing the weapon, which prompted staff to intervene and safely recover it. The student was taken to Skagit County Juvenile Detention. No threats were made, and police say they are still investigating.
STORY: One dead, one rescued from disabled sailboat near San Juan Islands
A 56-year-old man was rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard from a disabled and grounded sailboat near the San Juan Islands Monday night.
The Coast Guard received a mayday call from the captain of the sailboat around 7 p.m. that night. In response, a 45-foot boat from Station Bellingham and a helicopter from the Air Station in Port Angeles were dispatched to locate the vessel.
After the man was brought aboard the rescue boat, the helicopter located the other passenger – a woman, who was in the water and unconscious. She was flown to St. Joseph Medical Center, but was later pronounced dead.
The captain was taken to Station Bellingham before being transferred to the hospital. A Coast Guard member was also injured during the rescue and taken to the hospital, but was released later that night.
STORY: Whatcom inmate dies following suicide attempt A 37-year-old man incarcerated at the Whatcom County Jail died on January 22nd after a suicide attempt in his cell three days before.
Corrections deputies found him during a routine check and performed CPR before he was transported to a hospital. He had been in custody since last September on charges including DUI and attempting to elude police. His court case was dismissed after he was declared brain dead.
The incident is under investigation by Bellingham Police, and the medical examiner has not yet released a cause of death.
STORY: Bellingham cafe employees walk off the job, protesting unfair policies and intimidation
Several employees at Evolve Chocolate + Cafe in Bellingham walked out in January to protest alleged unfair labor practices and the firing of a coworker.
The fired employee told the Bellingham Herald he was dismissed over an unwritten policy, which prompted nine colleagues to leave in solidarity. Former employees picketed on January 25th and 30th, citing a hostile work environment, intimidation, and understaffing. Cafe owners Christy and Shannon Fox stated they are still working to understand the concerns.
In a statement, the owners of Village Books— which leases space to Evolve, but operates separately — underscored that the two businesses are not related and said that they quote “are not in a place to explain, support, or defend their workplace environment” unquote. Owners Paul Hanson, Kelly Evert and Sarah Hutton expressed hopes for a swift resolution, as the dispute has impacted their business.
STORY: Whatcom severe weather shelters continue to house hundreds as winter storm persists
The February cold spell has facilities and organizations across Bellingham and Whatcom County scrambling to provide shelter for unhoused individuals.
The Bellingham and Ferndale severe weather shelters say they have been at capacity on open nights, with efforts to extend operations if temperatures remain at or below 32 degrees. However, no daytime shelter is available due to staffing and logistical challenges. Lighthouse Mission Ministries is offering food, shelter, and emergency beds, allowing guests to stay during the day. The Bellingham Public Library also serves as a daytime refuge for those seeking warmth.
Whatcom County Health and Community Services Communications Specialist Marie Duckworth says the Bellingham shelter is scheduled to be open through Thursday night and will likely continue to operate into the weekend.
STORY: Bill to decrease Amtrak Cascades travel time to be read by House Transportation committee
A bill introduced in Olympia would significantly speed up Amtrak Cascades travel in the Pacific Northwest, if approved.
House Bill 1837 sets goals for faster trips, reducing Seattle-to-Vancouver travel time to 2 hours and 45 minutes and Seattle-to-Portland to two-and-a-half hours. It also seeks to add at least three more daily round trips to Vancouver and eight to Portland by 2035.
The bill has been sent to the House Transportation Committee for review.
STORY: WA exports set to be impacted by tariff war with Mexico Tariffs enacted by President Trump’s executive orders could impact Washington state’s economy.
North American leaders discussed and agreed to hold off on enacting tariffs for at least 30 days on Monday. While the tariffs and their impacts are still under discussion, they threaten to drive up the prices of most goods for consumers in America. According to the U.S. Trade Representative, Mexico ranks fourth among countries that receive Washington state exports. Data supplied by the Washington State Department of Commerce indicates that, in 2023 alone, the state’s export value with Mexico was almost $3.5 billion.
Canada and Mexico were called top trading partners for the state and entire country in a recent fact sheet from Senator Cantwell’s office. According to trade statistics from the U.S. Import and Export Merchandise, Washington’s top exports are petrol oil, civilian aircraft and parts, and agricultural products, among others.
WX: The sun has gone cold.
And now for your Whatcom County weather,
Today will continue our streak of partial sunshine and flurries, with up to half an inch of snow. Daytime highs are expected in the low-30s, with cold winds gusting up to 20 miles per hour. Nighttime lows will drop down into the low-to-mid 20s.
Expect to see a chance of snow and rain tomorrow, so please be safe on the roads.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). Our news director is Staci Baird. 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. Check out our Patreon page or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening.
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