Bellingham mayor and city staff introduce preliminary 2027 budget, Local Bellingham business owner detained by ICE, Sedro-Woolley police seeking witnesses to suspected DUI crash that left two injured, County open house, community connections events, Birch Bay incorporation group approves next steps, Ferndale Coffee with a Cop (run between 9/28 and 10/2), Paint recycling event coming to Bellingham (Oct. 3), WA state workers union ratifies new contract that eliminates benefit cuts, but excludes pay raises, Whatcom County announces flood preparedness week (run sometime week of Oct. 5th)
Independent, nonprofit community radio. KMRE brings you local news for Tuesday, September, 29. Good afternoon, I’m ______.
STORY: Bellingham mayor and city staff introduce preliminary 2027 budget
The city of Bellingham has proposed a preliminary budget for next year.
Described as a “status quo” plan, there will be no cuts to existing services. There will, however, be an $8 million deficit in order to increase staffing costs.
About one-third of the budget will go to the police, and another third to fire services.
The council also proposes the formation of a Regional Fire Authority. The plan says a separate agency would “put millions of dollars into restoring, maintaining and improving” services for the city.
There are also proposals to clean up Salish Landing Park, upgrade facilities at Post Point, and begin the next phase of the Central Library renovation.
STORY: Local Bellingham business owner detained by ICE The co-owner of downtown Bellingham coffee shop Cof& (COFFEE) was detained by ICE agents at SeaTac Airport earlier this month.
Oscar Quintero Frias was returning from a work trip to Chicago on September 15th when he was taken into custody. The Department of Homeland Security says Quintero Frias overstayed his visa. Quintero Frias and his family say he is a lawful permanent resident.
He is now being held at the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma.
Quintero Frias and his wife, Heimy Gonzalez, moved to Bellingham from Colombia in 2021 with their three children when they opened Cof&, a Colombian specialty coffee shop downtown. The business received a Mayor’s City Center Award in 2024 for its contribution to downtown Bellingham.
A community fundraiser has raised tens of thousands of dollars for the family’s legal expenses and potential immigration bond.
STORY: Sedro-Woolley police seeking witnesses to suspected DUI crash that left two injured
Police in Sedro-Woolley are looking for witnesses to a three-vehicle crash between Metcalf and Murdoch streets on Sunday evening.
Officers detained a man who admitted to drinking alcohol before the accident. He is suspected of passing the other two vehicles illegally.
The man was found to have stolen the vehicle from a local business; he was also found to have a criminal history in Florida, Missouri, and Tennessee.
Police ask anyone who may have filmed the accident to come forward.
STORY: County open house, community connections events
Whatcom County residents will have two chances this week to meet local officials and ask questions about county government.
The second annual Whatcom County Open House takes place tomorrow from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the County Courthouse. Staff from county departments and elected offices will be available to explain how county government works, share updates on major projects, and answer questions. Residents can learn about the new jail and behavioral health facility, the upcoming budget process, and the county court system — plus try their hand at Whatcom County trivia.
Then on Thursday, the County Council’s Community Conversations series continues from 6 to 8 p.m. at Round Table Pizza on East Sunset Drive. Councilmembers Elizabeth Boyle, Barry Buchanan, and Jon Scanlon will meet with residents in partnership with the Barkley Neighborhood Association. The event is free, with time for updates and a Q&A.
STORY: Birch Bay incorporation group approves next steps Birch Bay could become its own city as early as 2027.
The Birch Bay Incorporation Association has voted to begin the formal incorporation process. The incorporation group says it’s seeking $25,000 to bring the question to the ballot, and will need signatures from at least 10 percent of registered voters.
The proposed city would employ a council-manager form of government, with an appointed city manager overseeing daily operations. The boundaries would largely follow Birch Bay’s Urban Growth Area; Point Whitehorn, however, would be excluded.
The group will next file a notice of intent with Whatcom County, followed by a public hearing and a review by the Boundary Review Board. If approved, voters could decide the issue in November of 2027.
STORY: Ferndale Coffee with a Cop (run between 9/28 and 10/2) Ferndale police are inviting residents to sit down and chat over coffee.
The department is hosting Coffee with a Cop next Wednesday at Woods Coffee in Ferndale’s Main Street.
The event runs from 9 to 11 a.m. and is part of National Coffee with a Cop Day, which promotes informal conversations between police and community members.
There’s no agenda or formal presentation. Residents can stop by to meet officers, ask questions, share concerns, or simply have a conversation. No registration is required.
STORY: Paint recycling event coming to Bellingham (Oct. 3) If you’re looking for a way to ditch old paint, take note.
Whatcom County will host a free paint‑collection and recycling event this Saturday at Barkley Village. Residents can drop off latex and oil‑based paints, acrylics, varnishes, primers, and other coatings in their original containers, five gallons or smaller. Usable paint will be recycled into new latex paint.
Last spring’s event in Lynden brought in more than 97,000 pounds of paint. Attendees are asked to stay in their vehicles while staff unload materials. Spray paint, auto and marine paint, electronics, paint thinner, and driveway sealers will not be accepted.
Pre‑registration is encouraged.
STORY: WA state workers union ratifies new contract that eliminates benefit cuts, but excludes pay raises
Thousands of Washington state employees will see no across‑the‑board raise under a newly approved contract.
The Washington State Standard reports the Federation of State Employees ratified the two‑year agreement Friday, covering about 42,000 workers. The deal preserves health care benefits, but the governor’s budget team held firm on freezing general wage increases amid a projected deficit.
Union leaders say wage talks will reopen next August, though many members told the Standard they’re frustrated and worried about rising costs.
Six other WFSE bargaining units have also approved contracts with zero general wage increases.
WX: Pleut Garrick
And now for the weather…
Rain is the main event, with forecasts calling for more than half an inch of precipitation by day’s end. Daytime temperatures will remain steady with highs in the low-60s. Expect stormy conditions to move on by the evening, which should leave us with a fairly unremarkable, cloudy night, with lows in the mid-to-high-40s.
Expect early-morning fog tomorrow, before it gives way to some cloudy sunshine.
OUTRO:
Today’s newscast was produced by volunteers Carlos Braga (BRAH-guh), Kyler Cantrell (can-TRELL), Glen Hirshberg (HERSH-berg), Kathi O’Shea (o-SHAY), Kai Blais-Schmolke (KAI BLAZE-SHMOLE-kee), Jenny Lam, Doug Langworthy, and Cheri Cloninger (SHARE-ee CLAWN-in-jer). 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.
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STORY: Whatcom County announces flood preparedness week (run sometime week of Oct. 5th)
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