Woman who stabbed Bellingham woman in throat while she slept in 2022 sent to prison, WWU responds to student protests, Bham almost done with quiet zone upgrades, Birchwood neighborhood to receive new park, Allegiant to provide more flights out of Bellingham Int’l Airport, AGO – Teva begins delivery of more than 54,000 free naloxone kits to Washington, WA Supreme Court reverses century-old Yakama decision
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, May 20th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Woman who stabbed Bellingham woman in throat while she slept in 2022 sent to prison
A Lynnwood woman has been sentenced to prison for robbing and stabbing a Bellingham woman.
Last Monday, Johanna Paola Nonong (jo-ANN-uh pa-O-luh nu-NONG) was sentenced to nine years in prison with three years’ probation, for one count of first-degree assault. According to court records, prosecutors dropped the charges of attempted second-degree murder and first- degree robbery.
In July of 2022, police were called to the victim’s residence after receiving reports of an assault with a knife. The victim said she had woken up to Nonog stabbing her in the neck. Nonong was later found in a nearby parking lot with two phones, one of which belonged to the victim. The victim suffered a 2-inch laceration on her neck and was taken by ambulance to PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s.
In the decision, the court made a special finding that reasonable grounds exist to believe Nonong is mentally ill and that her illness likely influenced the crime. She will also be required to undergo a mental health examination and comply with any recommended treatment.
STORY: WWU responds to student protests
On Friday, about 500 to 600 people participated in a peaceful march across the Western campus, some protesting the ongoing war in Gaza, some supporting a possible strike of student workers.
The action comes in support of an ongoing protest that started last Tuesday where about 50 individuals set up tents on the lawn in front of the Old Main administration building. The demonstration continues to be referred to as peaceful by WWU officials and classes and services have been operating on normal schedules.
In a message posted online Friday morning, WWU President Sabah Randhawa addressed the protests, calling out the importance of recognizing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza demands urgent attention and said he supports calls for an immediate cease-fire. He also reaffirmed the University’s commitment to free speech, acknowledged the need for continued conversation with protesting student groups, while underscoring their responsibility to keep the campus safe for the entire community.
Randhawa stated he has been in ongoing conversation with protesting student groups since before the protests, and says his office will reach out to schedule another meeting.
STORY: Bham almost done with quiet zone upgrades
Bellingham announced Friday that the safety improvements needed to designate the Fairhaven area as a quiet zone are almost complete.
A quiet zone is a stretch of railroad track where trains are not required to sound the horn at each public crossing except in emergencies. Upgrades required to reach that designation include median dividers, full-width crossing gates, grade separations, crossing closures, warning signs, and other safety measures.
In addition to the Fairhaven upgrades, improvements are being proposed for the downtown waterfront. Three remaining crossings still need some additional safety features after the recently completed F Street crossing upgrades. Funding is being considered, but there is no current timeline.
STORY: Birchwood neighborhood to receive new park
Last month, Bellingham City Council approved a proposal to apply for a state-wide grant to help create a new park in the Birchwood neighborhood.
The 6-acre Storybrook Park, situated between Cherrywood Avenue and West Maplewood Avenue, is currently undeveloped and features only a walking trail. Last week the Council approved a Bellingham Parks and Recreation request to apply for a half-a-million dollar grant from the state to support the Phase One development of the park, which currently has a budget of almost $2 million dollars. The project will be funded by a combination of this grant, park impact fees, and real estate excise tax funds.
The first phase will include an age-separated playground that meets ADA standards, park trails, a forest loop trail with an outdoor classroom, and an emergency access trail. Additional amenities will include benches, picnic tables, dog-waste stations, lighting, and wayfinding signs.
Preparations for the park’s development began in 2022, with input from the public. According to the City of Bellingham, the new park is a high priority due to the lack of recreational facilities in the densely populated Birchwood neighborhood.
Construction is scheduled from May to December 2024.
STORY: Allegiant to provide more flights out of Bellingham Int’l Airport
With the August exit of Southwest Airlines looming, Allegiant Air has announced it will increase its operations at Bellingham Airport.
Additional flights to Oakland began last Friday, and the airline announced that its flights to San Diego will resume today.
STORY: AGO – Teva begins delivery of more than 54,000 free naloxone kits to Washington
Teva Pharmaceuticals will begin providing more than 54 thousand free naloxone kits to Washington for free.
The announcement comes after a 2022 Attorney General lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company for its role in the opioid crisis. In addition to providing the overdose-reversal devices, commonly known by the brand name “Narcan”, Teva has also paid over 90 million dollars to the state. The Department of Health will distribute the kits through the free statewide mail-order naloxone program. The kits are available to order online at PHRA.org.
The first shipment of 6,765 kits arrived last Monday.
STORY: WA Supreme Court reverses century-old Yakama decision
On Thursday, the Washington state Supreme Court overturned a century-old conviction of Yakama tribal member Jim Wallahee, who was prosecuted for hunting on traditional grounds.
The decision rejected both the conviction and the discriminatory legal framework behind it. In the ruling, the court recognized Wallahee’s treaty-protected right to hunt, overturning a 1927 decision that had denied Yakama sovereignty and dismissed treaty rights. Chief Justice Steven González condemned the past ruling as harmful and unjust, rooted in discriminatory attitudes about Native Americans. The 7-2 decision is part of the court’s broader efforts to address institutional racism within the legal system.
Despite the defendants both being deceased, tribal attorney Jack Fiander (fee-AND-ur) persisted for over 25 years to try to change what he saw as an unjust ruling.
However, the decision was not unanimous. Justice Barbara Madsen, in dissent, argued that while the original ruling was wrong and discriminatory, the legal framework had already been overturned, and Wallahee’s estate lacked standing for this case. The majority opinion emphasized the importance of redressing harm rather than simply acknowledging past wrongs, while the dissent argued for the preservation of historical records of discrimination.
WX: Sunny
Your Whatcom County weather today – Expect a mix of clouds and sun today, and a high of 61 degrees. Rain will come in late tonight as temperatures drop to a low of 50. Expect the rain to continue through Wednesday.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers AnThu Nguyen (ANNE-two new-WIN), Carlos Braga, Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman, and Kye Salinas (KEY suh-LEE-nus). 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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FREE OR CHEAP 24th
After the Memorial Day Parade on Saturday, why not head over to Elizabeth Station for a free Spring Community Market on May 25th from 3-to-8 PM at 1400 W Holly St. The event will feature games, music, and local vendors with unique items.
