Bellingham mayor introduces ordinance banning sale of kratom and 7-OH within city limits, Truck collision with power pole results in blackout at over 1,000 addresses in Ferndale, Founder and namesake of popular Everson steakhouse passes away, Three Bellingham restaurants announce permanent closures over holiday weekend, County Council to test new meeting-day format, Parts of Larrabee State Park to close for pipe replacement (bumpable but run by Mon 9/14), Skagit County to interview candidates for interim coroner this week, Ferndale City Council rejects new tax (waiting on info), Gas Prices Up (Can be pushed to next week), Whatcom Water Week runs 9/14-9/19 (RUN BY 9/11), Numerous WA Democrats among signatures on brief rejecting Trump administration’s crackdown on mail-in voting (bumpable), Are millionaires really moving out of WA due to income tax?, Library’s Growing Community Through Food Event on 9/17 (run by 9/15), Whatcom County Open House (run bet. 9/15-9/28)
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, September, 9. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham mayor introduces ordinance banning sale of kratom and 7-OH within city limits
Bellingham will consider an ordinance banning kratom and 7‑OH products.
Mayor Kim Lund introduced the measure, which would prohibit preparing, distributing or selling the substances within city limits. Council is scheduled to take it up on September 14th.
Cascadia Daily News reports the proposal would make violations a gross misdemeanor, carrying penalties of up to a year in jail or fines up to $5,000. Enforcement would fall to Bellingham Police, along with the city prosecutor and court services.
The move follows Mount Vernon’s decision last month to enact a similar ban.
The products remain unregulated at the state level, though some cities have adopted local bans. Federally, kratom is also unregulated, so many products are still legal to buy — including online — regardless of local restrictions.
STORY: Truck collision with power pole results in blackout at over 1,000 addresses in Ferndale
More than a thousand PSE customers lost power after a semi-truck brought down overhead lines.
The City says the truck was leaving a construction site in the 1600 block of Main Street on Tuesday when it made contact with the lines, causing them to fall and block the roadway. No one was injured and no other vehicles were involved.
According to PSE, more than a thousand customers were without power at the peak of the outage. At 5 p.m., just under 300 customers were still affected.
The downed lines closed Main Street for a little over an hour.
STORY: Founder and namesake of popular Everson steakhouse passes away
A familiar name in Everson’s restaurant community has died.
Herb Niemann passed peacefully at home on September 5th, surrounded by loved ones.
Niemann was a longtime chef and restaurateur. Born in Germany in 1942, he immigrated to Canada as a teenager, trained with Canadian Pacific Hotels, and later cooked in Yukon mining camps. He joined his brother Jack in the Black Forest restaurant chain and eventually ran the Harrison Hot Springs location.
He went on to open restaurants in Whistler, Kelowna, and Leavenworth, and operated the Everson restaurant with his sister Ilse and his wife Susan for 17 years.
Friends remember him as upbeat, generous, devoted to his family — and an avid car enthusiast.
STORY: Three Bellingham restaurants announce permanent closures over holiday weekend
Three local restaurants have announced upcoming closures.
Luna’s Bistro will close after 15 years, with its final day of service on Friday. The owners say they’re retiring and thanked customers and staff for their support over the years.
Red Star Bellingham will close on Friday, September 25th. The owners cite several contributing factors and say they’ll continue operating Sweet Bay Café in the same State Street location.
The Corner Taphouse will shut down at the end of September. The owners say there’s no sustainable path forward but plan to share details about final events.
Each business also thanks the community for its support and encourages patrons to visit before they close.
STORY: County Council to test new meeting-day format
Whatcom County Council will pilot changes to its meeting‑day format through the end of the year. Starting September 15th, the Council will test adjustments aimed at saving time and improving efficiency on meeting days, which can stretch 14 to 16 hours for members and staff.
During the trial period, Council will reduce its committees to Finance and Administrative Services and Committee of the Whole. The morning Finance and Administrative Services meeting will also add a 30‑minute public comment period.
Evening Council meetings will continue to hold open session and public hearings, and email comment remains available.
A public hearing is scheduled for December 8th so residents can weigh in on whether the changes should become permanent.
STORY: More FEMA money headed to Whatcom County
Whatcom County is included in a new round of FEMA disaster‑recovery funding.
FEMA has approved over $62 million statewide for disaster recovery and resilience — money that supports infrastructure repairs, hazard‑mitigation projects and post‑disaster assistance.
One of the largest local awards is more than $2.4 million for the Lake Whatcom Water and Sewer District to retrofit a seismically vulnerable reservoir in Bellingham. The project will also add the ShakeAlert earthquake early‑warning system — work meant to keep water service running after a major quake.
Statewide, the package includes $16.6 million for Public Assistance projects such as road and culvert repairs and emergency protective measures from past storms. Another $2.8 million is going to hazard‑mitigation work like drainage upgrades, utility protections and emergency‑power installations.
And nearly $8.4 million is headed to Washington for Disaster Case Management tied to the December 2025 floods.
