Large-scale “sickout” throws Puget Sound ferry service into chaos, Bellingham PD to rollout new “Drone as First Responder,” program following state grant, Misconduct lawsuit against deceased Bellingham therapist to move to trial, U.S. Supreme Court will not hear Bellingham vaccine mandate case, Gatorade recall due to undeclared food dyes, U.S. Supreme Court will not hear Bellingham vaccine mandate case, Gas prices in Whatcom and greater WA fall slightly, Public invited to Port of Bellingham open house (Oct 29), Health department cider pressing safety (weak story – break glass only in emergency), F&C Oct 10
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, October, 6. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Large-scale “sickout” throws Puget Sound ferry service into chaos
Ferry services across Puget Sound were at a standstill yesterday.
23 engine room employees called in sick; at one point, only five out of the system’s 18 ferries were running.
State law prohibits strike by ferry workers. The ferry workers’ union, the Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, said they had not coordinated the sickout, and instead described it as a, quote, “frantic cry for help from an abused and frustrated group of highly-skilled and committed workers,” unquote.
Their collective bargaining agreement is such that they will not be getting any pay rises, and the next round of bargaining will not happen until next July.
Governor Bob Ferguson said he expected the ferries to be running today, but it is unclear whether the stoppage will continue.
STORY: Bellingham PD to rollout new “Drone as First Responder,” program following state grant
Police in Bellingham will be using more aerial drones.
A half-a-million dollar state grant will be used to start a Drone as First Responder program. Police and firefighters may survey locations before responders arrive.
Chief of Police Rebecca Mertzig told the City Council yesterday that a drone could be sent to a scene of a 9-1-1 call within minutes. This, she said, will help to gather critical information so that the right kind of help is provided.
STORY: Misconduct lawsuit against deceased Bellingham therapist to move to trial
A misconduct lawsuit against a deceased Bellingham therapist will proceed to trial.
Court documents show that Whatcom resident Damian Cordova Jr. started receiving mental health therapy from Reverie Shunny at Sunrise Services Inc in November 2020.
Cordova alleged that Shunny “crossed professional and personal boundaries,” and that the two had an intimate relationship.
Before her death last year, Shunny denied there was any personal relationship with Cordova, and petitioned for a restraining order against him.
The Department of Health found that evidence did not support a violation by Shunny. A Whatcom Superior Court judge, however, decided the case should go to trial.
STORY: U.S. Supreme Court will not hear Bellingham vaccine mandate case
The U.S. Supreme Court has declined to revive a 2024 lawsuit over Bellingham’s COVID‑19 vaccine mandate.
According to the records, the court declined to take up the case, leaving in place earlier rulings that upheld former Mayor Seth Fleetwood’s 2021 order requiring city workers to be vaccinated. A group of employees — including EMTs, police officers, firefighters, and other staff — had argued the mandate violated their constitutional rights and amounted to wrongful termination.
A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit last year — a decision upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in May. With the Supreme Court declining to review the case, those decisions now stand, and the lawsuit is officially over. As the case was dismissed with prejudice, the former employees cannot file the same claims again.
STORY: Gatorade recall due to undeclared food dyes
If you’ve got Gatorade in the fridge, you may want to check the label.
ABC News reports more than 122,000 cases of Gatorade are being recalled because the drinks contain undeclared food dyes. The FDA says the recall covers 28‑ounce bottles of Lemon Lime, Lemon Lime Zero, Orange, and Orange Zero distributed across over two dozen states, including Washington. The affected lots — which run through April, May and June of 2027 — failed to disclose the presence of Yellow No. 5 and Yellow No. 6.
Federal officials classify this as a Class II recall, meaning the drinks could cause temporary or medically reversible reactions — including mild rashes or asthma‑like symptoms — mainly in people who already have sensitivities, such as those with aspirin allergies.
A full list of lot codes and distribution states is available on the agency’s website.
STORY: Gas prices in Whatcom and greater WA fall slightly
Gas prices in Bellingham slipped this week, giving drivers a bit of relief.
Regular now averages $5.32, down 4 cents from a week ago but nearly a dollar higher than a year ago.
