School bonds, fire bond measures poised to fail, Human remains discovered alongside Nooksack River in 2022 identified as man missing since 2002, Ferndale PD deploys large number of officers to search apartment complex, Veterans benefits go unclaimed, Two Bellingham startups win angel investor grant, Lease approved for cold weather shelter, Bellingham City Council closes public comment for remainder of the year amid security re-evaluations
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, November 7th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: School bonds, fire bond measures poised to fail Voters across Whatcom and Skagit counties seem to have voted against most local ballot measures in Tuesday’s election.
As of last night, bonds to rebuild both Meridian and Blaine middle schools appeared unlikely to meet the 60% supermajority. Meridian’s bond sat at 52.4% in favor, while Blaine’s bond sits at 55.4%. This is the second time Blaine has put its school bond to voters, with their first attempt failing by about 5 percentage points in February.
Meanwhile, Whatcom Fire Protection District 1’s bond to build a new fire station currently has 53.12% votes in favor – however, it also needs a supermajority of 60% to pass. Firefighters said the new station would bring reduced response times and potentially lower fire insurance rates.
The Columbia Valley Parks & Recreation levy was failing as of Tuesday night, as it sat at 40.2% in favor. The levy would allow the district to purchase and create five parks throughout Columbia Valley.
Finally, in Skagit County, Guemes (GWEE-miss) Island’s Fire Protection District No. 17’s levy was passing as of last night with 82.5% of votes in favor. The levy would allow for the acquisition of new equipment and help address the increase in calls received by the district.
STORY: Human remains discovered alongside Nooksack River in 2022 identified as man missing since 2002
Authorities have identified human remains found along the Nooksack River in Ferndale in 2022 as those of Mark Jay Hess, a 46-year old local man who went missing in 2002.
The identification was confirmed through DNA testing by the Whatcom County Medical Examiner. Hess’s remains were discovered by city workers, who immediately notified police.
The investigation into his disappearance is ongoing, with limited information available at this time.
STORY: Ferndale PD deploys large number of officers to search apartment complex
Traffic in Ferndale was affected yesterday morning as Whatcom’s Gang and Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at an apartment complex on Main Street.
Ferndale Police, along with a SWAT team, assisted with road closures and safety measures. After an hour, SWAT personnel entered the apartment
and escorted three individuals out. Aid crews assessed their medical conditions, and no injuries were reported among the subjects or law enforcement.
STORY: Veterans benefits go unclaimed
Monday is Veterans’ Day, and Whatcom Health and Human Services wants vets and their families to know more about the PACT Act.
The Act, passed in 2022, marks the historic expansion of VA health care benefits, and makes access to these services available to millions of veterans sooner than expected. As of March, all eligible veterans can enroll immediately. The expansion prioritizes all veterans exposed to toxins while in service as well as those exposed during stateside training. Veterans from any time period in Whatcom County, especially those who served in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, are encouraged to enroll.
Whatcom County has almost 14,000 veterans and it’s estimated that 70% of them qualify for PACT Act benefits, yet many remain unenrolled. More information is available at VA.gov/PACT.
STORY: Two Bellingham startups win angel investor grant An angel investor group in Whatcom County announced that two Bellingham startups have won angel investor grants.
A competition for northwest Washington entrepreneurs was hosted by the ‘Bellingham Angel Investors’ group at Whatcom Community College on Saturday. The two winners, an ocean data tech startup and an early
childcare center, were among 45 entrants from Whatcom and Skagit counties.
The $6,000 first-place prize was taken by Astraeus (uh-STRAY-us) Ocean Systems from Bellingham. Founder and CEO Alex Parker said the prize money will help Astraeus outfit one of the ships with an instrument to conduct searches for derelict fishing gear in Puget Sound.
The $3,000 second-place prize went to Tiny Steps, Big Leaps. The center, founded by Sheryl Clinton, is scheduled to open by next March and will be licensed for 52 children. The center features outdoor play spaces and an interactive garden.
Mark Roth, a member of Bellingham Angel Investors, told the Cascadia Daily News that he anticipates this won’t be the group’s only pitch contest. According to Roth, the group hopes to start a tradition of holding yearly competitions and making connections between creative entrepreneurs with quote “an investor group that will help support them and get their businesses growing” unquote.
STORY: Lease approved for cold weather shelter
Last night, the Whatcom County Council approved a lease with Lutheran Community Services Northwest (LCSNW) to host a severe weather shelter in Bellingham.
The new location at North Forest Street will provide space for 70 people during extreme weather. It has more space than last year’s location, and
includes additional restrooms and a kitchen for reheating food. Lutheran Community Services acquired the property this year after the closure of the 133-year-old Bellingham Central Lutheran Church, marking the organization’s first venture in Whatcom County.
The county says it will operate the shelter from November 15th through March 31st, and rent will be funded by a Washington State grant, not local taxes.
STORY: Bellingham City Council closes public comment for remainder of the year amid security re-evaluations
Bellingham City Council has announced they will suspend open public comment at meetings through the end of the year, as officials review City Hall security measures.
According to a recent announcement by the City, the suspension began on Monday, with City Council President Dan Hammill stating public comments are expected to resume in January. Until then, residents can still share their views by emailing city officials.
Mayor Kim Lund highlighted the need for improved security at City Hall, which hosts public meetings and has several accessible entrances but lacks consistent monitoring. Recent incidents have raised safety concerns, that include disruptions such as hate speech, COVID-19 misinformation, and violating comment rules.
Lund said that next year’s budget proposal includes funding for a city security team to reduce reliance on contract security and ensure a safe, welcoming environment at City Hall and nearby public facilities.
WX: Partly sunny
And now for the weather:
Clouds and sunshine are in the forecast today, with daytime highs climbing slightly into the mid-50s. Evening lows are projected in the low 40s.
Expect the rain to return for most of tomorrow and through the weekend, with temperatures remaining fairly consistently in the 40s and 50s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman (COOL-mun), Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, 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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