February 12 - 18, 2026
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Education funding talks in Olympia, page 3
Wrestling sends crowd to state, page 6
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
NW WA Native artist opens gallery, page 15
BP Cherry Point celebrates the Seahawks Blaine City Council discusses signage upgrades, flower baskets By Nolan Baker
(See City, page 2)
s BP employees celebrate the Seattle Seahawks’ advancement to the Super Bowl LX on February 8 at the Cherry Point refinery. Later that day, the NFL team won the championship game against the New England Patriots 29-13 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California. The game marked the Seahawks’ second Super Bowl title, following their championship in 2014. Photo courtesy of Cesar Rodriguez / BP
Blaine school district creates citizen advisory committee to consider bond Lowering bond supermajority doesn’t appear likely this legislative session, Shewmake says By Grace McCarthy Blaine school district is assembling a Community Facility Advisory Committee that will recommend to the school board whether it should go out for a bond, which would fund major capital facility improvements like an upgraded middle school. Blaine Superintendent Dan Chaplik said the district was accepting applicants to the committee composed of parents,
staff and community members. An application form is expected to be available on the district’s website, blainesd.org, by the end of the week. “These schools are the community’s,” Chaplik said. “We will work hard to listen, interpret and understand the thoughts of the overall community and come up with a recommendation to the board that encompasses not only the district’s needs, but is also a reflection of what the com-
$1.8 million county grant jump starts Birch Bay Beach Park construction By Grace McCarthy Birch Bay residents are one step closer to having a waterfront park that will bring what some community members consider a long-awaited public asset: public restrooms. The latest development is thanks to a county-funded grant that Birch Bay Beach Park received to the tune of $1.8 million on January 1. The money comes from the
Whatcom County Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC), which recommended late last year the grant go to Whatcom County Parks and Recreation’s development of the park. The funding boost is one of the largest developments for the waterfront park since 2014, when the county acquired its 4.1-acre parcel at 7930 Birch Bay Drive. The park is planned to have six gender-neutral bathrooms, which the Birch
Bay Chamber of Commerce and community members have long advocated for, especially as the bay attracts thousands of people during the Fourth of July and new year celebrations. Preliminary renderings also show 124 parking stalls that will increase parking in central Birch Bay. There will also be picnic tables, an open field, walking paths and ki(See Park, page 3)
munity feels like they can and are willing to support.” The committee is expected to make a recommendation to the school board by June 30, Chaplik said. If the board decides to pursue a bond, it would then direct staff to set an election date, with this November being the earliest option. As part of the discussions, the commit(See Bond, page 3)
INSIDE
Blaine City Council discussed preparations for the FIFA World Cup, signage upgrades to promote tourism, the fate of the downtown flower baskets and local grant funding during its regular council meeting on February 9. Downtown business owners express concern over city’s FIFA preparations During the city’s monthly town hall before the regular council meeting, business owners expressed concern over the city’s ability to attract I-5 travelers during the summer tourism season. This conversation came just as paint dried on the city’s downtown revitalization project, which limited businesses during six months of construction during the second half of 2025. Looming over the discussion was the FIFA World Cup, which will send throngs of international soccer fans pouring into Vancouver and Seattle for games starting June 13, and Blaine business owners are hoping to siphon off a few travelers between the two soccer cities. Mark Seymour, co-owner of Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, pointed to Taylor Swift’s 2024 concerts in Vancouver that backed up traffic from the Peace Arch border crossing into downtown Blaine for hours. Despite the countless cars idling along Peace Portal Drive, Seymour said it was not good for businesses. “If you talk to any of us downtown, we’re not going to rave about business being phenomenal during that time period,” Seymour said. “It was a huge hindrance, and now we’re looking at FIFA coming up.” Seymour urged the city to hold a public meeting to discuss signage upgrades, the city collaborating with other government agencies to mitigate traffic impacts and create possible detours around the downtown core, and consulting with businesses prior to World Cup kick-off. “Bottom line is, I think all of us business owners are in favor of having a discussion around this, and we have got great ideas,
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