Ferndale Almanac 2025

Ferndale Almanac 2025

PRECISION CRANE

Welcome to Ferndale, circa 2025

What is an almanac?

An almanac is traditionally an annual publication that contains dates, statistical information and tables that relate to the coming year. The Ferndale Community Almanac, however, is a snapshot of Ferndale as it exists in the year of publication.

In this case, that year is 2025.

In the Mayor’s Message, Greg Hansen writes that as long as Ferndale continues to “celebrate our successes, embrace our diversity, treat each other with kindness and respect, and share our joys and traditions with our new neighbors, we will preserve the small-town spirit that makes Ferndale so special.”

On pages 6-7 we take a look at Ferndale by the numbers. Data from the US Census Bureau and from OSPI: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction covers a plethora of the city’s demographics beyond population.

Next, we check in with the Ferndale School District as Superintendent Kristi Dominguez looks ahead to the coming school year.

Starting on page 9 we learn about the Miracle Food Network and its work to rescue surplus food and redistribute it to more than 9,000 people each month. This story was written and photographs were shot by Racquel Muncy, Ferndale Record news and education reporter.

Finally, our very own Jan Brown dug through our old Ferndale Record newspapers for interesting stories for the past 100 years. From news to sports to the world of advertising, A Look Back At Ferndale is a glimpse at the many things that have happened in the past century.

We hope you enjoy this year’s Ferndale Almanac.

— Bill Helm, Ferndale Record editor

FROM THE MAYOR

Planning for growth, preserving community

This July, the Ferndale community gathered to celebrate the 129th annual Old Settlers Picnic, the longest continuously running community event in Washington State.

This year, I had the opportunity to speak with many current and former Ferndale residents about the community we all love.

Growth was certainly the most popular topic. Many people spoke about the incredible opportunities that come with growth: new businesses, new neighbors and fresh ideas.

Others shared concerns about the future of our beloved community: Will we have enough water? What about all the traffic? This isn’t the Ferndale I grew up in!

Ferndale is growing and changing, but that doesn’t mean we have to say goodbye to the qualities that make our community unique.

According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM), Ferndale’s estimated population in 2025 is 17,020.

Over the next 20 years, our population is projected to grow by 10,900, reaching approximately 27,920 by 2045.

Today, nearly 10,000 people work in Ferndale, representing 8.8% of Whatcom County’s

employment. By 2045, employment within the city is expected to increase by as much as 3,300 jobs, primarily in the industrial and commercial sectors: manufacturing, utilities, construction, information technology, professional services, education and healthcare.

Ferndale has always taken pride in the things made right here in our community. Today, products made in Ferndale lie on the surface of Mars, can be purchased at a Seattle Mariners game or at the Smithsonian in Washington, D.C., and have even been to the summit of Mt. Everest. We also can be

sure that future products sold all around the world will continue to carry the label: Made in Ferndale, WA.

As our community continues to grow, one thing is certain: change is coming — and change is hard. But the City of Ferndale is committed to make the necessary investments to manage that growth responsibly.

Currently, Ferndale has 4,287 single-family homes and 1,723 multifamily residences.

The City has worked diligently to ensure that our water and wastewater systems meet the needs of our 6,149 current utility customers, and we continue to plan for the infra -

structure needed to welcome all the new neighbors we’ll gain in the years ahead.

In the mid-1800s, when John Tennant and Thomas Wynn first settled on the low-lying prairie between the Nooksack River and Barrett Lake, they could hardly have imagined the Ferndale of today.

In the 1870s, Billy Clark likely didn’t know the spot where he ferried travelers across the Nooksack River — the place the Lummi call Te-Tasum — would one day become the town of Ferndale, and that his homestead would become Pioneer Park.

Miss Alice Eldridge,

who taught in a oneroom schoolhouse on Thomas Wynn’s farm, once described her surroundings as “Ferndale” in a letter to her father.

She probably never dreamed that thousands of residents, past and present, would one day speak the name Ferndale with immense pride.

