Juvenile arrested following alleged school shooting threat, Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in connection with fentanyl death in Whatcom County jail, House fire in Bellingham’s Columbia neighborhood, Bellingham City Council to consider measure curtailing rental “junk fees”, Bellingham City Council examines two measure affecting immigrants,Opportunity Council establishes new outpatient addiction center in rural Whatcom County, Dept. of Fish and Wildlife issues warning on bringing game in from out of state
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, September 30th. Good afternoon, I’m Theron Danielson.
STORY: Juvenile arrested following alleged school shooting threat
A 12-year-old boy was arrested by Bellingham Police on Thursday evening after allegedly threatening to shoot up Shuksan (SHUCK-sun) Middle School.
Officers arrested the boy after four fellow students reported to an adult that they feared the threat could be realized and that they feared for their lives. Bellingham Police established probable cause for felony harassment after interviews with students and adults.
The boy was later booked into the Whatcom County Juvenile Detention facility on four counts of felony harassment. No weapon was located, and the investigation remains ongoing.
STORY: Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in connection with fentanyl death in Whatcom County jail
39-year-old Angel Leffingwell was sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple charges related to a fentanyl overdose death of a Whatcom County Jail inmate in March.
Leffingwell pled guilty to charges including second-degree manslaughter, unlawful possession of fentanyl with intent to deliver, and a DUI. He received concurrent sentences totaling nearly four years, with credit for time served.
Leffingwell had been in jail awaiting trial after being found with fentanyl in his possession following a high-speed chase. On March 13th, he was the only inmate in a common area and was seen going back-and-forth between his cell and the victim’s cell. Two inmates – the victim and their cellmate – were later found unresponsive. Soon after, the victim died from an overdose. Leffingwell had two prior felony convictions from Skagit County.
STORY: House fire in Bellingham’s Columbia neighborhood
A house caught fire last Friday in Bellingham’s Columbia neighborhood.
Firefighters responded to the blaze on the corner of Victor and Washington streets at around 2:30 pm. An hour later, the fire had already been mostly extinguished. The home’s occupants were evacuated and reportedly uninjured, but several family pets in the home are believed to have died.
The origins and causes of the fire are still unknown, and no damage report has been made public.
STORY: Bellingham City Council to consider measure curtailing rental “junk fees”
The Bellingham City Council will consider two measures affecting so-called “junk fees” on rental housing during a meeting tonight.
One proposed ordinance focuses on residential tenants, while the second measure is aimed at mobile home lease agreements. Examples of “junk fees” noted include administrative fees, application fees, surcharges to use an in-unit washer and dryer, valet trash, and parking fees for guests. According to a report included with the agenda for tonight’s meeting, renters in support of limiting the fees say that they are forced to pay for services they didn’t want and charged for services not provided.
Votes are scheduled when the City Council meets at 7pm in City Hall at Lottie Street. No public hearings are on the agenda, but the meeting will be live-streamed on YouTube.
STORY: Bellingham City Council examines two measure affecting immigrants
In other Council news, the City is also set to consider two measures affecting immigrants.
According to supporting documents on the agenda, one measure proposes the creation of a temporary advisory group to study and advise on the Keep Washington Working Act, a law that prohibits detaining individuals solely to check their immigration status. The second measure would disband the city’s Immigration Advisory Board, which has been inactive since January due to internal tensions. Councilwoman Hannah Stone, who originally proposed the board in 2019, supports disbanding it to allow members to apply to the new advisory group.
Both measures will be discussed today at the council’s Committee of the Whole, which meets at 1pm. Votes on the measures are scheduled for later that day.
STORY: Opportunity Council establishes new outpatient addiction center in rural Whatcom County
The Opportunity Council has opened a new outpatient addiction center in rural Whatcom County.
The East Whatcom Regional Resource Center in Maple Falls is now operating the Ideal Option clinic, which offers a range of services meant to support people recovering from substance use.
According to Kelly Vogel, a program specialist for the Opportunity Council, having addiction treatment centers in rural areas helps eliminate barriers, such as lack of transportation, for those who seek treatment. Additionally, April Provost, a community outreach coordinator for Ideal Option, said she knows from personal experience that people in rural areas who struggle with addiction tend to face more stigma. Provost hopes the new clinic will help address that issue.
The clinic is open to new and returning patients from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays at 8251 Kendall Road. Most forms of insurance are accepted, including Medicare and Medicaid.
STORY: Dept. of Fish and Wildlife issues warning on bringing game in from out of state
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has issued a statement to remind Washington-based hunters of rules on transporting game meat from other states.
According to the statement, under state law, certain rules must be followed in order to mitigate the risk of spreading chronic wasting disease, or CWD, which is similar to mad cow disease. The restrictions affect the import of deer, elk, moose and caribou harvested outside the state or from the Mount Spokane, Mica (MICAH) Peak and Cheney areas. Only the boned-out meat from these species can be imported, and all soft tissue must be removed from skulls, antlers and hides. Violations of the law may lead to the meat being confiscated, as well as a $5,000 fine or one year in jail.
The first case of CWD was confirmed in Spokane County in August, and infections have also been found in 34 other states and four Canadian provinces.
WX: Sun ‘n clouds
And now for your Whatcom County weather:
Expect a mix of clouds and sun throughout today, with a daytime high in the mid-60s. Winds will be calm and variable in direction, and the evening is expected to bring solid cloud cover and a high in the upper 40s.
Tomorrow will see those clouds stick around, with a chance of rain in the afternoon.
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 Theron Danielson, and thank you for listening.
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