The Northern Light: April 18-24, 2024

Blaine High School performs ‘Mamma Mia!’

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y N ola N B aker

The Blaine High School Theatre Arts Program’s opening night performance of “Mamma Mia!” will occur Thursday, April 18 at the Performing Arts Center, with doors opening at 7 p.m.

The musical is based on the smash Broadway comedy/musical, which was later adapted for the big screen in 2008 starring Amanda Seyfried and Meryl Streep, featuring covers of Swedish pop group ABBA’s greatest hits.

BHS drama teacher Olivia Theilemann will direct the show, with musical direction by Andy Marshall and choreography by Renee Scheib.

The musical is set to be one of the largest shows ever taken on by the Blaine theater arts program, featuring a cast of 33 performers, a pit orchestra of eight musicians, and a backstage crew of roughly a dozen, Theilemann said.

“I knew this show would get the community out to watch,” Theilemann said. “I knew that I could do a really big cast. One thing the kids are really into is comedy and being silly and dancing around. It’s an easy show to fall in love with.” “Mamma Mia!” is a two-act musical telling the story of a young bride-to-be, performed by senior Ava Freeman, who seeks to find out which of her mother’s (played by senior Lucy Dahl) three past suitors is her father. Set on a fictional Greek island, the musical features ABBA familiars like “Dancing Queen,” “Money, Money, Money” and “I Have a Dream.”

Besides the performances from Blaine’s young thespians, another big draw for “Mamma Mia!” is the massive Mediterranean set, built over the course of three months by three parents.

“I’ve heard there’s never been a set that can hold a candle to this set,” Theilemann said.

Everything about the production –like the musical itself – seems big, loud, bright and exciting. After the fall showing of “The Crucible,” Theilemann said she wanted to go in a lighter, more comedy-centric direction, and knew “Mamma

Old Chuck’s Drive-In comes

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Planning commission extends public hearing on downtown parking reductions

Blaine Planning Commission voted during its April 11 meeting to continue a public hearing on a proposal that would give developers the option of reduced residential parking requirements. The commission will continue accepting testimony until its next hearing on Thursday, May 9.

In exchange for reducing parking to a minimum amount set by the city, developers would be required to pay a fee funding downtown transportation improvements.

The changes to parking requirements would apply to the entire downtown. Under the proposal, residential parking could be reduced to .5 stalls for a studio, .75 stalls for a one-bedroom unit, one stall

for two- and three-bedroom units, and .5 additional stalls for each bedroom over a three-bedroom unit.

Developers in the waterview district, which is the west side of Peace Portal Drive in the downtown core, could opt for an additional 50 percent reduction in residential parking in addition to overall reductions. Nine people attended the planning commission’s public hearing April 11 at city hall.

Salishan resident Kathleen Capson said she was against relaxing the parking requirements, saying she doesn’t visit White Rock or Fairhaven because parking is difficult.

“At a time when fun, local recreational

(See Parking, page 3)

Small garage fire on Dodd Street

North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) responded to a garage fire in the 2400 block of Dodd Street in Blaine just before midnight on April 13.

NWFR received a call from dispatch at 11:47 p.m. and the first engine arrived on scene from the Blaine station at 11:58 p.m., deputy fire marshal Joel Nielsen said. Blaine Police Department also responded to the fire.

No injuries were reported.

The fire district determined it was an electrical fire. One vehicle inside the private shop was considered a total loss and there was minor structural damage, Nielsen said.

Firefighters put out the fire at 12:23 a.m.

Parking ...

From page 1

getaways are greatly cherished by the six million people living to the north and south of us, the proposed text amendments are unsuitable,” she said. “Let’s please not shut out downtown shoppers, merchants, residents, visitors, and tourists from downtown Blaine.”

Ray Leone said Blaine is a community that doesn’t have a reliable transit system and requires residents to depend on cars.

Scott Meaker, a builder and business owner who was on an ad hoc committee that drafted the original recommendations to planning commission, said downtown buildings would be affordable if the city gave developers relief on parking.

Christopher Andruscavage, who owns Blaine Chiropractic and Massage on H Street, said his clients already had difficulty finding parking.

Paul Schissler is leading the Kulshan Community Land Trust project that is looking into the feasibility of two affordable and market-rate condominiums buildings, with one of those buildings housing a new Blaine library and commercial space. Schissler said the project is planning for both current and prospective parking requirements. To meet just the proposed requirements, one of the buildings would need a surface-level parking garage under-

neath it, Schissler said.

“Even with this reduced parking, a lot of the site still has to be given over to cars,” he said.

Planning commissioner Colin Hawkins told the commission that they could change the rules later if parking becomes a bigger problem in the future.

Planning director Alex Wenger said he didn’t necessarily disagree with anyone during the public hearing.

“We were just trying to spur growth downtown with this proposal,” he said. “I’m not sure how much we’ll really change things. I think this will make it a little easier to develop downtown.”

Blaine City Council would set the one-time fee for the reduced parking and could adjust annually based on demand.

The planning commission supported ending the parking reductions when 120 parking stalls were transferred from private property into the public rightof-way. The first batch of stalls would be less expensive than the

last batch to incentivize developers to participate earlier in downtown development.

Planning commission is also reviewing a proposal that would increase the building heights by 12 feet in downtown, excluding an area near the Salishan neighborhood, in exchange for agreeing to build affordable housing or paying a public improvement fee.

