FBI joins search for man fleeing sentencing for assault in Bellingham, Sections of Cornwall Park to close for several years as reforestation efforts get underway, Sheriff announced firearm turn-in program, Overnight 1-5 lane closure tonight near Ferndale, New tool to help renters rolled out, Lummi Nation receives EPA award for upgrades made to wastewater treatment plant, WA high schoolers top previous record for FAFSA applications over last school year, Election auditor urges voters to drop off ballot instead of relying on postal service, Postal worker day of action planned for tomorrow, Two states seek to break the hold of corporate money in local elections, FREE & CHEAP, July/Aug, August 9th:
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, July, 27. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: FBI joins search for man fleeing sentencing for assault in Bellingham
The FBI is helping Bellingham Police search for a man wanted for felony assault.
In 2023, Devariae (duh-VAR-ee-uh) Montrel Conley was convicted in Washington Superior Court, but fled before sentencing. Due to his failure to appear, state arrest warrants were added to his existing felony warrants.
The FBI has stated that he has ties to Bellingham & Puyallup; as well as Tucson, Arizona; Aurora, Colorado; and Los Angeles, Torrance, and Bakersfield, California.
Conley is 5 feet 5 inches tall and roughly 130 pounds. The FBI encourages anyone who may have information to call the BPD or the FBI tipline.
STORY: Sections of Cornwall Park to close for several years as reforestation efforts get underway
Bellingham’s Cornwall Memorial Park is slated for a refresh.
After years of heavy use damaged some areas of the park’s urban forest, the park is slated for a multi-year forest restoration project .
The city says compacted soil and loss of native plants are threatening mature trees, including Western red cedar, Douglas fir, and hemlock. Restoration areas will remain fenced off for three to five years, but the city says trails, parking, and other park amenities will remain open.
No trails, parking spaces, sports courts, restrooms or other infrastructure will be closed.
STORY: Sheriff announced firearm turn-in program
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office is launching an anonymous, no-questions-asked firearm turn-in program for residents.
Residents can book an appointment online and show up at the office with unloaded firearms. In exchange, they will receive a cash card based on the type of firearm. Handguns, rifles, shotguns, assault-style weapons, antique firearms, non-functioning and damaged firearms are all accepted.
All firearms will be documented then destroyed, unless they have historical value or a legitimate use to the department.
The sheriff’s office emphasized that it is not a criminal investigation initiative. It’s designed to be a safe, simple way for residents to get rid of
firearms they no longer want in their homes, and reduce the risk of theft, accidents or misuse.
STORY: Overnight 1-5 lane closure tonight near Ferndale
Drivers on northbound I-5 in Ferndale should plan for delays tonight as the right lane closes just south of West Smith Road.
The lane is scheduled to close at 8 p.m. and reopen 3 a.m. WashDOT says crews will be repairing road sensors in the area.
Travelers are encouraged to use caution in the work zone by slowing down and removing distractions.
STORY: New tool to help renters rolled out
The City of Bellingham has launched a new online tool to help residents find information about registered rental properties.
The rental registration dashboard shows whether a property is registered, when it last passed a safety inspection, and other details from the city’s Rental Registration and Safety Inspection Program.
Rental properties are required to register with the city and undergo inspections about every three years.
STORY: Lummi Nation receives EPA award for upgrades made to wastewater treatment plant
The EPA has recognized the Lummi Tribal Sewer and Water District for major upgrades to the Gooseberry Point wastewater plant.
The district earned a national PISCES award for improvements that bring the plant back into compliance and keep it operating during storms and high tides. The work included replacing failing equipment with a modern activated‑sludge system, new pumps, and improved controls.
The $15 million project was financed through federal and state revolving‑fund loans. It’s expected to cut pollution, protect Tribal and commercial shellfish beds, and improve habitat for species including Southern Resident orcas.
STORY: WA high schoolers top previous record for FAFSA applications over last school year
Washington high schoolers set a record for FAFSA applications over last school year.
Data from the National College Attainment Network shows just over 46-thousand applicants filled out the FAFSA, compared to 44-thousand last year. This jump ranked the state 40th in the country by number of applications.
