Ferndale man placed in federal custody, Lynden woman dies after wrong-way crash on I-5, Tax day, Underreporting of sexual harassment in school districts, WCC President announces retirement, City of Bellingham addresses Post Point issues, Record EV sales in Washington, WSU invents new apple
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STORY: Ferndale man placed in federal custody
A Ferndale man was arrested on suspicion of receiving child pornography.
28-year-old Eduardo Orduna-Botello (or-DOO-nah bow-TAY-oh) was booked by Homeland Security into Whatcom County Jail last Wednesday, and subsequently transferred to federal custody.
The case was filed with the District Court after a witness reported Orduna-Botello’s inappropriate online comments. Even after being blocked, the suspect continued to contact the witness through alternate online accounts. A search warrant also uncovered an occurrence from around three years ago, where questionable photos were found.
Orduna-Botello is scheduled to appear in court in Seattle on the 25th.
STORY: Lynden woman dies after wrong-way crash on I-5
A Lynden woman has died in the aftermath of a car crash in Arlington.
70-year-old Sharon Heeringa (her-ING-uh) was a passenger in a car hit by a wrong-way driver on northbound I-5 two weeks ago. Harborview Medical Center in Seattle released a statement on Saturday confirming that Heeringa passed away.
Two cars in total were hit by the wrong-way driver, a 43-year-old man from Arlington. The driver died from his injuries at Providence Medical Center in Everett, while three other people were hospitalized. The crash is still under investigation by the State Patrol.
STORY: Tax day
It’s tax day and federal taxes are due by 11:59PM tonight.
To support taxpayers, the IRS has extended hours in Taxpayer Assistance Centers nationwide and offers online help for filers, like the Where’s My Refund? tool. Extensions are available if you need extra time to file the paperwork, but to avoid penalties, any tax owed is due before midnight tonight.
Refunds are typically issued within 21 days but may take longer if returns are mailed.
STORY: Underreporting of sexual harassment in school districts
Recent reporting by Cascadia Daily News reveals that many school districts in Whatcom and Skagit counties have not adequately followed their rules for reviewing sexual harassment policies.
According to the report, despite documented complaints, some districts including Bellingham and Burlington-Edison have failed to convene stakeholder committees to assess policy effectiveness. Parents are concerned that the failure leaves students vulnerable and are advocating for increased transparency.
Instances of non-compliance, such as Burlington-Edison’s failure to convene annual committees, have prompted community pressure and even state-level scrutiny. Moreover, deficiencies in providing policy translations, especially to non-English-speaking families, makes things worse, particularly among girls of color, who are statistically more at risk of harassment and assault.
STORY: WCC President announces retirement
Dr. Kathi Hiyane-Brown (hee-AWN-ee BROWN), current president of Whatcom Community College, has announced her retirement after leading the institution for 17 years.
In that time, the community college significantly expanded its curriculum to include fields like cybersecurity, health professions, engineering, and social work. Dr. Hiyane-Brown also oversaw the development of new facilities to accommodate these programs, including student housing and an intercultural center.
The change in leadership will be effective March 1st, 2025.
STORY: WWU gets $2.5M in federal funding
Western Washington University has secured nearly $2.5 million dollars in federal funding for its latest building, Kaiser Borsari Hall.
The funding, secured by U.S. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, will be used to develop research and instructional labs within the facility, focusing on subjects such as robotics, autonomous transportation, and energy courses.
The building, currently under construction on the south end of WWU’s campus, is set to become Washington’s first publicly funded zero-energy academic building on a university campus upon completion in early 2025.
STORY: City of Bellingham addresses Post Point issues
The City of Bellingham is actively addressing challenges at the Post Point wastewater treatment facility in Fairhaven.
Northwest Clean Air Agency, which monitors and regulates the City’s air quality, recently served the City of Bellingham with a notice of violation regarding the plant’s incinerators. In a recent announcement, the City said it is working with experts to understand the allegations and determine the best course of action. In recent years, various options have been explored to modernize the plant away from incineration toward cleaner waste processing. When those solutions proved too expensive, the city scrapped the plan and has yet to present a new one.
Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund said upgrading Post Point is a complex challenge, but that the city is committed to finding a solution that balances priorities for environment protection, public health, and responsible use of taxpayer dollars.
STORY: Record EV sales in Washington
It’s been a record year for electric and hybrid vehicle sales in Washington state.
Electric and plug-in hybrid cars comprised 20% of all car sales– that’s double the national average, and new registrations saw a 43% increase compared to last year. Washington now ranks second in the West Coast for EV adoption, with California leading and Oregon coming third. 40% of the state’s carbon emissions stem from transportation, and there’s hope that Washington’s quick adoption of zero-emissions vehicles will directly contribute to improved air quality.
STORY: WSU invents new apple
Washington State University has developed a new hybrid apple.
A blend of Honeycrisp and Cripps Pink varieties, the new apple known as “W.A. 64” is less hard but more crisp and juicy than Pink Lady. The new fruit is the culmination of a 30-year research effort and is slated to be available in stores by 2029. The university is looking for a name, and is asking for suggestions from the public that avoid profanity, existing trademarks, and references to illegal substances.
WX: Sun
Your Whatcom County weather – It’s going to be Intervals of clouds and sunshine today with a high of 51. Into the evening, mostly clear skies with a low of 36F. But starting tomorrow, we’re headed into three days of sunshine with highs in the upper 50’s and early 60’s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Kye (KEY suh-LEE-nus) Salinas and Tristan Trudell. 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 listener donations. Check out our Patreon page or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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