ICE arrests six people across Whatcom and Skagit counties, Vehicle reportedly flies 50 feet through the air before crashing into Kendall Elementary classroom, Suspect arrested in connection with September Bellis Fair Mall bomb threat, Report indicates price of Bellingham homes has increased by more than 100% across last decade, State lawmakers weigh funding public schools amid budget shortfall, Gov. Ferguson forms rapid response team to aid families affected by mass deportations
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, January 28th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY 1: ICE arrests six people across Whatcom and Skagit counties
Border Patrol agents in Blaine assisted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (or I-C-E) in the arrest of six undocumented individuals in Whatcom and Skagit counties last Sunday during a targeted enforcement operation.
The arrests involved individuals from Mexico, India and Guatemala, and occurred in Ferndale, Everson, Burlington and Maple Falls. Federal agencies, including the DEA and Homeland Security Investigations, participated in the operation. In an email to Cascadia Daily News, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated the detainees were public safety risks with final removal orders.
The operation aligns with increased immigration enforcement following President Trump’s inauguration, which includes a daily arrest quota, and a roll back of a Biden-era policy that limited enforcement in protected areas.
Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley has stated his office will not participate in immigration enforcement.
STORY 2: Vehicle reportedly flies 50 feet through the air before crashing into Kendall Elementary classroom
Kendall Elementary School in Maple Falls was forced to close Monday after a driver crashed into the building during the weekend.
According to the accident report, the driver was traveling south on Kendall Highway on Saturday evening when he missed a corner, went airborne, and hit the school which was about 300 feet from the road. The driver sustained minor injuries and was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center before being arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Kendall Elementary has resumed its regular operations today.
STORY 3: Suspect arrested in connection with September Bellis Fair Mall bomb threat
Police arrested a 41-year-old Bellingham man last week in connection with a bomb threat at Bellis Fair mall.
According to police reports, the man allegedly called 9-1-1 on September 25th, claiming a bomb would explode at the mall within 10 minutes. Police and mall security found no evidence of a bomb. Investigators later determined the suspect made the call to distract police from his location near a drug dealer.
The man was later identified during a traffic stop last Thursday morning and arrested on an outstanding warrant. He was charged with shoplifting and making bomb threats, and then booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
STORY 4: Report indicates price of Bellingham homes has increased by more than 100% across last decade
Bellingham home prices have surged by almost 128% over the past decade, which outpaces the national average of 95% during the same period.
According to a report by Construction Coverage, the median home price in 2014 was around $287,000. In 2024, that number rose to roughly $656,000. The report points to factors such as recovery from economic recessions, the COVID-19 pandemic, high mortgage rates, and inflation as key markers that impacted affordability nationwide.
Local real estate brokers say Bellingham’s rapid price increase reflects strong demand from both locals and newcomers and say they expect home prices will keep going up.
STORY 5: State lawmakers weigh funding public schools amid budget shortfall
A state Senate panel last Wednesday held a hearing on proposed bills that would boost funding for special education, transportation and operations by $2 billion in the next budget.
This comes as the state is trying to solve a deficit estimated to be around $12 billion over the next four years. Back in 2012, the state Supreme Court ruled that Washington was not meeting its constitutional obligation to ensure ample funding for basic education; it took the state six years to comply with the decision.
Superintendents of school districts across Washington voiced support for the bills. They say they are currently forced to use local levy dollars to pay for programs and services that fall under the state’s responsibility.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal (RAKE-dow) said in an interview recently that Washington has lapsed on its investments, and could face future lawsuits.
STORY 6: WWU student workers revive union effort
For the third year in a row, student workers from WWU are headed to Olympia to advocate for a bill that would prompt the university to recognize their union.
Operational student employees (or OSEs), which include over a thousand employees from lifeguards to resident advisors, filed to unionize with Western Academic Workers United in December 2023 after complaints of low salaries and insecure work scheduling.
Senate Bill 5119 would grant OSEs at Western, Central and Eastern Washington universities, as well as Evergreen State College, the right to bargain collectively. The bill, primarily sponsored by State Senator T’wina (too-AHN-nuh) Nobles of Fircrest, is currently under consideration in the Senate Labor & Commerce Committee. Senator Sharon Shewmake of Bellingham, herself a professor at Western, is one of the bill’s co-sponsors.
While roughly 1,100 educational student employees were granted union protection with a bill that passed in June 2023, Liz Parkes, Western’s Associate Vice President of Human Resources, says the university is unable to recognize the OSE union without a quote-unquote “specific legislative act.” However, in a recent interview with the Cascadia Daily, WAWU organizer Anika Erickson argued nothing prohibits Western from recognizing OSEs right now.
STORY 7: Gov. Ferguson forms rapid response team to aid families affected by mass deportations
Yesterday, Governor Bob Ferguson announced the creation of a new Family Separation Rapid Response Team to support children of parents targeted for deportation under the Trump administration.
According to a recent release, the team is housed within the Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and aims to ensure care and educational continuity for children affected by family separations, particularly if parents are detained while children are at school.
The initiative is a response to heightened immigration enforcement under President Trump, which has instilled fear in immigrant communities. Advocates, including Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell, criticized federal policies for disrupting families and communities. State law prohibits local police from aiding federal immigration enforcement, and both Seattle and Whatcom County have reiterated their stance against cooperating with I-C-E.
The team, which involves multiple state agencies, will review policies to help mitigate the impact on immigrant families. In the announcement, Governor Ferguson emphasized the state’s commitment to push back against federal overreach and also acknowledged the president’s significant legal authority in immigration matters.
WX: Black Hole Sun
And now for your Whatcom County weather,
Another day of chilly breezes and clear, sunny skies is ahead of us, with daytime highs around the mid-40s. Some clouds may appear in the late evening, as temperatures drop to the mid-high 20s.
The forecast for tomorrow is more of the same.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). Our news director is Staci Baird. 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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