The commission had asked Wenger to bring them renderings of what the proposed building heights would look like on the west side of Peace Portal Drive. Wenger said the city was still working on the renderings.

City staff began looking at increasing building height restrictions and decreasing parking requirements in 2022, after developers began telling city officials current zoning was impacting their ability to earn a return on investment.

People can submit testimony on the parking proposal to planning commission by emailing cdscomments@cityofblaine.com

s North Whatcom Fire and Rescue firefighters respond to a garage fire in the 2400 block of Dodd Street in Blaine on April 13.

Photo courtesy Blaine Police Department

s Salishan resident Kathleen Capson voices her concerns about a proposal that would give developers the option for reduced residential parking requirements during the Blaine Planning Commission public hearing April 11.

Photo by Grace McCarthy

B y M

ichael c ox , W cl S deputy director

A public library for Birch Bay – a decade-long dream of many residents – will soon become a reality. Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) staff are in the final planning stages for a 1,700-square-foot library within the existing structure of the former Vogt home at 7948 Birch Bay Drive and for public use of the surrounding waterfront property. We are excited to share what community members can expect as we begin construction of the Birch Bay Vogt Library Express.

More than a decade ago, WCLS staff and Birch Bay residents began exploring how to move from weekly bookmobile service to a permanent, full-service branch for the county’s fourth largest community. WCLS purchased the Vogt family property in 2017 to move that vision forward. Following the purchase and in partnership with the nonprofit Friends of the Birch Bay Library, we hosted public meetings where we heard community members’ hopes and dreams for their library.

These conversations guided the design of the initially proposed 7,600-squarefoot full-service library. A ballot measure to fund the estimated $6.5 million project narrowly missed the required 60 percent supermajority in November 2021 and February 2022 elections.

So, we asked ourselves: What can we do with what we have? Over the past two years, we sketched out a smaller library. Now, we are underway thanks to financial support from a $2 million state grant, $315,000 in American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated by the Whatcom County Council, generous gifts from bp, Phillips 66, an anonymous donor and the Eleanor and Henry Jansen Foundation, and significant individual contributions. We recently hired Osborn Architects

Inc. of Seattle and Lynden and are working with them to begin the construction design process. We will host a public meeting this summer to review the design and timeline. We expect construction costs will continue to rise before renovations begin. We are grateful to the Friends of the Birch Bay Library for continuing to fundraise and share project information.

Once a contractor is selected later this year, they will begin renovating the first floor of the existing building and porch. Staff workspaces and storage will be on the second floor; public access to the second floor isn’t possible due to accessibility and safety requirements. Depending on the construction schedule, we anticipate the library will open in the second half of 2025. Meanwhile, bookmobile service continues at the site, Wednesdays, 3-7 p.m.

When the building is complete, resi-

dents will have many of the resources and gathering spaces they envisioned. They will be able to select from a small collection of library materials and pick up holds reserved online, host meetings of up to 40 people, attend library programs inside, on the lawn or the beach, and relax on the reading porch with a view of the berm and bay. There will also be free access to the internet, computers and printers. Library staff will be on site 20 hours a week. When staff are not in the building, patrons can enter using their library card. The small but mighty library express will deliver a lot and, significantly, will provide a space for Birch Bay residents to learn, to connect and to have fun. We are excited to finally build a library for and with the Birch Bay community. For more information or to offer financial support, visit wcls.org/birch-bay.

The Editor: After reading The Northern Light article regarding the missing child, Rajan Chand, I find a couple of things troubling in the reporting.

The article states that on December 29, Rajan’s mother reported Rajan missing to “a public entity.” Who is the public entity and why aren’t they named in the article?

The father states that he was keeping it on the “down low” and didn’t report his 15 year old child missing for 5-6 days, after already stating that Rajan was not the type to leave the house?

The father contacted Blaine Police Department to follow up in April, after filing the missing person’s report in early January? If that were my child, I would be contacting the police department every day, not to mention organizing searches, etc.

From the web...

I don’t write these statements to point out the obvious holes in the story, but I do think that Blaine PD was unfairly targeted in the article. Perhaps there is a valid reason that they didn’t address some of The Northern Light’s questions or make other important details known, considering it is an open and active investigation.

Charles Eklof Blaine

CiviC Meetings

Love that you wrote about wrestling as a whole and not just about Jacob and Genesis’ success at nationals. Wrestling has been a life changing experience for both my children and so many others and has a strong history in Blaine. Appreciate the article!

Tammy Westfall

BBWARM: Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District Advisory Committee meets quarterly in-person and on Zoom. Next meeting July 17, 2024. Info: bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org.

s Whatcom County Library System deputy director Michael Cox, r., and representatives from Osborn Architects Inc. during a recent visit to the Birch Bay Vogt Library Express. Photo courtesy WCLS

s The theater set for Blaine High School’s “Mamma Mia!” performance. The musical will run Thursday-Sunday, April 18-21 and April 25-28, at the Performing Arts Center.

Timmons and Shewmake visit Birch Bay

s State representative Joe Timmons and state senator Sharon Shewmake, both Democrats representing the 42nd Legislative District, stopped by the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce on April 13 for a community meeting on this year’s short legislative session and to receive input. About 50 people attended, several of whom voiced concern about flooding in south Birch Bay and funding cuts to public education.

