Competency eval ordered for Bellingham man charged with arson, assaults and eluding, Child sex trafficking ring busted in Liberty Lake, Water at Silver Beach Elementary School tests with high levels of lead, Whatcom home prices decline, Skagit County implements 90-day hiring freeze as budget woes increase, Skagit Regional Health patients eligible for claim from class action lawsuit, Chicken corn dog products recalled due to possible extraneous matter contamination, Orcas Island group, politicians call for release of flotilla member detained by Israel, More than $3.4 million in grants allocated to Whatcom County to aid in salmon habitat restoration, Fires still burning in WA
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, October 6th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Competency eval ordered for Bellingham man charged with arson, assaults and eluding
A Bellingham man accused of arson, assault, and eluding law enforcement is headed for a competency hearing.
Based on police records, KMRE previously reported that the 30-year-old was arrested on September 23rd after he allegedly pepper-sprayed two people, set a contractor’s van on fire, and fled the scene in a pickup.
According to court documents, he now faces multiple felonies, including second-degree arson and assault with a poisonous substance. A court-ordered competency hearing is set for October 16th. He remains in jail on a $150,000 bond.
STORY: Child sex trafficking ring busted in Liberty Lake
Twelve men and one woman have been arrested for child sexual abuse and exploitation near the Idaho border.
Dubbed Operation Liberty Lake, the multi-agency sting was led by the Washington State Patrol’s Missing and Exploited Children Task Force, who worked with Homeland Security Investigations and local law enforcement.
Five of the men were over 50, and six lived in Idaho.
Since launching similar operations in 2015, the task force has made more than 360 arrests statewide and rescued numerous children from danger.
Liberty Lake Police Chief Damon Simmons said protecting vulnerable children remains one of law enforcement’s top priorities.
STORY: Environmental coalition appeals decision to expand Ferndale Terminal propane
A coalition of six environmental groups say they will appeal Whatcom County’s decision to move forward with the ALA (uh-LAH) Energy Terminal.
The county issued a Mitigated Determination of Non-Significance last month for 33 projects at the AltaGas (AL-tuh GAS)-operated site, which stores and exports propane and butane. The ruling means the county found no significant environmental harm — however, groups including RE Sources, the Sierra Club, and Friends of the San Juans disagree.
Their appeal argues the county’s decision ignores legal standards and fails to address safety and environmental risks tied to fossil fuel expansion at Cherry Point.
The appeal will go before the Whatcom County hearing examiner within the next few months. If denied, the coalition says it will take the case to the Superior Court.
STORY: Water at Silver Beach Elementary School tests with high levels of lead
Newly-released state data shows a Bellingham elementary school had some of the highest lead levels in school water anywhere in Washington.
The tests were conducted under a 2021 state law that requires schools to check for lead in drinking water. The Department of Health found two sinks at Silver Beach Elementary with lead concentrations more than 800 times the legal limit. One sink has since been removed, and follow-up tests showed the other had returned to safe levels.
District spokesperson Dana Smith says independent contractors could not replicate the unusually high state results.
Most other Whatcom County schools tested at or below legal limits.
STORY: Whatcom home prices decline
Last quarter saw the steepest drop in Whatcom County home prices in more than a year.
A new report from Bellingham’s Muljat (MUL-yacht) Group shows the median sale price at the end of September fell 4.3% from a year ago — down about $10,000 to $624,000. The number of homes sold also slipped by 2%, with 724 properties changing hands during the third quarter.
Broker Adrik Brashear (AYE-drik bruh-SHEE-ur), who compiled the data, says inventory and mortgage rates now hover around 6%, which could bring some buyers back into the market. He predicts a slower fall and winter season could actually remain steady if borrowing rates hold.
The report includes details for Bellingham, Ferndale, Lynden, Blaine-slash-Birch-Bay, and other county communities.
STORY: Skagit County implements 90-day hiring freeze as budget woes increase
Skagit County officials say a $19 million budget shortfall has forced them to make some tough decisions.
After a series of department budget meetings, the County Commissioners announced a 90-day hiring freeze to help stabilize spending while the 2026 budget is developed.
According to the County, the deficit stems from rising operational costs, flat revenues, and uncertain state and federal funding. Commissioners say workforce reductions, service cuts, and new revenue options — including a possible public safety sales tax — are all on the table.
The preliminary 2026 budget will be released on November 17th, and a public hearing is set for December 1st. The final budget adoption is scheduled for December 8th, ahead of the state’s December 31st deadline.
STORY: Skagit Regional Health patients eligible for claim from class action lawsuit
Skagit Regional Health patients may be owed money over claims their private info was shared without consent.
Cascadia Daily News reports the hospital has agreed to a $400,000 class action settlement, without admitting wrongdoing. This comes after a lawsuit alleged the hospital gave patients’ personal and health information to third parties via its online portal.
Anyone who used the portal between May 2021 and September 2025 can file a claim for $20, with payments arriving by mail. The deadline to file is November 3rd, and the claim form is available on the Claim Depot website.
This is the latest in a string of data privacy cases involving Washington healthcare providers.
STORY: Chicken corn dog products recalled due to possible extraneous matter contamination
Millions of chicken corn dogs are being recalled because there may be wood in the batter.
Foster Poultry Farms has issued the recall of over 3.8 million pounds of its chicken corn dog products after multiple consumer complaints — including at least five injuries.
The affected products were sold nationwide, and were made between July 30th, 2024, and August 4th, 2025. They bear the establishment number “P‑6137B” on the package or inside the USDA inspection mark. The packages have a “best used by” date between August 2025 and August 2026.
Consumers and institutions that purchased these items are urged not to eat them, and to instead either throw them away or return them to the point of purchase.
Consumers with questions about the recall can contact Foster Farms Consumer Affairs or email info@fosterfarms.com
WX: Sol Food
And now for the weather:
It’s a beautiful start to the week — plenty of sunshine today with highs around 68 and just a light breeze out there. Tonight stays mostly clear and cool, dropping to about 49 degrees.
Tomorrow will look a lot like today — mostly sunny, highs again near 68 and low near 48, and just a little breeze picking up in the afternoon.
By Wednesday, we could see a few light showers in the morning — about a 30% chance — but it will otherwise be partly sunny with a cooler high near 61.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THARE-un) Danielson, Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, 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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STORY: Orcas Island group, politicians call for release of flotilla member detained by Israel
STORY: More than $3.4 million in grants allocated to Whatcom County to aid in salmon habitat restoration
STORY: Fires still burning in WA
Two wildfires east of the Cascade Mountains have become the state’s largest this season, and cover about 120 square miles.
The Labor Mountain and Lower Sugarloaf fires, both sparked by lightning, are being fought by more than 2,400 firefighters and 18 aircraft, and cost about $1 million per fire per day. Blewett Pass, which connects Leavenworth and Ellensburg, has been closed since late September, with no reopening date.
Commissioner of Public Lands Dave Upthegrove visited the area Wednesday, and highlighted that longer fire seasons along with reduced wildfire funding are behind the higher costs. Washington State Department of Natural Resources estimates overall costs could reach $132 million through the next fiscal year
Fire officials say prescribed burns and community fuel breaks have helped limit the fires’ spread, and crews have focused on protecting about 567 homes within evacuation zones. Upthegrove also noted that the longer fire season is fueled by climate change, and stressed the importance of wildfire resilience funding to better protect communities and ecosystems.
