Anacortes Middle School student in custody following alleged threats of violence, Opioid overdoses down in Whatcom County, despite “ready availability,” of low-price meth and fentanyl, Costcos in WA and several other states recall ready-made poke after finding listeria contamination, AG’s office joins seven other states in urging Trump administration not to repeal Roadless Rule, Bellingham scientist among team responsible for finding evidence of ancient life on Mars, WA 3rd best for teachers, New draft homeless plan, Election Town Halls slated for October (kill 10/4), Tree coupon back (fill)
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, September 23rd. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Anacortes Middle School student in custody following alleged threats of violence
An Anacortes student is facing charges after allegedly making verbal threats of violence at school.
Anacortes Now reports the investigation began last Thursday, when district officials received a report of a student making a verbal threat toward Anacortes Middle School. The school district quickly escalated the report and contacted Anacortes Police. Officers interviewed several students, parents, and staff members before arresting the student.
The juvenile was booked into the Skagit County Juvenile Detention facility and charged with making threats to bomb or injure property. Police say there’s no evidence the student had a weapon, brought one to school, or kept a so-called “kill list.”
Officials urge the public to take all threats seriously, but also to wait for verified facts as investigations take place.
STORY: Opioid overdoses down in Whatcom County, despite “ready availability,” of low-price meth and fentanyl
Opioid overdoses in Whatcom County may finally be trending downward, but the risk is far from over.
According to law enforcement and addiction specialists who spoke with Cascadia Daily News, there were 20 emergency room visits for opioid overdoses in August, the lowest monthly total this year. This is also well below the levels seen in 2023 and ‘24, when monthly overdoses were two to three times higher. This decline mirrors national trends, which researchers link to better access to treatment, harm reduction efforts, and shifts in the drug supply.
However, officials say the supply is still dangerous. Bellingham Police have responded to repeated overdoses that involve the same individuals, including one person four separate times since January. Experts also warn that powdered fentanyl is becoming more common, making dosing less predictable and more deadly.
While local treatment options are expanding, major gaps remain — especially for youth services, residential treatment, and comprehensive care.
To help address the issue, a two-day summit on opioid use and recovery begins tomorrow in Ferndale, hosted by the Chuckanut Health Foundation.
STORY: Mount Vernon woman among four Army soldiers killed in helicopter crash near JBLM
A Mount Vernon woman was among the four Army soldiers killed in last week’s military helicopter crash near Joint Base Lewis-McChord.
The helicopter crashed Wednesday night during a routine nighttime training flight west of JBLM. The Army says the cause is still under investigation. The Associated Press reports 23-year-old Sergeant Jadalyn Good, of Mount Vernon, was one of the victims. She was part of the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known as the “Night Stalkers.”
Good enlisted in 2021 as a helicopter mechanic, and later became a crew chief on the MH-60 Black Hawk. She logged more than 730 flight hours and took part in critical training and contingency missions.
Also killed were Chief Warrant Officers Andrew Cully of Missouri and Andrew Kraus of Florida, as well as Sergeant Donavon Scott of Tacoma.
This is the second fatal crash involving the regiment in the past two years.
STORY: Costcos in WA and several other states recall ready-made poke after finding listeria contamination
Check your fridge — a popular Costco deli item is under recall due to possible Listeria (luh-STEE-ree-uh) contamination.
The Western United Fish Company has recalled more than 33-hundred pounds of Kirkland Signature Ahi (AH-hee) Tuna Wasabi Poke (POH-kay). The affected product has a pack date of September 18th and a sell-by date of September 22nd.
As reported in a company recall notice, the green onions used in the product may be contaminated with Listeria, bacteria that can cause serious illness — especially in pregnant women, young children, and those with weakened immune systems.
The poke was sold at Costco deli sections in 36 states, including Washington, Oregon, Texas, and New York. No illnesses have been reported so far.
Customers are urged to throw the product out and contact Costco for a full refund.
STORY: AG’s office joins seven other states in urging Trump administration not to repeal Roadless Rule
Washington is fighting back against a federal plan that could open millions of acres of protected forest to logging and development.
A nearly 25-year-old policy called the Roadless Rule protects wild forest areas from unnecessary roadbuilding. The Trump administration has signaled it would consider a repeal of the policy; in response, Washington Attorney General Nick Brown co-led a coalition of states on Friday to urge the U.S. Forest Service to reject that repeal.