Boys and girls clubs to hold fundraising gala

B y N ola N B aker

Boys and Girls Clubs of Whatcom County (BGCW) will hold its annual “Inspire Higher Dreams” gala and auction at 5 p.m. Friday, April 26 at the Semiahmoo Resort.

The gala raises funds for BGCW’s eight childcare locations around the county, with last year’s fundraiser generating more than $500,000, BGCW CEO Heather Powell wrote in a news release.

The black tie event will feature a red carpet entrance for guests, a surf-and-turf dinner, and silent and live auctions. Formal attire is highly encouraged, according to a BGCW press release.

“Last year, the gala raised more than $500,000 to support the academic success, healthy lifestyles and good character programs at the Clubs,” Powell wrote in a statement. “Funds raised at this event are critical in helping us accomplish our mission. We could not continue to do whatever it takes without the support of our community.”

BGCW has a Blaine clubhouse, located at 635 8th Street near the Blaine school district campus, and is currently opening registration for its summer camp, which starts June 17.

For more information, inquiry about gala sponsorship opportunities, or to donate items for auction, contact BGCW at 360/738-3808.

Theater ...

From page 1

Mia!” would be the perfect fit.

“One of the fun parts is [teaching] the comedy, watching kids grow and make really fun choices,” Theilemann said. “For certain kids, [comedy] is really irresistible and addictively fun. To watch them develop a fresh relationship with performing is one of the most fun parts for me.”

Performances will be held Thursday-Sunday, April 18-21 and April 25-28. Tickets are $12 for general admission and $10 for students and seniors. Tickets can be purchased at the door or at bit.ly/3VY6kf9.

April 22, 2024

6:00 PM – City Council Meeting

April 23, 2024

3:30 PM – Civil Service Commission Meeting

May 9, 2024

9:30 AM – Public Works and Park Advisory Board Meeting

May 13, 2024

6:00 PM – City Council Meeting

May 27, 2024

City Offices Closed –Memorial Day

The City of Blaine Water Division started flushing the City's water distribution system. 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.

During the city flushing program city water customers may experience a temporary low water pressure and/or cloudiness when flushing is going on. 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.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation. If you have any questions, feel free to call Public Works at (360) 332-8820, or visit www.cityofblaine.com for weekly area updates.

Photo by Molly Ernst

Photo by Nolan Baker

Photo by Nolan Baker

Women’s film festival feature shines light on Canada’s infamous residential schools Film festival highlights

An upcoming film festival in Bellingham will show a powerful new documentary about the intergenerational trauma inflicted on Indigenous families by Canada’s former residential school system.

The Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival will feature the U.S. premiere of “WaaPaKe” (Tomorrow) during its opening night program on Thursday, April 25. The documentary, a National Film Board of Canada production directed by Jules Arita Koostachin, explores the harmful legacy of Canada’s residential schools, which were funded by the government and administered by churches to isolate Indigenous children from their traditions and assimilate them into the dominant settler culture.

In existence for about a century until the 1990s, Canada’s residential schools stripped Indigenous youth of their heritage and exposed them to physical and sexual abuse, malnutrition and disease. In addition to the cultural geno-

cide that occurred, thousands of children also died while in their care and were buried in unmarked graves on school grounds. Those who survived often suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide or other negative effects.

But rather than being a dense documentary full of facts and figures, “WaaPaKe” takes a creative and deeply personal approach, examining Koostachin’s own family and how it has been, and still is, affected by residential schools.

Interspersing photographs, collage and animation, Koostachin interviews her mother, a residential school survivor, as well as her son Asivak and other Indigenous voices. There are references to abuse and addiction, but the film also explores subtle manifestations such as the silence and lack of affection shown by some survivors to their own kids.

“There’s definitely different impacts of trauma that our community is still dealing with,” Koostachin told The Northern

Light. “There’s a lack of communication. There’s the fact that, as I was growing up, my mother was dealing with a lot of her own stuff without support and probably not making the best choices. When you are in survival mode, you are thinking about the present only. You’re in a chaotic state, dealing with things as they come. So the trauma comes out in different ways and forms.”

While there are now more resources for Indigenous people to share their experiences and heal from the pain, Koostachin said much more needs to be done to overcome this dark chapter in Canadian history, including reforming the educational, medical and penal systems.

“There’s so much stuff,” she said. “We need more education and awareness and humanization. Not seeing us as others, but seeing that we feel and experience things and that there was a lot of injustice to our people.”

Koostachin said it felt natural to turn the camera onto herself and her family. “For me, I have always been taught that you should start with your own story first without telling the story of others,” she said. “With my mom, she was just ready to talk and trusted me and I don’t know how much she would have shared if someone outside our family interviewed her. Being part of a family, there is trust there. We put a lot of things on the table that we didn’t necessarily talk about before. The healing has begun because we are not

suppressing some of that stuff.”

“WaaPaKe” also includes interviews with Indigenous elders including Joseph Dandurand of the Kwantlen First Nation and Maisie Smith of the Champagne and Aishihik First Nations. The film was made by a majority-Indigenous crew, who created a culturally safe environment on set. This included having a native counselor on call and starting each day with the burning and wafting of sage, sweetgrass and other medicines, a tradition known as smudging.

