Catch up with Wednesday’s top stories. Here’s what to know

A busy news day in Whatcom County saw an I-5 crash that sent a cyclist to a Seattle hospital, a warning about fake invoices targeting residents, an unclaimed $8.2 million lottery ticket and a lengthy trail closure in Fairhaven. Here are the stories making headlines on April 22, 2026.

Here are key takeaways:

• I-5 crash injures cyclist: A 50-year-old Bellingham man riding his bicycle on the shoulder of northbound I-5 near milepost 247 was struck after a two-vehicle collision sent a car into the guardrail and into him just after 11 a.m. Tuesday; he was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, and charges may be pending for one driver.

• Fake invoice scam: Whatcom County officials are warning residents about a phishing scheme that uses AI to pull permit data and sends fake invoices bearing the official county logo — part of a nationwide scam impersonating planning and zoning staff.

• $8.2 million lottery ticket unclaimed: A winning Lotto ticket sold at the Arco gas station at 4240 Meridian Street in Bellingham from the Jan. 31 drawing has yet to be claimed, and the owner has until Thursday, July 30, to collect.

• South Bay Trail closed for construction: A section of the South Bay Trail in Fairhaven closed Monday for what could be two or more years as construction begins on an apartment complex at the dirt lot known locally as “the Pit,” with a detour routing cyclists and pedestrians along Douglas Avenue, 11th Street and Mill Avenue.

The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists. The source reporting referenced above was written and edited entirely by journalists.

This story was originally published April 23, 2026 at 4:00 AM with the headline "Catch up with Wednesday’s top stories. Here’s what to know."