Blaine City Council adopted a $44.3 million budget for 2026 on November 10, balancing ambitious utility infrastructure investments against modest growth in general operations while drawing down reserves in several key funds.
The budget, approved as Ordinance 253039, allocates $42.2 million in revenues across all city funds, with the $2.1 million gap covered by tapping into existing fund balances. Utility operations dominate city spending, accounting for nearly 60 percent of total expenditures.
The electric fund’s planned $2.6 million drawdown stands out, reducing reserves from $3.2 million to just $637,000 – an 82 percent depletion that could signal future rate adjustments or major capital projects.
City manager Mike Harmon explained that the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) has “experienced tremendous rate pressure on their purchase power,” adding, “If they’re not producing enough power through the dams, they buy power at whatever the market rate is at the time. So, if it’s a cold day and everybody’s buying power, that price is high.” Those costs are passed onto their customers.
In addition, BPA has to secure power for Blaine based on what the city’s predicted growth is in coming years. In 2023, it was anticipated that the Grandis Pond development would add significantly to the electrical demand, so BPA priced accordingly. Harmon added that Blaine’s electrical rates remained significantly lower than that charged by Puget Sound Energy.
The general fund budget of $10 million maintains core city operations with what city officials hope will be a balanced approach. Property taxes bring in $1.24 million (up 1.6 percent from 2025), while retail sales taxes contribute $2.69 million (up 5.4 percent). Utility tax revenue jumped 20.5 percent to nearly $1.5 million, one of the most significant revenue increases.
Council approved the allowable one percent increase in its share of the property tax, which will add $15,620 in revenue for 2026.
Capital projects and reserves
Transportation receives substantial attention with $4.2 million allocated for capital improvements, while the city’s transportation benefit district continues building reserves, growing from $1.25 million to $1.47 million.
However, some funds tell a different story. Impact fees collected from developers sit largely unused. Traffic impact reserves will grow to $1.16 million and park impact reserves to $455,000, both with zero planned expenditures in 2026. Real estate excise tax funds hold over $2.1 million with minimal capital spending planned. The hotel/motel fund faces pressure,
(See Budget, page 3)
Blaine girls soccer experiences thrill of
Outside police investigation finds group ‘deliberately
disruptive’ to Blaine governance
A month-long investigation by the Ferndale Police Department (FPD) released in late October found that a group of individuals known under the banner of Save Blaine has intentionally interfered with Blaine city staff and council’s ability to effectively govern the city over the past two years.
The FPD report, which is the first investigation from an outside agency, describes the actions of a handful of people against Blaine employees and city councilors as “deliberately disruptive to the effective governance of the city of Blaine.”
Whatcom County resident Donna McGaffic, who also uses the last name Newman, had asked Blaine Police Department to investigate allegations she made of misconduct by Blaine mayor Mary Lou Steward, Blaine police chief Rodger Funk and other city leaders. Funk requested FPD provide an outside review, which produced an 18-page report which concluded McGaffic’s complaints were unfounded. Additionally, FPD found the actions of McGaffic and others associated with Save Blaine to be negatively impacting city operations.
Among others, McGaffic’s primary complaint stated Steward broke the law by using her political influence to violate
the rights of councilmember Eric Lewis. She accused Funk of failing to investigate the complaints.
After Ferndale began its investigation, McGaffic requested police also investigate Blaine city staff for sanitizing and omitting records from public record requests and conflicts of interest related to zoning and permitting decisions, unethical behavior, and other allegations.
McGaffic’s main concern centered on a September 8 Blaine City Council meeting where Steward urged Lewis to resign or the mayor would put forward a motion to censure him. The mayor’s request came after emails circulated from earlier in the year that showed Lewis agreeing to put specific motions in front of city council requested by members of Save Blaine, who also call themselves Blaine Water Coalition. Steward was concerned that Lewis, who appeared friendly with the group, would provide the group with attorney-client privileged information discussed during executive sessions involving a lawsuit that one of the group’s members, Geoffrey Baker, had filed against the city.
“Based on my review, it is evident that Donna McGaffic and the groups with which she is affiliated strongly oppose decisions made by the Blaine City Council,
particularly those involving Mary Steward,” wrote Ferndale officer Richard Hart, who conducted the investigation. “In seeking redress, Donna McGaffic initially contacted Chief of Police Rodger Funk, whose response did not meet her expectations, leading to further allegations against him.” According to the report, McGaffic then forwarded her allegations to Whatcom County prosecutor Eric Richey, who declined to investigate. She subsequently
(See Investigation, page 5)
s Senior midfielder Brietta Sandell looks to the sky in
State playoffs. Blaine
Photo
s A chart depicting the city of Blaine’s major fund allocations for its 2026 budget.
Budget ...
From page 1
with $364,861 of planned spending on tourism-related programs against revenues of just
$262,000, completely depleting the fund’s reserves.
Staffing and services
Police department staffing shows approximately 14 sworn positions, including a chief, deputy chief, two sergeants
ed for a comprehensive plan study and $20,000 for a rate study, suggesting the city is preparing for major system decisions.
Financial health
and 10 officers, with salaries ranging between $85,000 and $178,000. The budget includes $75,000 for replacing a 2014 patrol vehicle.
Wastewater planning gets significant attention with $400,000 allocat-
Sheriff’s office to move to new headquarters after council approval
B y N ola N B aker
Whatcom County Council voted 6-0-1 on November 5 to approve an eight-year lease for a new Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office headquarters, located in a 30,000-square-foot office in Bellingham’s Cordata neighborhood.
The annual base rent in 2026 will be $507,132, and the lease will require the county pay property taxes, insurance and operating and maintenance costs estimated at $250,000 annually, according to county documents. The rent will increase 3.75 percent annually, and the county estimates it will spend $1.5 million on one-time upgrades to the facility.
WCSO is currently headquartered in the basement of the county jail in downtown Bellingham. The space was never intended to be used as a law enforcement office, and has been overcrowded for years, according to previous reporting by The Northern Light County projects and operations manager Rob Ney told the council finance and administrative services committee that the new facility will vastly improve WCSO’s evidence
capacity. Response times in north Whatcom County will see improvement thanks to the location on Guide Meridian Road, and the county will be able to focus resources on building the new jail rather than constructing a new sheriff’s office, Ney said.
Council agreed that the lease was well within market rate for similar-sized commercial properties, though some members had trepidation over the ownership of the building, at 4600 Ryzex Way.
A point of contention in the vote had to do with the building owner, current county planning commissioner and former county councilmember Rud Browne, who served District 1 from 2014 to 2022.
Browne is the founder and CEO of Ryanna Capital LLC, an investment firm focusing on green businesses, which is the official landlord of the commercial property, according to the lease. Ryanna Capital purchased the property in 1996 for $320,404, and the property is now worth over $3.8 million, according to the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office. Printing technology manufacturer Ry-
zex, Inc. previously occupied the building.
District 5 councilmember Ben Elenbaas said the county found the best deal it could within its search parameters, saying he wasn’t bothered by the relationship.