“When you have an Indigenous crew, most people have their own story or experience with residential schools or racism or discrimination,” Koostachin said. “We were very aware that crew members could be triggered by the content, which is why we implemented Indigenous storytelling protocols.” Koostachin acknowledges that “WaaPaKe” only scratches the surface of residential schools, but this is intentional. “What I do like about my methodology is not having to do that educational work for the audience,” she said. She assumes viewers are at least somewhat familiar with the history, and hopes her film will inspire them to educate themselves further. “I feel like there’s enough scholarship and film out there for settler-Canadians to do that work themselves.”

For Koostachin personally, intergenerational trauma ultimately “means carrying the weight of my mother’s and grandmother’s trauma,” she said. “The central question I had while making the film is, ‘Who am I without our trauma? What does that look like if I don’t have to carry that weight?’”

Perhaps her burden will never completely go away. But she has hope that future generations will finally be liberated from this trauma. It’s a sentiment reflected in the title of her film, the Cree word for “tomorrow.”

“With this particular film, it’s timely in terms of speaking to the next generation,” Koostachin said. “We need to have these conversations, and film is a great way to do that.”

The Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival runs April 25-28 in Bellingham. In addition to film screenings, it features workshops, panel discussions, social events and, for the first time, an art exhibit. For more information and tickets, visit cascadiafilmfest.org.

Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival is returning to Bellingham for a weekend of celebrating female filmmakers. The festival will bring a variety of events, from the U.S. premiere of “WaaPaKe,” a film about the lasting impact of Canada’s residential schools, to an evening discussion with “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke.

The festival takes place at venues across Bellingham April 25-28, and then most of the films will stream online for purchase May 2-11. Film directors from around the world will be featured.

“We have more features this year than we’ve ever had and we have more premiere showings,” said Cheryl Crooks, festival director and co-founder. “There are so many things happening this year. We think it’s going to be one of the best festivals we’ve had yet.”

The festival will open Thursday night with the premiere of director Jules Koostachin’s “WaaPaKe” at Pickford Film Center, followed by a moderated discussion with Koostachin. “WaaPaKe” explores the intergenerational trauma inflicted on Indigenous people by Canadian residential schools, told through the story of Koostachin’s family and others.

The weekend will be filled with a red carpet opening party, movie screenings, panel discussions, and opportunities to talk with the directors. Hardwicke, who has also directed “Thirteen” and “Miss You Already,” will give a Friday evening presentation at Mount Baker Theatre, with a meet-and-greet reception following. Hardwicke’s “Miss You Already” and “Twilight” will be screened at the Pickford, while other films in the festival include “Preconceived,” a documentary about abortion, and “The Cowboy and the Queen,” about a California horse trainer who befriended Queen Elizabeth II.

There will also be a script studio, free and open to the public, on Sunday morning. Among script studio panelists is Mary Lou Belli, a twotime Emmy-winning director and author.

The first Shirley Jo Finney Award will be presented at the festival in memory of the late Cascadia board member and theater director.

Also new this year is an art exhibit highlighting women’s experiences on display at Dakota Gallery. The exhibit, titled “Women Rising: Expanding Visions and Diverse Perspectives” will run until May 25.

s An archival photo of children attending a residential school in Canada as seen in, “WaaPaKe.”

Image courtesy of National Film Board of Canada

s Jules Arita Koostachin, a member of the Attawapiskat First Nation and director of the film, “WaaPaKe.”

The film will have its U.S. premiere during the opening night program of the Cascadia International Women’s Film Festival on Thursday, April 25 in Bellingham. Image courtesy of National Film Board of Canada

Researchers conducting focus group on pandemic cross-border travel

WWU’s Border Policy Research Institute, in conjunction with Simon Fraser University, is conducting a research project to capture the impacts of border restrictions during the pandemic. Researchers hope to find individuals interested in

participating in

focus groups who are willing to share their experiences and perceptions of travel measures during that time.

Eligible focus group participants will be contacted by a team member to schedule partic-

ipation. All participants in focus groups will receive a $50 Canadian gift card.

Researcher Andréanne Bissonnette, Ph.D will be conducting the focus groups in late April or early May. Those hoping to participate should go to bit.ly/4asEOu0.

Q: When do I have to start withdrawing from my retirement accounts?

A: The 2019 Secure Act has progressively changed the Required Minimum Distribution age, thus causing some confusion for retirees regarding when they must start withdrawing from their retirement accounts. In 2024 if you are turning 73 years old, you must withdraw your Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) no later than April 1st of 2025. It’s important to understand that if you wait to withdraw your RMD until 2025 you will have to take the required withdrawal for both 2024 and 2025. Generally, this can be a poor tax strategy as it could cause too much income to be withdrawn in one tax year, possibly causing higher taxes. At Skyline Advisors we help clients with a broad understanding of financial choices, including RMD’s and tax optimization. The content

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Q: Now that spring is here, what can I do to prevent back pain when gardening?

A: To reduce the risk of back pain when gardening follow these three easy steps.  1) Break up activities into smaller tasks. This gives your back periodic rest intervals and reduces the strain of repetitive movements, which are often linked to pain.  2) Be mindful of your movement mechanics. When lifting heavy objects, bend your knees and hips instead of your back, and keep the object close to your body. Avoid twisting your spine while lifting or carrying items. 3) Take frequent breaks. Incorporate regular rest breaks into your gardening routine to prevent muscle fatigue and strain. Schedule short breaks every 20-30 minutes to stretch, hydrate, and give your back a chance to relax. These three simple steps can help safeguard your back while enjoying the many benefits of gardening.

