Court documents reveal details of south Bellingham hammer homicide, More advisories issued for beaches around Whatcom County, Bellingham seeks feedback on drinking water quality, Anniversary of Olympic Pipeline Explosion, Famed Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, dead in vintage-plane crash, Washington Supreme Court will hear case on high-capacity ammo magazine ban, WA cracks down on gassy garbage, State Supreme Court agrees to take up case against Spokane camping ban
______________________________
Independent, nonprofit community radio.
KMRE brings you local news for Monday, June 10th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Court documents reveal details of south Bellingham hammer homicide
A man has been booked into Whatcom County Jail on Thursday, accused of first-degree murder of a Bellingham resident.
According to the Bellingham Police Department, 36 year-old James Singleton was arrested after he called 911 to report someone was barely breathing after a fight. When BPD arrived at the residence on Old Samish Road, they found Bellingham resident Nolan Dennett with injuries caused by blunt force trauma, and declared him dead on the scene. Singleton said that he and the victim had been taking drugs two days before and were involved in a fight. According to the BPD, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office K9 team found a hammer believed to be associated with the fight near a walking path at Arroyo Park.
Singleton is currently being held without bail.
STORY: More advisories issued for beaches around Whatcom County
The Whatcom County Health Department has issued swimming advisories due to high levels of fecal coliform bacteria.
People and pets should stay out of the water at Larrabee State Park, Taylor Beach and Little Squalicum Beach as well as three Birch Bay locations : the beach, the tidelands and Wildcat Cove.
Members of the public are advised to avoid contact with the water and sand in those areas. If you are hearing this information on your way home from an affected beach, the health department advises showering and hand washing.
STORY: Bellingham seeks feedback on drinking water quality
Bellingham is asking residents for feedback on the city’s water quality.
The Washington Department of Health requires cities to reevaluate their water system plans every 10 years to keep up with current and future demands of the community. The City of Bellingham says community feedback will help identify potential repair projects for old or leaking pipes and will influence new programs and policies.
Residents can offer their opinions by going to the city’s website.
STORY: Anniversary of Olympic Pipeline Explosion
Today marks the 25th anniversary of the Olympic Pipeline explosion.
On this day, 25 years ago, multiple residents and businesses in the area reported what appeared to be fuel flowing through the creek. First responders at the scene confirmed the leak, as well as the presence of fumes, and the pipeline was shut down.
Later in the afternoon, however, a broken pipe on the upper creek in Whatcom Falls Park exploded, spilling 7,000 gallons of gasoline a minute into the creek. In total, the Washington Department of Ecology estimates that 226,000 gallons were spilled. The explosion killed two boys playing on the creek’s banks, as well as a teenager fishing upstream.
The Olympic Pipe Line Company was later found to be quote “lax in inspection and safety checks, and non-compliant in its lease with the city” end-quote. State and federal regulations on pipelines were strengthened after the event.
A community remembrance gathering is scheduled for tonight at Bellingham High School from 6 to 8 pm.
STORY: Famed Apollo 8 astronaut Bill Anders, dead in vintage-plane crash
Bill Anders, one of the three astronauts in the first manned space mission to orbit the moon, is dead.
Anders died in a plane crash on Friday morning, when the small vintage piston-engine plane he was piloting alone crashed into the Salish Sea, near Jones Island. The wreckage was found later that day, according to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. The crash is being investigated by both the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board.
Anders was part of the Apollo 8 mission in December 1968, alongside Frank Borman and James Lovell. It was the first spacecraft to travel to the Moon, achieve orbit and return safely to Earth. Anders was the man responsible for capturing the iconic Earthrise photograph – a picture of the Earth taken from the lunar surface, a blue ball rising from the darkness of space.
Mr. Anders was 90 years old.
STORY: Washington Supreme Court will hear case on high-capacity ammo magazine ban
The Washington State Supreme Court has agreed to directly review a lower court ruling which invalidated the state’s ban on ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds.
Cowlitz County Superior Court Judge Gary Bashor’s (BASH-er) decision initially halted the enforcement of the ban, allowing sales of high capacity magazines to resume. However, Supreme Court Commissioner Michael Johnston issued a temporary stay which reinstates the prohibition and extends it until the case is resolved. The lawsuit originated from a dispute involving Gator’s Custom Guns, a retailer accused by State Attorney General Bob Ferguson of violating the ban. Both the Attorney General’s office and the retailer requested the Supreme Court’s involvement, bypassing the state appeals court.
The Supreme Court will also consider Gator’s request to lift the stay, with legal briefs due this month and a conference scheduled for July 10th.
STORY: WA cracks down on gassy garbage
Washington state is implementing new regulations to reduce methane emissions from landfills, aiming to prevent 1.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere annually.
Methane, which is 80 times more potent than carbon dioxide, contributes significantly to global warming, and about 16% of U.S. methane emissions come from landfills. The new rules, driven by House Bill 1663 which was passed in 2022, include stricter monitoring, timely repairs of leaks, and mandatory installation of methane capture equipment.
Although environmentalists commend the new rules, they call for further measures– such as faster implementation of gas collection systems and advanced methane detection technology. Additionally, laws have been enacted to reduce food waste through mandatory curbside pickups.
The state has allocated $15 million in grants to support landfills in complying with these new standards.
WX: Cloudy
Your Whatcom County weather today – Expect clouds and some sun, with a high of 66 degrees. Tonight may bring some showers, as temperatures drop to a low of 50. The rain is projected to continue into tomorrow morning.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, Kye Salinas (KEY suh-LEE-nus), and Kyler Cantrell. 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 thanks for listening.
##
STORY: State Supreme Court agrees to take up case against Spokane camping ban
On Wednesday, the Washington State Supreme Court agreed to take up a case against a Spokane local initiative banning camping within 1,000 feet of schools, daycares, parks, and playgrounds.
The measure, known as Proposition 1, has been contentious ever since its approval in November. Last August, a joint lawsuit was filed by local homeless service providers to have the measure stricken from the ballot. A state superior court judge denied the motion the same month.
Proposition 1 has been questioned over its constitutional legitimacy under a U.S. Supreme Court ruling which states that cities cannot enforce anti-camping ordinances if they lack the shelter beds to accommodate those displaced.
However, this lawsuit is concerned only with whether or not Proposition 1 is outside the scope of what a local initiative can do. Despite voter approval, Proposition 1 will be stricken from the ballot this coming November, should the Supreme Court rule against it.
