42nd Legislative District candidate Q&A, page 3
Downtown Blaine festivals
November ballots mailed to voters, ballot processing begins Oct. 18
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November 5 general election ballots will be arriving on Whatcom County voters’ doorsteps any day as ballots were mailed on October 16.
Voters may cast their votes immediately upon receiving their ballots, though the official tabulation won’t start until October 18, according to the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. The auditor’s office asks people contact the office if their ballot is damaged or they don’t receive one by Wednesday, October 23.
Ballots may be returned to one of the 24 official drop boxes in Whatcom County by 8 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, November 5. Ballots may also be returned by mail if postmarked by November 5.
In addition to helping with ballot replacements, the auditor’s office is available to help people register to vote and has an accessible voting unit for people needing visual or audio technology aids to vote.
Online, people must update their voting address or register to vote at votewa. gov by Monday, October 28. The auditor’s office also needs to receive voter registration forms, which are available on its website, by October 28. No stamp is needed to return ballots either by drop box or by mail.
After October 28, people can still update their address or register to vote, but they must do so at the auditor’s office before 8 p.m. Election Day.
The auditor’s office scheduled ballot logic and accuracy testing for October 11 and October 17. Ballots will begin being processed daily, including week -
In a 5-1 vote, Blaine City Council appointed Eric Lewis to step in as the Ward 1 Position 2 councilmember during its October 14 meeting.
“I still want to be able to look at Blaine with fresh eyes. I don’t want to make any assumptions about Blaine,” Lewis said after the meeting. “I’m going to be energetic, out and about researching and learning. I want to improve things for the people of Blaine. I’m very excited.”
Lewis is filling the vacancy left empty in August by Kerena Higgins, who moved out of the ward. The seat serves east, southeast and part of central Blaine.
Lewis said he wanted to maintain the beauty and stability of Blaine, while sup-
porting “common sense” development for the city. He said he wanted to prioritize improving the city’s disaster preparedness and envisioned a centrally located facility for performing arts and artwork that would have a permanent place in the community.
Lewis moved to Blaine with his family in 2009 and is a semi-retired electrician.
He’s a member of Blaine Community Theater and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9474 in Custer as well as a duty officer for the American Red Cross.
Lewis holds bachelor’s degrees in psychology and biochemistry from Western Washington University and a master’s degree in forensic science from Arizona State University, which he obtained in
City council ...
From page 1 2023.
Councilmembers nominated their top two candidates. Juliana Kenny, who owns a copywriting and brand strategy business, was the second candidate favored by the majority of council. Councilmember Rhyan Lopez, who nominated Kenny and Lewis, was the opposing vote for Lewis.
Councilmember Richard May thanked all of the applicants and councilmember Eric Davidson emphasized that the appointment was a tough decision.
“I want to live up to this privilege,” Lewis said. “I have a lot of work to do.”
Plover update
The Plover ferry appears to be on schedule to return to the water before next summer, according to a recent report at the Blaine City Council meeting on October 14.
Blaine Public Works Department director Harpiar Gandhi told councilmembers that a shipwright estimated its repair would cost less than $20,000. The ferry will be transported to Bellingham on October 29 and then steam back to Blaine once repairs are finished, Gandhi said. Transportation to Bellingham will cost about $4,000.
City manager Mike Harmon said the repairs would likely occur in March and that a quote would be brought to council before city staff authorized the bill. He added the captains hired by the city this summer had indicated they would work next summer.
s Eric Lewis. Courtesy photo
42nd LD candidates answer how they will help Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer residents
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With November ballots expected to arrive to voters in the coming week, The Northern Light posed one question to candidates for the 42nd Legislative District Position 1 and Position 2 races: If elected, would you help Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer residents?
The candidates were given a maximum of 200 words for their written responses. Below are their responses, separated by race. Responses were not fact-checked.
42nd Legislative District Position 1
Alicia Rule (D-Blaine)
Alicia Rule is a two-term incumbent and former Blaine City Councilmember. She is a fifth-generation Whatcom County resident who works as a mental health professional. Rule has said she has worked to cut taxes for small businesses, increase affordable housing, expand outdoor education, improve healthcare and mental health access, and increase funding for law enforcement.
“I am proud to call Blaine home and even more honored to represent our community in Olympia. As your state representative, I have been focused on supporting our kids, keeping our communities safe and supporting our local downtown businesses.
If re-elected, I will keep working to support our local public schools with more resources from the state because right now, our kids are not getting the world class education they deserve, and it’s completely unacceptable.
Also while in Olympia, I’ve supported our law enforcement with additional resources to make sure they can do their jobs and I will keep working with law enforcement to get fentanyl off our streets, increase treatment options, and hold drug dealers accountable.
As your state representative, I am proud of the work I have done to support our local small businesses. I will keep working alongside small business owners to make sure they can keep their doors open and help create better paying jobs right here in our community.”
Raymond Pelletti (R-Blaine)
Raymond Pelletti is a Blaine real estate agent and U.S. Air Force veteran who has previously served as president of the Whatcom County Association of Realtors and as a member of the board of directors for the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center. Pelletti supports promoting conservative American values and creating working-wage jobs, according to the voters’ pamphlet.
“Blaine/Birch Bay: A unique location in Whatcom County. We need to continue to preserve our lifestyle.
Safety: Blaine has been a safe place to work and raise our families. Crime rates for the central areas of Blaine/Birch Bay are on the rise. The unreported crimes give the illusion of lower crime rates, but the incidents are up.
Cap and trade tax: Food and energy costs are making our everyday way of life difficult. We need to reduce the gas and diesel taxes as they raise the costs of bringing groceries and goods to our area. Repealing or reducing it will lower the cost of fuel by almost $.50 a gallon.
Train crossings: For years [late state senator Doug] Ericksen fought to get us safer, with a less interfering burden from the trains at the crossings. This delays emergency responses going both ways.
Fire district: One of our fire stations needs updating. We will work to find ways to get funding for our fire stations and keep our dedicated firefighters here.
Schools: We need to rethink the school bond. This bond should receive approval as it provides the money to do overdue maintenance and upgrades. This bond will replace the older bond with minor impact.”
(See Candidates, page 7)
Open Wed-Sat 8am - 8pm, Sun 8am-2pm
s Alicia Rule. File photo
s Raymond Pelletti. File photo
The Northern L ght
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Vol XXX, No 19
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The Northern Light staff wins 62 state awards OpiniOn
Shown above are the individuals who report, write, design, operate and produce The Northern Light and its special publications. This talented group endeavors to produce interesting and compelling publications that inform, educate and entertain our readers. We are pleased to report that The Northern Light newspaper and our special publications received a record-breaking 62 awards at the Washing-
ton Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest at the state conference in Olympia last week. This record blows through last year’s record of 43 awards and was the highest number of awards won by any newspaper in our circulation division, which includes the largest weekly circulation newspapers in the state. The contest entries, judged by Arizona newspaper professionals, represent the best editorial, reporting and advertising published by Washington’s
weekly newspapers in the past year. I am so proud of our outstanding editorial, design and sales teams. Reporting fairly and accurately on local news and making sure the newspaper is read by Blaine and Birch Bay community members is what we do, and we are pleased that the judges appreciated our efforts.
We would also like to recognize you, our readers and advertisers for your support and engagement. Without you, we wouldn’t be here. Thank you.
The Editor:
I enjoyed reading Dr. Sandhya Gelou’s essay, which framed healthy choices during the holidays – and all year long – as a family affair. Her no-nonsense approach is a breath of fresh air.
It is a family affair, but it’s also a community affair. To halt the rising rates of obesity, the condition should be declared a public health crisis. Parents, school district superintendents, educators, pediatricians, public health officials, hospital leadership, politicians, and nonprofit organizations with a mission to raise healthy children must unite to achieve a shared aim.
In the 1960s, approximately 4-5 percent of children aged 6-11 years old were overweight; in adolescents aged 12-19, about 5 percent were overweight. By 2020, overweight and obesity in these age cohorts grew to nearly 19 percent.