“It’s hands down the best deal,” Elenbaas said. “I’m going to stand up and proudly vote in support of this. I have no feelings of anything inappropriate going on here with this contract. I think it’s a great deal for the taxpayers. I think it’s an even better deal for the sheriff’s office that suffered an inadequacy in their dungeon for too long.”
District 2 councilmember Todd Donovan abstained from the vote due to the possible conflict of interest and financial uncertainty, but said he understood the need for a new office and called the opportunity to lease the property “fantastic.” Donovan was the only councilmember to abstain.
The first year of the lease will be paid through the capital facilities reserve fund. A source for lease payments in 2027 and beyond will need to be identified and approved by council.
Newcomer appears winner in port race
After a squeaker of a race, newcomer Carly James appears to have taken the Port of Bellingham District 2 seat from incumbent Ken Bell.
The latest ballot count from the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office on November 6 showed James won by 1,439 votes. James received 35,623 votes, or 50.9 percent of voter support, while Bell received 34,184 votes, or 48.9 percent of support. There were 129 write-in votes.
The county auditor’s office estimated there were 50 ballots left to count as of November 6 before results would be certified November 25. The county had a 44.8 percent voter turnout rate, with 75,850 ballots counted of the county’s 169,232 registered voters.
Of the voters who turned out for the November general election, 5,914 voters, or 7.8 percent, didn’t participate in the District 2 port race.
Bell had publicly said he supported James running for the seat. Since 2017, Bell has served on the Port of Bellingham Commis-
sion. He is president and CEO of Iron Creek Group, a soil remediation company.
James owns Bison Bookbinding and Letterpress, which has one of its two storefronts on port property in downtown Bellingham. She also owns an accounting and consulting firm.
Despite the targeted drawdowns, Blaine maintains healthy overall reserves. The total ending fund balance of $25.4 million and the general fund’s $4.4 million cushion representing 44 percent of annual operations provide finan -
cial stability.
Finance director Jennifer Spidle and Harmon presented the budget through multiple council study sessions and public hearings in October before the November adoption.
The ordinance takes effect five days after passage, with certified copies forwarded to the Washington State Auditor’s Office and other oversight agencies as required by state law.
Holiday Fun at The Vault
Saturday, November 29th
Holiday Harbor Lights visit with Santa Fare Thee Well Food Trailer on site
Saturday December 13th
Artist’s Reception and Food Drive 12-3pm Food Drive for the Blaine Food Bank we will match Pound for Pound Wine Paired Dinner 5pm with presented by Katie Johnson 5 Paired Courses, $100 per guest tax & gratuity included Call 360.392.0955 to make you required reservation
277 G Street, Downtown Blaine Thu 4-9 • Fri 4-10 • Sat 4-9 • Sun 4-8 Reservations now available on Open Table Visit our website for additional information. www.thevaultwine.com
Graph by Pat Grubb
s Blaine City Council during its November 10 meeting. Photo by Louise Mugar
s Carly James.
s Ken Bell. File photos
The Northern L ght
The Northern Light is published weekly by Point Roberts Press Inc.
Locally owned and managed, the company also publishes the All Point Bulletin, covering Point Roberts, Mount Baker Experience, covering the Mt. Baker foothills area, Pacific Coast Weddings annual guide, and the summer recreation guide Waterside as well as maps and other publications. Point Roberts Press Inc. is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Chambers of Commerce of Bellingham/ Whatcom County, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts and the Bellingham/Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors.
Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters are limited to 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. The letters to the editor column is primarily intended to allow readers to voice their opinions on local issues of general interest to local readers. A fresh viewpoint will increase the likelihood of publication. Thank-you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Consumer complaints should be submitted directly to the business in question or the local chamber of commerce. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com.
Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com
Co-publisher & Advertising Director Louise Mugar lmugar@pointrobertspress.com
Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com
Reporter Nolan Baker nolan@pointrobertspress.com
Editorial Intern Madelyn Jones prpintern@pointrobertspress.com
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Contributors In This Issue
Dr. Sandhya Gelou, Jonathan Jakobitz, Dr. Jimmy Thomas
Circulation: 11,000 copies
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BHS Theater to show “Our Town” this month OpiniOn Letters
The Editor:
I heard this today.
The latest statistics show more proof that British Columbians have a waning interest in visiting the United States.
Washington state’s Whatcom Council of Governments reports a 37 percent decline in B.C. plates driving south in October. Ironically, I heard this immediately following receiving a speeding ticket for going 10 over from your sheriff’s deputy in Birch Bay at 7:05 a.m. this morning, while heading home from visiting and helping my elderly mother.
If you want Canadians back again, we’d appreciate a warning next time instead of a ticket. If I am just your average Canadian coming down in the current climate and receive a ticket whilst visiting – that would seal the deal for me and I would absolutely not be back.
That $150 ticket is well over $200 Canadian; times are tough. I was accelerating up a small incline right around the corner from my mother’s house. Whilst I don’t expect to get away with “crime” – a little warning would have sufficed and been appreciated from this dual citizen living in
Canada. Disappointed. Kara MacDonald Blaine
The Editor:
The people of Blaine, Birch Bay and the surrounding region have a unique advantage over other developed areas. How?
Blaine and Birch Bay appear to be thriving in many ways, but there is still much work to be done. Please join in this effort, so that we may all contribute in a positive way to a vibrant community where love, kindness and respect are felt by all, regardless of their position in life.
How can one person make a difference? By getting educated and involved. There are many ways to do so, if one is willing to make the effort. Service opportunities include, but are not limited to: food banks, veteran organizations, planning commissions, educational organizations, recreational organizations, youth sports organizations, senior service organizations.
Why?
So we can create a bright future for all. To
CiviC Meetings
Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Town halls typically at 5:30 p.m. the first Monday meeting each month. Info: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee: Typically the last Thursday of each month, 6 p.m., Birch Bay Bible Community Church, 4460 Bay Road. Updated meeting info: bit.ly/3QmWVcX.
Birch Bay Water and Sewer District: Second and fourth Thursdays, 4 p.m., district office, 7096 Point Whitehorn Road, Birch Bay. Info and Zoom meeting link: bbwsd.com.
Blaine Planning Commission: Second Thursday, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: bit.ly/3EwWiZi.
Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Second Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
unlock the huge potential of our area. To create living-wage jobs, growth opportunities and abundance for everyone willing to work for it. To show gratitude for our beautiful area, strategically located between Mt. Baker and the Salish Sea. To come to believe all people, no matter their position in life, have value. To show love and become willing to devote our time and resources to the improvement of our region in a responsible, environmentally safe way that balances sustainable growth while protecting the natural resources that makes our home so valuable. Please stand with all who are motivated
(See Letters, next page)
Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Correction
The article titled “Holiday gift shop comes to Blaine Art Gallery” in the November 6 issue of The Northern Light incorrectly stated artist Dennis Olason was deceased. We regret the error.
Blaine Public Works and Park Advisory Board: Second Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Blaine council chambers. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330.
Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district boardroom, 770 Mitchell Avenue. Info: blainesd.org.
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue: Third Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
BBWARM: Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District Advisory Committee meets quarterly in-person and on Zoom. Info: bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org.
Port of Bellingham: First and third Tuesday, 4 p.m., Port of Bellingham Harbor Center, 1801 Roeder Ave., Ste. 146, in Bellingham and via Zoom. Info: portofbellingham.com.
s Blaine High School Theatre Arts was set to debut “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder on Thursday, November 13 at the Black Box Theater in Blaine High School. “Our Town” will run Thursday through Saturday November 13-15 and 20-22 at 7 p.m., with 2 p.m. Saturday matinees on November 15 and 22. General admission tickets are $12, while students, staff, military and senior tickets are $10. From l.; Toby Porter, Walker Hennig, Roxanne Cheff and Tilly May as the Gibbs family.
Photo courtesy of BHS Theater Arts
filed complaints with the Washington State Criminal Justice Training Commission, which has the authority to review and revoke officer certifications, and the state’s Office of the Attorney General.
Hart stated that mayor Steward “did not violate the law in her remarks and correctly relied on parliamentary procedure” and chief Funk “appropriately referred the allegations” to FPD.
“There is no credible indication of criminal conduct at this time that would warrant further investigation by law enforcement,” Hart wrote of the claims against the city officials.
Concerns from Save Blaine began in fall 2023 after city council approved allowing large manufactured home parks in east Blaine, near McGaffic’s home outside of city limits. Group members questioned city transparency and began filing large public records requests.
Tensions between the group and the city prompted Steward to ban open public comment in council meetings in February 2024 after Save Blaine members refused to follow meeting decorum. Blaine police often monitored the meetings, which were rife with accusations, picketing and occasional shouting from McGaffic and other members.
In the Ferndale investigation, Hart said it appeared that McGaffic and other group members “intentionally submit large volumes of email comments to overload the [city council] agenda and ex-
Letters ...
From previous page by love.
Love of community.
Love of people.
Love for all who choose to do good.
Please contact me for more information. A network of positive people serving in many different capacities needs your help to create the best community possible. Dave Brudvik Blaine
The Editor:
I want to thank all those who voted for me for the Blaine school board. It was a great experience to meet and hear from so many people who care about our students and our schools. Thanks as well to those who supported the campaign. I could not have come to this point without the help of so many people.
I would like to hear from those who did not vote for me. I want to understand your concerns and issues so that I can better serve our entire community. I encourage those individuals to contact me at bfeaster@sbcglobal.net. I would appreciate hearing from you.
Now our work begins. There are known and unknown issues ahead of us that could be emotional and perhaps divisive. We will need to be patient, listen, and keep our families, staff and students in mind.
Once again, thank you to this
haust the time allotted for public comment, thereby preventing other citizens from offering valuable input.”
City officials have detailed incessant phone calls to city employees, city leaders being accused of corruption on public record, requests to state and federal agencies to investigate the city, and public records requests the city estimates cost six figures and will take years to complete.
In an interview with The Northern Light, Steward said the group has demoralized staff through multitudinous calls, emails, accusations and office visits, which the mayor believes put the city at risk of losing valuable employees.
“It’s evil behavior,” Steward said. “It’s what the staff are dealing with on a personal level … They’re getting constant harassment. I’m hearing, ‘I didn’t sign
wonderful community for entrusting me to represent you. It is an honor, and I am humbled. Let’s listen to each other and work together to build a bright future for our students.
Bob Feaster, Blaine school board District 3 Director-elect Birch Bay
The Editor:
I earned my Eagle rank in the Boy Scouts when I was 14, and I’ve tried to live the values of helping others and community service that were integral to that recognition.
My wife Cathy and I, between us, spent 67 years in the classroom helping children and parents learn to be creative, considerate of others, along with meaningful skills.
Our community service has earned two Blaine Builder Recognitions, two proclamations from the city of Blaine, along with Business of the Year from the Blaine Chamber of Commerce.
That’s the America we were raised in, and up until Trump, we thought we still lived there.
President Trump is a convicted felon who manipulated his political environment to avoid punishment, and his Cabinet members are unqualified ring kissers. Most of the Republican Party, from Trump’s very beginning, and to this day, are afraid he’ll split their party if they ever disagree with him; thus losing future elections. Most of the Supreme Court are actually courtiers to Trump and the Christian nationals that want
up for this. If I’d known this was going to be here, I would have never accepted this job.’”
Blaine city manager Mike Harmon did not respond for a request to comment.
In an emailed statement, McGaffic wrote, “It’s a sad day in American history when the police and the mayor threaten to arrest citizens for writing letters critical of the government.” Hart concluded his report listing several Washington state laws to address improper conduct directed at public officials and misuse of communications that included intimidation of a public servant, harassment via telecommunications, trespass and disorderly conduct.
“Washington law treats harassment and intimidation of public officials seriously,” Hart wrote. “Appropriate charges or remedies
to change America’s democracy into a theocracy. (Women, please read Project 2025 written by the Christian nationals. Are you ready to have no rights other than being a baby machine? That’s your only real value in any theocracy.)
Murder on the high seas, troops at the ready in every state in the union, a gulag in Florida, the Constitution trashed and ignored, all Democrats are considered domestic terrorists, and good folks like us, who are tax paying, contributing citizens are considered traitors because we disagree with a man who wants to be America’s
depend on the specific actions, their repetition, and whether threats to influence official acts are present.”
Steward said she believed some group members had crossed a line of harassing public officials, but it was up to the Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to file charges.
Richey, the county prosecutor, told The Northern Light that his office had not received a copy of the Ferndale investigation and declined to comment on how his office would respond if it did.
“I don’t want to speculate,” Richey wrote.
Steward said she was concerned about Blaine’s future as a city if harassment pushed out employees who oversee essential services.
“There’s not a day that doesn’t go by that somewhere, somehow these people aren’t harassing us at
Putin for life, and will do anything to get there.
MAGA members: Sooner or later you will disagree with your spouse or children. Do you beat your spouse and children, publicly call them names, or threaten them with violence if they disagree with you? Well, sooner or later you will disagree with Trump and he will punish you!
To President Trump, we send this advice from Jesus in Mark 8:36:
“What does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”
Ron Snyder Blaine
some level,” Steward said. “This is why I’m yelling and screaming and trying to inform the people of Blaine how serious this is, because the staff cannot take this constant harassment.”
s Blaine city staff during the November 10 city council meeting at Blaine City Hall. Blaine city workers have been inundated with emails and phone calls by the Save Blaine group, which Blaine mayor Mary Lou Steward said has been demoralizing to the workforce.
Photo by Louise Mugar
spOrts
Girls soccer earns 1A state playoff bid, XC competes at state
In the final week of fall sports, multiple Blaine teams capped off valiant seasons with remarkable postseason performances, from a pair of cross-country runners competing at the 1A state championships in Pasco, to girls soccer clinching a state berth and football tying a county record on the road.
