Bellingham Scoop: Your Bellingham Update for November 15 — Big Local News

Good morning, Bellingham! It’s November 13, 2025! Grab your mug, peek outside at the gray-blue skies we all secretly love, and settle in. We have a full lineup today, from big public safety updates to forest planning news to a chance for your house to get a deep clean without your wallet crying about it. Let’s get into it.

In this issue:
• A rare 75 percent off deep clean from Cascade Home Cleaning if you volunteer your home as a training site (sponsored)
• A fresh roundup of events happening between November 13 and November 20
• A busy week in local law enforcement, including a major fentanyl investigation
• The county task force working on long term strategies to reduce incarceration
• Your chance to help shape the future of Lake Whatcom’s forests

Want a Deep Clean for 75 Percent Off? Cascade Home Cleaning Is Looking for Training Homes (SPONSORED)

Want your home to sparkle for a serious discount while helping new cleaners learn the ropes? Cascade Home Cleaning, one of the top rated cleaning companies in Bellingham, is opening a limited number of spots for its new Training Home Program, and you could snag a deep clean for 75 percent off.

Here is how it works. Cascade’s seasoned cleaning pros will be teaching new team members inside real homes, not staged setups. Think of it like the student haircut model, but for house cleaning. Your home becomes the classroom, and in return you get a dramatically discounted deep clean.

A few things to know. Training homes may take longer than a standard appointment, and the results may not be as polished as a full price professional clean. The experienced cleaners supervise every step, but the goal is skill building for new staff. If that sounds like a fair trade for a major discount, you can add your name to the backlog of homes the team selects from.

Cascade Home Cleaning will choose homes as training schedules allow. If selected, you will receive a deep clean at a fraction of the cost while supporting the next generation of local cleaners.

Interested in snagging a spot? Submit your home to the Training Home list and keep an eye out for future openings.

Apply to be part of the Training Home Program: LINK

Upcoming Events:

Here’s a curated list of upcoming events in Bellingham!

• Ladies Night – Wednesday, Nov 13, 6–9 p.m. at Backcountry Essentials (1417 N State St.). Free style-shopping and raffles for women and friends. More info →

• Live Music at Zeeks – Thursday, Nov 13, 7–9 p.m. at Zeeks Pizza (2416 Meridian St.). Local band playing live music. More info

• Indoor Bocce Ball – Tuesday & Thursday weekly (including Nov 18 & Nov 20) from 10 a.m.–12 p.m. at Bellingham Sportsplex (1225 Civic Field Way). No registration needed—just show up and play. More info

• Holiday Wine Walk – Friday, Nov 14, 5:30–9 p.m. in Downtown Bellingham. Celebrate the season with wine tastings and downtown shopping. More info

• Quiet Movie/Trivia Night (Cat Yoga) – Thursday, Nov 20, 6–7:30 p.m. at NEKO Cat Café (1130 Cornwall Ave). Cat yoga event, fun for animal-lovers. More info → 

• Bellingham Improv Festival 2025 – Starts Thursday, Nov 20 (runs through Nov 23) at The Upfront Theatre (203 Prospect St.). A multi-day showcase of improv performance and workshops. More info

• Open Decks! – Wednesday, Nov 19, sign-up at 7:30 p.m., event starts 8 p.m. at Blue Room (202 E Holly St.). Free DJ/music showcase night—bring a properly formatted Rekordbox USB for a slot. More info

Major Drug Task Force Operation Leads to Two Arrests on E. Pole Road

A coordinated law enforcement effort on Wednesday, November 12 brought a busy scene to the 1800 block of E. Pole Road as the Whatcom Regional Drug Task Force carried out a drug related search warrant following a three month investigation.

The operation involved the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and support from both the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team and the Bellingham Police SWAT team. Multiple buildings on the property and potential safety risks made the additional support necessary.

Investigators report that the case focused on the activities of a transnational criminal organization distributing fentanyl in Whatcom County. Through the investigation, officers identified Hilario Adame Monreal as a member of the group. Between August and October, an undercover officer completed three controlled purchases of suspected fentanyl powder from him. Deputies had also contacted him on October 6 while he was trespassing in a barn. During that contact, he admitted to smoking methamphetamine and was carrying more than thirteen thousand dollars.

Shortly before Wednesday’s search warrant was served, Adame Monreal was arrested during a traffic stop. Officers say he was taken into custody for Money Laundering and three counts of Delivery of a Controlled Substance Fentanyl. About four thousand dollars was found on him, and investigators located remittance receipts in his vehicle listing destinations in Mexico.

