Two Bellingham residents among three fatalities in crash east of Yakima, Whatcom County to host second community engagement workshop for new jail RUN AGAIN BY/ABOUT MAR 16, 2019 Baker Lake murder case finally settled with sentence of 16 months for defendant[4] [5, Hundreds sign letter to protest PeaceHealth cuts, Lummi Nation holds parade celebrating dual Blackhawks basketball triumphs, Ferndale finance director appointed to school board, Section of Truck Road closes for erosion protection[12] [13], Officials concerned over spike in measles, AG brings lawsuit against Dept of Ed
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, March, 16. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Two Bellingham residents among three fatalities in crash east of Yakima
Two Bellingham residents are dead after a head‑on crash in Yakima (YAK-uh-muh) County Friday.
According to the Washington State Patrol, the collision happened around 9:45 p.m. on State Route 24, about 15 miles east of Moxee. Troopers say 39‑year‑old Luis Martinez and 38‑year‑old Yajaira Martinez of Bellingham were driving east in a Ford Expedition with two children when the driver pulled into the oncoming lane to pass and hit a Dodge Caravan head‑on. Both adults died at the scene. The two children, ages 6 and 8, were taken to Yakima Memorial Hospital.
In the Caravan, 35‑year‑old Danielle Reed of Kelso survived, but an 11‑year‑old passenger was killed. Reed and a 13‑year‑old girl were hospitalized. WSP says several people in both vehicles were not wearing seat belts.
Troopers list the cause as unsafe passing. It’s still unknown whether drugs or alcohol were involved.
STORY: Whatcom County to host second community engagement workshop for new jail RUN AGAIN BY/ABOUT MAR 16
Whatcom County wants the public to weigh in on plans for the new jail and behavioral health facility.
The county will host its second community engagement workshop for the voter-approved Justice Project next month in Lynden. The initiative, passed in November 2023, includes construction of a new jail and a behavioral care center.
County leaders are expected to decide this spring on the final capacity, scope and budget before construction begins later this year.
Residents can review project updates and provide feedback at the workshop, scheduled for Thursday, March 19th, at the Lynden City Annex Chamber.
STORY: 2019 Baker Lake murder case finally settled with sentence of 16 months for defendant[4] [5]
An Arlington man has been sentenced for killing his friend during a 2019 camping trip near Mount Baker.
The Bellingham Herald reports 36‑year‑old Alexander Vanags (VAN-ahgs) was given 16 months in prison and three years of community custody Wednesday in Whatcom County Superior Court. Jurors found him guilty of first‑degree manslaughter last month after three trials. He had originally been charged with second‑degree murder for killing 28‑year‑old Mark Stebakov (steb-uh-KOV) with a machete while the two were camping at Bear Lake and using psychedelic drugs.
Judge Lee Grochmal called it a difficult and complex case, saying both men were people their families were proud of and that neither was violent or “evil.” She said evidence suggested Stebakov was the initial aggressor, but Vanags used more force than necessary when he tried to defend himself.
Grochmal said the sentence reflects accountability while giving both families a path to finally move forward
STORY: Hundreds sign letter to protest PeaceHealth cuts
Hundreds of community members are urging PeaceHealth to restore its advanced care planning program after recent staff cuts.
More than 400 people — including doctors, nurses and the board of the Northwest Washington Medical Society — signed an open letter to PeaceHealth CEO Sarah Ness that called for the reinstatement of four advanced care coordinators and two social workers eliminated in February.
The group says the cuts harm patient care and undermine trust in the community, and note the program helps patients and families prepare for end-of-life decisions.
STORY: Lummi Nation holds parade celebrating dual Blackhawks basketball triumphs
Lummi Nation School held a parade for its boys and girls basketball teams on Friday.
The boys’ team won its second consecutive state championship, while the girls’ team ended their season fourth in the state, their highest ever finish.
Jemma James and Ailina Rabang (a-LEE-na ruh-BAHNG) of the Lummi Nation girls received player of the year honors, and so did Jerome Toby of the boys’ team.
In a news release, school leadership expressed their pride in the team’s accomplishments and positive example for younger students.
STORY: Ferndale finance director appointed to school board
The Lynden School Board has appointed a finance director from the Ferndale city government to fill a vacancy on the board.
Danielle Ingham was unanimously appointed during last Thursday’s meeting and will be replacing the role left behind by former school board director Tonya Hickman.
According to Cascadia Daily News, Ingham beat out three other candidates during the hiring process and has two kids currently enrolled in the school district. She is set to be sworn in at the district’s next meeting on Thursday, March 26th.
STORY: Section of Truck Road closes for erosion protection[12] [13]
A section of Truck Road has been temporarily closed for erosion protection.
In an update posted on the Whatcom County Public Works website, the department warned the road between Deal Road and Mosquito Lake Road will be closed for about four weeks. Work is underway to place 430 feet of buried rock trench along the North Fork Nooksack River in an effort to address the long history of erosion as well as recent flood damage.
STORY: Submissions open for local poetry contest[14] [15]
The 21st Annual Sue C. Boynton Poetry Contest is currently accepting submissions.
According to the Whatcom Poetry Series’ website, the deadline is March 31st and the top ten poems will be engraved on plaques outside the Bellingham Public Library. Winners of the adult and children’s division will each be awarded 100 dollars.
See the Poetry series website for more details.
STORY: Officials concerned over spike in measles
Washington health officials say measles cases are rising sharply this year.
The Washington State Department of Health has confirmed 26 measles cases across four counties so far in 2026. That’s already more than double the 12 cases reported statewide during all of last year.
Most of the cases are in children, and nearly all involve people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Cases have been reported in Snohomish, Clark, Stevens and Kittitas counties.
Whatcom County Health and Community Services has warned of an increased risk of measles spreading to the area following an outbreak in Snohomish County and say measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Only 86% of Whatcom County kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles as of the 2024-25 school year— below the 95% rate needed to prevent community outbreaks. Physicians say the MMR vaccine remains the most effective protection against the disease.
STORY: AG brings lawsuit against Dept of Ed
Washington Attorney General Nick Brown and a coalition of 16 other state attorneys general are suing the U.S. Department of Education again.
The lawsuit argues the federal government is unlawfully demanding detailed admissions data broken down by race and sex from colleges and universities.
The new reporting rules stem from a Trump administration memo directing the Education Department to monitor compliance with the Supreme Court ruling banning race as a factor in college admissions.
According to a recent release, Brown says the data demand is unreasonable and illegal, and added that his office will fight the requirement and defend students’ right to privacy. The coalition says the rules were rushed, and could lead to reporting errors and penalties for schools, and may jeopardize student privacy.
Colleges are currently facing a March 18th deadline to submit the data.
WX: Tides of March
And now weather:
It’s rain all day today with up to a half-inch of rain, wind gusts of up to 20 mph, and highs in the low 50s.
Expect it to taper off this evening with lows in the upper 40’s, but start to return tomorrow with light rain throughout the day.
The showers should return tomorrow evening.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Austin Wright, Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Kieran (KEAR-un) Dang, and Bella Farris. 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 your donations. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________… thanks for listening!
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