As long as we continue to celebrate our successes, embrace our diversity, treat each other with kindness and respect, and share our joys and traditions with our new neighbors, we will preserve the small-town spirit that makes Ferndale so special.

FERNDALE BY THE NUMBERS

Figures from the US Census Bureau at data.census.gov, worldpopulationreview.com, censusreporter.org and from OSPI: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Figures retrieved on July 29, 2025.

City census figures

• Population

Population estimates (2025): 16,571

The City of Ferndale is 7.026 square miles and is currently growing at a rate of 1.78% annually.

Ferndale’s population has increased by 9.57% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 15,123 in 2020.

• Age and sex

Female: 52%

Male: 48%

Median age: 33.6

Children ages 0-18: 27%

Senior citizens (65 and older): 15%

Figures from the US Census Bureau at data.census.gov, worldpopulationreview.com, censusreporter.org and from OSPI: Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. Figures retrieved on July 29, 2025.

• Demographics

Caucasian: 69%

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander: 2%

Hispanic or Latino: 16%

Two or more races: 6%

Households that speak more than one language: 21.6%

Foreign-born: 14.2%

Veterans: 7.7%

• Housing

Owner-occupied: 66.1%

Median value of owner-occupied: $492,400

Housing units: 5,895

Housing units, occupied: 94%

Housing units, occupied by owner: 34%

Housing units, occupied by renter: 66%

Median gross rent: $1,461

• Families and living arrangements

Households: 5,385

Persons per household: 3.2

Married/male (not separated): 49.2%

Married/female (not separated): 58.0%

At Phillips 66, supporting our people, our environment and our communities guides everything we do.

That’s why we’re proud to sponsor the Ferndale Community Almanac.

Never married: 29.1%

• Employment

Works for private company: 63.9:

Local, state and federal government workers: 15.1%

Mean travel time to work, minutes, workers ages 16 and older: 22.6

Means of transportation/drove alone: 80.8%

• Income and poverty

Median household income: $83,839

Median income for married/couple families: $115,703

Median income for non-family households: $56,381

Persons in poverty: 10.5%

• Education

High school graduate or greater, ages 25 years and older: 22.1%

Bachelor’s degree or greater, ages 25 years and older: 32.8%

• Health

With disability: 12.9%

Persons without health insurance: 9.8%

LIVES.

FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT

Looking ahead to a new school year

As the new school year begins, there’s a special kind of energy in the air, one filled with possibility, purpose and the promise of growth.

In Ferndale, we don’t just welcome students back to school, we welcome families, cultures and community into our shared commitment to learning.

This year, we’re leaning into the idea of being the marigold — a symbol of care, resilience and encouragement. Just as marigolds help neighboring plants thrive, we each have the power to uplift those around us.

Whether you’re a student, staff member, parent, or neighbor, your presence matters. And when you show up with kindness and purpose, it makes all the difference.

We also recognize that starting the school year can bring challenges. That’s why we remain committed to supporting families every step of the way.

Whether you need help with school supplies, language access, academic resources, or just someone to talk to, we are here for you.

Kristi Dominguez is superintendent of the Ferndale School District. (Photo courtesy City of Ferndale)

We deeply value the diverse backgrounds, languages and traditions that enrich our schools. We are especially grateful for the continued contributions of our community. Your stories, your voices

and your presence help shape who we are as a district.

You belong here.

Together, we’re not only preparing students for academic success. We’re building a community grounded in

belonging, respect and opportunity. Thank you for trusting us with your children. We are honored to walk alongside you this school year.

Here’s to a strong and connected year ahead.

Miracle Food Network creates change

Doug Robertson seeks to make a difference

By Racquel Muncy Staff Reporter

FERNDALE — Doug Robertson and his family have a long history of service, specifically serving the people of Ferndale.

His maternal grandfather, August Pehrson, owned the Pehrson sawmill where the post office stands. Robertson said Pehrson was quite the inventor, seeking to make hard jobs easier.

