Car crash and fire on Portal Way sends family to hospital, West Bakerview homeless encampment to be cleared in coming weeks, Unemployment rates rose for Bellingham and Whatcom County in November, Battery energy storage system approved for industrial land near Mount Vernon, Public comments open on amendments to Northwest Forest Plan, WA sets record for eviction filings in 2024, Confluence of factors result in challenges for WA apple farmers
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, January 6th. Good afternoon, I’m Theron Danielson.
STORY: Car crash and fire on Portal Way sends family to hospital
First responders were dispatched to a car crash and fire on Portal Way in Whatcom County on New Year’s Day at around 3:30 p.m.
According to police reports, they found a family of four trapped inside a vehicle which was fully engulfed in flames. All occupants — two adults and two children — safely exited the car and were transported to St. Joseph Medical Center. The car’s engine compartment sustained most of the fire damage.
Portal Way was temporarily closed for about an hour.
STORY: West Bakerview homeless encampment to be cleared in coming weeks
The City of Bellingham says it plans to notify residents at the homeless encampment at West Bakerview Road and Northwest Drive of the upcoming cleanup of the site scheduled for January 23rd.
According to the City, the makeshift campsite has grown significantly since the city cleared a similar large encampment behind Walmart in November.
Property owners near the location have raised concerns over public health, safety, and criminal activity. Fifty service providers, city officials, law enforcement officers, and community members gathered Friday night for a collaborative meeting in preparation for another upcoming encampment cleanup. At the meeting, attendees expressed a desire to ease the transition for the unhoused individuals. While property owners support the cleanup, service providers worry that clearing encampments without immediate housing solutions will only perpetuate the problem. Suggestions included offering trash bags and carts to help residents move their belongings, and creating long-term solutions like tiny home villages.
Nearby residents also expressed growing concerns about safety issues, and pointed to increasing incidents of gunfire, drug use, and rising theft. While emphasizing their compassion for the unhoused, they stressed the importance of increased collaboration between the city, county, and nonprofit organizations to more effectively address homelessness.
STORY: Unemployment rates rose for Bellingham and Whatcom County in November
Unemployment rates in Whatcom County and Bellingham rose slightly in November.
Recent data by the Washington State Employment Security Department shows that Whatcom County recorded a 4.6% unemployment rate in November, up from 4.3% in October. Bellingham’s unemployment rate also rose to 4.6%, up from 4.3% in October, with 2,149 residents unemployed.
Washington state saw a slight drop in its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, from 4.7% in October to 4.6% in November. Despite the drop, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says Washington ranks seventh in the nation for unemployment.
STORY: Battery energy storage system approved for industrial land near Mount Vernon
A location for Skagit County’s first battery energy storage system has been approved.
NextEra Energy Resources has received a special use permit to build the 200-megawatt facility on industrial land west of Mount Vernon. According to a report from Skagit’s planning department, the project would contain around 92 single-story inverter/transformer units and 368 battery cabinets within an 18-acre area, surrounded by a security fence.
The project would facilitate the statewide transition away from fossil fuels by managing fluctuations in energy demand for the region and creating a more sustainable power grid.
STORY: Public comments open on amendments to Northwest Forest Plan
The U.S. Forest Service has proposed amendments to the 30-year-old Northwest Forest Plan that will impact nearly 800,000 acres in Skagit and Whatcom counties.
Adopted in 1994, the original plan focused on habitat protection for threatened species, but now requires updates to address evolving climate impacts, science, and social conditions. Along with local forests, the update will impact 16 national forests in the West Coast. The Forest Service says the changes aim to integrate Indigenous knowledge, improve climate and wildfire resilience, protect ecosystems, and ensure predictable timber yields.
A draft environmental impact statement (EIS) from November 2023 outlines their recommendation that combines active management with habitat protection. The EIS also differentiates between “moist” and “dry” forests, with most forests in Skagit and Whatcom counties classified as moist. It suggests opening some local forestlands to harvest and active fire management while preserving ancient stands, except in the case of cultural use or fire risk.
Public feedback on the draft EIS is open until March 17th, with meetings planned, including one in Everett on January 15th.
STORY: WA sets record for eviction filings in 2024
The Eviction Research Network says that Washington had its highest number of eviction filings in recorded history in 2024.
Nine counties had already surpassed their previous records, and eight more were expected to do so by the end of December. In Whatcom County, 403 eviction filings were recorded in 2024; it recorded its highest number of evictions, 477, in 2004. The current eviction rate in Whatcom County is 1.2%, lower than the state average of 2.1%.
Evictions have risen significantly across Washington since pandemic-era protections ended. The Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program and Eviction Resolution Pilot Program were gradually phased out, which state officials say has contributed to the increase.
Eviction rates have surpassed pre-pandemic levels, with monthly filings exceeding 2019 numbers since July 2023.
STORY: Confluence of factors result in challenges for WA apple farmers
A string of economic challenges is devastating Washington apple farmers.
Rising labor costs and stagnant prices paid to farmers, as well as apple oversupply caused by increased farm efficiency and the loss of international markets such as India and China due to tariffs imposed in 2018 by then-President Trump, have led small orchardists to sustain losses for years on end. These orchardists say they are unable to sustain these losses amid economic conditions they feel will only continue to worsen.
187 Washington apple farms closed between 2017 and 2022, with operations smaller than 50 acres hit especially hard. The closures are fueling a wave of farmland consolidation, backed by private equity firms such as Goldman Sachs (SACKS).
WX: Huitzilopochtli has defeated the darkness once again (LOLOLOL! Thanks, for that, Kyler)
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
We’re expecting a brief return to sunnier skies today, following some early morning fog. Daytime hours will see high temperatures around 50 degrees, alongside light northeastern winds. A cold night will close out today, with temperatures potentially dropping below 30.
January’s usual overcast weather will continue tomorrow, alongside a slight chance of rain.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Riley Weeks, Brodey O’Brien, Paloma Ortiz, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), Anna Hedrick and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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 Theron Danielson, and thank you for listening.
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