News In Brief

Public trail requested
The county council planning and development committee began their review of the Birch Bay Community Plan March 23 and will continue to consider the plan at their next meeting April 6. The committee could present their recommendations to full council that evening, but amendments proposed to the staff recommendation so far would likely trigger another public hearing, which could be as soon as April 20.
In other Birch Bay news, Birch Bay steering committee Mike Ross has asked county hearing examiner Michael Bobbink to require the developers of Bay Crest to add a public trail to the development. The proposed trail would connect Bay Horizon Park and the back of the state park. Bobbink held a public hearing on Bay Crest North, the second phase of the Bay Crest Development, March 30.

Money management, kid-style
Blaine middle school is hosting a workshop designed to help parents teach their kids how to manage their money. The free workshop for parents of grade five through eight students is titled “Talking to Your Kids About Personal Finance and Decision Making.” The goal is to provide parents with activities they can do with their kids to help create a solid foundation of positive decision making in their lives. Refreshments will be served and each parent that attends will receive a free family activity guide created by the National Council on Economics Education. WWU, Bank of America, and the Blaine school district are sponsoring the event.
The workshop will be held in the middle school library from 7-9 p.m. April 20. For more information, interested parents can contact Melanie Helt at the middle school at 332-0406. Sign-ups should be submitted by April 13, as there is only room for 30 people.

Learn to sail
The newest additions to the Blaine and Birch Bay seafaring communities are meeting to start planning summer fun on the water and learn the skills to enjoy it safely. The Sea Scout program teaches young people 14 to 19 years old basic seamanship skills, from knots to navigation, and how to handle and maintain a vessel. Scouts will put their skills to use this summer on a variety of sailing trips, from day cruises in Semiahmoo bay to a flotilla trip up the Inside Passage to Alaska. Meetings are the first and third Tuesday of each month at Grace Lutheran Church on G Street in Blaine, starting at 7 p.m.

30,000 people need your help
The Whatcom Literacy Council will be hosting a volunteer tutor orientation for those interested in helping an adult learn to read and write or use English as a second language. Tutors must be at least 18 years old and have graduated from high school. No previous teaching or foreign language skills are needed. Training is provided and tutoring is done in your own community at convenient hours.
At the orientation on Wednesday, April 7 at 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Whatcom Community College, Kelly Hall, Room 109 interested volunteer tutors can learn more about becoming a volunteer tutor. Many people are patiently waiting for your help.
It is estimated that one in five adults in the United States is functionally illiterate. This means that 30,000 adults in Whatcom County may need literacy services. The Whatcom Literacy Council is a non-profit organization.
For more information call 647-3264 or visit www.whatcomliteracy.org.

Close Up sale and auction
Blaine high school’s Close-up organization is hosting its 14th annual family garage sale and silent auction on Saturday April 24 from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. at the Blaine middle school gym. Silent auction items are from merchants all through the county. The bids for silent auction items will end at 3 p.m. The proceeds from the sale will help sponsor high school juniors attending a weeklong study of the federal government in Washington, D.C. Anyone wishing to donate items for the garage sale or silent auction should contact David Fakkema at the high school at 332-6045.