School foundation and student receive regional awards, page 4
Blaine eases sign regulations ahead of World Cup tourism bump
B y N ola N B aker
Blaine City Council designated the upcoming FIFA World Cup as an official “community event” from June 1 to July 17. The resolution will temporarily relax signage regulations, allowing businesses to display more signs to attract tourists into Blaine, especially those who may be traveling between World Cup host cities Vancouver, B.C. and Seattle.
While Blaine won’t be considered an official “Fan Zone” city like Bellingham, Everett or Bremerton, which will host official, FIFA-sanctioned watch
(See World Cup, page 5)
Birch
Bay
Incorporation
Association
releases feasibility study, countering county
B y G race M c c arthy
The Birch Bay Incorporation Association is asking the Birch Bay community to review and provide feedback on a feasibility study it published last week that shows the community is financially viable to become its own city.
The study comes after Whatcom County released its feasibility study last December that concluded the unincorporated area did not have a strong enough sales tax base to keep its budget balanced. The association criticized the county’s study, led by consultants, saying it didn’t reflect the community’s interest in a barebones government that relied on contracts with outside agencies.
Both feasibility studies use the Birch Bay urban growth area as the proposed city boundaries.
Association leaders have said the group is neither for nor against in-
(See Feasibility, page 3)
Borderites qualify for track and field finals, page 6
Whatcom County water quality presentation, page 16
Memorial Day ceremony honors fallen service members
Public works asks for input on Jackson Road bridge railing
B y G race M c c arthy
Whatcom County Public Works Department unveiled three potential railing designs for the Jackson Road bridge to the Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee on May 20 in an effort to gather feedback on the new renderings.
The meeting was one of the first project updates after it stalled during the COVID-19 pandemic and then the historic November 2021 floods that severely damaged county roads. In 2021, public works staff said the proj -
ect was one of the county’s top four bridges that needed to be replaced –in the county’s fleet of 162 bridges.
The weight-restricted bridge goes over Terrell Creek adjacent to the intersection of Birch Bay Drive and Jackson Road. Along with aging infrastructure, Birch Bay residents have voiced concern about the current bridge’s safety for pedestrians and bikers who don’t have their own areas separated from traffic.
“The current bridge is in poor condition and showing signs of deterioration,” engineering supervisor Ben
Scottish festival to come to Blaine
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A Scottish festival centered around highland dance competitions will take over Blaine Marine Park on June 6.
The Bellingham Scottish Gathering, which moved to Blaine for its seaside atmosphere reminiscent of Scotland, is back for its third year.
The festival, which runs from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., will have highland dance competitions throughout the day, with competitors of all ages and skill levels performing in front of a certified judge.
Dancers are expected to travel from across B.C., Washington and Idaho for the event.
Beyond dancing, the festival will feature boat rides around Drayton Harbor, a vendors fair, live Celtic music, youth activities, a beer garden and even a Clydesdale horse. New this year there will be a fabric and fibers contest showcasing textiles of Scottish origin.
“It will bring a different aspect to the festival,” festival executive direc-
(See Festival, page 3)
Floyd said. “It's near the end of its useful service life. To meet current design standards, we need to replace the entire bridge.”
The Birch Bay meeting was a followup to a February 2021 open house where public works staff listened to Birch Bay residents’ ideas about the project. Floyd said the department incorporated those ideas into the three railing designs and other project components.
The new bridge will have a sidewalk
(Road bridge, page 5)
The Blaine American Legion Post 86 and Custer Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9474 honored military members who have died serving the country during Memorial Day ceremonies across Blaine and Birch Bay, including at the Hillsdale Cemetery photographed above. See more photos on page 16.
Photo by Ain Fitzpatrick
•
(Feasibility, continued from page 1)
Incorporation association releases feasibility study, countering county study
(Festival, continued from page 1)
Scottish gathering returns to Blaine Marine Park for third year
tor Heather Richendrfer said of the textile contest.
Also new are athletic events for children near Blaine Marine Park playground, including a pool-noodle cable toss, golf and hopscotch.
The vendors fair will have homemade goods and crafts, a Scottish clan informational booth and fair food. McKay’s Taphouse has planned a beer garden next to the amphitheater, where the Moving Hats and the Ladies of Limerick will perform Celtic music throughout the day.
