Deputy-involved crash closes section of Hannegan during morning commute, Bellingham School District plots Roosevelt Elementary rebuild, Southbound I-5 at Portal Way fully blocked after collision, SNAP Recipients’ Funds Go Farther This Season with Unlimited Cost Matching, Child care grants adding nearly 30 spaces in Bellingham preschools, WA cherry growers get federal help after extreme heat hurt crops, WSDA local food system infrastructure grant applications open
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, March 20th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Deputy-involved crash closes section of Hannegan during morning commute
First responders were dispatched yesterday at 6:40 a.m. to a crash involving a Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputy.
In foggy conditions, a minivan ran a stop sign at the intersection of E Haxton and Hannegan roads, and crashed into the officer’s vehicle. Both of the drivers were treated for minor injuries after being transported to the hospital by ambulance.
The roads approaching the intersection were closed for about three hours. The minivan driver was cited for a failure to yield, and driving without a license.
STORY: Bellingham School District plots Roosevelt Elementary rebuild
Parents and community members assembled at Roosevelt Elementary School yesterday to discuss plans to remodel the 52-year-old building.
Requests for the new school building range from an air-conditioning system to improved bike, bus and pedestrian access, as well as keeping the school’s, quote, “neighborhood feel.” Director of Capital Projects for Bellingham Public Schools, Curtis Lawyer, says the new school will be a two-story, 64,000-square-foot building, and serve 450 students. The rebuild, which would be covered with money from a 2022 bond, will cost around $50 million and open by 2027 or ‘28, pending the approval of an additional bond for construction funds.
The rebuild comes after a legislative report by the School Seismic Safety Project found that, in the event of an earthquake, the current Roosevelt Elementary building would be severely damaged, which would pose a threat to the lives of those inside the old building.
STORY: Southbound I-5 at Portal Way fully blocked after collision
Another crash happened later yesterday, when an accident blocked all lanes of southbound I-5 near Portal Way.
First responders were dispatched about 2:55 pm due to reports of a vehicle hauler rolled over at the Portal Way southbound on-ramp. Officials reported that 2 additional vehicles were also involved in the crash and 2 people were injured. I-5 traffic was backed up for several miles north of Ferndale.
Around 4 pm, WSDOT reported on Twitter that drivers on I-5 were using the on-ramp at Grandview as an off-ramp to circumvent the traffic, and warning of potential additional collisions. Traffic got back to normal around 5:15 p.m. after the scene had been cleared.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Kelsey Harding says their investigation determined that the vehicle hauler was traveling too fast while attempting to enter southbound I-5 from Portal Way causing it to tip over and slide across lanes. A van traveling southbound then struck the hauler.
The driver of the van suffered non-life-threatening injuries, and the driver of the vehicle hauler was uninjured.
STORY: SNAP Recipients’ Funds Go Farther This Season with Unlimited Cost Matching
All three Whatcom County farmers markets have announced they will now accept SNAP Market Match with unlimited matches on local produce.
According to an announcement by the county health department, $50,000 dollars in American Rescue Plan Act funds have been allocated by Whatcom County toward the initiative designed to support local farmers, enhance food security, and promote healthy eating habits among SNAP users.
Previously, pandemic-era programs provided limited matching funds, but with the infusion of county funds, the markets can now offer a dollar-for-dollar match with no transaction limit.
The new initiative builds on the success of a previous pilot program funded by a PeaceHealth Community Benefit Grant, which demonstrated significant increases in SNAP Market Match usage and improved food access for low-income residents.
The initiative also aligns with Whatcom County’s Food System Plan and its goals of building a resilient local food economy and ensuring access to healthy food for all.
STORY: Child care grants adding nearly 30 spaces in Bellingham preschools
Two Bellingham preschool programs have secured grants from the Washington State Dept of Commerce to improve child care access.
Gabriel’s Art Kids, located in the Lettered Streets neighborhood, will receive $600,000 to add 19 spaces, while A Child’s Life Learning Center will get almost $60,000 dollars to accommodate 10 more children.
Access to quality child care is recognized as crucial for working families in Whatcom County. Recent initiatives such as integrating child-care centers into housing projects and the passing of a 10-year tax in Whatcom County for children’s education have also tried to address some of those needs.
STORY: WA cherry growers get federal help after extreme heat hurt crops
Federal disaster relief loans are now available to Washington’s cherry growers.
Last summer, Washington’s sweet cherry growers suffered nearly $100 million dollars in losses due to extreme heat, which caused all the trees to bloom at once. This sudden surge in production flooded the market, leading to a sharp decline in cherry prices and resulting in financial setbacks for the growers.
Lobbying efforts by congressional officials, including Senators Maria Cantwell and Patty Murray as well as Representative Kim Schrier (SCHRY-er), have encouraged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to offer relief loans of up to $500,000 to help mitigate losses. The disaster declaration aims to assist growers in continuing operations during the upcoming season.
Eligible areas for the loans include various counties in Washington and Oregon. The loans can be used for equipment, livestock, restructuring farming operations, or debt refinancing.
Applications will be accepted until November.
WX: Sun
Your Whatcom County weather – today will be cloudy, with a high of 55 degrees and moderate winds. Tonight, expect rain with a low of 45. Tomorrow will bring more rain and similar temperatures.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman and Tristan Trudell. 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. If you would like to help keep local news accessible, check out our new Patreon page at patreon.com/kmrenews or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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STORY: WSDA local food system infrastructure grant applications open
Over $2 million in grants are available for farms, ranches, food processors, and food distributors that support local food systems.
Offered by the Washington State Department of Agriculture, the grants are designed to strengthen the connections between Washington’s regional food supply chains. The funding will help local farms, processors, and distributors that are critical in maintaining the local food system statewide. Grant amounts range from 10 to 75 thousand dollars and can be used for planning, equipment, and facilities.
More information is available on the WSDA website and applications are due by April 17th.
