EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR
GALLERY OF PHOTOGRAPHS
Horizon teacher wins Educator of the Year award
Ferndale High School graduation photos
EDUCATION, A2
NEWS, A8
FERNDALE SUITS UP IN LYNDEN SPORTS, B1
JUNE 12, 2024
SINCE 1885
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Ferndale Terrace parking moves project forward Ferndale council talks parking, single stream recycling By Racquel Muncy For the Tribune
On June 3, Ferndale Public Works Director Kevin Renz gave a presentation on the Transportation Improvement Program plan before a public hearing. (Racquel Muncy for the Tribune)
FERNDALE — The Ferndale City Council had a busy meeting on June 3 that included a discussion and resolution regarding parking along Ferndale Terrace and heard a presentation on single stream recycling, among other topics. The Ferndale Terrace Improve-
ment Project will reconstruct and widen approximately 2,500 feet of the existing roadway. The project will also work to bring the curbs, gutters and sidewalks to city standard, as well as improvements to city-owned utilities, according to Public Works Director Kevin Renz. The anticipated construction date is Spring 2025, but the issue of parking has been holding up moving forward. According to Renz this project has been on the Transportation Improvement Program plan for nearly two decades, but the City has been successful in garnering grant funding for the project, including a request to the Transportation Improvement Board for $1.5 million
New chapter for Ferndale High School
and receiving more than $2.8 million. Councilman Ryan O’Larey asked how this project would change net parking. Renz said it is hard to gauge how many parking spots there are now due to parking mainly occurring in the right of way, but the project would have 43 parking spots. Several residents in the impacted area came forward to speak during the council meeting. Many spoke to Ferndale Terrace being an anomaly within the city and not needing onstreet parking to be added. Many of the homes were built during a time where code required less of See Parking on A5
Election 2024 has some local candidates Races include state legislators, PUD commissioners and 46 county charter review hopefuls By Cal Bratt For the Tribune
FERNDALE — On May 30, Ferndale High School officially celebrated its new campus with a ribbon cutting and an open house that included tours of the new facility. Before the ceremonial ribbon cutting, district officials such as Superintendent Kristi Dominguez noted the significance of the event and thanked the many project collaborators within the community. “I cannot express how honored I am to be here with you today,” Dominguez said. “As I was preparing for today, reflecting on the project timeline, from the successful passage of the bond culminating in this very moment, the teacher in me felt it was critical to acknowledge the collective effort that brought us to this achievement. It truly is a story of numbers. From the foresight and dedication of multiple past and present Board members, the guidance of
WHATCOM — While the top of the 2024 general election ballot will get the most attention, down the list could be some names of more local interest. This is a year for national and state offices, including president and governor, representatives and senators, judges and public utility district leaders ... and county charter review commissioners. As pertains to Whatcom County and its state Legislative District 42, both incumbent state representatives, Democrats Alicia Rule and Joe Timmons, filed for reelection with the Secretary of State, as did challengers to each, meaning there will be an Aug. 6 primary election in those races. For Position 1, Rule, of Blaine, is up against fellow Democrat Janet Melman, of Bellingham, and Republican Raymond Pelletti, of Blaine. For Position 2, Timmons, of Bellingham, faces off against Republican Kamal Bhachu, also of Bellingham. Similarly, five are in the running for two positions of nonpartisan Whatcom County Public Utility District commissioner. In District 1 (south county) Eddy Ury and Jeremiah Goggins, both of Bellingham, are vying for the last two years of a six-year term after Christine Grant resigned in April. In PUD District 2 (north Bellingham and northeast county), for a full six-year commissioner term, incumbent Atul Deshmane will face off against Austin Anderson and Dan Johnson, all listing Bellingham as their home. All four Whatcom County Superior Court judges are running unopposed for new fouryear terms. The judges, in order of position, are Robert E. Olson, Evan P. Jones, Lee Grochmal and David E. Freeman. And then it’s that time again, every 10 years, to elect a panel — now of 15 members after county district reorganization in 2016 — to review the Whatcom County Charter for any tweaks worth recommending to voters in 2025. In all, 46 individuals have signed up for the task. They are grouped in five districts, corresponding to the five County Council districts that now prevail. These are the sign-ups: District 1 (south Bellingham) -- Roderick “Robin” Dexter, Dan Robbins, Sarah Rothenbuhler, Liz Darrow, Bill Geyer, Todd Lagestee, Andrew Reding and Joel Pitts-Jordan.
See Ceremony on A3
See Election on A5
The Ferndale School District celebrates its new high school with a May 30 ribbon cutting ceremony. (Luke Seymour/Ferndale Record)
Ribbon cutting, ceremony give mark official celebration of new campus By Luke Seymour Staff Reporter
Ferndale High School principal Rhavinder Dillon speaks to the crowd at the Ferndale School District’s ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 30. (Luke Seymour/Ferndale Record)
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