Whatcom County Executive warns of potential layoffs amid stagnating income and rising costs, Lummi Nation police officer who was shot seven times last summer returns to duty, Plans for Bellingham rock fall through, WSP announces recent enforcement of “move over” law, Skagit shrimping spot announces it will not open for recreational fishing after report of low populations, Skagit animal abuse video resurfaces, Boating safety course offered for required card, Letter carriers food collection & donations, Dept of Ecology launches initiative to combat fourth straight year of drought conditions, Record numbers of Washingtonians lose health insurance after Congress’s failure to renew credits, WA voting experts call for change after SCOTUS ruling, Upcoming early dismissals from local schools
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, May, 7. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Whatcom County Executive warns of potential layoffs amid stagnating income and rising costs
Whatcom County may have to lay off workers in order to balance its budget over the next couple of years.
County Executive Satpal Sidhu said in an email to county employees that the costs of labor and materials are rising and the gap between revenue and spending remains.
In 2024, the county’s projected budget deficit was $15 million.
Working on next year’s budget, Sidhu said they are looking at structural changes such as assessing services based on funding availability.
STORY: Lummi Nation police officer who was shot seven times last summer returns to duty
A Lummi Nation police officer who survived a shooting last summer is now back on duty.
The department says Officer Coquillette was shot seven times during a July traffic stop, taking rounds to his legs and stomach. His bullet‑resistant vest prevented even more serious injuries, and he spent months recovering before returning to work.
The suspect accused of shooting him is scheduled to go to trial next month.
STORY: Plans for Bellingham rock fall through
Plans for the iconic Bellingham rock have fallen through.
The state Department of Transportation says the way the rock fractured during removal is what ended all plans to relocate it for public display. The agency had been working with a private landowner to preserve the rock, but the pieces couldn’t be moved in any meaningful form.
WSDOT is now developing a process to distribute a limited number of pieces to members of the public once details are finalized.
The rock sat directly in the footprint of a major fish‑passage project along I‑5, where crews are replacing culverts to restore salmon habitat. Before removal, workers stripped away decades of paint — including lead‑based layers — and excavated contaminated soil.
WSDOT says it documented the rock’s history as part of the removal process.
STORY: WSP announces recent enforcement of “move over” law
Washington State Patrol has been checking if drivers in north Whatcom County are complying with the “move over” law.
They are primarily targeting commercial vehicles and have conducted 119 traffic stops.
The law requires drivers to move over a lane to make way for emergency vehicles, or slow down to 10 miles per hour.
STORY: Skagit shrimping spot announces it will not open for recreational fishing after report of low populations
Recreational spot shrimping will be banned in certain areas of Puget Sound this season because of their low number.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife says that includes Deception Pass, Skagit Bay, Port Susan, Port Gardner and Tacoma-Vashon Island.
Shrimping for other species can continue, but the department asks fishermen to put spot shrimps back in the water.
The spot shrimp is the largest species of shrimp in Puget Sound and can grow up to nine inches.
STORY: Skagit animal abuse video resurfaces
A disturbing animal‑abuse video is making the rounds again — but Skagit County deputies say it’s an old case.
The sheriff’s office says the video was first reported in March of 2023. A patrol corporal gathered the video, interviewed witnesses, and completed a full investigation.
The man shown abusing the dog was charged with second‑degree animal cruelty. He later pleaded guilty and was convicted in Skagit County District Court, where he was sentenced in October of 2023.
Deputies say the case is closed and the offender has already been held accountable.
STORY: Boating safety course offered for required card
Boating season is heating up, and so is demand for safety training.
The Coast Guard Auxiliary is offering an online, four‑day course next week to help boaters earn their Washington Boater Education Card. The Bellingham and San Juan Islands Flotilla will hold the class May 11th through 14th, taught over Zoom in two‑hour evening sessions.
The course is required for anyone operating a powerboat over 15 horsepower — including kids as young as 12 — and applies to Washington residents born after 1955. It’s approved by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, and passing the final test qualifies participants to apply for the state‑issued card.
Registration is 15 dollars, plus 10 dollars for an optional printed book.
A second session is scheduled for June.
STORY: Letter carriers food collection & donations
Local letter carriers are gearing up for a major food drive tomorrow.
It’s part of the annual Stamp Out Hunger campaign, now in its 34th year. Residents can leave a bag of non‑perishable food by their mailbox, and local carriers will pick it up during their regular routes.
The donations stay local, going straight to food banks in communities like Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Mount Vernon, and Anacortes. Organizers say spring is when many pantries run low, and demand rises as kids head into summer without school meal programs.
The campaign has collected nearly two billion pounds of food nationwide since it began. Letter carriers say every donated bag helps families here in Northwest Washington who are struggling with food insecurity.
STORY: Dept of Ecology launches initiative to combat fourth straight year of drought conditions
The Department of Ecology is looking at how to manage the fourth straight year of drought in Washington.
Governor Bob Ferguson said the state can no longer rely on melting snowpack because of climate change.
Managed Aquifer Recharge system was mentioned in a department press conference yesterday.
One such system in Lynden involves directing underground water back into the Nooksack River when the flow is low.
STORY: Record numbers of Washingtonians lose health insurance after Congress’s failure to renew credits
Washington just saw its biggest drop in health‑insurance enrollment in more than a decade.
More than 36,000 people in Washington have not renewed their health insurance after Congress allowed the enhanced premium tax credit to expire at the end of last year, according to the Washington Health Benefit Exchange.
The 13% drop is the biggest since 2012.
For people with health insurance, the limit on out-of-pocket pay will go up to $12,000 a year, according to the Office of the Insurance Commissioner.
WX: Brighten Beach
And now for the weather:
Some A.M. clouds are expected to give way to some sunnier skies later this afternoon, with high temperatures expected to hover around the mid-60s. Don’t expect the clouds to ever fully recede, however, as it’s looking like we’ll be right back to the overcast skies by this evening. Topping things off will be cool evening lows of around 50 degrees.
The cloud-sun-cloud sandwich looks to be on the docket for tomorrow as well, so if you’ve got some outdoor plans, make sure not to miss your window.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Bella Farris, and Jenny Lam. 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 _________… thanks for listening!
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STORY: WA voting experts call for change after SCOTUS ruling
Civic engagement leaders in Washington call on the state to adopt rank choice voting as a way to secure voting rights against changes to the federal Voting Rights Act. Washington News Service’s Isobel Charle (shar-LAY) reports:
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STORY: Upcoming early dismissals from local schools
Bellingham Public Schools will have announced early dismissals on Thursday, May 14 and May 21.
According to the release, this is to accommodate scheduled staff and instructional planning. Elementary schools dismiss at 12:20 p.m., middle schools at 1:15, and high schools at 2 p.m. Schools will also be closed Friday, May 15, as a planned weather make-up day is no longer needed, and again Monday, May 25 for Memorial Day. Classes resume Tuesday, May 26. More information, including school calendars, are available on the district’s website.
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