Nurses join PeaceHealth protest, Blaine man arrested following surrender of flash drive containing child pornography, Lummi Island ferry rates to increase once again, WSDOT sets June deadline for removal of I-5 graffiti rock, Birch Bay Waterslides set to re-open, Free and Cheap, WA breweries avoid raised increased excise tax on beer, though it remains on the agenda for next legislative session, Additional checkpoints added at two WA-Canadian border crossings
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, May 16th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Nurses join PeaceHealth protest
The number of picketing healthcare workers in Bellingham continues to grow.
Over a thousand registered nurses at St. Joseph Medical Center joined an informational picket yesterday, standing in solidarity with striking service workers and physicians. While the nurses, represented by the Washington State Nurses Association, are not on strike yet, they previously rejected PeaceHealth’s latest contract offer, and were set to resume negotiations this morning.
Meanwhile, the current strike is expected to end this evening with a rally featuring guest speakers and local elected officials. PeaceHealth management canceled bargaining sessions scheduled for this week, which strikers say raises concerns about the hospital’s commitment to negotiate in good faith.
PeaceHealth says it is focused on maintaining patient care during the work stoppage, and it plans to return to the bargaining table once the strike ends.
All three unions are calling for better wages, more affordable health insurance, and greater respect in the workplace.
STORY: Blaine man arrested following surrender of flash drive containing child pornography
An alarming discovery led to the arrest of a Blaine man on child pornography charges.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, a person came forward after finding illegal images on both a flash drive and a hard drive which they believed contained only movies and adult content. The devices reportedly belonged to a mutual friend who had lent them out.
Deputies seized the drives and uncovered over 3,500 images and 170 videos of child pornography. A search of the suspect’s rural Blaine home turned up a computer with similar material.
Officials say none of the images involved local children.
The 33-year-old man was arrested Wednesday morning, and is being held without bail at the Whatcom County Jail.
STORY: Lummi Island ferry rates to increase once again Fares on the Lummi Island ferry are set to rise again this year.
At a recent council meeting, Public Works Director Elizabeth Kosa (coe-SAH) described the ferry system as being quote “in crisis,” and cited
a $430,000 payout from the road fund to the ferry fare box as well as rising operational costs. The fare box, which is supposed to cover over half of the system’s daily expenses, has seen revenues fall behind.
A previous fare hike was reversed earlier this year after a court ruled the county miscategorized some expenses. The legal settlement forced the road fund to repay the ferry account — which further strained both budgets.
The County Council voted unanimously on Tuesday to urge the executive to raise fares immediately and explore long-term funding solutions. In the meantime, county officials are also delaying projects and freezing staff positions, while they look for other cost-saving measures to plug an over-$8 million budget gap projected by the end of 2025.
Any potential increase likely won’t take effect until July due to administrative requirements.
STORY: WSDOT sets June deadline for removal of I-5 graffiti rock
The Washington State Department of Transportation has set a deadline of June 1stfor community members to find a new home for Bellingham’s celebrated “graffiti rock”.
The rock’s removal or destruction has become necessary in order to complete a three-year project to widen salmon-bearing streams that run under I-5 toward Bellingham Bay.
Located near exit 246, the 8-foot tall, 100-ton boulder has become an ad hoc community message board and local landmark since the first graffiti appeared there in 1969. Photographs and stories from the past 55 years have been collected on the Bellingham Rock Facebook page, which has nearly 5,000 followers.
In a letter posted to the page, project engineer Megan Mosebar notes that WSDOT has explored multiple options for relocation, including to public and private properties, as well as different land owned by the Department of Transportation. However, significant obstacles have arisen, including the rock’s size and weight, the presence of high levels of cadmium and lead in the layers of paint, and the necessity for any new site to provide maintenance, environmental safeguards, and adequate pedestrian access.
Administrators of the Bellingham Rock Facebook page continue to call for any school, agency, municipality, or organization that can help to get in touch and help them, quote, “protect a piece of Whatcom County’s history”, unquote.
