Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) is prioritizing upgrades to Blaine Public Library that, if approved by its Board of Trustees, would likely occur in early 2026 as a temporary fix while the library system awaits funding for a new building.
The upgrades would include a circulation desk upgrade to improve ergonomics, storage and the patron experience while also improving Americans with Disabilities Act compliance at the check-out station. The library would also get new carpet and cabinetry.
Construction is expected to cost $65,000 and is expected to occur by April, said Ryan Cullup, WCLS facilities services manager. WCLS’ levy lid lift that voters approved during the August primary would fund the upgrades.
“As we look forward to the future of this library, we really wanted to be cautious about the amount of investments we’re doing versus knowing in the future we’ll need to work with the city and the builders to replace this library,” Cullup told the WCLS Board of Trustees on November 18.
Cullup said the most financially feasible option would be to build a new library from the start. Since funding isn’t available yet, he said the second best option was for the library system to make upgrades that could be reused once the new library is built.
Though WCLS executive director Christine Perkins said trustees seemed supportive of the project during their November 18 meeting, the library system won’t know for sure whether funding has been approved until the board of trustees passes its 2026 budget in December.
If approved, redoing the carpet would likely close the library for a few days and other construction may require the library to operate in limited capacity for a few days.
Jonathan Jakobitz, branch manager of Blaine Public Library, said the circulation desk upgrade was a welcomed improvement, but only a new library would solve
Library, page 5)
Behind closed doors: How the Port conducts public business in private
In August and October 2024, Port of Bellingham commissioners approved two consultant contracts costing $99,396 and $99,425 – each just below the $100,000 threshold triggering formal bidding procedures. The first passed under the consent agenda without discussion; the second as an action item.
These contracts triggered a year-long investigation involving multiple public records requests into the Port’s purchasing and governance practices.
What emerged was a portrait of an institution conducting public business increasingly out of view, with practices raising serious questions about state procurement compliance.
The $50,000 to $100,000 Gap
Under Port Policy 1106, approved each January, the executive director can sign contracts up to $100,000 without
commission action. This streamlines routine purchasing – but doesn’t waive other legal requirements.
For professional services contracts between $50,000 and $100,000, state law (RCW 53.19) and Port policy require documented evidence of competitive solicitation – not just posting an advertisement, but soliciting proposals from multiple firms, evaluating them against stated criteria, and selecting based on qualifications. That documentation makes the selection defensible and the process transparent.
The Northern Light focused on this range: contracts large enough to require competitive documentation but small enough to escape commission scrutiny.
When The Northern Light requested documentation for 40 professional services contracts in this range (2020–2024), the Port provided evidence of the required evaluation process for just one.
The Port has pointed to advertisements as evidence of competition. But posting an ad is only the first step.
(See Port, page 6)
Photo by Louise Mugar
Adored Again boutique sells pre-owned luxury in Birch Bay Square
Adored Again, a vintage and secondhand boutique in Birch Bay Square, opened its doors on November 15.
Store owner Divya DiMezza said she worked hard to open her business, which carries both everyday and formalwear items that are in new or like-new condition.
“They are cheaper than what you would likely find online,” DiMezza said. “For example, the
Mac Duggal dresses go anywhere from $300 to $500. I have them in the store for $175 and they’re brand new with tags.
“The boutique offers something for everyone, with clothes being offered anywhere from $10 to $175 for designer items.
“It’s a mix of everything, so affordability and then also the very high-end and expensive stuff,” DiMezza said.
DiMezza has always had a passion for fashion. In high school
and college, DiMezza resold items online that she thrifted to earn extra cash. It became a creative outlet for DiMezza and she continued to pursue it even when she became a paralegal. About two years ago, she started sourcing clothing and styling mainly for clients in New York, where it’s often difficult to find affordable high-quality pieces.
“I started doing style bundles and whole wardrobe packages for them. I’m talking about 20 pieces, a huge box shipment,” DiMezza said. “That’s when it clicked for me, like, ‘OK, maybe this could be my career.’”
Before opening a storefront, DiMezza sold some items at street fairs in Bellingham to test the local market.
“One time I literally sold the outfit I was wearing,” DiMezza said. “I’m not even kidding.”
She took a chance on opening the business, knowing she’d regret not trying more than the nerves around starting her own venture.
“In order for you to take a big jump like this, you have to expect that you might fall,” DiMezza said.
(See Boutique, page 15)
B y M adelyn J ones
s Divya DiMezza opened Adored Again on November 15 at 8115 Birch Bay Square Street, suite 105, in Birch Bay. Photo by Madelyn Jones
The Northern L ght
The Northern Light is published weekly by Point Roberts Press Inc.
Locally owned and managed, the company also publishes the All Point Bulletin, covering Point Roberts, Mount Baker Experience, covering the Mt. Baker foothills area, Pacific Coast Weddings annual guide, and the summer recreation guide Waterside as well as maps and other publications. Point Roberts Press Inc. is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Chambers of Commerce of Bellingham/ Whatcom County, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts and the Bellingham/Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors.
Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters are limited to 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. The letters to the editor column is primarily intended to allow readers to voice their opinions on local issues of general interest to local readers. A fresh viewpoint will increase the likelihood of publication. Thank-you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Consumer complaints should be submitted directly to the business in question or the local chamber of commerce. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com.
Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com
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Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com
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Contributors In This Issue Amberleigh Brownson, Kelle Rankin-Sunter
The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230
Tel: 360/332-1777
Vol XXXI, No 24
Circulation: 11,000 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
Birch Bay chamber recognized for tourism work OpiniOn Letters
Whatcom
The Editor:
I’ve had a very difficult three years which include two runs to the hospital and three other calls for assistance after falls. I want to commend our local fire aid EMTs. Every time they have been exceptionally professional, kind and gentle. We are blessed to have them available in times of crisis.
Jacque Dunn Blaine
The Editor:
You live in a neighborhood where the people are family. We help each other out. When they cry, we cry, when they laugh we laugh. We celebrate, we mourn together, as we are family.
Then one day a dark cloud arrives in our neighborhood. The atmosphere changes. The dark cloud is unhappy so we should also be unhappy. Lack of empathy, whose behavior negatively impacts the quality of our life, lack of respect, being rude, engaging in hostile or threatening behavior is not what we want in our neighborhood.
The dark cloud does not respect our neighborhood and the right of others to
peacefully enjoy their own property.
I remember reading “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Sometimes it is very difficult when someone is making your life miserable every day. If you are so unhappy, I pray for you so one day you will find peace, love and happiness, and if you do, we will be more than happy to welcome you in our family.
We don’t need or want a dark cloud in our neighborhood anymore.