Girls soccer
Blaine girls soccer had its entire season on the line against Nooksack Valley on November 15. The night game under the home lights at Borderite Stadium seemed to present Blaine with all the pressure in the world. But the Borderites looked cool, calm and collected en route to a nail-biting 2-0 state playoff win thanks to a pair of goals from junior Kate Koreski and a clean sheet from junior goalkeeper Marcella Bring.
The Borderites were in control for most of the game, running the offense efficiently through the midfield and not allowing Nooksack Valley’s (3-14-1) forwards a chance to score.
Head coach Gio Quesada said his players had one of their best performances of the year.
“There’s something different with this team,” Quesada said. “Sometimes, you don’t need superstars, you need warriors. This team is full of warriors.”
Blaine got out to a lead 22 minutes into the first half when Koreski scored her first of two goals on the night. Halfway through the second half, Koreski outdid her previous goal with a long, looping strike that found the top right corner of the net. Koreski scored the final three goals for the Borderites in its last two games of the 1A District 1 tournament.
In a team full of warriors, Quesada called Koreski “the general in my army.”
“Kate Koreski is the heart of this team,” Quesada said of the junior do-everything athlete who played three positions against Nooksack Valley. “She’s a model for the young players. She’s that player that always runs the extra mile.”
The win meant the 2025 team earned the first state playoff appearance for Blaine girls soccer since 2003, when Blaine, then classified as a 2A school, made it to the quarterfinal round before falling to Eatonville. Thanks to no bi-district playoff this year that would normally require Blaine to win an additional game before earning a state bid, the Borderites joined Lynden Christian as the two 1A District 1 teams in this year’s tournament.
The opening round against one-
seed Cedar Park Christian (16-31) on November 11 was not kind to the Borderites. The game ended in a 9-1 loss, closing the chapter for the girls’ season. Blaine’s lone goal came from a 40-yard free kick by junior defender Kaitlyn Ritter Von Trautmann.
Despite the postseason exit, the accomplishment of a state playoff berth remains.
“We, as a coaching staff, are very proud and very grateful for this team,” Quesada said, speaking for assistant coach Nicholas Wheaton. “The last few games they played exactly the way we wanted, and I think part of our success is the team is very open and very coachable.”
Quesada specifically thanked the parents and volunteers who supported the team.
The Borderites finished the year with a 7-14-0 record as they made it further than any girls soccer team in the past two decades.
Cross-country
Blaine sophomore Emmanuel Rios-Martinez and junior Steven Phelps-McDonald competed in the 1A State Championships at Sun Willows Golf Course in Pasco on November 8, with the duo representing Borderite distance running with pride.
In a massive field of 154 runners in the 1A heat, Rios-Martinez finished 88th with a time of 18:11.3, and Phelps-McDonald finished
130th with a time of 19:02.4 in the five-kilometer course.
Rios-Martinez posted his third-best time for a five-kilometer course this season, and Phelps-McDonald posted his fifth-best time, according to head coach Roberto Aguilera.
In a post on social media after the race, Aguilera boasted about the pair of athletes and how they are inspiring the growth of Blaine’s distance running program.
“I am so proud of these two to compete with the best in Washington state and to experience the memories over the weekend,” Aguilera wrote. “They are champions to our XC program for influencing the next generation of state qualifying runners at Blaine.”
Whatcom County runners did well in state overall. Lynden Christian senior Nickolas Luce was the highest-placing 1A Northwest Conference (NWC) runner, receiving second overall with a time of 15:35.5. Meridian earned a second-place team score of 90 with three athletes placing in the top 16 spots.
Lynden Christian sophomore Laila Mellema placed third in the girls 1A heat with a time of 19:23.7, and Meridian placed first as a team with a score of 107.
Football
The Blaine football season wrapped up with a week 10 matchup on the road against Lakewood on November 7, with Blaine losing 35-27.
After getting out to a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on a 22-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Connor Brown to sophomore receiver Hunter Candanoza, Lakewood scored 21 unanswered points as the game stretched into the third quarter.
Blaine couldn’t mount a late comeback despite two fourth quarter touchdowns, both on
passes from Brown, and the Borderites ended the season with a 2-8 (0-4 NWC) record.
After being just one win away from a 1A state playoff berth last season, the Borderites took a step back this year, but will look to mature and get better on both sides of the ball next season.
The offensive core of Brown slinging to receivers Candanoza, Peyton Bouma and Isaac Bouma could take another big step next year, but the team will surely miss graduating senior Kai Kerwin. Kerwin was productive all
year as he racked up multiple receiving touchdowns and 100yard receiving games.
With four touchdown passes on the night, Brown tied a Whatcom County record for touchdown passes in a season by a sophomore quarterback as he finished the year with 25.
Asher Hagee appears to be another Blaine football player to watch next year, as the freshman running back rushed for 92 yards on 15 carries on the night.
Stats provided by whatcompreps.com.
B y N ola N B aker
s A group of Blaine players surrounds junior forward Kate Koreski, c., after defeating Nooksack Valley 2-0 on November 8, which secured a place in the 1A state playoffs.
Photo by Nolan Baker
s Blaine senior midfielder Brietta Sandell jostles with a Nooksack Valley player in the second half of Blaine’s 2-0 win on November 8.
Photo by Nolan Baker
Photos by Nolan Baker
Health & Wellness
Practice diabetes prevention this National Diabetes Awareness Month
Prediabetes and diabetes prevention deserve renewed attention in every corner of Whatcom County – especially in Blaine, Birch Bay, and neighboring communities, where local partnerships can make a lasting impact.
November, designated as National Diabetes Awareness Month, is the ideal time to take stock of that need. Since 1982, this observance has served as a national call to action, improving care for people living with diabetes while also spotlighting prevention strategies that can save lives.
As diabetologists and nephrologists with experience in public health epidemiology, we witness firsthand the urgency to bring diabetes education, prevention, and awareness to the forefront.
The Blaine Senior Center is now called the Blaine Community Center. It welcomes residents of all ages, making it a promising venue to host the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) starting in 2026.
Local schools could play a vital role too, by inviting physicians, dietitians, and other healthcare professionals to speak with students about preventing diabetes and maintaining lifelong health. And, as the YMCA currently provides DPP classes in Bellingham, establishing similar offerings in Blaine and Birch Bay would extend access to this essential education and support in north Whatcom County.
Starting in the late 1990s, groundbreaking research proved
that type 2 diabetes could be prevented through lifestyle changes.
This milestone led to the creation of the DPP in 2010, a nationwide initiative offering evidence-based education and coaching to help individuals lower their risk of developing diabetes.
Approximately 33-44 percent of DPP participants with prediabetes return to normal glucose, some within one year.
Those who lose at least 10 percent of body weight may see success rates as high as 64 percent.
Returning to normal glucose levels reduces long-term diabetes risk by more than half compared to remaining prediabetic.
Remission is more likely with younger age and higher program adherence.
