KIRO Newsradio Headlines: Teacher shortage set to disrupt the oncoming school year

Teacher shortage set to disrupt the oncoming school year

As millions of kids get ready to return to school, the nationwide teacher shortage is growing.

Teachers say low pay, pandemic stress, and politics are driving them away.

A survey of the American Federation of Teachers finds 40% of its members may leave the job in the next three years and three quarters say they would not recommend their profession to others.

KIRO 7 reports some classrooms are feeling the burden more – such as classrooms for students with special needs.

Five fires alight in Kent

Puget Sound Fire is tracking five fires in the East Hill area of Kent this morning.

The fires have all been within an hour of each other – beginning around 5:45 a.m.

Puget Sound Fire say affected – are two dumpsters, a pile of tires, a car, and an area of brush

KIRO Newsradio Headlines: Hydroplanes are back, Amazon finalizing purchase of iRobot

Grocery delivery declines in sales since pandemic peak

Grocery delivery service was booming during the pandemic, but the demand for groceries on the go is cooling as inflation takes its toll.

The Associated Press reports with higher food prices, fewer people are willing to pay delivery fees, which can top $30 dollars along with fees and tips.

In August 2019, a typical pre-pandemic month, Americans spent $500 million on grocery delivery. By June 2020, it had ballooned to a $3.4 billion business.

This past June… that number has cooled to just $2.5 billion, down about 26-percent.

Now, at least one delivery company has filed for bankruptcy protections. Instacart – a top delivery company – slashed its valuation by 40%.

Sumas Mountain closed to cars due to safety, maintenance concerns

Illegal dumping, shooting and the clearing of unwanted trails has forced the shutdown of a popular recreation area to motor vehicles .

The Washington State Department of Natural Resources has closed Whatcom County’s 14,000 acre Sumas Mountain recreational area to car and truck traffic, at least until September 1.

Last month, the DNR says it was forced to close the area after too many people were dumping garbage, damaging land, and creating illegal trails.

They say the destruction has resulted in harm to fish-bearing streams.

The recreation area remains open to foot traffic.

Wildlife agents on the lookout for two black bear cubs 

Wildlife agents are trying to trap two black bear cubs after their mother was euthanized for attacking a man jogging near Lake Whatcom.

The Bellingham Herald reports the jogger suffered injuries to his hands and feet and had to taken to the hospital after a mama bear with two cubs came at him last week, on a trail northeast of Bellingham.

Agents returned the the area the evening of Aug. 3 and used a tracking dog to locate an adult black bear and “lethally removed” the animal.

The age of the cubs is not known… so agents with Washington’s Department of Fish and Wildlife are not sure if they can survive on their own.

Two dead in crash that went airborne

Two men are dead and two others seriously hurt after the vehicle they were in went airborne and crashed into a building in Bremerton early morning of Aug. 6.

Police say the vehicle was traveling very fast, northbound on Wheaton Way, when the driver crossed into oncoming lanes and lost control.

Investigators say they flew through the air and smashed into the building.

Four men were in the vehicle, all between 21 and 26 years old.

Two were dead when officers arrived.

Medics pulled the other two from the wreckage.

The crash left them seriously hurt… they were airlifted to Harborview.

Police say alcohol and speed were both factors.

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