What caused this increase? Changes in
the American diet, the spread of ultra-processed foods, a significant increase in sugar intake (notably from highly sweetened beverages), fast food, larger portion sizes, decreased physical activity, screen time, changes in food marketing (especially to children) and other factors.
The increase in overweight and obesity is a complex, multi-faceted problem. We must make a common cause of this crisis.
PeaceHealth, because St. Joe’s is the only hospital in our county, should instead of spending thousands of dollars on billboards touting individual providers, use billboards to raise awareness about the obesity epidemic. Effective billboards could include clear calls to action, encouraging people to visit a doctor and focusing on prevention.
Since our elected county council is the health department board, they should declare obesity a public health crisis, and de-
CiviC Meetings
Birch Bay Water and Sewer District: Second and fourth Thursdays, 4 p.m., district office, 7096 Point Whitehorn Road, Birch Bay. Info and Zoom meeting link: bbwsd.com.
Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Blaine Planning Commission: Second Thursday, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: bit.ly/3EwWiZi.
Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Meetings are second Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
velop an educational awareness campaign in collaboration with our schools and organizations such as Common Threads. Chuckanut Health Foundation is deeply involved in the Healthy Kids Initiative. CHF should encourage allocating tax levy funds to educate on the importance of good nutrition. Children with overweight and obesity often develop diabetes, asthma or sleep apnea that can cause them to miss school more frequently, which affects their school performance negatively.
It may take a generation, but we can reverse the rate of obesity. We need to do a better job, starting now.
Delores Davies Ferndale
Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Blaine Public Works and Park Advisory Board: Second Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Blaine council chambers. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330.
Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district boardroom, 770 Mitchell Avenue. Info: blainesd.org.
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue: Third Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
BBWARM: Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District Advisory Committee meets quarterly in-person and on Zoom. Info: bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org.
s The Northern Light staff from l.; Aly McGee, Grace McCarthy, Nolan Baker, Ruth Lauman, Gary Lee, Louise Mugar, Pat Grubb and Molly Ernst. Not pictured: Doug DeVisser and Jeanie Luna.
Photo by Maddy Ernst
CAP Thanksgiving Basket registration begins
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The Community Assistance Program (CAP) is set to open enrollment for its Thanksgiving Basket program, which provides readyto-cook meals for the holiday, on Friday, October 18. Registration closes Friday, November 15.
The program remains mostly the same as previous years, CAP volunteer Laura Vogee said.
“It’s a good way to reach out to our neighbors who are struggling
financially and bless them with a happy Thanksgiving,” Vogee said.
The baskets will contain Thanksgiving fixings including a turkey, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, canned green beans, rolls and butter, potatoes, yams, onions and celery, gravy mix, chicken broth and milk.
People who register will receive a postcard and email with information on receiving their baskets.
Basket pick-up will occur behind the IGA Market from noon to 2:30
p.m. Tuesday, November 26.
To register for the Thanksgiving baskets, visit blainecap.org, or call 360/393-9483.
In 2023, 271 families received baskets, according to CAP.
CAP is a Blaine-based nonprofit serving families with limited financial resources in Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer and Point Roberts. The nonprofit hosts the Thanksgiving Basket program annually, along with a winter coat drive in October and holiday toy store
in December. CAP volunteers anticipate food costs and basket demand to be high this year and are accepting donations to fund the program. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit is fully volunteer run and receives no government funding, according to organizers.
Donations may be made at blainecap.org by card. Checks may be made out to CAP with “Thanksgiving Baskets” in the memo line and sent to 508 G Street, Blaine, WA, 98230.
Birch Bay Incorporation Association accepting steering committee applications, vote set for November meeting
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The Birch Bay Incorporation Association (BBIA) is accepting candidate applications for its steering committee members, who guide discussions on the potential of Birch Bay becoming its own city.
The steering committee is composed of up to 15 volunteers serving one-year terms. People who live, work or own property
in Birch Bay are eligible to serve on the committee.
Steering committee members are required to attend monthly steering committee meetings as well as participate in additional subcommittee work like research and public outreach, according to the application. Applications are due by Thursday, November 7 to be included in a candidate information packet that will be handed out during the
election on Thursday, November 21. BBIA’s annual general meeting will also take place during the November 21 meeting.
Interested applicants can apply online at bit.ly/3Nm42AT, or an application can be downloaded at bit.ly/3zXDVx3 and emailed to matt@incorporatebirchbay. ccsend.com or mailed to P.O. Box 1120, 4550 Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Blaine, WA, 98230.
BBIA officially formed and
steering members were elected in November 2023. The association, which holds quarterly meetings, has stated it’s a nonpartisan organization with a mission of researching the pros and cons of Birch Bay becoming a city.
Earlier this summer, Whatcom County Council unanimously approved up to $150,000 to fund a feasibility study, which will include incorporation costs.
Suspected northern giant hornet found dead in Kitsap
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While no confirmed northern giant hornet sightings have been made in Whatcom County this year, state entomologists are inspecting whether the invasive hornet was found dead in Burley, a small community in Kitsap County.
Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) announced on October 15 that it had received a report of the suspected hornet. WSDA public engagement specialist Karla Salp said the department was working to obtain the specimen, and if received, it would conduct DNA testing to confirm the specimen’s identity and see if it was connected to the hornet nests found in east Blaine.
Salp said the report, which included a photo, appeared credible. She declined to speculate how the hornet could have traveled to Burley, about halfway be-
tween Port Orchard and Gig Harbor on the Kitsap Peninsula.
The northern giant hornet, widely known by its nickname, “murder hornet,” was introduced to Washington state and B.C. in 2019. After the hornet was discovered in Blaine in December 2019, state entomologists eradicated the first northern giant hornet nest found in east Blaine in October 2020. In 2021, three nests related to “nest zero” were eradicated in east Blaine. No hornets have been confirmed in Whatcom County since. The last confirmed hornet found in B.C. was in 2021, when one decayed hornet was discovered north of east Blaine.
The hornets will be considered eradicated from Whatcom County if no hornets are detected this year, WSDA previously told The Northern Light
To date, east Blaine is the only location in the U.S. where northern giant hornet nests have been confirmed, bringing a national spotlight to the community.
In response to the suspected hornet on the Kitsap Peninsula, WSDA officials said they were setting traps in the area and asked that people report potential sightings. Citizen reports contributed to WSDA locating each of the hornet nests found in east Blaine, WSDA has previously said.
Salp said WSDA continues to trap in Whatcom County and encourages residents to report any possible sightings as well.
“We haven’t given up,” she said. “We want to encourage people to keep their eyes open.”
The hornets are typically 1.5 to 2 inches long with orange-and-black bodies. East Blaine residents previously said the apex predator sounded similar to a humming bird and
observed them feeding on paper wasps. The worker hornets are active from late summer through fall. Anyone who believes they see a northern giant hornet should take a photo, if it is safe to do
so, and report it online at bit. ly/3cYpOId, email hornets@agr. wa.gov or call 800/443-6684.
For more information on helping WSDA fight the northern giant hornet, visit bit.ly/45MUgAi.
s The suspected northern giant hornet found in Kitsap County.
Photo courtesy of WSDA
spOrts
Football, volleyball and girls soccer drop consecutive losses
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It was a week most Blaine fall sports teams would like to forget. After wins against Mt. Baker last week, girls soccer lost its next three games and volleyball was swept in its last two games. After a hot 4-0 start, football has cooled off with its second straight loss, this time to conference stalwart Nooksack Valley. The lone bright spot was cross-country, which placed fourth overall in the men’s varsity bronze race at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational.
Football
Blaine football had one of the best starts to a season in team history, getting off to a 4-0 record while beating its opponents by a combined score of 163-54. Since then, the Borderites have been tested, losing to Lynden Christian 28-7, then losing to Nooksack Valley 42-7 on October 11.
While the 2024 Borderites (4-2, 0-2 NWC) are a vastly improved team, going on the road to face one of the best 1A teams in the state in Nooksack Valley (5-1, 2-0 NWC) proved too big a task. The turnover bug bit the Borderites early in the game, and the hosting Pioneers were able to capitalize and get out to a 35-0 lead before halftime.