While change is constant, PeaceHealth remains committed to your well-being — today, tomorrow, always.
These results are based on extensive U.S. clinical trials and largescale DPP community programs. Here in Whatcom County, we stand at a pivotal moment to improve progress. With new leadership in our public health department under Champ Thomaskutty, a seasoned epidemiologist, there is a fresh opportunity to strengthen our focus on chronic disease prevention and health equity across the county. But the true success of that effort depends on community participation – from senior and community centers to schools, workplaces and local organizations working hand-in-hand to bring diabetes prevention resources closer to where people live.
Why is this so critical? Diabe-
health work, from immunizations to maternal nutrition programs. Expanding its reach to include diabetes prevention is both a logical and necessary next step. With coordinated leadership and local partnerships, Whatcom County can champion a proactive model of community-based health promotion.
National Diabetes Month is more than a reminder. It is an invitation to act. By working together across sectors this November and beyond, we can slow the rising tide of diabetes, protect kidney health, and strengthen the overall well-being of our communities from Blaine and Birch Bay to Semiahmoo to Point Roberts and beyond.
tes is the leading cause of kidney disease and kidney failure in the U.S. Chronic high blood sugar damages the kidneys’ delicate blood vessels, often leading to dialysis or transplantation, life-altering treatments that carry tremendous emotional and economic costs. Even more concerning, type 2 diabetes is increasingly seen in children as young as 10, exposing them to decades of heightened risk for kidney and heart complications.
Treatments such as dialysis are among the most expensive in healthcare. The financial toll affects not only families, but also insurers, employers, and taxpayers. In contrast, investments in prevention – community classes, healthy lifestyle programs and early screenings – yield measurable savings and improve quality of life for all.
Our county health department already supports vital public
Sandhya Gelou is a triple boardcertified physician in private practice in Bellingham. She completed her residency at Duke University Medical Center and is a fellowship-trained diabetologist and a diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine.
Dr. Jimmy Thomas is a board-certified nephrologist with Washington Kidney Care in Bellingham. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center and pursued fellowship training at the University of Washington. He holds a master’s degree in public health in epidemiology from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center.
s Sandhya Gelou, MD.
s Jimmy Thomas, MD, MPH.
Courtesy photos
File photo
WSU Extension focuses on Blaine for good neighboring research
Former President Jimmy Carter proclaimed September 28 as National Good Neighbor Day in 1978. In 2025, Blaine mayor Mary Lou Steward declared September 8 as Good Neighbor Day in Blaine.
The mayor’s announcement was prompted by researchers at Washington State University (WSU) Whatcom County Extension’s Community Health Oriented Resilience Data Science lab.
One of those researchers, Shawna Beese, an assistant professor of rural health promotion at WSU Extension with a doctorate in nursing, has a particular interest in community health and how practicing good “neighboring” can help keep people healthy.
According to Beese, a major driver of mortality across the U.S. is chronic disease. Her dissertation was on allostatic load, or chronic stress responses, in a neighborhood context. She found that since people tend to spend the majority of their time in their own neighborhoods, it was a location worth studying through a community health lens.
“As I’ve actually been out there in practice these last three or four years working with different communities, I really started to understand it’s not just neighborhoods where we’re talking about things like built environment and walkability and different environmental protections and risks,” Beese said. “It’s also how we neighbor with each other, that social connection piece that is actually driving a significant amount of those stress indicators that foretell future chronic disease development.”
Across the nation, researchers are looking into how community health ties into our connections with our neighbors. Research shows that in the past 50 years, but especially after the pandemic, there is a desire for deeper neighborhood connections.
“Perhaps we’ve lost some of that muscle of how to be good neighbors with each other, because that’s not been the trend for 50 to 60 years,” Beese said. “We’ve actually grown further apart from our neighbors in the last half century.”
In an effort to reconnect communities, WSU Extension has
started an initiative in Whatcom County to promote good interactions with neighbors.
“The idea was to promote this notion of neighboring as a health promotion strategy,” said Kristen Barta, a program specialist in rural health at WSU Extension who is involved with the initiative and holds a doctorate in communications. “It connected us to this national campaign, and it was really a launching point for us to start working within Blaine and Whatcom County more broadly.”
To introduce this concept to the community, Beese will host two classes that are free and open to the public at the Blaine library 3-4 p.m. Wednesday, November 19 and Thursday, November 20. The class on November 19 is “Neighborhood Prevention Science 101,” in which Beese will present the prevention science framework and examine ways in which it can be implemented to mitigate health risks. The class on November 20, “Neighboring as a Health Promotion Strategy,” will consider strategies to aid in improving neighborhood health.
To learn more about the classes at the library, visit wcls.libcal. com. WSU Extension plans to build on this curriculum in the future and hopes other communities find the information from the research conducted to be useful and applicable to them.
“What we’re doing is really providing a framework that can be tailored and adopted in any community,” Barta said.
Blaine-Birch Bay (BBB) Collective is a new implementation and resource council that is working closely with WSU Extension to make this outreach possible.
“This group is an attempt to offer a space for everyone to sit at the same table and connect – to share what they’re working on, to ask for help on projects and to become an actionable resource group,” wrote Pennie Allsop, program specialist at WSU Extension, in an email to The Northern Light. “Attendance continues to grow, so I’m feeling pretty confident that we’re building something sustainable.”
Allsop is also involved with another group, Birch Bay-Blaine Thrives. This group is a youth prevention coalition that meets
with prominent members of the community involved with youth, such as the mayor, chief of police and school counselors. The group’s goal is to provide ways to ensure a healthy social environment for youth and families. BBB Collective’s aim is to work with the group to bring these points of discussion to action.
For those who want to get involved with the initiative or learn more about BBB Collective, email Allsop at pennie.allsop@wsu. edu. Updates on the initiative can be found by joining the research lab’s mailing list at labs.wsu.edu/ chords.
“As far as I’m concerned, every day should be a good neighbor day,” mayor Steward said. “We are all part of a big community. We need to look out for each other.”
•
Roma Nagin,
Zafir Khan,
s From top; Shawna Beese, l., and Kristen Barta at the Blaine Community Borderite Block Party at Blaine High School Stadium on August 21. Mayor Mary Lou Steward proclaims Blaine Good Neighbor Day at the Blaine City Council meeting on September 8.
Top photo courtesy Shawna Beese, bottom photo by Grace McCarthy
Photos by Madelyn Jones
Local UFO investigator invites ‘curious’ minds to share stories
UFO investigator and Birch Bay resident Mike Massey said his encounters with those who claim to have seen unidentified, possibly alien, objects flying through the sky often start the exact same way.
“A lot of times people say, ‘I know this sounds crazy, but …’” Massey said. “I’ll say something like, ‘That’s consistent with what a lot of people in the county have seen.’”
Massey, a recently-minted UFO investigator with the national Mutual UFO Network (MUFON), has a standard procedure for collecting information .
He sits down with the witness and interviews them to find out what they saw before he begins a diligent process of reconstructing weather patterns, public flight logs and even using celestial data from the exact time of the event.
