SWAT team activated in response to Ferndale man threatening police, Whatcom man sentenced for sexual abuse of underage girl, Non-fatal three-car crash in Bellingham impedes I-5 traffic, Free daily ferry launched between San Juans and Anacortes, State lawmakers move forward on bills that would crack down on reckless driving and littering, AG’s office defends state’s sanctuary policies amid congressional scrutiny, Lynden man arrested under suspicion of arson
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, April 23rd. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: SWAT team activated in response to Ferndale man threatening police
Law enforcement in Whatcom County activated SWAT to arrest a Ferndale man who allegedly threatened to engage in a shootout with police over the impounding of his RV.
32-year-old Wayne Eli Moses was taken into custody last Thursday after a standoff involving law enforcement at the site of his RV at Portal Way in Ferndale. According to the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, deputies had initially developed probable cause to arrest Moses for allegedly drilling into a vehicle’s gas tank to steal fuel on April 3rd.
Deputies later identified an abandoned RV as belonging to Moses. They issued a notice that warned the RV would be impounded if it was not moved. That same day, authorities received information that Moses had allegedly threatened to use firearms against officers.
SWAT responded that evening, and Moses complied with commands to exit the RV. Several firearms were found inside—guns that Moses was prohibited from possessing under pretrial release conditions.
Moses now faces felony charges of harassment and second-degree unlawful possession of firearms.
STORY: Whatcom man sentenced for sexual abuse of underage girl
A 56-year-old Whatcom County man was sentenced Tuesday at the Superior Court to six months in jail and lifetime community custody for the sexual abuse of a young girl in Ferndale over a span of several years.
Lawrence Scott Cauthorn (CAW-THORN) was arrested in March of 2024 after the victim, who was between the ages of 3 and 9 at the time of the abuse, came forward. Cauthorn, who was known to the victim, posted bail shortly after his initial court appearance, but was taken back into custody after pleading guilty to multiple sex crimes on January 28th.
While the victim did not speak at the hearing, her mother reported that the girl continues to struggle with school and mental health challenges, describing the trauma as, quote, “a heavy load that was not fair to her” unquote.
Cauthorn expressed remorse during sentencing, and noted that he has been undergoing sexual deviancy treatment. Judge Jennifer Slattery accepted the recommended sentence, and cited the defendant’s apparent sincerity.
Cauthorn must register as a sex offender. A no-contact order has also been issued, and the option for restitution remains open.
STORY: Non-fatal three-car crash in Bellingham impedes I-5 traffic
A three-vehicle crash shut down the I-5 near the Sunset Drive interchange on Monday morning.
First responders were dispatched to the scene around 10 a.m. A collision involving a southbound dump truck and two northbound vehicles caused a lane closure in both directions. According to police reports, the impact of the crash displaced a section of the concrete barrier into the traffic lanes.
Emergency personnel assessed the occupants of all vehicles at the scene, but no one required transport for further medical care.
All lanes were reopened by 2 p.m.
STORY: Free daily ferry launched between San Juans and Anacortes
San Juan County has launched a free daily passenger ferry service between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands.
The ferry is a pilot program and is only scheduled to run through June 30th. It will operate twice a day, seven days a week, and connect Friday Harbor, Orcas Island, Lopez Island, and Downtown Anacortes via Cap Sante (CAP SANDY) Marina. The route includes two round trips per day, traveling from Friday Harbor to Orcas, Lopez, Anacortes, and back. Each person is allowed one backpack; pets, bikes or additional luggage must be noted in the booking due to space limitations.
The program is funded by state support from the Governor’s Office, and also includes emergency inter-island passenger and barge services provided by Outer Island Excursions and Pintail Marine. These additional services will be activated during Washington State Ferry disruptions.
Passengers must reserve their spot in advance through the San Juan Safaris website, and are asked to arrive 30 minutes before the scheduled departure listed in their confirmation.
STORY: State lawmakers move forward on bills that would crack down on reckless driving and littering
Washington state lawmakers are advancing two bills aimed at curbing reckless driving and increasing penalties for littering.
The state Senate overwhelmingly passed House Bill 1596 on April 15th, a bill that would require certain drivers with suspended licenses — due to reckless driving or excessive speeding — to install a speed-limiting device in their vehicles. The device would restrict the car to the posted speed limit, with drivers allowed to exceed the limit only three times per month.
In a separate vote, the Senate approved House Bill 1293, which would raise littering fines for the first time in over 30 years. Under the bill, offenders could face a fine of up to $125 per cubic foot of trash, with an additional $93 penalty for littering on state highways.
State Representative Mark Klicker of Walla Walla, who sponsored the littering bill, pointed to the nearly 38 million pounds of trash dumped across Washington in 2022 — well above the national average.
Both bills will return to the House for votes on the amended versions before heading to the governor’s desk for final approval.
WX: Butch Cassidy and the Sun
And now for the weather:
An especially bright, sunny day looks to be in the cards for us today, with highs in the mid-60s and an expected UV index of 6. According to the EPA, anything over 3 is considered moderate-to-high exposure to ultraviolet rays, and protection such as sunscreen or a hat is suggested. Skies should remain fairly clear throughout the day. The evening will see temperatures drop to lows around 40 degrees.
The weather only looks to get brighter and warmer tomorrow, with highs expected to almost reach into the 70s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, and Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg). 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: AG’s office defends state’s sanctuary policies amid congressional scrutiny
STORY: Lynden man arrested under suspicion of arson
A 71-year-old Lynden man was arrested Sunday night on suspicion of arson after refusing to exit an RV that had caught fire in a local trailer park.
According to Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Deb Slater, deputies responded around 8 p.m. to reports of smoke and flames at a trailer park at Guide Meridian. Upon arrival, deputies found the RV engulfed in flames with the man still inside, armed with a knife and a hammer, and refusing to come out.
The situation was particularly dangerous as the burning RV was near other trailers and propane tanks. Deputies were eventually able to detain the man before the RV became fully engulfed. Fire crews extinguished the flames, but the RV was destroyed.
The man was treated at the scene and later booked into Whatcom County Jail on probable cause for first-degree arson, felony harassment, and obstruction of a law enforcement officer.
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