Proposed metal processing plant met with resistance, Emergency response exercise scheduled at airport, Weeklong closure on SR 539/Guide Meridian in Lynden, Blaine area experiences impact from fewer border crossings, $60 million coming to combat fentanyl epidemic, NWNS Medicaid
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STORY: Proposed metal processing plant met with resistance
A metal shredding plant is proposed for the waterfront north of Bellingham, and part of the community doesn’t want it there. The plant would take large metal objects – like cars and appliances – and shred them down into pieces that are easily recyclable.
At a meeting last night hosted by the Birchwood Neighborhood Association, South Hill, Alderwood and Birchwood residents gathered to voice their concerns about the potential plant. ABC Recycling – the company that would control the plant – was not invited to attend, and was not invited to speak on the panel that facilitated the meeting. But two representatives showed up anyway to answer questions “because they believe in providing accurate information to the community” according to ABC Recycling’s spokesperson Riley Sweeney, who attended the meeting.
The company has not submitted a proposal to the county for the plant so details about it are scarce. The plant intends to be a sustainable option, providing green-collar jobs along with reducing noise at ABC’s other plant near the Port. The potential site is off Marine Drive near Locust Beach and is already zoned for “Heavy Impact Industry.”
During the meeting, attendants shouted over the panelists when they answered questions, repeatedly saying “we don’t want it.”
Sweeney said that the plant will be enclosed in a sound-attenuating building to make it essentially soundproof and that staff will make sure the “nasty bits don’t go where they aren’t supposed to go.”
The plant could be up and running as early as 2025 if all goes smoothly according to Sweeney. Increased traffic in the area with trucks carrying materials will be expected if the plant is built.
STORY: Emergency response exercise scheduled at airport
The Port of Bellingham announced today that an emergency response exercise is due to take place at Bellingham Airport tomorrow.
Between 9am and 2pm, people traveling near the airport will see emergency vehicles responding to the northeastern airfield. According to the Port of Bellingham, the exercise’s purpose is to “give the airport, mutual aid partners and emergency responders the opportunity to train for a real aircraft emergency in a safe and controlled environment.”
Agencies participating in the drill include the Bellingham Fire Department, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Department, the American Red Cross and St. Joseph’s Hospital.
STORY: Weeklong closure on SR 539/Guide Meridian in Lynden
State Route 539 between Front and Main streets in Lynden will be closed for three days, starting on the night of the 18th.
Contractor crews working for the Washington State Department of Transportation will be replacing the existing fish barrier with a new fish-passable box culvert, with installation of the new culvert requiring a full closure of the roadway. The new culvert will open an estimated six miles of habitat for native fish.
A signed detour will direct travelers around the work zone until the road’s reopening on the night of September 21st.
STORY: Blaine area experiences impact from fewer border crossings
Three months after border restrictions between the U.S and Canada were lifted, Blaine area businesses are still feeling the impact of fewer people crossing the border.
June was the first summer without restrictions on the US-Canada border as the mandatory proof of Covid-19 vaccination was lifted. The Peace Arch crossing is the busiest in the state, with over 300,000 personal vehicles crossing in just July. However, this amount was still about 73,000 short of July’s pre-Covid total.
Blaine businesses are feeling the impacts in different ways. Some businesses have reported having more clients as competing stores close down, while others have changed ownership and decreased staffing and hours. Most heavily impacted is the gas tax revenue in Blaine. Current revenue as of today is $48,000, less than a third of what it was in 2019. However, even with a decrease in traffic from Canada, many businesses report domestic tourism offsetting some of the loss. Blaine’s lodging tax reached the second highest on record last year and is an optimistic sign to officials that Blaine will have a slow recovery toward pre-pandemic volumes.
STORY: Thurston County judge rules ban on assault weapons will remain
The ban on the sale of assault weapons in Washington state will remain in place for now, according to a Thurston County judge’s ruling last Friday.
Judge Allyson Zipp denied a request for a preliminary injunction, just three months after she denied a temporary restraining order to block the sale of assault weapons in the same lawsuit. This is the third time in as many months legal action has been taken to stop the ban
Governor Jay Inslee and Attorney General Bob Ferguson, who is representing the state in the lawsuit, requested that the legislature ban assault weapons during the last session. Exceptions are included in the bill for those who inherit assault weapons, and the law does not retroactively affect current gun owners in Washington.
Violation of the new law carries a fine of no more than $5000 and jail time for up to 364 days.
STORY: ~$60 million coming to combat fentanyl epidemic
Over 60 million dollars will come to Washington in the next three months to help combat the opioid epidemic.
The money comes from a recent resolution with Walmart, for the role its pharmacies played in fueling the epidemic. In total, Walmart will have to pay over 3 billion to multiple states, with nearly 63 million going to Washington.
It is the latest resolution in a larger over 1 billion dollar total the Attorney General’s Office collected from multiple companies beginning last year. Half of this total will go to eligible cities and counties, and the rest will go to the state. All of the money is to be used to fund opioid remediation programs.
The fentanyl epidemic has continued to grow, especially here in Whatcom County where opioid deaths doubled from 44 in 2021 to 90 in 2022. Overdose deaths are rising faster in Washington than any other state in the country.
Whatcom County will be receiving around 10 million dollars in the coming months.
STORY: NWNS Medicaid
Washington state is expanding Medicaid coverage to people who are 90 days from release from a state prison or jail. The expansion is largely to decrease drug overdoses after release. Here with more details is reporter Eric Tegethoff.
MEDICAID AUDIO
WX: Mostly Sunny
Today will be a mostly sunny day in Bellingham, with a high near 68* and winds blowing southwest at 6mph. Nighttime will be a partly cloudy affair, with a low around 54* and a light breeze around 3 am.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Susan Lindsey, 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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