Flooding expected in Skagit, Flood watch issued for Whatcom, Bellingham man sentenced to five years for possession of child sexual abuse material, Three weekend assaults result in three arrests by WCSO, Jobs plummet, State bill proposed that would prohibit law enforcement from obscuring face while on the job
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, December, 10th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Flooding expected in Skagit
Major flooding is expected in Skagit County today through Friday.
The Skagit River is expected to crest at over 40 feet in Concrete around 10 a.m. tomorrow, and will reach about 37 feet in Mount Vernon early Friday. Both levels are near record flood levels. The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning until further notice.
Residents in low-lying areas, including Marblemount, Rockport, Concrete, Hamilton, Lyman, and Birdsview, are urged to prepare for possible evacuation and make plans for pets and livestock. The Skagit County Emergency Operations Center is coordinating with the Red Cross to open a shelter in East County.
Drivers should expect water over flood-prone roads and are warned: “Turn around, don’t drown.” Follow all closures and caution signs.
Updated river forecasts are available at www.skagitcounty.net/flood
STORY: Flood watch issued for Whatcom
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch in Whatcom County today, near rivers and in low-lying areas.
Forecasts call for up to three inches of rain today. The Nooksack River is expected to reach moderate flood stage at Saxon Road Bridge and Cedarville, which raises the risk of flooding in low-lying areas, streams, and overbank flows.
Here are the road closures as of 8:30 this morning.
- Closed roads include: Barrett Road (Ferndale at Paradise Road), Ferndale Road south of Slater Road, Marine Drive (Lummi and Bellingham sections), Bylsma (BILL-smuh) Road north of E Wiser Lake Road, Polinder Road between Hannegan and Bylsma Roads
- Use caution at: Ferndale Road north of Slater Road, W Smith Road (Ferndale), Bayon (bay-ON) Road (Bellingham), Kelly Road at Yellow Brick Road, Bylsma Road north of Polinder Road, and Wickersham Road (Acme)
- Hannegan Road between Lynden city limits and Polinder Road has been re-opened.
More updates on closures and conditions are available through Whatcom County Public Works.
STORY: Bellingham man sentenced to five years for possession of child sexual abuse material
A Bellingham man has been sentenced to just over five years in prison for possession of child sexual abuse material.
33-year-old Joshua Luke Reppert (REP-urt) was arrested in May after a nearly yearlong investigation that began with cyber tips from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Police say Reppert accessed and stored illegal images and videos on social media and cloud platforms between late 2024 and May of this year.
Judge Evan Jones imposed the agreed sentence of 61 months in prison and three years of community custody, saying the crimes are “not victimless.”
Reports of child sexual abuse material can be made to the CyberTipline.
STORY: Three weekend assaults result in three arrests by WCSO
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office says three Bellingham men were arrested over the weekend in separate second-degree assault cases.
Late Friday night, deputies responded to a home outside Bellingham and found a victim with a swollen forehead who said a 45-year-old man they knew shoved and kicked them.
Around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, a second incident unfolded after an argument. Deputies say a 29-year-old man put his arms around the victim’s neck and began strangling them before a witness intervened. Investigators say that case is not being treated as domestic violence.
And Sunday afternoon in Sudden Valley, a 33-year-old man was arrested after allegedly attempting to strangle someone known to him.
All three suspects were booked into the Whatcom County Jail, where they remained as of Monday.
STORY: Whatcom deputy executive named director of Seattle’s city budget office
A top Whatcom County official is returning to Seattle.
According to a recent press release, Deputy Executive Aly Pennucci (ALLIE pu-NOO-chee) has now been hired as Seattle’s new budget director. Pennucci spent the last 18 months improving transparency and financial planning in Whatcom County.
County Executive Satpal Sidhu (SAT-paul si-DOO) praised Pennucci’s impact, saying she modernized the county budget and brought “invaluable” professionalism. Sidhu says the county will set up an interim leadership plan rather than immediately hiring a replacement.
STORY: Skagit County Superior Court judge announces retirement
A longtime Northwest judge has announced he will retire after more than 20 years on the bench.
Skagit County Superior Court Judge Thomas L. Verge will step down in December. Verge had a wide-ranging legal career in private practice and as a prosecutor, and has served in both district and superior courts in Skagit and Whatcom counties.
Governor Bob Ferguson announced the appointment of Superior Court Commissioner Mary Crandall to fill the seat. She’ll begin December 31st.
STORY: Amazon settles COVID-era claims
Amazon will pay more than $3.7 million to settle claims in Seattle that it violated protections for gig and app-based workers during the pandemic.
The City of Seattle’s Office of Labor Standards says Amazon Flex drivers received premium pay and sick time only for food and grocery deliveries — not for package deliveries from Amazon warehouses.
The settlement covers nearly 11,000 workers and includes $20,000 in city fines. Payments to affected workers are expected to begin around January 1st.
In an announcement, the company denied wrongdoing— and says it is pleased to have settled the matter so it can focus on supporting drivers and customers.
STORY: Jobs plummet
New numbers say the Seattle job market is dropping, while employment in Whatcom remains relatively stable.
According to Indeed.com, the Seattle metro area has seen a 35% drop in online job postings since February 2020— the second-largest decline in the nation behind San Francisco. The slowdown has hit white-collar and tech-heavy sectors, as companies restructure amid artificial intelligence developments and broader economic uncertainty.
Labor experts say rising interest rates, budget shortfalls, and other economic pressures have shifted the market from a situation where “jobs were chasing people” to one where “people are chasing jobs.”
By contrast, Whatcom County’s job market has remained more stable, with unemployment moderately low and job losses modest, according to data from Employment Security. Some local sectors, like manufacturing, have even seen growth, though service and “white-collar adjacent” jobs have weakened — which mirrors the broader economic pressures seen in larger metro areas.
New employment data and potential Federal Reserve rate cuts later this month may indicate how quickly recovery could come.
STORY: State bill proposed that would prohibit law enforcement from obscuring face while on the job
More than 20 Washington State Senators have brought forward a new bill that would prohibit law enforcement agents from concealing their faces.
Senate Bill 5855 specifically mentions ski masks, and similar types of facial covering. Clear or translucent face shields that do not conceal identity, as well as respirators would be exempt from the new legislation and remain permissible. N95 masks meant to limit disease transmission, bicycle helmets, and other safety-related apparatus would also be allowed.
California recently passed a similar law set to go into effect in 2026, though the Trump administration has filed a lawsuit seeking to block it.
WX: Dangerous levels of dihydrogen monoxide
And now for the weather:
Folks, it’s about to get wet.
Rain today is forecast to be anywhere between half an inch and three full inches. Be prepared for moderate winds to accompany today’s airborne swimming pool, with gusts reaching up to 23 miles per hour. Daytime highs should reach the mid-50s, and drop to the mid-40s later this evening. We should see a break in the rain tonight, with precipitation expected to be only a half inch.
In comparison, tomorrow looks positively desert-esque, with under a tenth of an inch of rainfall expected throughout the day.
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), 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. To help support what we do, check out our Patreon, Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thanks for listening!
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