December 4 - 10, 2025
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Temporary boatyard comes to Blaine Harbor, page 3
County officials urge residents to prep for snow
Blaine basketball tips off season, page 6
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Local holiday festivities photo spread, page 8
Holiday cheer arrives in downtown Blaine
By Madelyn Jones
(See Snow, page 2)
s Two downtown Blaine events filled the streets with festive cheer on November 28 and 29. Above, a family enjoys the lights at the Luminary Walk. More photos on pages 8 and 9. Photo by Ruth Lauman
Blaine Senior Center members to decide fate of $300,000 in investment funds By Nolan Baker Blaine Senior Center (BSC) members are headed to the ballot box to elect a slate of new board members and to decide how to invest $300,000 as the future of the nonprofit remains cloudy. The BSC board had held discussions on whether to transfer 80 percent of its treasury from an Edward Jones investment fund to the Whatcom Community Foundation (WCF), a nonprofit that focuses on local philanthropy. The remaining funds would remain in a bank account for day-to-day use. Results of the election will be announced on Monday, December 15. The decision to explore other invest-
ment options came after BSC lost its bid with the city of Blaine to manage the Blaine Community Center in July, according to BSC board president Sieneke Stevenson. The city awarded the contract to manage the building to Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2), which now oversees senior activities. Without a building under management nor a revenue source from membership dues, Stevenson said the senior center needs to completely renew its vision, and likely will need to rewrite its bylaws in order to adapt and continue serving local senior citizens in whatever way it can. Either that, or completely dissolve. (See Seniors, page 3)
INSIDE
Whatcom County’s Public Works Department reported that it will have a limited capacity to respond to significant snowfall this year and advised residents to prepare for emergency situations. One significant factor that contributes to this limited capacity is funding, according to Roland Middleton, a spokesperson for the department. The cost to maintain the county roads is higher than the amount of money coming in from the road fund, which is primarily funded through tax money from those who live in unincorporated parts of the county. In years past, the department has pulled money from a fund balance to make up for the deficit, particularly to complete larger projects, such as the Birch Bay berm. Over the past few years, that fund has been entirely spent down due to change in leadership, according to Middleton. The department has eliminated eight positions and frozen another 13, which remain vacant and will not be filled until the budget is balanced. “There are 935 miles of road in unincorporated Whatcom County that doesn’t include the cities or the state highways, that’s just 935 miles of county road,” Middleton said. “The plows have to go one way and then back the other way, so that's 1,870 lane miles of road to plow. We have 40 people. 40 people to try to do it.” With fewer employees working to maintain county roads, the department is encouraging residents to prepare for potentially heavy snowfall since not all roads can be plowed. “We don’t know if we’re going to have a bad storm, but if we do, and we don’t prepare ahead of time, then you’re really going to feel the pinch,” Middleton said. Middleton recommends that residents keep around two weeks’ worth of basic supplies such as food, water, gasoline and medication on hand in case people are snowed into their homes. He also encouraged those who have necessary medical appointments to have a backup plan in case snowy roads remain unplowed.“Looking out for one another, as well, is critically important, and that’s the kind of stuff you can do now ahead of time, and not at eight o’clock in the
Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . 11-12 Letters . . . . . . . . 4-5 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . . 6-7 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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