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Q: What if I need to sell my home before I buy a new one?

A: To strengthen your position when entering negotiations before purchasing a new home, it’s wise to engage a skilled real estate agent. When you make an offer on a new house, it will typically be “contingent” on the sale of your existing home. Unfortunately, this can sometimes reduce your leverage in negotiations. Buyers whose homes are already sold, or at least have an accepted offer, often have more influence. Sellers might be reluctant to accept a contingent offer, concerned about the uncertainties and delays it introduces into the transaction.

If you’re looking for the best strategies to balance buying a new home and selling your old one, or if you need personalized advice for your situation, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m here to help you navigate these challenges successfully.

For more information visit mattberry.withwre.com

Q: Why is it important to choose a professional plumber?

A: With 18 years of trusted service in the community, we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence and customer satisfaction. Our team of skilled professionals is dedicated to delivering top-notch service, whether it's a routine repair or a complex installation. We understand the importance of convenience and that’s why we offer our services with no extra charge for nights and weekends, ensuring that our customers have access to reliable assistance whenever they need it.

Natalie Milligan, MPT, MS

Blaine

sports roundup: Softball loses to tough competition, Dube commits to Skagit Valley College

Sweet doggy dreams?

It can be disconcerting to new dog owners when they discover their pooches whimpering, shaking or seemingly crying in their sleep. Although there may be some rare instances when this behavior is linked to pain and distress, by and large it is a natural response in many animals when they doze off.

Although there is no exact way to measure what is going on in the pup’s mind, experts like Bonnie V.G. Beaver, a doctor of veterinary medicine and author of “Canine Behavior Insights,” says the main reason that dogs produce noises in

their sleep is that they are probably dreaming during the REM phases in their sleep cycles. Dogs, just like humans, have the potential for vivid dreams while sleeping, as evidenced by looking at dogs’ brain waves during REM sleep.

During these phases, dogs may show movement like wagging their tails, twitching their paws, fluttering their jowels, or making noises like whimpers. In some cases, dogs also may bark while sleeping, according to PetMD.

Boys golf Blaine boys golf sent three athletes to Bellingham Golf and Country Club (BGGC) on April 16 for the Birger Solberg Invitational, facing the best 36 golfers from 11 Northwest Conference (NWC) teams.

The course at BGCC is tough to play if the golfers don’t hit their drives straight, as the thin fairways punish any missed drives or approach shots, and it took the Borderites until the back nine before they began to figure things out.

Uno Nevarez led the Borderites in 11th place overall, followed by Ellis Griffin and Cameron Saunders. Blaine’s front nine scores weren’t anything to write home about, but each golfer showed great improvement in the second half of the match.

“They were getting used to the course,” head coach Rick Shockey said of his three golfers. “The narrowness of the course made it tough for them at the start. We try to teach that if you’re having a bad day, start working on the (See Sports, page 13)

Pet owners should rest assured that very likely these vocalizations and movements are completely normal. However, if they are new behaviors, it could be worth a discussion with a veterinarian. New pet owners should know that a dog who makes noise while napping, may also do so during the night, and should not be overly concerned if they are woken by pet noises. The general consensus is to simply let the pooch be as he or she works through those REM stages.

s A local cat had a friend visit. Photo by Ann Walter

s Cameron Saunders analyzes the fairway before his drive on the first hole at Bellingham Golf and Country Club on April 16.

Photo by Nolan Baker

Sports ...

From page 10 thing that you need to get better at.” Get better, they did. Each Blaine golfer shot a 45 or below on the back nine, with Nevarez again leading the pack with a 41, Griffin with a 43, and Saunders shooting a 45.

Blaine has four more matches in its regular season before sending its best six golfers to district playoffs in May. For Shockey, the whole team has shown that they are improving every day, but will need to improve even more before the postseason begins.

“This team has gotten so much better over the course of the season,” Shockey said. “Even the [junior varsity] players have shown big improvements, so I’m excited to see how we head into districts.”

Blaine’s next match will be on Thursday, April 18 at 3 p.m. at Shuksan Golf Course, 1500 E. Axton Road, Bellingham, and then the Borderites will have its last near-home match at Loomis Trail Golf Club on Thursday, April 25 at 3 p.m.

Softball

After a super hot 5-0 start to the regular season, the bats went cold for Blaine softball this past week, with the Borderites dropping three of its last four games. The Borderites currently hold a 6-3 overall record (5-1 NWC), and still remain atop the 1A NWC standings, just below 2A top dogs Sedro-Woolley and Burlington-Edison.

In a rematch of last season’s state semifinal matchup against Montesano that saw the Borderites bounced from the postseason, Blaine again couldn’t defeat the reigning 1A state champions, falling 9-1 in the second game of a double-header on April 13. Earlier that day, softball lost a closes 3-2 game to Hoquiam, and then were shut out 4-0 by NWC first-place Sedro-Woolley on April 15.

Over those three straight losses, Blaine was outscored 16-3. In the three games prior, Blaine averaged over 15 runs per game.

