Tanker truck carrying liquid hydrogen overturns in Bellingham, no injuries or leaks reported, Second hiker found deceased on Sauk Mountain, Concerns raised over WISeR AI Medicare program, Regular gas prices remain stable, while diesel spikes to new record, Several cities across Whatcom and Skagit to receive new early childhood education centers as part of WA program expansion, Judge issues ruling barring federal government’s attempt to restrict SNAP benefits in multiple states, including WA, FTC announces Take It Down Act (undated), 9/25 declared Dolly Parton Appreciation Day in Bellingham, Battery storage facility proposed for Custer, Students encounter difficulties when transferring from community college to 4-year schools (undated), Community Conversations District 2 (run at end of Sept), Another Community Conversations series meeting (run 9/28 – 10/2), Recycling Event (run between 9/28 – Oct 1), F&C 9/24-26 Friends of the Bellingham Public Library September Book Sale, Ferndale Coffee with a Cop (run between 9/28 and 9/2)
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, September, 22. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Tanker truck carrying liquid hydrogen overturns in Bellingham, no injuries or leaks reported, Fire crews successfully extinguish 4-acre brushfire near Blaine
Emergency crews spent hours dealing with an overturned tanker truck in Bellingham.
Police and fire crews were called to Taylor Street near 30th just after noon Monday, where a tanker carrying liquid hydrogen had flipped onto its side. HAZMAT teams monitored the truck, and officials say there were no leaks. Homes and businesses within 500 feet were evacuated, and power was shut off as a precaution.
Multiple agencies responded, while crews waited for a specialized team from outside the area to safely upright the tanker.
By evening, the scene was cleared, power restored, and the road reopened.
STORY: Fire crews successfully extinguish 4-acre brushfire near Blaine
A fast‑moving brushfire burned about four acres near Drayton Harbor.
Crews were called out Sunday afternoon to Drayton Harbor Road and Harborview Road in Blaine after smoke was reported in the area. North Whatcom Fire and Rescue and the state Department of Natural Resources arrived to find a growing brushfire. Access issues made fighting the fire difficult, and crews stayed on scene for several hours. No structures were threatened and no injuries were reported.
According to Whatcom News, a dirtbike heard in the area is considered the likely cause of the 4-acre fire.
STORY: Second hiker found deceased on Sauk Mountain
A second hiker was found dead on Sauk (SOCK) Mountain over the weekend.
Skagit 911 received multiple calls Saturday afternoon from hikers who saw a man fall from a switchback trail. The victim was identified as 66‑year‑old Gary Idleburg of Olympia. Witnesses estimated he fell between 800 and 1,000 feet. Hikers reached him and guided fire crews in, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Washington State Parks personnel and helicopter crews assisted Skagit County Search and Rescue with the recovery, which wrapped up around 8 p.m.
Idleburg’s death followed Friday’s fatal fall involving 78‑year‑old Peter Kalapaca, who was found deceased after going missing on the mountain.
STORY: Concerns raised over WISeR AI Medicare program
A new batch of government records is raising concerns about Medicare’s use of artificial intelligence.
The Electronic Frontier Foundation, sued for the records and says it has now obtained about a thousand pages from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. They involve the WISeR program, which uses private companies and AI to help evaluate prior-authorization requests. Washington State is one of 6 states participating in the WISeR pilot program which began in January and currently covers 13 types of medical services.
The records show two vendors denied nearly six-thousand requests in the first three months. In addition, some requests took far longer than the program’s 72-hour target — including one that went unanswered for 83 days. Medical providers also reported technical problems, long delays, and patients waiting in pain for treatment.
EFF says the documents also show vendors are paid for requests they deny, raising questions about financial incentives in the program.
Records also show Medicare administration has considered expanding it to more urgent services, including cancer treatment and air ambulance transportation.
STORY: Regular gas prices remain stable, while diesel spikes to new record
Fuel prices are mixed across Washington today, but diesel continues to break records.
The statewide average for regular is $5.56 – down just a penny from yesterday. Bellingham’s average is $5.39 — down two cents from yesterday and four cents from a week ago.