When a report comes into MUFON’s website originating in western Washington, the 62 year-old retired IT professional and former Bellingham Technical College teacher of 25 years is soon out in the field, trying to find out the truth.
Massey said about 10 other investigators work with MUFON in the state and about 70 percent of reports he responds to can be explained through rigorous testing.
Sometimes, Massey said, sightings logged on MUFON’s website can be disproven by the alignment of the planets causing a peculiar
light in the sky. Other times, people can mistake a low-flying Cessna for something more alien. And other times, there are things Massey and his sources cannot explain.
“We get more sightings in Washington than in other states,” Massey said. “I think it’s because we live in a beautiful place and people are outside, and they see stuff. I think, as much as anything, people are aware and they’re outside.”
Massey has never laid eyes on a UFO himself, “and I’m not sure I want to,” he said. But growing
up in Daytona Beach, Florida, Massey’s curiosity for things out of this world grew as he watched Apollo rocket launches with his father, who worked in the aerospace industry.
After learning about MUFON through the hit ’90s science fiction TV drama “The X-Files,” Massey started researching. It wasn’t until retirement when he had the time to fully devote himself to UFO investigations. MUFON requires all investigators to pass an official test, which meant Massey was studying from a massive MUFON textbook that could have been
mistaken for an electrician’s apprentice handbook.
Now over a year into his journey, Massey responds to multiple field interviews per month from people around Whatcom County and Washington reporting unexplained phenomena.
While nothing he has seen so far keeps him up at night, Massey said what troubles him the most is not the things he is unable to explain or measure, but the impact sightings can have on the witnesses themselves.
“The things that bother me are people who have had negative
experiences and it continues to haunt them,” Massey said. “None of those experiences have been your traditional UFO sighting. Most of those experiences people tell me about are usually some sort of interaction that has an emotional component. I have no way of establishing if that’s happening inside or outside of a person, but it is definitely affecting a person.”
MUFON field investigators, dubbed the “Experience Resource Team” usually respond to “direct, profound experiences,” Massey said.
With so many people in Whatcom County responsive to his work, Massey is hoping to get more people into UFO investigations – at whatever level they want to dip their toe.
Massey will host “UFOs Over Whatcom County” 1-2 p.m. Saturday, November 15 at the Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street, as an opportunity to learn about and discuss UFO sightings. For more information on the event, or to report a UFO sighting, email mikemassey.mufonwa@gmail.com.
Massey also is starting a monthly UFO enthusiast meetup, which will take place on the third Wednesday of every month at Round Table Pizza in Bellingham, 1145 East Sunset Drive. The first meeting will be 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, November 19.
“I believe in human interaction as much as possible,” Massey said. “And this stuff is really fun.”
Lil’ Sprouts’ second building brings additional childcare capacity
recently doubled its capacity thanks to a $300,000 grant from the Washington
childcare center finished construction on its second building in October, which increased the number of children it can serve from 23 to 59.
special needs or have experienced at-risk situations.
and three part-time staff members.
Lil’ Sprouts Child Care Center has doubled its childcare capacity after finishing a new building last month thanks to a $300,000 state grant.
The Washington State Department of Commerce administered the grant to help families of 3-4 year olds who are from low-income households, have
Construction on the new building began around August 2024 and finished this October, according to center director Zabrina Swendt. With the new building, Lil’ Sprouts is now able to provide care to over double the number of children than it was previously. They have also hired two full-time
“We went from 23 kids before to 59 that we’re licensed for now, so it’s quite a big jump in capacity,” said Jason Polverari, owner of Lil’ Sprouts.
The state will reimburse Lil’ Sprouts as long as it remains open for at least 10 years. Funds from the grant were expected to cover about 75 percent of the
total cost, but ended up only covering about 40 percent due to rising construction costs.
Having adequate availability for childcare is a problem in Whatcom County, so the expansion allows more families in the community to be served.
“The most exciting part of the whole process was designing the building and the classrooms to our needs as opposed to try -
ing to make a building work,” Polverari said.
Lil’ Sprouts, which serves ages 12 months through 12 years, is currently enrolling.
“We’ll be updating the front building while we grow into the new building,” Polverari said.
For more information on Lil’ Sprouts, visit its website, lilsproutsnorthwest.com , or call 360/332-8010.
B y N ola N B aker
s UFO investigator and Birch Bay resident Mike Massey is inviting others to share their UFO stories 1-2 p.m.
Saturday, November 15 at Blaine Public Library.
Photo by Nolan Baker
s Lil’ Sprouts Child Care Center
State Department of Commerce. The
Photos by Madelyn Jones
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Tracie Cyr, Deceased. NO. 25-4-01010-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Evan P. Jones
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 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 probate 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 First Publication:
The
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 probate 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 First Publication: November 6, 2025
Personal Representative: Deborah Krieger PO Box 4607 Rollingbay, WA 98061
Attorney for the Personal Representative: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Address for Mailing or Service: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 25- 4-01009-37.
More resources for free and reduced-priced meals in Blaine, Birch Bay
With the federal government shutdown ending over the weekend, Washington families struggling with food insecurity may finally see a light at the end of the tunnel.
Over 383,000 Washington families have received November food benefits as of November 12, according to a statement from the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS). But for those who still haven’t received food benefits or are dealing with lingering effects from the government shutdown, many organizations in Blaine and Birch Bay are offering help.
Read below to see where you can find free and reduced meals and groceries in north Whatcom County. This is an update to an article published in the November 6 issue of The Northern Light Blaine School District Family Service Center Corner of Mitchell Avenue and H Street
360/332-0740
The Blaine School District Family Service Center (FSC) has been helping local families since 1977, and works in partnership with multiple local charities to provide crisis, housing, food and other resources.
The FSC is open for drop-in office hours 8-11 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday or by appointment on weekdays.
Working with local nonprofit Wild Bird Charity that focuses on combating childhood hunger, FSC is providing weekend food bags to students experiencing food insecurity.
FSC coordinator Julie Butschli said the center has seen an in-
crease in sign-ups for the weekend food program. FSC started the school year in August giving out 57 weekend food bags, but that number was up to 68 bags for the first weekend in November.
“The resources that the FSC provides to families and students come directly from the generosity of our local community members,” Butschli wrote in an email.
“I have had people donate grocery store cards, gas cards, food cards, it is all very helpful.” FSC is always searching for donors. For more information, email fsc@blainesd.org.
1901 Cornwall Avenue in Bellingham
360/519-7856
The Wild Bird Charity is a Whatcom County-based nonprofit started in 2016 with the idea of going wherever children’s needs were not met.
The nonprofit delivers weekend food bags to 32 schools across six Whatcom County school districts, including Blaine schools through its partnership with Blaine’s Family Service Center.
About 60 Wild Bird Charity volunteers donate about 950 food
bags every week to children and families in need.
For more information on how to donate, volunteer or receive support, email wildbirdcharity1@gmail.com or call 360/519-7856.
