Gang member routinely witnessed selling drugs to homeless in Bellingham receives four-year prison sentence, Bail set for woman who held for trying to kill 2 children, Former realtor settles sexual assault lawsuit against Bellingham-based real-estate group, Blaine institutes temporary moratorium on new data centers, battery farms, Local FFA members honored at national convention, Public invited to Port of Bellingham open house (run Oct 28), Skagit County launches new strategic-plan tracking site, Report shows promising results from WA’s Ninth Grade Success program, Whatcom Chief ferry outage (run no later than 11/3, see note), Bham Chamber announces finalists for business awards, New simplified WASFA college aid application, Seattle-based Uwajimaya to expand, F&C 10/30, WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, October, 28. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Gang member routinely witnessed selling drugs to homeless in Bellingham receives four-year prison sentence
A Renton man tied to a violent street gang has been sentenced for selling fentanyl and meth at a Bellingham homeless encampment.
Federal investigators say 40‑year‑old Davon Malbrough, a known gang member, was repeatedly seen dealing drugs at the encampment during the summer of 2023. On three separate days that July, he sold fentanyl powder and pills to someone working with law enforcement.
Later that year, a traffic stop of his SUV turned up meth, fentanyl pills and powder, drug paraphernalia, and more than twelve hundred dollars in suspected drug proceeds — evidence prosecutors say showed he was actively supplying the camp.
Malbrough later pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute. He was sentenced Monday in federal court to 50 months in prison.
STORY: Bail set for woman who held for trying to kill 2 children
A Whatcom County judge has ruled that a Bellingham woman accused of attempting to kill two children can be released on bond.
Forty-three-year-old Brenda Wilder-Brown has been in custody since mid-May, when she allegedly tried to stab a four-year-old child. The child suffered several cuts and a wound that required stitches. The child’s nine-year-old sister ran to a neighbor to call 911.
Wilder-Brown faces two counts of attempted murder and was previously held without bail. Judge Lee Grochmal set strict conditions for her release, including continuing her antipsychotic medication and living under family supervision at her parents’ home in Alaska. If she misses a dose, her family must immediately notify the Whatcom County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutors opposed her release, arguing she could become violent if she stopped taking her medication. The judge cited psychiatric evaluations that found Wilder-Brown did not pose an imminent risk to herself or others while under treatment.
If she violates her release conditions, Wilder-Brown must be returned to the Whatcom County Jail.
STORY: Former realtor settles sexual assault lawsuit against Bellingham-based real-estate group
A former real estate agent with Bellingham-based eXp Realty has reached an undisclosed settlement in a sexual assault lawsuit, just days before trial was scheduled to begin.
Anya Roberts filed the lawsuit in 2023, which alleged that two prominent eXp agents drugged and sexually assaulted her at work-related events in other cities.
The lawsuit also named eXp founder Glenn Sanford, alleging he helped foster a recruiting culture that allowed inappropriate behavior to go unchecked.
According to court documents filed in California, the settlement was reached shortly before trial. The Seattle Times reports the two agents accused of assaulting Roberts no longer work for eXp Realty.
Other lawsuits filed by former agents against the real estate company are still ongoing.
STORY: Blaine institutes temporary moratorium on new data centers, battery farms
The Blaine City Council has approved a one-year moratorium on battery energy storage systems and data centers.
The City says the break will give the city time to develop regulations for the facilities. Adopted on Monday, the moratorium takes effect immediately and runs for a year. The pause also covers cryptocurrency mining, blockchain computing, artificial intelligence computing, and other high-density computing and energy facilities.
City officials say Blaine’s current zoning rules don’t specifically address these types of development and the city plans to study impacts on electricity rates, water supplies, emergency response, public health, the environment, and local jobs.
Battery storage facilities can pose fire-suppression challenges, while data centers can require large amounts of electricity and water for cooling.
City staff say they will work with the Planning Commission and community members to develop proposed regulations for City Council consideration by next October.
STORY: Local FFA members honored at national convention
Local FFA students were honored at the National FFA Convention.,
Sedro‑Woolley’s Ag Mechanics team — Caleb Bethea, Nathan Bethea, Elliott Furrenes, and Dayton Silves — competed last week at the 99th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis. They brought home three gold individual rankings and one silver and earned a gold team ranking. The district says the students represented Sedro‑Woolley and Washington state well.
The region also had four students earn the American FFA Degree, the highest honor in the National FFA Organization and awarded to fewer than one percent of members nationwide. Local recipients include Melissa Kudsk of Ferndale FFA, Tessa Berendsen of Lynden Christian FFA, and Carson Milstead and Brooklyn Hallberg of Lynden FFA.
All of the students were recognized for their achievements during the week‑long convention
STORY: Public invited to Port of Bellingham open house (run Oct 28)
The Port of Bellingham will hold an open house for the public tomorrow.
Community members can talk with Port staff and project leaders about the future of the waterfront, airport, harbors, events and community programs, while sharing their questions and ideas.