His father Norm, a logger by trade, was a cornerstone of the community, participating in everything from teaching Sunday School at the First Baptist Church to serving on both the Ferndale City Council and Ferndale School Board.

“There were really good times in Ferndale,” Robertson said. “It was a great community and people worked together.”

The Miracle Food Network is a nonprofit organization that rescues surplus food and redistributes it to more than 9,000 people each month. Pictured, volunteers from Evergreen Community Church organize food at Miracle Food Network to distribute to those in need. (Racquel Muncy/ Ferndale Record)

Miracle: Food Network creates change

Continued from 9

He said he enjoyed being a part of it.

In 1970, when Robertson graduated from high school, he said he was already hard at work in the logging industry, following in his father’s footsteps. He worked as an equipment operator and in 1975 he followed his dad to Alaska to build roads.

He spent three seasons in Alaska before coming back and going to Western Washington University, which was in its final years as Western Washington State College at the time.

Here he learned more

about business and gained administrative service skills that he would continue to use long past his logging days.

“I just wanted to be an equipment operator,” he said of the time.

Over the years, he grew an excavation business, evaluated business plans for others and created executive summaries.

Eventually, he received a shoulder injury that took him out of the construction industry. It was around then that he heard Bellingham Technical College had an operations and project management degree, so he returned to school in 2004.

“That sounded like an easy A to me,” he said.

For the next decade, he proceeded to do a variety of operations and consulting jobs, many of which were working with indigenous communities, until he founded his most recent passion: the Miracle Food Network.

During his previous life he saw the amount of food that was wasted by grocery stores and restaurants.

He saw the people in need.

He also saw the power that food had to begin conversations and to help create new connections.

After all, how many new people had been added to his

According to founder Doug Robertson, Miracle Food Network gave out about 1.5 million pounds of food. All without a set budget and all at no cost to the people. This is done with the help of volunteers working through several hubs and with several organizations toward the same goal. (Racquel Muncy/Ferndale Record)

network over lunch?

Robertson said he understood the process of how to make things happen, how to create the connections, get the food, help people in need and also help the environment.

So he did.

The beginning

The Miracle Food Network is a nonprofit organization that rescues surplus food and redistributes it to more than 9,000 people each month.

Robertson said his time working with indigenous communities changed his view of natural resources to one of stewardship for the betterment of all.

“There’s something profound in that understanding,” he said. “It shifted how I see everything — from land to labor to leadership.”

He said he also sees this new mission as a calling, guided by his Christian faith.

“I believe in a Divine Creator who gives purpose and meaning to our lives,” he said. “The Bible tells us to care for the widow, the orphan and the marginalized. That call has shaped the way I try to live — and lead.”

Nine years ago Miracle Food Network started out of the trunk of Robertson’s car.

“Now here we are with pallets,” he said.

The food

Robertson said last year the organization gave out about 1.5 million pounds of food. All without a set budget and all at no cost to the people.

He said they never really know what kind of food will come in each day, or how much.

“It’s a bit of a surprise what we get, but that’s part of the adventure,” he said.

Several years ago, Robertson got a call from Walmart that its freezers went down and they had $30,000 worth of ice cream they needed to get rid of.

Robertson went to work calling the fire department, sports teams, other organizations, anyone who could help distribute the ice cream. He said they set up by the ball fields and a wave of families came through to enjoy the treat on a warm day.

“I don’t want to be wasteful,” he said.

Volunteer and board member Rosemary Sterling said that at times they will receive pallets of food for volunteers to go through.

One pallet of “spoiled” potatoes received from a grocer was found to have only about one bucket of actually spoiled potatoes.

The food that comes in that is not fit for consumption gets

picked up by farmers for feed, such as Ferndale pig farmer Al Ostrander.

“The game plan is to keep it out of the landfill,” Ostrander said.

He uses the produce and bread and other items to feed his pigs and takes the waste to Recycling and Disposal Services. He said he spends about $300 in waste a month, but that is a small amount. This is for the empty wrappers and plastic around the food, which weighs a lot less than the food that was contained.