Jocelyne Harsch
Blaine
The Editor:
Are crows destroying your lawn along with seagulls? I usually refrain from writing letters to the editor, and while I’m no consummate horticulturist, I hope my experience might be of some help.
For the last year and a half, what I outline below has (for the most part) worked for me. The crows destroyed my yard in the fall of 2023. It was obvious to me that the crows were eating grub worms (chafer beetles) from just under the turf of my yard. I watched and
CiviC Meetings
Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Town halls typically at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday meeting each month. Info: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee: Typically the last Thursday of each month, 6 p.m., Birch Bay Bible Community Church, 4460 Bay Road. Updated meeting info: bit.ly/3QmWVcX.
Birch Bay Water and Sewer District: Second and fourth Thursdays, 4 p.m., district office, 7096 Point Whitehorn Road, Birch Bay. Info and Zoom meeting link: bbwsd.com.
Blaine Planning Commission: Second Thursday, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: bit.ly/3EwWiZi.
Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
took videos of my neighborhood crows feasting on the grub worms, destroying my yard in the process. It was amazing watching the crows, breaking their backs pulling up fist-sized pieces of turf, seek-
(See Letters, next page)
Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
The article titled “Holiday Harbor Lights to kick off winter celebrations” in the November 20 issue of The Northern Light an error introduced during the editing process incorrectly stated Santa would visit the Blaine Information Visitor Center. We regret the error. Since publication, the Holiday Harbor Lights schedule has changed. Santa will be close to G Street Plaza 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-5 p.m. Free tractor train and horse carriage rides will be 1 p.m. until about 5 p.m. Correction
Blaine Public Works and Park Advisory Board: Second Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Blaine council chambers. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330.
Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district boardroom, 770 Mitchell Avenue. Info: blainesd.org.
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue: Third Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
BBWARM: Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District Advisory Committee meets quarterly in-person and on Zoom. Info: bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org.
Port of Bellingham: First and third Tuesday, 4 p.m., Port of Bellingham Harbor Center, 1801 Roeder Ave., Ste. 146, in Bellingham and via Zoom. Info: portofbellingham.com.
s The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce was recognized as Tourism Business of the Year by Bellingham
County Tourism during the Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet on November 20. From l.; Guy Occhiogrosso, president and CEO of Bellingham Regional Chamber of Commerce; Danielle Gaughen, executive director of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce; Sacha Sanguinetti, event coordinator; Mary Jane Thompson, visitor center coordinator; and Dianne Marrs-Smith, president.
Photo by Jesfer Mikesell
Library ...
From page 3
the location’s largest problem: space.
“The size of our current building is a limiting factor impacting the level of service we can provide to the community,” Jakobitz wrote in an email to The Northern Light. “Blaine has the third highest circulation within WCLS, yet the size of our collection is dictated by the size of our building rather than our community’s usage.”
The 5,400-square-foot library has been situated at 610 3rd Street since it was renovated from its former use as a public works garage nearly 40 years ago. WCLS has provided Band-Aid fixes over the years through projects like renovating the teen area and adding a small meeting room pod. Still, Jakobitz said he sees the meeting room reach capacity often and finding a place to work in the library can prove a challenge most days.
Jakobitz said the only permanent solution he sees is expanding the library – ideally doubling its size to at least 9,000 square feet.
The cause gained momentum in 2019 after Friends of Blaine Library hired an architect to design a new library. The pandemic sidelined its priority, and while city officials continue to support a new building, their purse strings have tightened in subsequent years.
In 2023, Bellingham affordable housing consultant Paul Schissler introduced an idea to add two mixed-use buildings to downtown Blaine that would have added a new library, affordable condominiums and commercial space. The project gained support from proposed partners, the city of Blaine, WCLS and Kulshan Community Land Trust, but plans stagnated after the land trust decided to focus on other projects it had in the works and funding remained in question.
With the recently passed levy lid lift, Perkins said the Blaine library is a top priority for WCLS to revisit, but it wouldn’t be enough to fund a new library, estimated to cost at least $10 million.
“There are some great library users in the Blaine community,” Perkins said. “We’re interested in seeing what we can do to improve services that are highly utilized.”
County planning commission to hold Blaine UGA hearing
The Whatcom County Planning Commission is scheduled to hold a public hearing on Blaine’s urban growth area (UGA) proposal during its meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 4. The commission will also continue discussion on Birch Bay’s proposed UGA.
Alex Wenger, director of the city’s Community and Development Services Department, will present Blaine’s new proposal after the city retracted it in October due to “technical” issues that needed to be sorted with the county. Whatcom County Council, which will ultimately need to approve the plan, signaled in
Letters ...
From previous page
ing grub worms, tossing the ugly little things into the air for their breakfast, lunch and dinner while the seagulls hovered waiting in vain for the spoils.
I did some research, talked to some friends and local gardeners, only to find that the grub worms can be eradicated with a bag or two of grub worm pesticide applied with a spreader once in the fall and again in the spring. I fear now that I’ve said this out loud and put it in print
late October that it was against Blaine’s original proposal to expand its UGA near Semiahmoo.
Whatcom County and its cities are reviewing their UGAs as they undergo the state’s mandated decennial review to their comprehensive plans, which guide development in each community for the next 20 years.
The commission meeting will be held both online and at the Planning and Development Services Northwest Annex, 5280 Northwest Drive in Bellingham. For more information on the meeting, including how to stream it, visit the county’s website at bit.ly/4po9u7a.
they will return. But so far, they haven’t and I will continue the yard treatment process annually.
I realize there are many people who disapprove of the use of pesticides, (and for that I apologize) but I felt repairing my lawn without taking care of the source problem would be a costly endeavor.
By the way – bonus: Once the grub worms were gone, the moles in my yard moved away seeking food elsewhere. Win, win.
Steve Sanders Blaine
CITY OF BLAINE
November 27-28, 2025 City Offices Closed
December 8, 2025
6:00 PM – City Council Meeting
December 9, 2025
9:00 AM – Public Works and Park Advisory Board Meeting
December 11, 2025
6:00 PM – Planning Commission Meeting
Member of the Month
Roadrunner Express Car Wash
825 Grant Avenue Blaine, WA 98230
360-997-0178
www.roadrunnerexpresscw.com
Number of employees: Eight.
Description of the business: A commercial tunnel car wash facility offering automated vehicle washing services through a state-of-the-art softtouch wash tunnel.
How the business started:The business began when one of the owners, a long-time home builder, found himself looking for a convenient way to keep his work truck clean. Driving home each day, he noticed a vacant property along his route and thought, “If there were a car wash here, I’d be using it every day.” He asked his wife, a real estate broker, to research the site, and that simple idea grew into the development of the car wash. The rest is history.
Future goals: Our future goals include expanding service capacity, improving operational efficiency, and adding additional locations to meet growing customer demand.
