Nurses announce strike, New Bellingham minimum wage takes effect today, Whatcom County LEAD program receives reduced funding in new state budget, but escapes complete shutdown, Man convicted of sexually assaulting teen in WWU dorm receives one year in prison, Series of bomb threats called into Cascade Valley Hospital, City of Bellingham receives grant for new emergency dispatch center, WA State Patrol launches pilot program to reduce freeway collisions with officers, Foundation receives $3 million grant to protect Whatcom shorelines
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, May 1st. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Nurses announce strike
Today at noon, healthcare workers with both the Union of American Physicians and Dentists and the Service Employees International Union at PeaceHealth announced a strike scheduled for May 12th-thru-the-16th.
Gabby Medeiros, a labor and delivery surgical tech and member of the union bargaining committee of the SEIU, spoke with KMRE News earlier today and explained why.
Medeiros 1
It’s the 10th anniversary of the last SEIU strike, and when asked about possible impacts to the community, Medeiros had this to say.
Medeiros 2
Medeiros says they are still hopeful that PeaceHealth will negotiate, but they are clear about why a strike is necessary.
Medeiros 3
At this time the third union currently bargaining at PeaceHealth– the Washington State Nurses Association– has not announced a strike.
STORY: New Bellingham minimum wage takes effect today Bellingham’s minimum wage is now $18.66 an hour.
A ballot measure approved in 2023 stipulates that as of May 1st, the city’s minimum wage must remain $2 above Washington state’s. As defined by the city’s municipal code, the minimum wage, quote, “applies to all hours
worked by employees within the geographic boundaries of the city of Bellingham”, unquote. The code exempts employees of the city itself, because Bellingham’s charter prohibits fixing wages.
Bellingham is one of a handful of local jurisdictions that enact their own minimum compensation laws. According to the state Department of Labor and Industries, Seattle currently has the highest baseline rate, at $20.16 an hour. Washington has the highest minimum wage of any state in the nation, more than twice the federal rate of $7.25.
Future changes to minimum compensation in Bellingham will occur each January 1st, after the Department of Labor and Industries makes its annual cost of living adjustments to the state minimum.
STORY: Whatcom County LEAD program receives reduced funding in new state budget, but escapes complete shutdown
A local diversion program aimed at reducing incarceration for individuals struggling with mental health or substance use has avoided elimination– however, the program won’t go unscathed.
According to Whatcom County Health and Community Services, the county’s Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program will face a 30% budget cut. The cut represents a compromise between two proposed budget options.
LEAD is focused on redirecting frequent, low-level offenders away from jail and toward supportive services. The program previously relied on a 50/50 funding model between state and local entities. Health and Community Services spokesperson Marie Junek (juh-NECK) noted that the department will need to reassess how to keep LEAD running amid the state funding shortfall.
STORY: Man convicted of sexually assaulting teen in WWU dorm receives one year in prison
A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to one year in jail for sexually assaulting a high school student in a Western Washington University dorm room back in 2020.
Sean Aaron Boss pleaded guilty to third-degree rape at the Whatcom County Superior Court after initially facing a more serious charge. The incident happened when the victim and a friend were visiting WWU’s
campus and met up with Boss at a party. According to court documents, the victim was found unconscious during the assault, and her friend intervened.
The victim later told investigators the assault has had a lasting impact on her mental health and relationships.
In court, Boss apologized and said he intends to stay out of trouble. The judge acknowledged his acceptance of responsibility, but made it clear that such behavior is unacceptable under any circumstances.
Boss will serve one year behind bars with credit for time already served. After his release, he’ll be under community custody for a year; he must also complete sexual deviancy treatment and register as a sex offender. A no-contact order will also remain in place for two years.
STORY: Series of bomb threats called into Cascade Valley Hospital
The FBI is investigating a series of bomb threats called into Cascade Valley Hospital in Arlington.
Skagit Regional Health says four separate threats were called into the hospital in late April, with the last incident happening on Tuesday. All four calls prompted lockdowns, and extra security is being provided at the hospital during the course of the investigation.
The City of Arlington believes the threats are all connected to either a single person or group, and that other hospitals across the country are likely being targeted by them also.
STORY: City of Bellingham receives grant for new emergency dispatch center
The City of Bellingham has received a nearly $1 million grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce for a new emergency dispatch center.
Mayor Kim Lund officially approved the grant agreement during Monday night’s City Council meeting. According to a Public Works spokesperson, the current facility on Alabama Street is outdated, and no longer meets the needs of modern emergency communications infrastructure.
The city plans to begin accepting construction bids later this year, with completion of the new center expected by late 2026.
WX: IT’S GONNA BE
And now for the weather:
We’re kicking off May with highs in the low 70s and a bright, sunny, potentially hazardous U.V. index rating of 7. There’s likely to be nary a cloud in the sky all throughout the afternoon and evening, where temperatures will fall to lows in the upper 40s.
Tomorrow’s weather is expected to be a bit cloudier, though temperatures will remain largely the same.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, and Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg). 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. Check out our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening.
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STORY: WA State Patrol launches pilot program to reduce freeway collisions with officers
New technology being tested by the Washington State Patrol could soon make highways across the state much safer.
WSP is piloting a system called the Safety Cloud — a tool that sends real-time alerts to nearby drivers when a trooper’s emergency lights are activated. The alerts appear on navigation apps like Google Maps, Apple Maps, and even on some in-car dashboards.
Officials say the tech can reduce the risk of collisions by up to 90%, giving drivers precious extra time to slow down and move over. The system is currently being tested near North Bend, about 30 miles east of Seattle, and could be rolled out statewide if the pilot proves successful.
The technology is already in use by thousands of agencies nationwide, and WSP says it could be a game changer for roadside safety.
STORY: Foundation receives $3 million grant to protect Whatcom shorelines
Over $3 million in state funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act will be reinvested to support salmon habitat restoration in Whatcom County.
According to the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, the award will go to the Northwest Straits Foundation (NSF), which has been working since 2019 to improve salmon spawning conditions along
coastal areas in Whatcom and Skagit counties. The project targets the removal of man made barriers — such as seawalls and boulders — that disrupt natural erosion processes essential for healthy habitats.
The funding will also support technical assistance for property owners to help them identify shoreline restoration options suited to their land.
Nearly six-and-a-half miles of shoreline and stream habitat will be made more accessible for spawning salmon when the project is completed later this summer.
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