August 9 - 15, 2018
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Bands perform at the Birch Bay Music Festival, page 4
Teenagers paint murals at Blaine Skate Park, page 6
Photos from Drayton Harbor Days, page 10
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Incumbent Republicans to face vigorous Democratic challenge in District 42 B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See Election, page 6)
s Kids kept cool during Splash Days on August 3. The event took place at 3rd and Martin streets in Blaine and will take place again from 1-3 p.m. on Friday, August 10. Pictured from l.: Brenna Crews, 5, Lucas Johnson, 3, and Charlie Johnson, 5. Photo by Mathew Roland
Time to rev your engines this weekend in Birch Bay B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e Birch Bay’s annual Rollback Weekend features live music, entertainment, a beer garden and a car competition and it takes place this weekend on Saturday and Sunday, August 11-12, at Birch Bay Beach Park. Car competition participants are welcome to register for the competition once the park opens at 10 a.m. on Saturday. Starting at 11 a.m., a beer garden opens and the entertainment and live music begins.
On Saturday, Firstborn will perform from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., The Replayzmentz from 1 to 3 p.m. and Lost at Last from 4:30 to 7 p.m. A hula hoop competition will commence at 4 p.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. Judges will scan each car from noon to 3 p.m. before awarding prizes at an awards ceremony beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday. On Sunday, car competition participants can register for that day’s competition at 10 a.m. when the park opens. The beer garden will open at 11 a.m. as will a variety of
Blaine Senior Center reaches major milestone ‘Golden Anniversary Hoedown’ to take place from 4-8 p.m. Saturday, August 11 B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e The Blaine Senior Center, a popular hub for residents and visitors, is turning 50. To celebrate its legacy in the community, senior center staff and volunteers are host-
ing a Golden Anniversary Hoedown from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 11 at the Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. The special event will feature a barbecue dinner, beer garden and live music. Blaine mayor Bonnie Onyon, Whatcom County Parks and Recreation director Michael McFarlane and Betty Granlund, the daughter of late Blaine Senior Center co-founding member Evelyn Yarbrough, will briefly speak at the event. “The hoedown is a way for the senior center to give back,” director Kathy Sitker said. “It’s our way of saying ‘thank you.’”
History The creation of the Blaine Senior Center dates back to 1968, when a band of local seniors formed Young at Heart, Sitker said. The group met regularly at the former Blaine Lutheran Church before breaking ground on a facility of their own at 763 G Street in October 1974. Then city mayor John Nolan and Whatcom County commissioner Terry Unger were among the handful of local dignitaries who attended the ceremony. (See Seniors, page 9)
community games and live music. On Sunday, an Elvis impersonator will perform from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Infinity Dance Company from 4 to 4:30 p.m. and Bad Dog Blues from 4:30 to 7 p.m. The public gets to vote for Sunday’s car competition winners, which will be announced on Friday, August 17. The four cruisers with the most votes will win a custom, pinstriped Fender electric guitar. To register for the car competition online, visit birchbaychamber.com.
INSIDE
Initial primary election vote tallies indicate that incumbent Republicans serving three legislative positions in District 42 will face Democratic challengers in the general election this November. Incumbent state senator Doug Ericksen (R) will likely compete against Pinky Vargas (D) in the general. According to a vote count released on August 7, the day of the election, Ericksen received 12,847 votes (46 percent), Vargas received 8,132 (29 percent) and Tim Ballew II (D) received 7,074 (25 percent). Ericksen has served the position since 2010 and was last re-elected in 2014. Vargas is a senior business accounts manager at Puget Sound Energy and is a Bellingham City Councilmember serving the fourth ward. Both Republican incumbents running for state representative positions received fewer votes than their Democratic challengers. Incumbent state representative Luanne Van Werven (R) and challenger Justin Boneau (D) are posed to run against one another in the general. Boneau received 14,179 votes (51 percent) and Werven received 12,331 (44 percent). A third candidate, Dean Berkeley (R), received 1,429 votes (5 percent). For position 2, incumbent Vincent Buys (R) will run against Sharon Shewmake (D) in the general. Shewmake received 14,662 votes (53 percent) and Buys received
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