Bellingham housing growing, Whatcom County Council to consider fully funding Birch Bay incorporation feasibility study, Whatcom County Council to consider fully funding Birch Bay incorporation feasibility study, Western film competition showing on the 20th, Inslee issues emergency proclamation over spongy moth infestation in Skagit County, Washington lawmaker accused of belittling staff faces new scrutiny, Washington Supreme Court docket shrinking, Social Security expands rental subsidy
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, May 9th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham housing growing
New housing is popping up throughout the city, but the numbers show that growth in the county’s population is causing demand to outpace production.
According to data, between 2016 to 2023, Whatcom County’s population increased by 3,300 people per year on average– that’s 9 percent more than planned, with Bellingham accommodating a larger share of that growth. In that same 7-year period, nearly 5,200 new housing units were completed– more than half all new housing units countywide.
To help address the growing need, the city and County have announced they will invest $5 million to develop eight blocks of commercial, residential, and mixed-use properties over 10 years. In addition, Old Town Village, LLC, a private development entity, has plans to construct at least 500 new residential units in this Old Town development over the next year. Permitting is underway for the first 84 units, to be located at the corner of D Street and Holly Street.
STORY: Whatcom County Council to consider fully funding Birch Bay incorporation feasibility study
Whatcom County Council will vote to consider funding a Birch Bay incorporation feasibility study.
The Birch Bay Incorporation Association ratified bylaws in November to start the process of creating what would be the fourth largest city in Whatcom County. As a non-incorporated municipality, Birch Bay does not have its own local government. However, according to a recent release, the group feels that the area’s population of around 10,000 should be able to have representation and govern itself.
The feasibility study on Birch Bay incorporation would answer questions on city operating costs and tax revenue, and would update an earlier study from 2008. So far, County Executive Satpal Sidhu has requested Whatcom County Planning and Development Services to bring a budget request to the county council for up to $200,000 to fully fund an updated feasibility study.
If approved in June, the study would start in early fall. The next incorporation association meeting will take place at 6 pm on May 16th, at the North Bay Community Church.
STORY: Western film competition showing on the 20th
A short film festival is taking place at Western Washington University later this month.
WWU’s Associated Students and AS Productions will be hosting the Five Minute Film Competition. The prompt for this year is to make a film about a group of characters going on a summer vacation trip that goes very wrong. Rachel Silzle (SILLZ-lee), the film coordinator for AS Productions, says the prompt was inspired by recent Bellingham weather.
The screening for the competition will take place on May 20th at the Underground Coffee House on Western’s Campus, and the winner will receive a $250 cash prize.
STORY: Inslee issues emergency proclamation over spongy moth infestation in Skagit County
Governor Jay Inslee has issued an emergency proclamation over a recurring spongy moth infestation.
Spongy moths, previously known as gypsy moths, eat through millions of acres of forest and urban tree leaves when in caterpillar form, and can be deadly to trees. For the past 50 years, the state has had a treatment and detection program, working to protect Washington trees. The Department of Agriculture plans to treat about 1,400 acres in Thurston County, and 900 acres in Skagit County around Concrete with a naturally occurring soil bacteria – the kurstaki subspecies of Bacillus thuringiensis (buh-SILL-us thuur-en-GEN-sis), or B.T.K. for short.
The department says B.T.K. has been widely used for caterpillar control for decades and is known to be safe when used around people and wildlife. It kills caterpillars not by contact, but by instead upsetting the chemistry in their stomachs. B.T.K. can leave a sticky residue, which can be removed with soapy water. People who want to minimize their exposure to the spraying are advised to remain indoors with doors and windows closed until 30 minutes after it’s completed. The department also said people should let the spray dry before allowing children to play outside.
Spraying in Skagit County is expected to begin in mid to late May.
STORY: Washington lawmaker accused of belittling staff faces new scrutiny
A recent report reveals that a Washington State Representative violated legislative conduct rules by publicly disclosing the names of three individuals involved in an investigation, despite their names being redacted.
The report concludes that Michelle Caldier (CALL-dee-ear), a Republican from Gig Harbor, exhibited behavior that was retaliatory, bullying, and violated the Legislative Code of Conduct. Caldier defended her actions, stating they were meant to present her side of a 2022 incident, but showed little remorse when confronted with the violation. She expressed frustration with the timing of the report’s release, suggesting it may affect her political career.
Caldier appealed a previous probe’s findings, and the House Executive Rules Committee is expected to decide on both the appeal and potential consequences in the near future.
STORY: Washington Supreme Court docket shrinking
Recently, the Washington State Supreme Court’s shrinking docket has raised concerns among appellate attorneys about unresolved legal questions.
According to records, the Court chose to take up only three cases out of a selection of 35, bypassing significant legal issues such as contractual disputes and public record requests. A recent analysis by Law360 found that over the past decade, the court has issued fewer opinions annually. Although the decline in cases accepted for review predates the pandemic, it appears to have been accelerated by it.
Despite criticisms, justices assert that they are not avoiding important issues but rather selectively choosing cases based on merit and relevance. Chief Justice Steven C. González contends that, though the number of cases has fallen, the court’s workload has not decreased in importance, and they expect to handle more cases as new ones emerge.
However, appellate attorneys express concerns about the decline, suggesting it limits the development of common law and interpretation of statutes.
WX: Sunny
Your Whatcom County weather today – Expect sun all day with a high of 75 degrees. Skies will stay clear tonight as temperatures will drop to a low of 54. Expect sun all week and a high of 77 degrees tomorrow.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Kye Salinas (KEY suh-LEE-nus) 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. Check out our Patreon page or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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STORY: Social Security expands rental subsidy
The Social Security Administration announced they will expand the rental subsidy policy for those on Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
SSI provides monthly payments to individuals with disabilities, blindness, or those aged 65 and older with limited income and resources to cover basic needs like rent, food, and medicine. The department says the rule aims to simplify and broaden rental subsidy policies nationwide, improve program equality and reduce administrative burden. The expanded policy will apply nationwide starting September 30th, and will potentially increase payment amounts and eligibility for many.
For more details on SSI eligibility and applications, visit the SSA website.