“It’s cheap feed,” he said, adding that the arrangement is a win-win. “That weight in product that isn’t going into the landfill is huge.” Ostrander said the Miracle Food Network is already doing so much to feed people and keep excess weight out of the landfill. He is just trying to help with the excess.

“All I do is take some of the heat off of them,” he said.

Sterling said the organization is grateful for the part Ostrander plays in coordinating with various farms to use up the food they cannot.

“He’s been such an asset to us,” she said.

Sterling said between the food provided and the farmers taking some excess, Miracle Food Network has saved about 800,000 of carbon dioxide equivalent from being

released into the atmosphere in the last year.

The people

How does an organization with no budget and minimal staff distribute nearly 1.5 million pounds of food? Volunteer power.

Several groups use Miracle Food Network as a hub to distribute food in their area. They all come with their own volunteers who pack boxes or deliver food, volunteering two hours of their week.

Other volunteers can be found on-site near daily going through delivered produce to find what is still usable, portioning out donated food from restaurants or dividing the food up for the various hubs.

Others are needed as drivers to pick up the food, some driving as far as Seattle.

“It’s just a network of amazing volunteers,” Sterling said.

She said her daughter and a friend had been taking boxes to Sandy Point. Her daughter had to momentarily step back and asked her to come help sort the food and help in the kitchen. The rest is history.

“When you see how many people it’s helping it’s hard to just not keep doing it,” Sterling said. See Miracle on 12

Miracle: Food Network creates change

Continued from 11

Polly Willis also began volunteering about five years ago. She said she was looking for a way to help out and fill her time with a good cause.

Now she can be found each week in the kitchen going through eggs to take out any broken, portioning out bags of rice, bread and going through donations from school lunches. She does this alongside Patty Cornelson and Debbie Hughes who are also large presences in the kitchen. Robertson said there is always more need to be found and the volunteers are always finding it.

This drives up the need to bring in more food and there is always more food going to a landfill.

“It’s one of those intellectual challenges that keeps my brain working,” he said of managing the balance. “We’re always looking at taking things up a notch.”

In 2020, Jessica Bartelds saw that times were getting tough for many, so she found the Miracle Food Network on Facebook and began handing out food boxes to those in need around her.

“It sounded like a good connection,” she said.

Years later Bartelds continues to help.

“It’s more than just one person I’m helping. It’s the family, the friends, the community I’m helping,” she said.

Robertson agreed that it is the people that makes the work enjoyable, the food is only the mechanism for con-

versation.

“I enjoy people’s stories and hearing their life journeys,” Robertson said. “We all have our journeys.”

Sterling said each volunteer brings in their own unique skill set and situation.

She said one volunteer, Steve Graber, comes in about once a month to use ingredients Miracle Food Network has received to make soups for We Care and other food distribution hubs.

The Evergreen Community Church has its food distribution at the Miracle Food Network site and brings in a large number of volunteers each week.

“This church is so well coordinated,” Sterling said.

The church is led by Steve Finkbonner and Sterling said

he meets all of those coming for food distribution at the front door to welcome them.

Daryel Wade started volunteering with Evergreen Community Church and does food pickup from stores. He said he enjoys it and the people at the stores are always friendly.

“It’s real satisfying,” he said. “It’s nice to see people go with a full cart of food when $100 gets you a few sacks of food these days.”

Wade said he used to work at Sanitary Services and saw the amount of food being dumped into the landfill.

“I really admire what the Food Network does,” he said. “That’s satisfying, saving it from the landfill.”

Finkbonner said he sees what his church is doing as a

spiritual gift and one that works both ways.

“We’re feeding people physical food and we’re also feeding people spiritual food,” he said. “In serving, we get filled up.”

Finkbonner said he could not help people as effectively without the Miracle Food Network.

“We’re all doing this vision that Doug got from the Lord,” he said. “They’re a wonderful team.”

