Wastewater spill prompts boil-water advisory for households drawing directly from Lake Samish, ICE operations in Lynden and Everson lead to the detainment of at least two people, Two defendants sentenced in connection with fatal Mount Vernon shooting in March, First defendant sentenced for role in drug ring linked to the deaths of four Lummi Nation members in as many days, Skagit County to form climate committee, Ferguson declares emergency to ensure Sea-Tac adequately fueled amid Olympic Pipeline shutdown, Free and Cheap
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, November 21st. Good afternoon, I’m David Korb______.
STORY: Wastewater spill prompts boil-water advisory for households drawing directly from Lake Samish
A wastewater spill has prompted a boil-water advisory for Lake Samish residents who draw drinking water directly from the lake.
Whatcom County Health and Community Services and the Samish Water District say those without disinfection systems should boil water for at least one minute, while treated systems should be checked. The advisory follows a sewer line break discovered Thursday during repairs on Firelane Road.
Officials strongly recommend that anyone using private lake-draw systems disinfect their water at all times.
For more information, contact Whatcom County Health and Community Services or the Samish Water District.
STORY: ICE operations in Lynden and Everson lead to the detainment of at least two people
Federal immigration authorities carried out an early morning operation Thursday, Nov. 20, in Lynden and Everson, that resulted in at least two arrests.
The raid began just before 6:30 a.m., after a Department of Homeland Security helicopter took off from Lynden Airport. Flight data from ADS-B Exchange shows the helicopter circled between Lynden and Everson for more than an hour before landing at Bellingham International Airport.
A witness, A. Vasquez, said she observed one arrest around 7:50 a.m. near the Video La Gloria Corner Market in Everson, where officers had one individual detained in a vehicle. Vasquez also saw a red truck with a smashed driver’s side window further up Everson Goshen Road. A man wearing a Homeland Security Investigations vest was photographing the vehicle. It is not known if the truck’s driver was taken into custody.
Another arrest likely occurred near Bellewood Farms, where a longtime employee was reportedly detained while driving to work. Bellewood Farms did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
ICE has not responded to questions about which agencies participated in the operation or the total number of arrests.
Information from the Deportation Data Project indicates immigration arrests in Washington state increased under President Donald Trump and peaked with 277 ICE detainments in June 2017.
This is a developing story. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
STORY: Two defendants sentenced in connection with fatal Mount Vernon shooting in March
Two people have been sentenced in the fatal shooting of a Mount Vernon man earlier this year.
Police say 17-year-old Jesus Angel (hay-SOOS an-HELL) will serve 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree murder. Twenty-three-year-old Robert Lozano was given four and a half years for unlawful firearm possession and rendering criminal assistance.
The shooting happened March 17th near a gas station across from Skagit Valley College. The 18-year-old victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center, where he later died from his injuries.
STORY: First defendant sentenced for role in drug ring linked to the deaths of four Lummi Nation members in as many days
A Tacoma man has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for his role in a multi-state drug trafficking ring linked to the deaths of four Lummi Nation members.
Michael Young Jr., 44, was part of the Jackson Drug Trafficking Organization, which distributed fentanyl across multiple states, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington. During the investigation in 2023, Investigators seized nearly 850,000 fentanyl pills, 7 kilograms of fentanyl powder, 7 kilograms of cocaine, 29 firearms, and over $100,000 in cash.
Young is the first of 22 defendants to be sentenced after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute controlled substances.
In October 2023, defendants from Whatcom County — Robert Bellair of Ferndale, Ronald Finkbonner, Patrick James, and Thomas Morris (all from Bellingham) — were arrested and charged with possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute. Morris has since died; James and Finkbonner are participating in the Drug Reentry Alternative Model program, which allows participants to enter guilty pleas and have sentences held in abeyance while completing a yearlong addiction treatment program. Successful completion can lead to dismissal of charges. As of Nov. 13th, Bellair had not yet entered a plea.
STORY: Skagit County to form climate committee
Skagit County has proposed a new Climate Impact Advisory Committee to guide local climate action.
According to the proposal, the committee’s role is to analyze the science and provide recommendations on community risk reduction and adaptation. The 15-member group would include representatives from the four federally recognized Skagit Tribes, local dike and drainage districts, a climate advocacy citizen, and other qualified county residents.
A public hearing on the proposal will be held Tuesday, December 2nd at 10:30 a.m. at the Commissioners’ Hearing Room in Mount Vernon or via Zoom. Written comments are also being accepted through the hearing.
The Board of County Commissioners is scheduled to discuss adopting the ordinance on Monday, December 15th at 2:00 p.m. Details and applications are available on the Commissioners’ website.
STORY: Ferguson declares emergency to ensure Sea-Tac adequately fueled amid Olympic Pipeline shutdown
Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a state of emergency Wednesday after a leak shut down the Olympic Pipeline.
Ferguson’s office said the proclamation will temporarily waive state rules which limit how many hours commercial drivers can operate while transporting jet fuel.
The pipeline, which runs 400 miles from Ferndale to terminals in Washington and Oregon, was shut down Nov. 11th after the leak was found between Everett and Snohomish. State and federal agencies are working with pipeline operators to contain, clean, and repair the leak.
The Olympic Pipeline, operated by BP Pipelines North America, carries gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, and other petroleum products and is the primary delivery route for petroleum west of the Cascades.
Officials have not estimated when the pipeline will resume normal operations, but warned that if it remains offline past Saturday, airport operations could be “significantly affected.” Airport authorities have asked incoming flights to fuel to capacity before arriving.
STORY: Free and cheap:
It’s Friday! Here are some events happening around the county that you might want to check out.
On Saturday from 9am to noon you can volunteer at the California Creek Tree Planting. Join NSEA, Whatcom Conservation District, and Whatcom Land Trust to improve the habitat near Drayton Harbor in Blaine. Visit whatcomlandtrust.org/event to sign up.
Also on Saturday, The Ferndale Public Library will host a free afternoon concert at 2 p.m. that features a mix of voices, ukuleles, bass, and a few surprises. The library is at 2125 Main Street in Ferndale.
WX: Anybody traveling by peach, beware of inclement rhinoceroses
And now weather:
We close out the week with heavy clouds and scattered showers. Expect mild winds throughout the day, with highs around 50 degrees. This evening should continue cloudy, with scattered showers and temperatures in the mid 40s.
Tomorrow kicks off a rainy weekend, with over an inch of precipitation expected.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, 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 David Korb_________… thanks for listening!
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