Woman who died at WWU rec center pool was retired biology department chair, Whatcom Skills Center gets needed funding for phase one of project, Bellingham mobile home park’s affordability uncertain after residents’ land purchase attempt fails, East Whatcom residents launch newsletter, website, Add wildfire, climate change to the list of Lake Whatcom worries, Strippers’ bill of rights bill signed into law in Washington state
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STORY: Woman who died at WWU rec center pool was retired biology department chair
A woman who died Friday, March 22 at the Western Washington University Student Rec Center has been identified as retired WWU biology department chair Joann Otto.
According to paramedics, Otto began experiencing distress at the side of the pool and was pulled onto the deck. Lifeguards, staff, and paramedics were unable to revive her. In a news release issued Wednesday, Otto is described as a “transformational leader” who helped lead the department to national prominence in biology education.
Ms. Otto retired in 2016. She was 74 years old. Her family has asked that donations in her memory be made to the Troutdale Historical Society, San Juan Preservation Trust, or Western’s Joann Otto Microscope Endowment.
STORY: Whatcom Skills Center gets needed funding for phase one of project
Meridian School district now has enough funding to begin the first phase of the proposed Whatcom County Skills Center.
Available for junior and senior high school students in Whatcom, the Center will allow students to learn technical education skills that help them get jobs, and fill the gap of recent skilled labor shortages. According to a recent announcement, the center will be free for students as part of k-12 funding, and will provide materials that would be too expensive for districts to afford on their own.
With the new funds, Meridian plans to begin construction on four new classrooms and a district office – an expansion of their current trades department. They will also begin work on the Whatcom Early learning Center, a building to provide child care and clinicals for both highschool and college students.
Northwest Career and Technical Academy director Lynette Brower says the funding from the state likely won’t come through until around 2030. According to Meridian Superintendent James Everett, the district also received around 9 million from multiple sources for the Early Learning Center, but says they are still 3 million dollars short. Brower is working to find quicker sources of funding.
Everett says they aim to complete construction of both buildings by 2026.
STORY: Bellingham mobile home park’s affordability uncertain after residents’ land purchase attempt fails
The future affordability of Lakeway Mobile Estates is uncertain after residents’ attempt to buy the property was unsuccessful.
Despite the combined efforts of residents, the city, and organizations like the Northwest Cooperative Development Center, they were unable to offer a competitive purchase amount due to the high value of the land. The mobile home park in Bellingham has been sold to a new owner– Havenpark–for approximately $41 million. According to residents, Havenpark says they intend to maintain the property as a manufactured home park, alleviating fears of converting the land to another use.
While residents expect rent increases under the new ownership, they hope the rental spaces will remain affordable for the seniors who live there.
STORY: East Whatcom residents launch newsletter, website
Residents of the Mount Baker Foothills have started a project aimed at bridging the gap between rural inhabitants and essential resources.
Nearly a decade in development, the Foothills Communication Hub will integrate the events, information, and resources available to East Whatcom County residents.
In a recent announcement, editor Melonie Ancheta said the hub’s core objective is to share information about available resources, and is made up of a website and a free monthly print publication, the Foothills Outlook.
According to Ancheta, the newsletter will be distributed all over eastern Whatcom County, including Kendall, Maple Falls, Glacier, Deming, Van Zandt, Welcome, and Acme.
STORY: Add wildfire, climate change to the list of Lake Whatcom worries
Yesterday, elected officials added two new threats to Lake Whatcom for 2024: wildfire and climate change.
At the joint city and county meeting of the Lake Whatcom Management Program, officials discussed the 50-year timeline to correct the lake’s excessive levels of phosphorus and deficient levels of dissolved oxygen.
They also talked about heightened concern over two relatively new threats to the lake: wildfire and climate change. County Executive Satpal Sidhu expressed concern for the safety of the watershed if the area experiences another catastrophic fire.
More frequent extreme weather events are also a concern for the watershed. Storms increase runoff from the mountains, which increases the lake’s phosphorus load. While water quality readings have remained fairly constant over the past 10 years, there is some indication that trends are headed in the right direction.
City and county scientists said they will add climate action as a new element to the Lake Whatcom Management Program’s next five-year plan, which will be completed this year and be in effect from 2025–29.
STORY: Strippers’ bill of rights bill signed into law in Washington state
Governor Jay Inslee has signed legislation that aims to provide comprehensive protections for workers in the adult entertainment industry.
Called the “strippers’ bill of rights”, advocates emphasize the importance of treating strippers as workers entitled to the same rights and safeguards as any other labor force. The law mandates training to prevent sexual harassment, identify human trafficking, and provide first aid, along with measures like keypad codes on dressing rooms and panic buttons for safety.
While Washington is pioneering such protections at the state level, similar measures have been seen elsewhere, including in Illinois and through unionization efforts in Los Angeles and Portland.
WX: Rain
Your Whatcom County weather today – expect clouds and rain, with a high of 55 degrees and moderate winds. There is a chance of thunderstorms and hail tonight and a low of 43. More rain is predicted for tomorrow.
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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