On just the third play on offense for the Borderites, senior quarterback Colin Davis’ pass was tipped, intercepted, and returned for a 63-yard touchdown. Nooksack Valley scored on a blocked punt return to go up 140, and star senior running back Colton Lentz scored on three of his next four rushing attempts.
Blaine turned the ball over four times in the first half, and just couldn’t drag itself out of a hole that big in the second half, though a garbage-time scramble from Davis did avoid a shutout.
It was the first game this season where senior running back Jaiden Paez was held to under 100 yards rushing, earning a solid 86 yards on 21 carries. Nooksack Valley’s Lentz, who will go on to play Division 1 football at University of Montana, showed why he’s one of the most feared players in the state, amassing 146 yards and four touchdowns while carrying the ball just six times.
Blake Koreski, Kai Kerwin and Logan Villareal all caught a pass each from Davis, tallying just 56
yards of passing on the day.
The Borderites will have a chance to get back in the win column on Friday, October 18, hosting Friday Harbor at 6 p.m. at Borderite Stadium. Friday Harbor (2-4, 0-1) lost to Cedar Park Christian earlier in the year, a team the Borderites beat handily in the second week of the season. If the Borderites want to make a run at state playoffs, the team will need to win more than just non-conference games, as it now sits at the bottom of the five-team 1A NWC standings. The Borderites will have two chances to improve its conference record, facing Mt. Baker (4-2, 0-2 NWC) on October 25 and Meridian (51, 1-0 NWC) on November 1.
Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com Volleyball
After a sweep against Mt. Baker on the road last week, the Borderites had two home games to try and start a mid-season turnaround and string some wins together, but couldn’t win a set against conference leader Burlington-Edison (11-1, 10-0 NWC) on October 10, and Anacortes (83, 7-3 NWC) on October 15. Despite the lopsided final
score, the Borderites were able to harass Burlington-Edison in the first set, falling 25-19, but the conference-leading Tigers closed the door in the final two sets, winning handily 25-10, and 25-7.
The usual suspects on offense showed up again for the Borderites, with senior Kaitlyn Harrington and sophomore Teia Dube each tallying four kills, five digs and an ace apiece. Junior libero Hanna Phelps-McDonald finished with five digs, showing why she’s one of the teams defensive leaders.
Against Anacortes, the Borderites again were able to hang close in the first set, but the visitors were able to pull away with stifling offensive production.
The Borderites (2-10, 1-9 NWC) have struggled against an extremely talented Northwest Conference, but still sit above Bellingham and Mt. Baker, who
have yet to earn a conference win with five games remaining.
The Borderites get a chance to face Bellingham on Wednesday, October 23 at home, but must first face Sehome (8-2, 8-2 NWC) and Ferndale (7-4, 7-2 NWC), which sit at third and fourth place in the conference, respectively.
Blaine will travel to play Sehome on Thursday, October 17 at 7 p.m., then host Ferndale on Monday, October 21. Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Cross-Country
Blaine cross-country bucked the trend of losses that plagued the rest of the fall sports teams this week, with the team traveling south to face a massive, multi-team 5,000 meter race.
The Blaine long distance runners had a solid showing at the Nike Hole in the Wall Invitational at Lakewood High School on
October 12, placing fourth as a team among a field of 22.
Blaine posted an official team score of 204 in the 5,000-meter men’s varsity bronze race, a heat with times averaging 19:30 to 20:59. Exact times for individual runners were not posted before press time.
The Borderites will have one more race before the postseason begins, with Blaine travelling to Bellingham for the 2024 Lake Lap Invitational at Lake Padden on Thursday, October 17. The 2.6-mile race around Lake Padden will feature nine Blaine runners starting at 3:45 p.m. in the gold heat, then five more in the silver heat at 5 p.m.
The NWC Championships will be held on Wednesday, October 23 at Civic Stadium in Bellingham, and the District 1 1A Championships will be held Saturday, November 2 in Deming.
s Junior outside hitter Carly Saunders, c., and sophomore outside hitter Teia Dube, r., block an Anacortes spike during the second set of Blaine’s 3-0 loss on October 15. Dube tallied four kills, five digs and one ace in the loss.
Photo by Janell Kortlever
s Junior forward Beatrice Dickson, c., jostles an Anacortes midfielder during Blaine’s 6-0 loss on October 15. The loss was Blaine’s (4-9, 3-9 NWC) third in three games, and the seventh time the Borderites have been shut out in a loss this season.
Photo by Nolan Baker
Candidates ...
From page 3
42nd Legislative District Position 2
Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham)
Joe Timmons is a first-term incumbent who has worked as regional outreach representative for Whatcom County in the governor’s office and as assistant director of government relations at Western Washington University. Timmons has said that he has worked to lower costs for seniors, improve public safety and support small businesses as well as increase access to education, affordable housing and mental healthcare.
“It has been an honor serving as your state representative for the last two years. During my first term in office, I met with local leaders and passed bills to reduce the cost of living for seniors and improve public safety, including sponsoring a bill that added a judge to the Whatcom County Superior Court (HB 1992).
I also worked with colleagues to secure funding in the state’s budget for projects in north Whatcom County, including $2.2 million for the city of Blaine’s Bell Road transportation project, and funding for a new skills center at Meridian High School, so students throughout Whatcom County can receive more real-world training for careers in the trades.
If re-elected, I will continue to listen to community needs and to advocate on your behalf in Olympia, including showing support for local projects, advocating for flood protection, and getting more funding for public education so students in Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer have access to a quality education. I will
also continue to support small businesses, work to make housing more affordable for working families, and stand up for reproductive health care.”
Kamal Bhachu (R-Blaine)
Kamal Bhachu works as a hospital engineer at PeaceHealth, and has previously worked as a nurse and at Lynden Sheet Metal. Bhachu volunteers with the Punjabi Selfless Service Outreach Organization and with a Vietnam veterans organization. He wrote in the voters’ pamphlet that people have been hurt by Seattle’s extreme policies that became state laws, and is looking to reverse those changes.
“Blaine is the entrance to the United States, and as a border town, it is still trying to recover from the devastating economic effects of Covid-19. A large number of businesses were negatively impacted or wiped out by the lack of Canadian traffic. The recovery process is slow and ongoing. One way to help Blaine recover is to attract industrial business with our commercial properties.
In speaking with local leaders, I learned that they are looking towards the future, and conversations revolve around the need to prepare this city and the roadways surrounding it for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With events in both Seattle and Vancouver, Blaine will be a natural point of entrance. Local business owners understand the need to be prepared for this influx of both people and business and what it could mean eco
nomically for this town.
Birch Bay is currently hosting committee meetings for the community regarding incorporating. I recently attended one of the meetings and learned what this group wants. I will continue to stay involved as this develops. Being aware of the direction this community decides they collectively want to go will help me better understand how to support them in the future.”
Point Roberts fire district ambulance crashes near Peace Arch border
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A Point Roberts fire district ambulance was involved in a collision near the Peace Arch border crossing at roughly 3 a.m. on October 11 while transporting a Point Roberts resident to the hospital, fire chief Christopher Carleton confirmed to The Northern Light.
The accident occurred on the
Canadian side of the Peace Arch border at Beach Road and Highway 99 when a vehicle pulled out in front of the fire district ambulance, Carleton said, resulting in the collision.
The collision caused injuries to multiple fire district staff; the attending EMT in the back of the ambulance was admitted to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical
Center later in the morning for back pain. The ambulance driver suffered injuries to their hand and lower back, but was not taken to the hospital for treatment. Carleton said the injuries were reported to the state Volunteer Firefighters Board.
The patient being transported (See Crash, page 16)
s Joe Timmons. File photo s Kamal Bhachu. File photo
Election ...
From page 1
ends, starting Friday, October 18.
The auditor’s office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays to assist voters, with additional hours from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, November 2 and from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Election Day. The auditor’s office is in the Whatcom County Courthouse building, 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham.
Both Whatcom County and Washington state voters’ pamphlets with information about candidates and ballot measures were mailed to every home in the county this week. The Blaine school district also sent a flier about its bond measure.
