Sheriff Deputy injured in Whatcom County crash, Traffic stop leads to second arrest in four months for Bellingham woman in connection with dealing drugs, Lumber truck rollover north of Everson leads to power outage and closure of State Route 9, Ferndale man awaiting trial for property crimes arrested again while out on bail, WWU sees dip in enrollment, Ferndale breaks ground on new civic campus, Whatcom HCS warns of potential listeria contamination in ready-to-eat cauliflower, Free or cheap, Ferndale ballot dropbox temporarily moved (kill 10/28 without edit, 11/3 with edit), Free or Cheap
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, October 10th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Sheriff Deputy injured in Whatcom County crash
Two people were hospitalized after a car hit a Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office vehicle Thursday night on Mountain View Road near Barr Road.
The Washington State Patrol says a 76-year-old Ferndale woman was driving west when her car struck a marked sheriff’s SUV that was blocking the road with its emergency lights on.
Both drivers — the woman and a 31-year-old sheriff’s deputy from Bellingham — were taken to St. Joseph Hospital with injuries. Troopers say both were wearing seatbelts, and both vehicles were totaled.
The cause of the crash is still under investigation, and it’s not yet known if drugs or alcohol were involved.
STORY: Traffic stop leads to second arrest in four months for Bellingham woman in connection with dealing drugs
Police say an ongoing investigation has led to a Bellingham woman’s third drug-related arrest this year.
According to The Bellingham Herald, 27-year-old Kylie Doreen Wilkinson was arrested most recently on October 2, stemming from multiple earlier incidents involving crack cocaine. Police say Wilkinson was first arrested in June after investigators found a crack-cooking station in a hotel room. She was released on bail, but later pulled over in July and August with suspected cocaine and drug paraphernalia in her car. Warrants from those stops led to her latest arrest.
Wilkinson is now facing charges including possession and intent to deliver a Schedule 4 controlled substance and maintaining a vehicle for drug use. She remains in custody at Whatcom County Jail.
The investigation has also led to charges against 34-year-old Raymond Robinson and Ashley Elizabeth Zaylor in related cases.
STORY: Lumber truck rollover north of Everson leads to power outage and closure of State Route 9
Traffic has reopened on State Route 9 near Everson after a lumber truck crash closed the highway.
According to the state highway report, the crash happened around 12:40 p.m. yesterday, just north of Tom Road. A truck hauling lumber went slightly off the road before tipping over and spilling its load across both lanes. No injuries were reported, but the crash damaged a nearby power pole. The road was closed for several hours but reopened late last night.
STORY: Ferndale man awaiting trial for property crimes arrested again while out on bail
A Ferndale man once again faces felony charges — this time for alleged property crimes while already awaiting trial in multiple other cases.
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office and Bellingham Police say 40-year-old Hal Louis Hovander was arrested September 25th and booked into the Whatcom County Jail. He’s now charged with organized retail theft, possession of stolen property, and trafficking stolen property.
Investigators say security video showed Hovander leaving a Bellingham store with more than $2,400 in unpaid merchandise. He’s also accused of trying to sell stolen construction equipment valued at $20,000.
At the time, he was already out on bail awaiting trial in Whatcom and Skagit County Superior Courts on several other felony theft and fraud charges. Hovander was later released after he posted a new bond.
STORY: Skagit County judge throws out 2021 murder case after reveal of false testimony
A Skagit County judge has thrown out a 2021 murder case.
Superior Court Judge Laura Riquelme (ri-KWELL-may) dismissed the case, ruling that prosecutors failed to review key evidence before trial. 59-year-old Angela Conijn was accused of shooting and killing 32-year-old Kamran Cohee after a confrontation over a political sign outside her home.
Riquelme found that prosecutor Brandon Platter committed government misconduct by not fully reviewing evidence photos — including one that showed a closed folding knife inside the victim’s truck. That detail, the judge said, could have supported Conijn’s claim of self-defense.
The knife was never mentioned in reports or at trial, and Riquelme wrote that the prosecutor’s failure to catch it was “negligent, at best.”
Because of the ruling, the Skagit County Prosecutor’s Office cannot refile charges against Conijn.
STORY: WWU sees dip in enrollment
Western Washington University is welcoming fewer freshmen this fall, which marks the third straight year of declining enrollment.
According to an email sent to faculty and staff by President Sabha Randhawa, the university still noted progress. Retention is at its highest since 2020, and FAFSA completion reached a record high.
Now Western hopes to build one of its largest classes in two decades, with guaranteed admission for eligible high school graduates and smoother transfers from community and technical colleges.