STORY: Birch Bay Waterslides set to re-open
Nearly a year after a serious injury shut it down, Birch Bay Waterslides has announced it will reopen on June 14th.
The park closed last August after a Navy veteran was hurt on a slide and later sued the owners. A new management firm is now overseeing major repairs and safety upgrades.
Whatcom County health officials must reinspect the park before it can reopen. That inspection could happen shortly after repairs are complete.
The park says it’s committed to guest safety as crews continue restoration work through May.
STORY: Free and cheap
It’s Friday – if you’re looking for something free or cheap to do this weekend, here’s a little of what’s going on around the county.
A special celebration will take place in downtown Blaine tomorrow. From 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Blaine Spring Block Party will feature attractions such as face painting, kids’ activities and live music. More information can be found at the Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District’s website.
Tomorrow will also see the Bellis Fair Mall host the Miles for Memories Walkathon from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will provide community members with a chance to visit Amy’s Place, the nonprofit Dementia Support Northwest’s new office headquarters-slash-community center, which is slated to open at the mall next month. Attendees are invited to take steps around the mall — either solo or as a team — in support of programs and services at Amy’s Place. The event will also feature live music and vendors, a senior services resource fair and a live radio
broadcast from KAFE 104.1 FM. More information is available at Dementia Support Northwest’s website.
Finally, Mount Vernon’s Riverwalk Park will host its May installment of the Valley Made Market this Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The monthly pop-up market describes itself as featuring, quote, “handmade goods, heaps of community, and live music” unquote. This month’s lineup features many faces from the local craft market circuit, as well as vendors from places as far as Lake Stevens. More information can be found at the Valley Made Market’s website.
WX: Pitter-patter, your windows the drizzle shall batter And now for the weather:
We’re looking at another day of showers, with off-and-on precipitation expected till dusk. Daytime highs will hover around the upper 50s and low 60s, with mild winds here and there. The rain should become more consistent this evening, with up to a quarter inch of precipitation expected, alongside lows around 50 degrees.
Expect the weekend to remain solidly overcast and rainy, though we may see some afternoon sunshine on Sunday. How apt!
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, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (O-shay), and Kai Blais-Schmolke (KI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee). 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 breweries avoid raised increased excise tax on beer, though it remains on the agenda for next legislative session
Washington’s small breweries are breathing a sigh of relief — for now.
A controversial bill that would have nearly doubled the beer excise tax on small breweries failed to pass during this year’s legislative session in Olympia. But brewers say it’s likely to return next January.
House Bill 2079 would have raised taxes on breweries that produce under 60,000 barrels annually — a move that would impact more than 400 craft brewers statewide, including several in Whatcom County. The Washington Brewers Guild calls the proposal a direct threat to small, independent producers already struggling with inflation, shifting consumer habits, and slow post-pandemic recovery. Local brewery owners warn the added costs could lead to higher prices, reduced staff, and even closures.
The Brewers Guild is urging lawmakers to reject the bill when it returns.
STORY: Additional checkpoints added at two WA-Canadian border crossings
Drivers heading north through the Peace Arch border crossing are seeing tighter security in recent weeks — and longer delays.
Customs and Border Protection has added extra checkpoints along I-5 near the U.S.-Canada border, briefly stopping vehicles and searching for ammunition and illicit substances. Border Patrol officials say the inspections are part of a broader effort to combat fentanyl smuggling and other illegal activity. They’ve already made minor drug seizures and recovered hundreds of rounds of ammunition.
But local leaders in Blaine are worried about the impact. Mayor Mary Lou Steward says the city depends heavily on Canadian visitors for gas, groceries, and package pickups — and these checkpoints may scare them off. She’s also concerned about growing anti-American sentiment in Canada, fueled in part by past U.S. policies and recent border activity.
Steward says restoring cross-border trust and economic ties will take time — but it’s crucial to the future of her city.
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