The Koinonia, a 48-passenger ferry from Anacortes, will offer free rides to festival-goers around Drayton Harbor every 30 minutes from Blaine Harbor.
Parking for people with limited mobility will be available across from the entrance gates.
The Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 bus will shuttle people from downtown to the park. More information on the bus route is expected to be available online before the festival.
Admission is $25, with $5 off for students, seniors and military members. Children under five are free, and a group of four tickets is discounted to $62. Tickets may be purchased online at bit.ly/4fFqlRq or at the gate.
For more information, visit scottishdancesociety.org/scottish-gathering.
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corporation, and that its goal is to provide Birch Bay residents information to make an informed decision on whether they would like to move forward with incorporation.
The association’s feasibility study lays out several financial scenarios and shows Birch Bay could gain improved local services without increasing taxes. The report also provides information on funding tools for Birch Bay, including grant opportunities, and provides examples of recently incorporated cities in the state.
The association has said it envisions a future city that works in partnership with already established service providers, including the fire, school, parks and water and sewer districts. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office has also said it could contract ser-
vices to the city.
Birch Bay has pursued incorporation over the years, most recently in 2008, with the last ballot measure going before voters in the ’90s. Association founder Matt Berry began revisiting incorporation in early 2023, which led to the association’s formation that November.
The association is run by a steering committee that is elected annually. The group holds quarterly meetings to update the public on its research and host speakers, who have included incorporation experts, the county executive, sheriff and state representatives.
If Birch Bay residents decide to move forward with incorporation, the association will need signatures from at least 10% of voters in the proposed
city boundaries to get an incorporation measure on ballots. The measure, if passed, would go before the Whatcom County Boundary Review Board for a final decision. Opponents have been wary of increased taxes, while proponents see incorporation as a way for the community to have better control over its tax dollars and ensure that money is being redistributed in the community.
Birch Bay urban growth area’s 9,000 residents would make the city the fourth largest in Whatcom County.
The association’s report is available at wearebirchbay.org.
The association also presented its findings during a May 21 meeting, which is available at bit.ly/4nTFu3K. To view the county’s feasibility study, visit its website at bit.ly/44z19G5.
A map outlining the area where Birch Bay incorporation is proposed, which follows the community's urban growth area.
Map courtesy of Whatcom County / Community Attributes Inc.
The Northern Light is published weekly by Daffodil Press, LLC.
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Letters to the Editor
We welcome thoughtful letters from our readers. Letters should address local issues of broad community interest and help foster informed civic dialogue.
Please include your name, address, email and daytime phone number for verification. Letters are limited to 150 words. We may edit for clarity, length, legality and standards of civility. We do not publish falsehoods or hate speech.
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Contributors
Doug Dahl, Kelle Rankin-Sunter
Foundation, student receive regional leadership award
Letters
The Editor:
I want to thank Whatcom County for the wonderful services it provides. My taxes are well spent.
I love the new lines on the road that will provide safety on dark winter nights. I love the weeds mowed so
that I can see oncoming traffic at intersections. I appreciate my ability to call EMTs if needed. My ditches are cleared and drain well, our police and fire personnel are dutiful and helpful. Nobody really likes taxes, but the value of the services that keep us safe make taxes worth it, I feel. Thank you
Whatcom County.
Please send letters to letters@daffodilpress.net no later than noon on Monday.
Road rules: Getting a ticket in your driveway
B y D ou G D ahl
Question: My neighbor was given a suspended license ticket while in his driveway. He backed toward the road but never got there, and then pulled up to his house when the officer pulled in. In addition, his girlfriend was given a ticket for letting him drive his own vehicle. Is this even legal?
Answer: I know a lot of cops, and I don’t know anyone who has written those two violations in one driveway. But that doesn’t mean your neighbor made it all up. Uncommon, yes. Possible? Let’s see. And since there are two violations, I’ll take them one at a time. You won’t get a speeding ticket in your driveway, even if it’s long enough to reach some unreasonable speed. Most driving rules only apply on public roads. However, some of the more serious violations can be enforced anywhere in the state, including on private property. These violations include vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, impaired driving, reckless driving, negligent driving and driving with a suspended or revoked license. You might argue that driving suspended isn’t in itself dangerous, but drivers with suspended licenses often have a history of high-risk driving. That’s usually what got them suspend-
ed in the first place. In Washington, unlicensed drivers are twice as likely to be involved in a fatal crash, and twice as likely to have been impaired or speeding compared to licensed drivers.
