FREE
Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
December 19 - 25, 2019
HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
City council passes budget, Hundreds of census takers being hired locally, page 8 raises utility rates, page 7
Data-driven traffic patrol coming to Blaine, page 16
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
1,000-foot buffer proposed in no shooting zone debate By Jami Makan
(See Hunting, page 5)
s Mark Seymour, co-owner of Drayton Harbor Oyster Company, serves free oysters at the fourth annual Drayton Harbor Shellebration on December 13 at the H Street Plaza. The event celebrated healthy waters and a fresh shellfish harvest, and included a presentation of watershed steward awards. The award winners were Rick Beauregard, Drayton Harbor Shellfish Protection District (DHSPD) advisory committee member; Kurt Baumgarten, Port of Bellingham environmental planner and DHSPD advisory committee member; Blaine Harbor port staff members Kai Rick, Andy Peterson, Roland Montoure and Greg Hoffman; Chrissy Ness, former lead operator at the Lighthouse Point Water Reclamation Facility; Marie Hegarty and Steve Leggit of Fair Cow’s Path Farm; and Sharon and Rod Tjoeker of RTJ Farm LLC. Photo by Chuck Kinzer/CKimageart.com
Seattle man hid gun in bushes in order to cross border By Jami Makan A Seattle man is facing a possible charge of reckless endangerment after he hid his Glock pistol in some bushes on Marine Drive in order to cross the border into Canada, which restricts handgun imports. On December 4 at about 7 p.m., Blaine police were dispatched to the Peace Arch port of entry to assist CBP, who had detained Karim Ayesh, 50. Upon arrival, a CBP officer explained that earlier in the day, Ayesh had declared a firearm when applying for entry into Canada. CBSA had temporarily seized the firearm and brought the gun and Ayesh to the U.S. port of entry, where Ayesh was checked for warrants and found to be able to legally possess the handgun. A short time after he was denied entry into Canada and released back into the
U.S., Ayesh again returned to the border and applied for entry into Canada a second time. This time, he did not have the firearm with him. He was again denied entry and returned to U.S. Customs, where he was questioned about the location of his firearm. After allegedly stating that he had left the gun in some bushes somewhere in Blaine, Blaine police were called to investigate. After a Blaine officer arrived at the border, Ayesh admitted to bringing a gun into Blaine and was told to stop talking. He was advised of his Miranda rights but made no request for an attorney and continued speaking with the Blaine officer. “Ayesh explained that he had been going up to Canada to pick up his brother, did not realize he would not be able to bring his gun to Canada and, when he was sent back, asked U.S. CBP if he could
store his gun at the port while he picked up his brother,” said the Blaine officer’s report. “U.S. CBP told him they do not (See Bushes, page 2)
INSIDE
A compromise has been proposed in the debate over a proposed no shooting zone that the city of Blaine is seeking to establish in Drayton Harbor. The compromise envisions a 1,000-foot buffer around Drayton Harbor’s shoreline in which no shooting would be allowed; hunting would be allowed to continue in the middle area of the harbor under county jurisdiction. The city of Blaine has requested that Whatcom County Council amend section 9.32 of the Whatcom County Code, which enables the creation of no shooting zones in the county’s jurisdiction. The city of Blaine is seeking the creation of a no shooting zone in all of Drayton Harbor, much of which is outside of Blaine city limits, in order to address some residents’ concerns about gunfire near homes and property. The gunfire occurs during the waterfowl hunting season when hunters on boats shoot at sea ducks using birdshot. Blaine officials have argued that hunters sometimes wander inadvertently from the county’s portion of the harbor, where hunting is allowed, into the city’s portion of the harbor, where hunting is banned. They have also said that hunting presents a safety risk, with the area around Drayton Harbor becoming increasingly urbanized and populated. The compromise, proposed by Whatcom County councilmember Rud Browne, attempts to address these concerns. “If [the no shooting zone] is 1,000 feet around the entire perimeter, it’s easy to know when you’re in the boundary and when you’re outside the boundary,” Browne said at Whatcom County Council’s December 3 meeting. “The maximum range of a shotgun is quite significantly less than 1,000 feet,” he added. At the December 3 meeting, Browne made a motion to hold the matter until the council’s next meeting, scheduled to occur on January 14, in order to obtain feedback on the compromise from stakeholders including the Lummi tribe and Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley. The motion passed 5-2 with Todd Donovan and Carol Frazey opposed. “I am trying to thread the needle to
Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 14 Coming Up . . . . . 17 Police . . . . . . . . . 17 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 17
TheNorthernLight.com TheNorthernLight
@TNLreporter
@TheNorthernLightNews
37TH ANNUAL BIRCH BAY POLAR BEAR PLUNGE
News Year ’ s Day • Wednesday, January 1 Register online or beginning at 10 am New Year’s Day • Plunge at Noon Birch Bay Visitor Center • 7900 Birch Bay Drive Warming Fire Pits • Hot Drinks • Costume Contest at 11 am FOR MORE INFORMATION & REGISTRATION VISIT:
www.BirchBayChamber.com
EVENT SPONSORS
Billy Brown
ANNUAL
Ring Of Fire & Hope NEW YEAR’S EVE December 31• 7 pm Flares available at 5 pm at
Birch Bay Visitor Information Center 7900 Birch Bay Dr. • Birch Bay