Absent from 39 of 40 files was documentation that proposals were evaluated, qualifications compared, and selection justified.
A Pattern Beyond Procurement
In July 2024, the Washington State Auditor found the Port improperly awarded a $906,006 contract without competitive evaluation required by federal grant rules and Port policy. Records obtained by The Northern Light reveal that contract has since grown to $3.23 million through eight amendments –more than triple the amount auditors examined.
Analysis of Port contracting data reveals patterns extending beyond that finding: contracts often clustering just below competitive thresholds and dramatic cost growth through amendments approved. Professional services contracts that began below $100,000 grew by an average of 139 percent; public works contracts grew just 5.3 percent.
and executive director.
The analysis begins in 2018, when the current three-commissioner team came together. Bobby Briscoe joined the commission in 2016; Ken Bell and Michael Shepard were elected in 2018.
From their first year together through 2024, the Port held executive sessions in nearly three of four meetings – 74.4 percent overall. Commissioners spent 37 percent of meeting time behind closed doors.
Briscoe Pulling Ahead
The data reveals differences in how individual commissioners used executive sessions.
“We are very transparent in everything we do at the Port ”
– Bobby Briscoe March 25, 2024
Ken Bell, president in 2018, 2021, and 2024, held executive sessions in nearly 80 percent of meetings (47 of 59). His 2021 presidency was notable: executive sessions in 89 percent of meetings, consuming 43 percent of commission time.
State auditor finds “material weakness”
On July 28, 2025, the Washington State Auditor released a finding of material noncompliance against the Port of Bellingham for failing to follow competitive procurement requirements when selecting Moffatt & Nichol for a federal infrastructure project.
According to the audit, Port policy “conforms to the most restrictive requirements for procuring architectural and engineering services and requires professional services to be procured using competitive proposals.” Governments must also keep documentation supporting the procurement method they used.
to $3,236,702 through eight amendments, with the largest single amendment adding $1,798,537. The end date has been extended to December 31, 2026.
This single contract drew scrutiny only because federal funds triggered federal oversight requirements. Auditors did not examine other contracts to determine whether this was an isolated incident or represented standard practice.
tation of competitive solicitation. Of 19 public works contracts, only one showed such evidence. Most files contained only internal authorization forms.
These practices coincide with another pattern: commissioners spending far more time in executive session than comparable Washington ports. The Washington Public Ports Association advises that “executive sessions should be held sparingly” and ports should “not hold one at every regular port commission meeting.”
At the Port of Bellingham, that guidance has gone unheeded. From 2018 through 2025, commissioners held executive sessions in more than 76 percent of meetings and spent 38.5 percent of meeting time behind closed doors – rates dwarfing comparable ports.
Public records requests also uncovered details behind the departure of former executive director Rob Fix, which occurred with minimal public explanation after months of negotiations conducted entirely behind closed doors.
Executive Sessions:
A Seven-Year Pattern
The Port’s heavy reliance on executive sessions isn’t recent – it’s a deeply entrenched practice spanning the current commission’s entire tenure.
Bobby Briscoe (2019, 2022) held executive sessions in 73 percent of meetings during those years. Michael Shepard (2020, 2023) did so in 68 percent. All three spent between 37 and 39 percent of meeting time in executive session.
Executive session use has increased this year. Through 2025 under Briscoe’s presidency, 16 of 17 meetings – 94.1 percent – have included executive sessions. Nearly 48 percent of meeting time has been spent behind closed doors, the highest level yet for this group of commissioners.
An Outlier Among Ports
Compared to similar ports under identical legal frameworks, Bellingham stands apart. In 2024, Bellingham held executive sessions in 77 percent of meetings; Olympia held them in 23 percent. Bellingham spent 36 percent of meeting time in executive session; Everett spent 18 percent.
Only Anacortes approached Bellingham’s closed door frequency at 37 percent – but still spent significantly less time in them (23 percent).
What Gets Discussed Behind Closed Doors
The Port advertised the opportunity and received proposals from two firms: Moffatt & Nichol and WSP USA, Inc. But auditors found no documentation that the Port evaluated the qualifications of either firm or performed any scoring process. Instead, the Port “incorrectly concluded that receiving only two proposals meant that competition was inadequate” and awarded the contract without documented evaluation, according to the finding’s brief. Auditors declared this “a material weakness that led to material noncompliance.”
The audit reported that the Port paid Moffatt & Nichol $906,006 in federal funds without performing a competitive process. The actual cost to taxpayers is far higher: the contract for Bellingham Shipping Terminal infrastructure and dredging has grown
Deena Garza, the State Auditor’s Office local audit manager who oversees Port audits, said procurement compliance is reviewed through sampling, not comprehensive examination. When auditors do review professional services contracts, they verify three things: that firms submitted proposals, that the Port scored those proposals, and that the highest-scoring firm was selected.
That documentation was absent in 39 of the 40 professional services contracts The Northern Light reviewed.
Garza confirmed the Port has received only one audit finding since 2007. But procurement isn’t examined every year – auditors reviewed it seven times between 2009 and 2022. And each review examines a sample of contracts, not the full portfolio.
The Northern Light review of 59 contracts in the $50,000 to $100,000 range – the threshold at which Port policy requires competitive solicitation but not formal sealed bidding – suggests it is not isolated. Of 40 professional services contracts, only one contained documen -
Overall Port of Bellingham Statistics
The Port’s use of executive sessions and the amount of time spent in them far exceeds that of comparable ports.
Board President Executive Session Rankings
In response to earlier questions about missing documentation, the Port provided a legal memorandum from attorneys Holly Stafford and Jesslin Ochoa outlining the requirements of Port policy. The memo confirmed that for contracts between $50,000 and $100,000, the Port must maintain “a documented process showing that the Port solicited responses from the appropriate number of firms” – at least three consultants from the Municipal Research and Services Center roster.
The memo did not explain why that documentation was absent from 39 of the 40 contract files reviewed.
In response to pre-publication questions from The Northern Light , Port spokesperson Mike Hogan stated that an internal review found “no areas of noncompliance.”
Port’s Response
The Northern Light sent 41 detailed questions to the Port on November 3, covering procurement documentation, contract structuring patterns, executive session frequency, and executive director Rob Fix’s termination. The original deadline for response was November 10.
The Port did not respond by that deadline. On November 11, The Northern Light extended the deadline to 5 p.m. on November 15. Spokesperson Mike Hogan responded on November 14 at 3:43 p.m. with a four-paragraph general statement.
“The Port has an experienced and capable executive leadership team managing its diverse portfolio of operations,” Hogan wrote regarding questions about executive turnover and Fix’s termination.
