Three suspects arrested in Whatcom County on drug dealing charges, Blaine man facing hate crime and assault charges following Bellingham bar fight, Multiple Bellingham restaurants announce closures, Community townhall to be held in Blaine tonight to discuss education funding shortfall, Proposed tariffs could impact up to $7 billion in WA imports from Canada, WA sues T-Mobile over data breach thought to have affected over 2 million residents, Whatcom SAR volunteers aid in rescue of lost backcountry skier
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, January 7th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Three suspects arrested in Whatcom County on drug dealing charges
A forgotten cell phone at a business in Bellingham led to the arrest of two suspected drug dealers on Saturday.
While trying to identify the phone’s owner, security staff discovered evidence of drug dealing and alerted police. Authorities found the suspects’ vehicle at a local hotel, where a search yielded large amounts of fentanyl, meth, heroin, and cocaine. The suspects, a 37-year-old woman and a 38-year-old man, were arrested and remain in jail on $250,000 bail each.
In a separate incident, a 47-year-old man was arrested for suspected drug dealing after a van with expired tags was pulled over. A K-9 search revealed fentanyl in his possession. He remains in jail on $175,000 bail.
STORY: Blaine man facing hate crime and assault charges following Bellingham bar fight
A Blaine man is facing hate crime and assault charges in connection with an incident at a downtown Bellingham bar in late December.
25-year-old Trevor R. Mikoch (ME-kotch) is accused of attacking a 23-year-old gay man from Lyndon in the early hours of December 21st at The Orion.
Bellingham Police Lieutenant Claudia Murphy said the incident started when the victim heard Mikoch using racial slurs toward another patron and telling other patrons he wanted to fight that person. When the victim tried to intervene, Mikoch responded by calling him a homophobic slur and attacking him. Mikoch was arrested that same day, but was released after posting bail on December 23rd.
This is not his first brush with the law. Back in 2017, Mikoch was sentenced to two years of community custody as part of a deal to avoid prison after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and alprazolam (al-PRA-zuh-lam) with the intent to distribute. That same year, he was also sentenced to three months in Whatcom County Jail after assaulting a law enforcement officer.
Mikoch has been ordered to stand trial on charges including assault in the commission of a hate crime and fourth-degree assault. He pleaded not guilty, and a trial date was set for March 17th.
STORY: Multiple Bellingham restaurants announce closures
Bellingham saw significant changes at the end of 2024, with three popular eateries closing in December.
Pepper Sisters, a Southwestern restaurant in downtown Bellingham, closed after 36 years. Despite being listed for sale for $180,000, the business was unable to find a buyer. The space at North State Street will be taken over by Bordertown Mexican Grill.
The Twin Sisters Brewing Company, located at Carolina Avenue, also shut down. The brewery announced its closure on New Year’s Eve, and thanked customers for their support. The space will be taken over by the Stemma Brewing Company, which plans to reopen after renovations.
Finally, Little Dog Coffee Company, a drive-through espresso stand and cafe at East Bakerview Road, closed on December 12th after six years in business. The owners cited economic conditions and family priorities as reasons for the closure, expressing gratitude to their loyal customers.
No new restaurants opened in December.
STORY: Community townhall to be held in Blaine tonight to discuss education funding shortfall
A town hall will be held tonight at 6 pm at the Blaine Performing Arts Center to discuss the education funding shortfall.
The organizers, who describe themselves as quote “a group of dedicated parents and community members” unquote, along with a parent group called Fund Schools Now, say they hope to address inadequate state funding for public education.
On their website, Fund Schools Now says the goal of the meeting is to start a conversation with legislators ahead of difficult budgetary decisions that are expected in the 2025 regular legislative session. Back in November, outgoing Governor Inslee warned that the state is facing a $10 billion deficit and reductions will need to be made.
Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal (RIKE-doll) has requested an increase of nearly $3 billion for public schools in the 2025 budget. However, the current operating budget does not propose expanding current programs and services.
STORY: Proposed tariffs could impact up to $7 billion in WA imports from Canada
Proposed U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports could impact businesses and consumers, but their extent remains uncertain.
The tariffs, initially floated by incoming President Trump as a 25% tax on goods from Canada and Mexico, are seen by many as a negotiating tactic.
Trade between British Columbia and Washington state is significant: Washington imported $7 billion in goods from B.C. in 2023, including oil, lumber, and electricity, and exported $5 billion in goods such as refined petroleum, power, and seafood. Tariffs could disrupt supply chains since many products, like oil, cross the border multiple times.
Economists warn that tariffs could hurt cross-border businesses and lead to retaliation from Canada, possibly targeting aerospace parts, machinery,
fruit, and wine. Retaliation could also discourage Canadian shoppers from visiting the U.S., especially with Canada’s weakened currency.
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement trade deal currently keeps tariffs low, but if the U.S. imposes new tariffs, duty-free exemptions for individual cross-border shoppers could be at risk.
Experts agree the situation is uncertain, and businesses are bracing for potential impacts, depending on how negotiations unfold.
STORY: WA sues T-Mobile over data breach thought to have affected over 2 million residents
Washington state is suing T-Mobile over a 2021 data breach that exposed the personal information of over 2 million Washington residents and nearly 80 million customers nationwide.
The exposed data included Social Security numbers, phone numbers, names, addresses, and driver’s license information.
Outgoing Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced the lawsuit yesterday, just before becoming governor. The lawsuit alleges that T-Mobile ignored cybersecurity concerns for years, leading to the breach, and failed to adequately notify affected customers. The state seeks civil penalties, restitution, and improvements to T-Mobile’s cybersecurity policies.
T-Mobile responded, saying it was surprised by the lawsuit but remains open to further discussions. The company claims it has improved its cybersecurity practices since the breach.
WX: David Fogden Stiers
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
We’re expecting predominantly cloudy weather for the remainder of today, following this morning’s dense fog. Highs for today are projected to be in the mid-40s, dropping down into the mid-to-high 30s at night.
Tomorrow should bring some partial sunshine, alongside temperatures potentially climbing up into the low-50s.
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, Stevie Sjogren (SHOW-gren), 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: Whatcom SAR volunteers aid in rescue of lost backcountry skier
The first day of the year got off to a dangerous start, when search and rescue volunteers spent 14 hours helping a skier lost in the backcountry.
According to a recent announcement by the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, Mount Baker Ski Patrol, U.S Customs and Border Protection, Air and Marine support, and Whatcom County Search and Rescue volunteers collaborated to aid a 34-year-old skier who was separated from his partner and lost in a drainage area. Volunteers had to contend with the ongoing risk of avalanche, open creeks, and waterfalls. The location was considered too dangerous to attempt a land rescue, so Border Patrol officers used a hoist-equipped helicopter from the U.S Coast Guard to air-drop an overnight kit with food, shelter, and a radio to the skier.
The next morning, the Bellingham Mountain Rescue team navigated the extreme and hazardous terrain and successfully rescued the man. His name has not been released.
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