October 9 - 15, 2025
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IN THIS
ISSUE
“Sowing and Sewing to Freedom” festival, page 3
Blaine Seaside Bash featuring Oysterfest returns Oct. 11
Tsunami siren to go off on Oct. 16, page 6
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Man sentenced for Custer crime, page 6
Revitalization rolls out in downtown Blaine
By Grace McCarthy
(See Festival, page 6)
s Months of construction for the city of Blaine’s Downtown Revitalization Project is coming to fruition with the completion of the project’s first phase on Peace Portal Drive in early October. The project is replacing sidewalks and trees as well as adding new lighting to the main thoroughfare downtown. Peace Portal Drive remains closed to traffic from just north of H Street to just south of F Street.
Photo by Grace McCarthy
Blaine City Council starts budget discussions By Grace McCarthy Blaine City Council, which is ramping up 2026 budget discussions, is expected to discuss most of the city’s fund proposals during its Monday, October 13 meeting. The funds that will be discussed include capital projects, utilities, special revenue and debt service. City council discussed the city’s proposal for the 2026 general fund, which pays for the city’s everyday expenses, during its September 22 meeting.
Blaine finance director Jennifer Spidle said the city’s 2026 budget proposal is similar to its 2025 budget, with each funding only the essentials the city needs to operate. “It’s just what we need to continue to operate,” Spidle said. “There’s no fluff in the budget.” Following the next council meeting, the governing body will hold two public hearings related to the budget during its meetings on Monday, October 27 and Monday, November 10. The first hearing topic, on October 27, will
Whatcom County Council increases its involvement in tort and damage claims By Nolan Baker Whatcom County Council recently approved county code amendments on tort and damage claims in an effort to close a legal loophole that kept the legislative body from knowing about a $225,000 sexual harassment payout made to a county employee in 2022. Council’s unanimous vote during its October 7 meeting followed a public
hearing on the amendments that drew one person in support. The most significant change to the county code is the establishment of a risk management working group and the addition of a county council member to that group. The working group will be comprised of the county executive, director of finance, prosecuting attorney, county risk manager and chair of county council’s
finance committee or a designated council member. The group will oversee risk management for the county and have a legal framework for notifying county government about legal payouts. The issue of legal payouts came to the forefront when Cascade PBS released a report in April 2024 detailing a six-figure payout that former public works director (See County, page 3)
be on the city’s 2026 revenue sources and proposed property tax levy, which is a one percent increase allowed by the state that brought in about $15,000 this year. A hearing on the 2026 preliminary budget will be held on both October 27 and November 10. City council will have its next regularly scheduled meeting at 6 p.m. Monday, October 13 in Blaine City Hall, 435 Martin Street. For more information on the public hearings, visit the city’s website at bit. ly/42vkBSZ.
INSIDE
The Blaine Seaside Bash featuring Oysterfest will ring in fall with a day full of shopping, games, live music and oyster shucking on Saturday, October 11 in downtown Blaine. Event organizers Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 and the city of Blaine will hold the bash from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Peace Portal Drive and H Street, while Drayton Harbor Oyster Company will put on Oysterfest at its restaurant, 685 Peace Portal Drive, and the neighboring H Street Plaza from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. “It’s celebrating the things that make Blaine unique,” said Olea Mills, event coordinator at Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2. “We have this gorgeous harbor here that supplies delicious seafood. We’re hoping to highlight local businesses and bring everyone together.” The bash will kick off at 10 a.m. with live music and a street fair with dozens of vendors. An area with free crafts and games will be set up for children, and there will be two beer gardens for adults in the Border Town Pizza parking lot and at Drayton Harbor Oyster Company. Contests will provide entertainment throughout the day at a stage in the center of H Street and Peace Portal Drive. The first competitions of the day will be a dog and owner look-a-like contest at 11:30 a.m., cutest baby contest at noon and a seagull call contest at 12:30 p.m. The afternoon will focus on oyster-themed contests, starting with an amateur oyster shucking competition at 1 p.m., followed by an industry professional oyster shucking competition at 2:15 p.m. and a shucking toss at 3 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear orange for a community photo at 2 p.m. by the stage. Oysterfest will have oyster art for children, a silent auction, trivia and
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