Washington
Meeting agendas, including executive sessions, are determined by the board president Ports were
Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act permits executive sessions only for specific purposes: pending or potential litigation, real estate transactions, employee performance reviews, and a few other narrowly defined circumstances.
Port Executive Session Comparison (2024)
Commissioners Bell and Briscoe have almost identical records though Briscoe’s record in 2025 has exceeded historical averages..
Year by Year Breakdown
On procurement, Hogan cited the Port’s audit history: “In the past 18 years, the Port has received only one audit finding, which occurred last year. New protocols were immediately put into place to address this issue moving forward.” He concluded: “After a thorough review of each of your concerns by our team of engineering, accounting, and grant professionals, we did not identify any areas of noncompliance.”
The Port did not explain the clustering of contracts just below bidding thresholds. It did not address why Reid Middleton received three separate harbor assessment contracts totaling $241,900 within three months rather than one comprehensive contract. It did not respond to questions about specific contractors, the 26fold difference in growth rates between professional services and public works contracts, or why the Port of Bellingham’s executive session use exceeds comparable ports by wide margins.
The amount of time spent in executive session has ranged from 30.4% to nearly 48%.
Contract structuring – What is it and why does it matter?
There are various forms of contract structuring prohibited by state law. It reduces competition between potential bidders and can result in increased prices for the Port and by extension, taxpayers.
Contract threshold structuring is where a project’s scope or a cost is structured to be just below the $100,000 level that would trigger a formal bid process, as seen in the chart below. Contract splitting is when in -
dividual project elements that logically should be grouped under the same contract are split up so that each element will be under the trigger level.
For example, on June 20, 2024, Reid Middleton was awarded an $82,500 contract to assess the Squalicum Harbor sawtooth dock. On September 18, it received two separate contracts to do bulkhead assessments at Squalicum for $77,900 and $81,500, respec -
tively. The three contracts totaled $241,900.
Artificial phasing or ‘salami slicing’ is when multi-year projects are split up into annual time periods, each of which are under the limit.
An example of that could be the Conflux Associates contract which was proposed as a three-year project. The proposal accepted by the commissioners showed a three-year timeline while the contract it -
Potential $100,000 Contract Threshold Structuring
Potential $50,000 Contract Threshold Structuring
Key Comparison All Contracts
Potential Contract Splitting Patterns
Same consultant received multiple similar contracts in the same year, each individually under $100,000, but combined total exceeds $100,000. RCW 53.19.020 prohibits structuring contracts to evade competitive requirements.
Contracts Crossing $100K Threshold via Amendments
self was amended to a one-year term with a renewal clause.
Finally, an initial contract can be under the limit but grow over time through amendments that far out-run the trigger amount.
Whether such contracts represent legitimate scope expansion or strategic ‘lowballing,’ intentionally starting below thresholds to avoid competitive bidding remains unclear.
One concern about contracts
that grow through amendments is how they are approved by commissioners. Many amendments are typically approved using the consent agenda and thus receive little or no public attention or scrutiny.
This is particularly evident when it comes to professional or personal service contracts.
The table below shows that these types of contracts have a much higher rate of growth than public works contracts.
Jennifer Noveck, a former Port employee, has received four consecutive annual contracts totaling $293,518 since 2022 – all awarded without competition under the “sole source” designation.
It is the largest non-competitive professional services contract in recent Port history. Port records show only 12 sole source contracts total, most for relatively small amounts. Noveck’s 2022 contract of $100,716 is more than six times larger than any other.
Noveck worked as the Port’s Research & Communications Coordinator until early 2022. When the pandemic ended and the Port required employees to return to the office, Noveck –who had relocated to Hoodsport – converted to contractor status rather than return.
Washington law permits sole source contracts only when a consultant is “clearly and justifiably the only practicable source to provide the service.” The statute limits justification to three criteria: uniqueness of the service, sole availability at the location required, or warranty/defect correction.
Then-executive director Rob Fix’s December 2024 memo justifying Noveck’s contract cites her qualifications but also states
that her “reasonable hourly rate and monthly retainer ... make replacement difficult, time consuming and therefore competitive solicitation for a similar firm’s services not appropriate or cost effective.”
Cost and convenience do not appear among the three permitted statutory justifications.
Payment records raise additional questions. In 2023, the Port paid Noveck $72,808 on a contract valued at $60,000, a 21 percent overage. Records provided to The Northern Light contain no amendment authorizing payments beyond the contract amount.
The cumulative value of Noveck’s four contracts –$293,518 – is nearly three times the $100,000 threshold at which Port policy requires formal bid procedures. RCW 53.19.020 explicitly prohibits ports from structuring “contracts to evade these requirements.”
Under the contract, Noveck must be given 30 days’ notice to appear in person and has the option of refusing. If she chooses to meet in person, all travel costs will be borne by the Port. A Port computer is provided at no cost to Noveck.
The Port did not respond to questions about the Noveck contracts.
They wrote the rules
Contract structuring – breaking up work to avoid competitive bidding thresholds – is prohibited by state law.
A project can be priced just below the bidding threshold. Work that belongs under one contract can be split into pieces. An initial contract can be set below the limit, then grow through amendments that far exceed it.
The penalties are real: $300 per occurrence for employees, 30 percent of project cost for participating companies.
The state legislature directed the Washington Public Ports Association and Municipal Research and Services Center in 2008 to publish guidance helping ports avoid these violations. The latest version of the Port Governance and Management Guide appeared in June 2022.
Its primary author was Jim Darling, former Port of Belling-
ham executive director.
Other contributors included Frank Chmelik, then WPPA corporate counsel and partner at Bellingham law firm Chmelik Sitkin & Davis – now CSD Attorneys at Law, the Port of Bellingham’s outside counsel.
Others include Abbi Russell, a senior specialist with Maul Foster & Alongi, a firm that has received numerous Port contracts. Former Port chief financial officer John Carter. Former economic development director Don Goldberg. Former real estate director Bill Hager.
And Jennifer Noveck, the research consultant whose $293,518 in sole source contracts is detailed in this report.
They didn’t write the law. But they wrote the guide explaining how to follow it.
(See Port, page 13)
& Home Garden
In the Garden with Kelle: Winterizing your garden
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B y K elle r an K in - s unter
Any time after September 15, we can start to see serious signs of fall. In the last 5-7 years, we have had a later and later entrance for fall weather. The harder frosts that permanently end the growth cycle for many plants now occur closer to the end of November. Once that hard frost occurs, we are forced to take seriously the task of winter preparedness.
