ICE arrests man in Lynden previously jailed for assault, Lynden man involved in fatal head-on collision, Seven-month hiring freeze lifted by county government, Whatcom County Council hires consulting firm to review HR policies following sexual harassment settlement, Whatcom superintendents oppose proposed limitations to transitional kindergarten program, New proposed bill would increase penalties for violence against healthcare workers in WA, Relatives of those who have died in state custody speak in support of oversight bill
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, February 27th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: ICE arrests man in Lynden previously jailed for assault
A man previously jailed for a stabbing incident in Everson now faces deportation under federal immigration enforcement efforts.
U.S. Border Patrol’s Blaine Sector confirmed that agents assisted ICE in the arrest of 42-year-old Antonio Santiago-Vazquez, a Mexican citizen, (sun-tee-AH-go VAHS-kiss) near Lynden on Tuesday. Santiago-Vazquez was initially arrested in May 2021 after stabbing three people at a party at the Glen Echo Community Center. Two victims sustained serious injuries that required emergency surgery. Santiago-Vazquez later accepted a plea deal and served three months in jail for third-degree assault.
Authorities say Santiago-Vazquez has already been deported multiple times and is now being processed for removal to Mexico.
STORY: Lynden man involved in fatal head-on collision
A Lynden man survived a head-on collision Tuesday afternoon that resulted in the death of the other driver.
Washington State Patrol says 60-year-old Dennis VanBeek (VAN BEAK) was driving a dump truck north on State Route 9 near milepost 25 when a Subaru Impreza, driven by 68-year-old Kimberly Glasgow of Marysville, crossed the center line. The vehicles collided head-on just after 1 p.m.
Glasgow was pronounced dead at the scene. VanBeek sustained minor injuries. Both drivers were wearing seat belts, and the State Patrol reports that both vehicles were totaled.
VanBeek, a CDL driver for Faber (FAY-burr) Construction, is expected to recover. The crash remains under investigation.
STORY: Seven-month hiring freeze lifted by county government
Whatcom County government’s seven-month hiring freeze has been lifted.
County Executive Satpal Sidhu (saht-PAUL see-DO) signed an executive order to lift the freeze Wednesday. The county enacted the freeze on July 15th of last year to curb spending as it faced the loss of COVID-era federal aid, stagnant sales tax revenue, and rising labor and project costs. The freeze did not apply to positions covered by grants or separate funds. It was originally instituted for 90 days but continued through the biennial budget process last fall.
Sidhu noted in his executive order that the budget prioritized maintaining core services while rebuilding and stabilizing the organization. He said contract negotiations for union-represented county employees will take place this year. Most departments will have to cover wage increases negotiated for 2026 within their adopted budgets.
STORY: Whatcom County Council hires consulting firm to review HR policies following sexual harassment settlement
In more County Council news, an outside firm has been hired to examine the county’s HR policies and procedures.
In a unanimous vote on Tuesday, the council approved a $76,500 contract with Matrix Consulting Group to conduct the review. The decision follows the county’s $225,000 settlement in November of 2023 involving former Public Works director Jon Hutchings, who resigned before an investigation into sexual harassment allegations.
Council members launched their own probe into the county’s handling of such claims last April, after learning of the settlement through a news investigation. Nearly a hundred county employees later urged transparency and regular updates on the process to restore trust in leadership.
Matrix Consulting Group will spend four months reviewing the county’s HR policies. The assessment includes an employee survey, policy review, staffing analysis, and final recommendations. The contract runs through August 31st.
STORY: Whatcom superintendents oppose proposed limitations to transitional kindergarten program
All seven Whatcom County superintendents oppose changes to the state’s Transition to Kindergarten program, saying the proposal would limit enrollment and put more financial strain on schools.
In a letter to state lawmakers, they criticized House Bill 1450, which would add new administrative requirements and cut available seats for children. They argue the bill would hurt families who depend on the program for free early learning.
Transition to Kindergarten currently serves 4-and 5-year-olds who don’t qualify for federal early education programs but cannot afford private child care. One of the bill’s sponsors, Representative Sharon Tomiko Santos (tow-MEE-koh SUN-toes) of Seattle, says the changes aim to protect the private early learning sector from losing enrollment to public schools.
The superintendents say the program is already effective, pointing to data that shows it improves kindergarten readiness. They also oppose the bill’s added requirements, including a new approval process and site visits, arguing they come without additional funding.
The bill is currently under consideration in the House Appropriations Committee.
STORY: New proposed bill would increase penalties for violence against healthcare workers in WA
A new bill in the state Legislature could adjust the state’s assault law for health care workers by creating an exemption for mental health patients.
For nearly 30 years, Washington law has allowed prosecutors to file felony charges against individuals who assault health care workers, even for minor offenses like spitting. House Bill 1220 aims to prevent seriously mentally ill patients from being automatically charged with felonies for low-level assaults, while still allowing charges based on the severity of the attack.
Supporters argue that criminalizing minor assaults by those in mental health crises does not reduce violence and often worsens their condition. An investigation conducted by The Seattle Times and the Marshall Project shows that, between 2018 and 2022, 76% of people charged in King County under the current law showed signs of serious mental illness.
The state Medical Association and emergency physicians have raised concerns, warning that a broad exemption could fail to protect health care workers facing rising workplace violence. A survey conducted by National Nurses United last year found that nearly half of nurses reported increased violence on the job.
The bill is currently under review by the House Community Safety Committee.
WX: Seein’ a lot of Gray, not much Liam Neeson.
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Some early morning rain is expected to give way to cloudy skies, with a chance of sporadic afternoon sunshine. Daytime highs are projected in the low-to-mid-50s; evening lows are projected in the low 40s.
The sun is expected to return in force tomorrow, following some brief early-morning fog.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, and Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren). 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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STORY: Relatives of those who have died in state custody speak in support of oversight bill
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