Woman implicated in kidnapping of Bellingham man facing multiple felony charges, Bellingham to require residents to use curbside compost bins for organic waste beginning in 2025, Whatcom County initiates controversial fire department cost review, Whatcom listed by Dept. of Interior among WA counties most at risk for landslides, State funds for aiding the homeless running low, Gov. Inslee imposes indefinite state agency spending freeze, Court upholds decision against Meta
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, December 4th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Woman implicated in kidnapping of Bellingham man facing multiple felony charges
34-year-old Janelle Hill has been charged with multiple felonies for allegedly leading a kidnapping and robbery in Bellingham on October 29th.
According to court documents, Hill and two masked accomplices kidnapped a man she knew, claiming he had stolen property from her. The group ransacked the victim’s workplace and stole various items. The victim was then forced to drive the group to another location, where they tied him up in the back of his van. The victim managed to escape and sought help from a nearby resident.
Hill was arrested on November 11th in a storage unit. She was found in possession of a firearm despite being prohibited from doing so due to prior convictions. Hill faces charges of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery with a deadly weapon, theft of a motor vehicle, and unlawful firearm possession. The investigation is ongoing, and her accomplices remain unidentified.
STORY: Bellingham to require residents to use curbside compost bins for organic waste beginning in 2025
Bellingham will require all residents to participate in the FoodPlus! food waste recycling program starting early next year, ahead of a statewide mandate.
According to the City, the program costs $13.69 a month, and residents will be provided a 60-gallon bin for food scraps, yard debris, food-soiled paper, and compostable packaging, which will be collected biweekly. The initiative aims to reduce landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions by diverting organic materials—currently 30% of the county’s waste stream—into composting.
Approximately 8,000 households already use the service, and the City says an education campaign will help the 12,000 new customers learn what materials to include. By mid-2025, residents will have three bins: one for trash, one for recycling, and another for organic waste. As per state law, areas outside Bellingham, including Whatcom County’s urban growth area, will not face the mandate until 2030.
The city says its proactive measures align with their broader goals to improve waste management and sustainability.
STORY: Whatcom County initiates controversial fire department cost review
Whatcom County has launched a controversial study to explore efficiencies and potential cost savings in its fire protection and EMS systems.
The more-than-$220,000 study, approved by the County Council last December and led by consulting firm Mission Critical Partners, aims to identify collaboration or consolidation opportunities among the county’s 12 fire districts, one regional fire authority, two municipal fire departments, and one EMS system. According to the County, the study will evaluate compliance with national standards, staffing needs, and response times, with a draft report expected by next summer.
Fire officials, who were excluded from early discussions, protested the study and cited inaccuracies in the council’s supporting documents. Initial interactions with Mission Critical have drawn criticism, with fire leaders reporting the firm’s lack of familiarity with local systems and state laws. Some officials have labeled the study a misuse of taxpayer funds.
Despite a rocky start, MCP consultant Rick Harrison acknowledged the challenges but noted progress through recent interviews and facility tours with fire chiefs, EMS managers, and union representatives.
STORY: Whatcom listed by Dept. of Interior among WA counties most at risk for landslides
According to the Department of the Interior, Whatcom County is among the ten Washington counties most at-risk for landslides.
County-level data published by the department’s Geological Survey in September found that roughly 82% of land in the county is susceptible to landslides, which amounts to almost 1,760 square miles. This ranks Whatcom tenth in the list of counties most susceptible to landslides. Chelan County, where nearly 95% of the land is susceptible, ranks first.
Landslides, which are often impossible to predict, are typically caused by forces such as heavy rainfall, snowmelt, earthquakes, volcanic activity and human activities. Risk factors include urbanization, logging and deforestation.
There were 310 fatal landslides around the world in the first half of 2024 alone, with a combined death toll of 2,315. The Department of the Interior says that, on average, 25-to-50 people are killed by landslides annually in the United States.
STORY: State funds for aiding the homeless running low
The Department of Commerce says that Washington state faces a $403 million shortfall in funding for homelessness services due to a decline in revenue from document recording fees.
A Whatcom County Health and Community Services report from last year says that there are over a thousand people in the county experiencing homelessness on any given night. However, programs like emergency shelters, rent assistance, and homeless youth support depend on the fees that homebuyers pay, and the slowdown in the housing market has resulted in a drastic drop in funding.
Commerce has asked the Legislature to allocate money from the general fund to avoid service cuts, address inflation, and support local governments experiencing similar funding declines.
The state is also grappling with a projected $12 billion deficit in its overall operating budget over the next four years. Lawmakers face a tough challenge balancing budget priorities, with proposals like new taxes on high-value real estate sales potentially resurfacing next year.
Divisions remain within the legislature, however, with Democrats pushing for new revenue streams to try to support programs and Republicans opposing additional taxes.
STORY: Gov. Inslee imposes indefinite state agency spending freeze
In other budget-related news, Governor Inslee has implemented a spending freeze for state government agencies to help address that projected $12 billion deficit over the next four years.
The freeze applies to nonessential hiring, service contracts, equipment purchases and travel, though there is an exemption for spending on critical services and hiring for essential roles.
The deficit stems from rising costs, increased demand for public services, and lower-than-expected tax revenue. Inslee urged all agencies to adopt similar cost-saving measures, emphasizing the need for immediate savings without compromising public safety or essential health and welfare services.
The directive, issued last month, will remain in effect indefinitely.
WX: Carry on, my wayward sun
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Expect a day largely dominated by sunshine and tolerably warm weather, with daytime highs projected in the mid-upper 40s. Temperatures and clear skies are both expected to decline as the day wears on, with an evening forecast of cloudy weather and lows in the 30s.
More cloud cover is forecast for tomorrow, with a chance of rain beginning in the late morning.
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 ________________, and thank you for listening.
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STORY: Court upholds decision against Meta
The Washington Court of Appeals upheld a $24.6 million penalty against Meta, Facebook’s parent company, for intentionally violating Washington’s campaign finance laws 822 times.
The court also tripled Attorney General Bob Ferguson’s legal fees to $10.5 million, citing Meta’s intentional misconduct. These penalties stem from Meta’s failure to comply with state requirements for transparency in campaign advertising, such as disclosing ad costs, sponsors, and targeting details.
Meta had argued that the law was unconstitutional and sought reduced penalties, but the court rejected these claims. The case dates back to 2020, when Ferguson sued Meta for ignoring a 2018 consent decree requiring transparency. This decision reinforces Washington’s stringent campaign finance laws, with penalties directed to the state’s Public Disclosure Transparency Account.