-- Contact Racquel Muncy at racquel@ lyndentribune.com

Volunteer and board member

Rosemary Sterling, pictured at right, said that at times the Miracle Food Network will receive pallets of food for volunteers to go through. One pallet of spoiled potatoes received from a grocer was found to have only about one bucket of potatoes that were actually spoiled.

(Racquel Muncy/Ferndale Record)

A look back at Ferndale

From news to sports to the world of advertising, the following is but a glimpse at some of the many things that happened in Ferndale in the 20th century going back as far as 1925

1925

Feb. 12

Farmers – your opportunity now lies in Sugar Beets

The beet sugar industry is established here in Northwest Washington. Work is actually under way on the first big refining plant at Bellingham.

This season’s crop of Sugar Beets will be handled in that factory, from which pure white, fine granulated sugar will be produced.

The valuable cattle foods — Beet pulp and molasses — will be available this fall at reasonable prices to Beet growers.

Pulp will be dried, giving an exceedingly valuable asset to the dairy industry.

April 23

Ferndale Legion’s New Home

The new Legion Post and Auxiliary building was started last summer.

It represents a total outlay of $10,000, figuring the donation made by Ferndale firms and residents, and others.

It is two stories in height, the Legion meeting room on the first floor and the Auxiliary room on the second.

The kitchen and dining room are in the basement.

Dec. 10

Filter System

Should Be Ready

After waiting a day or two to get clean water, Ferndale’s filter plant after three weeks of delay was expected to be in operation today or tomorrow.

On Monday the first water was put into the

See Glimpse on 16

On this page and the preceding page one can see it was not uncommon for illustrations to appear on the front page of a newspaper.

Glimpse: A look back at Ferndale

Continued from 15 settling basin, a little at first so the big tank would not be strained.

Then due to muddy water this water was allowed to settle so some clean water could be obtained to wash the sand, and the settling basics and all parts of the filter system.

The company installing the plant wanted to wash the entire filter system out before it started to operate.

That was why it was waited until some clean water could be obtained.

Members of the council are very well satisfied with the plant as far as they have seen it.

The Two pumps are testing out very satisfactory.

Above: Application blanks for driver’s licenses are now available in five business houses in Ferndale. At left: As Skagit County pea growers voted this week to plant no peas in that county in 1936, due to the pea moth pest, added interest is given to the pea both control meeting to be held in Ferndale Friday, Dec. 20.

1935

July 4

Driver’s License Must Be Renewed

Application blanks for driver’s licenses are now available in five business houses in Ferndale.

Driver’s licenses expire July 31, and must be renewed for a two-year period.

The First National Bank, Ferndale Motor Company, Manner Bros, Palmer’s and the Ferndale Record all have blanks to give out.

After being filled out, the application blanks must be sworn to before a notary public.

1935

Nov. 21

Delta Grange Re-Elects Dykes for 10th year

Delta Grange met Friday night, November 15 and elected the following officers for 1936; master, J. L. Dykes; overseer, Charles A. Johnson, reelected; lecturer, Mrs. Lois Wilson; steward, Howard Remington, reelected; assistant steward, Francis Pugh; chaplain, Mrs. Frank Swope, reelected; treasurer, Frank Swope, reelected; secretary Mary K. Burk, reelected; gate keeper Floyd Handy, reelected; ceres, Ruth Pierce; Pomona, June Allen, flora, Mrs. Emma Geiger, lady assistant steward, Pansy Palmer; executive committee-man J. H. Swope.

Dec. 19

Important Pea Growers Meeting Friday

Afternoon

As Skagit County pea growers voted this week

Glimpse: A look back at Ferndale

Continued from 17

to plant no peas in that county in 1936, due to the pea moth pest, added interest is given to the pea both control meeting to be held in Ferndale Friday, Dec. 20.

Whether the action of the Skagit growers will be a boon to this section of Whatcom County, is not known, but buyers of dry peas may turn to this county for larger acreage in 1936.

