August 20 - 26, 2015
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Hawaiian flights return to Bellingham airport, page 2
State being fined $100,000 a day for failing to fund education
Pet care special section, page 7
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Active seniors special section, pages 8-9
A day at the beach in Birch Bay
By Steve Guntli Washington’s supreme court is fining the state government $100,000 a day for the legislature’s failure to fully fund public education. The ruling is in keeping with the court’s McCleary decision of 2012, which determined the state was failing to meet its responsibilities to the people in funding education. In January 2014 the court ordered the state to ensure education was fully funded no later than 2018. When the legislature failed to produce such a plan, the court found the state in contempt, but gave it until the 2015 legislative session to form a plan before imposing sanctions. A comprehensive plan failed to appear in time. While the state has made strides in addressing class sizes, all-day kindergarten classes and funding for textbooks and supplies, local schools are still largely dependent on levies to pay for education costs. Under the McCleary decision, these costs should be the sole responsibility of the state. The decision, which was unanimous among the nine supreme court justices, will force the state to pay $100,000 a day, effective immediately. The money will go toward funding education programs. The court is also encouraging Governor Jay Inslee to convene a special session of the legislature to address the education plan. The court decreed it would suspend the fines while meetings of this commission were in session, but until then the penalties will remain in place. On August 17, Inslee said he is encouraging lawmakers to address the ruling before the legislature is convened for a special session. Inslee said he’s pushing for lawmakers to meet “on a daily basis” until a plan can be proposed and quickly passed in special session. Some lawmakers are already venting their frustration about the ruling. One representative, Matt Manweller, a Republican from Ellensburg, took to Twitter to call for impeachment of the Supreme Court justices.
s Beachcombers take advantage of the hot August weather in Birch Bay.
EDAC brainstorming ways to “clean up” Blaine By Ian Ferguson The Blaine Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) is brainstorming solutions to help Blaine’s economy. Some ideas are big, and take long-term planning, but other, smaller actions can start right now. The EDAC discussed and recommended easy ways to clean up the city to make it more attractive to tourists and potential businesses. Debbie Harg-
er, Blaine community and tourism development coordinator, presented a slideshow of “low-hanging fruit,” easy solutions to problems tourists might have when they come to Blaine. One such problem is the fishing pier at the end of Marine Drive. There is currently very little signage letting people know that the pier is open to the public, and chains make it seem closed (the pier is closed to vehicles due to road problems, but open to pedestrians and bicycles). A simple sign
Park and rec district offering grants for local programs By Steve Guntli Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2) is looking for applicants for grants in 2016. BBBPRD2 wants to promote organizations that will bring recreation activities to Blaine and Birch Bay. In the past, the grants have funded playgrounds, youth sports programs, sailing courses and maintenance and upgrades to existing
Photo by Ruth Lauman
parks and playgrounds. Last year, BBBPRD2 gave out more than $100,000 for local projects. Grants included $50,000 for the Marine Park playground, $30,000 for the Boys & Girls Club pavilion project and $20,000 to help the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce fund its festivals and events. BBBPRD2 program director Heidi Holmes said the district hasn’t budgeted for the grants yet.
“We’ll accept applications, and then decide on our budget based on how many worthwhile projects we want to fund,” she said. “We won’t accept everything, but this way we won’t have to limit ourselves if we get a lot of great ideas.” Applications for the grants will be available by the end of the month, and are due October 31. Applications can be found online at blainebirchbayparkandrec.org, or in the BBBPRD2 office.
and plantings would make the area more welcoming, Harger said. City manager Dave Wilbrecht presented a slideshow of a driving tour through Blaine, focusing for now on the downtown area. One slide showed a tall, empty sign that can be easily seen from the roundabout west of the highway. “That’s a clear sign that says business isn’t doing well here,” Wilbrecht said. (See EDAC, page 2)
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