Falling tree injures and traps two women in Larrabee State Park, Bellingham ordinance strengthening LGBTQ+ protections unanimously passes second round of voting, Construction projects set to commence next week will result in nightly I-5 lane closures between Blaine and Ferndale, Population of Whatcom residents over 65 exceeds that of 18 and under demographic for the first time, reflecting statewide trend, WA to backfill $11 million in federal cuts to Planned Parenthood, Crab season opens July 17th – YAY!
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, July 10th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Falling tree injures and traps two women in Larrabee State Park
A falling tree injured and trapped two women at Larrabee State Park on Wednesday.
Authorities received a 9-1-1 call around 8:30 a.m. According to Fire Chief Mitchell Nolze with the South Whatcom Fire Authority, first responders arrived at the park roughly 15 minutes later. One woman had managed to free herself, while the other was still stuck underneath the tree.
The tree fell due to natural causes, but no exact cause was determined. Chief Nolze said that, after the long dry spell, the rain on Wednesday could be the cause.
The women were taken to St. Joseph Medical Center. No information on their condition was readily available.
STORY: Bellingham ordinance strengthening LGBTQ+ protections unanimously passes second round of voting
Bellingham City Council has taken a stand to protect transgender rights — unanimously approving stronger anti-discrimination language in city law.
The updated ordinance was written in response to months of public testimony, and adds gender expression and identity to the city’s protected classes.
It stops short of declaring Bellingham a formal trans sanctuary city, but council members say it will function like one — without risking federal funding.
The final vote could come at the council’s July 21st meeting.
STORY: WTA plans to close purchase on former Bellingham Public Market building
The Whatcom Transportation Authority hopes to transform the old Bellingham Public Market into a new transit hub.
WTA officials say the current downtown station already operates at full capacity multiple times a day, which limits their ability to expand service or increase frequency on popular routes.
Director of Community and Government Relations Maureen McCarthy told the Bellingham Herald that the new location on Cornwall Avenue would relieve pressure on Bellingham Station and allow for future growth in the
system. Assuming the purchase is approved by the board this October, the sale would close for $6.2 million.
In the short term, WTA plans to add offices in the property for their staff, as well as leasing out extra space. The agency says it will rely on community feedback gathered in 2022; residents expressed support for expanded transit service, housing, open space, and walkable amenities.
The property has been vacant since last fall, after Lighthouse Mission Ministries relocated their Base Camp shelter operations to Old Town.
If the project moves forward, WTA says the new development could become a true example of transit-oriented design in downtown Bellingham.
STORY: Construction projects set to commence next week will result in nightly I-5 lane closures between Blaine and Ferndale A major roadwork project is about to begin on southbound I-5 in northern Whatcom County.
Starting at 8 p.m. next Wednesday, crews will begin repairs and repaving along a 10-mile stretch between Blaine and the Nooksack River crossing in Ferndale. The state Department of Transportation says failing pavement will be removed and replaced, with additional work to fix potholes, cracks, and settling on the mainline and at connecting ramps.
The goal is to extend the life of the pavement and provide a smoother, safer drive for motorists.
WSDOT will also upgrade aging guardrails and replace cable barriers between northbound and southbound lanes. The new safety features are designed to reduce crash severity and prevent vehicles from leaving the roadway.
Drivers should expect lane and shoulder closures during the project. Nighttime lane closures will run from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m., Sunday nights through Friday mornings. Shoulder work will occur both day and night, and some ramps will close overnight with detours in place. Speed limits in the construction zone will drop to 55 miles per hour.
The $7.6 million project is scheduled to be completed this fall.
STORY: Population of Whatcom residents over 65 exceeds that of 18 and under demographic for the first time, reflecting statewide trend For the first time ever, Whatcom County residents over the age of 65 now outnumber children under 18.
According to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, there are still more kids overall than older adults in Washington. However, the data shows that between 2020 and 2024, the total number of children declined by more than 42,000 statewide. By contrast, the older adult population grew by over 160,000. The majority of Washington counties now have fewer kids living in them than people of retirement age.
Similar scenarios are playing out nationally. According to the CDC, the fertility rate in the United States dropped to a historic low last year, at the same time as the majority of baby boomers reach retirement age.
STORY: WA to backfill $11 million in federal cuts to Planned Parenthood
Washington is stepping up to replace $11 million in federal Planned Parenthood funding lost due to a new Medicaid ban.
The Seattle Times reports that the state will use its own funds to keep preventive health services like cancer screenings available to thousands of residents if the lawsuit challenging the ban fails.
At a news conference at Planned Parenthood yesterday, Governor Bob Ferguson called the federal move a blatantly political, cruel attack on reproductive rights.
This comes amid sweeping federal Medicaid cuts that could affect hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians.
STORY: Crab season opens July 17th – YAY!
Get your gear ready — Marine Area 7 South, including the San Juans and Bellingham, opens for crabbing a week from today.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says pots can be dropped Thursdays through Mondays, with no crabbing allowed on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.
A shellfish license and catch record card are required. The daily limit is five male Dungeness crabs, at least 6-and-a-quarter inches wide, plus six red rock crabs of any sex. Crab must be kept whole so size and sex can be verified.
Area 7 North – from Inati (I-NAUGHTY) Bay to Point Roberts — remains closed. WDFW expects that season to open in mid-August, once shell condition sampling wraps up.
Always check for emergency closures before heading out. More information is available at wdfw.wa.gov.
WX: Breakin’ the clouds, breakin’ the clouds.
And now for the weather:
A cloudy morning is expected to give way to a warm, sunny afternoon and evening, with a max U.V. index rating of 8 and highs around 70 degrees. The skies should remain fairly clear heading into this evening, when we can expect calm winds with lows in the low-50s.
Tomorrow should get even warmer and sunnier, with highs crawling back into the high-70s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Cody Mills,
Aidan Larson, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Bella Mae (BELL-uh MAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI
BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Nate Landi (LAND-ee) and Hailey LeRoy. 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. Check out our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening!
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