January 12 - 18, 2017
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo on use of force, page 5
Blaine wrestlers take another win, page 6
Best of Blaine Police reports, part 2, page 15
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Stay warm – chilly conditions likely to continue Peace Arch sidewalk sees renewed interest By Oliver Lazenby
(See Peace Arch, page 2)
s Frigid temperatures are likely to stick around in western Washington through next week. High winds and icy conditions led to thousands of reported power outages and several roadway accidents throughout Whatcom County. On January 11, the National Weather Service forecasted an average low of 26 degrees and high of 36 degrees through the weekend.
Photo by Stefanie Donahue
2016
year in
REVIEW
A LOOK BACK
2016 Year in Review, Part 2
July • Blaine’s highly anticipated Old Fashioned Fourth of July brought droves of people to downtown. The event featured a pancake breakfast, parade, car show and dazzling fireworks display. • Blaine-based Customs and Border Protection supervisor Detlef Goellner was arrested after injuring three people in a fireworks accident on July 4. Deputies from the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the scene located at the 3700 block of Spring Coulee Road north of Bellingham. Witnesses reported that Goellner was intoxicated and out of control. The accident occurred after witnesses said he threw mortar-style fireworks near a full
table of fireworks, which subsequently lit them all aflame. • Musicians flocked to the G Street Plaza to take part in the Drayton Harbor Music Festival. Previously known as the Blaine Jazz Festival, the week-long event celebrated its 14th year. • A study released by the Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs revealed a 31.5 percent uptick in the number of crimes reported by Blaine police in 2015. Lisa Moeller, Blaine Police Department records and administrative manager, said the numbers weren’t likely a part of a longtime trend. • Blaine Senior Center director Dana Hanks announced her intention to re-
Semiahmoo spit host to MLK Day beach cleanup B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e Volunteers are invited to take part in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day beach cleanup along Semiahmoo spit from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Monday, January 16. Removal of trash and large debris will be the paramount objective. Bellingham-based nonprofit RE Sources for Sustainable Communities as well as Washington Service Corps member and Western Washington University club,
Students for the Salish Sea, have partnered to host the cleanup. “Our beaches are crucial to supporting ocean health – they provide habitat for important wildlife that lives in the ocean and on land,” said Sarah Sasek, coordinator for Students for the Salish Sea in a statement. All ages are invited to volunteer. Light snacks and equipment will be provided, however all are encouraged to bring outdoor work gloves and a five-gallon
plastic bucket. Volunteers are asked to park in the public lot at Semiahmoo Park, located at 9261 Semiahmoo Parkway. “Volunteer efforts to clean up our local beaches and waterways are opportunities to fulfill our sacred obligation to the Salish Sea and to our home,” Sasek said. “Everyone can engage in the movement for trash-free seas.” Have any questions? Email Lindsey Gard, at lindseyg@re-sources.org.
tire after eight years of work at the popular community hub. She was a strong advocate for the construction of the Blaine Pavilion, located adjacent to the senior center on G Street. • Sand was transformed into sculpture during the 33rd annual sand sculpture competition in Birch Bay. A multitude of eager artists got their hands dirty to participate in the local tradition. • The city ended the month on a colorful note with the first annual Chalk It Up! event on H Street and Peace Portal Drive. August • Drayton Harbor Days rang in its ninth (See In Review, page 2)
INSIDE
A variety of agencies on both sides of the border met in late December to discuss making the Peace Arch border crossing easier for walkers and bicyclists. They’re picking up the pieces of a plan that stalled a few years ago, after BC Parks built a sidewalk from Canada Border Services Agency offices to the border monument in 2011. That sidewalk ends at a patch of grass, and for pedestrians, it’s not clear how to continue through the park, said James Snow, Peace Arch State Park manager. Snow attended the December 20 meeting, along with representatives from US and Canadian border agencies, Washington State Department of Transportation, US General Services Administration and other agencies. The sidewalk situation is not just confusing but can also be dangerous, Snow said. He’s seen pedestrians with strollers arrive at the end of the sidewalk and enter the road, rather than continuing through the grass. “It’s really just a waypoint that’s missing and it’s a safety concern because they just don’t know where to go,” he said. Developing a pedestrian plan for the park has been a priority of the Whatcom Council of Governments for several years. In addition to a sidewalk, the council and other organizations want clear signs directing bicyclists and pedestrians from one end of the park to s The Peace Arch the other. A 2013 report estimated that the project would cost $79,000. The council of governments and Washington State Parks are working on getting an updated cost estimate, said Melissa Fanucci, principal planner with WCOG.
Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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