The action taken after a vote of seventy-five Skagit county farmers meetings at Burlington, was recommended at a meeting held earlier at Puyallup.

1955

Jan. 27

Dick Pinkerton Will Be Associated Here

Mr. and Mrs. Dick Pinkerton, of Cave Junction, Oregon, this week sold their weekly newspaper, the Illinois Valley News, to Mr. and Mrs. James McDermott of Olympia.

The Pinkertons will arrive in Ferndale around the tenth of February, and we will welcome them, as Dick will be temporarily associated with his father in the publication of the Ferndale Record.

Dick was assistant publisher of the Record until 1951, when he entered the university for senior journalism study. The Pinkertons bought the News in 1952.

Stanley Burkhalter of Onalaska is the new basketball coach who has signed a contract to teach at Ferndale High.

Feb. 17

Manner Delivers Tractor to Town of Ferndale

Manner Chevrolet Inc. delivered a new Oliver tractor to the Town of Ferndale last week.

The new tractor has a blade for road work, and a heavy duty loader for gravel and dirt.

June 23

New Hoop Coach

Stanley Burkhalter of Onalaska is the new basketball coach who has signed a contract to teach at Ferndale High, as announced in last week’s Record.

Mr. and Mrs. Burkhalter and family will move here this summer.

1965

March 31

Phil Honored in New Book

A new book just off the press, “Inside Passage to Alaska,” is dedicated to Phil

See Glimpse on 20

A new book just off the press, “Inside Passage to Alaska,” is dedicated to Phil Portrey of Ferndale and Clyde Banks Jr. of Bellingham.

Church Directory

Glimpse: A look back at Ferndale

Continued from 19

Portrey of Ferndale and Clyde Banks Jr. of Bellingham.

These men took Morten Lund of the magazine Sports Illustrated, in an outboard motorboat trip to Alaska back in 1960.

This sports illustrated book describes the scenic trip and the wonders enjoyed.

The same author plans to come to this state in the summer with his family and cruise around the San Juan islands, gathering data for another book.

Oct. 20

Camp Fire totem pole dedication is Saturday

The totem pole carved by Al Charles of Lummi Reservation for the Pioneer District of Camp Fire Girls, will be dedicated Saturday afternoon, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m. The pole will be located on bank property at Second and Main Streets.

Mrs. Alton Parker, chairman of the pole planning committee, invites the public to attend the dedication.

1975

Feb. 19

Saturday’s snow storm measuring up to four inches in most localities, created this aesthetic scene in Pioneer Park. Snowflakes filled the sky, accenting the church belfry and wooden cross, perhaps creating a nostalgic memory of when the little church sat on the banks of Dakota Creek near Birch Bay and served as a place of worship for early settlers.

April 2

Sandy Point Storm Damage

Considerable

Easter was a day not soon to be forgotten by the people who own property or live in the Neptune and Sandy Point vicinities.

An unpredicted wind storm moved into the area from the northwest early in the morning, combined with a high tide of nearly nine feet, lashed the beach, causing an unestimated amount of damage and leaving the beach littered with debris. It was the most severe storm to hit the area in many years.

Planting of the Freedom Tree was conducted by the American Legion Kulshan Post 154 of Ferndale and its Auxiliary at the Ferndale Community Center in Pioneer Park.

While nearby radio announcers were talking about winds from the south and predicting a pleasant Easter day, northwest gale winds gusting as high as 75 miles an hour, according to Kjell Dahl, hit the area.

Although a few storms recalled by old-timers as being of greater force, the beach area is now much more populated, resulting in greater property damage.

1985

March 30

Top sellers

The Ferndale area Camp Fire candy sellers who sold over 100 boxes gathered by the totem pole in front of the Old National Bank for a photo.

At the top of the photo is Connie Urquhart. Below her is top seller, Shawn Sophusson, who sold 253 boxes.

The remaining are, left to right, Cori Hansen, Missy Hansen, Sarah Roberts, Michelle Clifton, Michael Marsau, who was third high at 201 boxes, and Tiona

Tobiassen, who was second high at 217 boxes.

