Inslee announces $1.5 million emergency funding for San Juan ferries, City working to ease “pinch point” at Holly Street, Bloedel Donovan Park beach to reopen following sewage spill, Starbucks’ employees announce plan to unionize, Bellingham nonprofit secures staging area to construct new tiny homes for future village, Environmentalists and loggers reach consensus on amendment to Northwest Forest Plan
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, September 18th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Inslee announces $1.5 million emergency funding for San Juan ferries
Governor Jay Inslee announced yesterday that he will provide a million-and-a-half dollars in emergency funding to restore critical ferry transportation throughout the San Juan Islands.
The interisland route has been the least reliable in the Washington State Ferry system. The challenges, caused by crew shortages, have created life and safety issues for island residents as well as service providers. Data shows the interisland route completed 81% of its recent scheduled sailings, compared to 95% for the rest of the Ferry system.
The funding will allow San Juan County to contract local water taxi providers, charter businesses, and barge services when the ferry is out of service. The funding will also increase weekend service during the winter season.
Innslee says the short-term funding will be available immediately, but long-term solutions will depend on whether legislators support new funding during the 2025 legislative session.
STORY: Bellingham mayor gives an update on the plan to remove two homeless encampments
Mayor Kim Lund gave an update to the City Council on Monday about the plan to remove two homeless encampments in Bellingham.
Lund said during a committee meeting that, since the camps are on private property, landowners are primarily responsible for addressing them, though the city is providing support. In the report, Lund said action is slow, but officials are moving forward, particularly at the camps near Stuart and Deemer roads, and Bakerview and Northwest roads.
The city has filed a legal response related to a camp behind Walmart and formed an internal team to focus on large encampments. Extra police patrols have been requested, and technical assistance is being offered to landowners. Mayor Lund says she sees cooperation between property owners, as well as recent community meetings with nearby residents and businesses as important next steps.
Lund also said that the City remains committed to finding long-term solutions that balance factors such as public safety, private property rights, and the well-being of individuals experiencing homelessness.
STORY: City working to ease “pinch point” at Holly Street
During that City Council meeting on Monday, Mayor Lund also announced that officials are working to address a “pinch point” created for drivers upon the addition of bike lanes on Holly Street.
The quote-unquote “streateries” on Holly will be scaled back between Bay and Commercial streets. Businesses are being asked by October 1st to quote “either phase out their streatery structures or apply to scale them back” unquote.
The addition of bike lanes on Holly Street in May reduced traffic lanes from three to two. The streateries added between Bay and Commercial streets in 2022, however, take up a lane of traffic, which meant traffic on that block of Holly was reduced to a single lane.
STORY: Bloedel Donovan Park beach to reopen following sewage spill
Bloedel Donovan beach was reopened yesterday after last week’s sewage spill.
Up to 50,000 gallons of sewage spilled into Lake Whatcom a week ago, after contractors working on the Electric Avenue bridge hit an underground pipe. This week’s water quality tests showed that bacteria levels in the lake have now returned to safe levels.
Most of Bloedel Donovan Park has also reopened, aside from parts impacted by ongoing renovations and stormwater improvements. The City
says the sewage spill had no impact on Bellingham’s drinking water, as the water treatment plant is a mile upstream from the spill’s location.
STORY: Starbucks’ employees announce plan to unionize
Starbucks baristas at the Old Fairhaven Parkway & 30th Street location announced yesterday that they have filed for a union election.
The baristas, alongside 11,000 other Starbucks employees across the U.S., say they are advocating for improvements in respect, wages, equity, and scheduling. The organizing effort, led by Starbucks Workers United, says they aim to establish store contracts by the end of the year.
Since 2021, nearly 500 Starbucks locations in 45 states have won union elections.
STORY: Bellingham nonprofit secures staging area to construct new tiny homes for future village
HomesNOW! Has announced it has secured a temporary staging area to build new tiny homes.
The site, a parking lot and maintenance shed owned by the Whatcom Council On Aging, will be fenced and monitored for security during construction. HomesNOW! chairman Doug Gustafson called for community help through volunteer work and donations. Gustafson says he
hopes the tiny homes will eventually be moved to a new village site, North Haven, in Bellingham’s Birchwood neighborhood.
However, the move has been delayed to spring 2025 due to an appeal by North Coast Credit Union, seeking more time to address concerns. The city had purchased the relocation site for $1.2 million, as the current villages must move due to land use conflicts.
Gustafson expressed gratitude to supporters and excitement for the upcoming relocation.
STORY: Environmentalists and loggers reach consensus on amendment to Northwest Forest Plan
A 21-member committee tasked with revising the 1994 Northwest Forest Plan says it has come up with recommendations that they say will make meaningful changes to Northwest forest management.
After 30 years with the 1994 plan, endangered species are still in decline, wildfires are more frequent, and rural communities are struggling despite reduced timber harvests.
Composed of scientists, loggers, conservationists, as well as tribal and government representatives, the committee was asked to work together to reach a consensus on recommendations. Led by co-chairs Travis Joseph, representing the timber industry, and Susan Jane Brown, representing environmental interests, the committee came to consensus around 184 recommendations. 113 of the points emphasize Tribal inclusion and aims
to correct the exclusion of Indigenous voices from the original plan. The recommendations also stress proactive forest management, such as controlled burns, to combat wildfire risks and include a provision to protect old-growth forests established before 1825.
Although the committee made significant progress, they say the success of the plan now depends on its acceptance by the Forest Service and potential political factors, such as the outcome of the next presidential election. Both committee co-chairs expressed concern that without swift action, the opportunity to make meaningful changes to the management of Northwest forests could be lost.
WX: Sun? Some.
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Partly sunny is the forecast for today, as morning clouds are expected to gradually give way to sunshine. Daytime highs are projected in the mid-upper 60s, with calm southwestern winds, and nighttime lows right around 50.
Tomorrow’s weather looks to be largely the same, with the addition of a chance of late night rain that is expected to carry on into Friday and the weekend.
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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