WWU announces budget cuts, Bellingham man arrested after fleeing Seattle medical center, Mount Baker School District preparing for budgetary “worst-case scenario,” with up to 23 layoffs, Lynden City Council votes to end fluoridation of water, Ferguson issues statement on budget, Lynden man arrested under suspicion of burglary, arson, Ferguson signs law expanding multi-family household tax, WA legislature approves 6-cent gas tax, CA man previously arrested for smuggling people into Whatcom County sentenced, Three Bellingham parks to be locked off at night following recent string of vandalism
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, April 28th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: WWU announces budget cuts
WWU President Sabah Randhawa (suh-BAH run-DAH-wah) announced today that the university will need to make deep funding cuts across the board to backfill a $13 million dollar deficit.
The Washington State Legislature finalized the 2025-to-2027 biennial operating and capital budgets; over $400 million have been cut statewide to address a projected $16 billion shortfall.
According to Randhawa, the impact to Western includes:
- A 1.5% reduction to our operating budget, and;
- A shift in the state/tuition funding split from 70/30 to 51/49, alongside mandated employee cost-of-living adjustments of 3% in 2026 and 2% in 2027
The budget now moves to Governor Bob Ferguson for approval. Randhawa says more details regarding the specifics of the spending cuts will be forthcoming.
STORY: Bellingham man arrested after fleeing Seattle medical center
A Bellingham man awaiting trial on multiple felony charges was arrested on Wednesday, after he left a Seattle medical center without authorization.
37-year-old Nathaniel Ernest Keith Deal had been granted a temporary release from the Whatcom County Jail on April 7th to undergo a medical procedure. Court documents state that Deal was instructed that leaving the facility would result in escape charges.
According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Deal discharged himself against medical advice on April 12th and failed to return to custody. Deal was re-arrested and booked into Whatcom County Jail on Wednesday. 37-year-old Channelle (chuh-NELL) Grace Legros (luh-GRAW), a known associate of Deal’s, was also booked on charges of rendering criminal assistance. Legros herself faces charges of first-degree robbery and delivery of fentanyl.
Deal and Legros are subjects in an ongoing investigation by the Whatcom Regional Drug Task Force for multiple counts of drug delivery.
STORY: Mount Baker School District preparing for budgetary “worst-case scenario,” with up to 23 layoffs
The Mt. Baker School District Board of Directors approved a new budget that would reduce staff by up to 23 full-and-part-time employees.
The reductions come on top of the elimination of 25 full-time staff members last year. Multiple factors have contributed to Mt. Baker’s financing challenges.
Federal funding accounts for roughly 10 percent of district funding. This year, reductions in Title I, Title III, and federal food service allocations appear likely. An additional $150,000 in federal money has come from ‘Impact Aid’, dispersed to districts that encompass lands that are not taxable, such as tribal lands. However, the dismantling of the Department of Education could make access to that money difficult or impossible even if it is still available.
Political budget uncertainty at the state level also continues to complicate planning for public school boards, and Mt. Baker faces daunting obstacles. Enrollment has decreased by 333 students in the last 6 years. The state placed binding conditions on the district in August of 2023 after it failed to balance its budget, subjecting it to additional oversight. To exit those conditions, Mt. Baker must restore its general fund balance to $1.2 million by the end of the next school year.
In addition, a lawsuit has tied up the proposed sale of 89 acres of forest land in Whatcom County owned by the Department of Natural Resources, from which the district expected to receive $300,000.
In a letter to families sent last week, Interim Superintendent Nick Perigo (PEAR-ruh-go) expressed hope that the state will increase funding devoted to public education. His letter emphasized the disruption that school district staffing reductions cause entire communities, saying that such moves are, quote, “even more disruptive when we have to do it year over year,” end quote.
STORY: Lynden City Council votes to end fluoridation of water
The Lynden City Council has voted to end the decades-long practice of adding fluoride to its drinking water.
Since 1959, Lynden has been the only city in Whatcom County to fluoridate its water supply. But after years of debate — including a mayoral veto in 2024 and two rounds of public hearings — the council voted 5-to-2 last Monday to repeal the practice, successfully overriding the opposition of Mayor Scott Korthuis (KORT-hise).
Dentists and health officials had urged Lynden to maintain fluoridation, citing notable differences in oral health between local residents and those from non-fluoridated areas. However, opponents including a group of residents who first raised the issue in 2023 called it “forced medication” without informed consent.
The decision comes amid national scrutiny of fluoridation policies. Last September, a federal court ordered the EPA to reassess the health risks of fluoride levels in drinking water. While the state Department of Health still endorses fluoridation as safe and effective, recently confirmed U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has signaled plans to reverse federal recommendations.
Lynden’s move leaves Anacortes as the only city in Whatcom, Skagit, and San Juan counties still adding fluoride to its public water system.
STORY: Ferguson issues statement on budget
Governor Ferguson issued a statement today that summarized the conclusion of Washington’s 2025 legislative session, and highlighted major accomplishments amid a challenging $16 billion budget shortfall.
Ferguson reiterated his opposition to massive new taxes, having rejected initial proposals for $21 billion and later $12 billion in tax increases. Instead, he praised the Legislature’s responsiveness in significantly reducing new revenue assumptions. Citing concern over potential federal funding threats under the Trump administration, Ferguson stressed the importance of safeguarding Washington’s progressive values by maintaining healthy financial reserves.
