Heat advisory in effect, Rollover crash along Nooksack Road leaves one injured, causes localized power outage, High speed pursuit and crash near border, Returning instabilities in global oil market result in spiking gas prices in Whatcom and state at large, New 109-space parking lot opens at Bellingham waterfront, Audit finds WA’s juvenile detention facilities broadly overcrowded, understaffed, and mismanaged, Judge finds Kalshi betting app likely illegal, Seattle raccoon goes viral, F&C – JULY 25, FREE & CHEAP, August 9th:
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KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, July, 21. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Heat advisory in effect
An air quality alert and heat advisory is now in effect in Whatcom County.
Whatcom Health and Community Services advises people to keep windows closed and avoid smoking and vaping indoors. To help reduce the heat in your home, cover sun-facing windows and always stay hydrated. If you don’t have air conditioning, cooling centers have been set up at the Bellingham Public Library, the Port of Bellingham Ferry Terminal, and the Sportsplex.
The air quality alert is expected to end tomorrow morning, and the heat advisory ends tomorrow night.
STORY: Rollover crash along Nooksack Road leaves one injured, causes localized power outage
A semi-truck rolled into a ditch along State Route 9 near Nooksack yesterday.
First responders were called to the 8200 block of Nooksack Road just after 10:15 a.m. after reports that a semi-truck and trailer had left the roadway.
The Washington State Patrol says the crash involved a power pole and minor injuries. WSDOT reported both lanes were initially blocked before traffic was reduced to a single alternating lane.
A localized Puget Sound Energy outage affecting fewer than five customers was reported in the area. Drivers were warned to expect extended delays.
STORY: High speed pursuit and crash near border
A high‑speed crash on I‑5 near Blaine led to the arrest of a DUI suspect.
Blaine Police say their officers were asked to help Bellingham Police stop a driver speeding northbound on the freeway last night.
The driver failed to navigate a curve near the Peace Arch border crossing and smashed into a guardrail at roughly 110 miles per hour.
The driver was taken into custody and transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center for treatment.
STORY: Returning instabilities in global oil market result in spiking gas prices in Whatcom and state at large
Gas prices are on the rise again across Washington.
Triple‑A says instability along the Strait of Hormuz is pushing crude oil toward $80 a barrel, contributing to higher prices at the pump.
In Bellingham, the average price for regular gas is $4.81, up about eight cents from last week. Washington’s statewide average has risen at a similar pace and now sits at $5.03, still well above national levels.
Nationally, the average price for regular gas is up about fifteen cents from last week, to $4.01 — continuing a steady climb heading into late July.
STORY: New 109-space parking lot opens at Bellingham waterfront
The Port of Bellingham just opened a new public parking lot on the waterfront.
The 109-space lot is located between the Granary Building and the Portal Container Village. The Port says the expansion is temporary, which means the lot could eventually be replaced by a building as development in the area continues.
The expanded parking comes alongside recent efforts to improve bike accessibility. A free bike valet service was established at the waterfront to encourage bikers to visit the park for 4th of July and World Cup celebrations.
The Port reminds visitors to stay off the grass near the parking lot, to protect stormwater collection infrastructure.
STORY: Trump announces 50% tariff on Canadian goods
President Trump announced a 50 percent tariff on imported Canadian goods.
The White House says this move offsets Canada’s policies on American exports. The tariffs will apply to a wide range of goods, regardless of their protected status under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement.
Representative Rick Larsen told Trump to “cut the BS” in a statement yesterday. Larsen is a member of the New Democrat Coalition Trade and Tariffs Task Force.
The task force sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer, and urged him to renew the USMCA trade protections. Greer has been a staunch advocate for using tariffs to strengthen the U.S. economy.
The new tariffs on Canada will take effect next month.
STORY: Audit finds WA’s juvenile detention facilities broadly overcrowded, understaffed, and mismanaged
A new state audit says crowding, staff shortages, and poor risk assessments have created safety concerns in Washington’s juvenile rehabilitation facilities.
Auditors found two large facilities house most of the population and are operating near or above capacity, with violent incidents increasing as populations grow.
The report says nearly half of front-line staff leave within a year and many feel unsafe, unprepared, and unsupported.
Auditors also found that the agency’s risk-assessment tools do not reliably predict which young people can safely move to less secure settings.
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families oversees rehabilitation programs for people up to age 25 who committed serious crimes as minors. The audit recommends steps to reducing crowding, improving staff training and retention, and improving the tools used to assess risk and rehabilitation needs.
STORY: Judge finds Kalshi betting app likely illegal
Washington state judges are doubling down on gambling as a King County Superior Court judge found that Kalshi likely violates state law.
Kalshi is an online service where users can bet on sports, politics, economics and more. Internet gambling is prohibited in Washington state under a 2006 amendment to the 1973 Gambling Act.
The state successfully proved to the court that substantial injury would come to Washington consumers if an injunction was not issued. Attorney General Nick Brown won a preliminary injunction against Kalshi after the finding; the court will issue a final order on August 5th.
STORY: Seattle raccoon goes viral
A round little raccoon with a spinal deformity has become Seattle’s newest folk hero.
Just a week after going viral, Jimothy has inspired a mural in Ballard, a fan-made 8-bit video game, stickers, and even an appearance in the Mariners’ Salmon Run.
The raccoon first captured hearts after a Seattle resident posted a video online, saying the animal simply “looked like a Jimothy.” Fans have praised the sense of community that has come along with the now famous trash panda — from Reddit threads, shared artwork, and even Jimothy tattoos — and embraced the round bandit as a symbol of quirky Seattle charm.
WX: A chilly day on Venus
And now for the weather…
Expect the skies today to be mostly sunny with wildfire smoke from Canada in the air, and a heat advisory in effect until tomorrow at 6pm. Today’s high should hit in the upper-80’s, with lows in the low-60’s.
The smoke might clear out by tomorrow, but be prepared for another scorcher, as temperatures threaten to break into the 90s in certain areas. Wear your hat and sunscreen, and stay hydrated out there!
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, Jenny Lam, Natalie Jones, Noelle Reger (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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F&C – JULY 25
Birch Bay is hosting the Battle of the Badges BBQ. North Whatcom Fire District 21 and the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office face off on the grill on Saturday from 11 to 2 in the Birch Bay Waterslides parking lot. Families can enjoy free burgers and hot dogs, games, raffles, music, and a chance to meet local first responders — plus a little friendly rivalry between firefighters and deputies.
The Inclusion Festival brings a full day of accessible, all‑ages activities to Bellingham Sunday. The event runs from 11 to 6 at the Fisherman’s Pavilion and Zuanich Park, with inclusive games, sensory‑friendly areas, craft vendors, food trucks, live music, workshops, and a Walk‑n‑Roll‑athon. Admission is free.
FREE & CHEAP, August 9th:
Ferndale hosts a free Play, Learn & Connect Festival this weekend. The event runs Sunday from 11 to 2 at Pioneer Park, with giant building blocks, arts and crafts, hands‑on learning activities, community booths, and food trucks. It’s designed to celebrate play while connecting families with local programs and services.
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