Bellingham city officials plan to “take action,” against King Mountain encampment amid mounting complaints from residents, Blaine man receives nine-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide, Lynden power outage leaves over 1700 people in the dark over the weekend, Port of Bellingham and PSE joining forces to install solar panels at Zuanich Park, Lummi Island ferry bottleneck, Downtown Sounds releases summer lineup, Whatcom health officials report “extremely low,” risk to public health from residents returning from ebola-struck Africa, Initiative to repeal “millionaire’s tax,” looks likely to head to voters this November, Two more gray whales stranded, Intercultural Dance Day comes to Bellingham, FREE & CHEAP
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, June, 1st. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham city officials plan to “take action,” against King Mountain encampment amid mounting complaints from residents
Bellingham city officials say they expect to take action on a large homeless encampment in the King Mountain neighborhood this summer.
According to the city, the encampment stretches across dozens of acres of wooded private property near Meridian Street and East Kellogg Road. City leaders have begun cleanup efforts on one 20-acre parcel, but say the work could take years and cost millions of dollars.
Nearby property managers report spending more than $100,000 on security measures to deal with theft, drug activity, fires and trespassing. Developers say tens of thousands of dollars in materials have been stolen from construction sites. Residents have also raised concerns about crime, safety and quality of life.
In a recent letter addressed to King Mountain neighbors, Bellingham Mayor Kim Lund said city officials are developing long-term solutions and plan additional action in the coming months. She also said the city is trying to balance public safety concerns with compassionate efforts to address homelessness and its root causes.
STORY: Blaine man receives nine-year prison sentence after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide
A Blaine man has been sentenced to more than nine years in prison for a 2025 crash that killed a Lynden school bus driver.
Prosecutors say 38-year-old Samuel Swanson was driving 77 miles per hour when he crossed into oncoming traffic and struck Annette Lyon’s bus head-on on Main Street in Lynden. Court records show Swanson had expressed suicidal thoughts to a friend before the crash, and prosecutors say he intentionally ran into the bus.
Lyon, 62, died at the scene. Swanson originally faced a second-degree murder charge but pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide as part of a plea agreement that was supported by Lyon’s family. Swanson was sentenced to 114 months in prison, followed by community custody and mandatory mental health treatment.
STORY: Lynden power outage leaves over 1700 people in the dark over the weekend
Nearly 1,800 Puget Sound Energy customers in the Lynden area lost power Saturday morning.
The outage began around 8:15 a.m. after a suspected transformer explosion, and affected more than 1,700 homes and businesses. Power was restored by 11:30am, and the utility says the cause of the outage remains under investigation.
STORY: Port of Bellingham and PSE joining forces to install solar panels at Zuanich Park
Puget Sound Energy says it will expand access to solar power in Whatcom County.
A new community solar project is planned at Zuanich Point Park developed in partnership with the Port of Bellingham. PSE says the addition is part of its growing Community Solar program, which has expanded to 14 sites statewide since launching in 2021.
The solar array will be installed on the Fisherman’s Pavilion roof and generate about 100 kilowatts of electricity. The project includes subscription opportunities for local customers, with a portion reserved for income-qualified households.
STORY: Lummi Island ferry bottleneck
Expect a bottleneck at the Lummi ferry Tuesday.
Whatcom County Public works crews are tearing up a holding lane for drainage work.
The project starts tomorrow near the Gooseberry Spur and runs through June 11. Crews will replace a culvert, storm main, and catch basins.
One of the two ferry holding lanes will be closed the entire time. Flaggers will direct traffic, and drivers should expect delays or consider alternate routes.
The lane reopens once the work is finished, and the county urges drivers to slow down in the work zone.
STORY: Downtown Sounds releases summer lineup
The Downtown Sounds concert series is returning for its 22nd season.
The Downtown Bellingham Partnership has announced the lineup for Bellingham’s popular month-long summer series. The music begins July 8th and runs for five consecutive Wednesday evenings.
Several blocks of Bay, Holly and Prospect streets will close to traffic as local and regional acts take the stage. New additions this year include a free bike valet and “Parents Night Out” childcare services.
In a recent release, organizers said the free event celebrates Bellingham’s music scene and community partnerships, while bringing thousands of people downtown each week.
STORY: Community conversation in Van Zandt
Whatcom County has announced they will host a community conversation with Council members Jessica Rienstra and Jon Scanlon.
Part of the council’s Community Conversations series, the public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10th from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Van Zandt Community Hall. County officials say the event is intended to give residents a chance to connect with council members and discuss local issues.
Officials also noted that a quorum of the County Council will not be present and no formal action will be taken during the event.
STORY: Whatcom health officials report “extremely low,” risk to public health from residents returning from ebola-struck Africa
Whatcom County health officials are reassuring residents that the risk of Ebola remains extremely low.
The CDC is monitoring a rapidly expanding outbreak of the disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo, which has spilled over into Uganda. The strain is especially deadly, with no known vaccine or treatment and 50% fatality rate. Officials say there are currently no Ebola cases in Whatcom County, Washington state, or anywhere in the United States.
In a recent announcement to the public, officials said health teams are monitoring travelers returning from affected regions, and will coordinate with PeaceHealth and keep local healthcare providers informed through regular alerts.
Health officials note that Ebola can only be spread by someone who is showing symptoms, and say preparedness plans are already in place should a case ever emerge locally.
STORY: Initiative to repeal “millionaire’s tax,” looks likely to head to voters this November
A repeal effort targeting Washington’s new “millionaire’s tax” is gaining momentum.
Let’s Go Washington says it has collected nearly 100,000 signatures in the first week of its campaign to place the issue before voters this November. The group needs about 400,000 valid signatures by July 2 to qualify for the ballot and says they expect to reach their goal. Governor Bob Ferguson says voters will likely get a chance to weigh in on the policy.
At the same time, the Washington State Supreme Court is preparing to hear a separate legal challenge over the constitutionality of the tax later this year.
WX: Well, everyone knows June-ita
And now for the weather:
Expect today’s weather to be mostly sunny with highs in the mid-70’s, with some clouds coming in tonight and lows in the mid-50’s.
Sunshine will stay through tomorrow with highs in the low 80’s, staying mostly clear Tuesday night with highs in the upper 50’s.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Bella Farris, and Jenny Lam. 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: Two more gray whales stranded
Gray whale strandings are rising again in Washington.
KIRO 7 reports 23 gray whales have washed ashore in the state so far this year.
Marine biologists say many of the whales likely died from starvation, continuing a pattern linked to shifting ocean conditions and shrinking food supplies.
One of the latest whales was found along the coast of Olympic National Park, just south of where another had been discovered earlier. The other was located on a beach near Long Beach.
They’re part of 51 total strandings along the West Coast, including Washington, Oregon and California.
Federal wildlife officials are still monitoring the population after declaring an “unusual mortality event” back in 2019.
STORY: Intercultural Dance Day comes to Bellingham
A new cultural celebration is coming to Bellingham.
Intercultural Dance Day will take place June 14th at Fisherman’s Pavilion at Zuanich Point Park, featuring live music and dance performances, cultural booths, local artists, food trucks, and family activities.
The free event is presented by ANJ Dance Project and aims to bring people together through shared cultural experiences.
Organizers say the event is designed to promote connection and belonging in the community while supporting local artists and intercultural programming.
The celebration runs from noon to 3 p.m.
FREE & CHEAP
Annual Dachshund Parade and Weenie Walk, Saturday starting at 10am from the train station to Marine park. (don’t know which annual it is yet).
Lynden Airport open house 11am to 4pm.
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