Authorities searching for man suspected of assaulting woman at Whatcom County’s Lake Padden, Man shoots himself in leg with stranger’s gun during chance encounter at Bellingham park, Man shoots himself in leg with stranger’s gun during chance encounter at Bellingham park, Two crashes on Chuckanut Drive, Bloedel Donovan Park will have no lifeguards due to staff shortages, Whatcom County Council member fails to file financial conflict of interest statements, Vote nears on ending ‘endangered’ status for WA wolves, Washington Democratic Party backs ending U.S. aid to Israel until ceasefire with Hamas
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STORY: Authorities searching for man suspected of assaulting woman at Whatcom County’s Lake Padden
Bellingham Police are currently searching for a man accused of an unprovoked assault on a young woman at Lake Padden on Saturday morning.
The victim told police that she had been running the Padden Trail when she passed a man walking in the same direction, who suddenly knocked her to the ground and repeatedly punched her in the face. Two witnesses heard the victim’s cries for help and came to assist, causing the assailant to flee in the direction of I-5. The victim was hospitalized.
The assailant is described as an “average-to-fit,” white male in his 30s, wearing blue jeans and a gray shirt, standing around 5 foot 9, with a “distinct receding hairline.” Police encourage anyone with information to call the main number, or go to cob.org/tips.
BPD Public Information Officer Megan Peters states that, while this incident is out of the ordinary for our area, it is a good idea for residents to engage in outdoor recreation with others, as a precaution.
STORY: Man shoots himself in leg with stranger’s gun during chance encounter at Bellingham park
On Friday, a man walking in the woods near Bennett Drive and Airport Way accidentally shot himself with a stranger’s gun.
According to police reports, the unidentified man said during the walk he came across another man who was carrying a gun. The victim asked to hold the weapon, and according to BPD Public Information Officer Megan Peters, shot himself in the leg almost immediately. He told police he didn’t know the gun was loaded.
The injured man was transported to St. Joseph Medical Center. Police say they would like to speak with the gun-owner, although Peters says there is no probable cause for any charges at this time.
STORY: Two crashes on Chuckanut Drive
Two men are dead after a string of fatal motorcycle accidents on Chuckanut Drive over the weekend.
On Saturday, 71-year-old retired Whatcom Sheriff’s Deputy Stuart Smith from Ferndale crossed over the northbound lane and into a ditch. He was
transported to PeaceHealth St Joseph Medical center where he was later pronounced dead. The Washington State Patrol says it suspects an unknown medical incident might have been involved in the crash.
And on Sunday, first responders were dispatched to the scene of a vehicle versus motorcycle crash at the intersection of Sunset Road and Chuckanut Drive. Freddy Blondel, the 57-year-old motorcyclist from Maple Ridge, BC was struck by a 2016 Honda CR-v in what Washington State Patrol cited as failure to yield the right-of-way. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene.
STORY: Bloedel Donovan Park will have no lifeguards due to staff shortages
There will be no lifeguards at Bloedel Donovan Park this year.
A news release sent out yesterday by the City of Bellingham says that shortages of lifeguards, especially those with adequate experience and credentials for open water swimming, are resulting in beach and pool closures across the country.
According to the American Lifeguard Association, the shortage affects a third of public pools in the U.S., and there is a possibility that this year could get worse. Right now, both the Bloedel Donovan swim area and the Arne Hanna Aquatic Center have less than half the staff members required to provide lifeguards at both locations. The City says it is continuously recruiting qualified lifeguards for the Arne Hanna Aquatic Center, as well as the swim area, and hopes to have lifeguards at Bloedel next summer.
STORY: Whatcom County Council member fails to file financial conflict of interest statements
Whatcom County Council member Tyler Byrd is facing escalating fines for not filing annual conflict-of-interest reports.
According to reporting by the Cascadia Daily, Byrd is under scrutiny by the Washington State Public Disclosure Commission for failing to file personal financial affairs statements, known as F-1 reports. The PDC says it conducts an annual enforcement process to ensure compliance with state laws regarding financial reporting.
According to Cascadia, Byrd was fined $250 for not filing for 2022–– a fine he has yet to pay–– and he’s currently on the enforcement list after failing to meet the 2023 deadline. According to the PDC, fines for failing to annually identify potential conflicts of interest can increase to $10,000 per violation.
Byrd has been on the county council since 2018 and is in his second term representing District 3. He has filed disclosure forms in the past, however he is the only current council member who has failed to file.
STORY: Vote nears on ending ‘endangered’ status for WA wolves
The Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commision will vote next month to decide whether to lower gray wolves’ status under the state’s endangered species law. The Department of Fish and Wildlife is recommending wolves be downlisted from “endangered” to “sensitive.” The Department of Fish and Wildlife says the recommendation has nothing to do with the wolf’s value but with reflecting their strong rebound in the numbers.
Since gray wolves were put on Washington’s endangered species list in 1980 their population has steadily increased due to recovery efforts. The gray wolf population has grown by an average of 23% every year since the first Department of Fish and Wildlife survey in 2008.
Environmentalists argue this change would lead to inadequate protection of the animals. Downlisting the wolves’ status would mean they are still protected from hunting but the penalties would be lower. The change could also give livestock owners more access to permits to kill wolves. These permits would still need approval and training from the department and would only be given in certain circumstances where the agency believes that the state lacks the resources needed to control the wolves. Fish and Wildlife endangered species recovery manager, Julia Smith, says the department rarely approves the permits.
Regardless of whether the wildlife commission chooses to downlist the animals, wolves in the western two-thirds of the state would still be protected and classified as an endangered species under federal law. The commission will meet and vote on the status change on July 19.
STORY: Washington Democratic Party backs ending U.S. aid to Israel until ceasefire with Hamas
On Sunday, delegates at the Washington State Democratic Party convention passed resolutions aimed at halting U.S. military aid to Israel until a permanent ceasefire is established.
The resolutions include restoring U.S. funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, and ensuring a steady flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza. The motions were debated and voted on in the final hour, and highlighted the rising death toll among Palestinian civilians.
Supporters of the measures emphasize the importance of solidarity with Palestinians and human rights. Opponents expressed concerns about whether the resolutions would be effective, and potential anti-Semitic repercussions. Despite differing views, the resolutions passed.
WX: Cloudy
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Today is expected to be another day of sun, with highs around the upper 60s. Nighttime will bring lows in the 50s and partly cloudy skies. Tomorrow will be even warmer, with temperatures reaching the mid 70s.
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), Maggie Flowers, Carlee Schram (Car-lee Shr-am), 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.
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