Bellingham officials issue statement regarding alleged perpetrator of D.C. shooting, Bellingham to operate daytime warming center alongside Whatcom severe weather shelter, both set to open in coming days, Port under investigation, Sehome High School students stage walkout in protest of education funding reductions, Give to good causes, not to scammers, Invasive European green crabs found in Skagit Bay, Bellingham Farmer’s Market asking for community donations to alleviate lack of federal funding for SNAP Market Match
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, December, 1st. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham officials issue statement regarding alleged perpetrator of D.C. shooting
Officials in Bellingham have responded after a local man was arrested in Washington, D.C., for the shooting of two National Guard members on Wednesday.
Authorities say 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal (rah-muh-NULL-uh LOCK-un-wal), an Afghan national living in Bellingham, drove across the country before the attack.
One of the victims, 20-year-old Army Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, died Thursday. The second, Air Force Staff Sergeant Andrew Wolfe, remains in critical condition.
The FBI searched Lakanwal’s Bellingham apartment Thursday, seizing phones and other devices.
Police Chief Rebecca Mertzig and Mayor Kim Lund issued statements expressing sympathy for the victims and reaffirming the city’s cooperation with federal investigators, emphasizing that the suspect’s actions do not represent the values of Bellingham or Washington state.
STORY: Bellingham to operate daytime warming center alongside Whatcom severe weather shelter, both set to open in coming days
With colder weather on the way, the City of Bellingham has announced a new daytime warming center.
The center is meant to be an addition to Whatcom County’s overnight severe-weather shelter and will open for the first time today. The warming center, located at the former Lighthouse Mission Drop-in Center on West Holly Street, can host up to 60 people from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. after any overnight shelter activation.
City spokeswoman Kelsey Thomas says this early opening is a test run to make sure everything works smoothly before severe conditions hit.
Mayor Kim Lund says the move underscores the city’s commitment to protecting residents’ health and dignity during winter weather. The center will be staffed by city representatives and nonprofit partners, with costs largely covered by existing budgets.
STORY: Port under investigation
The Port of Bellingham is under scrutiny after a year-long investigation revealed troubling patterns in its contract practices and governance.
According to recent reporting by The Northern Light, two consultant contracts, each just under the $100,000 threshold that requires formal bids, triggered the probe. A review of 40 similar contracts showed proper competitive documentation for only one. Some contracts grew far beyond their original amounts through amendments, while others were split into smaller pieces—a practice state law prohibits.
A 2025 audit by the State of Washington also flagged an original $906,000 federal contract awarded without proper competition, now grown to more than $3.2 million. Meanwhile, according to the reporting, commissioners holds executive sessions at far higher rates than comparable Washington ports, with nearly half of meeting time this year conducted behind closed doors.
The investigation raises questions about transparency, sole-source contracting, and oversight of public funds. In January, two new commissioners will take office and the board will expand from three to five seats. Many residents say they hope for stronger accountability and a shift toward more open governance at the Port of Bellingham.
STORY: Sehome High School students stage walkout in protest of education funding reductions
About 150 students at Sehome High School walked out of class last Wednesday afternoon, calling for better state funding for K–12 schools.
The district is currently considering changes to the high school schedule to save money. Bellingham Public Schools has faced an $11 million budget gap due to declining enrollment and rising costs. While voters passed two levies in September, district leaders say challenges remain.
Students shared stories of how budget cuts have affected them — from larger class sizes to reduced electives. State Rep. Alex Ramel also joined the walkout, and said lawmakers need to find sustainable ways to fully fund education.
The district says it is reviewing alternative schedules, including seven-period days or a trimester system, though leaders say elective options and AP classes would remain.
Students organized the walkout to urge the state to increase funding — and to protect the range of classes they say define their education.
For more on the proposed school schedule changes, KMRE will air an interview between a Sehome High School Student and Superintendent Dr. Greg Baker and produced by the Bellingham School District. Listen tonight, after the 5pm news.
STORY: Give to good causes, not to scammers
Giving Tuesday is tomorrow, and Washington officials want to remind donors to protect themselves from charity scams.
Attorney General Nick Brown says giving back is important, but donors shouldn’t have to worry their money will be stolen. Common scams include impostor charities, phishing emails or texts, pop-up organizations after natural disasters, and risky payment methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency.
Give safely by donating directly through verified charity websites, avoid links in unsolicited messages, verify the charity’s tax-exempt status, and use secure payment methods.
Just a reminder that KMRE is an IRS certified 501(c)3, so if you plan on giving tomorrow, please consider donating to KMRE news efforts.
STORY: Invasive European green crabs found in Skagit Bay
Researchers have confirmed that the highly invasive European green crab has reached Skagit Bay — and evidence suggests it’s been there for at least a couple of years undetected.
The species is known to destroy eelgrass, outcompete native crabs, and disrupt shellfish and fisheries worldwide.
According to an announcement from Washington Sea Grant, recent trapping efforts captured a dozen green crabs across three sites after a community member discovered a green crab shell during a routine Molt Search. Scientists say the find shows the community monitoring program is working exactly as intended.
The molt was found near Similk Beach on the Swinomish (SWIN-uh-mish) Reservation. Tribal fisheries staff say they knew the crabs would eventually arrive but were disheartened to catch the first ones.
The discovery comes amid a rise in green crab numbers across the Salish Sea. State officials report more than 17,800 crabs have been trapped this year alone, and monitoring continues as researchers track potential impacts on native shellfish and local ecosystems.
STORY: Bellingham Farmer’s Market asking for community donations to alleviate lack of federal funding for SNAP Market Match
For the first time since its founding 33 years ago, the Bellingham Farmers Market has issued a plea for community support for its SNAP Market Match program, in the hopes of making up for cuts in federal funding.
Through this program, shoppers using SNAP or EBT benefits can share with organizers how much they plan to spend, and the market then matches that total, with no limit on the amount. In addition to aiding SNAP recipients, Market Match encourages the purchase of fresh fruit and vegetables, which in turn increases sales for local farmers.
Bellingham’s Farmers Market is one of eleven outside of Seattle to offer unlimited matching, and received approximately $70,000 from Washington state this year to buttress the program. With the drop in incoming federal dollars, though, the program expects less than $20,000 from the state in 2026, which triggered the call for help.
WX: DING. DONG. DING. DONG.
And now for the weather:
December kicks off today with heavy clouds, and some scattered showers later this evening. High temperatures look to hover around the mid-40s, dropping down to lows in the upper 30s as nighttime sets in.
Some intermittent heavy rain tonight looks to mostly peter out by tomorrow morning, which will leave room for some partial sunshine to emerge later in the afternoon.
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 from everyone at the KMRE News Team, Happy Thanksgiving and thanks for listening!
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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.
