Longtime Lynden political leader arrested, accused of domestic violence, Bellingham eliminates downtown ambassadors, Lund to revamp RSU, Man was seriously injured in a New Year’s Eve hit and run in Ferndale, Police searching for suspect after student assaulted at WWU, Hilary Franz asks WA Legislature to restore wildfire prevention funding, COVID on the rise, Police all over Happy Valley, stabbing?
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STORY: Longtime Lynden political leader arrested, accused of domestic violence
The Executive Director of the Lynden Chamber of Commerce was arrested Sunday and charged with felony second-degree domestic violence assault.
Gary Alan Vis, 58, is also a member of the Lynden City Council, elected in November. Lynden Police first responded to a call of a domestic disturbance on Saturday. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office stepped in when the police realized Vis was involved. Vis had allegedly been arguing with a family member and put them in a chokehold for a minute. According to Public Information Officer Deb Slater, Vis was pried away by another family member. He was arrested at midnight and booked into jail in Bellingham. He was released later that day without bail or bond, but rather on personal recognizance, meaning he wrote a written promise to show up in court when required.
Upon his return to his office Tuesday, Vis said that, “the specific circumstances regarding the situation are not a secret, but are a private family matter, not for public discussion.”
His next court appearance will be on February 2nd.
STORY: Bellingham eliminates downtown ambassadors, Lund to revamp RSU
Last year, the downtown safety ambassadors were removed from street patrols – now, mayor Kim Lund says she has a new vision for security in the city.
In 2022, then-mayor Seth Fleetwood responded to increased behavioral problems among homeless populations downtown by hiring the Downtown Safety Ambassadors as well as Risk Solutions Unlimited (RSU).
Ambassadors provided guidance for tourists during the day and redirected the homeless toward social services. The Risk solutions unit provided the same service at night. Neither unit carried firearms. The city spent over one million dollars on both programs over the two years they were hired.
Fleetwood removed the Ambassador program last Fall, and now RSU representatives are patrolling the area 24 hours a day.
Lund, however, plans to revamp the RSU and perceives security as just a part of her many goals for creating a more prosperous downtown. A new contract for the security firm is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.
STORY: Man was seriously injured in a New Year’s Eve hit and run in Ferndale
Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect and the vehicle involved in a New Year’s Eve hit-and-run incident in Ferndale.
Ferndale Police said the vehicle is likely to be a darkly colored Ford F-150 with damage to the passenger side. The incident took place in the early hours of January 1st, when Landon Cochran was hit in the 1500 block of Main Street. The vehicle was last seen traveling westwards near I-5. Cochran, who was walking when the vehicle struck him, is currently under observation at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle with two traumatic brain injuries.
Ferndale Police ask anyone with information to contact the department.
STORY: Police searching for suspect after student assaulted at WWU
Police are searching for a young suspect after a WWU student was assaulted by a teenager near the Fairhaven College campus.
According to the university, a group of WWU students were confronted by teens in the stage area of the Outback farm at around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday. One teen, who was allegedly intoxicated, eventually punched a student without warning.
The teens fled once a student notified campus police.
The suspect is expected to be a white male, aged 16-19, last seen in a gray hoodie.
STORY: Hilary Franz asks WA Legislature to restore wildfire prevention funding
Public Lands Commissioner Hilary Franz is urging state lawmakers to restore cuts made to the agency’s wildfire preparedness and response programs.
Last year, lawmakers approved a $36 million reduction in funding through 2025. Without restoration, Franz says, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) may have to cut community assistance programs, reduce prescribed burns or thinning, and potentially lay off staff. According to Franz, DNR relies on federal grants in the absence of state funding for wildfire prevention efforts. The funding cut, if not reversed, could impact fire districts, forest health programs, and underserved communities. The agency argues that the funding was cut due to money from the previous budget earmarked for contracts not yet spent.
The governor has proposed increasing funding to more than $108 million dollars, with some lawmakers advocating for full restoration. Commissioner Franz attributes the relatively mild fire season in 2023 to the agency’s ability to detect and respond quickly, along with new investments in forest health treatments, and has urged lawmakers not to abandon efforts to support wildfire prevention and response.
STORY: COVID on the rise
Wastewater testing suggests a new wave of COVID-19 infections is on its way, with up to one-third of Americans expected to contract the disease by late February.
According to the Center for Disease Control, the JN.1 variant is fueling the new wave. Wastewater analysis indicates a peak in late December with 1.9 million daily infections– the highest since the omicron wave of 2021.
Experts emphasize the importance of precautions, especially for older individuals, and highlight the risk of long COVID. However, with pandemic fatigue up, and hospitalizations down, many are inclined to shrug off the disease. But COVID-19 continues to take thousands of lives a month, especially among vulnerable populations. Inconsistent testing and analysis methods also make it challenging to gauge local trends. While some universities and states have implemented wastewater testing programs, interest in this approach has declined overall.
The U.S. government is providing Americans with the opportunity to order an additional round of four free COVID-19 tests through COVIDtests.gov. This is the first winter where insurers are no longer obligated to cover the costs of at-home tests, which now average $11 out of pocket.
WX: Rain
The rain will continue today with a high of 49 degrees and winds with gusts as high as 21 mph. Winds will calm down tonight, with temperatures lowering down to 41. Expect more rain all week.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, and Tristan Trudell. 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. If you would like to help keep local news accessible, check out our new Patreon page at patreon.com/kmrenews or go to kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m ________________, and thanks for listening.
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STORY: Police all over Happy Valley, stabbing?