The Borderites were able to get back in the win column on April 16 with a 5-2 win on the road against Lynden, and hope to stay

OBITUARY

Roxana Lee Tranberg

Roxana Lee (Pfundt) (Lyon) Tranberg, age 88, formerly of Blaine, passed away in Bellingham on April 3, 2024.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Bellingham Covenant Church, 1530 East Bakerview Road, Bellingham, WA on May 19 at 2 p.m. To view her full obituary and share memories please go to www.wcremation.com.

there with another conference road matchup against Ferndale on Thursday, April 18 at 4 p.m.

Head coach Sean Miller told The Northern Light last week that the schedule would get tougher, and it did, but the Borderites still have plenty of season remaining to rebound and stay atop the 1A conference standings.

Blaine will host two home games this weekend, first facing Coupeville on Friday, April 19 at 4 p.m., then Lynden Christian on Saturday, April 20 at noon at Pipeline Field.

Boys Soccer

Boys soccer had an up-anddown week, blowing out Mt. Baker 6-0 at home on April 10 for its seventh win of the season, and losing 4-1 to Ferndale on April 13.

The Borderites still have a solid record of 7-2-2 overall, but have only picked up seven points in the conference standings, with a NWC record of 2-1-1.

The Borderites scored its second highest goal total of the season against Mt. Baker, behind only the eight-goal bonanza early in the season against Granite Falls, but then followed up that performance by allowing the most goals in a single game so far this season.

Head coach Gio Quesada has said this year’s defense is young and he has tinkered with the back line quite a bit. Hopefully the defensive miscues to Ferndale were just a one-game fluke. The Ferndale game followed three consecu-

tive shutout wins by the Borderites.

Blaine faces Meridian for the second time this season on Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. The Borderites will hope to avenge its first loss of the season, a 2-1 defeat to the Trojans on March 26.

Blaine travels to Lynden Christian on Monday, April 22 at 4:30 p.m., and then will host Nooksack Valley on Wednesday, April 24 at 7 p.m.

Senior Dube commits to Skagit Valley College

Blaine senior Deja Dube officially committed to play basketball at Skagit Valley College next year, Blaine Athletics announced on April 16.

Dube was a four-year starter for Blaine basketball and ranked #18 in WhatcomHoops.com’s top-30 player rankings to end last season. Dube averaged eight points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals and one block per game in her senior year. She also led the team in minutes per game with 28 and earned an All-NWC Honorable Mention award.

Dube also excels in track and field, and has already won first place in multiple NWC discus events this year.

Dube is the second Borderite that Blaine Athletics has announced signing a letter of intent to play collegiate sports this season, with softball standout Emersyn Bakker announcing her intent to play at Edmonds Community College earlier this month.

s Ellis Griffin watches his drive on the first hole at Bellingham Golf and Country Club on April 16. Griffin finished tied for 18th in a field of 36 golfers.

Photo by Nolan Baker

sheriff’s repOrts

April 6, 4:19 a.m.: Suspicious person on Birch Bay Drive.

April 6, 2:22 p.m.: DUI arrest on Drayton Harbor Road.

April 7, 10:48 a.m.: Traffic stop arrest on California Trail.

April 7, 5:54 p.m.: Domestic violence cold call on Dory Court.

April 7, 5:59 p.m.: Neighborhood dispute cold call on Salish Road.

April 7, 8:19 p.m.: Traffic hazard on Portal Way.

April 8, 11:04 a.m.: Welfare check on Breeze Loop.

April 8, 12:56 p.m.: Trespass on Birch Bay Square Street.

April 8, 2:56 p.m.: Trespass on Loomis Trail Road.

April 8, 4:56 p.m.: Trespass on Birch Bay Square Street.

April 8, 10:27 p.m.: Shots on Birch Bay Lynden Road.

April 9, 10:58 a.m.: Theft cold call on H Street Road.

April 9, 11:03 a.m.: Burglary cold call on Alderson Road.

April 9, 12:59 p.m.: Domestic physical on Seawan Place.

April 9, 3:18 p.m.: Civil problem cold call on Beachcomber Drive.

April 9, 9:38 p.m.: Death investigation on Clamdigger Drive.

April 10, 10:03 a.m.: Welfare check on Harborview Road.

April 10, 10:52 a.m.: Vehicle prowl cold call on Alderson Road.

April 10, 2:16 p.m.: Sex crime (no rape) cold call on Arnie Road.

April 10, 5:26 p.m.: Domestic –physical on Seashell Way.

April 10, 5:53 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Jess Road.

April 10, 7:26 p.m.: Domestic

– physical cold call on Holeman Avenue.

April 11, 2:30 p.m.: Vehicle theft cold call on Legion Drive.

April 11, 2:40 p.m.: Harassment cold call on Anderson Road.

April 11, 6:17 p.m.: Domestic –physical on Creasey Road.

April 11, 11:37 p.m.: Theft cold call on Alder Street.

pOLiCe repOrts

April 6, 5:32 p.m.: Suicidal subject on Mitchell Avenue.

April 7, 1:15 a.m.: Security check on Sigurdson Avenue.

April 7, 3:55 p.m.: Welfare check on Mitchell Avenue.

April 7, 8:12 p.m.: Traffic hazard on Cedar Street.

April 8, 6:52 a.m.: Theft on 3rd Street.