According to the state Attorney General’s Office, about 2 million acres across Washington, which include parts of the Olympic and Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forests, are protected by the rule. Brown says repealing it would increase wildfire risk, pollute water, threaten wildlife, and harm tribal cultural sites. He also warned it could devastate outdoor recreation and local economies that depend on healthy forests.
Under President Trump, the U.S. Department of Agriculture describes the current rule as quote-unquote “overly restrictive,” and sees it as a, quote, “impediment to responsible forest management” unquote.
Washington was joined by seven other states, including Oregon and Massachusetts, in calling on the Forest Service to reverse course.
STORY: Bellingham scientist among team responsible for finding evidence of ancient life on Mars
Are we alone in the universe? A Western Washington University researcher may have brought us a step closer to the answer.
According to a release by WWU, planetary geologist Melissa Rice co-authored a recently published scientific paper that describes a Martian rock collected by NASA’s Perseverance rover. The rock shows tiny markings resembling the remains of microbes that fed on iron, similar to patterns found in ancient rocks here on Earth.
Rice, a longtime NASA collaborator, helped guide the rover to the Jezero (DZEH-zuh-row) Crater, where some of Mars’ oldest rocks lie in an ancient riverbed — a prime spot to look for life. The discovery is not confirmation
of ancient life on the red planet, but Rice says the possibility cannot be ruled out.
Scientists will be able to learn more once the samples are returned to Earth, but funding delays have delayed that mission to at least 2040.
WX: Do you remembah? The twenty-third day of Septembah? And now for the weather:
It’s another beautiful late-summer-slash-early-fall day today, with the forecast calling for bright, sunny skies and highs in the low-to-mid 70s. Cloud cover looks like it should remain at a minimum all day and night — expect a round of clear skies this evening with lows in the upper 40s.
Tomorrow’s forecast: expect to keep on the sunny side. Enjoy it while it lasts!
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: WA 3rd best for teachers
According to Wallet Hub, Washington State is the third best state for Teachers in 2025. Over the past decade, Washington has seen an increase in teacher pay of more than 75% Other factors include teacher friendly policies and the state’s fourth lowest time span before tenure goes into effect.
FREE OR CHEAP
A free household paint recycling event is coming to Bellingham—now at a new location. Due to a scheduling conflict, the one-day drop-off on Saturday, October 4 will be held at Barkley Village, 2211 Rimland Drive, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Residents can safely dispose of unwanted paints, varnishes, primers, and similar products in their original containers, five gallons or smaller. Usable paint will be recycled into new latex paint. Attendees should stay in their vehicles while staff unload materials. Pre-registration is encouraged.
STORY: New draft homeless plan
Whatcom County has released a draft of its next five-year Homeless Housing Plan, outlining strategies for 2026 through 2030. The plan calls for more overnight emergency shelter beds, standardized data collection, and stronger accountability to better serve underserved groups. New funding sources, including two housing-related sales taxes, are expected to generate at least $15 million over the next five years for affordable housing and shelter projects. However, some recommendations—such as a new tiny home village and a low-barrier night-by-night shelter—still lack full operating funds. The Housing Advisory Committee will review the draft at a public meeting on Thursday, October 9, where residents can offer feedback in person or online.
STORY: Election Town Halls slated for October (kill 10/4)
This year’s election is all about local power — from city councils to school boards — and Cascadia Daily News wants voters to hear directly from the candidates.
You’re invited to two free town halls in October at the Sehome High School Theater in Bellingham. The first, focused on County Council races, is Saturday, October 4. The second, covering Bellingham City Council candidates, is Saturday, October 11. Both run from 6 to 8 p.m.
It’s your chance to ask questions, raise concerns, and hear where candidates stand before ballots drop.
Admission is free, but an RSVP is required. Reserve your seat for county races at CascadiaDaily.co/WhatcomTownHall, and for city races at CascadiaDaily.co/BhamTownHall.
STORY: Tree coupon back (fill)
Bellingham’s Tree Coupon Program is back this fall. Residents can get up to $100 off per tree at participating nurseries to plant on private property. The city says last year’s program added more than 500 trees, boosting Bellingham’s urban canopy. Sign-ups are online, and coupons are valid from October through May.
