Court postpones hearing for Bellingham police sergeant accused of domestic violence, Deputies use spike strip, PIT maneuver to make fentanyl arrest after early-morning chase, Homeless, service providers protest impending clearing of Bellingham Walmart encampment, Campus-wide test of Western Alert Emergency Communications on Thursday, Judge rejects challenge to Washington gun control law, WA expanding health care options for undocumented immigrants, $500K will fund genetic genealogy testing for all unidentified remains in Washington
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, March 13th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Court postpones hearing for Bellingham police sergeant accused of domestic violence
A Bellingham police sergeant accused of domestic violence is having his hearing postponed.
Bellingham Police Department Sgt. Joshua Richard McKissick (muh-KIZ-ick), aged 44, is being accused of domestic violence and sexual abuse. On February 26th, McKissick was ordered to surrender multiple firearms and had an emergency domestic violence protection order was issued against him. According to court documents, the protection order was issued in relation to a woman known to McKissick and her two children.
A full hearing on the victim’s petition for a permanent two-year-long domestic violence protection order was scheduled for Monday, but has been rescheduled for April 11th. According to court commissioner Lisa Keeler, the hearing was rescheduled in order to give McKissick’s attorney time to get acquainted with the case, and based on the availability of the attorneys and the court.
McKissick was originally put on desk duty in December, after BPD became aware of the domestic abuse and sexual violence allegations. Following the court orders in February, McKissick was placed on paid administrative leave.
STORY: Deputies use spike strip, PIT maneuver to make fentanyl arrest after early-morning chase
A Bellingham man is facing drug charges after being stopped by police in a high speed car chase.
Lance David Perrine (per-RINE), aged 45, was found by deputies passed out in his car at around 5 a.m. on March 8th. They reportedly discovered drug paraphernalia in his lap and 30 grams of fentanyl in his vehicle. Before waking him, they placed a spike strip behind his car in an attempt to halt his escape.
He was able to flee the scene, as officers followed close behind. They subsequently performed a PIT maneuver, forcing Perrine into a ditch. He was subsequently detained by authorities and brought to Peacehealth St. Joseph Medical Center, in case of injuries.
Perrine was booked at Whatcom County Jail yesterday, for a DUI, driving without a valid license, possession of a controlled substance, and suspicion of eluding an officer.
STORY: Homeless, service providers protest impending clearing of Bellingham Walmart encampment
People experiencing homelessness and their advocates gathered on Saturday to protest the impending clearing of the encampment near Walmart.
Around 15 people were seen demonstrating on the corner of Meridian and East Stuart road near the camp entrance. They carried signs expressing their concern with removing people from a camp spot when there is no alternative housing to support them.
The proposed clearing of the encampment is the result of a lawsuit filed by the city of Bellingham against the property owner after complaints and safety concerns from local residents and business owners. Many of the Walmart encampment residents moved there after a similar camp behind the Bellingham Winco was cleared out last May – also due to a lawsuit against the landowner.
Current camp Residents say many of them have no living options if the encampment gets shut down.
STORY: Campus-wide test of Western Alert Emergency Communications on Thursday
Western Washington University will conduct a campus-wide test of its emergency alert system tomorrow at 10:50 in the morning.
The comprehensive test will include digital notifications, including text, email, webpage, desktop, social media, and campus information boards. Audible announcements will be transmitted both inside and outside, and fire alarms are expected to strobe.
The university says text messages are one of the most reliable ways to quickly provide emergency information, and urges Western users to update their personal information via the Web4U application.
STORY: Judge rejects challenge to Washington gun control law
A federal judge dismissed a challenge to Washington’s new gun law, which requires gun manufacturers and dealers to take reasonable steps to prevent their products from reaching the wrong hands.
The law, known as the Firearm Industry Responsibility & Gun Violence Victims’ Access to Justice Act, aims to address loopholes in Federal gun law which shield the gun industry from liability. The law was challenged by the National Shooting Sports Foundation in federal court last year immediately after it was signed into law. U.S. District Judge Mary K. Dimke (DIM-kee) rejected the lawsuit in a decision Friday, saying the organization had not established legal standing to challenge the measure. She noted that its members were neither being sued under the law nor had expressed an intent to violate its terms.
This is the eighth challenge to SB 5078 that Attorney General Ferguson has successfully defeated. Similar laws in other states, including New York, have also withstood legal challenges.
STORY: WA expanding health care options for undocumented immigrants
Washington is expanding healthcare options for undocumented immigrants.
This term the Legislature agreed to allocate an additional $28 million to accommodate 16,000 undocumented immigrants who applied for Apple Health coverage during the latest enrollment period. Starting in July, Apple Health will expand to cover undocumented immigrants whose incomes are 138% below the federal poverty level.
Undocumented workers have been able to buy private health insurance since last year, after the state’s waiver application was approved by both the Health and Human Services Department and the Department of the Treasury.
The waiver also allows for immigrants to apply for Medicaid, and assistance through the federal government’s Premium Tax Credit program.
STORY: $500K will fund genetic genealogy testing for all unidentified remains in Washington
The Washington Legislature has approved funds for genetic genealogy and DNA testing to decrease the backlog of unidentified remains in the state.
$500,000 dollars be used to supplement existing state and federal resources to expedite the identification process for 163 unidentified bodies currently awaiting testing. Forensic genetic genealogy combines DNA testing with genealogical research to help law enforcement solve cold cases. Cost has been a primary barrier for agencies, with DNA testing of individual remains costing around $2,500 and forensic genetic genealogy approximately $8,000.
The funding proposal was supported by the Attorney General’s Office as well as the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and People Task Force.
WX: Sun
Your Whatcom County weather – today will be partly sunny, with a high of 50 degrees and light winds. Clouds will roll in tonight, as temperatures drop to a low of 35. Tomorrow is projected to be the same.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman and Tristan Trudell. 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. If you would like to help keep local news accessible, check out our new Patreon page at patreon.com/kmrenews or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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