News Briefs

More charges filed against Wilhelm; Acme resident retrieves his truck
BELLINGHAM – Additional charges have been filed against Noah Wilhelm, 21, of Acme, in the shooting of Kyle Brown, also 21. Wilhelm, the sole suspect, was initially charged with assault, and is now being charged with first-degree attempted murder and first-degree attempted kidnapping, as filed by Whatcom County Senior Deputy Prosecutor Eric Richey on Jan. 13. Wilhelm allegedly shot Brown three times with a .357 revolver in the 3200 block of Racine Street in Bellingham on Dec. 21. Wilhelm was on the run for 10 days before turning himself in on Dec. 31. Brown, shot in the throat and shoulders,  is recovering from his injuries.
In other news, Acme resident Dave Paulus was able to retrieve his truck, a 1963 Willys Jeep half-ton pickup, stolen by Wilhelm shortly after the shooting. Wilhelm had made his way back to Acme, where his vehicle was observed by a Customs and Border Protection helicopter. Wilhelm ditched his vehicle, fled on foot, and then stole Paulus’ truck and drove to Nevada, police said.

Program focuses on North Cascades
COUNTY – KCTS 9 will show this week the premier of “North Cascades: People, Places and Stories,” a special program showcasing the North Cascades national park through the words and actions of Washingtonians of all ages. The show will air Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 31 at 4:30 p.m. Included is the program is a profile of legendary mountaineer Fred Beckey, 86, who has been climbing in the North Cascades for nearly seven decades, and is the author of the Beckey Guides for climbers and hikers exploring the backcountry. In addition, stories about the return of wolves to the region, as well as the Mountain School, the North Cascade Institute’s nationally recognized education program, will also be included. The full-length program will be available online at KCTS9.org/video after the premiere.

New time to pick up free bread
MAPLE FALLS – The Mt. Baker Baptist Church in Maple Falls will continue to give away free bread on Saturdays donated by Avenue Bread in Bellingham, however the time has changed. Residents can now pick up bread from 1-3 p.m. at the Church, located behind Crossroads Grocery on Silver Lake Road in Maple Falls.

Four Mount Baker juniors qualify for Aerospace Scholars program
DEMING – Four junior students at Mount Baker High School have been accepted into the first phase of the 2009-10 Washington Aerospace Scholars program, an educational program at The Museum of Flight in Seattle. The program is open to high school juniors from across the state, some of whom will be named as recipients of the museum’s summer residency program. The Mount Baker juniors are Andrea Ferrell, Albert Howard, Realyn Stratton and Alyssa Zender. A total of 14 students from Whatcom County qualified for the program.

Maple Falls resident earns scholarship
BELLINGHAM – Corey Windnagel, son of Susan Windnagel of Maple Falls, and student at Western Washington University received a $5,000 Kaiser-Borsari Educational Foundation Scholarship for Diversity for the 2009-2010 academic year. The Kaiser-Borsari Educational Foundation Scholarship is given to an Engineering Technology major who demonstrates high academic potential, creativity and leadership qualities. Windnagel, a junior at WWU, is majoring in Industrial Design with a specialization in CAD/CAM and is planning to graduate in 2012. He was on the Dean’s List and received scholastic honors from Phi Theta Kappa while attending Whatcom Community College. Windnagel is also a freelance designer of athletic equipment.

DeBari joins North Face team
GLACIER – Lucas DeBari, a Glacier native and winner of the 2007 Legendary Banked Slalom, has joined the North Face snowboard Athlete Team. DeBari has been snowboarding since he was four years old. He has been featured in films by Peoples Creative, Transworld, Think Thank, Funner and is currently filming with Absinthe. In 2008 DeBari won the Rookie of the Year in the Transworld Rider Poll. In his second year of pro competition, DeBari won the Mount Baker Legendary Banked Slalom. “There is so much more potential in snowboarding that I am driven to explore,” DeBari said via press release. “My goal for the next few years is to snowboard as much as possible while pushing the limits of possibility, and I am psyched to be aligned with The North Face as I take the next steps in my career.” The North Face Athlete team is comprised of 60 professional athletes from around the world who work closely with the company’s Research, Design & Development department to create outdoor apparel and equipment.

Vendor spaces available for 2010 Bellingham Farmers Market
BELLINGHAM – The Bellingham Farmers Market has several vendor spaces available for the 2010 season. “In order to keep the market well-balanced, we are especially looking for specialty farmers — those with eggs, meat, dairy products, or specialty crops; crafters -– although bath and beauty products, pottery, and jewelry are areas that are already well-represented; and food processors and/or concessionaires,” Bellingham Farmers Market director Caprice Teske said. Vendor applications, jury forms, detailed information, and guidelines are available online at www.bellinghamfarmers.org. Interested processors/concessionaires must complete a Processor Jury Form and participate in the Processor Tasting on Feb. 6. Crafters must complete a Craft Jury Form and participate in the Feb. 6 Craft Jury.

Items sought for Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s auction
BELLINGHAM – The Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center is seeking items for its auction portion of the annual fundraiser, slated this year for Saturday, March 6. Located in Nugents Corner, the Center cares for more than 800 animals each year. Anyone interested in donating items, should contact Jennifer Hayden at 348-2544. The March 6 event will feature a silent, live and dessert auction, as well as a buffet dinner and jazz music by the Mark Kelly quartet, from 6-10 p.m. at the Northwood Hall, located at 3240 Northwest Ave., Bellingham. Tickets are available for $50 per person and can be purchased by contacting Jan Stamey at 647-1415 or e-mail at nwwildlife@netzero.net. For more information visit northwestwildlife.org/events.html.

Show highlights Scurlock’s photos
BELLINGHAM – North Cascades aerial photographer and pilot John Scurlock will show a collection of his photography covering the Cascades, as well as the Coast Mountains of British Columbia, during a free event on Jan. 20. The show will be held at the Bellingham REI, 400 36th St. Bellingham. For more information, call 647-8955.

Project updates on Subzone agenda
ACME – The Acme/VanZandt Subzone committee will meet on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 6:30 p.m. at Acme Elementary. Agenda items include elections, an update from Lummi Natural Resources on the Saxon Project, and the Acme Phase II Flood Works Agreement. For more information, contact Subzone Chair Chris Hatch at 595-0953.

—compiled by the Foothills Gazette