Power outage in south Bellingham affects over 2,500 homes, Marine Drive reopens, Bellingham enacts downtown alley closure in efforts to combat drug crime, Residents of two Bellingham neighborhoods continue to plead for zoning changes over proximity to industrial zones, Ribbon cut on new voluntary detox center in Skagit County, set to open in coming weeks, Sea-Tac and BLI largely avoid ballooning TSA wait times, More bills signed
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KMRE brings you local news for Wednesday, March, 25. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Power outage in south Bellingham affects over 2,500 homes
More than 2600 Puget Sound Energy customers in South Bellingham lost power yesterday afternoon as gusty winds swept the area.
As reported by Cascadia Daily, PSE attributed the outage, which began just before 1 p.m, to trees and vegetation. By late afternoon, power to all locations had been restored, and the wind advisory ended for the region on Tuesday evening.
STORY: Marine Drive reopens
Marine Drive is back open in Whatcom County.
Public Works reopened the road this morning after a week-long closure caused by flooding from the Nooksack River.
The stretch east of Lummi Shore Drive had been shut down since March 18th due to water over the roadway.
Drivers should still use caution—Ferndale Road north of Marine remains open, but with water over the road.
STORY: Bellingham enacts downtown alley closure in efforts to combat drug crime
The Bellingham City Council has unanimously approved a plan to temporarily close select downtown alleys.
City leaders say the move is aimed at disrupting illegal dealing, particularly in alleys between Railroad and Cornwall avenues. Mayor Kim Lund described the situation as a tipping point, while police say crime in some alleys is the worst they’ve seen in decades.
The closures are designed as a temporary, targeted strategy—not a sweep or enforcement crackdown—but a way to push people toward services and reduce dangerous behavior.
Under the plan, the Bellingham Police Department can request alley closures using fencing, while still allowing access for businesses, deliveries, and emergency crews.
STORY: Residents of two Bellingham neighborhoods continue to plead for zoning changes over proximity to industrial zones
Whatcom County leaders are weighing a major zoning debate as residents and industry groups clash over the future of heavy industrial areas near neighborhoods.
People living in Birchwood and Alderwood say noise, odors, and air quality concerns from nearby Heavy Impact Industrial zones are pushing them to call for change. A proposed update to the county’s comprehensive plan would explore shifting some of those areas to lighter industrial use—but wouldn’t make immediate changes.
Supporters say it’s about protecting public health and preventing new heavy industry from moving in next to homes. Industry leaders and the Port of Bellingham warn that “downzoning” could threaten jobs, limit business growth, and hurt the local economy.
The Whatcom County Council is expected to make a final decision on the plan later this spring.
STORY: Ribbon cut on new voluntary detox center in Skagit County, set to open in coming weeks
A new mental health and addiction treatment facility is set to open soon in Sedro-Woolley, adding dozens of inpatient beds in Skagit County.
According to Pioneer Human Services, the Skagit Stabilization, Treatment, and Recovery—or STAR—Center will offer 48 voluntary beds for crisis stabilization, detox, and co-occurring treatment. The facility will employ about 60 staff members.
Local leaders say the center is a critical step in addressing overdose deaths and expanding access to care. Congressman Rick Larsen says the goal is to move people out of emergency rooms and into appropriate treatment settings.
The project is part of the North Star regional partnership, funded in part by state dollars and opioid settlement funds, with hopes of transforming how the region responds to behavioral health crises.
STORY: Sea-Tac and BLI largely avoid ballooning TSA wait times
Despite a partial federal government shutdown impacting airports nationwide, travelers at local hubs are seeing little disruption.
Officials say both Bellingham International Airport and Seattle-Tacoma International Airport are maintaining normal security wait times, even as hundreds of TSA workers across the country have left their posts amid missed paychecks.
Mike Hogan, Public Affairs Administrator at the Port of Bellingham had this to say.
HOGAN AUDIO 1
According to recent reports Sea-Tac has also kept lines moving—partly by bringing in private security staff for non-specialized roles.
Meanwhile, lawmakers in Washington, D.C. continue working to fund the Department of Homeland Security and stabilize TSA operations nationwide.
STORY: Ferguson walks back last year’s hike in estate tax rates
Washington’s estate tax is headed for a reset.
This session lawmakers approved a bill that rolls back last year’s rate increases, and it’s now on the governor’s desk.
Senate Bill 6347 would restore the state’s estate tax to its previous rate structure, undoing changes that took effect in 2025.
Those earlier changes raised the top estate‑tax rate to 35 percent on estates over nine million dollars and increased the exclusion to three million dollars. They were intended to boost revenue for the state’s Education Legacy Trust Account.
SB 6347 reverses that. The bill brings back the older tax table, where the top rate was 20 percent, and removes the higher brackets and expanded deductions created last year. It also reinstates the earlier thresholds for estates between one and nine million dollars.
If enacted, the reset would apply to estates of people who die on or after July 1st, 2026, effectively wiping out the 2025 changes.
STORY: More bills signed
Bob Ferguson signed more than 40 bills in Olympia today.
One new law creates a standard for rounding cash purchases to the nearest nickel as pennies become more scarce—however electronic payments won’t be affected.
Another new law prohibits businesses from using noncompete clauses with workers. The new law builds on earlier limits passed in 2019 that applied only to higher earners.
State leaders say the changes are aimed at giving businesses clear direction and providing more consistency for consumers.
WX: Could I interest you in everything?
And now for the weather:
The rain should taper off today and turn into showers, and evening lows in the mid-30s with a chance of thunder showers or thundersnow later this evening.
Look for continued rain with possible snow tomorrow morning which should turn to rain with partial clouds.
For Friday, you can expect sun and clouds with highs in the mid-50s.
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), Austin Wright, Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Kieran (KEAR-un) Dang, and Bella Farris. 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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