Lighthouse Mission to serve free Thanksgiving dinner, seeking donations and volunteers, Northwest Youth Services director unexpectedly resigns, Outgoing Ferndale chief of police to take up same role in Burlington, Post-bomb-cyclone update, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife raises catch limit on chum salmon in Nooksack River, PeaceHealth awards money to local nonprofits, Several Inslee-appointed state agency personnel to step down in advance of Ferguson taking office,
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, November 26th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Lighthouse Mission to serve free Thanksgiving dinner, seeking donations and volunteers
It’s Thanksgiving time, and local organizations and churches are offering free Thanksgiving meals and assistance to those in need.
Thanksgiving Community Dinner at Lighthouse Mission is happening on Thursday from noon to 2pm. Free meals are offered to all attendees. Volunteers are still needed, and those who would like to help are encouraged to sign up through Lighthouse’s Volunteer Portal. The Mission is located at 1312 F Street.
For people living in Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer and Point Roberts, ready-to-cook meals will be provided to residents today through the Thanksgiving Baskets at Community Assistance Program (or C.A.P.). You can pre-register by calling 360-393-9483. Donations to support the program can be made online or mailed directly to the C.A.P. located in Blaine.
STORY: Northwest Youth Services director unexpectedly resigns Northwest Youth Services Board President Michelle Harmeier (HAR-my-ur) resigned unexpectedly on Sunday, marking a leadership shakeup amid ongoing challenges for the nonprofit.
Vice President Aaron Vahid (vah-HEED) and Treasurer Richard Clough (CLOW) are also expected to step down when their terms end next month, leaving half of the six-member board vacant. The organization has been under scrutiny following former CEO Jason McGill’s resignation after allegations of a toxic workplace culture, as well as inappropriate relationships with clients. According to reporting by Cascadia Daily News, staff and youth safety concerns were reportedly raised to the board as early as 2021, but went unaddressed.
Harmeier, who joined the board in 2023, is also the founder of the Bellingham Queer Collective, which partnered with Northwest Youth Services to open the Q Center— an LGBTQ+ resource hub in downtown Bellingham. Harmeier gave no reasons for her departure. The agreement between both groups is set for renegotiation in January.
Youth Service’s Interim CEO Lance Jones says he is working to rebuild trust, improve governance, and prioritize homeless youth services in Whatcom and Skagit counties. According to a recent announcement, NWYS says it continues to address systemic issues and has issued a call for new board members to support its mission.
STORY: Outgoing Ferndale chief of police to take up same role in Burlington
After eight years of service, Ferndale Police Chief Kevin Turner will step down on Thursday to become the police chief in Burlington.
In an announcement last month, Turner expressed pride in his accomplishments with the department, and gratitude for the community’s support. Retired Lt. Matt Huffman, who left the Ferndale Police Department last year, will serve as interim chief starting December 9th while the city searches for a permanent replacement.
Ferndale Communication Director Megan Juenemann (JEW-nah-mun) praised Huffman’s leadership, professionalism, and lasting contributions to the department and community.
STORY: Post-bomb-cyclone update
Power has been restored to most households after last week’s bomb cyclone.
Puget Sound Energy stated 99% of its customers were back online as of yesterday afternoon. Roughly 6,000 households remained without power, most of them located in and around King County.
600,000 residents were left without power at the peak of last Tuesday’s storm system, which PSE says was comparable to a hurricane.
Matt Klein, the deputy director for Whatcom’s Division of Emergency Management, said the Sudden Valley area was the most affected by the storm, with 23 homes struck by trees and at least four residents displaced.
According to a recent announcement from Governor Inslee, it may be weeks before residents know if they can apply for federal assistance.
STORY: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife raises catch limit on chum salmon in Nooksack River
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has increased the daily salmon catch limit on the Nooksack River due to a higher-than-expected return of chum salmon.
Anglers can now catch up to four salmon per day, including no more than two wild coho and two chum. The regulation applies to the Nooksack River section between the I-5 bridge in Ferndale and the confluence of the North and South Forks.
The new limits are effective through Nov. 30th.
STORY: PeaceHealth awards money to local nonprofits
PeaceHealth announced they have awarded over $600,000 in grants to seven community organizations in Whatcom County.
The grants are part of PeaceHealth’s Community Health program, and aim to address housing, food security, mental health, education, and
healthcare access. The healthcare organization says it has invested over $3.5 million locally in the past five years.
Local organizations who received grants include: Common Threads Food Truck, Brothers to Brothers, NAMI Whatcom, and Road2Home among others. The YWCA Emergency Shelter received the biggest grant–$100,000–to expand housing and services with a new 20-unit shelter for women and children, set to open next year.
In the award announcement, PeaceHealth leaders emphasized the importance of addressing social drivers of health, while recipients like YWCA Bellingham highlighted the critical need for specialized housing and services for vulnerable populations.
STORY: Several Inslee-appointed state agency personnel to step down in advance of Ferguson taking office
Washington Secretary of Health Umair Shah (oo-MARE SHAW) announced he will join several state agency leaders and step down next month, in advance of governor-elect Bob Ferguson’s inauguration in January.
Shah is among six members of Governor Inslee’s executive cabinet departing as Ferguson, currently Washington’s attorney general, prepares to become the state’s 23rd governor.
Leadership changes after elections are not uncommon, even when the same political party maintains control. Ferguson is expected to announce
key appointments soon, following his earlier naming of an eight-person executive leadership team.
WX: It’s Partly Sunny In Philadelphia
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
On the heels of this morning’s fog, expect partly sunny skies for the remainder of the daylight hours, with highs in the upper 40s. We’ll see calm and variable winds throughout the day, with the evening bringing a slight chance of showers and low temperatures in the upper 30s.
That chance of rain will persist into tomorrow, so as always, please exercise care if you’re travelling for the holiday.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Riley Weeks, Brodey O’Brien, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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 thank you for listening.
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