Governor Ferguson’s goal last year was to exceed the 46-thousand mark as part of his plan to improve FAFSA rates. The state established an
advisory board and free training and resources for schools to encourage students to apply for aid.
Ferguson has also proposed financial literacy course for seniors is also aimed at application rates. If approved, high school graduates would be required to apply for some form of financial aid like FAFSA or the Washington College Grant.
STORY: Election auditor urges voters to drop off ballot instead of relying on postal service
Washington state’s election auditor has urged voters to drop off their ballots in boxes instead of mailing them this year.
The Tacoma News Tribune reports Pierce County Auditor Linda Farmer is encouraging voters to use ballot boxes rather than relying on the postal service for the upcoming state and local elections.
Due to recent federal changes in USPS processing, the risk of last-minute ballots being marked as late has increased. Although the Supreme Court ruled in June that ballots should not be marked late provided they are postmarked by Election Day, officials are still concerned.
The Postal Service says mail is not always postmarked the day it is received—postmarks are just used to show they have accepted custody of the item.
For the upcoming primary election, there are 22 ballot boxes across Whatcom County that are mapped on the County’s website, and all ballots are due August 4th before 8pm.
STORY: Postal worker day of action planned for tomorrow Postal workers in Washington State and across the country are joining together to protect the U.S. Postal Service from what organizers call the threat of privatization.
The day of action is scheduled for tomorrow. Supporters are calling on Congress to remove financial burdens on the Postal Service, protect and expand vote-by-mail, and invest in the services that U-S-P-S offers. Belinda Trevino with the American Postal Workers Union in Spokane says the current leadership of the Post Office is taking the agency apart.
TREVINO AUDIO 1
Organizers say former Postmaster General Louis DeJoy started the decline of the service through his 10-year ‘Delivering for America’. It aims to make the U-S-P-S financially self-sustaining in part by slowing delivery to reduce costs and raising prices.
But the President of the American Postal Workers Union, Jonathan Smith, counters that the U-S-P-S is a service, not a business, and was never designed to make money.
AUDIO CUT 2
Dozens of rallies and other events in support of the Postal Service are planned for tomorrow. The Washington event will take place at the South Regal Post Office in Spokane.
WX: Sunny Corleone
And now for the weather…
Today, you can expect sun and clouds with highs in the mid 70s for the remainder of the afternoon, with light winds from the south. Tonight, look for more clouds and evening lows in the upper 50s.
Tomorrow, rain is likely in the morning but it should give way to sun in the afternoon. Expect a high in the mid-70’s with possible gusty winds up to 25 mph. Look for clearing as the week progresses.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell (can-TRELL), Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Jenny Lam, Natalie Jones, Noelle Reger (NO-ellREE-ger), and Sean Lynch. 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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STORY: Two states seek to break the hold of corporate money in local elections
Hawaiʻi and Montana are challenging the role of corporate dark money in elections.
Hawaiʻi has changed its state law by saying that corporations have “artificial-person powers” and cannot engage in any election or ballot measure activity reserved for real people. Montana has a citizen’s initiative on the November ballot that would ban organizations from contributing “anything of value” to candidates, political parties, and state or local ballot issues.
The efforts seek to sidestep the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision by using state authority over corporate charters. Supporters argue the measures would reduce the influence of money in politics and increase transparency. Opponents contend the laws violate First Amendment protections for organizations.
The legal challenges could test whether states have the authority to redefine the political powers they grant to corporations.
FREE & CHEAP,
July/Aug
Shoppers, mark your calendars, and tell your friends! It’s time for the Library’s annual Children’s Craft Fairs. Enjoy two festive opportunities to take home unique treasures made by entrepreneurial local kids. The first is Friday, July 31, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Lee
Memorial Park outside the Central Library. The second is Friday, Aug. 21, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. inside Bellis Fair Mall. All items are priced $5 or less. Bring cash to help kids learn to count money, and bring a joyful spirit to take home goodies! More than 100 youths are spending their summer days crafting special items just for you.
August 9th:
Ferndale hosts a free Play, Learn & Connect Festival this weekend. The event runs Sunday from 11 to 2 at Pioneer Park, with giant building blocks, arts and crafts, hands‑on learning activities, community booths, and food trucks. It’s designed to celebrate play while connecting families with local programs and services.
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