July 8, 2026 News Transcript

Capsizing boat in Bellingham Bay claims life of man aboard, One injured in Bellingham garage fire, Second person sentenced in case of last October’s fatal Guide Meridian shooting, Lynden property tax increase slated for November ballot, Ragnar Relay race likely to impact traffic along Puget Sound beginning this Friday, Representatives report proposed new Washington-Oregon bridge is cleared to begin construction, Yearly automatic gas tax increases scheduled, U.S. AG threatens Washington with federal prosecution should noncitizens vote in upcoming election, Yearly automatic gas tax increases scheduled, Wildlife crossing at Snoqualmie sees milestone, F&C – JULY 25 (not June) from FB post:

Return to Transcripts

Independent, nonprofit community radio.

KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, July, 8. Good afternoon, I’m ______.

STORY: Capsizing boat in Bellingham Bay claims life of man aboard

A man died after his boat capsized in Bellingham Bay.

Around 6 p.m., Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound received a report of a capsized vessel with one person aboard Saturday evening, and issued an emergency broadcast to mariners in the area. Coast Guard and Bellingham Fire Department crews found him unresponsive.

He was pronounced dead at the Coast Guard Station in Bellingham.

STORY: One injured in Bellingham garage fire

A garage fire in the Columbia neighborhood left one person injured.

Bellingham Fire Department crews responding to Walnut Street Monday afternoon found a detached garage on fire, with flames spreading to a neighboring garage and the main house. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading farther, but the garage was destroyed and the house was heavily damaged. One resident received a minor injury.

Investigators believe the fire started from a wood-burning stove in the garage.

STORY: Second person sentenced in case of last October’s fatal Guide Meridian shooting

A second man has been sentenced for his role in a deadly gang-related drive-by shooting in Bellingham.

Twenty-one-year-old Alan Ramos will serve just over four years in prison after pleading guilty to second-degree manslaughter and third-degree assault. The October 2025 shooting on the Guide Meridian killed 26-year-old Daytin Duronso-Harp and wounded another man.

Ramos will also spend 18 months in community custody after his release. Earlier this year, his brother, 19-year-old Royelio Marquez (ROY-ell-ee-oh mar-KEZ), was sentenced to seven months in prison after pleading guilty to rendering criminal assistance.

Investigators say both men knew the victims through gang affiliations, though court records do not identify a specific motive.

STORY: Lynden property tax increase slated for November ballot

Voters in Lynden will decide whether to increase property tax in the general election in November

The Lynden City Council voted 5-1 on Monday to include the resolution on the ballot.

If approved, the tax rate will go up by 50 cents to $1.54 per thousand dollars, based on the 2027 evaluation.

For a $600,000 home, that’s an increase of about $300.

Recently, budget issues have forced Lynden to make cuts to police and fire services despite rising demands.

The city has also cut 10-percent of its workforce and City Hall is only open four days a week.

The city said the additional revenue will allow it to restore staff funding, increase public safety and perform additional maintenance on parks and city streets.

STORY: Ragnar Relay race likely to impact traffic along Puget Sound beginning this Friday

Thousands of runners will hit the road Friday for the Annual Northwest Passage Ragnar Relay.

The 194-mile course stretches from Blaine through Ferndale, Bellingham and Fairhaven, then across Whidbey Island to the finish in Langley.

WSDOT (Wash-dot) is warning drivers to expect runners along I-5 from 5 a.m. Friday through 8 p.m. Saturday. Participants will also be on state routes 548, 11, 20 and 525, and near several I-5 crossings at Northwest Drive, North Lake Samish Drive and Nulle Road.

Runners will remain on the shoulder of the freeway and must wear reflective gear and lights during overnight segments from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Advance warning signs will be posted along the course.

For maps and additional details, visit the Ragnar Relay Northwest Passage website.

STORY: Representatives report proposed new Washington-Oregon bridge is cleared to begin construction
The replacement of the I-5 Bridge over the Columbia River has cleared a major hurdle.

Federal officials have completed the project’s environmental review and issued the final Record of Decision, which allows construction to move forward. The project will replace the aging bridge with separate northbound and southbound spans, while adding improved transit service, expanded park-and-ride capacity, and interchange upgrades.

Supporters say the project will strengthen freight movement, improve safety, and better connect Washington and Oregon for decades to come. Others point to the surging costs, now expected to top 14 billion dollars.

To address those concerns, Washington and Oregon plan to share costs and focus on the bridge replacement, adding in other upgrades as funding becomes available. In addition, tolls will be collected starting July 1, 2028.

STORY: Yearly automatic gas tax increases scheduled
Filling up in Washington will get a little more expensive.

On July 1st, the state’s gas tax increased by 2% to 56.5 cents per gallon. Lawmakers approved automatic yearly increases in 2025 to help keep pace with rising highway construction costs and shrinking gas tax revenue as vehicles become more fuel-efficient.

Unless lawmakers change the law, the tax will continue to rise every year, and will reach more than 61 cents per gallon by 2030.

STORY: U.S. AG threatens Washington with federal prosecution should noncitizens vote in upcoming election

Federal authorities are warning Washington state officials they could face criminal prosecution if they fail to prevent noncitizens from voting in this year’s federal elections.

In a letter sent Tuesday, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon told Secretary of State Steve Hobbs and other election officials that they could be held liable for knowingly keeping noncitizens on voter rolls.

Election officials are being given five days to explain how they are complying with federal laws that prohibit noncitizens from voting.

Hobbs said his office is reviewing the legality of the request and said the Justice Department is creating a path toward threatening election officials.

The warning comes as the Trump administration and Washington election officials continue a legal fight over access to the state’s voter records. A federal hearing on the case is scheduled for August.

WX: Delta Dawn, what’s that flower you have on?

And now, the weather!

It’s another day of mixed clouds and sunshine here in Whatcom, with highs remaining comfortably in the low 70s. Expect the sky to stay at least partly clear as the evening wears on, leaving us with a sparsely-covered night sky and lows in the mid-50s.

There might be a bit more sun to look forward to tomorrow, but don’t go around quoting us or nuthin’.

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 _________… thank you for listening!

STORY: Wildlife crossing at Snoqualmie sees milestone
There’s been a major milestone for wildlife at Snoqualmie Pass.

The first black bear has been caught on camera using the wildlife bridge over Interstate 90, nearly seven years after the crossing opened. The grass-covered overpass reconnects habitat divided by the freeway, and helps animals cross safely while reducing vehicle collisions. State transportation officials say bears are among the most cautious animals to use wildlife crossings–sometimes taking years to try them.

Since the bridge opened, more than 38,000 animal crossings have been recorded.

F&C – JULY 25 (not June) from FB post: