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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
July 18 - 24, 2024
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Canoe journey to stop in Birch Bay, page 2
Organization giving free bikes to Blaine youth, page 3
Blaine Harbor Music Festival, page 8
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Plover launches after undergoing major repairs August 6 primary election ballots mailed By Nolan Baker
s Plover senior captain Richard Sturgill, r., waves goodbye as the historic Plover ferry cruises on July 12 from Blaine Harbor to Semiahmoo Spit for the first time since summer 2022. The 80-year-old boat underwent extensive repairs over nearly two years to replace aging wooden planks, among other issues. The city of Blaine, which owns the boat, paid $130,000 to the boat’s operator, Drayton Harbor Maritime, for the repairs. Sturgill said a start date for regular boat rides has yet to be determined. Photo by Nolan Baker
Birch Bay Station 63 in need of replacement, firefighters say Levy lid lift proposal in August 6 primary would provide kick-starter funds By Joshua Kornfeld
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) lieutenant Adam Smith was sleeping in Birch Bay Station 63, resting from a demanding shift, when a ceiling tile fell on him due to a waterlogged roof. Smith wasn’t injured, but it was just another event highlighting structural and safety concerns at the aging fire station. Since then, repairs have kept the station operating, including buckets scattered around the floor of the station to capture rainwater. “I think the best way to think about Station 63 is that it’s kind of like an old shoe. It’s a little bit too small. There’s a (See Election, page 2) lot of holes that have been patched up,” said Liz Bronder, a firefighter who works tjohnson;Seattle;Clean Air Heating & Cooling;C33432-154586;10x2-4C (24Su-B1)
and lives at Station 63. “I think last time I checked, we had five different leaks in the roof that are just leaking into buckets on the ground.” NWFR chief Jason Van der Veen said the station needs to be replaced as the list of problems grows. The training tower has visible cracks, which firefighters are unable to use due to structural concerns. The training tower would not withstand a large earthquake, and while a structural survey of the entire station has not been done, Van der Veen said he believes the station would not stand. The building layout is also outdated, Van der Veen said. The building is not up to current ADA standards, female firefighters (See Fire station, page 6)
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Ballots for the August 6 primary election are set to be mailed to voters across Whatcom County on July 17. According to the most recent data from the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office, 160,384 registered voters were slated to receive ballots in Whatcom County this week. Below are the positions and measures up for election that will most impact Blaine and Birch Bay residents: • Federal positions: Senate, District 2 Congressional Representative • Statewide positions: Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, State Auditor, Attorney General, Commissioner of Public Lands, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Insurance Commissioner • State legislature: District 42 State Representatives – position one and two • State Supreme Court Justice Position Two • Various precinct committee officer positions • Proposition 2024-17: Levy lid lift for North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) The NWFR levy lid lift is a measure to increase the property tax collected for the fire district from its current $0.76 per $1,000 to $1.10 per $1,000 in assessed home value. It would cost the owner of a $500,000 home an additional $14.16 per month, or $170 a year. The funds would go toward replacing the aging Fire Station 63 in Birch Bay, hiring more personnel and upgrading fire engines, according to NWFR. For more information on specific candidates for each position, visit bit.ly/3W81KsW. Registered voters can vote as soon as they receive ballots, either by mail, drop box returns, or in person at the auditor’s office. Voter registration and address changes done online or via mail must be received by the auditor’s office by Monday, July 29 in order to be eligible to vote in the election. After July 29, people will need to visit the auditor’s office to register to vote or make an address change. There are 21 drop boxes in Whatcom County accepting ballots for the primary, including at Blaine Public Library (610 3rd Street), North Whatcom Fire and Rescue’s Birch Bay station (4581 Birch Bay-Lynden Road) and Custer Elementary School (7660 Custer School Road). All ballot boxes will close at 8 p.m. on Election Day, August 6.
Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . 11, 12 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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