Getting back to your scenario, yes, the officer can legally arrest a person for driving with a suspended license in their own driveway. Now for some speculation. How would the officer know the driver was suspended? The most common way an officer encounters a suspended driver is when pulling over a vehicle after observing a traffic violation. After contacting the driver, the officer will check the driver's license status.
Presumably, this officer didn’t have an opportunity to witness any traffic violation; the driver was still in his driveway where, as I mentioned earlier, most traffic laws don’t apply. However, it’s not uncommon, especially in smaller jurisdictions, for officers to know who the worst traffic offenders are in their city. If that sounds like your neighbor, it’s possible that an officer driving down your street saw your neighbor backing toward the roadway and contacted him based on the knowledge that he was suspended.
The girlfriend part of the question is trickier. You stated that she was given a ticket for “letting him drive his own ve-
hicle.” If the vehicle is registered in his name, I don’t see a legal path for giving the girlfriend a ticket, or even a way to do it. When an officer issues a citation, it includes a reference to the statute that was violated. There’s no option to make up a rule, like “permitting a suspended driver to drive their own vehicle.” A person receiving a citation might argue they didn’t commit the listed violation, but it’ll be a real law that’s listed. Now, if the girlfriend’s name is on the vehicle registration, it’s a different story. In Washington, the law states that if a vehicle is registered in your name, it’s unlawful to “knowingly permit another person to drive the vehicle when the other person is not authorized to do so under the laws of this state.”
Conceivably, this officer may have had previous encounters with your neighbor and his girlfriend, knew your neighbor was suspended due to a history of high-risk driving, and knew that his girlfriend was aware of his license suspension. With that knowledge, the officer intervened to prevent an unlicensed high-risk driver from becoming a threat on the road.
Doug Dahl is a Blaine resident, manager of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission Region 11 and publisher of thewisedrive.com.
From left, Blaine High School student Logan Bennett, Blaine Superintendent Dan Chaplik, and Blaine Public School Foundation board members Sabrina Gomez-Vannelli, Traci Bowe, Becky Martin and Terre Shapiro on May 15 at the Washington Association of School Administrators District 108 award ceremony. The northwest Washington district recognized the foundation with a community leadership award and Bennett with a student leadership award for their contributions to Blaine School District.
Photo courtesy of Traci Bowe
Donna Starr Blaine
Blaine eases sign regulations ahead of World Cup tourism bump
In preparation for the upcoming FIFA World Cup, Blaine City Council approved a resolution relaxing signage regulations, allowing local businesses to advertise for the weeks-long tournament with 13 games in Seattle and Vancouver, B.C. Council already approved signage improvements, like the welcome sign on Peace Portal Drive, to help an expected influx of tourists.
Photo by Nolan Baker
parties, the resolution will still enable the city to prepare for what it expects to be an influx of soccer-crazed tourists.
The resolution will allow businesses to post their own signage, hopefully creating a bigger draw to the city sitting between 13 World Cup games in Seattle and Vancouver.
City manager Mike Harmon said the resolution will hopefully invite community engagement.
“It signals to the FIFA fans that Blaine welcomes them to visit our community while providing flexibility on our signage regulations for businesses and vendors who choose to market their businesses or events to FIFA fans,”
Harmon wrote in an email.
Harmon said he expects businesses to display A-frames, banners and window signs, among other lowcost displays.
This is yet another step from the city to attract more tourism into downtown Blaine in preparation for the World Cup. Council directed city staff look into upgrading the city’s aging wooden welcome signs along
Peace Portal Drive and State Highway 543 on Feb. 23. By early April, public works had added more wayfinding information for visitors.
On March 23, council approved $90,000 in new patio furniture and plaza improvements in the downtown core, with multiple council members citing the upcoming World Cup as a deadline for installation.
Harmon said the city does not have updated data on hotel bookings in the area, and that state tax data is delayed by two months, so the city won’t know meaningful data on this summer’s tourism economy until September.
The Blaine Chamber of Commerce will host a watch party for the World Cup Final, scheduled from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, July 19, on the lawn on the southeast side of Borderite Stadium. The event will feature a 16-foot-by-9-foot LED screen, vendors and kids games.
