Bham new mayor, Lummi Nation opposes BP’s $50M purchase of Cherry Point parcels, Blaine police, public works administration move to city hall after overcrowding, Point Roberts fire district axes ambulance fees; introduces Welcome Home transports, Blaine police, public works administration move to city hall after overcrowding, Lummi Nation among 20 entities to earn three-year BIA language preservation grant, Local Boy Scout troops will pick up Christmas trees in January, UW advances to football national championship, COVID cases rising, WA Dept of Health cuts hundreds of jobs as COVID funding runs out
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STORY: Bham new mayor
Bellingham’s new mayor began her term at midnight on January 1st by actively participating in a New Year’s Eve overnight police patrol.
According to a recent release, Kim Lund also spent her first hours in office at the What-Comm Dispatch Center and expressed gratitude for the dedication and professionalism of first responders. The public swearing-in ceremony of new elected officials is scheduled for January 8th at City Hall.
STORY: Lummi Nation opposes BP’s $50M purchase of Cherry Point parcels
The Lummi Nation continues to be steadfast in their opposition to BP’s purchase of land parcels at Cherry Point.
British Petroleum has offered $50 million dollars for the purchase of 1,100 acres of land. The offer came after BP struck an agreement with Pacific International Holdings, a subsidiary of SSA Marine. According to the company, the land was purchased for a variety of reasons, including use as a potential buffer area for the Cherry Point refinery operations. In a recent release, BP stated they have no current plans for development projects on the property.
The purchase itself, however, is strongly opposed by the Lummi Nation due to the land’s cultural significance. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recognized the area as a Tribal Cultural Property, a distinction that has helped protect the region. In 2016 a proposal to build a giant coal-export terminal on the land was rejected by the Corps, which upheld an appeal by the Lummi Tribe on the grounds of treaty-guaranteed between Salish Sea tribes and the U.S. government.
According to Lummi Nation Chairman Anthony Hillaire, the tribe has deep concerns about the short notice and fast track of the sale, as well as the lack of reassurances from BP about the nature of the development.
STORY: Point Roberts fire district axes ambulance fees; introduces Welcome Home transports
The Point Roberts fire district commissioners approved two resolutions they hope will ease financial burdens for residents experiencing medical emergencies.
Ambulance transport to St. Joseph PeaceHealth Medical Center in Bellingham will now be free when conducted by Point Roberts fire district personnel. However, helicopter evacuations or transfers to other agencies in Bellingham will still be charged. Commissioners also announced a new ‘Welcome Home’ transport program that allows patients to call the fire district for a ride home from the hospital if they don’t have one.
This initiative aims to address instances where those in need refuse medical care due to lack of transportation.
STORY: Blaine police, public works administration move to city hall after overcrowding
The city hall building in Blaine has two new tenants— the Blaine Police Department and the public works department.
According to recent reporting by The Northern Light, both departments cited overcrowding concerns as the motive behind their relocation. The Blaine police ran out of space to properly store evidence, causing employee safety and evidence chain-of-custody issues. Additionally, public works felt that having city engineers and planners working under the same roof would improve efficiency and performance.
In-person visits to the Blaine PD’s offices are now held at their City Hall location. The public is encouraged to visit the new public works’ offices for any public works-related business, including bill payments or permitting. The new offices are on the second floor of the city hall building.
STORY: Lummi Nation among 20 entities to earn three-year BIA language preservation grant
The Lummi Nation has received nearly $300 thousand dollars to help preserve its language.
The money comes as part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Living Languages Grant Program. The program funds languages that are at risk of disappearing because of a declining native-speaker population. The focus for this year is on Native language immersion projects that support a cohesive Tribal community-wide approach. A total of $5.7 million is being sent to 20 tribes across the country to fund these programs.
Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland says that investing in Native languages is one way the government works to address harms caused by federal policies of the past, such as Federal Indian Boarding Schools. The purpose of the schools was to erase and suppress Native languages and cultures. More than 500 boarding schools started in the 17th century and many were still operating in the 1980’s and 90’s.
The Living Languages Grant Program hopes to see measurable growth in Lummi language use within the next three years.
STORY: Local Boy Scout troops will pick up Christmas trees in January
The annual community Christmas tree pickup and recycling event is happening this Saturday.
Trees should be free of all decoration and left in a visible spot near the curb by 8 a.m. There is no pickup in gated communities or multi-family housing units.
The event is a fundraiser for local boy scout troops and although donations are optional, money can be mailed in provided envelopes, or you can donate via PayPal on your local Boy Scout troop website.
As an alternative, residents can cut their trees into smaller pieces and place them in their yard or food waste curbside collection bin– just make sure the lid closes. Trees may also be taken to Green Earth Technologies in Lynden or RDS in Ferndale for recycling.
STORY: UW advances to football national championship
The University of Washington Huskies are advancing to the football national championship after defeating Texas 37 to 31.
Star quarterback Michael Penix (PEN-icks) Jr. led the Huskies to victory, completing 29 of 38 passes for 430 yards and two touchdowns. The win was a narrow one, with the lead swapping sides multiple times and both teams making desperation plays late into the game.
This is UW’s (you-DUB) second appearance in the College Football Playoffs, and its first time in the championship game. The Huskies will play Rose Bowl winner Michigan in Houston on January 8th.
WX: Cloudy, with some rain
The weather today will likely be rainy, with clouds and a high of 48 degrees. The rain will stop before midnight and temperatures will drop to around 41. Tomorrow will bring more clouds, and more rain.
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.
Thank you for supporting KMRE News in 2023. I’m ________________, Happy New Year!
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STORY: COVID cases rising
STORY: WA Dept of Health cuts hundreds of jobs as COVID funding runs out
The Washington Department of Health has cut over 300 employees involved in the state’s pandemic response, and more positions are at risk due to the ending of federal COVID aid.
Jobs eliminated include roles in vaccine distribution, testing services, contact tracing, and data tracking. According to a recent news release, the Washington State Department of Health spent nearly $316 million on COVID-19 hires from January 2020 to October 2023, accounting for half of its two-year operating budget.
The impact of the layoffs on the state’s ability to respond to future pandemics remains uncertain. Public health experts argue that maintaining a robust public health workforce is crucial for future preparedness, and emphasize the importance of state funding for these efforts.
