Blaine man pleads not guilty to attempted murder charge, Missing hiker found alive in North Cascades, Bellingham installs 14 bike lockers downtown, expected to be available for use later this week, BP’s Cherry Point refinery to begin converting crops and municipal waste into jet fuel, Plan finalized to cull WA’s invasive barred owl population
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, September 3rd. Good afternoon,
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STORY: Blaine man pleads not guilty to attempted murder charge
A Blaine man pleaded not guilty to attempted murder last week.
43-year-old Clayton DuBois (do BWAH) was arrested on the morning of August 20th, when he dropped a bloody woman off at St. Joseph Medical Center and then tried to leave. The woman, who is DuBois’s ex-fiancée, had multiple injuries ranging from facial fractures to broken ribs.
During the investigation, DuBois admitted to using meth, marijuana and tequila, and said he hit the victim twice with two propane tanks after she had quote “put a spell on him” unquote. Police officers who searched DuBois’s residence found a pool of blood near a propane tank, as well as firearms.
DuBois remains in custody at the Whatcom County Jail. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 25th. The victim was transferred to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle for further treatment.
STORY: Missing hiker found alive in North Cascades
A hiker who went missing in the North Cascades over a month ago was found alive last Friday.
39-year-old Robert Schock had been seen last on July 31st hiking the Chilliwack River Trail with his dog Freddy. He was reported missing by his mother Jan Thompson on August 5th after Freddy was found by a forest ranger wandering the trail alone the day before.
According to Thompson, a trail crew heard Schock yelling for help last Friday and were able to transport him via helicopter to United General Hospital in Sedro-Woolley. Despite being weak from malnourishment, Schock was uninjured. Schock’s parents, who live in North Carolina, told Cascadia Daily News that they are giving him time to recover in the hospital before flying out to see him.
Schock, who previously lived in Mount Vernon, frequently visited the area to camp. The Chilliwack River Trail begins about 5 miles after the Hannegan Pass Trailhead when the trail forks to the right. About five miles after the fork is a river crossing with no bridge where hikers are encouraged to use the available hand-pulled cable car. According to Thompson, Schock became confused and disorientated because parts of the trail had changed and been closed due to wildfire.
Thompson said she was surprised and relieved to hear that her son had been found, and awaits Schock’s recovery to find out how he survived without provisions for a month.
STORY: Bellingham installs 14 bike lockers downtown, expected to be available for use later this week
Fourteen bike lockers have been installed in downtown Bellingham by the city’s public works team as part of an effort to provide safe and accessible bike storage.
Six of the lockers are located at the Commercial Street Parking Garage, and the remaining eight are located next to the WTA’s Bellingham Station. The lockers, which can hold bikes, scooters and similarly-sized gear and related equipment, will cost 5 cents per hour for up to 10 days, and 12 cents per hour after time expires, with a $5 minimum transaction.
In total, the city spent $44,000 on the lockers, as well as a $5,000 installation fee. The lockers should be operational by mid-to-late this week.
STORY: BP’s Cherry Point refinery to begin converting crops and municipal waste into jet fuel
BP’s Cherry Point oil refinery in Ferndale has received a $27 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to develop a sustainable aviation fuel program.
The refinery will produce jet fuel from biomass feedstocks, including beef tallow, soybean oil, and used cooking oil. Washington U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell, who advocated for the program through the Inflation Reduction Act, announced the grant on August 16th. BP plans to use the funding to build infrastructure and purchase equipment, and aims to produce 10 million gallons of sustainable jet fuel annually.
The project is expected to create 96 jobs and supply airports in the Pacific Northwest via the Olympic Pipeline.
STORY: Plan finalized to cull WA’s invasive barred owl population
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced it will implement a controversial plan to kill tens of thousands of barred owls in Washington, Oregon, and California to protect the threatened northern spotted owl.
The barred owl, an invasive species in the Pacific Northwest, competes with the spotted owl for habitat and food and is a key factor in the latter’s population decline. The plan involves shooting or euthanizing barred owls in specific areas, with the earliest removals expected in 2025.
Animal welfare groups criticize the plan as inhumane and ineffective. The program is voluntary for landowners and agencies and aims to remove up to 15,600 barred owls per year over 30 years.
STORY: WA set to eliminate the bar exam for attorneys
Washington state is set to make the bar exam optional for law licensure, potentially becoming the first state, alongside Oregon, to eliminate the requirement.
The move follows a Washington Supreme Court ruling that argued the bar exam disproportionately restricts access for marginalized groups. Instead of the exam, alternative pathways to licensure will focus on real-world practice, such as completing skills credits and legal internships. The decision comes after years of discussion about the bar exam’s effectiveness. A task force found the exam to be only minimally effective in ensuring lawyer competence.
Proponents argue the change will reduce barriers to entry for the legal profession and help address lawyer shortages in underserved areas. The American Bar Association and others are now supporting innovative licensing approaches.
However, the shift also raises concerns about how new licensing methods will affect standards, lawyer mobility across states, and hiring practices.
WX: Partly sunny
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Today expect sunnier skies throughout the afternoon. Daytime highs will be right around 70 degrees, with calm west-southwest winds throughout the day. Nighttime lows will be in the low 50s.
This week’s weather will become steadily warmer and sunnier, starting tomorrow, with an estimated high of 77.
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 Garduño (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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