April 8, 3:33 p.m.: Domestic –physical on Kingsley Avenue.

April 8, 6:31 p.m.: Welfare check on Mitchell Avenue.

April 9, 1:50 p.m.: Security check on Peace Portal Drive.

April 9, 10:15 p.m.: Vandalism on E Street.

CrOssWOrd

59. Class of escort aircraft carrier

60. To what degree

61. Buzzing insect 62. The human foot

63. “The Leftovers” actress Dowd 64. A place to stay 65. Sun up in

28. Supplement with difficulty

29. Annoy constantly 31. Founder of Babism

32. Indigenous person in parts of Asia

33. Sea eagle

37. Leave behind 38. Time of day

39. Colorless crystalline compound

40. They lay out course requirements

41. A diamond has three

42. Algerian coastal city 43. Remove cover 44. Rechristened 47. Distinctive

Community Breakfast: Saturdays, 8–11 a.m., American Legion Post 86, 4580 Legion Drive. All-you-can-eat pancakes $5, kids 4 and under get free pancakes. Other breakfast items available for purchase. Hosted by G.O.A.T. Sandwiches. Info: 360/296-4204. Portion of proceeds benefits the American Legion.

Spring Fever Event: Wednesday–Saturdays through April 24, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., The Bridge Community Hope Center Boutique, 7620 Birch Bay Drive. Info: thebridgehope.com or 360/366-8763.

Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Luncheon: Thursday, April 18, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Bay Breeze Restaurant, 7829 Birch Bay Drive. Speaker: Hunter Hassig with Puget Sound Energy to talk about their Small Business Energy Efficiency Blitz. Info and RSVP: birchbaychamber.com.

Blaine Chamber Happy Hour: Thursday, April 18, 4–5:30 p.m., Black Forest Steakhouse, 638 Peace Portal Drive. No-host business networking. RSVP encouraged: director@blainechamber.com.

April 10, 11:15 a.m.: Fraud on Martin Street.

April 10, 12:15 p.m.: Welfare check on G Street.

April 11, 7:53 a.m.: Theft on Boblett Street.

April 11, 9:37 p.m.: Harassment on E Street.

April 11, 9:51 p.m.: Security check on Peace Portal Drive.

April 12, 11:40 a.m.: Juvenile problem on H Street.

April 12, 1:27 p.m.: Theft on 12th Street.

April 12, 5:54 p.m.: Assault – simple on C Street.

practice

48. Defunct phone company

49. Turkish officer of high rank

51. Eliminate from the body

52. Witness

53. Soviet Socialist Republic

58. Founding Father Franklin

tides April 18-24 at Blaine. Not for navigation.

Whatcom Literacy Council’s Annual Trivia Bee: Thursday, April 18, 6–8 p.m. A fast-paced and interactive platform for an online trivia night akin to Jeopardy! Register your team (three people) for $75, or just watch for free. Info and registration: whatcomliteracy.org.

Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, April 18, 7 p.m., The Vault Wine Bar + Bistro, 277 G Street. This week’s theme: famous royals. Info: thevaultwine.com.

BHS Theater Presents “Mamma Mia!”: Thursday–Saturday, April 18-20, 25–27, 7 p.m. and Sunday, April 21 and 28, 2 p.m., Blaine Performing Arts Center. Blaine High School students perform in the musical. Tickets: $12, students and seniors $10.

Live Music at The Vault: Friday, April 19, 7 p.m, The Vault Wine Bar + Bistro, 277 G Street. Featuring: Michele D’amour and the Love Dealers. Info: thevaultwine.com.

Air Tools, The Great Equalizer: Saturday, April 20, 9–11 a.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Air tools can make hard work easy enough for anyone to accomplish. Air tools can fasten, disassemble, cut, grind, chisel, blow, paint and more. Come give it a try. Presentation and hands on tool demo. Info: nwcore.org.

Sacred Earth Fair Urban Edition: Saturday, April 20, 1-4 p.m., First Congregational Church of Bellingham, 2401 Cornwall Ave. Education on tackling climate change at the local level. Free, family-friendly event with an opening ceremony, informational tables, activities, storytelling from a Nooksack tribal elder and a panel of local officials.

Broken Star: Heroic tales of Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harriet Tubman: Saturday, April 20, 1:30 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 702 G Street. Debbie Dimitre, storyteller and actress entertains, inspires and educates audiences of all ages with her historical and dramatic storytelling presentations. Info: 360/332-6589.

Working Waterfront Coalition Fundraiser: Saturday, April 20, 5:30 p.m., Bellingham Ferry Terminal, 355 Harris Avenue, Bellingham. Live and silent auction, Drayton Harbor Oyster bar, photo booth, seafood buffet by Crave Catering. Old Hollywood Theme - dress for the red carpet from the 1920s-40s or come as you are. Tickets $95 at bit.ly/3x11vqW.

Beginning Birding by Ear: Sunday, April 21, 9 a.m.–noon, Point Whitehorn Marine Reserve. Hone your skills in identifying birds by ear as you learn to recognize avian species by their calls and songs. Space is limited. Registration required: bit.ly/3U1g9Gn. Sponsored by North Cascades Audubon Society.

Cruising with Heino: Wednesday, April 24, 5–7 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Tips, tricks and finding the best deals. Answers to your ocean cruise ship/cruising questions. A media presentation with handouts. Heino is a passionate cruiser who “shops hard” and has had multiple cruise experiences. Info: nwcore.org.

