December 7 - 13, 2017
FREE
Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
Celebrate the holidays in Whatcom County, page 3
IN THIS
ISSUE
Construction begins on housing development in Semiahmoo
A look back at Mike Dodd’s 40 years serving BSD board, page 5
Sign up for a health plan by December 15, page 11
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Blaine’s Holiday Harbor Lights festival spreads joy
B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See Sea Smoke, page 2)
s Blaine’s annual Holiday Harbor Lights festival on December 2 featured special guests Santa and Mrs. Claus, an arts and crafts bazaar, live music, the Holiday Harbor Lights Obstacle Dash and a Christmas tree lighting. More photos, page 8. Photo by Stefanie Donahue
Event to mark one year of open shellfish harvesting B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e One year ago this month, the Washington State Department of Health lifted recreational and commercial shellfish harvesting restrictions on 810 acres of Drayton Harbor. To celebrate the anniversary, the Whatcom County Public Works department is hosting a “Shellebration.”
The event kicks off at 4 p.m. on Friday, December 15 at the H Street Plaza. The event is free and folks from the Drayton Harbor Oyster Company will be serving up grilled and raw oysters and oyster stew as well as hot cocoa and cider. Representatives from Whatcom County Public Works and the Whatcom Conservation District will also host an awards cere-
Boy, 11, set to complete 4,200-mile diabetes walk in Blaine B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e Since departing Key West, Florida on foot last January, 11-year-old Noah Barnes has shown that determination can take a person a long way – literally. After walking approximately 4,200 miles across the country, Barnes and his family will arrive in Blaine on Saturday, December 9. The cross-country walk has raised money and awareness to cure Type 1 diabetes. Local organizers have planned a series of
events on Saturday to welcome the family. At 16 months old, Barnes was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes. The incurable condition can cause hunger, fatigue and blurred vision due to improper production of insulin by the pancreas. Between 2011 and 2012, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded 17,900 new cases of Type 1 diabetes in patients under 20 years old. “Noah, as a little baby, was very sick,” his mother Joanne said. Concerned for his
health, she and her husband Robert took Noah to the hospital. The diagnosis completely shifted their routine, she said. Each day, it’s crucial that Noah routinely tests his blood sugar levels and adjust his diet and insulin intake, she said. Inspired by the story of Terry Fox, a cancer research activist who attempted an east-to-west-coast run across Canada with an amputated leg, Noah decided to take
mony to honor community members who have worked to improve the water quality in Drayton Harbor, said Whatcom County water quality planner Kate Kimber. “The community has stepped up to maintain the low pollution levels after last year’s lift on restrictions,” Kimber (See Shellfish, page 2)
INSIDE
The first phase of a project to develop a mix of residential and commercial space on 19.4 acres in Semiahmoo is on its way. Bellingham-based Rimland Pacific, Inc. intends to build a mix of single-family homes – some townhouses and others duplexes – as well as multi-family housing, a mixed-use commercial building, a storage facility and park at the southwest corner of Semiahmoo Parkway and Semiahmoo Drive. The project received approval from the city council in late 2016. Phase one of the project, called Sea Smoke, began last month, said managing director Wayne Schwandt. Over the coming months, construction crews will build 40 single-family homes ranging from 1,200 to 3,000 square feet and priced between $350,000 to $550,000. Homeowners will be members of Semiahmoo Resort Association and will have access to the golf course, tennis courts, running trails and fitness center. “The homes are designed as contemporary Northwest style with modern finishes, fresh colors and a focus on enjoying outside living in comfort,” Schwandt said. “Other designs are in the works and we are welcoming ideas from the community. There are also lots available for people who wish to build a custom home.” Utility work was expected to conclude last year, but took longer than expected because essential equipment for the electrical service wasn’t delivered on time, he said. Utility work is in its final stages and will conclude this week, he added. Schwandt expects the homes to be sold within two years. After that, he’ll move
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 13 Coming Up . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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(See Noah’s March, page 15) TheNorthernLight
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