Statewide diesel prices continue to soar, with the average hitting a record high of $7.46. Whatcom County diesel also set a new all-time high today at $7.09 a gallon.
GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haan (duh-HAWN) says diesel rose in every state as strikes on Russian refineries tighten global supply. He says regional refinery issues are adding pressure in the Great Lakes, and any broader shift in prices will depend on overseas developments, with new Houthi (WHO-tee) attacks and rising U.S.–Iran tensions keeping the outlook deeply uncertain.
STORY: Several cities across Whatcom and Skagit to receive new early childhood education centers as part of WA program expansion
Several new early‑education classrooms are coming to Whatcom and Skagit counties this fall.
Washington is adding 42 new ECEAP (E-CAP) sites statewide, creating about 2,400 additional preschool slots through a partnership between the state and the Ballmer Group— a charity organization formed by former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer.
In Whatcom County, new classrooms will open at Blaine Primary, Mountain View Elementary in Ferndale, and two Lynden School District sites — Isom (EYE-sum) Elementary and the Main Street Campus. In Skagit County, new sites include Concrete Elementary, Good Beginnings Preschool in Sedro‑Woolley, and Westview Early Learning Center in Burlington.
ECEAP provides free preschool and family support for eligible low‑income families. State officials say the expansion exceeds their first‑year goal despite staffing challenges at some sites.
STORY: Judge issues ruling barring federal government’s attempt to restrict SNAP benefits in multiple states, including WA
A federal judge has permanently blocked the federal government from imposing SNAP fines that could have cost Washington hundreds of millions of dollars.
Attorney General Nick Brown says the ruling strikes down federal guidance that would have cut off food assistance for tens of thousands of lawful permanent residents. The fines were tied to a retroactive federal deadline the court found unlawful — a deadline that, if enforced, could have left Washington on the hook for a massive repayment tied to SNAP eligibility.
The decision also confirms that certain lawful permanent residents, including former refugees and asylees, remain eligible for SNAP without the usual five‑year wait.
STORY: FTC announces Take It Down Act (undated)
There’s now a way to fight back if intimate images are posted online without permission.
Under the federal Take It Down Act, online platforms are required to provide an easy way to request that the content be removed — and they have 48 hours to take it down once a request is made.
The FTC says platforms are also violating the law if they don’t have a working removal process.
If a platform doesn’t take down the content within 48 hours, you can report it to the Federal Trade Commission at TakeItDown dot FTC dot gov.
Civil penalties can be more than 53-thousand dollars for each violation.
WX: Sun-dubu-jjigae
And now for the weather…
We are looking at progressive cloud cover in the forecast today. Daytime highs are projected in the mid to upper 60s.
Looks like the evening will be mostly the same as the afternoon with the added possibility of rain in the early morning. Lows are expected to be in the low-50s, though it looks like lynden will get just below 50 tonight.
Tomorrow looks like it will be a mostly cloudy day, at least until the afternoon which should clear up a bit.
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 Langstrom, 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: 9/25 declared Dolly Parton Appreciation Day in Bellingham
Bellingham will mark September 25 as Dolly Parton Appreciation Day.
United Way of Whatcom County asked Mayor Kim Lund to issue the proclamation, saying Dolly Parton’s work has had a major impact on early literacy in the community. Lund signed it last week.
Parton founded the Imagination Library, and United Way operates the local program, which mails a free book each month to children from birth to age five. More than 9,000 Whatcom County kids have received books since 2022, with about 4,500 currently enrolled.
Cities nationwide are recognizing 9/25 as a tribute to Parton’s “9 to 5” legacy and her decades of philanthropy. United Way says the day underscores Dolly’s influence and the importance of early literacy for Whatcom County kids.
STORY: Battery storage facility proposed for Custer
A large lithium-ion battery storage facility is being proposed in Custer, north of Ferndale.
Oregon-based GridStor wants to build a 100-megawatt battery energy storage system on about seven acres of a 27-acre property. The project would connect to Puget Sound Energy’s Portal Way substation, across California Creek.
The proposal is one of several large battery storage projects being considered in Whatcom and Skagit counties as utilities prepare for growing electricity demand and the state’s transition away from fossil fuels.
