Bellingham consignment store robbed and vandalized, Former Whatcom caregiver convicted of raping disabled adult sentenced to lifetime in community custody, BPD to increase DUI patrols in wake of recent surge of arrests, County Exec. Sidhu announces timeline for development of new jail, Port of Bellingham seeking to add flights to Mexico from BLI, Lummi Island Ferry will be out of service for two weeks this spring, Guemes Ferry prices to significantly increase at the end of February, Canada ends border crossing permits for hikers on WA stretch of PCT, Bellingham man arrested for posting explicit content involving minors to social media
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KMRE brings you local news for Thursday, January 30th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY 1: Bellingham consignment store robbed and vandalized
A thief broke into the Labels consignment store on James Street early Tuesday morning.
Surveillance footage shows a suspect with a dark face covering and green jacket break a window, steal the cashbox, and flee on a bicycle. The store announced the break-in on Instagram and said no merchandise was stolen. The store reopened for business today.
Anyone with information should contact the store via their email address.
STORY 2: Former Whatcom caregiver convicted of raping disabled adult sentenced to lifetime in community custody
A judge sentenced former caretaker Nathaniel Matthew Miller to at least 80 months in prison, followed by lifetime community custody, for raping a developmentally disabled resident under his care at Holly Community Services in Bellingham.
Miller, a 47-year-old Ferndale resident, pleaded guilty to second-degree rape a year after being charged. According to court records, Miller was a caretaker at a Bellingham home that housed four disabled adults who required 24/7 care. The assault occurred in July 2023 and was witnessed by another resident. Miller’s nursing license was suspended indefinitely.
Judge Robert Olson from the Whatcom County Superior Court acknowledged that Miller took immediate responsibility for his actions, but called the assault one of the worst he had seen, and emphasized the severe betrayal of trust.
STORY 3: BPD to increase DUI patrols in wake of recent surge of arrests
Bellingham police are warning the public about a rise in impaired drivers after making 40 DUI arrests in the first 28 days of the year.
In a series of Facebook posts, police highlighted the troubling trend. One case involved a 24-year-old man who led officers on a chase through downtown last Saturday. He crashed into a parked car and a traffic barrier before his vehicle got stuck on the railroad tracks. Officers arrested him on multiple charges, including DUI.
Police say they plan to increase DUI patrols for the Super Bowl weekend.
STORY 4: County Exec. Sidhu announces timeline for development of new jail
A construction timeline for the new county jail has been announced.
County Executive Satpal Sidhu (saht-POW see-DO) announced the updates during a county council meeting Tuesday night. In a memo sent to the council earlier this week, Sidhu said the effort to develop a budget and financing for the jail will be in quote-unquote “high gear” this spring.
Discussions are slated to begin with a meeting between bond consultants, the county council and the Finance Advisory Board in mid-February. The Whatcom County Council will decide on the jail’s construction budget based on its capacity. Meanwhile, Sidhu’s office will keep the council informed about the budget, and the Sheriff’s Office will focus on design and construction.
STORY 5: Port of Bellingham seeking to add flights to Mexico from BLI
Officials with the Port of Bellingham are seeking to add commercial flights to Mexico from Bellingham Airport.
Before that happens, however, the Port will need to make safety improvements that will enter their first phase of construction this year. These improvements include a $30 million runway repaving project and a $100 million traffic control tower replacement; both will be federally funded. The Port also said it’s supporting efforts by airlines to recruit more pilots and acquire more planes in an effort to add new flights and destinations.
STORY 6: Lummi Island Ferry will be out of service for two weeks this spring
The Lummi Island Ferry will be out of service for two weeks this spring.
In a news release from earlier today, Whatcom County Public Works announced that the Whatcom Chief will undergo a two-week dry dock outage between April 18th and May 16th. During the outage, Public Works will offer pedestrian-only ferry service.
The specific dates for the outage are currently unknown as the county searches for shipyards to submit bids. The dates are expected to be announced in early March after the county decides on a bidder.
STORY 7: Guemes Ferry prices to significantly increase at the end of February
Skagit County has decided to increase fares for the Guemes (GWEE-mess) Island Ferry starting on February 26th to help cover operating costs.
The price hikes vary, with a peak-season adult passenger fare rising from $5.50 to $6.75 and a vehicle fare from $16.75 to $21. Multi-trip pass holders will see even steeper increases. Officials cite the need to reduce reliance on county road funds, which subsidized ferry operations by $1.7 million in 2023 — a number that could rise to $3.2 million in 2025.
Many island residents oppose the increases, calling them unfair and excessive.
STORY 8: Canada ends border crossing permits for hikers on WA stretch of PCT
Canada Border Services Agency announced it will no longer issue permits for Pacific Crest Trail hikers to cross into British Columbia.
The 2,650-mile trail, which runs from Mexico to the U.S.-Canada border, has an 8-mile extension into Canada leading to the nearest road. Hikers without permits must now backtrack 30 miles to Hart’s Pass or use an official border crossing, the nearest being Chopaka (cho-PAH-kuh), 50 miles east. Canadian Border Security cited security concerns and alignment with U.S. border policies as reasons for the change.
Many hikers, especially Canadians, will need to adjust their travel plans accordingly.
WX: So-lar long
And now for your Whatcom County weather,
Our streak of sunshine is expected to come to a close today, with some light rain expected to begin in the afternoon. Daytime highs will be in the mid-40s. Winds are expected to pick up as the evening wears on, with gusts reaching up to 22 miles per hour. Nighttime lows will be in the high-30s.
Expect slightly heavier winds and rain tomorrow, with up to a half-inch of precipitation.
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: Bellingham man arrested for posting explicit content involving minors to social media
A 19-year-old Bellingham man was arrested for posting and exchanging explicit content involving minors without their consent.
Investigators linked him to a social media account used for sharing such material. He was taken into custody on January 27 but has since been released on bond.
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