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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
December 10 - 16, 2015
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Boys b-ball bounces back, page 6
Sheriff takes steps to reduce jail population
Movie studio helps out Barefoot Bandit, page 8
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Photos from Holiday Harbor Lights, page 10
Mr. and Mrs. Claus come to town
By Ian Ferguson
s Jedediah Johnson, r., smiles for a photo with Santa and Mrs. Claus at Pizza Factory in Blaine December 5. Santa took time off from Christmas preparations to meet with local kids after the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at H Street Plaza.
Photo by Ian Ferguson
Ring in the New Year in Birch Bay By Steve Guntli Two favorite Birch Bay traditions are returning this month to close out the old year and ring in the new. The Ring of Fire and Hope and the Polar Bear Plunge are back-to-back Birch Bay festivals on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, respectively. The Ring of Fire and Hope, starting at 7 p.m. on December 31, allows visitors and residents the chance to light up
the bay. Each year, people gather along the coastline from Birch Bay State Park to Birch Bay Village and light bright red road flares. The display is meant to symbolize hope for the coming year. People also gather around bonfires near the water and release flying luminaria lanterns over the bay. Free flares, donated by Windermere realtor Mike Kent, will be available at the Birch Bay Visitor Information Center at 7900 Birch Bay Drive on a first come, first served basis starting at 5:30 p.m. The Birch
DelBene introduces LGBT Day legislation By Steve Guntli A Washington state congresswoman is spearheading a U.S. House of Representatives resolution to designate a day for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) rights. Suzan DelBene of Washington’s District 1 (which includes Blaine, Birch Bay and Point Roberts) introduced HR549 on
December 3. The resolution would designation June 26 as “LGBT Equality Day” nationwide. June 26 was selected as it was the date the Supreme Court passed down three different landmark decisions against LGBT discrimination. “In the last two decades, our nation has seen the Defense of Marriage Act overturned, an end to the criminalization
of same-sex conduct and now nationwide marriage equality – all through Supreme Court decisions handed down on June 26,” DelBene said. “But even as samesex couples enjoy the right to marry in all 50 states, LGBT people continue to face inequality and discrimination simply for who they are and who they love. (See LGBT, page 3)
Bay Chamber of Commerce warns that the flares run out quickly, but additional flares can be purchased at Pacific Building Supply at 2677 Bell Road. Flares are also usually available at marine and auto parts stores. Flares must be spikeless (meaning they can’t have sharp tines on the bottom to anchor them to the ground), and should last between 15 and 30 minutes. Early the next morning, leap into 2016 (See Ring, page 2)
INSIDE
Starting January 1, the Whatcom County Jail will take steps to reduce its population of inmates, with the option of transferring inmates who were booked by police in any of the six cities in the county to a facility outside the county. On December 8, Whatcom County Council approved six-month contract extensions to provide jail services to Blaine, Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale, Everson and Sumas. The contracts include amendments aimed at reducing the jail population. Under the amendments, cities must ensure their booked offenders have a judicial review or court appearance within 24 hours of booking. If the sheriff determines there is no room for new arrests, the cities will have six hours after the first court appearance or judicial review to take back inmates or transfer them elsewhere, assuming the offender is not released or can’t make bail. The sheriff can also give cities a 24-hour notice to transfer an inmate already serving a sentence. Bellingham mayor Kelli Linville said the deadline requirements for transferring newly booked inmates would be problematic, although she agreed with the 24hour notice for inmates already serving sentences. Following a series of emails and meetings, Linville and sheriff Bill Elfo agreed that a 72-hour notice would be a workable solution. Although the wording of the amendments was not changed, Elfo told county council members at a meeting of the public health and safety committee that he would honor the compromise. “We still have the discretion to allow more time to transfer inmates because of the wording ‘or at other time agreed to by the sheriff,’” Elfo said. “If I get a letter from the mayor that agrees to the 72 hours, I certainly give my word to honor that and make it work.” The county jail is legally responsible for detaining and housing inmates whose case originated in Whatcom County outside (See Jail, page 2)
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Police . . . . . . . . . 15 Coming Up . . . . . 15 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 15
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