Battery storage can hold electricity when demand is low and send it back to the grid when demand is high. But similar projects in Skagit County have faced opposition from residents concerned about potential fires, explosions and environmental impacts.
GridStor says the Custer facility will meet or exceed national fire-protection standards and local safety requirements. The company says it will also work with local fire officials and design the facility to prevent environmental contamination.
Whatcom County has rules governing large battery storage facilities, including requirements for setbacks, screening, lighting and noise. Battery projects are prohibited on agricultural land, but they can be allowed in certain rural areas near substations with a conditional-use permit.
The GridStor proposal is now under review by the Whatcom County Planning Department. After the review, a county hearing examiner will hold a public hearing before making a decision.
STORY: Students encounter difficulties when transferring from community college to 4-year schools (undated)
A new Washington report finds many community college students face a confusing and largely self-directed path when trying to transfer to a four-year school.
Researchers at the University of Washington found students often had to figure out transfer requirements, financial aid and credit-transfer rules on their own. Many said transferred credits didn’t always count toward their intended major, creating delays and added costs.
Community college transfer is a major pathway to a bachelor’s degree for many first-generation and low-income students. Researchers found success often depended on work schedules, childcare, transportation and finances as much as academics.
The report recommends clearer transfer information, dedicated transfer advisors and better coordination between community colleges and universities.
The findings come as Washington works toward a goal of having 70 percent of adults ages 25 to 44 earn a credential beyond high school.
STORY: Community Conversations District 2 (run at end of Sept)
Whatcom County residents will soon have a chance to meet their council members and ask questions.
Three councilmembers — Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, and Jon Scanlon — will take part in a community conversation on Thursday, October 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Round Table Pizza on East Sunset Drive. It’s part of the council’s Community Conversations series, this time held with the Barkley Neighborhood Association.
The event is free and open to the public, with time for updates and a Q&A.
More information on upcoming Community Conversations events is available on the county’s website.
STORY: Another Community Conversations series meeting (run 9/28 – 10/2)
Whatcom County residents will have a chance to ask county councilmembers questions face-to-face next week.
Councilmembers Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, and Jon Scanlon will meet with community members Wednesday as part of the County Council’s Community Conversations series.
The event is being held with members of the King Mountain Neighborhood Association, but it’s free and open to everyone.
Councilmembers will provide updates on county government and take questions from residents.
The meeting runs from 5 to 7 p.m. at Bellingham Covenant Church on East Bakerview Road.
STORY: Recycling Event (run between 9/28 – Oct 1)
Whatcom County residents and businesses can get rid of unwanted paint for free at a recycling event in Bellingham.
The Paint Collection and Recycling Event is Saturday, October 3rd, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Barkley Village, on Rimland Drive.
Accepted items include latex and oil-based paints, acrylics, varnishes, shellacs, lacquers and primers. Paint must be in its original container and in containers of five gallons or less. There’s no need to dry out the paint before bringing it in.
Spray paint, marine and automotive paint, paint thinner and other hazardous materials will not be accepted.
People are asked to stay in their vehicles while staff unload the materials. Pre-registration is encouraged.
F&C 9/24-26
Friends of the Bellingham Public Library September Book Sale
Friday, September 25, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, half-price
Saturday, September 26, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, $5/bag
Lecture Room, Central Library
Visit the Lecture Room at the Central Library for the Friends of the Library September Book Sale and browse from a huge selection of books, DVDs, and more. There will be items for all ages and all proceeds benefit your library. Credit card and cash payments will be accepted. Check it out!
STORY: Ferndale Coffee with a Cop (run between 9/28 and 9/2)
Ferndale police are inviting residents to sit down and chat over coffee.
The department is hosting Coffee with a Cop next Wednesday at Woods Coffee on Main Street in Ferndale.
The event runs from 9 to 11 a.m. and is part of National Coffee with a Cop Day, which promotes informal conversations between police and community members.
There’s no agenda or formal presentation. Residents can stop by to meet officers, ask questions, share concerns, or simply have a conversation.
No registration is required.
The event will be held at Woods Coffee on Main Street in Ferndale.
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