Jail Location Chosen, County Considers River Float Ban on Nooksack, WWU Dumps Aramark, School District to Rehire Teachers, Washington Has Child Care Woes, Overcast and Mild
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STORY: Jail Location Chosen
Yesterday, during a special session of the County Council, members voted 6-1 in favor of building a new jail on LaBounty Drive in Ferndale.
The location was deemed the most cost-effective and also offered potential for future expansion. The estimated cost of the jail is $137 million, and construction is expected to take about three years.
Council members argued that the two other potential locations in downtown Bellingham and the Irongate neighborhood would be too expensive and not practical for future modifications. The county council will finalize the language for the new ballot measure in their upcoming meeting next Tuesday. The funding for the new jail will be put to a public vote on November 7th. Previous attempts to secure funding for a new facility were rejected by voters in 2015 and 2017.
STORY: County Considers River Float Ban on Nooksack
Whatcom County is considering a float ban on the South Fork of the Nooksack River, potentially making the popular watershed off-limits for nearly half the year.
Aimed at protecting Chinook salmon, the prohibition was narrowly rejected by the county council last year resurfaced in discussions yesterday. If approved, the ban would be in effect from June 1st to October 31st each year until 50% of the Puget Sound Salmon Recovery Plan is achieved. The recovery goal for chinook spawning is almost 10,000 fish. Currently, the number of wild chinook salmon spawning is about 200.
Those in support of the ban argue that rafting activities during July and August contribute to salmon deaths and that removing such activities would help protect the fish. Some council members raised concerns about funding and enforcement, while others suggested offering alternative recreational activities to residents.
The discussion is expected to continue.
STORY: WWU Approves Budget With Deficit
Western Washington University has approved an annual operating budget for the next academic year, and it includes a $2.2 million dollar deficit.
Originally anticipated to sit at $10 million dollars, the deficit will be covered by reserves. The university says the budgetary gap is due to the loss of federal emergency relief funding and declining enrollment.
Tuition rates will be increased by 3% for resident undergraduate students and 3.5% for non-resident students in the upcoming academic year. The university says it also plans to maintain programs by using institutional funds to make up any shortfall.
STORY: WWU Dumps Aramark
In other WWU news, the University has announced it will be changing its campus food service provider from Aramark to Chartwells Higher Education, effective September 1.
Chartwells currently serves around 300 campuses in the United States and is known for its innovative practices, including the use of small robots to deliver food. Western plans to introduce its own fleet of food-delivery robots over time.
The cost of the new dining system is expected to be comparable to that of Aramark, and student dining rates for the upcoming academic year will remain unchanged.
The decision to switch providers was influenced by student engagement, with students expressing concerns about Aramark’s prison contracts, food quality, and treatment of student employees.
STORY: School District To Rehire Teachers
Bellingham Public Schools in Washington state will rehire teachers who were laid off due to a $16 million budget deficit.
The district previously announced reductions or eliminations of positions, including 19 paraeducators and more than 50 certificated staff. However, retirements, resignations, and increased state funding for special education have allowed the district to rehire some staff members. The Mountain School, a popular two-night field trip, will also continue with financial support from grant funding.
According to information from the school district, officials are still working on revising the budget for the upcoming school year and expect more updates in the coming weeks.
STORY: Washington State Has Child Care Woes
Washington state has a reason to feel good about child well-being after the release of a new report, but access to child care remains a sore spot. Eric Tegethoff has the story.
CHILD CARE AUDIO
WX: Overcast And Mild
For your Whatcom weather today– overcast with 20% chance of showers, with highs in the low 60’s and overnight lows in the mid-50s. Expect some clearing tomorrow before rain rolls in again for parts of the weekend.
OUTRO:Today’s newscast was produced by volunteer Myles Weber. 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. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening
