Moderate flooding expected in the region, Landslides close I-5 near Bellingham, Hazmat unit clears Whatcom County Courthouse to reopen following evacuation on Thursday, Seattle PD searching for woman wanted on multiple felony charges believed to be in Anacortes area, ort of Bellingham declares upland zone of Harris Avenue Shipyard free of toxic heavy metals, Recovery Cafe Skagit granted $2 million to purchase its building, Nuclear is back on the table in WA, Extremely Free and Incredibly Cheap, No Kings Day March 28th, Places to file your taxes for free, FREE OR CHEAP
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, March 20th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Moderate flooding expected in the region
Rising rivers across northwest Washington are being closely monitored as rain continues.
According to NOAA, the Skagit River near Mount Vernon and Concrete is at action stage and moderate flooding is expected.
The Nooksack River at Ferndale and the Samish River near Burlington are at action stage and officials say they are continuing to evaluate conditions. The Nooksack near Cedarville is also at action stage, but no flooding is expected at this time.
Forecasters say river levels are expected to peak around midnight.
STORY: Landslides close I-5 near Bellingham
Two landslides have shut down Interstate 5 northbound, just south of Bellingham: there is no estimated date for reopening.
WSDOT (WASH-dot) says the slides occurred late last night, blocking the highway near mileposts 248 and 249. As of early Friday morning, the closure remains in place between North Lake Samish Drive and Fairhaven Parkway.
Traffic is being diverted at the North Lake Samish exit, though officials warn the detour is not suitable for freight. In a social media post, the D.O.T. says engineers are assessing the area and crews are on the scene.
Drivers are urged to avoid the area and use alternate routes.
STORY: Hazmat unit clears Whatcom County Courthouse to reopen following evacuation on Thursday
The Whatcom County Courthouse has reopened after a hazmat scare that forced a partial evacuation Thursday morning.
County officials say staff received a suspicious package containing a potentially hazardous substance, which prompted a first-floor evacuation out of an abundance of caution. The material was later tested by a state lab and determined to be flour. Authorities are investigating the source of the package.
STORY: Seattle PD searching for woman wanted on multiple felony charges believed to be in Anacortes area
Seattle Police say a woman wanted on multiple felony charges may be hiding in the Anacortes area.
Forty-three-year-old Ingrid Carolynn Johnson is wanted on a $150,000 federal warrant. She’s accused of felony stalking, cyber harassment, and making false statements to police.
Prosecutors say Johnson carried out a years-long harassment campaign against her ex-husband—violating protection orders, sending abusive messages, and filing false kidnapping claims in an attempt to have him arrested. A judge has labeled her a “vexatious litigant” for repeatedly filing meritless and AI-generated claims.
Anyone with information on her whereabouts is urged to call 911.
STORY: Port of Bellingham declares upland zone of Harris Avenue Shipyard free of toxic heavy metals
The Port of Bellingham has announced completion of cleanup work at the previously contaminated upland section of the Harris Avenue Shipyard.
Over the past year, Washington State Department of Ecology crews have excavated toxic heavy metals from roughly 5 acres of contaminated soil and substituted it with clean fill. According to the Port’s Facebook post, marine trades businesses can now return to the site.
The DOE has opened a public comment period before it finalizes a new consent decree and Cleanup Action Plan for the in-water decontamination of roughly 5 acres of marine sediment. The Port expects to wrap up that process within three years of its start date.
The project at the Harris Avenue upland area is one of five around Bellingham Bay slated for completion this year.
STORY: Recovery Cafe Skagit granted $2 million to purchase its building
According to the Skagit Valley Herald, the State has awarded Recovery Cafe Skagit around two million dollars to purchase its own building.
According to their website, Recovery Cafe Skagit was established in March 2023 and provides a safe, sober community for people recovering from addiction, homelessness, and mental health challenges. Members must be drug and alcohol free, attend a weekly recovery circle, and volunteer in the cafe.
STORY: Dept. of Ecology issues minor fines to Walmart and Amazon for selling climate-polluting products
The Washington State Department of Ecology has fined Amazon and Walmart for selling climate-polluting refrigeration and coolant products.
Amazon was fined just over 800,000 dollars, and Walmart was penalized over 380,000 dollars, according to a news release by the department.
The fines come after the department said it had given repeated warnings, over several years, about new state laws prohibiting certain materials in the products.
Amazon and Walmart have 30 days to either pay the fines or file an appeal to Washington’s Pollution Control Hearings Board.
STORY: Nuclear is back on the table in WA
State and national leaders are revisiting nuclear energy as a reliable, emmission-free option of power generation.
The renewed interest follows state and federal policy changes, including Washington’s clean energy mandate as well as new funding for advanced reactors. In addition, increased demand from data centers, businesses, and individuals has prompted leaders to consider other options to meet clean energy goals and reduce reliance on fossil fuels.