As long as our plants are still green and growing, it is best to leave them to continue to store food in their roots for the next growing season. Dahlias can definitely still be blooming. While many prefer a tidier garden with everything deadheaded, it is
best to leave the greater portion of those seed heads standing to provide food for birds. Leaves are something we both love and hate. If you can leave them on the ground, it is much better for the environment. Fallen leaves provide insects, butterflies and pollinators with places to lay their eggs. I recommend that if you have landscaped areas on your property, keep the leaves piled around the base of your plants. The leaves will insulate plant roots and decay over the winter into a lovely leaf mulch that will help feed your plants in the spring.
It is important not to forget about your leaves on your lawn. Intact leaves become matted, (See Garden, next page)
Photo by Kelle Rankin-Sunter
by Kelle Rankin-Sunter
Garden ...
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which will kill your lawn as the sunshine cannot get to the grass. If you don’t have many leaves, you can run the mower over them to chop them up enough so they don’t cover the surface. Otherwise, you will need to rake and remove leaves. As much as possible, try to relocate them in your yard. If you can’t think of a way to use them, ask a neighbor if they can use them. As a last resort, you can post them on Craigslist or Nextdoor and folks will pick up your bags of leaves. I add leaves to my blueberry patch, filling up the area up to 20-24 inches deep. This is important for blueberries as they have shallow roots and don’t appreciate being weeded. The leaves virtually eliminate the need for that chore and conserve water for the dry summer months.
Let’s move on to vegetables. Now is when you should be planting your garlic. Garlic needs a chilling period to develop cloves so planting now encourages that to happen and they can develop a strong root system.
If you want to plant bulbs for spring flowers, you can still do that until the ground freezes solid. Luckily, in our neighborhood in Blaine, that really doesn’t happen. It is important to note that the longer you wait to plant spring flower bulbs, the later they will bloom. They will still get plenty of chilling, as most bulbs need 8-10 weeks. Now is a great time to find really good deals for purchasing spring bulbs, but just make sure you plant them immediately.
That hard frost will also trigger the process of digging your dahlias. For those of you who haven’t been bitten by the dahlia bug, please bear with me. Dahlias are the most amazing flowering plant. With tens of thousands of styles, shapes, sizes and colors,
you will surely find something that will brighten a corner of your garden. If you don’t have good drainage or if you want to make sure that your dahlia survives, you will need to dig the tuber clump up and store it for the winter. These plants are native to Mexico and Central America, though they thrive here with moderate care. You can pick up a dahlia care sheet with detailed instructions on storing tubers at the Friends of the Blaine Library Book Sale from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, November 29 at the library. There will also be checklists for getting your yard ready for winter.
Are you still in the mood to dig holes and plant things? Now is still a great time to plant new trees and bushes. This is because we have very mild winters and the ground never entirely freezes. What freezing we do see rarely reaches two inches below the surface. New planting shouldn’t occur if a cold event is expected (we can experience five to 10 days of 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit during such an event). Simply leave them in a protected area, like your garage or shed. Once the cold has passed, you can plant outside.
In closing, mulching your garden and flower beds will help protect the soil and roots of your plants from freeze-thaw cycles as well as provide a weed barrier (but don’t put down landscape fabric). If you want a more robust weed barrier (maybe you already have weeds and you want to reduce them), put down two to four layers of cardboard, making sure you remove all the tape, both cellophane and reinforced. Then top dress it with bark, mulch, sawdust or hog fuel. Your beds will be tidy and protected from the ravages of winter.
Kelle Rankin-Sunter is founder of Blaine CORE, which holds free home and gardening classes at Blaine Public Library. Rankin-Sunter can be reached at fruit@Blaine-CORE.com.
Airfield Estates Winery is relatively new to my world and happens to be where Blaine’s own GLM Winery (where I am assistant winemaker) is sourcing its grapes for the season, so it seemed like a great next feature.
Airfield Estates opened in 2005, but the vineyard land was purchased in 1920 by H. Lloyd Miller, the great-grandfather of the team that runs the show today. Four generations have built it to produce 20 varieties over 830 acres. They were one of Washington’s first commercial growers, and for decades only grew grapes for others.
Miller was a go-getter who helped implement irrigation in Yakima Valley with assistance from Franklin D. Roosevelt. It took years, but he was responsible for getting about 72,000 acres of land the water it needed to cultivate successful farming, and thus grow the common grape vine, vitis vinifera.
During World War II the government leased some of its land to build an aviation training facility, inspiring the winery’s name. Miller purchased the buildings after the war for $1 at an auction
where he was the sole attendee. Only two buildings are standing today and are used as a workshop and for storage.
Vineyard Salute 2024 Flygirl White pinot gris, viognier, chardonnay
Tasting notes: Initial scents of white peaches waft from first pour and reveal ripe pineapple rind, smashed young bananas and candied ginger. Palate bursts kiwi and starfruit, underripe navel orange and limoncello finishing with a pleasant mineral component mingled with limeade, mild mango and tart green apple.
Song pair: “L-O-V-E” by Nat King Cole Airfield Estates 2024 sauvignon blanc
Tasting notes: Pink grapefruit and papaya tickle the sniffer followed by freshly mown lawn and Meyer lemon scents. The palate is classic new-world style sauvignon blanc with honeydew melon rind, hibiscus, crab apple and tangerine finishing with clean linen, white flowers, cardamom and rice crispy treats.
Pairing suggestion: Pesto ahi, tri-colored couscous, fava beans, seared scallops, green tea ice cream or seaweed salad.
Song pair: “Evil Woman” by Electric Light Orchestra 2022 Bombshell Red
Tasting notes: This nose offers basil, Amish butter, fruit roll-up, fennel and caramel candy followed by a palate of dates, bolstered with blackberries and dark cherry compote, molasses cookies and a cracked black pepper finish.
Pairing suggestion: Carne asada, pound cake, arugula salad or pheasant with plum sauce.
Song pair: “It Was a Good Day” by Ice Cube 2022 Founder’s Series Syrah
Tasting notes: Scents of pine needles, freshly ground nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, campfire remnants and cured meat precede a palate of black licorice, dried strawberries, dark cherry and figs. Lovely lingering finish of red hots and mild black tea.
Pairing suggestion: Roasted
elk, sweet peas, teriyaki jerky, tiramisu or carrot ginger soup.
Song pair: “Black Betty” by Ram Jam
Many of their wines are named after aircraft as an homage to the property’s history and a grateful nod to the men and women who sacrificed in World War II including: Mustang, Hellcat, Spitfire, Lightning and Dauntless. The white and red blends listed above (Flygirl White and Bombshell Red respectively) are in honor of the female pilots who served in our country’s time of need. Likewise, they have wines named after the founders honoring the family lineage and celebrating tradition.
