Windstorm sticking around, Alleged forced abortion in Bellingham leads to three arrests, Assault at Lynden restaurant leads to arrest, Memorial for fallen law enforcement officer from Bellingham,Overnight I-5 lane closures, Bellingham home rental rates rise again, Community Conversations scheduled for 11/12, Orcas Island ferry restrictions, Reykdahl won’t run for re-election, Amazon plans its first large-scale data centers in WA, Reykdal urges Gov to reject federal tax credit program, WA challenges federal Medicaid barriers, F&C 11/13, WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, November, 10. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Windstorm sticking around
Another round of stormy weather is moving into Western Washington this week. The National Weather Service says multiple systems — including an atmospheric river — are pushing rain and gusty winds across the region through midweek.
A wind advisory remains in effect until 7 p.m. tomorrow, with southeast winds of 20 to 30 miles an hour and gusts near 50. Forecasters say the strongest gusts could knock down tree limbs and lead to isolated outages.
Minor coastal flooding is possible tomorrow morning along Whatcom County shorelines, especially near Cherry Point and Friday Harbor.
Rain continues through tomorrow, with more systems arriving late week and showers lingering into the weekend.
STORY: Alleged forced abortion in Bellingham leads to three arrests
Three people have been arrested for allegedly attempting to involuntarily end a woman’s pregnancy.
Bellingham Police say the case began on October 20th. Detectives had learned that 32‑year‑old Jean Zintz had secretly obtained abortion pills and
mixed them into the victim’s prenatal vitamins, causing serious medical complications. A search of his home uncovered tampered vitamins and other altered medications.
Police also arrested 30‑year‑old Michael Montano, who they say knew what was happening and failed to report it. Montano’s 30‑year‑old girlfriend was arrested on Sunday for allegedly helping in the effort and not alerting authorities.
All three face multiple felony charges.
STORY: Assault at Lynden restaurant leads to arrest
Lynden Police have arrested a suspect after a robbery at a local restaurant.
Officers say employees at Ginger Fusion & Bar on Bender Road called 911 around 6 p.m. on Sunday to report a robbery. The suspect ran from the business, and Lynden Police — with help from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Washington State Patrol — searched the area.
About five minutes later, officers detained 23‑year‑old Alfredo Mendez Guzman a short distance from the restaurant. Investigators say he assaulted two employees and stole money from both the business and one worker. One employee was taken by ambulance due to their injuries.
Police booked Mendez Guzman into the Whatcom County Jail on multiple robbery and assault charges.The case remains under investigation.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Lynden Police.
STORY: Memorial for fallen law enforcement officer from Bellingham
A celebration of life is planned for a Bellingham native who died in the line of duty.
The memorial honors 28‑year‑old Deputy Ryan Terpsma, a Squalicum High School graduate and Whatcom County native serving with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in Montana. He died on October 30th while responding to a disturbance in Eureka.
The service will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Christ the King Community Church on Meridian Street. It’s open to the public and will also be livestreamed.
The Montana Sheriffs and Peace Officers Association has created the Deputy Ryan Terpsma Memorial Fund to support his family. All donations will go towards funeral expenses and related costs.
STORY: Overnight I-5 lane closures
Almost a month of overnight construction on Interstate 5 through Bellingham has been announced for next year.
WSDOT says it plans to replace concrete roadway panels at 10 locations along a two-mile stretch between Lakeway and Sunset drives.
The Bellingham City Council unanimously approved an exemption to overnight noise restrictions. Crews will use heavy equipment, including concrete saws and jackhammers. Officials say nighttime work will improve
worker safety and reduce traffic disruptions; some freeway closures could, however, affect nearby city streets.
The work is scheduled for 22 non-consecutive nights between March and December of 2027.
STORY: Bellingham home rental rates rise again
Rental prices in Bellingham have gone up since last month.
According to a recent survey by the Bellingham Herald, the average price for a rental unit was $2,061 at the beginning of this month. That’s $86 more than in October, but $35 less than a year ago.
The data, sourced by Zillow, also shows the price range for all bedrooms and all property types is between $680 and $10,443. That’s 3% above the national average.
Finally, in Whatcom County, the most expensive average rent is in Blaine at $2,400. Deming, on the other hand, has the least expensive average rent at $900.