STORY: Ferndale breaks ground on new civic campus
Ferndale has broken ground on its new Civic Campus Project, a major step toward modern, accessible city facilities.
The $6.75 million in state and federal grants will help fund the 19,000-square-foot building, which brings City Hall, Municipal Court, and Council Chambers under one roof.
Mayor Greg Hansen called it a “historic investment” that will improve access and efficiency.
Construction by Dawson Construction is underway, with completion expected in 2027.
STORY: Whatcom HCS warns of potential listeria contamination in ready-to-eat cauliflower
Local officials are joining a national warning about potentially contaminated ready-to-eat meals.
Whatcom County Health and Community Services say riced cauliflower in certain Blue Apron and Marley Spoon products may be contaminated with Listeria. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued a public health alert for these products, which are no longer available for purchase.
The affected products include plastic tray packages labeled “DISH by Blue Apron Cheesy Chicken Mac with Vegetables” and packages labeled “BALANCE by Marley Spoon BBQ Sauce Beef Meatballs with Cheesy Cauliflower.”
Officials warn these products may still be in homes. Anyone who has them should not eat them — instead, throw them away or return them to the place of purchase. No recall was issued.
STORY: Free or cheap
It’s Friday, and here are some free or cheap things to consider for your the weekend!
Tomorrow is the last Saturday to enjoy the Twin Sisters Mobile Market. Everyone should have access to fresh, local produce, pasture-raised eggs, meat and more! This is a novel way to build a more equitable and resilient food system in East Whatcom County, while supporting small local farms. SNAP/EBT are accepted and the markets are happening from 10am to 2pm at the Deming Library, and from 9am to 3pm at the North Fork Library
WX: Two Irish weirdos and Princess Leia’s mom found tap-dancing downtown
And now for the weather:
No ambiguous partial sunshine today, folks— expect overcast, rainy, and not much else. Highs should remain in the upper 50s. And up to a quarter-inch of rainfall is expected over the course of the day, with another quarter-inch overnight. Evening lows are projected around 50 degrees.
The weekend should continue very much in kind, with both Saturday and Sunday reaching highs in the 50s, and another quarter-inch of rain expected each day.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THARE-un) Danielson, Cody Mills, 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!
##
STORY: Ferndale ballot dropbox temporarily moved (kill 10/28 without edit, 11/3 with edit)
Due to construction, Ferndale’s Drop Box has temporarily moved to Pioneer Pavilion Community Center at 2007 Cherry Street, for this election only! Be sure to return your ballot in an Official Ballot Drop Box by 8:00 pm
November 4 or by mail, postmarked by November 4, 2025. The United States Postal Service recommends mailing by Tuesday, October 28.
You can find an official ballot box near you on the Whatcom County website.
STORY: Free and cheap
Orca Recovery Day, Sat Oct 18, Join NSEA, Whatcom Conservation District, and Whatcom Land Trust in restoring habitat along Kenney Creek! 9am-12pm – Deming, WA | Click here for more information.
Make a Difference Day, Sat Oct 25, Support the continued conservation at Whatcom Fall Park with NSEA and the City of Bellingham. 9am-12pm – Bellingham, WA | Click here for more information.
Fishttrap Creek Planting, Sat, Nov 1, Help NSEA and the City of Lynden finish up planting in a newly restored section of Fishtrap Creek. 9am-12pm – Lynden, WA | Click here for more information.
Sat Nov 8, Kendall Creek Tree Planting, Convert a portion of Kendall Creek from lawn to riparian forest at the Kendall Creek Hatchery! 9am-12pm – Deming, WA | Click here for more information.
Sat Nov 15, Cordata Park Work Party Support riparian and wetland restoration with NSEA and the City of Bellingham at one of Bellingham’s
most loved parks. 9am-12pm – Bellingham, WA | Click here for more information.
Sat Nov 22, California Creek Tree Planting, Join NSEA, Whatcom Conservation District, and Whatcom Land Trust to improve habitat near Drayton Harbor! 9am-12pm – Blaine, WA | More information coming soon!
Sat Dec 6, Deer Creek Tree Planting, Support coho salmon by improving riparian habitat along Deer Creek and planting trees and shrubs! 9am-12pm – Bellingham, WA | Click here for more information.
Sat Dec 13, Connelly Creek Tree Planting, Improve wetlands with NSEA and the City of Bellingham in the Connelly Creek Nature Area. 10am-1pm – Bellingham, WA | Click here for more information.