STORY: Parts of Larrabee State Park to close for pipe replacement (bumpable but run by Mon 9/14)
Parts of Larrabee State Park will close for a major water‑system overhaul.
The 111‑year‑old park is getting new water lines to replace aging infrastructure — including pipes that may date back to its earliest years. Crews will install a modern system designed to improve water distribution and reduce emergency repairs.
The project begins September 16th and runs through May 2027. Camping will be shut down from September 15th through June 15th, 2027. The boat launch, Cleator Road, Clayton Beach and the Lost Lake parking lot will remain open. Day‑use facilities may open intermittently, but conditions will change often.
For the most current updates, visitors are encouraged to contact the park directly.
STORY: Skagit County to interview candidates for interim coroner this week
Skagit County Commissioners will interview candidates to fill the upcoming vacancy in the County Coroner’s Office.
Coroner Hayley Thompson plans to resign September 18th, ahead of her term ending December 31st. State law requires the Skagit County Democrats to nominate three candidates for commissioners to consider. The party is expected to name them Thursday.
Commissioners will interview nominees Friday from 8 to 10:30 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Hearing Room in Mount Vernon. The public can attend in person, and the interviews will air on TV21 and stream on Zoom.
Afterward, commissioners will meet in executive session to review qualifications, then reconvene publicly to potentially vote. They may also delay the decision.
Under state law, commissioners have 60 days from the start of the vacancy to appoint a new coroner. If they don’t, the Governor has 30 days to do so.
WX: Sunbowed
The rest of today’s daylight hours look to bring us some bright partial sunshine and highs in the low 70s. Some heavier cloud cover may roll in over the course of the evening, which is looking to be fairly warm, with lows projected in the upper 50s.
Tomorrow, look for some lingering late-night clouds to give way to sunny morning skies, before some more classically autumnal weather moves in on Friday.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell (can-TRELL), Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Jenny Lam, Natalie Jones, Noelle Reger (no-ELL REE-ger), and Sean Lynch. 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 your donations. To help support our work, check out our Patreon, or Substack, or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________… thanks for listening!
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STORY: Ferndale City Council rejects new tax (waiting on info)
STORY: Gas Prices Up (Can be pushed to next week)
STORY: Whatcom Water Week runs 9/14-9/19 (RUN BY 9/11)
STORY: Numerous WA Democrats among signatures on brief rejecting Trump administration’s crackdown on mail-in voting (bumpable)
STORY: What tariffs are costing WA state
Washington households are absorbing sharply higher import costs under new tariffs.
New second‑quarter data from the National Taxpayers Union Foundation shows presidentially-imposed tariff increases have added an estimated $7.1 billion to the state’s import bill since January 2025 — roughly $2,300 per household.
The foundation says these executive tariffs are increases ordered directly by the president, separate from long‑standing statutory rates set by Congress. About 40 percent fall on raw materials, parts, and equipment used by Washington manufacturers.
Cars and trucks saw the biggest jump, with importers paying $1.6 billion in added tariffs and average rates rising to 16.9 percent, compared with 1 percent in 2024. Toys and games averaged 18.5 percent, clothes and shoes hit 31 percent, and household goods rose to 28.4 percent, all several times higher than last year’s levels.
STORY: Are millionaires really moving out of WA due to income tax?
STORY: Library’s Growing Community Through Food Event on 9/17 (run by 9/15)
STORY: Whatcom County Open House (run bet. 9/15-9/28)
Whatcom County residents will have a chance to learn more about county government during the second annual Whatcom County Open House.
The event is September 30 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the County Courthouse, with staff from county departments and elected offices available to answer questions and explain how county government works.
Topics will include the new jail and behavioral health care facility, the upcoming county budget process and the county court system. Attendees can also test their knowledge with Whatcom County trivia.
County Executive Satpal Sidhu said the event is intended to make local government more accessible and give residents an opportunity to connect directly with county staff and elected officials.
County Council Chair Kaylee Galloway said the open house is also an opportunity for residents to raise concerns and have direct conversations with the people who serve them.
STORY: Community Conversations District 2 (run at end of Sept)
Whatcom County residents will soon have a chance to meet their council members and ask questions.
Three councilmembers — Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, and Jon Scanlon — will take part in a community conversation on Thursday, October 1 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Round Table Pizza on East Sunset Drive. It’s part of the council’s Community Conversations series, this time held with the Barkley Neighborhood Association.
The event is free and open to the public, with time for updates and a Q&A.
More information on upcoming Community Conversations events is available on the county’s website.
F&C 9/24-26
Friends of the Bellingham Public Library September Book Sale
Thursday, September 24, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm
Friday, September 25, 10:00 am – 6:00 pm, half-price
Saturday, September 26, 10:00 am – 3:00 pm, $5/bag
Lecture Room, Central Library
Visit the Lecture Room at the Central Library for the Friends of the Library September Book Sale and browse from a huge selection of books, DVDs, and more. There will be items for all ages and all proceeds benefit your library. Credit card and cash payments will be accepted. Check it out!
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