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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
June 28 - July 4, 2018
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JULY 4onthpageEVENTS 3
Electronic home Swimmers take to the pool for World’s Largest Swim Lesson detention expected to reduce jail costs As the cost to operate Whatcom County Jail continues to climb, the city of Blaine is pursuing alternatives to housing inmates. Based on a recommendation from city staff, Blaine City Council voted 6–0 on June 25 [in the absence of councilmember Alicia Rule] to approve an ordinance that will create an electronic home detention program to manage the jail population and reduce costs. As part of the new program, the city will contract with Friendship Diversion Services, which provides alternative sentencing options – such as electronic home monitoring bracelets that track location and alcohol consumption – to cities across the state. This comes two weeks after Blaine City Council voted 7–0 to authorize the city manager to enter into an agreement with Whatcom County for jail services. The contract requires the city to pay an additional $8 per day to house an inmate at Whatcom County Jail, among other new fees. “I do have a vested interest in the court processes and doing what’s right for the city and the people,” said Blaine Municipal Court administrator Raylene King, who prepared the recommendation to city council. “We already know that Whatcom County voters have declined to build a new jail. We know it’s deteriorating ... We need alternatives. We need to reduce costs.” Prior to contracting Friendship Diversion Services, the city paid Whatcom County Jail for electronic home detention. The county charged $73 per day for use of a monitoring device, while Friendship Diversion Services charges a maximum $25 per day. The monitoring bracelets can be used whether an individual is awaiting trial or has been convicted of a crime, but ultimately, it is up to the judge to decide, King said. The city of Blaine could use electronic home monitoring for a number of cases, she added, including Driving Under the Influence (DUI) and domestic violence. Between 2014 to 2018, King said the city of Blaine averaged 37.5 domestic violence cases and a dozen DUI cases per year. In Washington state, individuals who commit a violent offence, sex offense and drug offense, among other serious offenses, are not eligible for home detention. “It seems like it saves considerable money and is more effective and lowers the risk,” said mayor Bonnie Onyon. “Rather than just having a no contact order, there’s actually something there that keeps track of them short of being in jail.” “Which helps keep the family unit together,” councilmember Steve Lawrenson added. Moving forward, Blaine City Council will need to approve a resolution to adopt standards for home detention, King said.
s Fifty-two people, including kids, parents and instructors, took to part in the World’s Largest Swim Lesson at Birch Bay Waterslides on June 21, the first day of summer. Worldwide, an estimated 45,000 people from 29 countries participated in the ninth annual event, which was created to raise awareness about teaching kids to swim to prevent drowning. Photo by Stefanie Donahue
It’s official, the Birch Bay beach project is delayed again By Oliver Lazenby Construction on the 1.6-mile sand and gravel berm and pedestrian walkway slated to be built along the beach at Birch Bay won’t start this fall, and probably not this year, Whatcom County announced last week on its website. The project, called the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project, or the
Birch Bay berm, has been in the works since 2016 and this is the third time it’s been delayed for permitting issues. “Permitting of this beach restoration/ safety project has taken much longer than expected,” the county said in an update on its website. “Great progress has been made during the past year; however, the remaining permits will not be completed in time to proceed with construction during the
allowed 2018 work windows.” Since the 1970s, the Birch Bay community has hoped to build a sand and gravel berm to restore the natural beach along Birch Bay Drive and protect the road from erosion and storm surges. In the early 1950s, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers removed 200 to 300,000 cubic yards of sediment from Birch (See Beach, page 9)
Schedule released for Chautauqua traveling variety show By Oliver Lazenby An old American tradition will be revived this week, as the New Old Time Chautauqua-State Parks tour stops in Blaine and Birch Bay. New Old Time Chautauqua (NOTC), a nonprofit based in Port Townsend, will perform and host a variety of gatherings in collaboration with state parks’ folk and traditional arts program at Blaine and Birch Bay State Park. Originally, Chautauqua was an adult
education movement popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It spread throughout rural America, coming to Birch Bay in 1911, and faded during the 1920s. Performers, speakers, and people who could pass on skills gathered to entertain and teach each other, a major opportunity for rural America 100 years ago. The event’s finale is the “Really Big Show” from 7-9 p.m. on Saturday, June 30 at the Blaine school district Performing Arts Center. The performance features dancing, juggling, music and a
variety of other performances. The event schedule for Birch Bay and Blaine is below. NOTC will also visit the Lummi Nation on June 28 for programming with the tribe, according to a state parks press release. Friday, June 29 9-11 a.m.: NOTC park cleanup community service project at Lincoln Park in Blaine. 11 a.m.: New Old Time Chautauqua (See Chautauqua, page 15)
Blaine’s Old Fashioned 4th of July Celebration
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Street Fair H Car Show H Parade H Live Music H Fireworks & More!
H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H See H Had H on H page H H H H H H H H schedule! H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H H 3 for complete