The Northern Light: October 24-30, 2024 by Daffodil Press LLC

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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay

October 24 - 30, 2024

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IN THIS

ISSUE

Halloween events, page 2

Borderites homecoming games, pages 6-7

Q&A with Blaine mural artists, pages 8-9

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

Birch Bay man Construction on Blaine medical facility begins arrested for Rite Aid robbery By Grace McCarthy

Questions mount over port contracts

s A construction crew works on Family Care Network’s future Blaine medical facility on October 21. Work began in late summer on the property, which is between Ben’s Travel Plaza and Taco Bell on Grant Ave. FCN spokesperson Michele Anderson said the clinic is expected to open in fall 2025 if everything remains on track. Photo by Grace McCarthy

City of Blaine to consider de-annexing Grandis Pond, swapping urban growth areas By Grace McCarthy

City of Blaine planning staff is in the early stages of creating a proposal to de-annex the Grandis Pond property and add 460 acres of urban growth area (UGA) southwest of B y P a t G r u bb Semiahmoo, among other UGA changes, in The Port of Bellingham’s recent contracting its comprehensive plan update. “We’re at the very, very beginning of this practices have raised additional concerns about commissioner oversight and budget transpar- whole thing,” Community Services Departency, as two recent high-value contracts appear ment director Alex Wenger said. “We put to have bypassed advance commissioner re- this out-of-the-box option on the table because we think there will be a significant view and standard budget protocols. Neither the $99,435 contract with Maul decreased burden on taxpayers and it would Foster and Alongi, Inc. (MFA) nor the earlier preserve natural resources in east Blaine.” Wenger said de-annexing Grandis Pond $99,396 Conflux Associates agreement show out of both the city and its UGA would like(See Port, page 13) tjohnson;Seattle;Clean Air Heating & Cooling;C33432-154586;10x2-4C (24Fa-B1)ly require a supermajority vote needing a 60 Receive up to $1,500 in rebates when you purchase the Ultimate Comfort System™*

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percent approval by voters. The city is also considering adding 124 acres of UGA near Harvey Road and is looking at rezoning an adjacent, 455-acre UGA for manufacturing use. The plan would remove 37 acres of unincorporated UGA near the mouth of Dakota Creek that isn’t suited for development and add a UGA reserve in two areas totaling nearly 300 acres southwest of Semiahmoo that wouldn’t be developed until years into the future. In total, the city’s amount of UGA would decrease by five acres. Wenger said the city wasn’t considering increasing its number of UGAs because there is developable land within city limits where development will (See Grandis, page 3)

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INSIDE

Blaine Police Department (BPD) officers arrested a Birch Bay resident for assault and robbery after he allegedly stole alcohol from the Rite Aid drugstore on Boblett Street about 8 p.m. October 17. An employee was transported to hospital due to their injuries. According to BPD sergeant Tim Richardson, the employee tried to stop a man, later identified as David Shawn Brink, from stealing a bottle of alcohol. Brink allegedly punched the employee several times in the face, causing head and facial injuries resulting in a bloodied face. Blaine police arrived within about a minute of receiving the call but Brink had already fled. Blaine officers sent Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) a description of the suspect and his vehicle, and WCSO deputies tentatively identified the man as Brink. WCSO sent bodycam footage of Brink, who was positively identified by employees and other witnesses as the suspect, according to BPD. A WCSO deputy subsequently located Brink’s van in Birch Bay and detained him until Blaine officers arrived. According to BPD, Brink had blood on his hands, a jacket in his van that matched surveillance footage and he confessed to stealing the alcohol and assaulting the employee. Brink was booked into Whatcom County Jail for first-degree robbery, fourth-degree assault and third-degree theft, according to jail booking data. Bail has not yet been set and his preliminary appearance was 3 p.m. on October 18.

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Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . 11, 12 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . 6, 7 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14

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8/29/24 3:09 PM