January 4 - 10, 2018
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Doctors are prescribing 2017 sports recap, page 6 patients park visits, page 8
Polar Bear Plunge Community groups photos, page 10 talk 2017, page 13
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Man arrested Revelers take to Birch Bay to ring in the New Year on suspicion of attempted murder, drug possession B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
INSIDE
Brian Pukaluk, 43, was arrested last week after Whatcom County Sheriff’s deputies received a report that he had discharged a firearm during an altercation with his wife at a home, located just south of Blaine city limits. According to a statement from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO), deputies arrived to the home, located at the 9600 block of Ronald Drive, around 7 p.m. on December 26. Prior to their arrival, Pukaluk drove away from the scene but almost immediately crashed into a ditch. He then fled on foot but was located shortly after by a Washington State Patrol trooper on Pipeline Road and taken into custody. During the marital argument, Pukaluk is accused of physically assaulting his wife as well as two family relatives – including his 71-year-old father – that attempted to intervene. According to WCSO, Pukaluk’s wife suffered facial lacerations, among other injuries. When she attempted to call for help, Pukaluk took her phone outside and destroyed it. According to WCSO, the wife eventually was able to escape the home and call 911. While she was on the phone, Pukaluk found her and shot a number of times in her direction as she sought refuge in a neighbor’s yard. Pukaluk then shot at her car and then drove into both her car and the father’s cars, causing about $7,000 in damage, according to WCSO. At the time of the arrest, authorities recovered approximately 3.3 grams of methamphetamine from Pukaluk, WCSO reported. Another 3.7 grams were discovered following a search warrant. The investigation also revealed that prior to the incident, on December 24, Pukaluk reportedly set fire to his wife’s clothing. Pukaluk was booked into Whatcom County Jail on charges of second degree attempted murder, three counts of fourth degree assault, hit and run, malicious mischief and possession of a controlled substance. At press time, Pukaluk was still in custody at Whatcom County Jail. Washington State Patrol, Blaine Police Department and US Border Patrol officers contributed to the investigation.
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Coming Up . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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s Donning costumes of all kinds, hundreds plunged into Birch Bay’s icy waters on January 1. The annual Polar Bear Plunge was hosted by the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce and featured food vendors and a costume contest. See photos on page 10.
2017 year in
REVIEW
Photo by Chuck Kinzer
A look back at the year that was
January • Representatives from US and Canadian border agencies, Washington State Department of Transportation, US General Services Administration and other agencies discussed making the Peace Arch border crossing more accessible for walkers and bicyclists. The December 20 meeting was held to revive a plan that stalled after BC Parks built a sidewalk
from Canada Border Services Agency offices to the border monument in 2011. • The swearing in of Donald Trump as the 45th president of the United States on January 20 spurred a flurry of demonstrations close to home. The Bellingham NoDAPL Coalition organized a threehour demonstration to advocate for the protection of treaty rights and freedom of religion, among other things, at Peace
Arch Park on January 20. The next day, local residents joined various women’s marches, some of which took place in Bellingham and Washington D.C. • Blaine City Council voted in favor of forming a Transportation Benefit District (TBD) on January 23. City staff recommended the city council form the district (See Year in review, page 3)
New Year’s Eve car crash involves Blaine officer Two cars, one a Blaine Police Department cruiser, were totaled in a collision on New Year’s Eve on State Route 543 in Blaine. According to a Washington State Patrol (WSP) report, Blaine police officer Michael Munden was driving a marked police cruiser north on State Route 543 around 2:30 p.m. on December 31 and was involved in a collision with a red minivan driven by Delta, BC
resident Kenneth Wu, who was also driving north in the same lane. Munden reportedly attempted to pull a U-turn by turning into the right lane and immediately turned left and was hit by Wu. WSP spokesperson Heather Axtman said, “The vehicles nearly collided headlight-to-headlight in a head-on fashion.” Munden sustained minor injury and was
taken to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center as a precaution. Wu left the scene uninjured, according to WSP. Blaine police lieutenant Ryan King said he expects Munden to return to work this week and that the department will have a new police cruiser on the road within a few weeks. The Blaine Police Department’s fleet contains 13 cruisers, he said.