April 10

Largest in Northwest

The new $20 million Inn at Semiahmoo, a 200-room hotel and executive conference center at The Resort Semiahmoo, is shown here in an artist’s concept of the hotel and Lighthouse Square.

The square is a planned waterfront marketplace f restaurants, shops and galleries at the end of Semiahmoo spit directly across Drayton Harbor from downtown Blaine. The Resort Semiahmoo is a $200 million project which also includes an existing 300 slip full-service marina, an 18-hole Arnold Palmer designed golf course scheduled to open in the summer of 1986, and a mixture of individual and condominium residences. Sales of homesites are nearing $2 million since the Resort was formally announced in

www.curtmaberryfarm.com

Glimpse: A look back at Ferndale

Continued from 20

late 1984. Atlas Hotels, a San Diego based hotel company will develop the new Inn.

Nov. 20

FFA prepares to fight Nooksack River floods

Ferndale Future Farmers of America members, in coordination with the Army Corps of Engineers (ACE), the local diking district and Whatcom County Engineer’s Office are preparing to fight floods along the Nooksack River.

Bob Newbill and Ernie Save from ACE and Don Dickson from the County Engineer’s office talked to Dick Rightmire’s agriculture class at Ferndale High School recently and showed a short slide presentation.

The students learned what to do and how to do it when it comes to fighting floods.

They learned how to prepare for floods, what they need to fight floods, and how long they have before it actually floods.

They received hands-on experience in sandbagging. Students learned how to fill sandbags, how many they need for certain flood levels, and how to stack them to avoid seepage and water going over or between the bags.

1995

Jan. 25

Downtown revitalization pursued

Ferndale is teaming up with a nationally successful program for downtown revitalization.

The National Main Street Program claims impressive job and business growth and physical improvements in over 850 cities across the United States.

Ferndale has been accepted as an Associate-level participant in the program, which operates through the Washington State Department of Community, Trade and Economic Development.

An initial meeting to explain the program is set for Feb. 16 in Ferndale.

Feb. 8

Border crossing fee proposed

The Clinton Administration has proposed border crossing fees - $3 per car

Desiree Wyatt, a Custer Elementary School fifth grader, is engrossed in her experience of virtual reality at the University of Washington.

and $1.50 per pedestrian - in its fiscal year 1996 budget.

The news Monday caught most people in Whatcom County by surprise. But reaction was quick and negative.

“I think it would kill us here, really, as bad as it is now, on top of 30 percent money (Canadian exchange rate),” said John Dickey at the Blaine Chamber of Commerce office.

An agent at the Blain Customs headquarters said the fee proposal came as a surprise at that level, too. Efforts to reach Seattle and Washington, D.C., offices of U.S. Customs and Immigration & Naturalization were unsuccessful.

May 10

Golden Eagles end year with a win

Ryan Skogstad went 4-for-4, scored three runs and had two RBI to lead Ferndale to a 16-3 win over Lynden in Northwest League baseball action May 5.

The Golden Eagles finished their season 6-10 in NWL play, 10-10 overall, missing a post-season playoff berth by one game.

The Lions ended the year at 6-10, 6-14.

Aug. 19

Farmer’s delight

For a farmer, the thing to do when the sun shines is make hay.

Ken Roosma rides with his daughter Patty bailing a 25-acre field on Church Road, as a bucking crew works behind them.

Roosma will use the hay on his King Tut Road dairy.

Sept. 27

‘Flowers by Joye’ blooms

It didn’t take long for the Ferndale business community to catch on to Joye St. Laurent. In fact, she recalls, they practically beat a path to her door the day she opened a floral shop downtown in 1991.

“I just barely got my doors open and here came all the businessman downtown,” St. Laurent said, her happy face practically one big smile.

Of course, it helped that St. Laurent and crew opened the doors to Flowers by Joye in April, just in time for Secretaries Week.

“They said they were waiting for me to open,” she chuckled.