Multiple Victims of Fired Deputy, Homicide Suspect Pleads Guilty, NW Youth Services Awarded Money, New Agency for Police Accountability, 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, FDA approves first ever over the counter-birth-control, Ragnar Road Race Returns
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KMRE brings you local news for Sunday, July 14th]. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Multiple Victims of Fired Deputy
Former deputy sheriff Austin Michael Case of Whatcom County, Washington, was arrested and charged with multiple criminal offenses, including rape and extortion.
Two women have accused him of using his position to sexually assault and blackmail them. In addition to these two testimonies, the ongoing criminal investigation by the Skagit and Island County Multiple Agency Response Team (SMART) believe there may be other victims yet to come forward.
Case appeared in court, where his defense attorney argued for his release, but bail was set at $250,000 due to concerns of interference with justice.
Case was still in his probationary period and always under direct supervision during his employment.
STORY: Homicide Suspect Pleads Guilty
Brezeddric Antowyn Jamerson, aged 53, pleaded guilty to multiple crimes in Whatcom County Superior Court, including controlled substance homicide.
The charge stemmed from an investigation linking Jamerson and two others to the accidental overdose death of a 31-year-old man due to counterfeit fentanyl-laced prescription pills. Jamerson was sentenced to 100 months in prison and 12 months of community custody for the homicide charge. He also pleaded guilty to possession of controlled substances with intent to deliver in two separate cases, resulting in 60-month sentences.
Jamerson had prior felony convictions related to drug offenses. The other two individuals, Sheila Rochelle Johnson and Kim McWillis Ribble, are awaiting trial and face first-degree manslaughter charges.
STORY: NW Youth Services Awarded Money
Northwest Youth Services in Bellingham has been awarded almost $900,000 to help homeless youth in our community.
The Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) at the Washington Department of Commerce involved nearly 60 young people with lived experience of homelessness in the evaluation process for over $40 million in grants.
The grants will fund projects working at preventing and addressing housing instability among young people aged 12 to 24 in Washington state. The young experts played a key role in identifying funding priorities, developing scoring criteria, and analyzing funding requests based on their own experiences. Their evaluations, along with other criteria, determined the recipients of the funding.
The funding comes from state funds and funds from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
STORY: New Agency for Police Accountability
The Washington State Office of Independent Investigations is now accepting requests to review prior cases involving the use of deadly force by law enforcement officers.
Established as part of a series of police reforms passed by the Legislature, the agency conducts investigations into fatal incidents involving the police. Members of the public can submit cases for review through an online form, with investigations initiated only if new evidence is presented. This first-of-its-kind agency is led by a civilian director and an advisory board and was created based on recommendations following the murders of George Floyd and Manuel Ellis.
The Washington Coalition for Police Accountability, a proponent of police reform, supports the establishment of an Office of Independent Prosecution as the next step toward achieving police accountability.
STORY: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, which replaced the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, is celebrating its one-year birthday.
Individuals can access free support through calls, chats, or texts, covering concerns such as suicide, substance abuse, and emotional distress. Trained counselors are available 24/7, and the service is anonymous and confidential. The lifeline also offers specialized lines for specific groups, including veterans, Spanish speakers, LGBTQ+ youth, and the Native and Strong Lifeline— a first-of-its-kind program that has been recognized as a model for other states.
During its first year, the 988 Lifeline in Washington State answered over 65,000 calls, 12,000 texts, and 13,000 chats.
STORY: FDA Approves first over-the-counter birth control
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the first over-the-counter birth control pill in the United States.
The medication, called Opill, will be available without a prescription and is expected to provide greater access to contraception. Opill is considered the most effective nonprescription birth control method, surpassing condoms and other nonprescription options.
The manufacturer, Perrigo Company, plans to release Opill in early 2024 The decision has received support from reproductive health experts and organizations, including the American Medical Association.
STORY: Ragnar Road Race Returns
Beware of runners on the roads around Whatcom, Skagit, and Island Counties this weekend– the Ragnar Road Northwest Passage relay race has returned.
The A to B road relay starts at the Canadian border in Blaine, and takes teams of 12 runners through the Cascade and Olympic Mountain ranges, and Deception Pass.
The race ends tomorrow afternoon in Langley, WA, on Whidbey Island.
WX: Sunny and Warm
Today’s weather will be mostly clear and sunny with highs around 79 degrees. Overnight lows will be around 57. Winds light and variable. For the weekend, we’ll see mostly sunny skies with a high of 80 degrees. Expect a few clouds overnight, and Sunday looks like there’ll be partly cloudy skies early in the morning, which should give way to occasional showers later during the night. Monday morning we’re seeing a 40% chance of rain.
OUTRO:Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Sarah Edmonds and Myles Weber. 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. I’m ________________ and thanks for listening.
