WWU libraries closed while law enforcement searches for bomb, Federal government shutdown looms, Larsen responds, Fall’s first big windstorm expected to hit Bellingham coast this evening, New state sales tax set to take effect tomorrow, Multi-vehicle crash west of Ferndale leaves one dead and three injured, WA and states sue to maintain emergency services funds, No students injured in school bus collision on Lakeway, Thieves steal $1M in whiskey from Skagit distillery, Two men taken into custody in southern Oregon in connection with death of Bellingham man, Wildfire smoke linked to thousands of deaths, Free and Cheap (10/3), WA 3rd best for teachers, Election Town Halls slated for October (kill 10/4)
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, September 30th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: WWU libraries closed while law enforcement searches for bomb
Western Washington University’s Wilson Library and Haggard Hall were closed this morning for over an hour due to a threat of violence.
According to a release from Western, the university received a racist email containing a vague threat around 8 a.m. During the closure, no students or staff were allowed in the buildings. However, after an investigation, law enforcement deemed the threat not credible.
University and city police — along with K-9 units — swept the building as a precaution. The all-clear was issued at around 11 a.m.
STORY: Federal government shutdown looms, Larsen responds U.S. Representative Rick Larsen says Republicans would rather shut down the federal government than negotiate to restore health care coverage.
Larsen warns the GOP’s government funding plan would cause 80-thousand Washingtonians to lose their health insurance and drive up costs for everyone.
[clip: LARSEN AUDIO 1, :44, out: “…the tax credits been extended”]
Larsen points to local hospitals already cutting staff because of deep Medicaid and Medicare reductions, and says families like small business owners in Bellingham could see health insurance costs climb by tens of thousands of dollars. Furthermore, Larsen says Republicans shoulder the responsibility.
[clip: LARSEN AUDIO 2, :49, out: “…on the edge of the economy”]
Larsen also warns that cutting health care funding will affect the economy of the entire state.
[clip: LARSEN AUDIO 3, :19, out: “…up into double digits”]
Federal funding runs out at midnight tomorrow, and threatens thousands of Northwest Washington workers with furloughs, as well as delays in farm relief, and even missed paychecks for active-duty military.
STORY: Fall’s first big windstorm expected to hit Bellingham coast this evening
Strong coastal winds are headed for Whatcom County, and officials are urging boaters and coastal residents to get ready now.
The National Weather Service says winds will begin increasing tonight as a stronger front moves into the region, bringing gale-force conditions to coastal waters, the east Strait of Juan de Fuca, and parts of the northern inland waters. A gale warning remains in effect through 5 a.m. tomorrow, with southeast gusts up to 40 knots and wind waves reaching as high as 5 feet, especially near Point Roberts.
Boaters are advised to secure vessels in marinas, and coastal residents should tie down loose items such as lawn furniture and trash bins.
Minor tidal flooding is possible in low-lying areas such as Sandy Point and Point Roberts, where winds may hit hardest.
Drivers and beachgoers are advised to use caution near coastal roads.
STORY: New state sales tax set to take effect tomorrow A sweeping new package of Washington state taxes is set to take effect tomorrow, headlined by a controversial sales tax on services.
Lawmakers expect Senate Bill 5814 to bring in more than three and a half billion dollars over the next two years for the state budget. However, one of its biggest money-makers — a tax on advertising services — already faces a legal challenge from Comcast, which says the levy is unconstitutional.
In all, more than 90,000 businesses will pay the new sales tax on services ranging from temp staffing and IT to live events and security.
Other hikes include a higher business and occupation tax on banks and large service firms.
Concurrently, the state’s new $15.5 billion transportation budget is raising fees — including driver’s license renewals, ferry surcharges, and tolls for transit vehicles. Democrats say the new revenue is essential to shore up state services and transportation projects, while Republicans universally oppose the tax hikes.
STORY: Multi-vehicle crash west of Ferndale leaves one dead and three injured
A crash near Ferndale left one dead and sent three others to the hospital.
According to police records, the collision happened just after 7 p.m. on Sunday at the intersection of Mountain View and Olson roads. The Ferndale Police Department, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, and local fire crews all responded to the incident.
Two motorcycles and a car were involved. One motorcyclist — 20-year-old Malakhi A. Moreau — died at the scene, while the other was taken to St. Joseph Medical Center. The two people in the car were also seriously hurt and hospitalized.
The Sheriff’s Office is still investigating the collision.
STORY: WA and states sue to maintain emergency services funds A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from withholding billions in emergency services funding in order to force states to assist with federal immigration enforcement.
According to a recent release from Washington Attorney General Nick Brown’s office, the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA abruptly cut funding to several states on Saturday, including Washington, without notice or explanation and just four days before the end of the federal fiscal year. The money was reallocated to states that agreed to divert law enforcement dollars from core public safety services in order to assist in federal immigration enforcement.
The new ruling comes after Attorney General Brown and 19 other attorneys general sued FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security, arguing the agencies’ actions violated the Constitution and the Administrative Procedure Act. The court agreed, and said the funding conditions were illegal and nearly impossible for states to comply with.
Washington relies on these federal dollars for disaster response, cybersecurity, and local emergency preparedness, including wildfire and earthquake planning, maritime policing, and rebuilding after fires.
A second lawsuit has now been filed by the attorneys general of California, Illinois, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, joined by 7 other states and the District of Columbia. The new suit challenges Homeland Security’s reallocation of funds and accuses the administration of punishing states that challenge its policies.
