Election Night: Trinity, Judge orders Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits through November, Former Bellingham Hardware Sales employee sentenced to federal prison for embezzlement scheme, Whatcom County Council approves relocation of sheriff’s office, Elenbaas urges county council to take lead in Nooksack water adjudication, WA submits federal application for $1 billion rural healthcare plan, Free and Cheap
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, November 7th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Election Night: Trinity
The race for Port of Bellingham Commissioner has a winner.
According to the Whatcom County Auditor’s website, as of last night businesswoman Carly James leads by 1,439 votes against incumbent Ken Bell.
The District 2 seat covers north Bellingham and rural Whatcom County, including Lynden, Everson, Nooksack, and Sumas.
No other major shifts were reported in Whatcom County’s updated election results. Incumbents on the Bellingham City Council maintain solid leads, and two new women— Elizabeth Boyle and Jessica Reinstra— are set to join the Whatcom County Council, where they will form a 5 to 2 liberal supermajority.
75,900 total votes were cast, with 50 left to count, and a voter turnout of over 44%.
STORY: Judge orders Trump administration to fully fund SNAP benefits through November
Relief is on the way for millions of Americans who depend on food stamps.
A federal judge in Rhode Island has ordered the Trump administration to come up with the money to fully fund November SNAP benefits. The ruling, issued yesterday, orders the government to make the payments today— though recipients may not see funds on their cards immediately.
The decision follows a USDA announcement earlier this week that SNAP payments would be about half the normal amount this month.
Washington’s Department of Social and Health Services says it’s working to issue payments as quickly as possible.
Locally, just over 10 percent of Whatcom County residents rely on food stamps.
STORY: Former Bellingham Hardware Sales employee sentenced to federal prison for embezzlement scheme
A Sedro-Woolley woman has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for embezzling more than $1 million from Hardware Sales.
46-year-old Amy Siniscarco pled guilty to embezzlement, wire fraud, and filing a false tax return. Investigators found she used fake checks, unauthorized credit card charges, and wire transfers to steal from the Bellingham company where she worked as an assistant manager.
Prosecutors said her actions cost co-workers bonuses and profit-sharing, and forced the store to cut budgets and borrow money to remain afloat.
U.S. District Judge Jamal Whitehead handed down the 24-month sentence Thursday in Seattle, calling it fair punishment for what he described as a daily act of fraud for nine years.
Siniscarco apologized in court and was ordered to repay $1.4 million dollars to Hardware Sales and more than $226,000 in unpaid taxes. She will also serve three years of supervised release after prison.
STORY: Whatcom County Council approves relocation of sheriff’s office
The Whatcom County Council has approved a long-term lease for a new Sheriff’s Office headquarters located on Ryzex Way in the Cordata neighborhood.
The 6–0 vote Wednesday night (with Councilmember Todd Donovan abstaining), clears the way for the Sheriff’s Office to relocate next summer to the 30,000-square-foot facility.
The county will pay about $500,000 a year for the site under an eight-year lease, with options to renew. The property’s owner is former County Council member Rud Browne, which prompted Donovan’s abstention over concerns about funding and perception — though council members said the deal is transparent and above-board.
Sheriff Donnell Tanksley called the move an operational necessity, saying the current basement offices are plagued by leaks, poor air quality, and no natural light.
Officials say the new space will give the department modern offices, evidence storage, and room to grow.
STORY: Elenbaas urges county council to take lead in Nooksack water adjudication
In more council news, Whatcom County Council member Ben Elenbaas says it’s time to take the lead in settling the massive Nooksack water rights lawsuit.
In late October, he proposed six amendments to the County comprehensive plan that he says would help deal with water rights. Elenbaas argues that the state’s water adjudication process, launched by the Department of Ecology earlier this year, won’t solve the core problems that face agriculture, salmon recovery, or urban growth.
Adjudication involves roughly 30,000 water users across the Nooksack Basin, which includes local governments, tribes, and private well owners. The proposed new amendments would guide a negotiated settlement. Ellebaas says they would save money, preserve farmland, and create certainty for farmers, homeowners, and businesses.
Elenbaas also says the county has enough water to support salmon, farming, and growth, but it will take new approaches as well as investments in water storage and mitigation projects to make it work.
The proposed amendments could be voted on as part of the county’s Comprehensive Plan update by late 2025 or early 2026.
STORY: WA submits federal application for $1 billion rural healthcare plan
Washington state has applied for $1 billion in federal funding to boost rural health care.
Governor Bob Ferguson announced Wednesday that the state submitted its plan to the Rural Health Transformation Program— part of the federal H.R. 1 law. The program will offer a total of $50 billion for rural health care to approved states over five years. The Washington proposal asks for $200 million annually over five years, which would be focused on hospitals, maternal health care, technology improvements, and support for Indigenous health providers.
According to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), half of the money will be divided equally among approved states. CMS will allocate the other half based on need, which is based on the number of health facilities, population, and accessibility. Washington’s plan emphasizes hospital infrastructure, telehealth, cybersecurity, and AI tools to strengthen rural care.
Ferguson said the bipartisan plan aims to modernize and sustain rural health systems, which serve over 1 million residents across 29 counties. The federal government is expected to approve or deny applications by the end of the year.
STORY: Free or cheap
It’s Friday! If you’re looking for something free or cheap to do this weekend, here’s a bit of what’s going on around the county.
Tonight, it’s Free First Friday fun at the Whatcom Museum. Start the afternoon with guided tours of “myself inside your story,” a powerful exhibit by artist Mary Ann Peters, offered at 1 and 3 p.m. Then, in the evening, join former Washington State Poet Laureate Rena Priest for readings from her new book, “Positively Uncivilized.” Readings will take place at 6 and 6:45 p.m.. Find the full schedule at the Whatcom Museum website.
On Saturday or Sunday, why not check out the Whatcom Art Guild’s– “Bellingham Illuminations—Art in a New Light.” This immersive exhibit features glow-in-the-dark installations, interactive blacklight experiences, and a hands-on luminary station where guests of all ages can make their own glowing keepsakes. Whatcom Art Center is in Bellingham’s historic Fairhaven district at 1105 11th St. The exhibit is open from 11AM to 6PM all weekend.
WX: Sequel fatigue
And now weather:
We’re in for a milder day today with partly cloudy skies and under a tenth of an inch of precipitation. Expect wind gusts of up to 28 miles per hour, and a potential break for partial sunshine in the late afternoon. Daytime highs remain in the mid to low 50s. Look for the wind and rain to die down in the evening, and temperatures to fall into the upper 30s.
The weekend’s weather should be a mix of clouds, sunshine, and showers. So, dress to peel.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron Danielson, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, Bella Mae, and Kai Blais-Schmolke. 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 David Korb_________… thanks for listening!
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