Boeing machinists officially still on strike, SR547 to close for maintenance this week, Four people hospitalized and one arrested in connection with Chuckanut Drive car crash, Fifth person rescued at Racehorse Falls this year, Census Bureau data states Bellingham medium income fell, poverty rose in 2023, Gov. Inslee visits two WWU projects related to in-jeopardy Climate Commitment act, State approves loan funding for Bellingham landfill clean project, Skagit County may prohibit large-scale energy projects on vulnerable agricultural land, Pac-12 expands membership, Health insurance rates rise
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, September 16th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Boeing machinists officially still on strike
Boeing is facing a financial toll after over 30,000 workers went on strike last week, rejecting a tentative contract.
The strike has halted production of the company’s 737 Max and other planes, disrupting the company’s recovery from earlier safety issues. In response, Boeing announced it would freeze hiring, cut non-essential spending, and potentially furlough workers to save money. The company has also paused orders for parts, which could impact its supply chain.
While Boeing aims to reach a new contract, 95% of union members voted against the initial offer due to dissatisfaction with raises and retirement benefits.
Talks are set to resume with federal mediators.
STORY: SR547 to close for maintenance this week
State Route 547 in Sumas will be closed for maintenance starting today.
Road crews from the state Department of Transportation are working on stabilizing an eroding bank along Saar Creek. WSDOT (WASH-dot) says it will install 2,400 large rocks and 10 trees along the bank, in an effort to help realign the creek and protect the highway. A signed detour will guide traffic around the closure.
The highway will be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Thursday.
STORY: Four people hospitalized and one arrested in connection with Chuckanut Drive car crash
A two-car crash on Chuckanut Drive last Saturday night sent four people to the hospital and one to jail.
A BMW sedan was heading southbound when it lost control and drove into an oncoming SUV. The Washington State Patrol reports that first responders arrived at the scene around 7:45 p.m. All four people in the SUV were transported to St. Joseph, while neither of the occupants of the BMW were injured. The WSP reported the cause of the crash was reckless driving. 20-year-old Nathan Singh, the driver of the BMW, was arrested on charges of vehicular assault and booked into the county jail.
The crash caused Chuckanut Drive to close for over 5 hours.
STORY: Fifth person rescued at Racehorse Falls this year
A woman tumbled down 150 feet at Racehorse Falls near Deming last Tuesday.
Crews from Whatcom County’s Fire District 14 found a woman who had fallen 50-to-60 feet, then tumbled another one-hundred feet down a slippery rock slope to the bottom. The crews rappelled down and carried her out on a wheeled stretcher. NBC News reports that she was later transported to a hospital in Seattle with serious injuries. Her exact condition is unknown.
Fire District 14 stated that this was the quote “fifth high-angle rescue at Racehorse Falls this year alone” unquote, and advised the public to exercise caution, especially around the cliff edges.
STORY: Census Bureau data states Bellingham medium income fell, poverty rose in 2023
New data from a U.S. Census Bureau survey states that Bellingham saw its average income dip last year, while poverty levels jumped significantly.
The survey estimates that Bellingham’s median household income in 2023 was a little under $55,000, which represents a drop of over $12,500 from the previous year. Prior to the drop, Bellingham’s median household income had held steady since at least 2019.
The percentage of Bellingham residents below the poverty line also saw a significant jump for the year. The Census Bureau estimates that 22% of Bellingham residents lived below the poverty line in 2023, up from 14.3% in 2022.
The data comes from nearly 500 Bellingham households, roughly 1.1% of the city’s total.
STORY: Gov. Inslee visits two WWU projects related to in-jeopardy Climate Commitment act
Governor Inslee visited Western Washington University last Wednesday to tour projects related to the Climate Commitment Act, which faces a repeal effort on this November’s ballot.
The state allocated $10 million to modernize WWU’s aging Steam Plant, a project expected to cost $35 million over several phases. The plant produces nearly all of the university’s greenhouse gas emissions, and its modernization is critical for WWU to meet state climate goals.
