Olympic Pipeline reopens just ahead of peak Thanksgiving travel, Whatcom County man, three years into detention, sentenced to prison time for illegally manufacturing guns and explosives, Verizon lays off locally, WTA won’t renew contract with WWU, Larsen introduces bill to protect healthcare for Medicaid recipients, WA fines Regence Blue Shield over half a million dollars for disparities between mental and medical coverage, Trump administration wants people to reapply for SNAP, Thanksgiving travel outlook
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, November, 26th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Olympic Pipeline reopens just ahead of peak Thanksgiving travel
Fuel is flowing once again through the Olympic Pipeline.
BP announced that it has restarted the line that carries jet fuel after it was partially shut down when a leak was detected Nov. 11th in Snohomish County. State officials say no waterways appear to have been affected.
The shutdown prompted emergency declarations from Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson and Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, as both states warned that fuel shortages could push gas prices higher.
Late Monday, crews located the leak. BP says repairs on the damaged section are being planned, although the timeline for a full restart is not yet clear.
The company says no fuel has spread beyond the response zone.
STORY: Whatcom County man, three years into detention, sentenced to prison time for illegally manufacturing guns and explosives
A Whatcom County man will avoid additional prison time after being sentenced for the illegal manufacture of explosives and firearms.
Yesterday, 62–year–old Robert Kent Chase received a sentence of just over four years in Whatcom County Superior Court. He will get credit for good behavior and the three years he has already spent in jail.
Chase, a convicted felon, was first arrested in 2018 during an investigation into a drive-by shooting. When officers first searched his Lummi Reservation home, they found multiple illegally owned firearms.
A second search — led by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Lummi Nation Police, the FBI, and ATF — uncovered what investigators called “numerous” items for making machine guns and several homemade explosive devices. Court documents say one IED was mounted above a shed door, rigged to detonate by pull switch or trip wire.
Chase pleaded guilty to attempted malicious placement of an explosive and unlawful possession of a firearm. As part of his plea deal, several newer cases — including alleged illegal gun possession, bomb-making materials, and drug manufacturing — will be dismissed. His attorney told the court Chase understands that another similar arrest would likely mean a life-equivalent sentence.
STORY: Verizon lays off locally
Verizon plans to lay off 165 employees in Washington early next year — which includes 14 workers in Skagit and Whatcom counties.
The company filed the notice with the state’s Employment Security Department, saying the cuts are part of a restructuring effort to maximize company resources.
According to the filing, three employees at the Burlington Verizon store will lose their jobs on January 23rd. In Bellingham, Verizon will no longer operate the location on Meridian Street. Eleven employees there will be affected. Other layoffs effect retail stores across western and eastern Washington.
According to a recent letter from CEO Dan Schulman, Verizon will cut about 13,000 jobs nationwide.
STORY: WTA won’t renew contract with WWU
Western Washington University students could face higher transit costs next fall.
The current $600,000 contract with Whatcom Transportation Authority, which provides unlimited bus rides for students, staff, and faculty, expires in September 2026. WTA plans to end the contract and instead offer students reduced fares capped at $30 a month, while faculty and staff would pay full-price passes.
The change is part of a broader fare overhaul, which will raise the base fare from $1 to $2, and the monthly cap from $30 to $60. Students and community members say they have concerns about affordability, increased car use, and parking pressures.
WTA’s Board of Directors will vote on the proposed fare changes on December 4, with a public hearing scheduled that morning.
STORY: Larsen introduces bill to protect healthcare for Medicaid recipients
Congressman Rick Larsen has introduced the Patients Over Paperwork Act to protect Medicaid recipients from losing coverage.
The bill aims to roll back paperwork requirements in the so-called Big Ugly Law, which doubles Medicaid recertification from every 12 months to every six months. Larsen says this change could cause thousands of Washingtonians to lose access to health care simply due to missed forms.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the law could result in 700,000 people nationwide losing coverage by 2034 and cut $63 billion from Medicaid. Larsen says the legislation is a first step in reversing the law and ensuring Medicaid remains accessible for the 179,000 enrollees in his district.
STORY: WA fines Regence Blue Shield over half a million dollars for disparities between mental and medical coverage
Washington state says it will fine insurance giant Regence Blue Shield $550,000 over major gaps in its coverage.
State Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer says Regence repeatedly failed to provide required data to prove its behavioral-health benefits are on par with physical-health care — a violation of state and federal parity laws. The partial data Regence did submit showed significant disparities — including lower in-network reimbursement rates for mental-health care.
Regence maintains it’s complying with the law. A company spokesperson says the insurer has implemented requirements “in good faith” and will keep working with the state.
The commissioner’s office has been ramping up parity enforcement with the help of federal grants. Recent actions include penalties against Premera Blue Cross and UnitedHealthcare for similar violations.
Last month, regulators also fined Regence 100-thousand dollars for improperly denying more than 950 therapy claims.
The state’s new bipartisan mental-health parity law takes effect in 2027.
STORY: Trump administration wants people to reapply for SNAP
A week after SNAP benefits resumed following the government shutdown, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says all 42 million recipients may need to reapply for food assistance.
Her comments on Newsmax and Fox News — which cited widespread fraud — have left lawmakers and advocates baffled.
The USDA has not explained what a mass reapplication would mean, pointing only to routine recertification rules. Food policy experts say fraud in SNAP is extremely low, around 1% or less, and warn that forcing every participant to reapply would overwhelm state systems and push eligible families — including millions of children — off the program.
Critics, including House Agriculture Committee leaders, say Rollins’ remarks create more confusion for a program already disrupted by the shutdown and recent federal cuts. USDA has offered no details on whether any policy changes are actually planned.
STORY: Thanksgiving travel outlook
If you’re heading north to Canada over the holiday, here’s what travel across the state is expected to look like.
WSDOT (WASH-dot) says northbound I-5 backups are likely Wednesday and Friday between 11 a.m. and 6 p.m, with long waits at the border. Traffic will be moderate on Thursday. Southbound delays are expected Sunday from late morning into the afternoon.
Drivers heading toward Seattle should also prepare for slowdowns. For those traveling on State Route 20, the road is open but snowy, with compact snow and ice.
And a reminder that if your holiday includes a drink or two, plan ahead. Washington State Patrol, Bellingham Police, and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office will be out in force tonight and focused on the Western Washington University area as students head home for the long weekend.
WX: Eeyore
And now for the weather:
Today’s forecast, like so many before it, calls for mild temperatures and consistent cloud cover. Daytime highs will be around 50 degrees, with evening temps falling into the low 40s.
Thanksgiving Day should be very rainy. The National Weather Service says up to half an inch of rain is likely, with a chance of a rain-snow mix Friday night into Saturday. Temperatures should stay mild, with occasional breezy conditions. Exercise caution if you’re traveling, but hopefully it’ll make dinner feel a bit cozier.
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!
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