STORY: Community Conversations scheduled for 11/12
Whatcom County is hosting another round of its Community Conversations series this week.
The informal drop‑in event gives residents a chance to meet with county leaders outside a formal council meeting. This Thursday, Councilmembers
Kaylee Galloway and Jon Scanlon will be at Stemma Brewing’s location on Moore Street in Bellingham.
They’ll be available from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. for questions, ideas, and updates on issues affecting District 1 and the wider county.
STORY: Orcas Island ferry restrictions
Drivers heading to Orcas Island will see new limits at the ferry terminal.
Washington State Ferries says their engineers found cracks in two steel beams beneath the transfer span. This discovery has prompted immediate restrictions to keep the structure safe while repairs are planned.
Only standard‑size vehicles are allowed — 22 feet or shorter, and under 8,000 pounds. Drivers are asked to slow to 5 miles per hour, staying left while loading and right while unloading.
The agency says there’s no repair timeline yet.
STORY: Reykdahl won’t run for re-election
Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal says he will not seek a fourth term in 2028.
Reykdal, first elected in 2016, has led the state’s public school system through the COVID pandemic, ongoing school funding challenges, and changes in federal education policy. He says he may run for another statewide or federal office, or leave elected politics altogether.
For now, Reykdal says his priorities include securing more funding for school districts, improving student well-being and academic achievement, and expanding opportunities after high school.
STORY: Amazon plans its first large-scale data centers in WA
Amazon’s plans for new data centers in Washington are prompting questions from nearby residents.
The company has proposed two sites in Walla Walla and Benton counties, each starting with three data‑center buildings. The Benton County site could eventually expand to more than 20 buildings, and Amazon says a full build‑out there could create over 1,000 jobs.
Residents in both counties are raising concerns about electricity use, water demand, noise, and proximity to homes. Benton County officials recently tightened rules for data centers, but stopped short of a temporary moratorium. In Walla Walla County, public comments have been largely critical, with many calling for a full environmental review.
WX: Who’ll stop the rain (and wind)?
And now for the weather,
Expect more rain today with highs in the mid-50s. A high wind warning is in effect until tomorrow evening, with gusts up to 30 mph. Expect rain throughout the night, too, with overnight lows in the mid-50s and rain tapering off as the evening wears on.
Expect a little bit of rain tomorrow, which should taper off but then come back in the evening. And of course, those gusty winds until about 7pm.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), 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: Bird flu detected in Pierce Co
Another case of bird flu has been detected in Washington state.
Agriculture officials say the infected flock was found at a commercial poultry facility in Pierce County, and workers who may have been exposed are being monitored.
The detection follows recent cases in a Benton County dairy herd and backyard flocks in Yakima and Kittitas counties.
A Yakima County resident has also died after severe complications linked to exposure while working around infected dairy cattle. Two other human infections have been tied to that herd.
State officials are urging poultry owners to keep their birds away from wild birds and other potential sources of infection.
STORY: Reykdal urges Gov to reject federal tax credit program
STORY: WA challenges federal Medicaid barriers
Washington is challenging new federal Medicaid rules that could strip health coverage from thousands of residents.
Attorney General Nick Brown has joined a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services over upcoming changes that will require more than 600,000 Apple Health enrollees to regularly prove they’re working, in school, or volunteering to keep their insurance. Washington officials say similar rules in other states have caused people to lose coverage simply because they couldn’t keep up with the paperwork.
Apple Health is Washington’s Medicaid program and covers more than 1.9 million residents. The new requirements, part of the federal budget bill passed in 2025, are set to take effect in 2027. The Health Care Authority
estimates at least 120,000 Washingtonians could lose coverage, with rural counties expected to be hit hardest.
The lawsuit argues the federal government exceeded its authority by requiring states to adopt the new rules.
F&C 11/13
Valley Made Holiday Market
10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 14 and 15
Hillcrest Lodge, 1717 S. 13th St., Mount Vernon
Info: valleymademarket.com.
Cardstock NW Card Show
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14 @cardstocknw_cardshow on Instagram.
Salvation Army Gym, 2912 Northwest Ave., Bellingham $5 admission, kids 9 & under free, first 60 kids get free Pokemon card pack.
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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