Airfield Estates currently has over 30 options available on their website available for purchase, and I have it on good authority that these wines are widely available in Whatcom County. They have a flexible and multi-tiered wine club option available online at airfieldwines.com
Amberleigh Brownson is a local wine writer, consultant, sommelier and assistant winemaker at GLM Winery. She is also a 10-year wine judge and four-time Wine Spectator award winner recipient.
s Amberleigh Brownson. Courtesy photo
s Wine from Airfield Estates Winery. Photo by Tristan Bownson
2025/26 BORDERITE WINTER SPORTS SCHEDULE
BOYS WRESTLING
GIRLS BOWLING
BOYS BASKETBALL
GIRLS WRESTLING
9:30 am 1/9
Kelso 3:00 pm 1/15 Tournament Mount Baker 6:00 pm 1/17 Tournament Home 9:00 am 1/22 Ferndale Ferndale 6:00 pm 1/24 Kamiak Kamiak 9:00 am 1/26 Bellingham Home TBD 1/29
GIRLS BASKETBALL
12/20
12/29
2/2
CLASSIFIEDS MARKETPLACE
Noffke Land Development, Matt Noffke, 111 E 1st St Cle Elum, WA 98922-1101, is seeking coverage under the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Construction Stormwater NPDES and State Waste Discharge General Permit.
The proposed project, Horizons at Semiahmoo - Tract Q, is located at Project location is parcel #150955 on the NW corner of the intersection of Horizon Dr and Camas Dr in Blaine, WA. in Blaine in Whatcom
claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1) (c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice (twenty-four (24) months if notice is not published). If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of filing copy of Notice to Creditors:
November 6, 2025
Date of first publication: November 20, 2025
Date creditor claim period closes: March 20, 2026
Attorney for the Estate: KEITH A. BODE, WSBA #7791 314 Fifth Street, P.O. Box 688 Lynden, WA 98264-0688
Tel. (360) 354-5021
Personal Representative: MICHELLE S. PARMAN
Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 25-4-01057-37
The Port of Bellingham
Behind closed doors – the slow motion firing of Rob Fix
Former executive director Rob Fix received a year’s severance when he was fired at the commission’s June 3 meeting. His dismissal came as a surprise to the public because up to that point, the commissioners had not expressed dissatisfaction with his performance, at least not publicly.
It turns out that his firing had been in the works for months –an open public records request by the newspaper has revealed that commissioners and the Port’s attorney had been working behind the scenes since February to ease Fix out of his job.
In fact, the Port’s first offer would have kept Fix on as executive director until a replacement was hired and then he would have been made an executive consultant until February 28, 2027, to help with onboarding the new director.
His annual rate of pay would have been $235,000 along with standard benefits available to employees; had the Port terminated him before the end date, he would have received the same amount in severance pay. If he made it to the end, he would have received six month’s salary.
In the end, Fix accepted one year’s severance pay and left.
The wheels were set in motion not long after executive administrator Carey Hansen, a longtime Port employee, gave her notice. Fix’s self-evaluated performance review, dated January 7, 2025, may offer a clue: he graded himself outstanding or excellent on most measures but marked himself “below standard” on working well with coworkers and demonstrating respect for staff, colleagues, and community members.
Hansen wasn’t alone as Fix’s tenure saw a pattern of high-level departures. Airport director Kip Turner’s short ten -
ure ended in 2024 when he was dismissed with one month’s severance pay. He was followed one month later by deputy airport director Emily Phillipe who, after 15 years with the Port, left to take a position at Paine Field.
Economic development specialist Gina Stark left in December 2024 to join Habitat for Humanity while her former boss, economic development director Don Goldberg, was let go with three month’s pay in 2023.
At least three other employees were forced out with the Port agreeing to describe their departures as a mutual agreement to separate, one of whom was accused of misconduct but received three month’s severance. Another was given six week’s severance upon agreeing to resign while a third was given a year’s severance and full benefits for 12 months.
Commissioners were asked what their specific grounds were for terminating Fix and, if there were performance deficiencies justifying termination, why was he provided with full severance rather than being terminated for cause.The Port did not response to any of these questions.
The extended timeline to replace Fix stands in stark contrast to his removal. Commissioners spent four months negotiating Fix’s departure behind closed doors, then terminated him within minutes of emerging from executive session. Yet six months after his departure, they have yet to post the position for his replacement.
The commission tabled the decision on approving the executive director job description, wage range, and recruitment brochure until the next meeting on December 16.
In Appreciation
At this special time of year, we wish to express our heartfelt gratitude to the community.
The Bridge at Birch Bay Food Bank, Clothing Boutique, The Way Cafe, GraceCore Academy and The Christian Way Community Church say “Thank You” for your continued patronage and support.
A new commission, a new mandate
The investigation that produced this report began with a question about a single contract: $99,396 to Conflux Associates for a “strategic communications campaign” – essentially, a public relations effort to improve the Port’s image.
The contract appeared as Item G along with 13 other routine items on the August 13, 2024 consent agenda and passed without discussion. No commissioner asked what the campaign would entail. No one questioned whether nearly $100,000 – priced just $604 below the threshold requiring formal bids – represented the best use of public funds. The vote was unanimous, the meeting moved on, and the public learned nothing about why their port needed a PR campaign or what it would look like.
In the 16 months since, the Conflux contract has not been mentioned in a public Port meeting. The contract specified deliverables: research, messaging strategy, media outreach, stakeholder engagement. Whether those milestones were reached, whether the campaign succeeded or failed, whether the Port received value for its investment – none of this has been discussed in public view. Port executive director Rob Fix maintained a practice of distributing weekly briefings to commissioners and speaking individually with each commissioner on a regular basis. These communications are legal. Washington’s Open Public Meetings Act prohibits “serial meetings” only when they result in a quorum taking action outside public view. Private briefings and one-on-one conversations fall short of that threshold.
Yet the cumulative effect raises questions about where Port governance actually happens. When commissioners receive detailed briefings privately, discuss concerns with the executive director individually, and then gather for meetings where 76 percent include executive sessions closed to the public, the open meeting can become less a forum for deliberation than a ceremony confirming decisions already reached.
The Conflux contract illustrates the pattern. By the time it reached the consent agenda, commissioners had presumably been briefed. Questions, if any existed, had been asked and answered outside public view. The public meeting offered no window into the reasoning, the alternatives considered, or whether anyone harbored doubts. The contract simply passed – one of hundreds approved the same way.
There is no evidence commissioners violated the law. Serial meeting violations require proof that a quorum coordinated action through sequential communications, and nothing in the public record establishes that occurred.
But open government requires more than technical
compliance. It requires that the public can witness not just the votes but the reasoning behind them – the questions asked, the concerns raised, the tradeoffs weighed. When that deliberation migrates to weekly calls, private briefings, and closed sessions, the public loses the ability to evaluate whether their elected officials are exercising judgment or simply ratifying staff recommendations.
