Bellingham man arrested for possession and dealing of child sexual abuse material, Man arrested following racially charged barfight in Bellingham, Whatcom County stepping up security in lead-up to Election Day, Bham Chamber announces finalists for business awards, Division Street Bridge to close for two weeks on Sunday, WA Secretary of State laments “glaring deficiencies,” in letter alleging hundreds of noncitizens registered to vote, New simplified WASFA college aid application, Whatcom Chief ferry outage (run MONDAY), Seattle-based Uwajimaya to expand, F&C 10/30, WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Saturday, October, 29. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham man arrested for possession and dealing of child sexual abuse material
A Bellingham man has been arrested on suspicion of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.
The Bellingham Herald reports that 24‑year‑old Omar Antonion Benitez was taken into custody yesterday, after investigators linked him to two crisis hotline messages in March in which he allegedly described abusing a child known to him.
Staff at the Trevor Project traced one message to a Bellingham IP address, and the next day the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office reported a nearly identical disclosure to the Washington Recovery Help Line.
Police detained Benitez on March 19 and say they found apps and conversations on his devices that appeared to involve child sexual abuse material.
He is currently being held in the Whatcom County Jail without bail.
STORY: Man arrested following racially charged barfight in Bellingham
A Bellingham man was arrested in what police say was a suspected hate crime.
Bellingham Police Lt. Claudia Murphy says an officer saw a fight outside a bar on Cornwall Avenue early Saturday morning and stepped in to break it up. She says the 34-year-old suspect had earlier confronted the victim inside the bar. Staff had already kicked the man out after he spilled a drink on the pool table.
Police say the victim left the bar later that night and found the suspect still outside. The suspect immediately punched him several times in the face, leading to the fight the officer witnessed. The victim, who is Hispanic, told police he believes he was targeted because of comments the suspect had made earlier.
Police arrested the man on suspicion of a hate crime and fourth‑degree assault. He posted bail and was released Monday.
STORY: Whatcom County stepping up security in lead-up to Election Day
Whatcom County officials are taking extra steps to bolster election security ahead of Election Day.
My Bellingham Now reports Whatcom County Auditor Stacy Henthorn has not disclosed her response to the governor’s offer to send National Guard troops to monitor ballot drop boxes, but says she’s asked local police and the Sheriff’s Office to keep an eye on drop box locations and increase drive‑bys through Election Day.
Ballots are due in an official drop box by 8 p.m. on Tuesday. Henthorn recommends using a drop box but says voters who need to mail their ballot should go to the post office counter to ensure a timely postmark. The Auditor’s Office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday for in‑person registration or ballot pickup.
As of yesterday, just over 30% of ballots were returned.
STORY: Bham Chamber announces finalists for business awards
The Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce has announced the finalists for its annual business awards.
Large Business finalists are Ecotech Solar, Peoples Bank, and Village Books & Paper Dreams. Garden Spot Nursery, Lummi Seafood Market, and Talbot Group are finalists for Small Business of the Year. Solo and Small Team finalists are Diventa Solutions, Joey Winkler Videography, and Limitless Law. Nonprofit finalists are the Community Boating Center, the Deming Logging Show, and YWCA Bellingham.
Other honorees include the Hotel Bellwether and Francine St. Laurent, with Lifetime Achievement Awards going to Harlan Kredit and Ron Polinder. Winners will be announced at the Chamber’s Annual Awards Dinner.
STORY: Division Street Bridge to close for two weeks on Sunday
The Skagit River Bridge in Mount Vernon will close for two weeks starting Sunday.
WSDOT (Wash-Dot) says the full closure will let crews finish repainting and preservation work months ahead of schedule, with a goal of reopening before Thanksgiving and the holiday shopping season. Heavy rain could delay that timeline.
The agency originally expected the project to run into early 2027, but says coordination with its contractor and the city made the faster schedule possible. Mount Vernon officials say finishing before the holidays will help nearby businesses.
During the closure, all traffic will detour via Avon Allen Road, SR 20 and I‑5. Emergency vehicles will still be allowed through, and the bridge will remain open for people walking or biking.