State Representative Alex Ramel said that converting the Steam Plant to heat pump technology will provide jobs and align with the state’s target to cut emissions by 95% by 2050. Other WWU projects funded by the Act include electric vehicle chargers and solar panels.
Inslee’s visit coincides with opposition to the Climate Commitment Act, led by hedge fund manager Brian Heywood. The repeal effort, known as Initiative 2117, argues the Act imposes hidden gas taxes. While Inslee
didn’t directly address the initiative, WWU officials emphasized the Climate Act’s importance for ongoing green energy projects, including Kaiser-Borsari Hall, a zero-energy building under construction on campus.
STORY: State approves loan funding for Bellingham landfill clean project
The City of Bellingham received over $7 million in loan funding from the state Public Works Board for the Cornwall Avenue landfill cleanup.
City documents indicate that the estimated cleanup cost is $19 million, with half covered by state grants and the rest shared between the city and the Port of Bellingham. The cleanup will occur alongside the R.G. Haley project as well as the first phase of the new 17-acre Salish Landing Park, which is part of a waterfront revitalization effort.
Construction is scheduled to start next year, with the park, featuring beach access, trails, and parking, set to open in 2027.
STORY: Skagit County may prohibit large-scale energy projects on vulnerable agricultural land
Skagit County is considering prohibiting large-scale electrical energy projects on agricultural land due to an influx of proposals.
One controversial project, the 200-megawatt Goldeneye Battery Energy Storage System, is planned by Nebraska-based Tenaska near
Sedro-Woolley. It would store energy from renewable sources and could power 100,000 homes for eight hours. However, its location near farmland and a salmon-bearing creek has sparked opposition due to environmental and safety concerns.
Tenaska is seeking approval through a state agency, bypassing local authority, which has fueled further criticism. Elected officials, including State Senator Keith Wagoner and Skagit County commissioners, argue the project conflicts with local land-use plans and threatens agricultural and environmental resources.
The Skagit Planning Commission is now considering a land-use amendment to prohibit future large energy projects on agricultural land. Other battery storage projects are also under review in Skagit and Whatcom counties.
WX: Misty mornin’ sun
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Some early morning fog today has given way to sunny skies, with a high in the upper 60s. Calm western winds in the forecast today, along with a nighttime low in the low 50s.
We can, however, expect a good amount of rain tomorrow, alongside slightly cooler temperatures.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman (COOL-mun), Tristan Trudell, Kyler Cantrell, Anna Vickers, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, 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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STORY: Pac-12 expands membership
The Pac-12 Conference, which faced potential collapse after losing eight schools in 2023, announced it’s now expanding.
Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State, and San Diego State will be joining the league in 2026. The move secures the futures of the two remaining Pac-12 schools–– Washington State and Oregon State––while significantly impacting the Mountain West Conference. The expansion
comes after Pac-12 leaders, under new commissioner Teresa Gould, strategically positioned the conference for growth.
The Pac-12 now needs to add at least two more schools by 2026 to comply with NCAA rules, secure a new media rights deal, and explore new revenue streams.
STORY: Health insurance rates rise
Health insurance rates in Washington’s state marketplace will increase next year, with the Office of the Insurance Commissioner approving an average rate hike of 10.7% for 2025.
The move affects about 280,000 patients who use the state’s online health insurance market. Insurers initially requested an 11.3% increase, but the commissioner’s office approved a slightly lower average.
Regence BlueShield customers face the largest increase at 22.8% and Molina Healthcare the smallest at 5.7%. Insurance companies say the increases are necessary to cover rising health service costs.
Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler acknowledged the impact of the rate hike amid other rising expenses and emphasized the need to address underlying health care costs. Emily Brice, co-executive director of Northwest Health Law Advocates, criticized the continual premium increases, and noted the recent pattern of rising rates followed by calls for solutions to address the problem.
The commissioner’s office says it has proposed several policy ideas to manage rising costs, such as subsidizing high-cost enrollees and setting inflation-based limits on care costs.
The open enrollment period for 2025 coverage runs from November 1 to January 15.