Miracle Food Network 5611 3rd Avenue in Ferndale 360/685-1013
The Ferndale-based Miracle Food Network (MFN) is a nonprofit founded in 2015 dedicated to saving soon-to-be discarded food and getting it to those who need it most.
The nonprofit serves more than
2,000 people weekly through its food distribution centers across Whatcom County, Anacortes and Gold Bar. In 2023, MFN rescued 1.4 million pounds of food. MFN operates distribution centers in Blaine and Birch Bay, working alongside the Community Assistance Program and The Bridge Community Hope Center. MFN distributes food 2:303:30 p.m. Tuesday at Blaine Christian Fellowship, 902 Adelia Street and distributes food 3:30-5 p.m. Friday at The Bridge Community Hope Center, 7620 Birch Bay Drive.
Blaine book review: ‘The Lost Journals of Sacajewea’
Debra Magpie Earling’s “The Lost Journals of Sacajewea” is the reclamation of a historical figure often clouded by myth. Sacajewea was a Shoshone woman who traveled as part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition from 1804 to 1806, serving at times as both an interpreter and guide. Historians disagree on most other details surrounding her life, including the proper spelling and meaning of her name, and her dates of birth and death.
Yet, what is not in dispute is the violence and harm that many Native American women suffered at the hands of raiding parties, enslavement and Western expan-
sionism. Earling, a member of the Bitterroot Salish, draws on this history to tell Sacajewea’s story within its historical time and place.
As a result, “Lost Journals” is a story replete with women suffering violence at the hands of men, but also an attempt to find power and agency for these same women through the retelling of their stories.
“Lost Journals” is an unconventional novel, written in short, often blunt, diary segments. Earling’s poetic prose utilizes a sparse, rhythmic cadence, creating an initial barrier that quickly transforms into an immersive experience. The fragmented style ultimately draws the reader in, creating a cinematic tableau as this difficult story unfolds.
Sacajewea has been claimed, and oft romanticized by, Western history, being honored in numerous monuments and namings, bestowed the title of Honorary Sergeant by President Bill Clinton, immortalized on USPS stamps, and even commemorated on a US dollar coin.
Earling’s Sacajewea stands in stark contrast to these sanitized and repackaged memorials to Western history. She is a survivor who endures and overcomes great adversity; fighting to adapt when faced with constantly changing circumstances.
Sacajewea faced a lack of power and agency in her world, yet by recontextualizing her story through “The Lost Journals of Sacajewea,” Earling helps us to
see the world through her eyes and gain some insight into how she survived to be remembered through history.
“The Lost Journals of Sacajewea” should appeal to readers of historical fiction, literary fiction, Native American history, and U.S. history. Visit wcls.org to find “The Lost Journals of Sacajewea” and other similarly themed stories.
“The Lost Journals of Sacajewea” is the November selection for the Books & Bites book group. Join Books & Bites at the Blaine Library on Friday, November 21, at 1 p.m. for a time of community and lively conversation: bitl.ly/49T8i7g.
Jonathan Jakobitz is an avid reader and the branch manager of the Blaine Library.
B y N ola N B aker
s Jonathan Jakobitz.
Courtesy photo
Wild Bird Charity
s Wild Bird Charity in 2020.
File photo
sheriff’s repOrts
October 31, 10:55 a.m.: Fraud cold call on Comox Road.
October 31, 5:25 p.m.: Alarm audible on Loomis Trail Road.
October 31, 8:56 p.m.: Alarm audible on Nootka Loop.
October 31, 9:10 p.m.: Shots on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
November 1, 2:34 a.m.: Shots on Peace Road.
November 1, 11:58 a.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Shintaffer Road.
November 1, 12:16 p.m.: Suspicious person on Charel Drive.
November 1, 12:16 p.m.: Domestic violence cold call on Bay Road.
November 1, 4:58 p.m.: Harassment cold call on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
November 1, 5:40 p.m.: Burglary on Cody Road.
November 1, 7:18 p.m.: Domestic violence on Dory Court.
November 1, 10:03 p.m.: Noise on McGee Road.
November 2, 7:03 p.m.: Hit and run on H Street.
November 2, 9:25 p.m.: Assault simple cold call on Dory Court.
November 3, 12:37 a.m.: Overdose on Bay Road.
November 3, 7:06 a.m.: Threat cold call on W. Golf Course Drive.
November 3, 11:04 a.m.: Neighborhood dispute cold call on Birch Bay Drive.
November 3, 1:03 p.m.: Sex crime no rape cold call on H Street Road.
November 3, 2:08 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Sweet Road.
November 3, 4:11 p.m.: Domestic order violence cold call on Harborview Road.
November 3, 5:30 p.m.: Suspicious person cold call on Birch Bay Drive.
November 3, 7:01 p.m.: Vandalism on Drayton Harbor Road.
November 3, 7:22 p.m.: Attempted suicide on Salish Lane.
November 3, 11:26 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Birch Bay Square Street.
November 4, 4:16 p.m.: Threat cold call on Haynie Road.
November 4, 9:12 p.m.: Warrant arrest on Pacific Highway.
November 5, 9:28 a.m.: Vehicle prowl cold call on Comfort Lane.
November 5, 10:04 a.m.: Civil problem on Peace Portal Drive.
November 5, 2:41 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances cold call on Lincoln Road.
November 5, 5:21 p.m.: Moving vehicle accident blocking on Kickerville Road.
November 5, 9:00 p.m.: Runaway on Birch Bay Drive.
November 5, 9:58 p.m.: Sex crime no rape cold call on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.
November 6, 11:42 a.m.: Neighborhood dispute cold call on Portal Way.
November 6, 3:16 p.m.: Fraud cold call on Main Street.
For a complete list of WCSO reports, visit whatcomcounty.us/2120/Activity-Reports.
49. Crimean seaport
56. Bad grades
Coming up
Thanksgiving Baskets: Registration is open through Friday, November 14 for ready-to-cook Thanksgiving dinner baskets for low-income households of three or more people living in Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer or Point Roberts. Low-income households of one or two people can register for a prepared Thanksgiving take-out meal. Distribution will take place on November 25 in Blaine. Register at blainecap.org or call 360/393-9483. Sponsored by the Community Assistance Program. Info: blainecap.org.
Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store Toy Drive: Now through Friday, December 5. Drop-off locations for brand new, unwrapped toys include the Blaine Library, Blaine Community Center, Pacific Building Center, The Way Cafe in Birch Bay, Blaine Westside Pizza, Birch Bay Village Rec Center, Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club, Marina Cafe and Semiahmoo Spa. Monetary donations also accepted. For more info, including online wish list ordering: blainecap.org. Sponsored by The Community Assistance Program.
Blaine/Birch Bay Community Toy Store Registration: Now through Sunday, November 30. Holiday gift assistance for lower income families living within the Blaine school district. For more info and to register online, visit blainecap.org or call 530/828-5195. Sponsored by the Community Assistance Program.
