June 11 - 17, 2015
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Community rallies around ALS patient, page 7
Active Seniors special section, pages 10-12
Photos from the Highland Games, page 19
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Council throws Blaine High School class of 2015 support behind Blaine to Birch Bay trail By Steve Guntli In a 5-0 vote, Blaine City Council has endorsed the Bay to Bay International Trail project. At the regular council meeting on June 8, the council voted to show support for the project (councilmembers Charlie Hawkins and Paul Greenough were absent). The trail project has been in the works for years, but local officials are finally taking steps to make it a reality. When finished, the 9-mile system will connect Birch Bay, Blaine and White Rock in one continuous trail, allowing for safe pedestrian and bike travel between Birch Bay and White Rock. “We absolutely want to support this,” councilmember Bonnie Onyon said. “They just need to add this other piece, and it looks like a lot of the work is already done.” City manager Dave Wilbrecht said the trail project would be a boon for both Blaine and Birch Bay. “People are more and more interested in projects like this, or the library or the playground,” he said. “This is kind of an exciting time for us.” Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2) commissioners have been working to make the trail a reality since 2007, but difficult terrain has made the project challenging. The biggest challenge, according to BBBPRD2 president Jeff Carrington, is the stretch of land between Lincoln Road and Peace Portal Drive, which passes over marshland, forests and fields and through some private properties. In April, BBBPRD2 purchased two easements through the roughly milelong stretch from Lincoln Road to East Drayton Harbor Road. Owners of a middle property where the third easement is needed have expressed support for the (See Trails, page 6)
s Matt Kelly lets out a triumphant cheer as he accepts his diploma at the Blaine High School graduation ceremony. See more photos on page 8.
Photo by Janell Kortlever
Volunteers pitch in on Marine Park playground By Steve Guntli While volunteer workers will break ground on the Marine Park playground this weekend, the project will not be finished by July. At the parks and cemetery board meeting on May 21, deputy community developer Alex Wenger updated the board on the park’s progress.
Wenger said the city won’t complete the project by the previously announced July deadline. He and his staff are now aiming for late August or early September. “I really wanted to get it done by July 4,” Wenger said. “But July 4 is still going to be great, and this playground is going to be here for many years. There will be other opportunities.” Tom Frey, an engineer and a former
Man killed in accident at Blaine Golden Nut factory A Whatcom County man was killed in an accident outside the Golden Nut Company in Blaine. James Loyd Bost, 52, was working a demolition job with his friend Paul Davis, owner of the contracting business Call Paul, on June 8. Bost, Davis and their crew were working to scrap a large cyclone air separator at the nut factory on Odell Road. At approximately 1 p.m., while Bost attempted to cut through a steel support
beam with a cutting torch, the 30-foot-tall structure collapsed. Bost was pinned under a large support beam. Firefighters from nearby Station 61 responded to the scene within two minutes. Bost was declared dead at the scene. Dr. Gary Goldfogel, Whatcom County’s medical examiner, declared asphyxia as the cause of death. Blaine police completed thier investigaion, but the Washington State Depart-
ment of Labor and Industries is still trying to determine what went wrong, according to Blaine Police sergeant Ryan King. Bost, a longtime resident of Everson, was working with Davis, his friend of 20 years, as a trial run for a new demolition and contracting business. Family members described Bost as a devoted father and grandfather. A memorial service for Bost will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 13 at Calvary Chapel Northwest, 6015 Guide Meridian.
intern for the city, approached Wenger about volunteering his time and services to the project. Frey and a small crew broke ground on the playground last weekend, using a donated excavator. The crew has begun digging out the foundation and drilling holes for the play set. Wenger said the volunteer crews have (See Playground, page 2)
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Letters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Coming Up . . . . . . . . . . 17 Tides . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17