Blaine man arrested for attempted murder after driving apparent victim to the hospital, Man arrested on Lake Whatcom after boat chase, 49-unit residential project proposed for Bellingham’s King Mountain neighborhood, Low-income housing project opens on Bellingham’s waterfront, 49-unit residential project proposed for Bellingham’s King Mountain neighborhood, WWU to petition state legislature for $21 million grant to increase per-student funding, Bob Ferguson and Dave Reichert prepare to face off in gubernatorial debate, Skagit County breaks ground on crisis center expansion
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, August 22nd. Good afternoon,
I’m ______.
STORY: Blaine man arrested for attempted murder after driving apparent victim to the hospital
A Blaine man was arrested early Tuesday morning after attacking someone and then driving the critically injured victim to the hospital.
43-year-old Clayton DuBois (doo-BWAH) had a “change of heart” after attempting to kill the victim, said Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Spokeswoman Deb Slater in a statement. DuBois was arrested at St. Joseph Medical Center after dropping off the victim, who was then flown by helicopter to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. No information has been shared regarding the victim’s identity or condition. DuBois is being held without bail on suspicion of attempted murder and driving under the influence and, according to online records, is scheduled for a court hearing today.
In addition to the attempted murder and DUI charges, he is being charged with two counts of second-degree unlawful possession of a firearm, after police found illegally-owned weapons while searching DuBois’s residence for evidence of the assault.
STORY: Man arrested on Lake Whatcom after boat chase
A man who allegedly flashed a group of six hikers from a boat on Lake Whatcom was arrested Monday.
According to Whatcom County Undersheriff Steve Harris, one of the hikers reported the suspect, later identified as 60-year-old Kevin Abbott. Deputies arrived at the scene in a patrol boat and made attempts to confront Abbott before he piloted away in a brief chase, Harris said. Deputies described Abbott as clearly impaired.
Abbott was arrested on suspicion of boating under the influence, indecent exposure and failure to comply with stop requirements. Abbott denied any wrongdoing at the scene.
STORY: 49-unit residential project proposed for Bellingham’s King Mountain neighborhood
A new 49-unit, four-story residential building has been proposed in Bellingham’s King Mountain Neighborhood.
Developed by Alliance Properties, the proposed building would sit on a 1.3-acre site at the southeast corner of James Street and Dewberry Lane. According to application documents, the facility is expected to feature 38 one-bedroom and 11 two-bedroom units, secure bike storage, a community room, and 79 parking spaces. The project will also include private yards, patios, decks, and communal green spaces.
Bellingham faces a growing demand for housing, needing 860 new units annually, including affordable housing. However, the project’s affordability status is not yet specified.
The company is also developing the Village at King Mountain, a community of residential homes in north Bellingham.
Public comments on the proposal are open until August 27.
STORY: Low-income housing project opens on Bellingham’s waterfront
In more affordable housing news– the Mercy Millworks Family Housing facility in Bellingham’s waterfront district opens today.
Mercy Housing Northwest says the facility will add 83 new affordable, energy-efficient apartments to the community. Half of these units are two or three bedrooms, designed for families earning under 50-60% of the area’s median income. Rent for the units varies based on income, with a two-bedroom apartment available for families making less than $46,000 annually.
The complex also includes a six-classroom early learning center operated by the YMCA, which will serve up to 100 children. While the facility is fully occupied, a waiting list is open for applicants.
STORY: WWU to petition state legislature for $21 million grant to increase per-student funding
Western Washington University is requesting $21.4 million dollars from the state Legislature to improve its per-student funding, which they say is currently the lowest of all public four-year colleges in the state.
The money would bring per-student funding at Western from $8,949 up to parity with Central Washington University at $9,847— the second lowest in the state.
According to WWU Director of Government Relations Nora Selander (SEE-lan-dur) who spoke at last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, Western has mostly been at the bottom of per-student funding levels among Washington public universities for decades. Selander also stated reception from most legislators has been positive regarding the additional funding, but noted that strong advocacy will be needed to receive the requested budget increase.
The Legislature’s next session starts in mid January.
STORY: Bob Ferguson and Dave Reichert prepare to face off in gubernatorial debate
Washington’s gubernatorial candidates are set to face-off in a September 10th debate.
Bob Ferguson, Washington’s attorney general, secured 45% of the primary votes compared to former Washington congressional representative Dave Recheirt’s 28%.
The hour-long debate will air at 8pm on KING 5 TV, with longtime news anchor and WWU alumnus Joyce Taylor as moderator. The event will also be live streamed on the Seattle Times website.
The debate will immediately follow the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump.
STORY: Skagit County breaks ground on crisis center expansion
The Skagit Stabilization, Treatment, and Recovery Center – or STAR – expanded its campus earlier this month.
The STAR facility plans to serve as a cost-effective alternative to jail or the emergency room. The North Star leadership team says it broke ground on the expansion on August 12th, using $22.8 million dollars allocated by state funding.
The new expansion will provide 48 voluntary beds for crisis stabilization patients joining the 16 involuntary beds that already exist on the campus in the North Sound Evaluation and Treatment Center.
County commission chair Peter Browning said in a news release that it’s essential to have a safe and compassionate place, like the STAR Center, for people to go when they are experiencing a mental health crisis or need help with withdrawal management services.
The new expansion is expected to open in late 2025.
WX: Clouds ‘n showers
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Today will continue this week’s trend of warm weather and scattered showers, with highs in the low 70s. Expect a chance of rain in the evening, with calm western winds throughout the day, and a nighttime low in the mid-50s. Tomorrow we can expect to see more of the same.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman (COOL-mun), Carlee Schram (CAR-lee SHRAM), Tristan Trudell, Kyler Cantrell, Anna Vickers, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick, and Miguel Garduno (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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. Check out our Patreon page or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thank you for listening.
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