Investigators also linked the E. Pole Road property to the criminal organization. They believe the property had been used to house drug couriers, store and distribute drugs, and register vehicles involved in deliveries. During the search, the property owner, Arthur Villalon, was contacted on site and arrested for Criminal Conspiracy in Support of Leading Organized Crime and Unlawful Use of a Building for Drug Purposes.

Inside the property, officers found about 30 grams of suspected fentanyl laced powder, empty baggies, a scale, and suspected drug ledger notes. Adame Monreal now also faces an additional charge of Possession with Intent to Deliver Fentanyl. Both men were booked into the Whatcom County Jail without incident.

The Task Force also noted that Jesus Penuelas Agramon, arrested in July for shooting a Lummi Nation Police Officer, had previously been investigated for fentanyl sales and was believed to be staying at the same E. Pole Road location earlier this year.

Here is the link to the Facebook Post: LINK

As Deputies Fight Fentanyl, County Task Force Pushes New Plans to Reduce Incarceration

It has been a busy week for public safety in Whatcom County. While deputies and task force partners were out on E. Pole Road serving a major drug warrant on November 12, another team of local leaders was gathered downtown to talk about long term strategies to keep fewer people cycling through the jail in the first place.

2 page summary link: HERE
Full Agenda link: HERE

The Whatcom County Incarceration Prevention and Reduction Task Force Steering Committee held its November 12 meeting to review the draft 2025 Year End Report and continue planning for next year. This group is made up of representatives from law enforcement, the courts, behavioral health providers, local governments, and community members. Their job is to monitor progress on the Justice Project Implementation Plan and recommend practical steps to reduce incarceration while improving community safety.

The draft year end report shows steady work across several fronts. Committees have been evaluating diversion programs, weighing best practices for the new jail and Behavioral Care Center, advancing reentry programs, and pushing forward on a long awaited countywide data dashboard that will track key justice system indicators. The group is also looking at stronger coordination between behavioral health providers so that people in crisis can get care earlier and avoid ending up in jail.

One of the biggest updates is the recommendation to build the county’s planned Behavioral Care Center as an out of custody facility located within a future Division Street behavioral health campus. The model under discussion would offer crisis care, therapeutic services, and stabilization as an alternative for people with behavioral health needs who might otherwise end up behind bars for low level offenses.

The report also highlights the work of the Pretrial Processes Workgroup, the Behavioral Health Committee, and the Reentry and Diversion Workgroup. Together, these groups are focused on improving early interventions, supporting people reentering the community after jail, and strengthening programs like Community Court, the Alternative Response Team, LEAD, and GRACE.

County staff and consultants presented revisions to the year end report during Wednesday’s meeting, with final edits due by the end of the day. The full Task Force will continue reviewing priorities, goals, and action plan updates into December.

Here is the full video (1 hour+) in full:

City and County Ask for Final Community Input on Lake Whatcom Forest Management Plan

If you have a few minutes and a warm beverage nearby, the City of Bellingham and Whatcom County could use your help. A new community survey is open now through November 20, gathering final feedback on the draft Lake Whatcom Forest Management Plan. This plan shapes how our public forestlands around the lake will be cared for in the coming years, with a focus on protecting drinking water, improving forest health, reducing wildfire risk, and supporting recreation and wildlife.

Here is a link to the survey: LINK

You do not need to read the full plan to chime in (it is 400+ pages..). The survey highlights the big themes and takes about five to ten minutes. There is even a final page where you can share open ended comments if you have more to say. Anyone can participate as long as they provide an email and username. There is no need to be registered through Engage Bellingham.

This round of feedback builds on community input from spring and summer of 2025, when residents weighed in online and in person during earlier phases of the plan.

The draft plan itself is available to read, along with two supplemental documents that outline what management will look like based on who oversees the land. Whatcom County manages about 9,600 acres of parklands including Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve and Lake Whatcom Park. These areas were reconveyed from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources and are mostly used for passive recreation. The City manages more than 3,500 acres that were purchased through the Lake Whatcom Land Acquisition and Preservation Program to prevent development and protect our drinking water source.

If Lake Whatcom is part of your daily life, whether as your water supply or your favorite place for a quiet hike, this is a great chance to help shape how these forests are cared for. A few minutes of your time can help guide years of stewardship.