HEADLINES:
Minimum wage hike, renter relocation to be on Bham Ballot, Maple Falls woman arrested for DUI after chase, $5 million in new state Clean Energy Fund investments to rural communities, West Nile virus reported in humans and horses in WA, Food benefits for low income families at risk in gov shutdown, Inmates allege DOC using fault drug tests to levy harsh punishments, WA group brings ‘Alternatives to Violence’ to secondary students
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, the 27th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Minimum wage hike, renter relocation to be on Bham ballot
Bellingham’s ballot on November 7 is due to have two initiatives that would combat the hike in rental housing costs and provide a boost to the city’s minimum wage.
Initiative 1 would raise the minimum wage by $1 over the state rate of 15.74 in May of 2024, and by another dollar in May of 2025. Initiative 2 would require landlords to pay tenants three months’ worth of rent to help them relocate if the landlord chooses to raise the tenant’s rent by more than 8%.
According to Seth Mangold, the vice chair of Community First Whatcom – the organization responsible for advancing both measures – the initiatives are intended to “address the growing unaffordability of Bellingham, by enabling our community to stay here if they choose.” Mangold added that housing costs are directly correlated with the rising homeless population and that the organization is working to address that as well.
STORY: Maple Falls woman arrested for DUI after chase
A Maple Falls woman was arrested on Friday afternoon after leading law enforcement on a chase while intoxicated.
Everson Police initially tried to pull 33-year-old Tempest Duke over on South Pass Road, who then sped off after nearly hitting the officers’ car. Deputies later found the car in Everson, but the driver took off again, hitting 90 mph and crossing multiple double yellow lines. Duke was taken into custody after she attempted to turn around in a berry field.
Duke has at least one prior felony DUI conviction and had a warrant for a separate assault charge at the time of her arrest. She remains at the Whatcom County Jail, with bail set at $150,000.
STORY: West Nile virus reported in humans and horses in WA
The Washington State Department of Health has reported four cases of West Nile virus in the state.
Two of the reported cases are from residents from Walla Walla and Franklin counties, the other two are from horses in Grant and Benton counties. The cases were diagnosed within the past week.
West Nile virus is a virus carried by mosquitoes that affects both humans and animals. Disease due to West Nile Virus occurs during mosquito season in Washington state, particularly in areas with hot summer temperatures.
Most of those infected develop no symptoms, but risk of severe infection is higher in seniors and those with certain medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension. The Department of Health cautions the public to avoid mosquito bites, and to contact your healthcare provider if you develop symptoms consistent with West Nile virus.
STORY: $5 million in new state Clean Energy Fund investments to rural communities
The Washington State Department of Commerce today announced seven grants totaling nearly $5 million from the state’s Clean Energy Fund to enhance dairy digesters and advance clean energy in rural communities.
Dairy digesters are how cattle manure and urine is managed, the most common way being pools. These pools can generate a large amount of greenhouse gasses and are thus a large focus when it comes to efforts to fight climate change. The gasses from the digesters can be diverted, stored, and used for energy or fuel.
Whatcom will be seeing a large portion of the money. $1 million will go to FPE Renewables in Lynden for more efficient generators and reduced emissions at Vander Haak (HACK) Dairy. The generators will supply power for over 3,000 electric cars annually, all from waste manure and food residuals. Almost half a million will go to Farm Power Lynden in Custer. The facility was originally built in 2010 and the money will go to upgrading the dairy digester’s generator.
Each investment will result in improved air and water quality, soil health and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Clean Energy Fund has invested nearly $300 million in clean energy projects since 2013.
STORY: Food benefits for low income families at risk in gov shutdown
A program that helps millions of low-income families afford healthy food could see substantial cuts as a result of the potential government shutdown.
The White House released a state-by-state breakdown, estimating that nearly 7 million people who rely on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children – also known as the WIC – could be at risk of losing funds and vouchers for food. Of those 7 million people, nearly 131,000 live in Washington state.
The WIC program provides financial support for those who are low-income and pregnant or nursing, as well for children up to 5 years old. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said that WIC recipients could feel the impact of a shutdown within days, with the vast majority of participants seeing an immediate reduction and elimination of those benefits. Funding for the WIC program is not mandatory spending, meaning the program would not be automatically funded in the event of a government shutdown. Instead, the program is funded through the Agriculture Appropriations bill, which has not been passed by Congress.
STORY: Inmates allege DOC using faulty drug tests to levy harsh punishments
According to a recent lawsuit filed by Washington inmates, the Dept of Corrections allegedly used faulty drug tests as a way to award harsh sentences.
The tests used by the corrections officers are known to have a 38% false positive rate and are considered presumptive drug tests. The rate of false positive tests is a point of inaccuracy that cannot make the tests valid, according to Alison Bilow, the attorney representing the inmates in the lawsuit.
One of the inmates filing the suit received harsh treatment based on one of the presumptive drug tests, resulting in solitary confinement, a transfer to a higher security facility and a longer sentence. This case is not the only one of an inmate receiving a longer sentence due to a drug test, nor is this lawsuit the first of its kind. In Massachusetts in 2021, the state outlawed use of the tests because of a lawsuit similar to this one in Washington.
WX: Showers
The weather is expected to be yet another rainy affair in Bellingham today, with a chance of precipitation of 80% during the day. Rain is also expected during the night, and the temperatures are expected to drop from a daytime high around 63* to a nighttime low around 51. The showers are expected to last through Friday.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN) , Emma Toscani and Carlos Braga. 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. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening.
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STORY: WA group brings ‘Alternatives to Violence’ to secondary students
A training program brought an anti-violence workshop to a Seattle area high school this school year. Students are still struggling behaviorally in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns. With more is Reporter Eric Tegethoff.
SCHOOL AUDIO