A New Commission
Whatcom County voters signaled they want change. In November, Carly James defeated incumbent Ken Bell, and the electorate approved expanding the commission from three members to five – the most significant structural reform in the Port’s recent history.
Proponents of expanding the commission have said it should improve transparency. With five commissioners instead of three, a quorum rises from two to three. Private one-on-one conversations between the executive director and individual commissioners can no longer constitute a majority. The geometry of serial meetings becomes harder to achieve.
At his third to last meeting, outgoing commissioner Bell raised questions the new commission should answer.
“I know we probably spent $2-3 million dollars on attorney fees this year,” Bell said. “How much do we spend on legal fees, and what are they being spent on, and how are they being used? I feel the same way about consultants. How much of that should be in house?”
The 2025 operating budget shows approximately $885,000 in legal expenses spread across departments – less than half Bell’s estimate. The discrepancy suggests either significant spending beyond budgeted amounts or legal costs embedded in other line items. The new commission should find out which.
Recommendations
The patterns documented in this report – threshold clustering, contract amendments that bypass competitive requirements, executive session usage far exceeding comparable ports, and procurement files missing required documentation — did not arise from any single decision. They accumulated over years, normalized through repetition, invisible until examined systematically.
The incoming commission has an opportunity to reverse that trajectory. We recommend:
On Procurement:
• Conduct a comprehensive audit of professional services
contracts, with particular attention to sole source justifications, threshold structuring, and amendment patterns
• Require staff to present any contract above $75,000 with documentation of competitive solicitation – not on consent agenda, but as a discussion item
• Establish a policy requiring commission approval before any contract amendment that would push total value above $100,000
• Review the Jennifer Noveck consulting arrangement and determine whether continued sole source designation is legally justified
On Executive Sessions:
• Set a target to reduce executive session frequency to levels comparable with peer ports – below 50 percent of meetings
• Require the executive director to provide written justification for each executive session, to be retained as public record
• Publish quarterly reports on executive session usage, including duration and stated purpose
On Transparency:
• End the practice of weekly individual briefings between the executive director and commissioners; replace with written briefings distributed to all commissioners simultaneously and made available to the public
• Remove routine contracts from consent agendas; reserve consent for genuinely ministerial matters
• Require public progress reports on contracts involving public communications, strategic planning, or policy development – including the Conflux contract, retroactively On Legal Spending:
• Reconcile budgeted legal expenses with actual payments to outside counsel
• Evaluate whether the volume of legal work justifies inhouse counsel, as Commissioner Bell suggested
• Publish an annual report detailing legal expenses by category and matter
The Port of Bellingham is a public institution managing public assets on behalf of Whatcom County residents. Its commissioners are elected to deliberate in public, to question expenditures openly, and to ensure that competitive processes, not relationships, determine who receives public contracts.
The patterns documented here suggest those principles have eroded. The new commission has the authority, and now the mandate, to restore them.
s From l.; Port of Bellingham executive director Rob Fix and commissioners Ken Bell, Bobby Briscoe and Michael Shepard during the February 4, 2025 meeting. Photo courtesy of Port of Bellingham YouTube
sheriff’s repOrts
November 14, 9:44 a.m.: Domestic order violence cold call on Harborview Road.
November 14, 11:53 a.m.: Landlord tenant dispute on Bay Road.
November 14, 2:36 p.m.: Suspicious person cold call on Cowichan Road.
November 14, 10:48 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Kickerville Road.
November 15, 1:19 p.m.: Welfare check on Northside Drive.
November 15, 7:18 p.m.: Hit and run cold call on Salish Road.
November 16, 5:35 a.m.: Welfare check on Sehome Court.
November 16, 1:22 p.m.: Domestic order violence on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
November 16, 8:46 p.m.: Welfare check on Skeena Way.
November 16, 11:10 p.m.:
Suspicious circumstances cold call on California Trail.
November 17, 12:51 a.m.:
Suspicious circumstances cold call on California Trail.
November 17, 2:50 a.m.: Welfare check on Harborview Road.
November 17, 8:08 a.m.: Fraud cold call on Custer School Road.
November 17, 5:13 p.m.: Animal problem on H Street Road.
November 17, 7:07 p.m.: Welfare check on Harborview Road.
November 18, 1:03 a.m.: Domestic violence assault arrest on Bay Ridge Drive.
November 18, 5:03 a.m.: Death investigation on Seafair Drive.
November 18, 10:34 a.m.: Harassment cold call on Delta Line Road.
November 18, 11:01 a.m.: Disorderly conduct on Harborview Road.
November 18, 12:36 p.m.: Welfare check on Arnie Road.
November 18, 2:12 p.m.: Trespass cold call on Harborview Road.
November 18, 7:00 p.m.: Traffic hazard on Haynie Road.
November 19, 1:33 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Camber Lane.
November 19, 5:02 p.m.: Vehicle prowl cold call on Point Whitehorn Road.
November 19, 5:47 p.m.: Trespass on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
November 20, 2:24 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Birch Bay Drive.
November 20, 10:15 a.m.: Custodial interference cold call on Birch Bay Drive.
November 20, 3:05 p.m.: Welfare check on Sehome Road.
November 20, 8:28 p.m.: Domestic violence on Moonglow Court.
November 20, 11:13 p.m.: Security check on Haynie Road.
For a complete list of WCSO reports, visit whatcomcounty.us/2120/Activity-Reports.
55. Satisfy
57. Notable space station
58. Baby’s dining accessory
Coming up
Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store Toy Drive: Now through December 5. Drop off locations for brand new, unwrapped toys include the Blaine Library, Blaine Community Center, Pacific Building Center, The Way Cafe in Birch Bay, Blaine Westside Pizza, Birch Bay Village Rec Center, Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club, Marina Cafe, and Semiahmoo Spa. Monetary donations also accepted. For more info, including online wish list ordering: blainecap.org. Sponsored by The Community Assistance Program. Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store Registration: Now through November 30. Holiday gift assistance for lower income families living within the Blaine School District. For more info and to register online, visit blainecap.org or call 530/828-5195. Sponsored by the Community Assistance Program. Holiday Festival of the Arts: Now through December 24. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. (closing at 3 p.m. on December 24), near Safeway in Sunset Square mall, 1225 E. Sunset Drive, Bellingham. Join the indoor and online festival featuring over 100 artisans from our region plus music, workshops for children and demonstrations. Info: alliedarts.org. Night Market and Luminary Walk: Friday and Saturday, November 28 and 29, 4–9:30 p.m., Blaine Library lot, 610 3rd Street. Shop local artisans, crafters and baked goods, live music, food vendors, fire pits, 21+ yule garden, competitions for Christmas trees, wreath auction, photos with special guest and luminary walk. Tickets: Adults $10, kids under 18 $5 at the event or blaineharbormusicfestival.org. Proceeds benefit Blaine Harbor Music Festival.
