Investigation underway into fire that completely destroyed residential trailer in Ferndale, PeaceHealth expansion still underway amid uncertainty of federal funding cuts, Bellingham rental prices rise, while most other Whatcom cities trend downward, No jail time for Whatcom man who pled guilty to sexually assaulting child, Two people fined over $7 million for perpetrating years-long, statewide estate sale scheme, Flags to fly at half-staff in honor of JBLM crash victims
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, October 15th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Investigation underway into fire that completely destroyed residential trailer in Ferndale
A fire that destroyed a fifth-wheel trailer home in Whatcom County last week is under investigation by the county Fire Marshal’s Office.
Fire crews were called around 5:50 p.m. last Thursday to the 5000 block of Elder Road. When firefighters arrived, a camper and fifth-wheel being used as a single residence was fully engulfed.
No one was home at the time, and the resident was uninjured. Crews from Fire District 7, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, and District 17 knocked down the main flames in under 10 minutes, then worked several hours extinguishing hot spots.
While blocking the road, a Sheriff’s Office vehicle was hit, which injured the deputy inside. The deputy has since been released from the hospital and is recovering at home.
STORY: PeaceHealth expansion still underway amid uncertainty of federal funding cuts
PeaceHealth officials say they’re keeping a close eye on how federal health care changes.
At a community meeting Monday, PeaceHealth Northwest Chief Executive Charles Prosper said federal and state policy shifts are still evolving, and the hospital will stay alert as those changes unfold.
Meanwhile, construction on PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s 80-bed expansion continues along Squalicum Parkway, with sidewalk and bike lane work set to wrap up by the end of the month.
The project will add 120,000 square feet to the Bellingham hospital, which includes a new emergency department, single-patient rooms, and a rooftop helipad. Most of the new beds are expected to be licensed by mid-2027, with the rest coming online in 2029.
According to PeaceHealth, the $336 million expansion will improve access to care without raising patient costs.
STORY: Bellingham rental prices rise, while most other Whatcom cities trend downward
Rental prices in Bellingham ticked up this month, even as many nearby cities saw drops.
According to new data from Zillow, the average rent in Bellingham reached $2,200 in early October — up $50 from September and $200 higher than a year ago. That’s about 8% above the national average.
Elsewhere in Whatcom County, rental trends were mixed. Prices dropped in Lynden, Blaine, Sumas, Birch Bay, and Deming, while Ferndale and Everson saw increases.
Ferndale’s average rent rose to $2,400, the highest in the county, while Deming had the lowest average at about $1,300.
STORY: No jail time for Whatcom man who pled guilty to sexually assaulting child
A Whatcom County man who admitted to the sexual assault of a child will not serve jail time.
Sixty-five-year-old Luciano Lozano pleaded guilty and was sentenced Tuesday under a special sex offender sentencing alternative. This means his more than five-year prison term is suspended if he follows court-ordered treatment and supervision.
Lozano was arrested in January 2022 after telling his pastor he had inappropriately touched a 10-year-old girl. The pastor contacted authorities, which led to Lozano’s arrest.
Judge David Freeman approved the agreed-upon sentence, saying it appropriately addressed the charges. Lozano must complete five years of sex offender treatment and has a no-contact order with the victim.
STORY: Two people fined over $7 million for perpetrating years-long, statewide estate sale scheme
Two people have been ordered to pay more than $7 million for what state officials call a “probates-for-profit” scheme that cheated families across Washington.
According to the state Attorney General’s Office, John Elliott and Shanelle Sunde used legal loopholes to get themselves appointed as estate administrators for nearly 200 deceased strangers, then sold off homes and assets without notifying heirs.
They collected large commissions and sold at least 90 homes worth more than $28 million, with eight of those cases in Skagit County.
A King County judge also barred the pair from ever serving as probate administrators again.
STORY: Flags to fly at half-staff in honor of JBLM crash victims
Last Friday, Gov. Bob Ferguson ordered U.S. and Washington state flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of four soldiers who died in a helicopter crash last month.
The soldiers — Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cully and Andrew Kraus, Sgt. Donavon Scott, and Sgt. Jadalyn Good — were killed in a training accident near Summit Lake in Thurston County on September 17th. Scott was from Tacoma, Good from Mount Vernon, Cully from Missouri, and Kraus from Florida.
Flags at all state agency facilities will remain at half-staff until sunset or close of business on Friday. The Army has called the crash an “aviation mishap” and is still investigating the cause.
WX: Sixty Degrees of Kevin Bacon
And now for the weather:
It’s another sunny fall day here in Whatcom. The forecast calls for bright, clear skies and highs around 60 degrees. Cloud cover is expected to remain minimal throughout the day and headed into the evening. Speaking of which, we’ve got another chilly fall night in store for us, with temperatures expected to hit lows in the mid-high 30s.
Expect to see some increasing cloud cover tomorrow, with chances of scattered showers as the day wears on.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THARE-un) Danielson, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Bella Mae, and Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee). 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. Check out our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening!
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