Hearings set for Bellingham school closures, High Schoolers call for walk out on Monday, Fed funding for Blaine, Mt Vernon projects, County tests new way to manage asbestos in Swift Creek, Border lane closure (run Friday), F&C, Whatcom Chief ferry outage (run Monday), GM to pay $220M for sharing drivers’ private data, Governor creates fraud prevention officer position, Seattle-based Uwajimaya to expand, WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Friday, October 30th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Hearings set for Bellingham school closures
Bellingham Public Schools will hold two public hearings next week on the possible closure of Columbia and Carl Cozier elementary schools.
The school board has scheduled a hearing on the proposed closure of Columbia Elementary for Monday evening, with a hearing on Carl Cozier Elementary set for Tuesday. Both will run from 5:30 to 7:30pm at the district office on Barkley Boulevard.
The hearings are the latest step in a process that began earlier this year as the district examined ways to address declining enrollment and ongoing budget challenges. School officials identified Columbia and Carl Cozier as potential closure candidates, touching off months of debate among families, staff, and community members.
Residents will be able to provide verbal or written testimony on the proposed closures at next week’s hearings.
The school board is expected to use feedback from the hearings as it considers whether to move forward with closing one or both schools.
STORY: High Schoolers call for walk out on Monday
Students in Bellingham have organized a walkout this Monday at noon.
Students say they are protesting Bellingham Public Schools’ spending priorities and the district’s consideration of school closures. The student-led action also raises concerns about what organizers describe as excessive spending and fiscal mismanagement.
The walkout is expected at all three Bellingham High Schools – Bellingham, Sehome, and Squalicum. Students say they want Superintendent Greg Baker removed from his position and a pause set on school closures.
The protest comes as the school board continues to discuss budget challenges, declining enrollment, and consolidations. Students and community members are calling on district leaders to reconsider their priorities and protect neighborhood schools.
STORY: Fed funding for Blaine, Mt Vernon projects
A major rail safety project in Blaine is getting a federal dollars.
The City of Blaine has been awarded over $66M to build an overpass at the Bell Road rail crossing, one of the largest rail crossing grants awarded in Washington state this year.
City officials say the project will eliminate traffic delays, improve safety, and improve emergency response.
Meanwhile, the City of Mount Vernon will receive $2.3M to study possible upgrades at eight rail crossings. Officials say frequent train traffic can cause delays for commuters, EMS, buses, and freight.
The funding comes through a federal railroad crossing safety program aimed at reducing conflict between trains and vehicular traffic. Last month, Washington state received nearly $105 million for rail crossing projects and planning efforts.
STORY: County tests new way to manage asbestos in Swift Creek
Whatcom County is testing a new way to manage asbestos‑laden sediment in Swift Creek.
The state Department of Ecology says the county is making progress on long‑term efforts to control flooding and store sediment from the slow landslide on Sumas Mountain. The slide delivers asbestos into the surrounding soil and creek. However, asbestos reacts easily with carbon dioxide and water to break down into magnesium carbonate, which is non-toxic.
As part of the restoration work, carbon‑removal company Arca is running a small pilot project at the site, to see whether tilling and amending the sediment can speed up the reaction.
The county has built the first phase of sediment traps, which Ecology says performed well during heavy rain last December. A second phase is included in the agency’s 2027–29 budget request.
Construction of the central sediment repository is underway, and dredged material will be stored there as the project continues.
STORY: Border lane closure (run Friday)
Travelers using the Pacific Highway border crossing in Blaine may see longer waits beginning next week.
The U.S. General Services Administration says one lane at the crossing will be closed for more than four months beginning Monday.
The easternmost inspection lane will shut down continuously while crews complete underground utility work and prepare for future expansion of the port’s traffic lanes.
Five inspection lanes will remain open for passenger vehicles, but drivers should expect possible delays and slow downs near the construction zone. Commercial traffic will not be affected.
The lane closure at the Pacific Highway Land Port of Entry is expected to end next March.
F&C
Halloween festivities begin today with Downtown Bellingham’s annual Downtown Trick‑or‑Treat, running 4–6pm where more than 100 businesses will hand out candy as families roam the downtown core.
For a theatrical twist, consider Hellingham: An Improvised Murder Mystery plays tonight and tomorrow at The Upfront Theatre, with shows at 7 and 9pm Admission is $18.