All About Owls: Thursday, November 13, 3–4 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Kids learn all about these nocturnal birds of prey, from diet to habitat to wingspan, and discover what you can do to conserve and protect them. Info: wcls.org.
BHS Theatre Arts Presents “Our Town”: November 13-15, 20-22 at 7 p.m. and November 15 and 20 at 2 p.m., Blaine High School Black Box Theater (entrance behind Borderite Stadium). Tickets: $12 adults, $10 students and seniors.
Intro to Garden Design 101: Saturday, November 15, 10 a.m.–noon, Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Featuring special guest Cheryl Niles, of WSU Extension. This class is an introductory class for a four-part series offered in the spring. It will cover hardscape assessments, integration of plant materials, developing a plan and execution. Info: nwcore.org.
UFOs Over Whatcom County: Saturday, November 15, 1–2 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Join a discussion on several Whatcom County UFO investigations, some explained and some not. For more information: Mikemassey.mufonwa@gmail.com.
ACROSS
1. Popular broadcast network
4. Train line
10. Go quickly
11. Straightforward
12. Canadian province
14. Swiss river
15. It can be straight or curved
16. Edit
18. Utter repeatedly
22. Gotten up
23. Sea vessel
24. Agents of one’s demise
26. Not out
27. Something to scratch
28. A round water pot
30. Slang for cylindrical green fruit
31. Promotions
34. Masses of matter
36. Soviet Socialist Republic
37. Nightstand item
39. The content of cognition
40. Arab ruler
41. Northern U.S. state
42. Chewed in small bites
48. Hawaiian island
50. More thin 51. Of one 52. Rigid bracelet or anklet
53. Barbary sheep 54. Not even 55. Atomic #106 56. Haggle
58. Boxing’s GOAT 59. Division of a group into opposing factions
60. Vietnamese offensive DOWN 1. Horse-drawn carriage 2. Prejudices 3. Peacefully 4. University athletic official 5. Soldiers 6. Large mollusk 7. Take out again 8. Sour or bitter in taste
9. Songwriter Tun-
stall 12. Husk of wheat 13. Flexible covering in some birds 17. Energy 19. Night monkey genus 20. Small nails 21. Colorless volatile liquid 25. In a way, changes integrity 29. Mark Wahlberg’s stuffed animal 31. Remember it 32. “Good Will Hunting” lead man 33. Pleasant facial expression 35. Sea vessel 38. Lacking poetic beauty 41. Tall, swift and slender dog 43. Sports personality Michelle 44. Robber 45. Liquefied natural gas 46. Snakelike fish 47. Sediment at bottom of a liquid
tides
November 13 - 19 at Blaine. Not for navigation.
57. Popular S. Korean rapper 9.6
Blaine Art Gallery Gift Shop Opening Reception: Saturday, November 15, 4–7 p.m., Blaine Art Gallery, 922 Peace Portal Drive. Blaine Arts Council presents a holiday gift shop filled with handcrafted works by local artisans. There will be refreshments and a 4:45-5:15 p.m. performance from Blaine High School choir.
Puzzles and Pastries: Monday, November 17, 4–6 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. All puzzle enjoyers are welcome to come in and spend time solving alongside others the 1st and 3rd Monday of the month. Info: wcls.org. Community Dinner: Thursday, November 20, 5:30–7 p.m., Blaine Community Center, 763 G Street. Enjoy a turkey dinner, community and connections over dinner. Free, with donations accepted. Info: call or text 360/656-6416. Birch Bay Incorporation Annual General Meeting: Thursday, November 20, 6 p.m., North Bay Community Church, 4895 Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Connect and reflect on committees, updates on the feasibility study and elections. Info: wearebirchbay.com.
Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, November 20, 7 p.m., The Vault Wine Bar + Bistro, 277 G Street. Info: thevaultwine.com.
Books and Bites: Friday, November 21, 1 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. November title: “The Lost Journals of Sacajewea: A Novel” by Debra Magpie Earling. Info: wcls.org.
Family Movie Night: Friday, November 21, 7–9 p.m., Birch Bay Activity Center, 7511 Gemini Street. Playing family friendly movies. Bring a blanket or lawn chair and watch the movie on the big screen. Free popcorn. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
Sips of the Season Fundraiser: Friday, November 21, 7:30–9:30 p.m., Bellingham Golf and Country Club, 3729 Meridian Street, Bellingham. Serving local wine, beer and distillery tastings and live music by The Talbott Brothers. All proceeds benefit Wildbird Charity helping kids facing food insecurity in Whatcom County. Tickets: bit.ly/43u2EEV.
Weather
Precipitation: During the period of November 3 to 9, 1.2 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2025 year-to-date precipitation is 24.3 inches
Temperature: High for the past week was 66.6°F on November 9 with a low of 35°F on November 4. Average high was 59.9°F and average low was 43.5°F.
Night Market and Luminary Walk: Friday and Saturday, November 28 and 29, 4–9:30 p.m., Blaine Library lot, 610 3rd Street. Shop local art and baked goods, live music, food vendors, fire pits, 21+ Yule garden, competitions for Christmas trees, wreath auction, photo with special guest and luminary walk. Tickets: Adults $10, kids under 18 $5 at the event or blaineharbormusicfestival.org. Proceeds benefit Blaine Harbor Music Festival.
Holiday Harbor Lights: Saturday, November 29, 11 a.m.–7 p.m., downtown Blaine. Holiday craft bazaar, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. at CTK Church, 674 Peace Portal Drive; live music on the G Street Plaza, 11 a.m.–3:30 p.m.; caroling with the Blaine High School choir and band 3:30–4:30 p.m.; tree lighting at 4:45 p.m.; visit with Santa 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and 2–5 p.m. at The Studio at The Vault; 5–7 p.m.; appearances by the Grinch, free horsedrawn carriage and mini-train rides, 5–7 p.m. Info: blainebythesea.com.
Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
A pot of gold in downtown Blaine
Phase 3.5 Construction Detour to start November 3
We’re Staying Open!
• Gateway 1890 Taphouse (entrance off Marine Dr.)
• L & L Bakery (pedestrian walkway off F St.)
• Vapester Smoke Shop (pedestrian walkway off F St.)
• Edaleen Dairy (entrance off F St.)
• Starbucks (entrance on F St. or Peace Portal)
We are excited to announce the start of Phase 3.5 of the Downtown Blaine Revitalization Project, is slated for Monday, November 3. Please be aware that during this construction phase, traffic from the roundabout south to F Street will be reduced to a single lane with intermittent closures. While this next phase brings important upgrades, we want to assure everyone that our fantastic downtown businesses will remain open and accessible. Nearby Businesses Also Open!
• Bordertown Mexican Grill
• Blaine Welcome Center
• Hills Chevron // Gift Shop
• Bella Boutique Consignment
Blaine Bouquet
Montes Just A Bite
Inn at the Harbor
Drayton Harbor Oyster Co.
Black Forest Steak
s A double rainbow burst through the clouds above downtown Blaine on November 5, pictured from The Northern Light office on Blaine Harbor.
Photo by Nolan Baker
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