The Northern Light: October 19-25, 2023

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October 19 - 25, 2023

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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer

IN THIS Rite Aid files for bankruptcy, Parks district planning fall

ISSUE page 3 2023

WINNER OF

festival, page 5

Candidates Q & A, page 6

PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230

Hungry? Ben’s Markets has the solution

43 AWARDS The Northern Light

See awards on page 16

BBBPRD2 approves levy for February 24 ballot By Nolan Baker

s A massive truck stop, convenience store and fast food outlets is scheduled to open next month at the corner of Boblett Street and the truck route. Photo by Pat Grubb

Blaine becoming a (fast) food Mecca B y P a t G r u bb Ben’s Markets, an Eastern Washington state-based convenience store and gas station operator will be opening a combo truck stop/Tesla supercharging site/convenience store and fast-food outlets on Boblett Street on the old Blaine airport site. The company’s website shows a store opening count-down clock with an estimated opening date of December 1. In November 2021, Ben’s Markets bought four Yorky’s gas stations from the Yorkston Oil Company in Blaine and Bellingham. Yorkston also owned Boblett Properties located on the airport land which the city of Blaine held a Right of First Purchase (RFP) agreement if Yorkston wanted to sell it to another party. Under the RFP, the city could buy the property at a pre-determined price. The city saw the new owners as interested

NOV 5 3 : 00 PM

For ticket sales

B EL L I N G H A M S YM PH O N Y.O R G

Rise

in actively developing the land, and were better positioned to do so sooner, then-city manager Michael Jones said in a phone interview with The Northern Light. The new Ben’s Market Travel America truck stop will open across the street from the old Yorky’s station and will include a Carl’s Jr burger joint, a Cinnabon, a Jamba Juice and a Pizza Hut. Other than the five in Blaine and Bellingham, Ben’s Markets owns 12 other outlets in Cle Elum, Ellensburg, Quincy, Ephrata, Coulee Dam and Grand Coulee. The company prides itself on its technical prowess, clean facilities, and “a seamless and efficient experience for all [its] customers.” The company is owned by Ben Yoshi. Ben’s Truck Stop received its certificate of formation from the Washington State Secretary of State on October 7. The four new food outlets join McDon-

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DiLORENZO Anthem of Hope SAY Concerto for Cello and Orchestra, “Never Give Up”, Op. 73 TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6, “Pathétique”

alds, Taco Bell, Burger King, Subway, Westside Pizza and Teriyaki Secret all in the immediate area.

INSIDE

The Blaine-Birch Bay Park & Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2) board of commissioners announced at its October 10 monthly meeting it will present a ballot measure to renew its levy of $0.10 per $1,000 of assessed home valuation in the February 13, 2024 special election. The announcement came after the district failed to submit a levy request before the filing deadline for the upcoming November 7 ballot. District director Heather Lindsay said staff turnover due to Covid was to blame for the district missing the deadline. The proposed levy, Resolution 2023-10, will continue the same six-year, $0.10 property tax levy approved by voters in 2017. Lindsay said that although inflation has increased staffing and program costs in the seven years since voters last approved the levy, it’s imperative for BBBPRD2 to keep costs down for its constituents. “Our mission is to provide recreational opportunities to everyone,” Lindsay said. “We know that a lot of people are hurting from the economy right now and that even raising [prices] from $3 a lesson to $5 a lesson is a lot for some of our constituents. We believe that we can do everything that we offer within a budget, and that 10-cent budget we can manage.” The district offers classes and programs partnered with Blaine Youth Sports, the senior center, the city of Blaine and the Blaine school district. Lindsay said since Covid restrictions were eliminated, demand for recreation opportunities in Blaine and Birch Bay has increased dramatically. As of time of printing, BBBPRD2’s levy will be one of three proposed property taxes on the February 2024 ballot, with the Blaine school district approving an “enrichment levy” of $0.98 and a bond levy of $0.76 per (See Levy, page 3)

Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14

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