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April 18 - 24, 2024

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WCLS Op-Ed on Birch Bay library express, page 4

International women’s film festival, page 6

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

Blaine sports, page 10

Old Chuck’s Drive-In comes down ... Blaine High School performs ‘Mamma Mia!’ By Nolan Baker

(See Theater, page 5) tjohnson;Seattle;Clean Air Comfort Systems;C33432;10x2-4c (24No)

s The once hopping old Chuck’s Drive-In on Portal Drive was torn down on April 15. The Blaine Community Development Services (CDS) Department has been working with several property owners to remove derelict buildings on Peace Portal Drive. Dating back to the mid-20th century, Chuck’s was a favorite hangout for young and old alike looking for burgers and milkshakes. CDS director Alex Wenger said there are no immediate plans for the property, but the owner is looking at developing the property. Photo by Molly Ernst

Planning commission extends public hearing on downtown parking reductions By Grace McCarthy Blaine Planning Commission voted during its April 11 meeting to continue a public hearing on a proposal that would give developers the option of reduced residential parking requirements. The commission will continue accepting testimony until its next hearing on Thursday, May 9. In exchange for reducing parking to a minimum amount set by the city, developers would be required to pay a fee funding downtown transportation improvements. The changes to parking requirements would apply to the entire downtown. Under the proposal, residential parking could be reduced to .5 stalls for a studio, .75 stalls for a one-bedroom unit, one stall

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for two- and three-bedroom units, and .5 additional stalls for each bedroom over a three-bedroom unit. Developers in the waterview district, which is the west side of Peace Portal Drive in the downtown core, could opt for an additional 50 percent reduction in residential parking in addition to overall reductions. Nine people attended the planning commission’s public hearing April 11 at city hall. Salishan resident Kathleen Capson said she was against relaxing the parking requirements, saying she doesn’t visit White Rock or Fairhaven because parking is difficult. “At a time when fun, local recreational (See Parking, page 3)

INSIDE

The Blaine High School Theatre Arts Program’s opening night performance of “Mamma Mia!” will occur Thursday, April 18 at the Performing Arts Center, with doors opening at 7 p.m. The musical is based on the smash Broadway comedy/musical, which was later adapted for the big screen in 2008 starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep, featuring covers of Swedish pop group ABBA’s greatest hits. BHS drama teacher Olivia Theilemann will direct the show, with musical direction by Andy Marshall and choreography by Renee Scheib. The musical is set to be one of the largest shows ever taken on by the Blaine theater arts program, featuring a cast of 33 performers, a pit orchestra of eight musicians, and a backstage crew of roughly a dozen, Theilemann said. “I knew this show would get the community out to watch,” Theilemann said. “I knew that I could do a really big cast. One thing the kids are really into is comedy and being silly and dancing around. It’s an easy show to fall in love with.” “Mamma Mia!” is a two-act musical telling the story of a young bride-to-be, performed by senior Ava Freeman, who seeks to find out which of her mother’s (played by senior Lucy Dahl) three past suitors is her father. Set on a fictional Greek island, the musical features ABBA familiars like “Dancing Queen,” “Money, Money, Money” and “I Have a Dream.” Besides the performances from Blaine’s young thespians, another big draw for “Mamma Mia!” is the massive Mediterranean set, built over the course of three months by three parents. “I’ve heard there’s never been a set that can hold a candle to this set,” Theilemann said. Everything about the production – like the musical itself – seems big, loud, bright and exciting. After the fall showing of “The Crucible,” Theilemann said she wanted to go in a lighter, more comedy-centric direction, and knew “Mamma

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