STORY: WA Secretary of State laments “glaring deficiencies,” in letter alleging hundreds of noncitizens registered to vote
Washington’s top elections official is rejecting a federal request to pull aside ballots flagged as possibly cast by non‑citizens.
In a letter to the Department of Justice, Secretary of State Steve Hobbs says a preliminary review of the list provided by federal prosecutors shows it includes U.S. citizens and people who are not currently registered to vote, making the data unreliable.
Hobbs says it would be both irresponsible and illegal for election officials to stop processing ballots without individualized proof that a voter is ineligible. He criticizes the timing of the request—sent after ballots were mailed and just days before Election Day—and notes the list arrived as a PDF with missing information and duplicate entries, further complicating any review.
Hobbs urges the Department of Justice to revisit what he calls flawed data and provide actual proof after the election, rather than pursuing what he calls a meritless, last‑minute effort.
STORY: New simplified WASFA college aid application
Washington’s state college financial‑aid application just got easier for students and families to use.
The Washington Student Achievement Council has launched a redesigned WASFA — the state’s financial‑aid application for students who can’t or choose not to file the federal FAFSA application. The new version has fewer questions, cuts unnecessary personal‑data fields, and is built to work cleanly on phones, tablets, and computers.
WSAC says the goal is to make financial aid more accessible and reduce barriers for students who may not realize they qualify for help. The application is now available in nine languages, and a demo site lets counselors and families practice before filing.
State officials say more students completing either the FAFSA or WASFA could open the door to the Washington College Grant, which can cover full tuition for many residents.
The 2027–28 WASFA is available at wasfa.onconcourse.com.
WX: Absolutely cloudbreaking stuff here
And now for the weather,
We’re in for another cloudy afternoon here in Whatcom, complete with low-50s temperature and occasional burst of rain…or sun. Tonight looks similar to recent days with continuing overcast skies, occasional sun breaks, and chances of rain with lows in the mid 30s.
Tomorrow: expect an exact mirror of today. Early weekend forecasts call for a mix of sun and clouds, but no rain…not yet, anyway.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Kyler Cantrell (can-TRELL), Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), KAI (eye) Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Jenny Lam, Doug Langworthy, and Cheri Cloninger (SHARE-ee CLAWN-in-ger). 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: Whatcom Chief ferry outage (run MONDAY)
The Whatcom Chief will be offline for several hours next Wednesday for maintenance.
The ferry will be out of service from 10:10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on November 4 so crews can finish work that couldn’t be completed during dry dock because parts weren’t available. Crews will also make an electrical repair at the Lummi Island terminal during the outage.
The last morning run from Gooseberry Point is 9:50, and the last run from Lummi Island is 10:00. No additional morning trips will follow the 10 a.m. sailing.
The county says the schedule is weather‑dependent and updates will be posted on the ferry webpage.
STORY: Seattle-based Uwajimaya to expand
Seattle-based Asian grocery store Uwajimaya will open a new location next spring.
The store will occupy a former Rite Aid space in Town and Country Square in Issaquah and cover about 23-thousand square feet. Uwajimaya CEO Denise Moriguchi says the Eastside’s growing population has increased demand for Asian ingredients and fresh seafood.
The new store will offer everyday groceries, produce, seafood and prepared foods. Uwajimaya is also opening a location in Tacoma, bringing the 98-year-old company to six stores.
F&C 10/30
Cordata welcomes families Saturday from 1 to 4pm for a warm, indoor Halloween stop packed with candy and activities. Kids can visit 20 themed candy stations, snap costume photos at the booth, play games for prizes, and enjoy free hot cocoa and cider.
STORY: WDFW seeking public comment on plan to establish permanent requirement for fishing endorsements
Should a fee for recreational fishing in the Columbia River be made permanent?
The Department of Fish and Wildlife is inviting public comment on whether the annual fee of $8.75 for anglers should be extended beyond the expiration date in January 2028
The fee applies to anglers over 15 years old who fish for salmon or steelhead.
The comment period ends on November 20 this year.
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