For questions about the election, call the auditor’s office at 360/778-5102 or email elections@co.whatcom.wa.us
Below is what will appear on ballots for most Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer voters: Whatcom County voters will
elect representatives to the 15-member Whatcom County Charter Review Commission, which reviews the county charter every decade. Three candidates will be selected in each council district and will serve for one year.
42nd Legislative District candidates
• State representative position
1 – Alicia Rule (D) and Raymond Pelletti (R)
• State representative position 2 – Joe Timmons (D) and Kamal Bhachu (R)
Statewide races
• Governor – Bob Ferguson (D) and Dave Reichert (R)
• Lieutenant governor – Denny Heck (D) and Dan Matthews (R)
• Secretary of state – Steve Hobbs (D) and Dale Whitaker (R)
• State treasurer – Mike Pellicciotti (D) and Sharon Hanek (R)
• State auditor – Pat McCarthy (D) and Matt Hawkins (R)
• Attorney general – Pete Serrano (R) and Nick Brown (D)
• Commissioner of public lands
– Jaime Herrera Beutler (R) and Dave Upthegrove (D)
• Superintendent of public instruction – Chris Reykdal and David Olson
a $500,000 home would pay $388 in 2025.
• Proposition 2024-22 is a proposed amendment to the Whatcom County Charter that would prohibit elected county officials from holding other elected public office positions during their term.
State measures
• Initiative Measure No. 2066 is a statewide measure that would repeal or prohibit laws and regulations discouraging natural gas use and/or promote electrification. It would also require certain utilities and local governments to provide natural gas to eligible customers.
• Insurance commissioner –Patty Kuderer (D) and Phil Fortunato (R)
• Justice Position 2 – Sal Mungia and Dave Larson Federal races
• President and vice president –Kamala Harris/Tim Walz (D) and Donald Trump/JD Vance (R), plus eight more candidate pairs
• U.S. Senator – Maria Cantwell (D) and Dr. Raul Garcia (R)
• U.S. Representative – Rick Larsen (D) and Cody Hart (R) Whatcom County measures
• Proposition 2024-21 is a proposed $70 million, 20-year Blaine school district general obligations bond that would replace the current bond. The bond would pay for a new middle school to replace the current 70-year-old building, upgrade Pipeline Fields, build an outdoor covering at Blaine Elementary School, construct a playground at Point Roberts Primary School and fund designs for a Birch Bay school. The tax rate would be $0.76 per $1,000 in assessed property value, meaning owners of
• Initiative Measure No. 2109 is a statewide measure that would repeal the state capital gains tax, which is imposed on the sale or exchange of longterm capital assets by people who have annual capital gains of over $250,000. The measure would decrease funding for K-12 education, higher education, school construction, early learning and childcare.
• Initiative Measure No. 2117 is a statewide measure that would prohibit state agencies from imposing carbon tax credit trading and repeal legislation establishing a cap-and-invest program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It would decrease funds for transportation, clean air, renewable energy, conservation and emissions reduction.
• Initiative Measure No. 2124 is a statewide measure that would make participation in the state’s long-term care program voluntary. It would decrease funding for the state’s public insurance program that provides long-term care benefits and services.
ADVICE FROM THE PROS
Q: October is National Physical Therapy Month. How can physical therapy help me?
A: October is Physical Therapy Month, a time to recognize the importance of physical therapy in improving overall health and mobility. Physical therapists play a vital role in helping people recover from injuries, manage chronic pain, and prevent future health issues. Through personalized exercise programs, manual therapy, and education, physical therapy helps restore function, improve flexibility, and enhance strength. It’s especially beneficial for those recovering from surgery, suffering from arthritis, or dealing with sports injuries. Beyond physical recovery, it can also boost mental wellbeing by reducing stress and enhancing quality of life. Celebrating Physical Therapy Month raises awareness of these benefits, encouraging individuals to take proactive steps toward a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Q: What should I know about buying a newly constructed home in Blaine?
A: Buying a newly constructed home, like those at The Ridge in Blaine, comes with many advantages. New homes are designed with modern materials and energy-efficient features, offering lower maintenance costs and potentially reduced utility bills. You’ll also benefit from updated layouts that cater to today’s lifestyle, such as open-concept living spaces and quality finishes throughout. These homes are move-in ready, providing a seamless transition to your new space. Working with a real estate agent familiar with new construction ensures you’ll have guidance through the process, from contract to closing, making it a smooth and successful transaction.
Brandi Coplen
Q: October is National Financial Planning Month, what should I consider?
A: There is never a wrong time to review your financial situation, and this month serves as a reminder you can accomplish financial goals with the right strategies in place. Take this month to review your personal finances. When was the last time you met with your financial advisor or reviewed your financial goals and financial plan? Growing and retaining wealth takes more than just investing. At Skyline Advisors, we partner with our clients to help them reach their goals through their Financial Plan.
360-201-3951 bcoplen@windermere.com www.brandicoplen.com Mary and Gary Gibb
Q: What to do when fall is right around the corner? Here are a few healthy heating tips:
A: As fall sneaks in like that one friend who always shows up uninvited, it’s time to give your heating system some TLC. Here are three tips to ensure you’re ready for the cozy sweater weather ahead:
1. **Change the Filters**: Think of your filters as the lungs of your heating system. A quick swap can save you from a winter of sneezing and wheezing. Plus, it’s a great excuse to finally tackle that "honey-do" list!
2. **Schedule a Tune-Up**: Just like your car, your heating system deserves a little pampering. Call in the professionals at Gary’s Plumbing and Heating for a pre-season check-up. They’ll make sure your system is running smoother than your favorite fall latte.
3. **Inspect the Ducts**: Peek into those ducts—no, not for Halloween decorations! Clear them of dust and debris to ensure warm air flows freely. After all, no one wants a chilly surprise when they’re bundled up in their favorite sweater. Stay warm, folks!
Gary’s Plumbing and Heating, LLC
Gary’s-Plumbing.com • 360-734-9700 4760 Pacific Hwy. Bellingham, WA 98226
Natalie Milligan, MPT, MS
Deka Wiebusch
Blaine Oyster Festival and Harbor Harvest Festival 2024
Blaine Oyster Fest and Blaine Harbor Harvest Festival were held jointly in downtown Blaine on October 12. Oyster fest, put on by Drayton Harbor Oyster
Company, served up seafood on H Street Plaza with live music and games, while the harvest festival had a street fair, beer garden, live music, games and other ac-
tivities in the surrounding area. Family crafts and activities were also held at the Blaine Art Gallery and Christ Episcopal Church.
Photos by Ruth Lauman
of the deed of trust: Self-serviced
Reference number of the deed of trust: 2022-1200539
Parcel number(s): 390220 245248 0000 / PID 95497
I. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned Trustee will on the 15th day of November, 2024 at the hour of 9:00 o’clock. a.m. on the first-floor rotunda of the Whatcom County Courthouse, 311 Grand Avenue, in the City of Bellingham, State of Washington, sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder, payable at the time of sale, the following described real property, situated in the County of Whatcom, State of Washington, to-wit:
LOT 1, B AND J SHORT PLAT, RECORDED IN BOOK 8 OF SHORT PLATS, PAGE 24, BEING A PORTION OF THE NORTHEAST QUARTER OF THE SOUTHWEST QUARTER OF SECTION 20, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 2 EAST OF W.M.
SITUATE IN THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM, STATE OF WASHINGTON
Commonly known as 5875 Cedar Street, Ferndale, Washington which is subject to that certain Deed of Trust dated December 5, 2022, recorded December 7, 2022, under Auditor’s File No. 2022-1200539, records of Whatcom County, Washington, from Ferndale Five, LLC as Grantor, to Whatcom Land Title Company, Inc. as Trustee, to secure an obligation in favor of Delbert L. Moreau and Judy Dupont, husband and wife as Beneficiary. Matt Rommelmann was appointed as Successor Trustee pursuant to an Appointment of Successor Trustee dated June 11, 2024 and recorded under Auditor’s File No. 2024-0600889, records of Whatcom County, Washington.