Vancouver and Seattle will host FIFA World Cup games that start June 13 and conclude July 17.
(Road bridge, continued from page 1)
Public works seeks input on bridge railing
on one shoulder, and shoulders on both sides were widened to create safer crossings for bikers and pedestrians. The bridge height was also increased, though some Birch Bay residents said at the meeting that they feared flooding could still reach the bridge.
Birch Bay residents are being asked to select one of the following railing options: a concrete traffic barrier with an aluminum pedestrian railing; a tubular steel railing with concrete end posts; or a concrete barrier with recessed panels.
Public works is also asking for input on whether there should be walkway lighting along the bridge and which of several paint colors should be used.
Principal engineer Jessi -
ca Soward warned the Birch Bay community that construction was still several years out, with even 2030 being an ambitious construction goal. The project, which received over $4.2 million in federal funds, faced significant hurdles with federal permitting. Federal permitting that previously took about one year is now taking three to five years, Soward said.
Public works and Birch Bay committee members said they wanted more residents to share feedback on the rail-
ing designs. Public works staff uploaded the renderings on the county’s website at bit.ly/3Q2EM7 I and requested design feedback be submitted to Alen Ohan at ohanlel@ co.whatcom.wa.us.
Birch Bay committee chair David Wilbrecht said the committee would discuss the design feedback it receives during a meeting this summer and make a recommendation to the county. Birch Bay committee meeting agenda are published on the county’s website at bit. ly/49ovdXf.
Pair of Borderites qualify for 1A State track and field finals
B y N ola N B aker
State results are rolling in, and although no Borderites — so far — are headed back home with hardware, tons of young athletes gave great performances on the biggest stage.
TRACK AND FIELD
A pair of Blaine athletes made the cut at the 1A District 1/2 Championships on May 22 and 23 and will compete in the Class 1A State Track and Field Championships that were expected to start Thursday (after press time) at Zaepfel Stadium in Yakima.
Brietta Sandell is set to compete in two competitions at state, qualifying for the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 17.01 and the 300-meter hurdles with a time of 49.63. This will be the second time in two seasons that Sandell will compete in two events at the state’s biggest stage. Sandell competed in last year’s state finals in the 300-meter hurdles and as a member of Blaine’s 4x100-meter relay team.
Landon Brown finished second in the high jump with an official jump of 6 feet, good for second overall and the highest score among Whatcom County competitors.
Among a field of 15 teams, the Blaine girls team finished in 10th place with a score of 15; Meridian took home the district championship.
The boys team finished in 11th place with a score of 8.
King’s won the district championship with a score of 99, narrowly beating out Cedar Park Christian.
Sandell and Brown will head to Yakima to compete as Blaine’s representatives starting Thursday, with the three-day competition lasting through Saturday.
Sandell is expected to compete in the preliminary round of the 1A girls 300-meter hurdles at 3:50 p.m. Thursday. Finals are scheduled for 2:40 p.m. Saturday. Sandell also will compete in the 100-meter hurdles at 11:25 a.m. Friday, with finals scheduled for 11:05 a.m. Saturday.
Brown is set to compete in the 1A boys high jump competition at 3:30 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets for the event are available at bit.ly/4fblY0f, and a livestream of the event will be available at bit.ly/42YOUBj.
GIRLS TENNIS
Blaine girls tennis sent three athletes to the 1A State Championships in Yakima on May 22, but none made it through
FRENZY
SATURDAYS IN JUNE & JULY
by Jim Bring
the opening round of the competition.
Blaine’s Ana Tuski fell to Makenna Kim from Bush in her play-in round match, and doubles partners Bea Dickson and Carly Saunders were bounced from the tournament after losing their first match. Tuski was a bright spot on the team throughout the season and earned a spot on the
All-Northwest Conference
Second Team, which honors the top tennis players in the conference, as voted on by conference coaches.
GIRLS GOLF
Three Blaine golfers placed in the 1A State finals at MeadowWood Golf Course on May 19 and 20, with Marcella Bring
leading the way with a 25th place finish out of a field of 60 golfers.
Bring made the day one cut, placing among the top 30 with a first round score of 96 — just barely making the cut. She followed that up with an even better day two on the links, shooting a 92 and finishing the two-day competition with a combined score of 188.
Only one Whatcom County 1A golfer placed higher in the overall standings than Bring.
