WWU fires police officer facing trial for assault charge, Ferndale mother pleads guilty to manslaughter, Bellingham City Council considers shuttering supportive housing facility, Bellingham Value Village employees find real ammunition among prop munitions, Bellingham International Airport pursuing larger role in international travel, U.S. and Canada reach deal on Columbia River deal, Free or Cheap
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Friday, July 12th. Good afternoon, I’m _David Korb_____.
STORY: WWU fires police officer facing trial for assault charge
The Western Washington University Police Department has fired one of its officers and a second remains on leave following a use of force incident on January 20th.
Police Chief Katy Potts said in a statement that the incident involved an individual who was caught breaking into a private vehicle owned by one of the responding officers. After being handcuffed and searched, the individual was struck in the face by an arresting officer.
Officer Robert Anderson was fired Thursday after Mount Vernon Police referred the case for prosecution and Anderson is also facing a fourth-degree assault charge in Whatcom County.
STORY: Ferndale mother pleads guilty to manslaughter
The mother of a Ferndale 5-year-old pled guilty Thursday to second-degree manslaughter in connection with the death of her daughter.
Melissa Welch could face up to three and a half years in prison for the death of her daughter, who passed away from a fatal amount of fentanyl.
Welch’s boyfriend, Cody Craig, and her daughter’s father, Michael Doane, were also in the house and face first-degree murder charges in relation to the case. Following Welch’s guilty plea, her first-degree murder charge was amended to second-degree manslaughter.
Court documents show that during the search of the residence law enforcement found meth, methadone, and fentanyl on the floor of the garage near the 5-year-old’s play area.
Welch will be sentenced on August 15th while Doane and Craig could be in front of a jury as early as July 29th.
STORY: Bellingham City Council considers shuttering supportive housing facility
The Whatcom County Council is scrutinizing the Opportunity Council’s management of 22 North, following multiple deaths and criminal investigations.
Since February 2022, nine people have died at the downtown Bellingham housing facility, and numerous criminal incidents have occurred. The Opportunity Council defends 22 North as vital for providing affordable, supportive housing with essential services for homeless adults. However, Councilmember Ben Elenbaas is concerned about ongoing issues including overdose deaths & crime and questions the effectiveness of the housing-first model used by the facility.
The resolution cites the failure of the program to address fentanyl addiction and homelessness effectively and would have the County defund and close the facility and turn it into a secure detox center. Council members emphasize the need for a broader conversation on improving support for vulnerable populations. An outside consultant is being sought to evaluate all local permanent supportive housing programs and recommend improvements. Public opinion is divided: some support shutting down the facility due to the problems, while others argue it is a crucial resource for those in crisis.
The discussion was tabled for three weeks and will continue at a county health board meeting on July 30.
STORY: Bellingham Value Village employees find real ammunition among prop munitions
Employees at Bellingham Value Village were surprised to find firearms, ammunition, flares, and what appeared to be an explosive device in their donation box.
Bellingham Police Department confirmed that the firearms were old movie prop revolvers and a pneumatic “flashbang” prop, but the ammunition and flares were real. Although the weapons were props, law enforcement will destroy them since Value Village does not accept any kind of weapon.
STORY: Bellingham International Airport pursuing larger role in international travel
At the June 18th Bellingham Port Commission meeting, Bellingham International Director of Aviation Kip Turner announced that the airport is hoping to expand its role in Northwest Washington’s air travel industry by adding flights to Mexico.
The airport has seen a continuous drop in passenger numbers over the past decade, despite multi-million-dollar improvements to the terminal. While certain outside factors can be blamed, including the fluctuating Canadian dollar, lack of actual international flights is also thought to share some responsibility for the decline.
Another factor in the recent announcement may be the upcoming exit of Southwest Airlines, which will stop serving Bellingham on August 4th.
Turner stated that the airport was in talks with three potential new carriers – two of which may be able to start service as early as October.
STORY: U.S. and Canada reach deal on Columbia River deal
The US and Canada have reached agreement on the renewal of a 50 year old treaty managing the Columbia River basin.
The treaty will reduce the amount of hydropower that the US sends to Canada by 37%. Electricity generated by dam has been in decline over the last 20 years because of lower snowpack and record-breaking droughts. At the same time, power demands in the Northwest are increasing. The reduction in power exports will help the region take care of its own power needs.
Fish and river advocates are unhappy with the deal as they say it prioritizes money over ecosystem health. Shannon Wheeler, chairman of the Nez Perce (NEZ PEIRCE) Tribe, said that the ecosystem-based function of the treaty should have been the third leg of the discussion.
The treaty still needs to be approved by the US Senate and the Canadian prime minister.
STORY: Free or Cheap
Here are some free and cheap activities to enjoy this weekend:
The Bellingham Circus Guild will be making an appearance at Ferndale’s Summer of Fun Food Truck Friday this afternoon at Pioneer Park. Entertainment will begin at 5:30pm, followed by a showing of Kung Fu Panda 4 at 9pm. Ferndale’s Summer of Fun events are all free to attend.
If you’re looking to catch another movie this weekend, Fairhaven’s Outdoor Cinema will be screening Best in Show on Saturday with performances by The Sweet Goodbyes. Entertainment begins 90-minutes before sunset. Tickets are $7.
WX: Sun
And now the weather:
Much like yesterday, with a projected high in the mid-70s. Expect southwestern winds clocking in at roughly 7 mph for most of the day. Evening lows will be in the upper-mid 50s. The weekend is expected to be sunny and warm with temperatures reaching the mid to upper 70s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Carlee Schram (CAR-lee SHR-am), Tristan Trudell, Kyler Cantrell, Ikumi Mashiko, Anna Vickers, and Theron (th-AIR-in) Danielson. 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 visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _David Korb_______________ thank you for listening.
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