Live Music at The Vault: Friday, November 28, 7 p.m., The Vault Wine Bar + Bistro, 277 G Street, Featuring: Tea Seas Trio. Info: thevaultwine.com.
Friends of Blaine Library Holiday Book Sale: Saturday, November 29, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Featuring DVDs, CDs, coffee table books, teens’ and children’s books, adult fiction and non-fiction. There’s something for everyone! Shop the sale and support the Blaine Library. Info: wcls.org.
ACROSS
1. Dough made from corn flour
5. Rise
11. Gratitude
14. A low wall
15. Kidnap
18. A cup golfers want to win 19. Outgoing 21. “Partner” to flow 23. Former Michigan coach Brady 24. Proverb 28. Gasteyer and de Armas are two 29. Helps a body recover
30. Baseball Cy Young winner
32. Very fast airplane
33. Offensive baseball stat
35. Body of water
36. Record of one’s heartbeat
39. Signs a contract
41. Atomic #24
42. Bind securely
44. French Jesuit theologian
46. Fragrant brown
balsam
47. Post office box
49. Sells tickets at inflated prices
52. Places to hang coats
56. Jewish salutation
58. Yellow fruits
60. Poorly educated 62. Microorganism 63. Talk show host Barrymore DOWN 1. A way to plan 2. Three-banded armadillo 3. Mobile 4. Romanian city 5. Making sour 6. Take a seat 7. “The Golden State” 8. When you hope to arrive 9. Pointed ends of pens 10. Extinct flightless bird 12. Sharp-pointed dueling sword 13. Nape of neck
16. Problems (Spanish slang) 17. Narrow carpet 20. To avoid the risk of 22. Spiritual academic degree (abbr.) 25. Equally 26. Traditional cars still need it 27. Eligible voters 29. Greek alphabet letter
31. Body part 34. Referee-declared outcome 36. Means to moving money
37. Popular footwear brand
38. Cockatoo 40. NFL’s big game 43. Botswana currencies 45. News-reporting organization 48. Batman villain 50. Urgent request 51. Not all 53. Hallmark’s specialty 54. Knot in a tree
59. Stitch clothing 61. __ and behold
tides
November 27 - December 3 at Blaine. Not for navigation.
Holiday Harbor Lights: Saturday, November 29, 10–5 p.m., downtown Blaine near the G Street Plaza. Street fair; visit with Santa 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m.; appearances by the Grinch; live music, noon–3:30 p.m.; holiday craft bazaar, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at CTK Church; free train and carriage rides, 1 p.m.–dark; caroling with the Blaine middle and high schools choirs and bands, 3:30–4:45 p.m.; tree lighting at 4:45 p.m.
FEHB/PSHB Health Fair: Tuesday, December 2, 3:30–5:30 p.m., Bellingham Central Library, 210 Central Avenue, Bellingham. Representative from the major Federal Employees Health Benefits Program on hand with materials and discuss their 2026 plans. Info: 360/202-8999 or email merrybemerry@gmail.com.
Pacific Arts Market: Friday through Sunday, December 5–7, 12–14 and 19–21, 10 a.m.–7 p.m., near the food court in Bellis Fair mall. Info: pacificartsmarket.com.
Christmas in Oz: Friday and Saturday, December 5, 6, 12, 13, 7 p.m. and Sunday, December 7 and 14, 2 p.m., Blaine High School black box theater (enter behind Borderite Stadium). Enjoy a family-friendly musical for the holiday season. Tickets online or at the door: Adults $17, seniors/veterans/students $14, Children age 12 and under $12. Info: blainecommunitytheater.com.
Candy Cane Lane Christmas Market: Friday, December 5, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturday, December 6, 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m., St. Anne Church, 604 H Street. Shop local vendors for gifts and holiday treats.
BMS Holiday Market: Saturday, December 6, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Blaine High School cafeteria (enter behind Borderite Stadium). Featuring over 60 vendors plus music and raffles. Funds support Blaine Middle School PTSO.
Holiday Port Festival: Saturday, December 6, 11 a.m.–6:30 p.m. and Sunday, December 7, 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Bellingham Cruise Terminal, 355 Harris Avenue, Bellingham. Music and dance performances, gingerbread house display, visit and photos with Santa, lighted boat parade. Info: bit.ly/3LYtTS1.
Weather
Precipitation: During the period of November 17 to 23, 0.7 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2025 year-to-date precipitation is 26.8 inches.
Temperature: High for the past week was 58.4°F on November 20 with a low of 33.5°F on November 19. Average high was 54.1°F and average low was 40.7°F.
Carols by Candlelight: Wednesday, December 10, 6 p.m., Zion Lutheran Church, 7215 Valley View Road, Ferndale. Sing favorite Christmas carols and songs and enjoy the spirit of the season. With refreshments and fellowship to follow. Info: 366-5567 or office@ zionlutheranwhatcom.org.
Ongoing
Blaine Food Bank: 500 C Street. Open Mondays 9 a.m.–noon, Wednesdays 5–7 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m.–noon. Info: 360/3326350 or info@blainefoodbank.org.
The Bridge Food Bank: Fridays, 2 p.m.–4 p.m., The Bridge Community Hope Center, 7620 Birch Bay Drive. New registration required at thebridgehope.com or call 360/366-8763. Volunteers
Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
s Adored Again carries both everyday items and formalwear in new or like-new condition.
Boutique ...
From page 3
Although she stepped back from styling to focus on opening the boutique, DiMezza hopes to return to it once the new business settles and expand her services to local clients.
“I enjoy styling people,” DiMezza said. “I really appreciate what things look like on other people rather than just me. It’s an art form.”
DiMezza also sells most of the boutique’s items online to reach a wider audience. She lists items to eBay, Poshmark and Depop, finding that different demographics are drawn to each platform. To shop the online collection, visit DiMezza’s Linktree account at linktr.ee/adoredagain.
s Adored Again is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week in Birch Bay Square, though hours may change based on traffic.
Currently, the boutique is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day at 8115 Birch Bay Square, suite 105; however, these hours may change depending on business needs. To contact the store, DiMezza recommends reaching out
by emailing her at adored_again@ outlook.com or sending her a direct message on the boutique’s Instagram account, @adored_ again_bydev.
Photos by Madelyn Jones
New Traffic Pattern Begins December 1
The Downtown Blaine Revitalization Project, is well underway, with all businesses remaining open and accessible. Please be aware of the new traffic pattern during this phase. Traffic from the roundabout south to F Street will be reduced to a single lane with intermittent closures.
