BPD reports fatality after vehicle collides with residence, WTA scores over $16 million to expand fleet of electric hybrid buses, Suspected sex trafficker believed to have operated in Whatcom County detained, It’s safe to harvest shellfish again, Raccoons get cuter, Larsen secures funding for Island and San Juan county projects, Cantwell demands answers after tsunami warning cancellation, Bonaventure to pay over $7 million to improve care at 10 facilities across WA following investigation, First known human with avian flu dies, Thanksgiving safety tips
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Monday, November 24th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: BPD reports fatality after vehicle collides with residence
First responders rushed to North and Elm streets in Bellingham around 11:20 last night after a car crashed into a home.
Early reports indicate the building was damaged, and police now say the crash was a fatal collision.
STORY: WTA scores over $16 million to expand fleet of electric hybrid buses
The Federal Transit Administration has awarded $50 million in grant money to four Northwest transit agencies.
The money will be used to replace diesel and hybrid buses with newer hybrid models, purchase paratransit vehicles, and improve dependability of service.
The Whatcom Transportation Authority will receive more than $16.7 million. Everett Transit, Skagit Transit, and Community Transit in Snohomish County will get between $9 million and $14 million dollars each.
Funding for the grants stems from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, officially known as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which was originally signed into law by then-President Joe Biden in November of 2021. Representative Rick Larsen of Washington’s second Congressional district, a longtime advocate for increased federal investment in buses, currently serves as the lead Democrat on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
In announcing the grants last Friday, Larsen wrote on his website that the awards will help all four Washington state agencies provide reliable transportation and reduce carbon emissions and maintenance costs.
STORY: Suspected sex trafficker believed to have operated in Whatcom County detained
A suspected sex trafficker believed to have operated in Whatcom County has been detained.
Federal prosecutors say 34-year-old Leanthony Palmer will go to trial in December. He’s charged with sex trafficking, facilitating prostitution and money laundering. Court records describe Palmer as a member of a Seattle street gang who used social media to recruit victims and flaunt firearms and cash. He’s accused of laundering trafficking proceeds across four counties, including Whatcom. If convicted, he faces 15 years to life in prison.
STORY: It’s safe to harvest shellfish again
Just in time for the holidays, all local beaches are now open for recreational shellfish harvesting.
The Department of Health has announced that paralytic shellfish poisoning levels have fallen in Whatcom County. This includes Birch Bay and Sandy Point south to the Skagit County line, as well as all of Lummi Island.
STORY: Raccoons get cuter
Bellingham’s raccoons may be getting cuter — and bolder — thanks to urban evolution.
Scientists say city raccoons are showing traits of domestication, which includes shorter snouts, smaller heads, floppier ears, lighter fur, and softer features. Researchers say easy access to trash rewards bolder, calmer raccoons that can live near people without becoming a nuisance.
Experts call raccoons a “major mammalian success story,” and note their nimble paws and adaptability in urban environments. Washington State University wildlife specialist Marcie Logsdon says these masked bandits are “bold enough to raid garbage cans but polite enough” to avoid confrontations, which has helped them survive and reproduce.
Officials warn: no matter how cute, raccoons don’t belong indoors. They can carry diseases and remain unpredictable, so enjoy them from a safe distance — and never feed them.
STORY: Larsen secures funding for Island and San Juan county projects
Congressman Rick Larsen has secured more than $2.1 million in federal funding for local projects in San Juan and Island counties.
The funding, part of the Fiscal Year 2026 Agriculture spending bill, will support three projects:
- $1 million will go to build a new waste transfer station for the Island County Recycling and Reuse Station to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
- – $1 million will be set aside for a mixed-use food center at the Lopez Island Family Resource Center. The new facility will include a community kitchen, farm stand, and space for local food programs.
- – And finally, $165,000 will go to replace the Orcas Senior Center Roof.
Larsen said the projects demonstrate how federal and local leaders can work together to create jobs, improve infrastructure, and support communities in Northwest Washington.
STORY: Cantwell demands answers after tsunami warning cancellation
Senator Maria Cantwell is demanding answers from NOAA after the agency canceled a grant that helps provide real-time seismic data for tsunami warnings along the West Coast.
The roughly $300,000 grant funded Alaska Earthquake Center monitoring, and without it, the center says it will stop sending real-time seismic information by the end of November.
In a letter to NOAA’s administrator, Cantwell warned that any delay in tsunami alerts could put coastal communities at risk — noting a tsunami from the Cascadia Subduction Zone could reach Washington’s shore in as little as 15 minutes.
Cantwell also raised the issue during a Senate hearing, where Coast Guard Commandant nominee Admiral Kevin Lunday acknowledged the service relies heavily on NOAA’s tsunami warning systems.
Cantwell authored the 2017 Tsunami Warning, Education and Research Act, which requires NOAA and other agencies to provide rapid and reliable seismic data. She’s been pushing back for months against the NOAA budget cuts she says threaten public safety, especially as extreme weather becomes more frequent.
STORY: Bonaventure to pay over $7 million to improve care at 10 facilities across WA following investigation
Bonaventure Senior Living will pay millions in building upgrades following a state investigation into inadequate care at several of its Washington facilities.
The Oregon-based company has agreed to spend $7 million to improve services, and provide a $250 credit to about 800 Washington residents.
The settlement involves 10 senior living communities across the state, including locations in Bellingham, Arlington, Bothell, East Wenatchee as well as others. The Attorney General’s Office says Bonaventure failed to deliver key services—such as medication assistance, housekeeping, dining, and infection control—between 2019 and 2024, likely violating state consumer protection laws.
The company will also pay $200,000 to the Attorney General’s Office for future consumer protection work. Residents who’ve had negative experiences with senior living facilities are encouraged to file complaints with the state.
STORY: First known human with avian flu dies
A Grays Harbor County resident who has been receiving treatment for H5N5 avian influenza has died.
State health officials say the patient, an older adult with underlying conditions, had been hospitalized in King County since early November. Testing confirmed this was the first known human infection with the H5N5 variant worldwide. The patient had a backyard flock where avian flu was detected, and those exposed are being monitored for symptoms.
Health officials stress the risk to the public remains low, and no evidence of person-to-person spread has been found.
STORY: Thanksgiving safety tips
As families gather for Thanksgiving, fire safety experts warn the holiday has the nation’s highest rate of home cooking fires.
The Washington State Fire Marshal urges cooks to stay attentive, keep a fire extinguisher nearby, and keep children and decorations away from heat sources. Safe turkey frying and knowing how to respond to kitchen fires are also key. Officials remind households to review escape plans and exits to ensure a safe holiday for everyone.
WX: Meteors d’oeuvres
And now for the weather:
It’s a cloudy day for us, here in whatcom. it should get a slightly less cloudy in the eavning, around the same time the winds will be winding down. Temperatures are expected to hover around the high 40s, dropping to lows in the upper 30s.
Tomorrow is looking more of the same— the rainfall and cloud cover looks to steadily increase as the morning progresses.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Bella Mae, and Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI 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!
##
