Man accused of bringing Mount Vernon girl across state lines sentenced to 20 years in prison, Severe weather shelters across Whatcom extending operating hours, Bellingham credit union announces branch closure to make room for tiny home village, Meridian School District to ask for third bond to replace aging middle school, WA officials push back against trans-exclusionary executive order, Free. As well as cheap, Construction on new Whatcom County jail complex expected to begin this year, Cleanup to begin at Harris Avenue Shipyard
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KMRE brings you local news for Friday, February 7th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: Man accused of bringing Mount Vernon girl across state lines sentenced to 20 years in prison
31-year-old Keith Freerksen (FREHRK-sen) of Michigan was sentenced on Wednesday to 20 years in federal prison for transporting a teenage girl from Mount Vernon across state lines with intent to engage in a sexual act.
Freerksen, a registered sex offender with a prior child pornography conviction, met the 14-year-old victim in the online chat service Omegle (oh-MAY-gull). Freerksen drove to Washington state, picked the victim up, then drove her back to Michigan. He was arrested on January 31st of last year, after law enforcement found the girl at his home. The victim had been missing for 30 days. According to court records, his federal sentence will run concurrently with a 15- to 70-year Michigan sentence.
Upon release, he must register as a sex offender and serve 20 years of supervised release.
STORY: Severe weather shelters across Whatcom extending operating hours
Severe weather shelters in Whatcom County will extend their hours through the beginning of next week.
The North Forest Street shelter will be open until Tuesday, with check-in from 4 to 9 p.m. and check-out by 9 a.m. The Lummi Nation shelter is open for tribal members through Wednesday. Ferndale’s shelter will operate through Sunday, but is no longer accepting referrals. The Lighthouse Mission remains open daily, with check-in at 7 p.m. and check-out at 8 a.m.
STORY: Bellingham credit union announces branch closure to make room for tiny home village
North Coast Credit Union will close its Northwest Avenue branch in Bellingham’s Birchwood neighborhood on February 28th.
North Coast sold the property to the City last year to develop North Haven tiny home village. The development will replace two existing tiny home villages which face relocation.
The credit union will maintain two branches in Whatcom County, one in Bellingham and one in Ferndale. Birchwood branch employees will be offered positions at other locations.
STORY: Meridian School District to ask for third bond to replace aging middle school
The Meridian School District will ask voters in April to approve a bond to replace its middle school. Originally built in 1938, it faces safety, accessibility, and structural issues.
The $71 million proposal is a reduction from the $75 million bond that failed last November. That bond fell short of the required 60% supermajority. The revised bond will focus solely on the middle school. If passed, the tax rate would be $1.35 per $1,000 of assessed property value.
Both Lynden and Blaine districts are also reconsidering bond measures after recent failures.
STORY: WA officials push back against trans-exclusionary executive order
Washington state officials say they will oppose President Trump’s executive order which bans transgender women from participating in girl’s and women’s sports and threatens to cut federal funding from non-compliant schools.
The Washington Interscholastic Athletics Association currently allows trans students to participate according to their gender identity, which aligns with state anti-discrimination laws. The association says it will review the potential impact of the order but plans to maintain compliance with state law. State Superintendent Chris Reykdal (RAKE-doll) criticized the order as an overreach of federal authority and affirmed the state’s commitment to inclusion.
Two amendments restricting trans athletes’ participation received support from several local school boards. These amendments will be considered by the association in April.
Free. As well as cheap.
It’s Friday – if you’re looking for something free or cheap to do this weekend, here’s a bit of what’s going on around the county.
From 5-8 p.m. tonight, Bellingham’s Sunnyland neighborhood will host Heart of the Art, a pop-up event which will showcase the city’s art scene and its many creatives. Martini Metalcraft, the event’s organizers, describe Heart of the Art as a “sidewalk slide through the artistic soul of Bellingham”. Hela (HELLA) Provisions, a specialty grocery store in Sunnyland, will kick off the evening with a product tasting from 4-6 p.m. Tickets for the tasting can be purchased for $10 at Hela’s website, with all proceeds going to Ragfinery’s fire recovery efforts.
Tomorrow evening will see the Mount Baker Theatre host its annual International Guitar Night at 7:30 p.m. The event will feature a special lineup for its 25th anniversary, featuring names such as Lulo (loo-LOW) Reinhardt, the grand-nephew of guitar legend Django Reinhardt. Tickets starting at $20.75 can be purchased at MBT’s website.
The Happy Tails Happy Homes nonprofit will be holding a Puppy Bowl on Sunday at Menace Brewing on Meridian Street. The event, which is free to attend and runs from noon to 2 p.m., will feature two teams of dogs competing at their best impression of a football game. The participating dogs will all be up for adoption; organizers hope the event will help them find permanent homes.
Finally, a handful of Bellingham bars and businesses will be hosting Super Bowl watch parties on Sunday. These include:
- The Blue Abode Bar on Newmarket Street, which will host its party at 3:30 p.m. for people aged 21 and over. During the game, wings, chili, nachos and chili cheese fries will all be 50% off, beer and wine will be $1 off, and specialty cocktails will be $2 off. Themed cocktails will also be served.
- The Flatstick Pub on State Street will also host a watch party starting at 3:30 p.m. They serve a variety of beer, cider and seltzers, along with dishes such as pizza, pretzels, churros and wings. The pub is open for all ages during the day, and only open to those 21 and over after 9 p.m.
WX: Hi! Welcome to Chilly!
And now weather,
A bright, sunny, and altogether chilly day is in the forecast today. Daytime highs are projected in the mid-30s, though we can expect a wind chill factor between 15 and 25 which should make that feel significantly colder. Some cloud cover may accumulate as the day wears on, which will lead to an overcast evening with lows in the mid-20s.
Temperatures are expected to vary over the weekend, with highs expected in the 40s, with a chance for additional snow, though it’s not expected to stick.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, and Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren). Our news director is Staci Baird. 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 _David Korb________… thanks for listening.
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STORY: Construction on new Whatcom County jail complex expected to begin this year
Whatcom County officials say they are weighing their options for the new jail and behavioral health facility in Ferndale, projected to be the county’s largest construction project ever.
Approved by voters in 2023, the $174 million facility could house up to 440 inmates, and aims to incorporate trauma-informed design and rehabilitation-focused features. Officials say they are trying to balance design ideas, budget constraints, and operational costs as well as seek local community and labor involvement. Revenue from a 0.2% sales tax increase began in July of last year.
Officials say financial planning discussions are set to begin in mid-February, and the earliest the facility could open is 2028.
STORY: Cleanup to begin at Harris Avenue Shipyard
The Washington State Department of Ecology says it seeks public comment on a legal agreement with the Port of Bellingham for the cleanup of the Harris Avenue Shipyard.
The Shipyard is one of 12 cleanup sites around Bellingham Bay that have been contaminated by decades of municipal and industrial practices. The waterfront site in Fairhaven includes 5 acres of polluted soil, groundwater and contaminated marine sediment. The agreement – a consent decree – covers only the upland cleanup, estimated at six-and-a-half million dollars and scheduled for later this year. In-water cleanup is expected to cost 21-and-a-half million dollars, but likely won’t begin until 2027.
Public comments are open until March 12th, and a meeting will be held if requested by at least 10 people. Local non-profit group RE Sources says it will host a public walking tour of the site on February 26th.
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