The celebration continues tomorrow at the Trackside Beer Garden, hosting its season‑closing Halloween Party from 4–10pm The all‑ages event features hot drinks, food, and a spooky DJ set from 6–9pm At 7pm, Trackside becomes a stage for Halloween dance performances, including the annual Thrillingham zombie takeover and the dancing witches.
In Fairhaven, thousands are expected to fill the streets for Fearhaven: Brick or Treat, returning tomorrow from 3–6pm Costumed visitors can collect treats throughout Historic Fairhaven Village and stop by Finnegan’s Alley for a scary photo.
Rounding out the countywide celebrations, Ferndale Trick‑or‑Treat runs tomorrow from 3–5pm at Pioneer Park, Candy stations line the porches of the historic log cabins, and kids can enjoy classic favorites like Cake Walk, Ring Toss, Guessing Games, and Corn Hole.
WX: Stratatouille
And now weather,
Expect mostly cloudy skies today, scattered showers, and highs around 50 degrees. Whatever rain we get should end around 9 PM, with overnight lows in the mid 30s.
The weekend looks to be similar. No rain is projected for Halloween night.
Happy Halloween, everyone!
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg, Kathi O’Shea, KAI Blais-Schmolke, Jenny Lam, Doug Langworthy, and Cheri Cloninger. Tune in to local news on KMRE weekdays at 3, 4 and 5pm 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. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb________… thanks for listening!
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STORY: Whatcom Chief ferry outage (run Monday)
The Whatcom Chief will be offline for several hours next Wednesday for maintenance.
The ferry will be out of service from 10:10am to 3pm on November 4 so crews can finish work that couldn’t be completed during dry dock because parts weren’t available. Crews will also make an electrical repair at the Lummi Island terminal during the outage.
The last morning run from Gooseberry Point is 9:50, and the last run from Lummi Island is 10:00. No additional morning trips will follow the 10am sailing.
The county says the schedule is weather‑dependent and updates will be posted on the ferry webpage.
STORY: GM to pay $220M for sharing drivers’ private data
Washington will receive more than $12 million from General Motors to settle allegations the automaker illegally collected and sold drivers’ personal data.
Attorney General Nick Brown helped lead a coalition of 36 states that accused GM of sharing driver behavior and location information with data brokers, who then sold it to insurance companies.
Investigators say GM’s Smart Driver program tracked information such as speeding, hard braking and driving habits from millions of motorists between 2016 and 2024. The states allege drivers were not clearly told their data could be sold and used by insurers when setting rates.
The agreement is part of a $220 million multistate settlement. Under its terms, GM must obtain customers’ explicit consent before collecting or sharing driving and location data. The company also agreed to strengthen its privacy protections and improve oversight to prevent consumers from being enrolled in data collection programs without their knowledge.
STORY: Governor creates fraud prevention officer position
Governor Bob Ferguson has signed an executive order creating Washington’s first Chief Fraud Prevention Officer.
The new officer will coordinate fraud‑prevention, detection and recovery work across health and human services agencies, including the Health Care Authority and the departments of Health, Social and Health Services, Labor and Industries, and Children, Youth and Families. The Governor’s Office says the role will use existing resources.
The order also creates a Public Funds Fraud Prevention and Accountability Workgroup to develop a statewide fraud‑prevention framework and recommend changes to statutes, reporting systems, whistleblower protections and contractor oversight. It may also propose a public dashboard tracking fraud‑prevention performance and recoveries.
Ferguson also announced upcoming legislation to expand Washington’s Medicaid False Claims Act to cover all false claims against the state. Whistleblowers would be able to bring civil actions on the state’s behalf, with violators facing triple damages and inflation‑adjusted penalties.
STORY: Seattle-based Uwajimaya to expand
Seattle-based Asian grocery store Uwajimaya will open a new location next spring.
The store will occupy a former Rite Aid space in Town and Country Square in Issaquah and cover about 23-thousand square feet. Uwajimaya CEO Denise Moriguchi says the Eastside’s growing population has increased demand for Asian ingredients and fresh seafood.
The new store will offer everyday groceries, produce, seafood and prepared foods. Uwajimaya is also opening a location in Tacoma, bringing the 98-year-old company to six stores.
STORY: WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Should a fee for recreational fishing in the Columbia River be made permanent?
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting public comment on whether the annual fee of $8.75 for anglers should be extended beyond the expiration date in January 2028
The fee applies to anglers over 15 years old who fish for salmon or steelhead.
The comment period ends on November 20 this year.
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