News In Brief

Peace Arch walking tours to start next week
Starting Sunday, July 20, residents and visitors can take part in one -hour educational walking tours of the Peace Arch and its park lands. Conducted by local author Richard Clark, the tours will be held each Sunday from July 20 through August 31, at 2 p.m., meeting at the park entrance. Clark spent 15 years writing �Sam Hill�s Peace Arch: Remembrances of Dreams Past,� a 357-page book outlining Peace Arch history. The book has yet to be published.

Blaine Mayor Schugt announces candidacy
Blaine Mayor, Dieter Schugt, announced his candidacy for re-election to the Blaine city council ward 3, position 5. Schugt, a Blaine resident for the past 17 years, has served on the council for the past four years. Prior to that, he served for five years on the planning commission, and served for two years as its chair. Schugt retired to Blaine from northern California and worked for 31 years for Safeway Corporation, in Dallas, the San Francisco Bay area, Saudi Arabia and Guam.
�Blaine continues to face substantial issues. Like all small cities across our state, we are impacted by severe budget restraints. And yet, we continue to make positive progress,� Schugt said, citing improvements made to emergency response and fire service. Schugt also emphasized the need to guarantee an adequate year-round supply of water and finalize the plan to address our wastewater needs. Schugt has been actively involved in numerous committees concerning the responsible growth in the Blaine-Birch Bay area for the last 17 years.

Parade entries total 99, nine awards given out
Blaine�s Old Fashioned Fourth of July parade had 99 registered entries, including everything from cannons and clowns, to horses and dogs, to kids and old timers. Judges gave out nine awards, including ribbons and a trophy. The winners are as follows: best band/Blaine Middle School; best youth drill team/Liberty Bells; best clown/Pound Cake; best horses/Valley View Percherons; and best animals/the Ebenezer Christian School Mules. John VanVliet, the owner of a 1933 Dodge custom coupe street rod, took home the award for best vehicle and the White Rock Youth Ambassadors won for best royalty. The Pacific Building Center won for best commercial float, and the judge�s choice for best overall entry was given to the Hrutfiord family tractors.

Habitat work at Cedar Street home continues
There will be a work party on Saturday, July 12, at Blaine�s first Habitat for Humanity home at 940 Cedar Street. The work party will be headed by Mike Ormiston, and will finish the exterior trim work, including decks, siding, and exterior doors. Six to 10 people are needed for this work party and volunteers are encouraged to sign up with Blake Kent at 715-9170. The work party starts at 8:30 a.m.

Port hires new marine operations director
The Port of Bellingham announced Tuesday that Stephen Jilk has accepted the position of director of marine services. Jilk, formerly the port�s economic development director, will oversee the port�s marinas at Blaine, as well as Squalicum, and the Bellingham cruise and shipping terminals. Jilk joined the port in 2001 after working as the city of Lynden�s city administrator for eight years. He also has worked as city administrator and executive director of a port authority in Minnesota. �I see our traditional waterfront as one of this county�s key assets,� Jilk said. �It is also facing some great challenges. I look forward to enhancing the port�s marinas and marine terminals and positioning them to be a strong part of our local economy now and in the future.�

Local cancer survivors attend Relay for Life
Local and county-wide cancer survivors will walk together on Friday, July 11, during the first lap of the American Cancer Society Relay for Life.The traditional survivors lap will kick-off the event at 6 p.m. Relay For Life of Whatcom County is a family-oriented, overnight event in which teams walk, run or wheelchair in shifts around the track to symbolize the battle against cancer, which never sleeps. Participants traditionally camp out around the course. Relay For Life of Whatcom County will take place in downtown Bellingham near the Courthouse at 311 Grand Avenue on Friday, July 11 at 6 p.m. through Saturday, July 12 at 2 p.m. Registration begins at 3 p.m. on Friday, with opening ceremonies at 6 p.m. Closing ceremonies will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 12. For more information, call 800/227-2345.

Olympics: Officials tout local economic potential
Following last week�s announcement that Vancouver will host the 2010 winter olympics, officials commented on the local economic potential. Representative Rick Larsen said this was a huge win for the people of British Columbia and Washington state. �It will provide shared tourism and job opportunities that will benefit Whatcom County and our northern border communities. I will continue my efforts to make sure our border crossings are ready and able to handle the traffic they have now, let alone what we might see during the 2010 Winter Games.� State Representative Doug Ericksen, who serves as the ranking Republican on the house transportation committee, said Washington state must start planning now for 2010. �This will be an incredible opportunity to showcase our region to a worldwide audience. The better we prepare to serve as hosts to this audience, the more we stand to gain in terms of attracting exposure and millions in overflow tourism dollars,� he said.