Bellingham man arrested on suspicion of DUI, “The Bellingham Plan,” to be adopted into legislation next year, Bellingham man detained without counsel files motion to have charges dropped, Port of Bellingham moves forward with proposed upgrades to airport and waterfront properties, Whatcom Museum exhibit on French masterworks to open to the public on Valentine’s Day, Blaine Border Patrol adds additional vehicle barrier at border crossing, WA ranked among worst states for retirees
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, February 3rd. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham man arrested on suspicion of DUI
Police announced the arrest of a 24-year-old Bellingham man after a high-speed chase through downtown on January 25th.
According to a statement issued by Bellingham Police last Tuesday, Sando I. Cosovic (SAN-dough I. koh-sow-VICH) attempted to evade officers, crashed into multiple vehicles, and continued to flee even after his car lost both front tires. The chase ended when he crashed into railroad tracks. His passenger fled, but was later caught. Cosovic was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on multiple charges, including attempting to elude police, DUI, reckless driving, and hit-and-run.
Cosovic was released after posting bail of $2,500 following a preliminary hearing last Monday.
STORY: “The Bellingham Plan,” to be adopted into legislation next year
A City of Bellingham development strategy with chapters on climate, civic engagement, and community well-being is on track to be adopted by June 2026.
The Planning Commission says it will review the project— called The Bellingham Plan— on Thursday as it enters Phase 4. The plan aims to enhance community connections, housing options, sustainable growth, and climate resilience.
City officials say public input has played a key role, and they’re planning more opportunities for residents to weigh in. The community can provide feedback between February 20th and March 26th on engagebellingham.org.
STORY: Bellingham man detained without counsel files motion to have charges dropped
A 48-year-old Bellingham man facing more than 50 felony charges is asking a judge to dismiss his case. The man claims his rights to counsel, due process, and a speedy trial have been violated.
Richard Kirkham was held in Whatcom County Jail without access to an attorney for over a month due to court-ordered restrictions on his communication. Despite requesting phone privileges to find legal representation, his access was only partially restored. Kirkham was left without an attorney for a month and a half.
His current lawyer, Adrian Madrone (muh-DRONE), argued last Tuesday that this reflects a broader systemic issue and called for County Superior Court Judge Evan Jones to recuse himself due to his prior involvement. The state acknowledged the delay, but argued they made a good-faith effort to find qualified representation. Kirkham, who could face life in prison under Washington’s “three strikes” law, criticized the court for detaining him without immediate legal counsel.
Around 30 supporters attended the hearing to advocate for his rights.
STORY: Port of Bellingham moves forward with proposed upgrades to airport and waterfront properties
The Port of Bellingham says it will advance multiple projects in 2025 with a $36.7 million budget, including $12.4 million in grants.
According to an update from Public Affairs Administrator Michael Hogan, the Port is currently working on 200 capital projects. Key initiatives include modernization of the Bellingham Shipping Terminal. In December, contaminated soil was dredged in front of the shipping terminal. This increased navigation depth in the water, allowing larger vessels to use the terminal after years of being unable to do so. Another major effort is the clean up of the I&J Waterway to protect marine life and public health.
The Port says additional Bellingham Bay cleanup projects set to begin later this year will help pave the way for Salish Landing, the city’s largest waterfront park.
STORY: Whatcom Museum exhibit on French masterworks to open to the public on Valentine’s Day
Whatcom Museum will showcase work from renowned French artists starting in February.
Three masterworks from Paul Cézanne (say-ZAHN), Henri Matisse (ahn-REE muh-TEES) and Auguste Renoir (uh-GOOST ruhn-WAAR) will come to the museum on loan from the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. The exhibit is part of the Across the Nation program, which seeks to share iconic artworks with 10 regional museums nationwide. Whatcom Museum will offer free admission to K-12 school trips to the exhibit, which is titled Verdant (VUHR-din).
Whatcom Museum members will be able to see the works beginning on February 13th; the exhibit will open to the public the day after.
STORY: Blaine Border Patrol adds additional vehicle barrier at border crossing
Additional security has arrived at the Peace Arch border crossing in Blaine.
Blaine Border Patrol announced in a social media post last Friday that it installed a new vehicle barrier. The barrier is designed to stop cars from illegally driving through the border.
The installation comes days after a truck with four Romanian nationals illegally crossed into Canada, with Blaine Border Patrol saying it has seen over 85 illegal drive-throughs since 2023.
STORY: WA ranked among worst states for retirees
A new study has ranked Washington among the five worst U.S. states for retirement.
The study, conducted by Wallethub, compared and ranked all 50 states based on 46 key metrics including taxes and access to quality medical care. Washington ranked 47th on the list. Wallethub analyst Chip Lupo (loop-OH) says high housing costs and taxes make affordability a challenge, despite the state’s natural beauty, quality public transportation, volunteer opportunities, and access to cultural activities.
Washington also ranked low in adult day health care, in-home services, property-crime rate and tax-friendliness.
According to the study, the best state for retirees is Florida, followed by Minnesota, Colorado, Wyoming and South Dakota.
WX: Coldest blood runs through mah veins, you know maaah name
And now for your Whatcom County weather,
A cold weather advisory is in effect until 10 AM this Wednesday, with chances of intermittent snow showers throughout. Today is expected to be partly sunny, with daytime highs in the low 30s. Be ready for breezes to bring the cold even moreso, with a wind chill factor between 13 and 23 degrees, as well as gusts of up to 28 miles per hour. Nighttime lows will drop into the low-20s.
Tomorrow’s weather pattern is looking mostly similar. It’s looking like a brisk week all around, so dress accordingly.
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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