Swinomish Wellness Center partners with WCHCS to bring opioid treatment and counseling to Bellingham, Unhoused student population on the rise in Bellingham, $10 million of state money allocated to affordable housing in Bellingham and Mount Vernon, PSE customers set to see increased rates for electric and gas, WA lands commissioner freezes sale of state land containing unprotected old growth forests, Whatcom lifts restrictions on most shellfish farming, still in effect in Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, January 21st. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Swinomish Wellness Center partners with WCHCS to bring opioid treatment and counseling to Bellingham
Whatcom County Health and Community Services teamed up with the Swinomish Tribe to tackle opioid use in Bellingham, announcing a new partnership last week.
Starting January 27th, mobile medical units will travel to Bellingham to dispense medications like methadone and buprenorphine (bew-pre-NOR-fin) six days a week. The partnership with the didgʷálič (deed-GWAH-leech) Wellness Center will also offer on-site addiction counseling. Free transportation to didgʷálič’s main campus in Anacortes to access additional services like mental health, primary, cultural and dental care, as well as social service case management, will also be available.
Swinomish Development Authority Chairman Jeremy Wilbur says the didgʷálič Wellness Center is the first clinic in the country to provide integrated, whole-person care in one location for people with opioid use disorder.
The initiative aims to combat overdose deaths in Whatcom County, which saw 80 probable cases last year. The partnership emphasizes collaboration and investment in community health, and offers hope for more effective solutions to the opioid crisis.
STORY: Unhoused student population on the rise in Bellingham
Student and youth homelessness in America is on the rise, and Whatcom County is no exception.
The Bellingham Herald reports the number of students experiencing homelessness in Bellingham has risen sharply. As of January 2025, Bellingham Public Schools identified 606 students as unhoused. The number is on track to surpass previous years.
Unhoused students face significant barriers to education, with lower graduation rates compared to low-income but stably housed peers.
The Bellingham Public Schools Family Engagement team helps identify student and family needs to support them in any way necessary, district staff told The Bellingham Herald. This includes providing clothing and food, as well as assisting families working their way through local systems to secure housing and services.
In addition to federal protections provided by the McKinney-Vento (ven-TOE) Education of Homeless Children and Youth Assistance Act, Bellingham Public Schools, in partnership with the Bellingham Public Schools Foundation, provide extensive and specific support to families in need.
The foundation, a separate entity from the district, helps fund efforts to support students experiencing homelessness or unstable housing. 90 percent of the funds come from donations by the community, including individuals and corporations.
STORY: $10 million of state money allocated to affordable housing in Bellingham and Mount Vernon
Washington will award nearly $10 million to two local affordable housing projects.
The Opportunity Council will receive $5 million for its senior housing project near the Bellis Fair mall. The project, which combines affordable housing and child care, is anticipated to cost a total of $60 million. It will provide up to 120 affordable rental units for families and seniors, 64 units of senior housing, and a child care center for around 100 kids.
Meanwhile, Community Action of Skagit County will receive about $4.7 million for its Kulshan View project in Mount Vernon. The Skagit Valley Herald reports that this project will provide 48 units for families at risk of homelessness on a property next to LaVenture Middle School; the grant itself will help fund the first phase of 23 low-income units.
In total, 22 state and five federal awards were announced by the Department of Commerce last Thursday, which will result in nearly 1,300 new affordable housing units statewide.
STORY: PSE customers set to see increased rates for electric and gas
Puget Sound Energy customers face a rate increase for electricity and gas utilities starting this year.
The Utility and Transportation Commission approved the hikes last Wednesday. They will be implemented over the next two years. The increases include a 12 percent increase this year for residential electric customers using 800 kilowatt-hours per month. In 2026, that will jump a further 6.3 percent.
This year, average monthly bills are expected to increase by about $20 a month for electric users, and about $10 a month for gas users. PSE says the rate hikes are driven by the need for more renewable resources, reliable power and to offset inflation.
The Utility Commission approve – for the first time – a request from PSE to recover the money spent on specific power purchase agreements under the Clean Energy Transformation Act. However, several requests were rejected until further review by the Commission— including requests to recover accelerated depreciation for gas plants and to include alternative fuel projects like renewable natural gas and hydrogen in the rate structure—- as Initiative 2066, which restricts state limits on natural gas use, is currently being litigated.
PSE says that, with the rate increases, its return on equity will increase to 9.9 percent by 2026.
STORY: WA lands commissioner freezes sale of state land containing unprotected old growth forests
Dave Upthegrove, Washington’s new commissioner of public lands, has put a six month pause on the logging of unprotected, older forests on state trust land.
The hold affects 23 timber sales in the first half of 2025, nearly 30 percent of proposed sales for the year. In a recent release, Upthegrove says his goal is to better understand the location, extent, and characteristics of these forests. While some areas may still be logged during the pause, he says the focus is on ensuring a greater percentage of diverse forests across the landscape. The forests are valued for their biodiversity, carbon storage, and timber quality.
Reactions to Upthegrove’s decision are mixed. Industry representatives expressed concerns about economic impacts and predictability but say they appreciate his accessibility and commitment to campaign promises. Environmental advocates see his tenure as a chance for a fresh start, and emphasize the need to protect legacy trees and connected habitats.
Upthegrove says he embraces the broader responsibilities of his role, which includes wildfire prevention, Puget Sound restoration, and clean energy development.
WX: Half sun. Half man. All hero.
And now for your Whatcom County weather,
Today’s forecast calls for partial sunshine throughout most of the day. Temperatures will continue to be fairly chilly, with highs for today expected in the low 40s. Clouds will accumulate in the evening and that should drop temperatures down to upper 20s.
More sunny weather is expected tomorrow, with a slight chance of some late-night rains.
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.
##
STORY: Whatcom lifts restrictions on most shellfish farming, still in effect in Drayton Harbor and Semiahmoo
