WWU reveals policy changes meant to protect students from immigration enforcement, City of Bellingham seeking renter’s input ahead of next council meeting, New Bellingham cafe specializes in supporting clientele recovering from addiction, Ferndale police warn motorists of roadside scammers, State reps announce plan to block WA from diverting funds seized from certain foster youth, Suspect arrested in connection with September Bellis Fair Mall bomb threat, Sunsets Sunset tonight in Bellingham should be around 4:56 p.m.
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, January 27th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: WWU reveals policy changes meant to protect students from immigration enforcement
Western Washington University has updated its policies to protect students from immigration enforcement.
The update follows reports of federal plans to target deportation efforts in sanctuary states like Washington. The new rules, approved by President Sabah Randhawa (suh-BAH run-DAH-wah) earlier this month, prohibit using university resources for immigration enforcement, including surveillance. Employees are restricted from collecting students’ immigration or citizenship information unless necessary. The policy also includes procedures for handling federal immigration officers on campus.
The University says the changes align with state law, which bars public universities from supporting immigration enforcement.
STORY: City of Bellingham seeking renter’s input ahead of next council meeting
The City of Bellingham seeks feedback from renters on potential ordinances aimed at reducing “junk fees.”
The first proposed ordinance requires landlords to be transparent and limit fees outside of monthly rent. The second applies similar rules to mobile and manufactured homes, and includes refunding application fees for unaccepted applicants and a cap on late rent fees at 2%—1% for mobile-slash-manufactured homes. Additional hidden costs, such as appliance usage fees, would be prohibited.
Renters can share their input through a survey open until February 14th.
STORY: New Bellingham cafe specializes in supporting clientele recovering from addiction
A new cafe on Flora Street is designed to help those in addiction recovery with hot meals and peer-led recovery circles.
Located at the First Baptist Church, guests at the Recovery Café must remain clean and sober while in the space and participate in acts of service. According to reporting by the Cascadia Daily News, the Café has joined a network of 77 Recovery Cafés nationwide — 17 in Washington alone. The approach emphasizes quote-unquote “loving accountability,” where volunteers—many of whom are in recovery themselves—work alongside individuals on their recovery journeys without judgment or clinical case management.
Amid increasing demand due to encampment clearings, the organizers of the Café hope to expand its hours before the next cold season. Currently, it operates Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon to 4 p.m.
STORY: City of Bellingham to debate funding Whatcom severe weather shelter
The City of Bellingham will consider allocating up to $150,000 from its Affordable Housing sales tax fund to support Whatcom County’s severe weather shelter.
The decision will first be reviewed this afternoon by the city council’s Community and Economic Development Committee; the full council will then confirm the funds if approved in committee tonight.
The Whatcom County Council requested the funds to expand shelter services. However, even if the funding shift is approved, operational control of the shelter will remain exclusively with the county.
STORY: Ferndale police warn motorists of roadside scammers
Ferndale Police is warning residents about an increase in roadside scammers who claim they need money for an emergency.
The individuals offer fake gold jewelry for sale, and have occasionally become aggressive when refused. Police advise residents not to engage with the scammers— instead, leave the area and call 9-1-1 to report the incident.
STORY: State reps announce plan to block WA from diverting funds seized from certain foster youth
Washington currently collects around $700,000 a month in federal benefits intended for about 750 foster children— and uses it to fund the agency that oversees their care.
Intercepting benefits such as Retirement, Survivors, Disability Insurance, and Supplemental Security Income from foster youth who have lost parents or live with disabilities is legal, and not exclusive to Washington. However, two state lawmakers now hope to end it.
State Senators Judy Warnick from Moses Lake and Emily Alvarado from West Seattle say they will bring bills forward this legislative session to ensure funds go directly to foster youth. Warnick’s proposal is modeled on Arizona’s 2023 law, which also provides financial education for foster youth.
The Washington Department of Children, Youth, and Families supports the reform, but estimates it would require $12 million in the 2025-thru-2027 budget to replace lost revenue. This comes as the state faces a multibillion-dollar budget deficit, with Governor Ferguson calling for a 6% reduction in state agency spending.
Efforts to end the practice have faced challenges in previous years. While a related bill passed the House in 2023, it stalled in the Senate. A work group established that same year has since recommended policy changes, which have informed the current legislative push. Critics argue the practice unfairly burdens foster youth, many of whom face financial instability and homelessness after aging out of the system.
A 2021 report by The Marshall Project and NPR found that, nationally, states collected over $165 million from foster children in 2018. Arizona, Washington, D.C. and Kansas have recently ended the practice, setting a precedent for reform in Washington state.
WX: That weird hole Magnus made upon leaving Mundus
And now for your Whatcom County weather,
Our streak of sunny days is set to continue for a good chunk of the week. Today’s forecast calls for calm winds and temperatures in the mid-40s. We can expect the clear skies to persist into the evening, with temperatures dropping to lows in the mid-to-high 20s.
Continued sunny skies and consistent temperatures are in the forecast for tomorrow, though we may see some rain—or even snow—later in the week.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Paloma Ortiz, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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 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: Suspect arrested in connection with September Bellis Fair Mall bomb threat
Police arrested a 41-year-old Bellingham man yesterday in connection with a bomb threat at Bellis Fair mall.
According to police reports, the man allegedly called 9-1-1 on September 25th, claiming a bomb would explode at the mall within 10 minutes. Police and mall security found no evidence of a bomb. Investigators later determined the suspect made the call to distract police from his location near a drug dealer.
Early yesterday, the man was identified during a traffic stop and arrested on an outstanding warrant. He was charged with shoplifting and making bomb threats, and then booked into the Whatcom County Jail.
STORY: Sunsets Sunset tonight in Bellingham should be around 4:56 p.m.
The darkest days of winter are almost over. Sunset in Bellingham tonight is at 4:56. Daylight is increasing by about 2 to 3-and-a-half minutes each day as we move closer to spring. In just about six weeks, we’ll see sunsets as late as 7 p.m.
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