August 18 - 24, 2016
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Birch Bay berm project strides forward, page 5
Active seniors take on travel, page 8-9
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Pets and their owners prepare for the Dog Days of Summer, page 10
Birch Bay revisits the ’50s for Rollback Weekend Birch Bay festival rings in 37th year B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See Discover, page 6)
s Birch Bay kicked off its second annual Rollback Weekend last Saturday and Sunday. The event featured a beer garden, live music and car competitions. Event-goers were encouraged to don clothing from the ’50s and ’60s. More photos, page 3.
Photo by Chuck Kinzer
School board will adopt budget at next meeting By Oliver Lazenby Blaine school district board of directors are set to pass a budget for the 2016/2017 school year at their next meeting on Monday, August 22. The proposed budget expects the district will start the school year with $2,433,044 in its general fund and end with $1,861,516, a difference of $571,528. The district anticipates collecting $26.69 million for its general fund during the school year and spending $27.26 million. General fund revenue comes from property
taxes and state funds and federal grants and funds. Projected revenues and expenditures both increased by a little more than $1 million from the 2015/2016 budget. Much of that is due to state-mandated full-day kindergarten, which starts this year. School districts throughout Washington get extra state money to implement the program, but it will also have significant costs in terms of extra staff hours and curriculum and transportation costs. “A significant portion of that increase in expenditures, I’d say the lion’s share, is due
Study session held to discuss Blaine’s economic future B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e Dozens of Blaine residents flocked to the Blaine Senior Center on Monday, August 15 to receive a progress report on Blaine’s initiative to improve the local economy. The study session was the second of three to be held during the initial stages of the city’s Strategic Economic Initiative, which involves detailed analysis, strategic planning and ultimately the implementation of project proposals suggested by local
interest groups and community members. Last month, the city released three surveys to gauge public opinion and gather ideas on ways to address specific needs in the community. The surveys each addressed the interests of library users, residents and tourists. The city announced its partnership with La Conner-based Beckwith Consulting in early June. Since then, both entities have met with 21 interest groups – ranging from fine arts and performance groups to
the Port of Bellingham – to help develop an economic improvement plan for Blaine. On Monday, company principal Tom Beckwith, led a presentation detailing a status report that included preliminary results trickling in from the three community surveys released in July. A total of 341 Blaine residents have responded to the community-based survey, 105 have responded to the library survey
to all-day kindergarten,” Porter said. Porter said extra state funds for fullday kindergarten will roughly cover the district’s costs for adding the program, though it’s hard to make a direct comparison. That’s because it’s not yet certain how much it will cost the district to have all day kindergarten. For example, the district hasn’t hired additional administrative staff this year to handle the increase in students, but they may decide to in the future. The district is also reducing costs to students and families for participating in sports programs and for school supplies.
INSIDE
Birch Bay Beach Park will be packed full of summertime activities and crab-themed competitions at the 37th annual Discover Birch Bay Days and Crab Fest Friday through Sunday, August 26–28. The three-day event features a mix of new and old activities for all ages and interests. “We are going to have just an absolute blast,” said organizer and Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce vice president Billy Brown. The crab derby, crab-themed parade and Discovery Days dash are on the list of returning events. New on the docket is the kids Olympics, in lieu of the ducky derby, and the extreme chainsaw sculpture show and competition. Organizers expect about 10 chainsaw sculptors from around the West Coast to compete in the contest. Each participant will receive a 5’X4’ round of wood to carve a nautically-themed art piece. “It’s amazing what they do,” Brown said. The artwork will be sold at auction on Sunday, but not before well-known chainsaw sculptor Nyal Thomas crafts a piece of his own. The 72-year-old plans to kick off the Sunday auction by carving a piece of ice into something spectacular, chainsaw in hand. Thomas took charge of gathering the crew of artists for Discover Birch Bay Days and Crab Fest this year – and it’s not his first competition. Throughout his professional career in wood carving, he’s facilitated nearly 30 shows, participated in 87 competitions and won 81 awards. He started his carving career 36 years ago. However, his experience and passion for the craft began at an even earlier age. Thomas said most of his childhood was spent working in a shop. His dad, he said, “was the best carriage maker in the world.” Thomas went on to study art and earned his degree in California. He opened his first shop, called Bear Acres, in 1986 in Point Arena, California and specialized
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