Politics

Five candidates have expressed interest in the final seat on Bethel City Council. The seat opened up when former council member Carole Jung-Jordan resigned last month. The candidates are Rick Garcia, Courtney Trammell, Joni Beckham, Jon Cochrane, and Michelle DeWitt. Absent from the list are the two candidates who ran for city council this year but were not elected: Raymond "Thor" Williams and Fritz Charles will not be considered for the final council seat. 

Bethel City Council protested two marijuana stores Tuesday night. But to get there, council had to re-vote on one protest, which could still be lifted if the store came into zoning compliance. The other protest may bring a lawsuit. 

There is an official date for local option alcohol restrictions to begin in Bethel. Jan. 6 is the day that the liquor store licenses will expire. That same day, people will have to start marking alcohol in their luggage. There will be limits on how much alcohol can be imported and possessed, and the state will start tracking how much alcohol you order in a database. Bootlegging will become a felony, as will furnishing alcohol to a minor.

New faces and new voices filled Bethel City Hall Tuesday night, as the newly elected council members took their oaths of office. Haley Hanson, Alyssa Gustafson-Leary, Mark Springer, and Cecelia "Cece" Franko replaced outgoing council members Mitchell Forbes, Raymond "Thor" Williams, Leif Albertson, and Fritz Charles. 

Bethel municipal elections are this Tuesday, Oct. 1. Residents will choose four Bethel City Council members from among six candidates. Voters will also cast ballots for three local option propositions. 

The City of Bethel awarded $30,831 in Community Action Grants this quarter. This money comes from the city’s alcohol tax. Twenty percent of that revenue goes toward projects intended to enhance the community’s wellbeing.