Sting operation results in arrest of Bellingham man in connection to string of local thefts, WWU dean arrested on campus released from jail, will not be charged, Port of Bellingham reaches agreement in legal battle with Irish land developer, Bellingham port commission restructures airport advisory committee, Port of Bellingham reaches agreement in legal battle with Irish land developer, Road to Artist Point closes for winter, New Skagit tulip farm set to open in spring 2025, Washington looks to resolve conflicts blocking housing for the homeless
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, October 16th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Sting operation results in arrest of Bellingham man in connection to string of local thefts
A Bellingham man, 42-year old Gregory Keefe, is in custody after an investigation linked him to a series of retail thefts in the city.
Police initially encountered Keefe on October 5th when they responded to a report of drug activity in a parked car. Keefe falsely identified himself as a deceased family member, but officers recognized him due to his outstanding warrants. Keefe was connected to a September burglary at Black Noise Records and had been seen in surveillance footage from thefts at other stores including Barnes & Noble and Target. Investigators say they believe Keefe used a dead relative’s passport to sell stolen items at pawn shops, and his fingerprints were found on a pawn slip for a stolen guitar.
Keefe is implicated in 28 thefts from six businesses over 180 days and is currently being held without bail.
STORY: WWU dean arrested on campus released from jail, will not be charged
The dean of libraries at Western Washington University who was arrested on Monday afternoon has since been released without charges.
WWU police responded to a call involving John Danneker and another man who claimed he had been texting Danneker on the Grindr app. The man alleged Danneker continued to pursue a sexual encounter after being told the man was 16, though the man had initially said he was 18. Danneker was arrested on suspicion of communication with a minor for immoral purposes. Yesterday, Whatcom County prosecutor Erik Richey determined there were no legal grounds for charges, as the individual involved was not actually underage.
Danneker remains on administrative leave while the university investigates.
STORY: Port of Bellingham reaches agreement in legal battle with Irish land developer
The legal conflict between the Port of Bellingham and Harcourt Developments over a waterfront luxury condo project may soon be resolved.
On Tuesday, Port commissioners voted 2-1 to approve an agreement regarding the removal of contaminated soil from the former Georgia-Pacific pulp mill site that was dug up through the construction process.
The agreement gives Harcourt access to port property that they need in order to continue construction in exchange for the removal of 250 tons of polluted materials weekly for a year.
Both parties have been in court since March, with Harcourt appealing a September ruling which allowed the port to restrict its access. The appeal will now be dropped, and further litigation is paused as arbitration begins. Commissioner Michael Shepard voted against the agreement, expressing frustration over ongoing lawsuits and delays.
The first of the waterfront condos is expected to open this month, after delays since 2019.
STORY: Bellingham port commission restructures airport advisory committee
In other Port news, the Bellingham International Airport Advisory Committee is adjusting its quorum requirements to improve its effectiveness.
Aaron Collins, the airport operations manager at BLI, noted that the committee’s lack of a quorum in recent years has rendered it ineffective. The new rule lowers the quorum to five members. BIAAC has 24 positions, with eight currently vacant, including three community seats.
The group, established in 1992, helps the Port Commission gather feedback on airport issues from community members and aviation experts. Collins says the change aims to increase participation and make the committee more functional, especially after recent challenges at the airport, including the departure of Southwest Airlines in April, the firing of Aviation Director Kip Turner in July, and the departure of the deputy aviation director in August.
The terms of nine current Advisory Committee members were extended for three years due to a lack of new applications.
STORY: Road to Artist Point closes for winter
The final 2.7 miles of State Route 542/Mount Baker Highway, closed today.
While the highway remains open up to milepost 54, winter travelers should monitor conditions.
Real-time updates are available on the WSDOT website and social media.
STORY: New Skagit tulip farm set to open in spring 2025
A new tulip farm, Skagit Acres, will open in Skagit Valley for its first bloom during the 2025 Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.
Located on a 3-acre field, the farm will feature tulip displays, food trucks, a beer and wine garden, live music, a greenhouse, and a nursery. Skagit Acres is owned by Spinach Bus Ventures, a group of former Mount Vernon High School classmates who also own Tulip Town.
The 41st annual Tulip Festival will take place throughout April 2025.
STORY: Washington looks to resolve conflicts blocking housing for the homeless
Washington State has launched a new dispute resolution process for housing developers if cities deny permits for emergency and temporary housing for the homeless.
According to the Department of Commerce, the program was introduced earlier this month to encourage more shelter, transitional housing, and supportive housing projects. Commerce estimates that Washington needs over 1.1 million homes by 2044, including 220,000 emergency units. While some local governments are cooperating, others are resistant due to concerns about these housing types. In response, the Legislature provided $600,000 to establish the resolution system, though a previous bill that proposed penalties for non-compliant cities failed to pass.
The current process allows parties to resolve disputes through mediation, which would potentially lead to changes in land use or project designs to meet local regulations.
WX: Running out of ways to say rain
Rain is in the forecast once more today, with a chance of thunderstorms beginning mid-afternoon. Daytime temps are projected to reach highs in the upper 50s, alongside south-southwestern winds gusting up to 21 mph. Evening temperatures are expected to drop to lows in the mid-40s.
Tomorrow–expect another day of mid-50s temperatures and rain, though no thunderstorms are projected at this time.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Jayne Kuhlman (COOL-mun), Tristan Trudell, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Brodey O’Brien, Paloma Ortiz, Anna Hedrick, and Miguel Garduño (MEE-gel gar-DOO-ño). 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 thank you for listening.
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