Statewide, regular gas averages $5.48, also slightly below last week’s level.
Patrick De Haan with GasBuddy says average gasoline prices fell in 48 states over the last week, with diesel dropping in 48 states as well.
In a blog post, De Haan called it a “broad‑based retreat” that’s bringing relief to drivers. He says the biggest declines were in Georgia and Ohio, where fuel‑tax cuts amplified the drop, and that most states may continue to see lower prices — though some Midwest markets could swing back up.
De Haan also notes that while oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are rising, the refineries behind the strait are yet unable to move products freely, keeping gas and diesel prices higher than crude oil levels alone would suggest.
STORY: Judge’s ruling blocks new state law establishing standards for county sheriffs
A Thurston County judge has permanently blocked Washington’s new sheriff‑standards law.
The Washington State Standard reports Judge Christine Schaller struck down the most controversial parts of Senate Bill 5974 — the measure that would have required elected sheriffs to meet the same eligibility standards as appointed police chiefs. Critics, including a dozen sheriffs who sued the state, argued the law amounted to state overreach, and that it would allow for an administrative commission to remove sheriffs elected by voters.
Schaller ruled that the Legislature exceeded its constitutional authority by imposing heightened qualifications on sheriffs, including age, experience, and background‑check requirements. She said those limits could improperly narrow who is allowed to run for the office, and undermine voters’ ability to choose their own sheriff.
The state attorney general’s office says it plans to appeal the ruling, calling the law an important accountability measure.
STORY: Crud comes early
Washington is seeing an early rise in respiratory illnesses.
State health data shows respiratory illnesses accounted for 11 percent of emergency room visits during the week ending on September 26th, up from 8.2 percent three weeks earlier.
In King County, there were 233 emergency room visits associated with influenza during the week ending on September 19th, compared with 31 during the same week last year.
COVID is also showing signs of increasing activity. Several Seattle-area wastewater sites reported high or very high virus levels in late September, and COVID-related hospital use has risen from its summer lows.
Health officials recommend staying up to date on flu and COVID vaccinations, staying home when sick, and taking extra precautions around people at higher risk of severe illness.
WX: Tiffany from HR
And now for the weather…
Expect partial clouds throughout the rest of the day for most of us here in Whatcom, forecasts call for predominantly grey skies with highs in the low-to-mid 60s. Cloud cover should stick around throughout the night as well, where we’ll see lows in the high 40s.
Tomorrow expect fog and clouds in the morning, burning off around midday, with sun and partial clouds throughout the afternoon.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Kyler Cantrell (can-TRELL), Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Jenny Lam, Doug Langworthy, and Cheri Cloninger (SHARE-ee CLAWN-in-jer). 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. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________… thanks for listening!
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STORY: Public invited to Port of Bellingham open house (Oct 29)
The Port of Bellingham will hold an open house for the public on Thursday, October 29th.
Community members can talk with Port staff and project leaders about the future of the waterfront, airport, harbors, events and community programs, while sharing their questions and ideas.
The free event will include refreshments and information stations. And, while supplies last, anyone who gets a passport stamped at all the stations can take home a rubber Disco Duck.
The event runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Squalicum Boathouse.
STORY: Health department cider pressing safety (weak story – break glass only in emergency)
Cider‑pressing season is here, and health officials are reminding Whatcom County residents to handle unpasteurized cider safely.
Raw cider can carry bacteria like E. coli, which pose higher risks for young children, pregnant people, older adults, and anyone with weakened immunity.
Officials are asking people pressing cider at home – or attending a community pressing event – to clean and sanitize grinders and presses between batches; make sure volunteers wash their hands; and keep anyone who’s been recently sick away from food handling. Only apples picked from the tree should be used, and they should be rinsed well before pressing. Any apples that are bruised or dirty should be tossed.
Finally, officials are urging people to store cider in sanitized jugs; for the safest product, people should also pasteurize it by heating it to 158 degrees. This ensures any harmful bacteria is killed.
Officials say these steps help keep fall cider traditions safe for everyone.
F&C Oct 10
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