Bellingham PD apologizes for two-day information delay in Padden assault, AG rules that Albertson’s can no longer bar grocery stores from being built in former Birchwood location, AG rules that Albertson’s can no longer bar grocery stores from being built in former Birchwood location, Additional funding approved to support Whatcom motels housing homeless families, Whatcom courts to hear adjudication case in Nooksack River Basin, Phony toll-bill texts flood WA drivers’ phones, WA lands commissioner wary of federal plan to cull owl population, Affordable housing and childcare project planned for Bellis Fair area
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STORY: Bellingham PD apologizes for two-day information delay in Padden assault
The Bellingham Police Department has issued an apology for a delay in notifying the public about an assault at Lake Padden.
The assault took place on Saturday morning while a young woman was running on the southeast side of Lake Padden. During the run, she was knocked to the ground by a man and punched in the face several times. Two people nearby heard the victim scream, and the attacker fled the scene. The extent of the woman’s injuries is unknown
The BPD did not notify the public about the assault until nearly two days afterwards. Yesterday, in a social media post, the police department said it is quote “reviewing [their] internal communications process to address missed opportunities for community engagement and public notifications” unquote, as well as affirming a commitment to do better.
The alleged attacker is an “average-to-fit” man in his 30s, about 5-foot-8 to 5-foot-10 in height, and has a distinct receding hairline. He was last seen running down a hill near milepost one-and-three-quarters of the trail toward Interstate 5.
STORY: AG rules that Albertson’s can no longer bar grocery stores from being built in former Birchwood location
The Attorney General’s Office announced yesterday that their investigation into Albertsons has concluded, finding that the company has been illegally restricting competitors from moving into their former Birchwood location since 2018.
Albertsons moved to sell their location two years after it closed in 2016, with certain stipulations. The company included as part of the sale a restriction limiting the amount of food that could be sold in-store, which made it impossible for another grocery competitor to take over the space.
These land use restrictions created a food desert in the neighborhood, forcing residents to travel further to get their groceries from stores like Haggens, which the company also owns.
As a result of the investigation, Albertsons has dropped their land use restrictions on the property and the current owner is able to amend further restrictions from 1982 to allow a supermarket to open in the neighborhood sometime in the future. The company must also pay a $25,000 fine to cover the costs of the Attorney General’s investigation.
STORY: Additional funding approved to support Whatcom motels housing homeless families
Dozens of unhoused families with children in Whatcom County will continue to receive temporary shelter in motel rooms, thanks to additional funding approved yesterday by the Whatcom County Council.
The council unanimously authorized the addition of $330,000 dollars to an existing contract with Lydia Place, a local nonprofit, to provide emergency housing. The contract, initiated in 2020, funds four motel rooms year-round for temporary shelter and supportive services to help families transition to permanent housing. Lydia Place staff connect families to case managers within 48 hours of referral and aim to secure permanent housing within 60 days.
There were an average of 88 homeless families from 2021 to 2023, up from 68 in 2018 to 2020. Kids made up 15% of Whatcom’s unhoused population in 2023.
The funding comes from the Washington State Department of Commerce Emergency Housing Fund and will keep the rooms available through the year.
STORY: Whatcom courts to hear adjudication case in Nooksack River Basin
The Whatcom County Superior Court met this morning to discuss the ongoing water adjudication process in the Nooksack River Basin, a move that marks the beginning of the court process for WRIA 1 (WHY-rah ONE).
Some 30,000 water users in parts of Whatcom and Skagit counties are part of a massive county-wide lawsuit over water rights. Affected parties include people who own property and do not rely on the city water system, those who claim a right to the water within those areas, as well as the Nooksack Tribe and Lummi (LUH-mee) Nation who requested the adjudication in 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Affected parties will have one year to fill out and return a court claim form which details their water use, and three more years to provide evidence to support their claims.
Water users in this area should expect to see the first round of forms this fall. For more information, updates, and to view the map of WRIA 1 (WHY-rah ONE) Nooksack River Basin visit WhatcomCounty.US.
STORY: Phony toll-bill texts flood WA drivers’ phones
Scammers are targeting Washington drivers with fake toll-bill text messages, attempting to extract personal information.
These scams often direct users to websites resembling the Good To Go! site but request unnecessary personal information. The messages mimic real Washington State Department of Transportation communications, and include images of the Good To Go! Toll-pass logo and the Tacoma Narrows bridges. However, WSDOT says it never bills via text or email, and has warned these messages are fraudulent. Payments are only processed on MyGoodToGo.com and they only send toll bills by mail or through registered accounts.
The Federal Trade Commission advises people to report and delete such messages, and never click on unknown links or share your birth date.
STORY: WA lands commissioner wary of federal plan to cull owl population
Washington’s public lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, is voicing skepticism about a federal proposal to kill thousands of barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to help the threatened northern spotted owl.
According to a draft environmental impact statement released in November, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is proposing to kill about 500,000 barred owls that live on millions of acres between California and Washington. Hunters would shoot the owls with shotguns in most cases.
In a letter sent this week to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland (HAUL-und), Franz says that she’s concerned about “unintended consequences” of the plan, which she thinks could be unworkable given the scale of the overlapping habitat for barred owls and spotted owls.
Barred owls are prolific hunters that moved into western forests decades ago from their traditional range in the eastern U.S, which put them in direct competition with the northern spotted owl. With the cull, Fish and Wildlife hopes to prevent incursions into California spotted owl habitat.
Washington state designated the spotted owl as endangered in 1988 and the federal government listed the bird as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1990.
WX: Cloudy
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Today will be cooler and cloudier, with scattered showers and highs in the mid 60s. The overcast– rainier weather is expected to persist until Friday. Tonight expect to see the temperature drop into the mid-50, with the possibility of rain.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Kye Salinas (KEY suh-LEE-nus), Maggie Flowers, Carlee Schram (CAR-lee SHRam), and Kyler Cantrell. 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 thanks for listening.
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STORY: Affordable housing and childcare project planned for Bellis Fair area
