Bellingham residents gather downtown to protest U.S. intervention in Venezuela, Columbia Valley burn ban upgraded to stage 2, Car chase through Skagit County results in hospitalization of pursued driver, Director of Blaine School Board announces run for state Senate, Squalicum access to the emergency room reopened, Skagit Valley College announces temporary leader following dismissal of president, WSDOT announces Mount Baker Highway repairs will require 5 days of full traffic closure, dates to be determined, Cantwell focuses on AI and kids, Senate passes budget that preserves funding for NOAA, US Forest Service
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, January 20th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Bellingham residents gather downtown to protest U.S. intervention in Venezuela
Cascadia Daily News reports that more than a hundred people gathered in Maritime Heritage Park on Saturday to protest recent U.S. actions in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolás Maduro.
Protesters chanted “no blood for oil” and waved Venezuelan, Palestinian, Iranian, and pride flags. Speakers urged demonstrators to stay vocal. Community to Community founder Rosalinda Guillen called on people to hold political leaders accountable, while Brenda Brito Espinoza delivered the remarks in Spanish. Guillen closed by urging people to keep organizing and push back against U.S. imperialism in Latin America.
The protest comes as the administration defends the raid as a “narcotics-trafficking” operation. Critics argue the president violated U.S. and international law in bypassing Congress to order the strike.
STORY: Columbia Valley burn ban upgraded to stage 2
The Northwest Clean Air Agency has upgraded the burn ban in Whatcom County’s Columbia Valley to Stage 2.
Under the upgraded ban, all indoor fires, whether in wood-burning fireplaces, certified or uncertified fireplace inserts, pellet stoves, or wood stoves, are prohibited, unless it’s the only source of heat. No outdoor fires are allowed.
Particles inhaled from wood smoke can damage lungs, trigger asthma attacks and other circulatory issues, and worsen heart problems. Children, seniors, and anyone having lung and heart conditions face elevated risk.
The burn ban remains in effect until further notice. Violators could incur fines and face other legal action.
STORY: Car chase through Skagit County results in hospitalization of pursued driver
A traffic stop in Sedro-Woolley early Thursday morning turned into a dangerous, county-wide pursuit.
The Sedro-Woolley Police Department says officers pulled over a damaged pickup truck near Hospital Drive and Collins Road where the driver showed signs of impairment and suddenly sped off.
Police say the driver swerved onto Highway 20, spun out several times and hit signs as he continued on driving with only one good tire. Officers from several agencies dropped spike strips, but the driver steered around them. Burlington police later found the truck crashed against a concrete pillar.
Officers located the suspect later near Highway 20 and Gadge’s Slough. He was taken to Skagit Valley Hospital and processed for DUI. Police say the suspect has a suspended license and multiple prior convictions.
He now faces felony DUI, attempt to elude, hit-and-run, and reckless endangerment charges.
STORY: Director of Blaine School Board announces run for state Senate
Blaine School Board Director Erika Creydt has announced a run for Washington State Senate.
Creydt, a Republican, announced her campaign on Saturday, and cited her work as a child psychologist as her motivation to run.
She joins Democrat and three-term Port of Bellingham Commissioner Michael Shepard in the race for the 42nd Legislative District seat.
Incumbent Senator Sharon Shewmake will not seek reelection.
STORY: Squalicum access to the emergency room reopened
Access to the Emergency Department at St. Joseph Medical Center via Squalicum Parkway and Ellis Street has reopened.
Officials say construction on the Peter Paulsen Pavilion moves into its second phase today. From now until Feb.5th, drivers dropping off patients at the ER must enter the campus at Squalicum Parkway and Ellis Street, not the main Emergency entrance farther west.
Ten parking spaces along that drive near Northwest Medical Center, also known as the Fountain Building, will also reopen for overflow emergency parking.
Work on the project is expected to be completed in 2028.
STORY: Skagit Valley College announces temporary leader following dismissal of president
Skagit Valley College President Christopher Villa has been terminated after more than three years leading Mount Vernon community college.
The Board of Trustees voted unanimously Thursday to end Villa’s contract, citing termination “for convenience.” Few details have been released. The board says it’s launching a search for an interim president and a national search for a permanent replacement.
Vice President for Administrative Services Mike Cogan will lead the college during the interim.
The faculty union says it plans to submit an open letter to the board and hopes to collaborate with the transition.
Villa thanked faculty, staff, students, and the community, and said he wishes the college well.
STORY: WSDOT announces Mount Baker Highway repairs will require 5 days of full traffic closure, dates to be determined
Emergency repairs will require the closure of Mount Baker Highway in both directions of travel early this February.
According to WSDOT, repairs currently allow alternating east and westbound traffic between mileposts 41 and 44. However, the agency anticipates that repairs to a 70 foot stretch near O’Keefe Creek will require total closure for five days.
The highway was heavily damaged during last month’s historic storms that brought widespread flooding to the region.
STORY: Cantwell focuses on AI and kids
Experts told a U.S. Senate committee last Thursday that artificial intelligence may pose a greater risk to children than social media.
During a hearing on children’s screen time, Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington said AI companion apps can be especially harmful, warning that they encourage emotional attachment and blur the line between technology and real relationships.
Testifying experts agreed and said that Congress needs to act quickly. Cantwell said states should not be blocked from protecting kids while federal standards are developed, and added that Congress has already failed the public once by not providing restrictions on social media and she urged the body to not make the same mistake twice.
In June, Sen. Cantwell proposed an amendment that would strip a ten-year moratorium on state AI regulations from the Republican budget reconciliation bill and allow more restrictions on AI. However, that provision was stripped by a vote of 99-1.
STORY: Senate passes budget that preserves funding for NOAA, US Forest Service
With locals still recovering from a recent round of flooding, there is some good news from the U.S. Senate.
On Thursday, they passed a bipartisan budget for fiscal year 2026 that retains funding for NOAA, the Department of the Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service. The move rejects proposed Trump administration cuts that would have slashed NOAA’s budget, eliminated weather research, and reduced natural hazard preparedness and wildfire prevention.
WX: Sunbowed, sunbent, sunbroken
And now weather:
Look for another round of mildly warm, pleasant weather for the first half of the week, with today’s forecast calling for partly sunny skies and highs around 50 degrees. Expect clouds to clear a bit as the day wears on. Tonight, we can look forward to mostly clear skies with chilly air, and temperatures falling to lows in the upper 20s.
Tomorrow the sun should return, but expect Thursday and Friday to bring rain and possibly snow.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, Austin Wright, and Kai Blais-Schmolke. 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 your donations. To help support what we do, check out our Patreon or Substack or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb________… thanks for listening!
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