Hannah Phelps-McDonald and Sydney Arus did not make the cut, but still finished off a great season with a state appearance.
Phelps-McDonald shot a 102 on the first round, good for 42nd place, and Arus shot a 114, finishing in 57th place.
BOYS GOLF
Blaine golfer Peyton Bouma finished his 2026 season tied for 23rd place among 1A golfers, making the day one cut and improving upon his score for day two.
The junior started his first day of the final shooting an 81. He finished day two with a score of 78, good for a total of 159. Bouma finished tied for 23rd place, just two strokes shy of vaulting all the way up to 17th place.
7:00pm - 12:00am
Blaine golfers, from l., Peyton Bouma, Hannah Phelps-McDonald, Marcella Bring and Sydney Arus all played in the first round of the 1A state tournament on May 19. Leading the Borderites were Bouma, finishing 23rd, and Bring, finishing 25th.
Photo
study of
landfills and how much space they took.
In 2015, Washington state decided to learn what kinds of materials were going into
What did the results of the study reveal about what Washingtonians were tossing into the trash? The most startling
discovery was compostable materials made up 41.7%, or almost half, of landfill materials. It wasn’t just kitchen scraps and pizza boxes, but also branches, trees, leaves and grass clippings.
The state realized if we could cut compostables in landfills by just 50%, we could signifi-
cantly increase landfill capacity by 20%-25%.
There are a lot of reasons for wanting to deter building new landfills. For starters, it’s difficult to find a site that doesn’t receive harsh community pushback. Health hazards exist for people living near a landfill and, once full, little
can be built on it.
More compostable materials in the landfill also means more methane gas, which has 80 times more heat trapping capacity than carbon dioxide. Eliminating compostable materials from landfills is easier
(see more In the garden, page 15)
Compost can be recycled and used in gardens, similar to the ones shown above.
Photos by Kelle Rankin-Sunter
A 2015
landfills in Washington state showed compostable materials made up 41.7% of the waste, which triggered the Legislature to pass several laws aimed at reducing waste.
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IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Gerald Payne, Deceased. NO. 26-400392-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Lee Grochmal
The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by
Bird of the week
NOTICE Water Main Flushing
The City of Blaine and Birch Bay Water and Sewer District started flushing the water distribution systems. This is accomplished by opening hydrants along the system (starting at the well fields) to move fresh water throughout the distribution system. The purpose of flushing the system is to remove any grit and debris in order to improve water quality through the distribution system.
The lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena) is a small songbird that migrates to our area this time of year. Males have blue heads and backs while their chests have a rusty patch and white belly. They feed mostly on seeds and insects and can be seen in brushy areas or seeding grasses.
Photo by Nancy K. Crowell / La Conner Community News
CITY OF BLAINE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program 2027 – 2032
Notice is hereby given that the Blaine City Council will conduct a public hearing on the proposed Six-Year Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) 2027-2032 on Monday, June 08, 2026, at 6:00pm. The agenda can be found on the City’s website on the Friday prior to the meeting. Projects being considered for inclusion in this proposed program* are as follows:
Bell Road-BNSF Grade Separation Project*
Yew Avenue Restoration Project*
ADA Transition Plan Development
Peace Portal Community Trail Phase 3*
D Street Improvements
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR WHATCOM COUNTY In re the Estate of: DEMARIS MYLES COLE, Deceased. No. 26-4-00420-37. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Judge Lee Grochmal
The Personal Representative named below has been appointed and has qualified as Personal Representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Personal Representative or the Personal Representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probated proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Personal Representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of Filing of Notice to Creditors May 12, 2026 with Clerk of Court: Date of First Publication: May 21, 2026
Name of Personal Representative: CINDY MAXWELL
Attorney for Personal Representatives: Steven D. Avery, WSBA #35262 Address for Mailing or Service: Avery Elder Law, P.S. 801 Samish Way, Ste. 202 Bellingham WA 98229 Telephone: (360) 325-2550
Email: steve@averyelderlaw.com
DATED May 12, 2026.
AVERY ELDER LAW, P.S.
STEVEN D. AVERY, WSBA #35262
During the flushing process, water customers may experience a temporary low water pressure and/or cloudiness in the water. The cloudiness condition (caused by air) should be only temporary, and can be cleared by running a cold water tap for a few minutes to clean and flush your service line. If the condition continues for an extended period of time please contact the Blaine Public Works or Birch Bay Water and Sewer District.
Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have any questions, contact City of Blaine Public Works at 360-332-8820, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District at 360-371-7100 or visit www.cityofblaine.com or www.bbwsd.com for weekly area updates.
City-Wide Pavement Preservation* (annual program informed by Pavement Condition Index study)
City-wide traffic and Pedestrian Safety Improvements* (annual program)
*Represents projects with full or partial funding.
All interested citizens are encouraged to appear and be heard or submit written comments regarding this proposal. Written comments should be sent to CityCouncil@cityofblaine.com. Written communication must be received by 3:30pm on June 8, 2026, for it to be included in the record. Blaine City Hall is an accessible facility. Anyone wishing to attend and participate who may need special accommodation to do so should contact the City Clerk’s office no later than 72 hours prior to the scheduled hearing.
Coming up PoliCe rePorts
May 17, 12:16 a.m.: Shots on Hughes Avenue.
May 17, 8:29 a.m.: Domestic verbal on Shore Pine Place.
May 17, 9:45 p.m.: Suspicious person on Peace Portal Drive.
May 17, 10:39 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on 14th Street.
May 17, 10:45 p.m.: Traffic on Semiahmoo Parkway.
May 18, 11:18 a.m.: Sex offender on Wilson Avenue.
May 18, 4:05 p.m.: Vandalism on Peace Portal Drive.
May 18, 10:06 p.m.: Music on Peace Portal Drive.
May 19, 12:45 a.m.: Burglary on H Street.
May 19, 7:34 a.m.: Disorderly conduct on H Street.
May 19, 9:07 a.m.: Sex crime (no rape) on H Street.
May 19, 4:31 p.m.: Motor vehicle accident non-blocking/injury crash on Shore Pine Place.
May 20, 3:10 p.m.: Harassment on H Street.
May 20, 3:33 p.m.: Juvenile problem on H Street.
May 20, 6:18 p.m.: Assist agency on 2nd Street.
May 20, 8:51 p.m.: Disorderly conduct on Clubhouse Point Drive.
May 20, 9:30 p.m.: Domestic physical on E Street.
May 21, 12:58 p.m.: Neighborhood dispute on Peace Portal Drive.
May 22, 11:28 a.m.: Hot rod on
CrossWord
38. Member of U.S. Navy
1. Streetcar
5. Take __ of it!
10. SW Asia peninsula
12. Beating wings to escape from a perch
14. One who revitalizes
16. Indicates position
18. Dishonorable man
19. Singer King Cole
20. Short-tailed marten
22. One point east (clockwise) of due north
23. The god of the underworld in ancient mythology
25. Dirt
26. Superconducting super collider
27. Not good
28. A way to sink
30. Unwell
31. Follow orders
33. Deep ravine
35. Perfumery practice
37. Indian film director Sultan
40. Wing-like
41. Very fast airplane
42. Slang for cigarette
44. Most cars still need it
45. Political war chest
48. Cools down
50. Diminish toward one end
52. Indigenous person of Thailand
53. Combined
55. Container
56. Expression of satisfaction
57. Thou
58. Return a favor
63. Go over once more
65. Removed
66. “Silence of the __”
67. Comedian Rogen DOWN
1. Children’s game 2. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.)
3. Own (Scottish) 4. Female follower
of Bacchus 5. Subsides 6. Protects from weather
7. Spanish municipality
8. Supermarket chain
9. Domain name 10. Semitic peoples 11. Designs anew 13. City associated with Jesus 15. Cool! 17. Bank employee 18. Central nervous system
21. Standardized piece of text
23. A type of fever
24. Baglike structure in a plant or animal 27. Threaten persistently
29. Aspirations
32. Baby’s eating accessory
34. Actress Thurman
35. Turn into bone
36. One who saves you
39. Consume 40. Swiss river
Drayton Harbor Road.
May 22, 11:41 a.m.: Littering on Bell Road.
May 22, 12:04 p.m.: Theft on H Street.
May 22, 3:15 p.m.: Suicidal subject on D Street.
May 22, 3:33 p.m.: Motor vehicle accident with pedestrian – bicycle on Adelia Street.
May 22, 11:08 p.m.: Civil problem on A Street.
May 22, 11:22 p.m.: Domestic verbal on A Street.
