Around the Bay

County offers planning course
The Whatcom County planning and development department will host a free short-course in local planning at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 28 at Whatcom County Council chambers at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham.

Officials from the Washington State Department of Community Trade and Economic Development (CTED) along with the Planning Association of Washington will discuss topics such as the legal basis of planning in Washington state, comprehensive planning basics and urban villages. The class is free and open to the public.

The City of Bellingham and the Whatcom County League of Women Voters also helped organize the event.For more information, call 360/676-6907.

Minutemen plan return visit to Blaine beginning Saturday
The Washington State Chapter of the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps have announced their plans for a return visit to Blaine this week in support of Ignacio Ramos and Jose Compean, two Texas Border Patrol agents who face up to 20 years in prison after chasing and shooting an undocumented person in the back.

The first rally begins at 10 a.m. February 24 at the corner of H Street and SR 543 in the Cost Cutter parking lot and will continue on the fourth Saturday of the month thereafter. For more information, call 520/829-3112.

Blue Fish restaurant vandalized
Blue Fish restaurant owners are cleaning up after vandals smashed out nine windows and a sliding glass door of the Birch Bay establishment last week, causing as much as $13,000 in damage.

Blue Fish waitress Leslie Anello said she found piles of broken glass, small pellets and large rocks on the floor when she arrived for her shift Thursday morning.

She said although the suspects never entered the restaurant, two juvenile males were filmed by outside surveillance cameras around 3:45 a.m.

Two individuals have also come forward in identifying the youths.

The case has been forwarded to the Whatcom County sheriff’s department for investigation. The restaurant is still open for food, drinks and karaoke.

Citizens academy application deadline is February 28
Applications for the Whatcom County sheriff’s office free Spring 2007 Citizens Academy are due February 28.

Classes are scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. on Wednesdays beginning March 14 and will include a variety of topics including criminal investigation, traffic enforcement, emergency management and search and rescue.

Applications can be downloaded at www.co.whatcom.wa.us/sheriff or by visiting the sheriff’s office at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham.

Rick Larsen to visit Blaine this Sunday
U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA) will continue his series of “Town Talks” with a visit Blaine next week to address the House’s accomplishments during their first 100 hours and his priorities for the new year.

During the visit, Larsen will discuss the 2007 Farm Bill and comprehensive specialty crop legislation he’ll be working to pass this year. He will also discuss legislation involving lobbying regulation, interest rates on student loans, minimum wage, and Medicare prescription drug prices. The visit is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Sunday, February 18 at Blaine city hall.

ReUse Works expands appliance collection services
The Bellingham-based appliance refurbishing and recycling organization is now offering low-cost collection services throughout most of Whatcom County for washers, dryers, ranges, fridges, and freezers. The non-profit organization uses the appliances for its job-training program and tests for reuse potential.

Reuseable appliances are repaired, cleaned, tested and sold to low-income households and others seeking low-cost appliances. Appliances not suitable for reuse are stripped for useable parts and then recycled.

Executive director Duane Jager said in 2006 ReUse Works saved approximately 500 appliances for reuse and recycled an additional 240,000 pounds of materials in addition to providing 2,000 hours of on-the-job training for appliance repair students.

Collection services are available for $15 per appliance. Washers, dryers and ranges are accepted for free if the unwanted appliances are delivered. Additional fees for freon recycling are added for refrigerators and freezers. Some donations are tax deductible.

ReUse Works facility is located at 802 Marine Drive in Bellingham and is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information, call 527-2646.

Start child immunization now for preschool
The Blaine primary school has scheduled its kindergarten registration from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, March 29, at the Blaine primary school’s multipurpose room. Children ages six years and older are eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the 2007-2008 school year if they will be turning age 5 on or before August 31, 2007.

Parents should bring a copy of their child’s birth certificate, updated immunization records and a social security card. Updated vaccinations are required before the primary office can accept registration packets. If a child’s immunizations are not current by March 29 registration packets are available and should be returned when the immunizations are completed. Blaine primary school also requires all children to have their “Well Child” examination by a family physician before the first day of school, although a 30-day grace period is allowed to obtain the exam. For more information, call 332-1300.

BCT holds auditions for play
Blaine Community Theater will hold auditions for their next production, “Don't Count Your Chickens Until They Cry Wolf,” a light-hearted musical featuring fables by Aesop. Auditions are open to ages six and up and are scheduled for 2 p.m. Sunday, February 25 and 6:30 p.m. Monday, February 26 at 1733 H St. suite 600 (next to Rite Aid. For more information, call 305-1172.
- By Tara Nelson