II. No action commenced by the Beneficiary of the Deed of Trust is now pending to seek satisfaction of the obligation in any Court by reason of the Borrower’s or Grantor’s default on the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust.
III. The default(s) for which this foreclosure is made is/are as follows: Statement of Default and Itemized Account of Amounts in Arrears.
The Beneficiary alleges that you are in default for the following reasons:
• Failure to make payment and interest due since November 1, 2023 pursuant to Note secured by the Deed of Trust.
The Beneficiary puts forward the following itemized account of amounts in arrears on the Note:
• Principal Balance: $ 572,377.86
• Late fees up to time of default:
SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON COUNTY OF PEND OREILLE JUVENILE COURT
In re the Dependency of: RILEY VERMILLION TEEPLES
DOB: 08/22/11
$ 0
• Interest owed since November 11, 2023 through August 9, 2024 at 12%: $ 51,184.96
($68,685.34 per annum/ $188.18 per diem)
TOTAL ARREARAGES, INTEREST and DEFAULT INTEREST $ 623,562.82 Other Charges, Costs and Fees.
• Posting of Notice of Default (estimated) $ 100.00
• Copying expense (estimated) $ 50.00
• Postage (estimated) $ 75.00
• Trustee’s fee
• Attorney’s fees (estimated)
• Cost of Trustee’s Sale Guarantee (estimated)
$ 250.00
$ 3,000.00
$ 1,864.00
TOTAL CHARGES, COSTS AND FEES: $5,339.00
IV. The sum owing on the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust is: Principal $572,377.86 together with interest of $51,184.96 as provided in the note or other instrument, and such other costs and fees of $5,339.00 as are due under the note or other instrument secured, and as are provided by statute. The TOTAL sum owing on the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust: $628,901.82
No: 24-7-00026-26. Notice and Summons by Publication. (Dependency) (SMPB) To: KAYLA VERMILLION, Parent; and Anyone Claiming a Paternal Interest A Dependency Petition was filed on August 20, 2024. A Fact Finding hearing will be held on this matter on November 14, 2024, at 2:30 p.m., at the Pend Oreille County Superior Court, 229 S. Garden Ave., Newport, Washington 99156. You should be present at this hearing. You may also appear via telephone or via a WebEx. Please visit: https://www.calendar wiz.com/tricountysuperiorcourt. The hearing will determine if your child is dependent as defined in RCW 13.34.030(6). This begins a judicial process which could result in permanent loss of your parental rights. If you do not appear at the hearing, the court may enter a dependency order in your absence.
To request a copy of the Notice, Summons, and Dependency Petition, call DCYF at (509) 550-2091. To view information about your rights, including right to a lawyer, go to www.atg.wa.gov/DPY.aspx.
Dated: October 8, 2024
Date of First Publication: October 17, 2024
Issued by Petitioner: DCYF
AURORA MASKALL, WSBA #51748
Assistant Attorney General Notice and Summons by Pub (Dep)(SMPB) WPF JU 03.0230 (07/2018) – 13.34.080
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF WASHINGTON 1116 W. RIVERSIDE AVENUE, STE. 100 SPOKANE, WA 99201 (509) 456-3123
V. The above-described real property will be sold to satisfy the expense of sale and the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust as provided by statute. The sale will be made without warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances on the 15th day of November, 2024 The default(s) referred to in paragraph III must be cured by the 4th day of November, 2024 (11 days before the sale date), to cause a discontinuance of the sale. The sale will be discontinued and terminated if at any time on or before the 4th day of November, 2024 (11 days before the sale date), the default(s) as set forth in paragraph III is/are cured and the Trustee’s fees and costs are paid. The sale may be terminated any time after the 4th day of November, 2024 (11 days before the sale date), and before the sale by the Borrower, Grantor, any Guarantor, or the holder of any recorded junior lien or encumbrance paying the entire principal and interest secured by the Deed of Trust, plus costs, fees, and advances, if any, made pursuant to the terms of the obligation and/or Deed of Trust, and curing all other defaults.
VI. A written notice of default was transmitted by the Beneficiary or Trustee to the Borrower and Grantor at the following addresses: Ferndale Five, LLC, 3803 NE 45th Street, Seattle, WA 98105-5132
Summit Capital Partners, LLC, 2311 N 45th Street, #169, Seattle, WA 98103
Northwest Registered Agent, LLC, 522 W Riverside Ave, Suite N, Spokane, WA 99201 by both first-class and certified mail on the 13th day of June 2024, proof of which is in the possession of the Trustee; and the Borrower and Grantor were personally served on the 13th day of June 2024 with said written notice of default or the written notice of default was posted in a conspicuous place on the real property described in paragraph I above, and the Trustee has possession of proof of such service or posting.
VII. The Trustee whose name and address are set forth below will provide in writing to anyone requesting it, a statement of all costs and fees due at any time prior to the sale.
VIII. The effect of the sale will be to deprive the Grantor and all those who hold by, through or under the Grantor of all their interest in the above-described property.
IX. Anyone having any objection to the sale on any grounds whatsoever will be afforded an opportunity to be heard as to those objections if they bring a lawsuit to restrain the sale pursuant to RCW 61.24.130. Failure to bring such a lawsuit may result in a waiver of
Port of Bellingham OKs another just under 100K, no-bid contract
Port of Bellingham commissioners approved another consultant contract at their regular board meeting on October 15. The contract authorized port executive director Rob Fix to execute a personal services (PS) contract with Maul Foster and Alongi, Inc. (MFA) to conduct a study of industrial lands and employment in Whatcom County. The study is intended to supplement the work done by the county and cities to update the county’s 2025 comprehensive plan as required by the Growth Management Act (GMA).
In Washington state, a PS contract is defined as a formal agreement between a government agency and an individual or company to provide services that require specialized skills or expertise. These services are typically intellectual in nature, rather than manual labor, and include consulting, technical expertise, training or other professional services.
The contract is similar in some ways to the PS contract signed by the port in August with Conflux
Associates to conduct a public relations campaign to improve the port’s standing with taxpayers. However, unlike Conflux which has no web presence and has a Chuckanut Point residential address for its corporate office, MFA is a living, breathing concern crawling with engineers, geologists, meteorologists, environmental scientists, planners, communication experts and more. Established in 1996, the firm has eight offices in Washington, Oregon and Idaho.
The MFA study would cost $99,435, just shy of the $100,000 level that triggers formal bid procedures whereby the port would publicly issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) and interested firms could submit bids; typically, governmental agencies are required to accept the lowest bid, although exceptions can be made. Under Resolution 1279-A, port policy allows contracts costing between $50,000 and $100,000 to be issued without formal bid procedures.
Regardless, state law mandates that ports must be able to show evidence of competitive activity
regarding those contracts i.e., that they have offered the work to other firms who had an equal opportunity to offer their services. No such evidence was shown to commissioners other than a statement that the choice of “consultant was based upon the firm’s response to a request for personal services.”
In the Conflux Associates contract, that meant the firm had registered on the port’s work roster that is listed on the Municipal Services and Research Center website. Presumably, the same applies for MFA.
In an apparent bit of sloppiness, the PS contract between the port and MFA calls for the study to be completed on or before December 31, 2024, just two-and-a-half months from signing. However, the proposal attached to the contract calls for the final report to be completed by the end of March 2025. This mirrors that of the Conflux contract whose scope projected a three-year term at a cost of $298,200. However, the PS contract was for only a one-year term at a cost of $99,396 with the option of one-year renewals. No change to the scope of services
or mileposts were made, raising the specter that the contract had been structured to avoid triggering formal bid procedures which is against state law.
While structuring doesn’t appear to be present in the MFA contract, the fact that it will cost just $565 shy of the $100,000 bid trigger could certainly raise the eyebrows of skeptical observers. According to the MFA proposal, the “cost estimate does not represent a lump sum. MFA bills for time and materials, consistent with the attached schedule of costs.” That schedule anticipates 535 hours of work for a total of $99,425, or $185/hour. Personnel is charged at the rate of $115-$135/hour for administrative support to $145-$155/hour for graphic design to $260-$280/ hour for a principal.
