November 9 - 15, 2023
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IN THIS
ISSUE
New chef joins Semiahmoo Resort, page 5
Birch Bay incorporation group seeks community input
Veterans Day, pages 8-9
Girls soccer misses state playoffs, page 15
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Art showcase highlights local talent
By Grace McCarthy
(See Birch Bay, page 3)
s Blaine Arts Council hosted the Sea to See art showcase and sale at the Blaine Community Center Pavilion on November 4. The event, which was the organization’s first pop-up show, had about 20 Whatcom County artists on display as well as live music and food vendors. Photo by Ruth Lauman
Jail ballot measure finally gets voter backing, Sidhu and Chadwick lead in top race By Grace McCarthy Ballots cast in the November 7 general election show a wave of new faces representing Whatcom County, including a new county jail and likely three new faces on Blaine school board. Preliminary results also show Satpal Sidhu will retain his position as Whatcom County Executive and undersheriff Doug Chadwick slightly ahead for Whatcom County Sheriff. About 29 percent of the county’s 159,700 registered voters turned in their ballots by 8 p.m. Election Day. There were 46,160 ballots counted on election night and the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office estimated another
18,000 ballots were left to be counted as of election night. The auditor’s office expects to receive more ballots that are still in the mail or from late arriving ballot boxes before the election is certified on November 28. Proposition 4, the Whatcom County Public Health, Safety and Justice Sales and Use Tax, was passing by a wide margin. The ballot measure garnered 66.2 percent (29,164) of Whatcom County voters’ support, while 33.9 percent (14,925) were against it. Proposition 4 will authorize a sales tax of two-tenths of one percent, or 20 cents per $100, to fund a new county jail. Funds will also go toward behavioral health, supportive housing, public safety and other crimi-
Blaine substitute teacher arrested on suspicion of first-degree child molestation By Grace McCarthy A Blaine school district substitute teacher was arrested November 2 on suspicion of first-degree child molestation after two middle school students reported he inappropriately touched them. Blaine Police Department (BPD) began investigating Gerald William Robinson, 61, on October 13 after Blaine Middle School reported multiple female stu-
dents had complained of inappropriate conduct by Robinson, wrote BPD sergeant Tim Richardson in an email to The Northern Light. Two female students who were 11 and 12 years old reported Robinson touching intimate areas over their clothing, BPD lieutenant Michael Munden said. More than 10 students have reported to Blaine police that Robinson made them feel uncomfortable by staring or making
inappropriate comments, though not all of those reports were criminal in nature, Munden said. All of the incidents have occurred since the start of the school year on the middle school campus, Munden said, and some of those incidents were caught on camera. Robinson declined to speak to Blaine (See Arrest, page 2)
nal justice services. Support for the measure comes after voters twice rejected ballot measures to fund a new jail in 2015 and 2017. Incumbent Satpal Sidhu was leading Dan Purdy for the Whatcom County Executive position. Sidhu had 55.7 percent (25,105) and Purdy had 44.1 percent (19,904) of the votes. Doug Chadwick was ahead of Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley for the Whatcom County Sheriff position, but by a small margin. Chadwick received 51 percent (22,767) of votes and Tanksley received 48.9 percent (21,845), putting Chadwick (See Election, page 6)
INSIDE
A community group looking at the potential of Birch Bay becoming its own city is expected to vote on its proposed incorporation boundaries, bylaws and steering committee representatives during its Wednesday, November 15 meeting. The meeting will be held 5:30 p.m. at Christ the King Community Church, 4895 Birch Bay-Lynden Road in Birch Bay. Anyone who lives, works or owns property in Birch Bay is encouraged to attend the meeting, group founder Matt Berry said. “We want as much involvement as possible,” Berry said. “Anyone can attend, even if they’re against incorporation.” People who haven’t attended a previous meeting may join the organization and vote at the November 15 meeting, Berry said. Since it started, the group has gained 77 registered members and 692 people on its email list. Members include people who helped with Birch Bay’s incorporation attempt in 1992, members of the Birch Bay Steering Committee in the early 2000s, local government leaders and representatives of Birch Bay organizations. The organization is advocating for Whatcom County to conduct a feasibility study on Birch Bay incorporation that would answer questions, such as those on city operating costs and tax revenue, to determine whether the group wants to move forward with incorporation. The study would serve as an update to a 2008 feasibility study on Birch Bay incorporation. Berry started the most recent movement for Birch Bay to become its own city earlier this year after frustration mounted from residents who felt Whatcom County wasn’t adequately representing them. In April, Berry released the first survey on Birch Bay governance to the community and began holding monthly meetings in June for residents to discuss
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