Nearly 2,000 Bellingham Customers Lose Power on Thanksgiving Day

Nearly 2,000 Puget Sound Energy customers in Bellingham lost power this afternoon after an outage that began around 3:33 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. PSE’s outage map shows roughly 1,952 customers affected as crews continue assessing the issue. No cause has been identified, and restoration is currently estimated for 7:00 p.m. as the utility works to determine the extent of the damage.

Bellingham Resident Tied to D.C. Attack; National Guard Member Not Expected to Survive

Federal officials have confirmed that 29-year-old Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in Wednesday’s shooting near the White House, had been living in Bellingham prior to the attack. One of the two National Guard members critically wounded, 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom, is not expected to survive, according to her family. FBI agents executed an overnight search warrant at a North State Street residence as the multi-state investigation continues.

Bond Would Flip Lynden High School’s Footprint and Add Modern Labs and Arts Center

Lynden voters will decide this fall whether to approve a $129 million bond to replace Lynden High School with a reoriented north–south campus, modern career and technical labs, and a new performing arts center. Superintendent David Vanderyacht says the design will emphasize “function over fancy” and include opportunities for students to gain “pre-apprentice experience” in trades such as electrical, plumbing, and framing.

Lynden School Board Tables Resolution on Establishing “Charlie Kirk Day”

The Lynden School Board voted 3–2 Thursday to table a proposal that would have created an annual “Charlie Kirk Day.” The resolution, introduced after Kirk’s assassination on September 10, called for a yearly observance against political violence and support for student debate clubs. Board President Verburg acknowledged the decision, saying, “The buck stops here,” and committed to allowing more community input. The proposal may return for discussion at the October 2 meeting.