The tasks involved in the study are four-fold: industrial sector trends, industrial land supply analysis, industrial sector employment growth projections and reporting. Given that the Port of Bellingham is the primary economic development agency in
Real Estate
Whatcom County, it seems odd that it doesn’t already have much, if not most, of this information already. Zoning maps are readily available, and planning and development experts are just a city or county phone call away. According to the staff report, “The study was not anticipated in the 2024 budget; however, the Economic Development budget has lapse to cover the costs.” Under the GMA, counties are required to update their comprehensive plans every eight years with Whatcom County’s due at the end of 2025, which raises the question of why the expense was unscheduled. Commissioner Michael Shepard wanted to know “How does this study differ from other studies that we’ve done? We are under budget pressure, just like lots of other organizations and I’m trying to figure out how this expenditure dovetails with any of these previous things that we’ve looked at.” Port director of economic development Tyler Schroeder responded, saying that the study would build off that work.
Planning commission sends Blaine building height proposal to city council
B y G race M c c arthy
In a 4-1 vote, Blaine Planning Commission recommended Blaine City Council approve increasing building heights on the west side of Peace Portal Drive by one story in the downtown core.
Planning commission’s vote during its October 10 meeting follows a series of discussions on whether to increase the building height at the request of developers who don’t believe they would get a good return on their investment with current zoning due to difficult building conditions.
Planning commissioner Jennifer Plombon, the lone opponent of the recommendation, said before casting her vote that she was against increasing building heights because the water view was a precious part of Blaine that she wanted to protect.
Commissioner Donald Kruse said that while he liked the water views from the vacant lots, the area was once developed and more buildings would bring a stronger tax base to the city. Commissioner Calvin Armerding said he didn’t believe the change would significantly impact the city, saying, “We’ll all be dead before the city has soaring skyscrapers.”
If approved by city council, the zoning change would allow building heights to increase 12 feet, from 36 to 48 feet, in the waterview subdistrict on the west side of Peace Portal Drive, running south of F Street to north of Clark Street.
Community Development Services director Alex Wenger told city council during its October 14 meeting that council could potentially review the recommendation as early as its next meeting on Monday, October 28.
OBITUARIES
Jere R. Hawn
January 26, 1932 – October 3, 2024
There are so many loving memories of Jere’s life. He graduated from Bellingham High School in 1950 and then Western Washington University. His university studies were interrupted by the Korean War where he served in the Navy at both Adak, AK and on the USS Badoeng Strait (CVE116) where he viewed 16 of the 17 nuclear bomb testings. He said, “They were impressive and there wasn’t a huge noise but only a pressure popping of the ears. The colors were blues and greens not the massive yellows and reds that are seen on TV.” After the war, he returned to WWU to finish his degree in history, started a family, and rejoined the Navy. As a carrier pilot, he flew S-2F off the USS Hornet (CVS-12), and A-3Ds off the USS Saratoga (CVA-60) and the USS America (CVA-66). He retired from his Navy career in 1978. His last tour in the Navy lasted four years and included his family in the Republic of South Korea. During Jere’s retirement (1978 through most of 2024), he spent his time with friends and family in Whatcom County. His activities ranged from reading, fishing, selling cars, property management, and partaking of his daily coffee klatch.
Other notables were that he was an avid reader. He read 1,600 words a minute and would often read three books a day. One of his favorite daily jaunts was to the Bellingham Public Library. His Navy flying tours of duty took him to Pensacola FL, Millington TN, Kingsville TX, Long Beach CA, Chula Vista CA, Monterey CA, Oak Harbor WA, Pearl Harbor HI, La Jolla CA, and Seoul ROK. He retired to Chuckanut Drive and then later to Semiahmoo in Blaine. He passed away with family next to him at PeaceHealth St. Joseph hospital of natural causes.
Jere is preceded in death by his twin sister, Barbara Leighly (John), and first wife, Jean Hawn. He is survived by his wife Karen Hawn; children Jere G. Hawn (Lisa), Renee Burnett (William) and Donald Hawn (Lesley); stepchildren Renee Ornelas, Leticia Ornelas, Frank Ornelas (Natasha) and family, Conrad Ornelas, and Victor Ornelas; grandchildren Jere R. Hawn II, Sara Rogers (Tom), Codi Hawn and Kawela Hawn. He loved playing great-grandpa to Devonte and Qurtell Gonzalez.
There will be a Celebration of Life at a later date.
Bloodworks Northwest asks for donors to help with Hurricane Milton response
B y N ola N B aker
Bloodworks Northwest, the region’s foremost blood donation service, is urgently asking the community to “donate as much blood as possible” to send to Florida after the devastation of Hurricane Milton.
Prior to the hurricane’s landfall on the Gulf Coast of Florida on October 10, Bloodworks Northwest sent an emergency shipment of 80 units of blood to Florida-based SunCoast Blood Centers,
in expectation of blood supplies being interrupted. To replenish the supply likely needed by Florida hospitals, the donation center is asking for as many community members to donate as possible.
“The powerful and devastating hurricane will severely disrupt blood supplies for days, impacting not only emergency patients but also those undergoing treatments for cancer and other serious conditions,” a Bloodworks Northwest press release stated.
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTORY
Life is a journey Set and achieve your goals
Life Coaching Evelyne Hendricks BA,LHT 360-739-5606 - leave text message evelynehendricks@gmail.com
Individual, couples, families • Guided hypnotherapy
The Category 3 hurricane pummeled the region with 120 mph winds and a storm surge of up to 10 feet in certain areas. At least 11 people have died, and 3.4 million homes and businesses were without power for days after, according to an October 11 article from the Associated Press. Appointments to donate blood can be made by calling 800/3987888, emailing schedule@bloodworksnw.org or visiting bloodworksnw.org/giveblood
s From l.; commissioners Jerry Marczynski, Calvin Armerding and Jennifer Plombon during the Blaine Planning Committee meeting on October 10.
Photo by Grace McCarthy
sheriff’s repOrts
October 5, 2:59 a.m.: DUI arrest on Birch Bay Square Street.
October 5, 7:20 a.m.: Domestic physical on H Street Road.
October 5, 5:25 p.m.: Domestic physical on H Street Road.
October 5, 7:11 p.m.: Traffic hazard on Birch Bay-Lynden and Kickerville Roads.
October 5, 10:35 p.m.: Fight on Harborview Road.
October 5, 10:42 p.m.: Domestic physical on Seashell Way.
October 6, 9:10 a.m.: Domestic order violence on Boblett Road.
October 6, 12:36 p.m.: Overdose on Gulf Road.
October 7, 9:42 a.m.: Runaway cold call on W. 29th Drive.
October 7, 1:54 p.m.: Landlord-tenant dispute on Harborview Road.
October 7, 2:49 p.m.: Vehicle theft cold call on Fishermans Bend Lane.
October 7, 4:05 p.m.: Forgery cold call on Harborview Road.
October 7, 4:20 p.m.: Juvenile problem on Drayton Harbor Road.
October 7, 4:48 p.m.: Trespass cold call on California Trail.
October 8, 5:06 p.m.: Fraud cold call on Bay Road.
October 9, 1:12 p.m.: Trouble with subject on Harborview Road.
Coming up
ACROSS
1. “60 Minutes” network 4. Train line 10. Go quickly 11. Straightforward 12. Canadian province 14. At any rate (abbr.) 15. Genealogy 16. Make changes 18. Utter repeatedly 22. In a way, turned up 23. Type of ship 24. Agents of one’s downfall 26. Not out 27. Something to scratch 28. Round water pot 30. Refreshing green fruit (slang) 31. Promotions 34. Primordial matters 36. One-time world power (abbr.)
37. Source of illumination 39. The content of cognition 40. An Arab ruler
October 9, 2:13 p.m.: Theft cold call on Bay Road.
October 10, 7:30 p.m.: Missing person cold call on Cotterill Boulevard.