The free event will include refreshments and information stations. And, while supplies last, anyone who gets a passport stamped at all the stations can take home a rubber Disco Duck.
The event runs from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Squalicum Boathouse.
STORY: Skagit County launches new strategic-plan tracking site
Skagit County has launched a new online tool to show the public how local government is meeting its long‑term goals.
Residents can now track progress on major projects, priorities, and performance data through the county’s live strategic‑plan Skagit County has launched a new online tool to show the public how local government is meeting its long‑term goals.
County leaders say the system brings more transparency and accountability to their work, and gives the public a clearer way to follow — and weigh in on — projects, policies, and service changes.
The site is available at skagit.clearpointstrategy.com.
STORY: Report shows promising results from WA’s Ninth Grade Success program
An independent evaluation finds Washington’s Ninth Grade Success program helps more students graduate.
The program, launched in five schools in 2019, has expanded to dozens of high schools statewide. It helps schools identify struggling ninth graders early and provide support to keep them on track.
Researchers found the program increased the share of ninth graders passing all their courses by about six percentage points. The gains were even larger for students learning English and students from low-income families.
Ferndale High School saw a 28-percentage-point increase in ninth-grade course completion rates between the 2021-22 and 2024-25 school years. Eighty-nine percent of its first group of students in the program graduated within four years, the school’s highest rate in a decade.
Researchers recommend maintaining funding and helping schools strengthen classroom instruction and individual student interventions.
WX: In for a dime, in for a nickel
And now for the weather,
We’re in for another grey afternoon today, with temperatures once again hanging out in the low 50s and that’s expected to last throughout the evening, with a chance of light showers sometime early tomorrow morning.
Nighttime lows are projected around 40 degrees.
Expect the same thing tomorrow, with a spell of rain in the morning, followed by an afternoon of clouds.
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 (eye) Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Jenny Lam, Doug Langworthy, and Cheri Cloninger (SHARE-ee CLAWN-in-ger). 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: Whatcom Chief ferry outage (run no later than 11/3, see note)
The Whatcom Chief will be offline for several hours next Wednesday for maintenance.
The ferry will be out of service from 10:10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 4 so crews can finish work that couldn’t be completed during dry dock because parts weren’t available. Crews will also make an electrical repair at the Lummi Island terminal during the outage.
The last morning run from Gooseberry Point is 9:50, and the last run from Lummi Island is 10:00. No additional morning trips will follow the 10 a.m. sailing.
The county says the schedule is weather‑dependent and updates will be posted on the ferry webpage.
STORY: Bham Chamber announces finalists for business awards
The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists for its annual business awards.
Large Business finalists are Ecotech Solar, Peoples Bank, and Village Books & Paper Dreams. Garden Spot Nursery, Lummi Seafood Market, and Talbot Group are finalists for Small Business of the Year. Solo and Small Team finalists are Diventa Solutions, Joey Winkler Videography, and Limitless Law. Nonprofit finalists are the Community Boating Center, the Deming Logging Show, and YWCA Bellingham.
Other honorees include the Hotel Bellwether and Francine St. Laurent, with Lifetime Achievement Awards going to Harlan Kredit and Ron Polinder. Winners will be announced at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner.
STORY: New simplified WASFA college aid application
Washington’s state college financial‑aid application just got easier for students and families to use.
The Washington Student Achievement Council has launched a redesigned WASFA — the state’s financial‑aid application for students who can’t or choose not to file the federal FAFSA application. The new version has fewer questions, cuts unnecessary personal‑data fields, and is built to work cleanly on phones, tablets, and computers.
WSAC says the goal is to make financial aid more accessible and reduce barriers for students who may not realize they qualify for help. The application is now available in nine languages, and a demo site lets counselors and families practice before filing.
State officials say more students completing either the FAFSA or WASFA could open the door to the Washington College Grant, which can cover full tuition for many residents.
The 2027–28 WASFA is available at wasfa.onconcourse.com.
STORY: Seattle-based Uwajimaya to expand
Seattle-based Asian grocery store Uwajimaya will open a new location next spring.
The store will occupy a former Rite Aid space in Town and Country Square in Issaquah and cover about 23-thousand square feet. Uwajimaya CEO Denise Moriguchi says the Eastside’s growing population has increased demand for Asian ingredients and fresh seafood.
The new store will offer everyday groceries, produce, seafood and prepared foods. Uwajimaya is also opening a location in Tacoma, bringing the 98-year-old company to six stores.
F&C 10/30
Cordata welcomes families Saturday from 1 to 4pm for a warm, indoor Halloween stop packed with candy and activities. Kids can visit 20 themed candy stations, snap costume photos at the booth, play games for prizes, and enjoy free hot cocoa and cider.
STORY: WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Should a fee for recreational fishing in the Columbia River be made permanent?
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting public comment on whether the annual fee of $8.75 for anglers should be extended beyond the expiration date in January 2028
The fee applies to anglers over 15 years old who fish for salmon or steelhead.
The comment period ends on November 20 this year.
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