High winds knock out power in Whatcom, Skagit counties, Gas leak likely caused Ferndale garage explosion, subsequent fire, Whatcom County Council approves two resolutions requesting Gov and Pres declare emergency for opioid and fentanyl crisis, 300-bed Bellingham homeless shelter slated for November opening ‘at the latest’, Truck fuel leak disrupts WA ferries in Anacortes, Seattle I-5 protest surprised WA State Patrol; arrests possible, Covid in Whatcom
______________________________
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, January 10th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: High winds knock out power in Whatcom, Skagit counties
The harsh weather seen in both Whatcom and Skagit counties has started taking its toll.
High winds knocked down power lines yesterday morning. Nearly 2,000 PSE customers were without power as of 11 a.m. Tuesday, including over 250 in downtown Sedro-Woolley and about 1,500 near Alger (OW-jer).
Temperatures are expected to plummet around noon tomorrow and an arctic blast blowing in from the Fraser Valley is to blame. Lows on Friday morning are expected to dip to 14 degrees in Bellingham with an increasing chance of snow at low elevations, although the National Weather Service is unsure of how much snow will fall across western Whatcom and Skagit counties. The Mt. Baker Ski Area has already experienced severe snowfall, recording 13 inches of snow yesterday morning and another 32-to-35 inches predicted over the next three days.
STORY: Gas leak likely caused Ferndale garage explosion, subsequent fire
Ferndale Police have confirmed the cause of Sunday’s garage explosion as a gas leak.
Fire crews arrived at the home on Apollo Drive around noon to find the garage door had been blown into the driveway, as well as garage walls moved off the foundation by the explosion. No one was home with the exception of some pets, who were safely evacuated.
After a similar explosion in Bothell a month ago, experts are urging anyone living in a house with gas appliances to recognize the sulfur-like smell of a gas leak, and say residents should get out of the house and call 911 immediately if they notice the smell. They also advise homeowners to ensure carbon monoxide detectors work and get regular maintenance done on gas appliances.
STORY: Whatcom County Council approves two resolutions requesting Gov and Pres declare emergency for opioid and fentanyl crisis
Whatcom County Council members approved resolutions requesting emergency declarations on the opioid crisis from both the governor and president.
The county has seen a significant increase in suspected and confirmed overdose deaths with 132 cases in 2023 compared to 91 in all of 2022. At a meeting last night, County councilors discussed the merits of requesting state and federal help.
A state-level emergency declaration would allow the county to seek state resources, while a federal declaration could make $50 million available nationwide. The two resolutions called on the federal and state governments to work with their legislatures as well as provide additional resources and to better address the ongoing crisis.
Both resolutions passed unanimously.
STORY: 300-bed Bellingham homeless shelter slated for November opening ‘at the latest’
Construction of the Lighthouse Mission Ministries’ new shelter in Bellingham’s Old Town is reaching a minor milestone this week, as construction crews are framing up the fifth floor and completing the new shelter’s roof.
So far, Lighthouse says it has raised $23 million dollars for the project, which includes anticipated proceeds from the sale of the Willows Inn property on Lummi Island that was gifted to the organization last year. The new facility at Holly Street will include a low-barrier shelter with space for 200 people, plus a specialized shelter for a hundred more homeless individuals. Another one-hundred beds will be made available during weather emergencies or natural disasters.
The nonprofit expects to leave Base Camp and move into the new shelter by November.
STORY: Truck fuel leak disrupts WA ferries in Anacortes
A ferry trip was canceled Tuesday morning after a vehicle leaked fuel on its dock.
The leak occurred after the underside of a truck scraped the vehicle ramp when leaving the Anacortes ferry. Staff said the driver wasn’t aware of the damage and kept on driving. An eyewitness notes that there was, quote “a rainbow sheen, from where the boat was, all the way up to the road.” A Washington State Ferry rider alert was sent out and called it a “safety issue.” The spill was cleaned up an hour and a half later, and regular operations resumed.
Spokesperson Ian Sterling said that it is common for cars and trucks to drip puddles of petroleum on a boat or dock and for crews to clean the mess. No information was given about how the truck was damaged, nor how much fuel leaked into the water.
STORY: Seattle I-5 protest surprised WA State Patrol; arrests possible
The Washington State Patrol was caught off-guard by a protest on Saturday that shut down Interstate 5 through Seattle for nearly five hours.
The protest, calling for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war, led to the closure of northbound I-5, causing significant traffic disruption. State Patrol Chief Jon Batiste (bah-TEEST) says WSP received a single unverifiable report about the plan to take over the freeway but couldn’t substantiate it. Despite preparing a contingency plan, Batiste says there wasn’t enough reliable information to deploy additional officers or teams to specific locations. Mass arrests were considered, but the lack of capacity at the King County Jail and a miscommunication regarding dispersal orders contributed to delays.
Ultimately, protesters left voluntarily before a dispersal order was issued. The abandoned vehicles were inspected with bomb-sniffing dogs before being towed away.
The event drew criticism from some Republican officials who questioned the state government’s preparedness. Protest organizers celebrated its success, reiterating demands related to the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The State Patrol says they are still investigating and have not ruled out arrests.
WX: Rainy, Snow
There is a chance of rain today, with a high of 43 degrees and light winds. Snow may come tonight, with a low of 32 degrees. Tomorrow will bring more rain with a possibility of snow, with a predicted high of 27. Temperatures will continue to drop even lower as the week goes by.
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.
##
STORY: Covid in Whatcom
(Insert Intro here)
WHATCOM COVID AUDIO