Energy Northwest has proposed building up to a dozen small modular reactors near the Columbia Generating Station, as part of a push to create an emission-free power system.
Companies like Amazon are also investing heavily in next-generation nuclear projects, helping offset costs and accelerate development.
Opponents of such reactors say there are significant concerns with long-term management of radioactive waste, high construction costs, and potential environmental impacts on tribal lands.
STORY: Extremely Free and Incredibly Cheap
Happy Friday everyone, you’ve made it! Here are some free and cheap events happening in Bellingham this weekend.
On Friday, the Depot Market Square will hold their monthly free open roller skate. Bring your own skates, helmet, and elbow pads if you have them. Skating is from 6-8pm.
On Friday and Saturday from 6-8pm, Stones Throw Brewery has live music available for free. Friday will showcase a local songwriter and Saturday will showcase The Blokes Trio cover group.
Also on Saturday, head out to Zuanich Point Park to join the free Sunset Silent Disco, and get your groove on. Headphones and music will be provided. Sunset will be at 7:25pm. Show up early to claim a spot.
WX: Agent Cody Dranks
And now weather:
Way goodbye to the week, with 90% chance of rain tapering to 10% tonight, leaving us with about 1/10th of an inch accumulation. Highs today are expected in the upper 50s, with mild winds and evening lows around 40 degrees.
Look for a chance of showers tomorrow morning, turning sunny in the afternoon. Rain is expected to return on Sunday, but tapers off again Sunday night, leading to a cloudy Monday.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, Austin Wright, Kai Blais-Schmolke, Kieran Dang, and Bella Farris. 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. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb________… thanks for listening!
##
STORY: No Kings Day March 28th
Community members are being invited to take part in a “No Kings” march in Bellingham later this month.
Organizers say the March 28th event will feature a peaceful 1.5-mile procession through downtown, aimed at showing solidarity and encouraging civic engagement. The march will include student leaders, live music, and chanting, with participants able to join in a variety of ways or simply walk in quiet support.
The unpermitted event is being framed as an exercise of First Amendment rights, with organizers emphasizing free speech and public assembly. They say volunteer peacekeepers will be on hand to help keep the march safe and orderly.
The procession is expected to last about an hour, and organizers say they hope it will be both meaningful and empowering for the community.
STORY: Places to file your taxes for free
Even though the Trump Administration has ended the IRS Direct File program, many Americans can still file their taxes for free this season.
Taxpayers earning under eighty-nine thousand dollars a year can use IRS Free File software online, while those making about sixty-seven thousand dollars or less may qualify for free, in-person help through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance sites at libraries and community centers. Seniors can get no-cost help through AARP Tax-Aide, and military members can file for free through the Defense Department’s MilTax program.
Anyone can also file at no charge using the IRS’s Free File Fillable Forms on IRS dot gov. The tax filing deadline is April fifteenth.
FREE OR CHEAP
38th Annual Fairhaven Neighbors Plant and Tree Sale
Saturday, March 28th, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Hillcrest parking lot – corner of Old Fairhaven Pkwy & 14th St.
Welcome spring with an amazing assortment of plants – veggie starts, flowers, herbs, native and specialty plants, bamboo, trees, berries, ornamentals – from local and regional growers. The sale benefits non-profit Fairhaven Neighbors and a portion of profits are shared with other community non-profits, in the past donating to Bellingham Food Bank, Friends of the Family Resource Center, and the Community Boating Center. Admission is free and all are welcome. Shoppers are encouraged to bring their own boxes for transporting purchases. Fairhaven Neighbors thanks Hillcrest for sharing its space. Expert gardeners and novices – inspiration and perfect plants await.
For more information, see www.Facebook.com/FairhavenPlantAndTreeSale
School District Events
| March 20, 21, 27, 28 | 7:30 PM | Firebringer: A Rock Musical | Options Theater | $25 GA / $15 Student | Presented by Bellingham TheatreWorks in partnership with Options High School drama; directed by Zacharee Simm. |
| March 26, 27 | 7:00 PM | Vista & Horizon Middle School Play | Ferndale HS PAC | Not specified | Joint production by Vista and Horizon Middle Schools in Ferndale. |
| March 27, 28 | 7:00 PM | Sweeney Todd: School Edition | Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth | See website | BAAY student production of the Sondheim musical; directed by Dylan Cisneros and Logan Hyer-Long. |
| March 28, 29 | 2:00 PM | Sweeney Todd: School Edition | Bellingham Arts Academy for Youth | See website | BAAY student production of the Sondheim musical; directed by Dylan Cisneros and Logan Hyer-Long. |
| March 29 | 2:00 PM | Firebringer: A Rock Musical | Options Theater | $25 GA / $15 Student | Final performance of the partnership production between Bellingham TheatreWorks and Options HS Drama. |
