ICE reports arrest of man with suspected terror connections in Whatcom County, Bellingham Police searching for man suspected of pulling gun on homeowner, Bellingham man killed in single-vehicle crash, Bellingham purchases half an acre of Lake Whatcom land to protect watershed, Blaine citizens form education nonprofit in response to declining district funding, Coalition of federal agencies considering further environmental regulations on Columbia River
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, December 2nd. Good afternoon, I’m Theron Danielson.
STORY: ICE reports arrest of man with suspected terror connections in Whatcom County
A Jordanian citizen with suspected terrorist connections was arrested near Lynden by U.S. Border Patrol officers.
A news release from ICE’s (I-see-EES) field office in Seattle stated that 41-year-old Mohammad Hasan Abdellatif Albana (huh-SUN ab-DEL-la-teef ow-BUN-nah) was detained for entering without proper admission or inspection. ICE says they subsequently returned him to Jordan.
Authorities have not disclosed details about his arrest or his alleged ties to terrorist organizations.
STORY: Bellingham Police searching for man suspected of pulling gun on homeowner
Bellingham Police are asking for the public’s help in locating a suspect accused of pulling a gun on a homeowner.
According to BPD, the homeowner noticed the suspect loitering outside his residence yesterday afternoon. After being asked to leave, the suspect allegedly responded by pulling out a gun and pointing it at the homeowner before running away.
The suspect is described as a white man with dark hair and roughly 6 feet tall. He was last seen on Racine Street, wearing a tan hat, black jacket and gray pants.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911.
STORY: Bellingham man killed in single-vehicle crash
A Bellingham man was killed in a single-car crash near the Clinton Ferry Terminal on Tuesday morning.
A press memo by the Washington State Patrol (WSP) stated that 40-year-old Shawn Anthony Poolman was driving southbound on State Route 525 when the car left the roadway and struck a tree. Poolman, who was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash, was declared dead at the scene. His passenger, a 40-year-old woman from Clinton, was uninjured.
Speed was cited as the cause of the crash, and it is unknown whether drugs or alcohol were involved.
STORY: Bellingham purchases half an acre of Lake Whatcom land to protect watershed
The City of Bellingham has purchased two Lake Whatcom properties that total around a half-acre of land will costfor nearly $1.3 million.
According to the city’s Public Works Department, one property closed late last month, and the other is set to be finalized on or around December 6th.
The City of Bellingham’s efforts to protect the watershed began in earnest in 2001, and are funded by watershed fees. As of September of this year, the city’s acquisitions have totalled around 2,800 acres.
STORY: Blaine citizens form education nonprofit in response to declining district funding
The newly formed Peace Arch Education Foundation in Blaine aims to support the local school district as it faces a decline in enrollment and inadequate state funding.
In a recent announcement, the nonprofit, founded by former school board member Charles Gibson, says it seeks to address specific needs through community input rather than supplementing the district’s budget.
The foundation, which includes five board members and several advisors, has already held listening sessions to gather feedback from parents, teachers, and community members. Key concerns include funding for school trips, behavior support, after-school programs, and basic needs through the district’s Family Service Center. Board members emphasized a deliberate approach to planning, prioritizing sustainable and impactful support for the district’s needs over quick fixes.
Superintendent Chris Granger expressed optimism about the foundation’s potential, citing successful examples of similar organizations in other districts. The Peace Arch Education Foundation plans to officially launch its fundraising efforts with a gala next spring.
STORY: Dept. of Children, Youth and Families proposes $77 million budget cut to two state early learning programs
Washington’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) has proposed cutting $77 million from early learning programs.
The proposed cuts include a reduction of $68 million from the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP), which serves 3- to 5-year-olds, and the elimination of the Early ECEAP program for children under 3, totaling nearly $9.3 million. The changes could remove 1,800 slots from early childhood programs that affect roughly 200 children in Early ECEAP.
In a recent release, the Department emphasized that the cuts aim to minimize harm by targeting unfilled slots—ECEAP has 2,000 vacant spots due to provider shortages. However, critics, including the Washington State Association of Head Start, argue the cuts disproportionately impact vulnerable, low-income families and children of color. The state’s early childhood programs support 14,000 children, with 90% of families living below 200% of the federal poverty level; the programs are credited for transformative impacts on children’s lives.
Lawmakers will make final budget decisions in the 2024 session, and discussions about potential tax increases to offset the deficit are ongoing.
STORY: Coalition of federal agencies considering further environmental regulations on Columbia River
The Columbian reports that a trio of federal agencies, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are considering additional environmental guidelines for the Columbia River.
Environmental groups and Native tribes are hoping the agencies will recommend the removal of Snake River dams; however, with Republicans set to take control of Congress and the White House in January, there is uncertainty as to what will happen. Republicans have opposed Snake River dam removal, and it’s unclear how the new Trump presidency will affect the agencies’ decision-making.
An environmental impact statement, or EIS, was issued in 2020. It did not recommend the removal of the dams; subsequently, litigation was pursued by Native nations and environmental groups. An agreement reached last year paused that litigation for up to a decade and mandated certain actions from the government, including potentially producing a supplement to the document that would change the government’s stance on issues including the dams’ removal.
Earth Justice lawyer Amanda Goodin stated the stakes of the federal agencies’ potential action could not be higher or more time-sensitive, and acknowledged the issue will ultimately be decided by Congress.
WX: December’s a goddamn liar
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
A slight uptick in temperatures is forecasted for today, with highs in the upper 40s. After the morning fog we should see mostly sunny skies and calm northern winds throughout the day, with increasing evening clouds that should bring nighttime lows down into the mid-30s.
This weather pattern is currently forecast to stick around for the next couple of days, so expect more of the same tomorrow.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Riley Weeks, Brodey O’Brien, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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 Theron Danielson, and thank you for listening.