Throughout the session, Ferguson emphasized the importance of realistic revenue projections, protecting Rainy Day Fund reserves, identifying billions in savings, expanding affordable housing investment, boosting K-12 education funding, and launching a $100 million grant program for law enforcement. He noted the adopted budgets meet these goals.
Several bipartisan initiatives highlighted in Ferguson’s inaugural address also succeeded, which include bills in support of youth mental health, protecting state sovereignty (SOV-ren-tee) over National Guard deployments, and fuel exemptions for farmers. He expressed particular pride in the passage of House Bill 2015, which funds grants for hiring well-trained law enforcement officers—a central piece of his public safety platform.
He also praised the bipartisan transportation budget for responsible investments in maintenance and preservation, support for ferry construction, and major infrastructure projects like the I-5 Bridge Replacement and the Spokane North-South Freeway. The budget also includes a multibillion-dollar transportation revenue package centered on a 6-cent increase to the state’s gas tax — the first hike in nearly a decade.
Finally, Ferguson acknowledged the hardships of this session, particularly the loss of colleagues, and expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts that led to the session’s successful conclusion.
WX: Man, and I was just getting used to this
And now for the weather:
The forecast for today is looking cooler and cloudier than our recent string of sunshine, beginning with scattered showers, wind gusts of up to 24 miles per hour, and highs in the mid-50s. Evening temperatures should remain fairly consistent, with lows projected around the high 40s.
Tomorrow will begin with some scattered morning showers, before gradually becoming sunnier throughout the afternoon.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, and Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg). 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 your donations. Check out our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening.
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STORY: Lynden man arrested under suspicion of burglary, arson
Lynden police arrested a 35-year-old man on Wednesday in connection with a fire that destroyed a co-worker’s RV.
According to police, the man entered the RV, located at East Badger Road during an ongoing dispute with the vehicle’s owner. A witness reported seeing the suspect throw belongings out of the RV before both the pile and the vehicle caught fire. No injuries were reported.
The man was booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of first-degree arson and residential burglary and remains in custody.
STORY: Ferguson signs law expanding multi-family household tax credit
Governor Bob Ferguson signed a new law Friday aimed at expanding affordable housing opportunities across Washington state.
House Bill 1494, sponsored by State Representative Alex Ramel of Bellingham, broadens the state’s Multifamily Housing Tax Exemption program, which provides tax breaks to developers building multi-unit homes with a focus on affordability.
More than 50 jurisdictions, including Bellingham and Ferndale, already participate in the MFTE program. The new law extends eligibility to additional cities and counties, with the goal of accelerating affordable housing development statewide.
Rep. Ramel said the legislation was quote “about delivering results for Washington families” by giving local governments stronger tools to meet growing housing demands while promoting more equitable development.
Ferguson thanked legislators, staff, and his team for their hard work and announced he will review the final budgets line by line before offering more detailed feedback.
STORY: WA legislature approves 6-cent gas tax
The Washington State Legislature has approved a multibillion-dollar transportation revenue package centered on a 6-cent increase to the state’s gas tax — the first hike in nearly a decade.
The Senate passed the measure late Friday following House approval a day earlier, and have sent it to Gov. Bob Ferguson for final consideration. The increase would raise Washington’s gas tax from 49.4 cents to 55.4 cents per gallon starting in July, with annual 2% adjustments for inflation. Diesel taxes would also rise by six cents over two years, subject to the same inflationary increases.
The gas and diesel hikes are expected to raise about $1.6 billion over six years, contributing to the package’s total projected revenue of $3.2 billion. Senate Bill 5801 includes a broad range of other fee increases: higher passenger vehicle weight fees, added sales taxes on car purchases, higher tire replacement fees, increased rental car taxes, and surcharges on luxury vehicle and aircraft sales.
Supporters say the measures are necessary to address a looming $8 billion shortfall in the state’s transportation budget and fund overdue maintenance and safety projects. Critics, particularly Republicans, argue the new taxes will burden working families already facing rising costs.
The final plan, still awaiting full funding details, is expected to channel upward of $15 billion into transportation projects over the coming years.
Gov. Ferguson has not yet indicated whether he will sign the package into law.
STORY: CA man previously arrested for smuggling people into Whatcom County sentenced
A man from Santa Rosa, California has been sentenced to five months in federal prison for his involvement in an illegal border smuggling operation.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington, Rajat Rajat (ruh-JUT ruh-JUT), a 27-year-old citizen of India, was described by prosecutors as a “mid-level manager” in a smuggling ring that helped noncitizens cross from Canada into the U.S. The organization reportedly directed individuals to Peace Arch Park in Canada, then facilitated their illegal entry into the U.S. and their transport to various destinations across the country.
Two co-defendants—36-year-old Sushil Kumar (soo-SHEEL koo-MAHR), and 68-year-old Bobby Joe Green — were sentenced in March to six and four months in prison, respectively. A fourth individual, 20-year-old Sneha (snay-HA), is expected to go to trial in January.
STORY: Three Bellingham parks to be locked off at night following recent string of vandalism
Three of Bellingham’s most popular parks — Boulevard, Cornwall and Squalicum Creek — will be gated and locked at night starting this summer.
According to an announcement by the Parks and Recreation Department, the decision follows years of consideration and comes in response to a rise in graffiti, vandalism, and other criminal activities after dark.
The closures will be tested over the summer, with adjustments made in the fall and winter based on daylight hours and findings from this pilot phase. Parks staff will make rounds near closing time to notify visitors and ensure no vehicles are left behind locked gates.
Park hours across the city remain sunrise-to-sunset.
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