(RETRACTION): MIPA canceled for Ferndale teen, Bellingham police seeking information on suspect in gunpoint robbery near Grant and Lakeway, Deming man arrested after stabbing a man with a dental tool, Thieves steal $1M in whiskey from Skagit distillery, Student financial aid applications now open, Wildfire smoke linked to thousands of deaths, New baby orca born, Free or Cheap (kill 10/3), WIC program faces funding shortage, Fires still burning in WA, WA files anti-trust lawsuit against Redfin and Zillow, Election Town Halls slated for October (kill 10/4)
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, October 2nd. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY (RETRACTION): MIPA canceled for Ferndale teen Yesterday, we reported on a Missing Indigenous Person Alert issued for 15-year-old Kamran Finkbonner of Ferndale. As it happened, Finkbonner had been found, and the alert was canceled before our newscast went on the air.
We apologize for the error.
STORY: Bellingham police seeking information on suspect in gunpoint robbery near Grant and Lakeway
Bellingham Police are investigating an armed robbery on Grant Street reported late last Friday.
According to Bellingham Police Lieutenant Claudia Murphy, details regarding the incident are not being released publicly to preserve the integrity of the investigation. Police ask residents in the Grant Street and Lakeway Drive area to check security cameras for possible evidence.
No arrests have been made as detectives continue working to identify suspects.
STORY: Deming man arrested after stabbing a man with a dental tool A man was arrested by Bellingham Police after an alleged assault involving a dental tool.
Officers say 42-year-old Tibrucio Almojera stabbed another man three times in the back with a dental scaler during a fight on West Maplewood Avenue on the morning of September 27th. He fled on an electric bike, but was later detained in Ferndale.
Almojera was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of assault and drug-related charges.
STORY: Lynden man arrested for bringing a gun to school A Lynden man was arrested after he was spotted with a firearm on school property.
According to court documents, the 41-year-old man walked into Lynden High School on September 23rd to pick up his sick child. Staff members told police the man acted aggressively and smelled like alcohol; they eventually noticed a pistol on his hip as he and his child prepared to leave campus.
Police later found the suspect is unable to legally own a firearm due to his status as a registered sex offender. He was arrested last Wednesday, and released on cash bail a day later.
STORY: Driver hospitalized following rollover crash in Ferndale A driver was seriously injured in a rollover crash that closed the northbound I-5 on-ramp from Ferndale’s Main Street yesterday morning.
Washington State Patrol says a pickup truck left the off-ramp and collided with a sedan around 8:45 a.m., sending the sedan’s driver to the hospital. The ramp was closed for several hours before reopening at about 1 p.m.
Troopers say alcohol and drugs were not factors, and the cause remains under investigation.
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: Student financial aid applications now open
Financial aid applications for the 2026-2027 school year are now open for Washington students.
About half of the families in our state may qualify for free money for college, trade school, or apprenticeships. Students can apply using the FAFSA for federal and state aid, or the WAFSA for state aid only.
An early application is the first step toward funding higher education.
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.
The study involves over 1.2 million Kaiser Permanente members from Southern California, and shows that if climate change continues unchecked, wildfire smoke could cause more than 70,000 extra deaths 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: New baby orca born
And now for some good news — a southern resident orca has been born!
Researchers have confirmed the birth of the orca calf, J64, spotted last Tuesday in the Georgia Strait with its mother, J42. The Center for Whale Research says the calf appears healthy and is nursing, but warns that survival during the first year is uncertain.
With fewer than 75 whales remaining, each birth is critical for the endangered population.
WX: It’s not all Goodall in the Hoodall
And now for the weather:
It looks like another day of mostly gray skies and scattered showers today, as we continue our attempt to hang onto those summer-adjacent
temperatures. Highs today should remain in the upper-60s, with continued high winds up to 27 miles per hour. The evening should remain relatively mild, with cloudy skies and lows around the high 40s.
Expect low chances of showers tomorrow, although we might see some partial afternoon sunshine as well.
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: 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: WIC program faces funding shortage
Washington’s WIC program could run out of federal funding within about two weeks.
The program serves thousands of babies, young children, and pregnant people, and offers healthy foods, nutrition education, and health screenings.
The Washington State Department of Health says services should continue for now, but layoffs or reduced hours are expected for about 50 federally funded staff starting Monday, and contractors and local health organizations may also be affected. Officials say participants should keep using benefits and attending appointments while the department monitors the situation, and warn that longer shutdowns could put critical public health services at serious risk.
STORY: Fires still burning in WA
Two wildfires east of the Cascade Mountains have become the state’s largest this season, and cover about 120 square miles.
The Labor Mountain and Lower Sugarloaf fires, both sparked by lightning, are being fought by more than 2,400 firefighters and 18 aircraft, and cost
about $1 million per fire per day. Blewett Pass, which connects Leavenworth and Ellensburg, has been closed since late September, with no reopening date.
Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove visited the area Wednesday, and highlighted that longer fire seasons along with reduced wildfire funding are behind the higher costs. Washington State Department of Natural Resources estimates overall costs could reach $132 million through the next fiscal year
Fire officials say prescribed burns and community fuel breaks have helped limit the fires’ spread, and crews have focused on protecting about 567 homes within evacuation zones. Upthegrove also noted that the longer fire season is fueled by climate change, and stressed the importance of wildfire resilience funding to better protect communities and ecosystems.
STORY: WA files anti-trust lawsuit against Redfin and Zillow Washington and four other states have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Zillow and Redfin.
The suit alleges a deal earlier this year eliminated competition in the market for online rental listings. The complaint claims Redfin agreed to exit the multifamily rental listing business and steer clients to Zillow, effectively consolidating Zillow’s market dominance. State attorneys general are seeking to restore competition and prevent future violations.
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.
