News in Brief is published online every Friday, and updated throughout the week with bite-sized news from across Whatcom and Skagit counties. Read a roundup of the week’s news in print the following Friday.
Thursday, July 27
Biotoxin levels drop in mussels, some clams in north Whatcom County
The Washington State Department of Health has lifted the biotoxin closure on mussels and some clam species in northern Whatcom County, where paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) biotoxin levels have dropped significantly.
Beaches from Sandy Point north to the Canadian border, including all of Point Roberts, are now open for harvest for everything except butter and varnish clams.
South of Sandy Point, though, diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) biotoxins remain elevated along beaches in Lummi Bay, Portage Bay, Bellingham Bay, Chuckanut Bay and all of Larrabee State Park.
Shellfish harvesters should check for current biotoxin and pollution closures at the DOH website. They can also call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632 before harvesting shellfish anywhere in Washington State.
PSP can cause severe illness and death, and symptoms include numbness and tingling of lips, tongue, fingers and toes, and later loss of control of arms and legs and trouble breathing. DSP can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea.
Tuesday, July 25
Mobile shower for homeless people starts Thursday
Nonprofits are partnering to offer hot showers for unhoused people at the Salvation Army location at 1515 Birchwood Ave., Bellingham.
Lighthouse Mission Ministries will provide its mobile Shower Connect trailer from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays, starting July 27. People without homes will have access to a shower, toilet and sink, in addition to towels and hygiene supplies.
Lighthouse Mission and the Salvation Army are partnering with the Opportunity Council to provide this service, with Opportunity Council running the showers during its hours of operation.
In a news release, Lighthouse Mission said it expects to offer Shower Connect more consistently, after reduced availability during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Those interested in using the showers will be asked to review safety rules and sign a liability waiver. People who need ADA accommodations should contact the Opportunity Council’s Homeless Outreach Team at 360-312-3717, ext. 1.
Blaine resident finds bullet holes in home
A Blaine resident found a bullet hole in their home Monday morning, July 24, after another resident reported gunfire near Bayview and Mary avenues six hours earlier.
Blaine police investigated a report of gunfire around 1:30 a.m. Monday morning, but found no evidence of a shooting, according to a news release.
Around 7:45 a.m., a resident in the 1600 block of Bayview Avenue reported they found a bullet hole in the front of their home. Police then found a second bullet hole on the home’s second floor.
The shooting was connected to another drive-by shooting near Custer the same morning. Two suspects were arrested in connection to the Custer shooting. On Tuesday, July 25, they were charged with additional counts of drive-by shooting, second-degree assault and possession of a stolen firearm in connection to the Blaine shooting.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office assisted in processing the crime scene.
Monday, July 24
BTC student data leaked
Bellingham Technical College (BTC) is among thousands of colleges in the U.S. to have personal student data leaked following a cybersecurity incident with the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC).
NSC is an organization that provides education reporting, data and degree verification services for thousands of colleges and universities across the nation. It uses MOVEit — a file transfer software — which is also used by government agencies and countless other organizations around the world. Millions of people are potentially impacted by the data leak.
BTC said in a news release that it doesn’t know which student data is impacted, but it expects to learn soon. Following further investigation, the college said NSC will share what information has been leaked, such as birthdates, degree information or Social Security numbers.
In the meantime, BTC encourages students to follow the Federal Trade Commission recommendations: monitor their credit reports, place fraud alerts on their accounts, freeze their credit at credit reporting agencies and block electronic access to Social Security information.
Vacation rentals get a hearing
The public is invited to comment on proposed regulations on vacation rentals in unincorporated parts of Whatcom County.
The county council will hold a public hearing Tuesday, July 25, on whether to make rules governing the short-term rentals, which for now are unregulated outside of city limits in the county. Vacation rentals are single-family homes or backyard cottages rented for less than 30 days. They are distinct from a bed and breakfast, where the property owner remains on-site during the guests’ stay.
The proposed rules would create stricter standards for siting a vacation rental in the Lake Whatcom watershed.
The hearing will start shortly after 6 p.m. Tuesday in county council chambers, 311 Grand Ave. Attendees may also join the meeting via Zoom, following instructions provided on the county website.
Sunday, July 23
Burn ban begins in North Cascades National Park
Campfires and barbecue grills will be banned from the North Cascades National Park Service Complex beginning Monday, July 24, according to a National Park Service news release.
Not included in the ban are stoves and grills fueled by liquid petroleum for cooking.
The ban, according to the National Park Service, will reduce wildfires during the high-temperature summer season. The NPS urges campers and other visitors to not discard cigarette butts to also reduce fire risk.
“Discharging, or using any kind of fireworks, tracer ammunition or other incendiary devices in any location on federal lands is always prohibited,” the release states.
The burn ban is in effect for all areas of the park, including North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, Hozomeen Mountain, the Stehekin Valley and all land along State Route 20.
Friday, July 21
30K fentanyl pills seized in Whatcom County
Five people were arrested and law enforcement seized 30,000 fentanyl pills, 300 grams of fentanyl powder and 1 kilogram of cocaine in six locations across Whatcom County Wednesday, July 19.
Six search warrants were led by the Drug Enforcement Administration Bellingham after a monthslong investigation, police said in news release. Four locations were in Whatcom County and two locations were in Bellingham.
The Whatcom Gang and Drug Task Force, Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Homeland Security Investigations, Washington State Patrol and United States Border Patrol also assisted in the operation.
Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center offers mediation services after state ends eviction-prevention program
Washington state’s eviction resolution pilot program (ERPP) was deemed a “highly successful” program after 90% of cases handled resulted in resolution without eviction, the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center reported.
During the 21-month program, which ended June 30, the Dispute Resolution Center opened more than 2,400 unique cases and served more than 3,770 clients directly. Of the cases, 95% reached resolution, and 55% received rental assistance, totaling more than $6,517,600.
Clients of the program said the case managers worked with landlords and family members to mediate conflicts. Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center will continue to offer free mediation services for tenants and landlords, though the eviction-prevention program has come to an end.
