Bellingham man pleads not guilty to shooting National Guard members in D.C., Afghan migrants in Whatcom County fearful over federal response to National Guard shooting, Employee at Bellingham bar halts off-hour burglary, December’s “King Tides,” expected this weekend, New state payroll tax plan proposed ahead of 2026 legislative session, FTC warns of work-from-home scams
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, December 4th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham man pleads not guilty to shooting National Guard members in D.C.
A Bellingham man accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. — killing one of them — has pleaded not guilty.
Twenty-nine-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal (rah-mah-NOO-luh LAK-un-wahl) faces first-degree murder while armed, assault with intent to kill, and multiple firearms charges. A D.C. judge denied him bond, calling the government’s case “exceedingly strong.”
Court documents say Lakanwal carried out an ambush-style attack on Nov. 26, shooting Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom and Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe just blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died the next day; Wolfe remains hospitalized in critical condition.
Lakanwal appeared virtually from a D.C. hospital for his hearing. His attorney argued pretrial fairness was jeopardized after U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro publicly questioned the immigration vetting that allowed Lakanwal to resettle in the U.S. following his 2021 evacuation from Afghanistan.
Lakanwal is due back in court January 14.
STORY: Afghan migrants in Whatcom County fearful over federal response to National Guard shooting
New details are emerging about Lakanwal.
Northwest Health Care Linen confirms he worked there for six months in 2022 and 2023. Because he didn’t speak English, most communication involved showing him tasks.
Local organizations say Lakanwal was not active in community life. The Islamic Society of Whatcom County says he visited only a few times and that interactions were “very sparse.” The group says it’s fully cooperating with federal investigators and condemns the attack.
In a release, World Relief Western Washington, which helps resettle refugees, says it’s “shocked and devastated,” urging the public not to judge entire communities by the actions of one person. Congressman Rick Larsen echoed that message, saying refugees and the nonprofits that support them should not be punished.
The political fallout has escalated. President Trump posted that he would “permanently pause migration from all Third World Countries,” and the Department of Homeland Security called for “remigration now,” language critics say echoes calls for mass deportation.
Local advocates warn that refugees already face major barriers — from finding work and housing to accessing mental health care in their own language. They say recent comments and policy shifts are deepening fear among people who have already fled violence, with one advocate calling the idea of returning Afghans to Taliban rule “a death sentence.”
STORY: Employee at Bellingham bar halts off-hour burglary
A Bellingham bar owner’s quick reaction helped stop an early-morning break-in this week.
Police say 43-year-old Gregory Keefe smashed windows and broke in to L&L Libations, the bar connected to Leaf & Ladle on North State Street. Owner Rustin Rafert tackled him, and held him until officers arrived.
Keefe was booked into Whatcom County Jail on suspicion of burglary, theft, assault, drug possession and other charges. The break-in is the second at the bar this year. Staff believe Keefe may also be connected to an August robbery that targeted the same door, though police have not confirmed that.
STORY: December’s “King Tides,” expected this weekend
Whatcom County is bracing for a weekend of “King Tides”.
The exceptionally high winter tides are expected on the mornings of Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, along with south-southeasterly winds.
These tides will be higher than November’s by about half a foot, though still lower than some past years. King Tides occur when the sun and moon align, and amplify the gravitational pull on the oceans. On their own, officials say they don’t typically cause major damage — but when paired with strong winds or waves, coastal flooding becomes a concern.
Communities most at risk include the Lummi Peninsula, Lummi Island, Sandy Point, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts.
The county’s Division of Emergency Management says impacts are likely if sustained winds hit 20 knots or more, or if waves reach at least two feet.
STORY: Impact fee collection approved for Lynden School District following city council reconsideration
The Lynden School District will now be able to collect impact fees from new construction to help pay for long-needed school expansions.
The Lynden City Council reversed course Monday night, and approved the district’s request after rejecting it back in August by a single vote. This time, the measure passed 4–3, after council member Kyle Strengholt (STRENG-halt) switched his previous vote to “yes”.
Impact fees are charged to developers or new home builders to help public institutions absorb the growth that new housing brings. Affordability concerns remained central for council members who opposed the change.
Beginning in January, new single-family homes with three or more bedrooms will be assessed a fee of $4,622, while larger multifamily units will be charged $7,037. District leaders say the additional revenue is crucial as enrollment continues to rise. Lynden currently uses 25 portable classrooms across three campuses, and a recent bond to build a new high school failed for a third time in November.
STORY: New state payroll tax plan proposed ahead of 2026 legislative session
Washington lawmakers have proposed a new payroll tax that would target the state’s largest employers to help fund social programs.
Seattle Democrats Rep. Shaun Scott and Sen. Rebecca Saldaña unveiled a plan Tuesday to levy a 5% tax on wages above $125,000, which would affect roughly 3,500 companies statewide.
The proposal could generate about $3 billion a year, with some revenue dedicated to higher education, housing, health care, and SNAP benefits. Lawmakers say the measure is aimed at addressing budget shortfalls while funding essential services.
Business groups, including the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce, strongly oppose the plan, and warn it could increase costs for working families and drive employers out of the state. Scott pushed back, saying large companies are already well-represented in Olympia and the tax would support residents who rely on state services.
The 2026 legislative session begins January 12th, and lawmakers have 60 days to finalize a supplemental budget for the 2025–27 biennium.
STORY: FTC warns of work-from-home scams
With unemployment on the rise in our region, the Federal Trade Commission issued a warning today about a growing work-from-home scam.
If a so-called employer promises easy money for a title like “delivery operations specialist” or “quality control manager,” and all they want you to do is receive packages, repackage them, and ship them out — it’s a reshipping scam.
Here’s what it looks like: scammers pose as big companies like Amazon or FedEx and use stolen credit cards to send high-value items to your door. Your “job” is to forward the stolen goods, often overseas, which makes them harder to trace. Victims usually discover the truth when they never get a paycheck — and the scammer disappears. Officials warn that if you shared bank info, a Social Security number, or an ID, you could also face identity theft.
The FTC says reshipping is never a legitimate job. Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
WX: Iiiiiii’m dreaming of a weeeeet Christmaaaas
And now for the weather:
Well, it looks like we’re in for a long stretch of cold, rainy weather, with today’s forecast calling for highs in the mid-40s and up to a quarter-inch of precipitation. That should continue into the evening, with overnight lows expected around 40 degrees.
Tomorrow, we’ll get more of the same, with daytime rainfall expected to increase to half an inch.
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 _________, and thanks for listening!
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