Around the City

NWFRS swears in six new volunteers
Residents of the Blaine and Birch Bay area are invited to attend a meeting of the North Whatcom Fire and Rescue Service scheduled to recognize six new firefighters who have completed the fire service recruit academy.
New firefighters John Hollstein, Doug Kreider, Adam Smith, Jason Adams, Chuck Shipp and Chris Foy will be sworn in by fire chief Tom Fields, and be presented with badges and take their oath of service.
The meeting is scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, October 30 at North Whatcom Fire and Rescue station 10 at 9408 Odell Road. For more information, call 371-2533.

Birch Bay chamber elects new members
The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce has elected the following individuals to its board of directors: Marc Weigum, of Terrill Creek Landing, was elected as president; Cynthia Colinares, a realtor with Century 21/Bay Properties, has been elected as vice president; Maureen Kelly, of Sage Butterfly Web Design & Seminars has been elected as secretary; and Kevin Stickle, a certified public accountant (CPA) at Larson Gross, has been elected as treasurer.
The next chamber meeting is scheduled for 11:30 a.m., Tuesday, November 21 at the Blue Fish restaurant in Birch Bay. Whatcom County sheriff Bill Elfo will be speaking about a new police staffing plan that would increase deputy presence in that area. Cost is $10 and includes lunch. For more information, call 371-5004 or visit www.birchbaychamber.com.

City workshop explores land use law
The city of Blaine has scheduled an educational workshop to discuss land use law and planning at 6 p.m. Thursday, October 26.
The workshop is designed to educate individuals about the public process of land use planning and is open to members of the community.
Dennis Rhodes, an assistant director with Whatcom County Planning and Development Services; Blaine city attorney Jon Sitkin; and land use attorney Roger Ellingson will be present to discuss land use law and regulation.
For more information, call 332-8311.

Blaine municipal court offers amnesty program
The Blaine municipal court is offering defendants with fines assigned to collection agencies an opportunity to clear unsettled debts.
Blaine court clerk Mary Cazabon said payments must be made in the full amount of the fines plus all court costs, but excludes collection fees.
Cases that involve legal action by a collection agency such as paycheck garnishment are not eligible for the program.
“There’s also no exception to the way the rules are written,” Cazabon said.
Certified checks or money orders can be made to “Blaine Municipal Court” and sent to 344 H Street, Blaine, WA 98230. Personal checks are not accepted. For more information, call 332-8311.

Lonquist awarded Blaine Builder award
Northern Meadows owner Christy Lonquist, of Blaine, was awarded the Blaine Builder award from the city of Blaine for the month of October.
Blaine mayor Mike Myers said the award was given to Lonquist in part for her Bountiful Harvest Scarecrow display contest and food bank drive last week as well as her involvement in community events since she opened her wine store on Peace Portal Drive last December.
“She’s just a great person and deserves the award,” Myers said. “We try to recognize people for what they’ve done for the town and she’s just one of those people.”
The award was developed earlier this year by Debbie Harger of the Blaine community development department as a way to honor volunteers’ contributions in the community.

Truck route closures continue
Crews will continue construction on parts of State Route 543, restricting access to the D Street intersection for at least one year.
State Department of Transportation workers had scheduled the closure of the west side of the D Street intersection on October 23. Beginning October 30, crews will also close the east side of the intersection.
The truck parking lot near D Street and SR 543 intersection will also be closed for at least one year.
With the intersection closed, crews will build the new D Street overpass and continue to lower the highway 25 feet and build retaining walls.
After that, construction will continue for at least two years as crews convert the Blaine truck crossing from a narrow and congested two-lane roadway into a safe and more efficient five-lane highway, which includes designated truck lane better aligned with border inspection booths and an overpass at D Street.
Crews will provide signed detour routes. A map of the detour is available by visiting the DOT’s website at www.wadot.wa.gov/Projects/SR5. Real time traffic and weather information is available on most phones by dialing 5-1-1.
Callers can also use the number to access statewide construction, mountain pass conditions, and state ferry schedules, as well as toll free numbers for passenger rail and airlines.

- Compiled by Tara Nelson