Birch Bay Chamber After-hours Networking: Thursday, April 25, 5–6:30 p.m., The Beach Bar, 7876 Birch Bay Drive. No-host networking with other chamber and community members. Info: birchbaychamber.com.

Mermaids in Birch Bay: Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Birch Bay State Park. Free family fun. Take “shellfies” with a traveling professional mermaid group, enjoy story time hosted by Friends of Birch Bay Library, walk on the beach with Friends of Birch Bay State Park and Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 and learn about marine life. Info: birchbaychamber.com.

DEA National Rx Take Back: Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Birch Bay Vogt Community Library, 7948 Birch Bay Drive. Drop off unwanted and unneeded controlled, uncontrolled or over-the-counter medications. Cannot accept IV solutions, injectables, inhalers, syringes, chemotherapy medications, vaping devices that have non removable batteries or medical waste.

Dahlias: Saturday, April 27, 9–11 a.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Dahlias are considered to be the premier cut flower. They are easy to grow, but there are some definite tricks. Presentation includes expert dahlia growers, live demos and answering questions. Free tubers. Info: nwcore.org.

Weather

Precipitation: During the period of April 8 to April 14, 0.3 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2024 year-todate precipitation is 11.9 inches.

Temperature: High for the past week was 63.5°F on April 14 with a low of 37.7°F on April 10. Average high was 59.8°F and average low was 41.6°F.

Spring Open House: Saturday, April 27, 9 a.m.–6 p.m. VW’s Home & Garden, 8210 Portal Way. One day sales, planter bar, greenhouse tours at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Info: vwhomeandgarden.com.

Smoking Meats for Beginners: Saturday, April 27, 10 a.m.–noon, Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. It’s easier and less expensive than you think! An operating meat smoker will be on display, with delicious smoked sausages to be sampled after the presentation. Topics covered will include smoking equipment; types, styles and pros and cons. Discussion of different wood used for smoking meats as well as their preparation for the smoker. Tips, ideas and recipes will also be covered. Info: nwcore.org.

The Firestarter Conference: Thursday–Sunday, May 2–5, hosted by The Christian Way Community Church, 1733 H St. Unit 260. Thursday is a youth rally from 6:30–9 p.m. The main event is Friday 6:30–9:30 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m.–9 p.m. and Sunday 10–11:30 a.m. Registration: thechristianway.church.

Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.

Road Rules: School zone lights when school is out

B y d ou G d ahl

Question: In a school zone, if the lights are flashing but school is out (like for spring break), does the 20 mph speed limit still apply?

Answer: Sounds like someone forgot to turn out the lights before they went on vacation. Dad’s going to be pretty upset when you all get home. I hope you’re ready for the lecture on responsibility, how money doesn’t grow on trees, and that if this is how you’re going to waste his resources, maybe now is a good time to start paying rent.

Oh, wait, wrong scenario. Let’s talk about school zones. The easy answer is, yes, if the beacons are flashing, the speed limit is 20 mph. Now, when someone says an answer is easy and responds with such confidence, you should ask for sources. And since you’re asking, I’ll admit this is a bit of an argument from silence.

Let’s first make sure we agree on what a school zone is. The Revised Code of Washington (RCW) gives cities and counties the ability to create school zones, “in which zone it is unlawful for a person to operate a vehicle at a speed in excess of twenty miles per hour.” The zone extends up to 300 feet from the edge of the school property. That’s it from the RCW. Nothing about additional plaques with the hours the zone is in effect, or that read “when children are present” or “when flashing.” Without any additional plaques the school zone speed limit is in effect every day, all day, all year long.

The Washington Administrative Code adds some context to the “when children are present” plaque, explaining that it is in effect when school children are in a crosswalk, waiting to cross the street, or walking on the sidewalk or shoulder of the roadway.

I couldn’t find anything in the law, the Washington Driver Guide, the Manual on Uniform

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Traffic Control Devices, or even a traffic lawyer’s website, that gave any clarification or exceptions to the 20-mph-when-flashing speed limit. That’s probably because it’s obvious to the point of not needing an explanation, at least until a school goes on spring break without turning off the lights and leaves drivers wondering.

Given that there’s nothing in the law that says you can ignore the 20 mph speed limit if the beacons are flashing but the kids are all on vacation, the plainest understanding of the law is that when the lights are flashing, the speed limit is 20 mph, no exceptions.

However, even though I can’t speak on behalf of our peace officers, I highly doubt that there would be any effort to enforce a school zone speed limit when school isn’t in session. And to speculate some more, I expect that if an officer did write a ticket for it, a judge might lean toward mercy for a driver that was traveling at the otherwise posted speed limit.

But here’s the thing; I get a lot more questions from people trying to find ways to go faster than I do from people willing to go slower. Seventy-six percent of Washington drivers speed, at least a little bit. It’s not much better in school zones, where 71 percent of drivers speed. Speed is a factor in a third of traffic fatalities in Washington.

The person who forgot to turn off the flashing beacons for

spring break caused a few seconds of delay for drivers. And working in the other direction, that’s the trade-off of speeding. In exchange for increased risk, your gain is calculated in seconds. I know I’m biased, but I don’t think it’s worth it.

Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes thewisedrive.com.

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