May 23, 4:11 a.m.: Suspicious circumstances on B Street.
May 23, 12:02 p.m.: Alarm audible on Peace Portal Drive.
May 23, 7:15 p.m.: Assist agency on 2nd Street.
43. A part of a river where the current is very fast
44. Categories
46. Expressed amazement
47. It’s important in respiration (abbr.)
49. Greek war dance
51. Bland, semi-liquid food
54. Regard in a specified way
59. Taxi
60. Naturally occurring solid material
61. Feline
62. Post-burning residue
tides
May 29 - June 4 at Blaine. Not for navigation.
Bellingham Shoestring Circus: May 29 through June 14, under the big top tent by Waterfront Pump Track in Bellingham. Tickets: shoestringcircus.com.
Day at the Beach: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 30, BP Heron Center, Birch Bay State Park. Sponsored by Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resource Management District.
Two-Day ABC Boating Course: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 30 and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. May 31, Bellingham Yacht Club, Ward Room. Cost: $60 per person. Learn to boat with confidence. Register: boatingisfun.org. Puzzles and Pastries: 4 to 6 p.m. June 1, Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Spend time solving puzzles with others while enjoying delicious treats.
History fair: K-5 REACH program community event: 6 to 7:30 p.m. June 1, Blaine Elementary School cafeteria. Families and the community will have the opportunity to walk through displays showcasing a person in history that students researched and learned about. Each student will be in front of their display to answer questions about their historic figure. There are roughly 68 students participating in the event.
Protecting Whatcom County’s lakes and streams: 5:30 to 7 p.m. June 3, 322 N. Commercial Street, Bellingham and via Zoom. Monitoring, pollution prevention and community action. Join us for an evening of discovery as we explore the efforts keeping our local waterways swimmable, fishable and thriving. Register to attend in person: bit.ly/4uyFhoX. Register to attend via Zoom: bit.ly/49mPCfg.
Better than BookTok: 4 to 5 p.m. June 4, Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Join this themed bring-your-own-book club. This month, the book theme is “Delilah Green Doesn’t Care” by Ashley Herring Blake. Bring in your own book and/or recommendations based on that title — a book in the same genre, a book you think is better, a book by the same author, or one that shares similar characters or settings.
Molt Search workshop: 10 a.m. to noon June 5, BP Heron Center and on the beach in Birch Bay State Park. Hosted by WSU Whatcom County Extension. Molt Search surveys can be done at any time on any shoreline where one has safe and legal access. Protocols and more information available at wsg.washington.edu/moltsearch. Reports are submitted using the free MyCoast app and submitted reports can be viewed online at mycoast.org/wa. More information and online registration: wsg.washington.edu/crabteam/moltsearch or bit.ly/4uE7EBL.
Bellingham Scottish Gathering: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. June 6, Blaine Marine Park. Featuring a highland dancing competition. Join a full day celebration of the sights and sounds of Scotland, including vendors, boat rides, beer garden, photos with a Clydesdale, and a fabric and fibers contest. Info: scottishdancesociety.org.
Wander to Wander 1K Fun Run: 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 6, downtown Bellingham. Start at the Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center at 206 Prospect Street, with donuts then dance, skip, run, walk 1K to Wander Brewing, 1807 Dean Avenue, Bellingham. Tickets are $30, with ages 10 and under free. Register at whatcomdrc.org. Proceeds benefit Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center.
Crafting Community: 5 to 7 p.m. June 8, Blaine Public Library. Drop in with your favorite arts and crafts and spend some time creating alongside other crafters. Stitch, hook, paint, draw, all while connecting with others. Info: wcls.org.
Washington State Basic Boater Education Course: 6:30–8:30 p.m. June 8–11, online course via Zoom. For anyone wishing to learn safe boating skills and qualify for a Boater Education Card. $15 registration plus $10 printed book. Sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Bellingham and San Juan Islands Flotilla. Reservations and questions: boatingsafetyWA@gmail.com.
Blaine’s Comic Festival: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 13, Blaine Marine Park, 272 Marine Drive. Featuring a superhero fun run from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Enjoy all the capes, comics and critical hits. A celebration of all things nerdy, fantastical or pop culture. Gaming tables, vendors, costume contests and more. Open to all and free to attend. Info and registration: bit.ly/4wwRNqH.
