Heat advisory in effect for Whatcom and beyond, Bellingham City Councilmember drafting ordinance to codify protections for marginalized residents, Sustainable Connections to Divest from Cloud Mountain, Numerous calls to change state laws emerge amid manhunt for Wenatchee father, Several WA farmworkers fearful of reporting sexual harassment to Trump-led EEOC, Contaminated eggs lead to salmonella outbreak across seven states, including WA
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KMRE brings you local news for Monday, June 9th. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Heat advisory in effect for Whatcom and beyond
The National Weather Service in Seattle has issued a heat advisory for northwest and west central Washington, in effect until 10 p.m. tonight.
Expect daytime highs in the mid-80s to nearly 90 degrees, with temperatures climbing into the mid-90s in the Cascade Valleys. Overnight lows will only dip into the mid-50s to lower 60s, offering limited relief.
Here in Whatcom County, temperatures today will range from the 70s near the coast to the mid-80s inland.
The advisory warns of a moderate risk for heat-related illnesses, especially for vulnerable populations. Stay cool, stay hydrated, and check on neighbors.
STORY: Bellingham City Councilmember drafting ordinance to codify protections for marginalized residents
As national trends push for restrictions on the rights of immigrants, transgender people, and other marginalized groups, Bellingham is taking a stand with new protections for its residents.
Councilwoman Hannah Stone has been working on a citywide ordinance aimed at equal protection and the provision of services for all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. A preliminary version of the ordinance will be presented to the City Council today.
This effort aims to build on Resolution 2017-10, which already promotes immigrant rights, gender equality, reproductive justice, and LGBTQ+ protection. Stone hopes the ordinance will be a meaningful step forward for the community and help protect vulnerable populations in Bellingham.
The proposed ordinance is the result of weeks of testimony from local transgender residents, many of whom shared deeply personal stories of pain, bigotry, and fear of increasing anti-trans movements. The city’s efforts come amid similar actions taken in Spokane and Olympia.
The ordinance, still under legal review, is set to be further refined and potentially finalized by the council’s June 23rd session. Advocates in the community say they hope that this initiative will set a durable precedent for safeguarding the rights of all marginalized individuals in Bellingham.
STORY: Sustainable Connections to Divest from Cloud Mountain
Sustainable Connections has voted to officially divest from Cloud Mountain Farm Center by the end of the year.
The nonprofit’s Board of Directors says the long-term stewardship of the farm no longer aligns with the organization’s core mission and capacity. While Cloud Mountain has operated as a nonprofit for nearly 14 years — including seven under Sustainable Connections — leaders say funding remains too reliant on the original donor.
Executive Director Derek Long has been authorized to begin a transition process to ensure the farm continues serving the community and regional agriculture.
The organization’s first move is to work with a land trust to take over ownership — prioritizing community benefit and sustainable farming. If no deal is reached by September 1st, the property will be listed for sale by the end of that month, with proceeds going to the Whatcom Community Foundation. If no sale is completed by year’s end, the farm’s deed will be transferred to the Foundation directly.
A public town hall will be held June 17th at Cloud Mountain to discuss the transition.
STORY: Numerous calls to change state laws emerge amid manhunt for Wenatchee father
The deaths of three young sisters, allegedly killed by their father during a court-approved visit, have ignited urgent calls for reform to the state’s child welfare system.
The bodies of 9-year-old Paityn, 8-year-old Evelyn and 5-year-old Olivia Decker were found near a campground outside Leavenworth following a visit with their father, Travis Decker, who remains a fugitive wanted on three counts of first-degree murder and kidnapping.
In a recent interview, State Representative Travis Couture (coe-TOUR), a Republican from Allyn, called the deaths a “heartbreaking failure” of Washington’s judicial system, pointing to Decker’s history of mental health issues, homelessness, and failure to complete court-ordered evaluations. Couture and others argue these red flags should have barred Decker from unsupervised visitation.
Couture is now pushing for legislation to tighten enforcement of custody orders and better prioritize child safety over parental rights. The case has also drawn scrutiny of the AMBER Alert system and the 2021 Keeping Families Together Act, which critics say may have unintentionally put vulnerable children at greater risk.
As the manhunt for Decker continues, lawmakers are pledging to work across party lines to find balanced, common-sense reforms that protect children while respecting family rights.
STORY: Several WA farmworkers fearful of reporting sexual harassment to Trump-led EEOC
Farmworkers in Washington say they’re afraid to report sexual harassment — fearing retaliation, job loss, or even deportation.
That’s according to InvestigateWest, which reports growing distrust in the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under the Trump administration. Advocates say fear escalated after Trump-appointed E-E-O-C Chair Andrea Lucas rolled back civil rights protections and pledged to crack down on employers who she says illegally prefer non-American workers.
Marlen, a Yakima farmworker, says she was harassed and reassigned after reporting it. Now, she asks, quote, “are they going to help us — or make things worse?” unquote.
The BASTA (BAH-stah) Coalition of Washington provides harassment training for farmworkers, and still lists the E-E-O-C as a resource. But director Isabel Reyes-Paz (RAY-ess PAHS) says that may change — citing concerns that, under the current administration, they cannot guarantee that legal status information is protected.
Legal aid groups, like the Northwest Justice Project, say complaints are already dropping. While state agencies offer alternatives, they come with tight deadlines and long wait times, leaving many workers feeling like they have no path forward.
STORY: Contaminated eggs lead to salmonella outbreak across seven states, including WA
A salmonella outbreak has led to the voluntary recall of 1.7 million dozen eggs across seven states, including Washington.
The August Egg Company of Hillmar, California, issued the recall on Friday, after the CDC linked their brown cage free and certified organic brown eggs to an outbreak strain of salmonella that has so far affected 79 people in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington, and Wyoming.
The salmonella organism can cause serious or even fatal illness, especially in young children, the elderly, and people with weakened immune systems.
Potentially infected eggs were distributed to Walmart locations in Washington between February and May, and have sell-by dates from March 4th to June 19th of 2025. The recall encompasses all varieties of chicken egg. Consumers can check for the printed plant codes P-6562 or CA5330 on the sides of the fiber or plastic cartons in which the eggs were sold.
WX: Out of the frying pan
And now for the weather:
It’s going to be another bright and sunny week for us here in Whatcom, though slightly cooler with highs expected to reach into the mid-to-high 70s, and a U.V. index of 9. We can look forward to a warm evening as well, with temps only dropping into the mid-50s.
The heat should gradually ebb away over the course of the week, but don’t expect tomorrow to feel much cooler, as we still have high sunshine and temperatures in the mid-70s to look forward to.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRA-guh), Connor O’Boyle, Kyler Cantrell, Theron (THAIR-in) Danielson, Cody Mills, Aidan Larson, Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), and Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee). 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. Check out our Patreon page or visit kmre.org and click on the banner. I’m _________, and thank you for listening.
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