STORY: WA co-leads 16-state lawsuit in fighting federal cuts to sexual health education
In more federal lawsuit news, Attorney General Nick Brown will co-lead a new, multi-state lawsuit to save teen sex ed programs.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has threatened to pull funding from the Personal Responsibility Education Program grant. Washington receives $2.6 million annually to support instruction about pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.
In a statement released last Friday, Brown says that the threat from HHS stems from the state’s refusal to remove state-mandated gender- and sexual identity-inclusive language from program materials. He called the proposed action cruel, arbitrary, and illegal, and said it is being done for quote “purely political reasons” unquote.
16 other states and the District of Columbia have joined Washington in the lawsuit. According to the release, the goal of the lawsuit is to block HHS action before funds get cancelled.
WX: Several happy frogs!
And now for the weather:
Clouds and light drizzle take up most of the forecast for today, with highs in the mid-to-high 60s. Expect some consistent breezes, with the occasional gust reaching over 30 miles per hour, as well as a slight
chance of thunderstorms. The rain should pick up later this evening, with up to a quarter-inch of precipitation expected to fall overnight. Nighttime lows are projected in the mid-50s.
Tomorrow, we’ll see some lighter rain during the daytime hours, leading up to heavier rainfall at night.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THARE-un) Danielson, Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Bella Mae, and Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee). 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: No students injured in school bus collision on Lakeway Lakeway Drive was briefly closed yesterday after a traffic collision involving a school bus.
According to Bellingham Police Lieutenant Claudia Murphy, the bus was turning from Old Woburn Street onto Lakeway Drive when the collision occurred. Police officers and Bellingham Public Schools employees arrived at the scene to check on the students; none were injured. The driver of the other vehicle, however, sustained minor injuries.
BPS spokesperson Dana Smith told My Bellingham Now that a replacement bus was dispatched to take the students home.
STORY: Thieves steal $1M in whiskey from Skagit distillery A million dollars’ worth of whiskey from Skagit County is gone without a trace.
Thieves pulled off one of the rarest liquor heists in U.S. history this summer, vanishing with 12,000 bottles of craft whiskey from the Westland Distillery in Burlington.
The Associated Press reports the suspects arrived at the distillery warehouse on July 31st in a freight truck, carrying what appeared to be legitimate paperwork to pick up a shipment headed for New Jersey.
The whiskey, however, never made it. Among the stolen cases is nearly half the stock of Westland’s 10-year Garryana single malt, a special anniversary release that took over a decade to create.
Westland’s managing director Jason Moore called the incident a “sophisticated, fraudulent carrier scheme,” and says the stolen Garryana bottles are irreplaceable.
The Skagit Valley Sheriff’s Office is investigating the heist, and collectors are now left wondering where — and if — those rare bottles might surface.
STORY: Two men taken into custody in southern Oregon in connection with death of Bellingham man
Two men are behind bars in Southern Oregon, accused of the murder of a Bellingham man.
Oregon State Police SWAT raided a rural property in Klamath (KLAM-ath) County last Thursday morning and arrested 38-year-old Russell Carroway and 31-year-old Devin Pellerin (PEL-luh-rin). Both are charged in the death of 47-year-old Robert T. Hein (HINE) of Bellingham.
According to the Klamath County Sheriff’s Office, Klein was murdered, and his body was found in a wooded area in Oregon. The Klamath County Major Crime Team, led by Oregon State Police, is still investigating.
No further details have been released.
STORY: Wildfire smoke linked to thousands of deaths A new study warns that wildfire smoke could cause tens of thousands of extra deaths each year.
Wildfire Smoke Exposure and Incident Dementia published in the JAMA Neurology Network, is a study of more than 1.2 million Kaiser Permanente Southern California members. It shows that if climate change continues
unchecked more than 70,000 extra deaths can be expected in the U.S. by 2050. This includes up to 1,400 deaths annually in Washington.
Researchers say the findings underscore the urgent need for forest management, clean air protections, and climate pollution reduction to prevent the worst health impacts.
STORY: Free or Cheap (kill 10/3)
A free household paint recycling event is coming to Bellingham — now at a new location. Due to a scheduling conflict, the one-day drop-off on Saturday, October 4 will be held at Barkley Village, 2211 Rimland Drive, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents can safely dispose of unwanted paints, varnishes, primers, and similar products in their original containers, five gallons or smaller. Usable paint will be recycled into new latex paint. Attendees should stay in their vehicles while staff unload materials. Pre-registration is encouraged.
STORY: WA 3rd best for teachers
According to Wallet Hub, Washington State is the third best state for Teachers in 2025. Over the past decade, Washington has seen an increase in teacher pay of more than 75% Other factors include teacher friendly policies and the state’s fourth lowest time span before tenure goes into effect.
STORY: Election Town Halls slated for October (kill 10/4)
This year’s election is all about local power — from city councils to school boards — and Cascadia Daily News wants voters to hear directly from the candidates.
You’re invited to two free town halls in October at the Sehome High School Theater in Bellingham. The first, focused on County Council races, is Saturday, October 4. The second, covering Bellingham City Council candidates, is Saturday, October 11. Both run from 6 to 8 p.m.
It’s your chance to ask questions, raise concerns, and hear where candidates stand before ballots drop.
Admission is free, but an RSVP is required. Reserve your seat for county races at CascadiaDaily.co/WhatcomTownHall, and for city races at CascadiaDaily.co/BhamTownHall.