October 11, 7:57 a.m.: Theft cold call on Pheasant Drive.
October 11, 10:47 a.m.: Shots on Loomis Trail Road.
pOLiCe repOrts
October 5, 12:09 p.m.: Civil problem on Peace Portal Drive.
October 5, 3:38 p.m.: Subject with weapon on Mitchell Avenue.
October 6, 1:33 p.m.: Shots on A Street.
October 6, 2;12 p.m.: Burglary on Peace Portal Drive.
October 7, 11:35 a.m.: Vandalism on H Street.
October 7, 4:33 p.m.: Vandalism on 8th Street.
October 8, 11:42 a.m.: Simple assault on H Street.
October 8, 12:08 p.m.:
41. South Dakota 42. Gnawed at with teeth
48. Hawaiian island
50. Smaller 51. Of a single person
52. Rigid bracelet 53. Barbary sheep (Fr.)
54. Not even 55. Specific gravity 56. Engage in petty bargaining 58. Boxing’s “GOAT” 59. Split between parties 60. Notable offensive DOWN
1. A place to lounge 2. Skewed views 3. Peacefully 4. Commercial 5. Auxiliary forces 6. Large mollusk 7. Take out again 8. Sharp and forthright 9. Knight (chess) 12. Source of fiber 13. Flesh covering some birds’ beaks 17. Energy
19. Night monkeys genus 20. Small, sharp nails 21. Pleasant-smelling liquid 25. Affirms one’s hold 29. CNN’s founder 31. Texans can’t forget it 32. “Oppenheimer” actor Matt
33. Expression 35. Vessel 38. Lacking poetic beauty
41. Tall, swift and slender dog 43. Sports personality Michelle 44. Robber 45. Liquefied natural gas 46. Snakelike fishes 47. The most worthless part of something 49. City in Crimea 56. Bad grades 57. Reichsmark
ANSWERS: THENORTHERNLIGHT.COM
Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Luncheon: Thursday, October 17, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Bay Breeze Restaurant, 7829 Birch Bay Drive. Speakers: Roland Middleton, special programs manager at Whatcom County Public Works and Amber Forest, park ranger at Birch Bay State Park. Info and RSVP: birchbaychamber.com.
Kids Booktober Party: Thursday, October 17, 3 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. A celebration of all things reading. Tell us about your favorite books and discover some new ones. Make crafts to decorate your home library. Comfy clothes are encouraged. Info: wcls.org.
Winter Coat Distribution: Friday, October 18, 9 a.m.–noon and Saturday, October 19, 10 a.m.–noon, CAP Center, 508 G Street. Live Music at Packers: Friday, October 18, 5:30–7:30 p.m., Packers Kitchen + Bar. Featuring Alex Britton. Free. Info: semaihmoo.com.
Vandalism on Drayton Harbor Road.
October 8, 1:21 p.m.: Theft on 4th Street.
October 9, 7:50 a.m.: Domestic physical on Shore Pine Place.
October 9, 1:44 p.m.: Simple assault on H Street.
October 10, 8:58 a.m.: Domestic physical on Sandwood Lane.
October 10, 12:51 p.m.: Burglary on Boblett Street.
October 11, 7:45 a.m.: Moving vehicle accident injury on Peace Portal Drive.
tides
October 17-23 at Blaine. Not for navigation.
Family Movie Night: Friday, October 18, 7 p.m., Birch Bay Activity Center, 7511 Gemini Street. Free Halloween-themed family-friendly movie and popcorn. Bring a chair or use a folding chair. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
Garden to Bed and Digging Dahlias: Saturday, October 19, 9:30 –11:30 a.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. How to best create a healthy start for next year and minimize chores. Protecting your plants from winter and getting an early start on planting in the spring. Plus how to dig/divide your dahlias and/ or protect them for “in the ground storage.” Info: nwcore.org.
Big Bucks Bingo: Saturday, October 19, Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Over $275 in prizes. Games begin at 12:30 p.m. Eight games $15. No lunch this month. Treats available. Info: blaineseniorcenter.org.
Halloween Graveyard Reader’s Theater: Saturdays, October 19 and 26, Sunday October 27, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., Blaine Boating Center, 235 Marine Drive. Featuring The Canterville Ghost, Frankenstein, Fugue in C Minor, The The Birds, and Take Me Out to the Grave Yard. Different shows each performance, visit blainecommunitytheater.com. Tickets: $12, students, seniors and veterans $10.
Semiahmoo Mini Market Artisan Fair: Sunday, October 21, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Semiahmoo Resort Victoria Ballroom and Stars Room, 9565 Semiahmoo Parkway. Featuring local artists. Mimosa and Bloody Mary bar and pastries for sale. Info: Semiahmoo.com.
Texas Hold ‘Em Bounty Tournament: Sunday, October 20, 2:30 p.m., American Legion Post 86, 4580 Legion Drive. Open to the public. Supper With the Superintendent: Monday, October 21, 6 p.m., Blaine Middle School Library. The community is invited to a questions and answer meeting with Blaine School District superintendent Dr. Christopher Granger. Light meal provided. Info: blainesd.org. Blaine Community Helpers Storytime: Wednesday, October 23, 10:30–11 a.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Kids ages 2–6 enjoy storytime featuring community helpers (firefighters, humane society workers, etc.) sharing what they do to make our community better. Info: wcls.org.
Birch Bay Chamber After-hours Networking: Thursday, October 24, 5–6:30 p.m., downstairs of the American Legion, 4580 Legion Drive. G.O.A.T Sandwiches will have food and beverages available for purchase. Info: birchbaychamber.com.
Semiahmoo Wine Dinner: Thursday, October 24, 6 p.m., Semiahmoo Resort, 9565 Semiahmoo Parkway. Four-course menu wine dinner featuring Parkman Cellars. $110. Info and tickets: semiahmoo.com.
Peace Builder Awards and Fundraiser: Friday, October 25, 5:30 p.m., Four Points by Sheraton, 714 Lakeway Drive, Bellingham. Plated dinner, silent auction and honoring incredible community efforts to create and promote peace, and sharing our impact. Tickets: $100 at whatcomdrc.org/peace-builderawards. Benefits the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center.
Weather
Precipitation: During the period of October 7 to 13, 0.25 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2024 year-to-date precipitation is 26.7 inches.
Temperature: High for the past week was 64.9°F on October 7 with a low of 38.8°F on October 11. Average high was 56.8°F and average low was 44.3°F.
Prescription Drug Take Back: Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Birch Bay Vogt Library Express, 7948 Birch Bay Drive. A safe, free and convenient way to dispose of expired or unwanted household medication.
Not-Too-Spooky Story Time: Saturday, October 26, 3–3:30 p.m., Birch Bay Vogt Library, 7948 Birch Bay Drive. A really fun, not-toospooky story time. Afterwards, play some games on the lawn or head out and Trick or Treat along the Berm. Info: wcls.org.
Trick or Treat on the Berm: Saturday, October 26, 3–5 p.m., Birch Bay berm between the library property and Terrell Creek. Kids trick or treat at different treat stops along the berm. Interested in hosting a treat stop? visit birchbaychamber.com.
Monster Mashup Homemade Halloween Costume Contest: Saturday, October 26, 3:30–5:15 p.m., Birch Bay Vogt Library Express, 7948 Birch Bay Drive. Open to all ages. Info: wcls.org.
Black Dahlia Presentation: Sunday, October 27, 5–7 p.m., Village Books, 1200 11th Street, Bellingham. Local author Steve Hodel will give a presentation followed by a Q&A on his investigation into the Black Dahlia and other murders in which his father is suspected. RSVP required. villagebooks.com.
Halloween at the Library: Thursday, October 31, 3–8 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Stop in for fun activities and trick-or-treating. Info: wcls.org.
Spooky Camp Carnival: Thursday October 31, 4–7 p..m., Lions Camp Horizon, 7506 Gemini Street, Birch Bay. Games, prizes, trick-or-treat stations. Everyone welcome.
Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
2024 Better Newspaper Contest Awards
We are pleased to report thatThe Northern Light newspaper and our special publications received a record-breaking 62 awards at theWashington Newspaper Publishers Association’s 2024 Better Newspaper Contest at the state conference in Olympia last week.The entries, judged by Arizona newspaper professionals, represent the best editorial, reporting and advertising published by Washington’s weekly newspapers in the past year. I am so proud of our outstanding editorial, design, and sales teams.They continue to excel at delivering real news and designing ads that work.We also appreciate the quality work submitted by contributors. Reporting fairly and accurately on local news and making sure the newspaper is read by Blaine and Birch Bay community members is what we do and we are pleased that the judges appreciated our efforts. We would also like to recognize you,our readers and advertisers for your support and engagement.Without you,we wouldn’t be here.Thank you.
And, the winners are:
Arts Feature or Story
News
News Story, Short
SECOND PLACE
Community group officially forms as Birch Bay Inc.
Grace McCarthy
Breaking News Story
FIRST PLACE Man charged for opioid
Community Service
THIRD PLACE
Fundraiser for Northwest Avalanche Center
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman, Gary Lee & Louise Mugar
FIRST PLACE Famed architect talks of his Blaine home Madisun Tobisch
Education Story
THIRD PLACE
School staff cuts prompt student walkout Pat Grubb
News of the Weird
SECOND PLACE
The Ents of Point Roberts? Pat Grubb
News of the Weird
THIRD PLACE
Hey Siri ... Wait what the?!?! Pat Grubb
Photography
Photo Essay
FIRST PLACE
Northwest Tune-up
Jasmine Long, Ian Haupt, Doug De Visser & Pat Grubb
Portrait Photo
SECOND PLACE
Fireworks silhouette
Molly Ernst
Pictorial Photo
FIRST PLACE
Parting shot
Andrew Grubb
Photo Essay
SECOND PLACE
Blaine’s Old-Fashioned Fourth of July
Louise Mugar, Grace McCarthy & Doug De Visser
Photo Essay
THIRD PLACE
Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival
Ruth Lauman & BlaineBirch Bay Park & Recreation District 2
Special Sections
Lifestyle/Culture
Sections
FIRST PLACE
Mount Baker Experience Winter 2023/24
Nolan Baker & Doug De Visser
Lifestyle/Culture
Sections
SECOND PLACE
Pacific Coast Weddings
2024
Aly McGee & Doug De Visser
Special Section Covers
FIRST PLACE
Mount Baker Experience Spring 2024
Colin Wiseman, Doug De Visser & Nolan Baker
Special Section Covers
SECOND PLACE
Waterside 2024 Rick Lawler, Doug De Visser & Aly McGee
Special Section Covers
THIRD PLACE
Mount Baker Experience Winter 2023/24
Grant Gunderson, Doug De Visser & Nolan Baker
Topical, In-Paper Sections
THIRD PLACE Active Seniors Grace McCarthy, Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Breaking News Story
SECOND PLACE
Blaine man arrested on suspicion of killing neighbor
Nolan Baker
Health or Medical Story
FIRST PLACE
PeaceHealth palliative care
Grace McCarthy
Investigative
Reporting
SECOND PLACE
Birch Bay Waterslides
Grace McCarthy
News Headline
THIRD PLACE
Hey Siri ... Wait what the?!?!
Pat Grubb
Breaking News Photo
SECOND PLACE
Maple tree crushes car during windstorm
Stephen Fowler
General News Photo
THIRD PLACE
Splash Days provides summer entertainment
Ian Haupt
Pictorial Photo
THIRD PLACE
Sunset brightens
Semiahmoo Bay
Molly Ernst
Pat
Grubb, Publisher
Advertising
Single Advertiser,
Smaller than 1/2 Page
SECOND PLACE
Bargain Betty’s Fireworks
Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Branding Ad
FIRST PLACE
Coupeville Chamber of Commerce
Doug De Visser & Louise Mugar
Branding Ad
SECOND PLACE
Trippy Hippie Cannabis
Doug De Visser & Gary Lee
Branding Ad
THIRD PLACE
Windermere Real Estate,
Damian Pro
Doug De Visser & Gary Lee
Use of Small Space
FIRST PLACE
Old-Fashioned Fourth of July
Celebration
Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Use of Small Space
THIRD PLACE
Water Wisely Schedule
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Ad Campaign
FIRST PLACE
MD Med Spa & Wellness
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Ad Campaign
SECOND PLACE
Oysterfest
Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Ad Campaign
THIRD PLACE
Whole Pilates of Birch Bay
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Ads Featuring Animals
FIRST PLACE
Canine Divine Pet Grooming
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Ads Featuring Animals
SECOND PLACE
Whatcom Humane Society
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Ads Featuring Animals
THIRD PLACE
Pet Photo Contest
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Arts & Entertainment Ads
SECOND PLACE
Birch Bay Visitor Information
Center
Doug De Visser, Danielle Gaughen & Molly Ernst
Arts & Entertainment Ads
THIRD PLACE
Blaine Maritime Festival Week
Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
1/2 Page or Larger Ad
FIRST PLACE
Sahara Pizza
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
1/2 Page or Larger Ad
SECOND PLACE
7 Elements Physical Therapy
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
1/2 Page or Larger Ad
THIRD PLACE
Dank of America
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Smaller than 1/2 Page Ad
FIRST PLACE
VW’s Home & Garden
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Smaller than 1/2 Page Ad
SECOND PLACE
Vista Materials
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Smaller than 1/2
Page Ad
THIRD PLACE
Water Conservation
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Use of Clip Art
FIRST PLACE
Paso del Norte
Restaurant
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Use of Clip Art
SECOND PLACE
Black Forest Steak House
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Use of Clip Art
THIRD PLACE
Grace Lutheran Church
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Newspaper House Ad
FIRST PLACE
Did You Know Circulation
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Newspaper House Ad
SECOND PLACE
News & Lifestyle Publications
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Newspaper House Ad
THIRD PLACE
A Newspaper was Born
Circulation
Doug De Visser & Louise Mugar
Youth-Oriented Content
FIRST PLACE
Birch Bay Waterslides
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Youth-Oriented Content
SECOND PLACE
Athletic Hall of Fame
Doug De Visser & Molly Ernst
Youth-Oriented Content
THIRD PLACE
Summer Fun in the Park
Ruth Lauman & Molly Ernst
Ad of the Year
THIRD PLACE
Wings Over Water
Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Ads Celebrating Where You Live
FIRST PLACE
Point Roberts Chamber & Visitor Center
Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Single Advertiser, 1/2 Page or Larger
THIRD PLACE
Blaine by the Sea
Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Multiple-Advertiser Ad
FIRST PLACE
Advice from the Pros
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman, Louise Mugar & Molly Ernst
Romantic Ad
FIRST PLACE
Samson Estates Winery
Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Romantic Ads
SECOND PLACE
Majestic Inn and Spa
Doug De Visser & Gary Lee
Full Page Ad
FIRST PLACE
Wings Over Water
Ruth Lauman & Louise Mugar
Nolan Baker
Louise Mugar Grace McCarthy Molly Ernst Aly McGee Gary Lee
Visser
Jeanie Luna Patrick Grubb
Ruth Lauman
The Northern Light • October 17 - 23, 2024
Crash ...
suffered injuries in the collision, though details were not provided on the extent of those injuries. The patient was taken to the hos-
pital by a Ferndale fire district ambulance, and the Point Roberts attending EMT was driven to the hospital via car after the incident, Carleton said.
The ambulance was driving from Point Roberts to cross the Peace Arch border in Blaine be-
fore transferring the patient onto a separate ambulance to travel the remainder of the way to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham, Carleton said. Damage to the Point Roberts ambulance was extensive, with the front right wheel and its as-
sembly completely destroyed.
Carleton said he assumed the vehicle would be declared totaled, but couldn’t immediately confirm its status.
Carleton said the vehicle is insured through the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, and said the fire district is working with the corporation on a claim, but could not provide an exact timeline for when a replacement could be initiated.
Carleton said the vehicle was the only modern ambulance the fire district had in its fleet, and will now use one of its older ambulances to serve Point Roberts in the meantime.