Beach explorations beach walks: 9:30 a.m. June 13 and 27, Birch Bay State Park, meet at BP Heron Center. Registration not required. Information: bbbparkandrec.org.
Ongoing
Weather
Precipitation: During the period of May 18 to 24, no precipitation was recorded. The 2026 year-to-date precipitation record is 15 inches.
Blaine Primary School Art Walk: Month of May, Each of the 20 K–2 classrooms will have their art displayed at different businesses all over Blaine, downtown (H Street and Peace Portal Drive) and the IGA shopping center.
CAP Clothing Bank: 9 a.m. to noon Monday and Friday and 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 508 G Street. The Community Assistance Program clothing bank is now located in the basement of the CAP Center providing free clothing for all ages and linens. Donations accepted only during open hours or by special arrangement. Info: blainecap.org or 360-392-8484.
Senior Community Meals: 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Suggested donation of $6 per meal ($10 if under 60) or whatever is affordable. First-come, first-serve basis. Info: 360-332-8040.
Blaine Food Bank: 9 a.m. to noon Monday and Friday, 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, 500 C Street. Info: 360-332-6350 or info@blainefoodbank.org. ACROSS
Temperature: High for the past week was 73.7°F on May 22 with a low of 46.5°F on May 20. Average high was 69.7°F and average low was 49.3°F.
Blaine Storytime: 10:30 to 11 a.m., Monday, Blaine Public Library, 610 3rd Street. For ages 2-3. An open program that includes stories, rhymes and songs with opportunities for movement and interactive participation.
Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
the garden, continued from page 11)
Blaine CORE founder Kelle Rankin-Sunter will discuss composting and explain how worm bins work from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 13 at Blaine's Market by the Sea.
than trying to reduce production of other greenhouse gases.
The study also showed a lot of compostable materials could have been donated to food banks if state law didn’t restrict close-dated foods from being redistributed. This brought the state Legislature to pass the Food Waste Reduction Act in 2019, which set the goal to reduce food waste by half and redefined how food “waste” could be given to communities in need. The program proved to be successful.
In June 2022, the state passed HB 1799 to reduce organic waste in landfills by 75% and edible food recovery by 20% before 2030.
The Legislature approved two more bills in 2024 and 2025 that defined thresholds for businesses to comply with the new laws and better implement food waste management.
In Whatcom County, we have
trash disposal services, Sanitary Service Co., to take compostable materials and process them into a product that can be sold to offset production costs. Materials would be recycled into yards, gardens, landscaping and parks throughout the county.
Many communities in the county already have compost toter service available for an extra fee. The list of compostable materials is so long you could easily make up the cost as you reduce your waste disposal.
Contact your trash service to request a yard waste toter. If you want to take a more hands-on approach, consider starting a passive compost pile in your backyard or get a worm bin, where worms break down food scraps (up to 10 pounds per week).
I’ll be talking about composting and giving a demonstration on the worm bin from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 13 at Blaine’s Market by the Sea on the G Street Plaza.
a compost processing facility centrally located for convenience. Cascade Compost and Soil is under contract with our
Kelle Rankin-Sunter is founder of Blaine CORE, which holds free home and gardening classes at Blaine Public Library. Rankin-Sunter can be reached at fruit@Blaine-CORE.com.
The Blaine American Legion Post 86 and Custer Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9474 hosted Memorial Day ceremonies on May 25 in Blaine and Birch Bay to remember military personnel who died from serving their country. The veterans organizations paid tribute to fallen soldiers at Blaine Cemetery, Hillsdale Cemetery in Birch Bay, Veterans Memorial Park in downtown Blaine, and the legion building in Birch Bay.
Photos by Ain Fitzpatrick
Whatcom County water monitoring presentation set for Wednesday
5:30-7 p.m. at the Whatcom County Public Works building, 322 N. Commercial St. in downtown Bellingham. The meeting also will be streamed on Zoom.
The network is a nonpartisan group of agencies, businesses, nonprofits and citizens dedicated to protecting water and natural resources in Whatcom County. At the meeting, speakers will discuss monitoring for pollution, the biggest threats to water quality and what Whatcom County residents can do to help.
Presenters include the City of Bellingham, RE Sources, the Washington State Department of Ecology, Whatcom Conservation District and Whatcom County Public Works Department. To register, visit bit.ly/3RMKhb3.
