Looking back at a year that just was (January-June 2022)

January
• Birch Bay rang in the New Year with the Ring of Fire and Hope on December 31, 2021 and the Polar Bear Plunge on January 1.
• Blaine school district faced staffing challenges and announced it was looking for substitutes. The district had an average of 23 jobs open daily in January.
• Blaine Police Department officers began wearing body cameras when state law started requiring them at the beginning of 2022.
• President Joe Biden accepted governor Jay Inslee’s request to declare the historic November 2021 flooding a major disaster in Washington state on January 5, bringing individual assistance to those impacted by the historic flooding.
• The omicron variant caused Covid-19 case numbers to reach their highest since March 2020.
• Blaine City Council welcomed new councilmembers Kerena Higgins, Rhyan Lopez and Mike Hill. Council voted 5-2 for Mary Lou Steward to become the new mayor. Lopez and Hill voted for Hill as mayor after Hill gave a 10-minute speech to bid for his candidacy.
• King tides and a storm surge caused flooding in Birch Bay on January 7.
• Whatcom County Council appointed Simon Sefzik, a 22-year-old Republican from Ferndale, to the 42nd Legislative District’s senate seat. The seat was left vacant after Doug Ericksen (R-Ferndale) died of Covid-19 in December 2021. County councilmember Ben Elenbaas and former Bellingham police officer Tawsha Thompson were also in the running for the seat.
• Blaine school district moved classes online because of an increase in Covid-19 cases among students and staff, with about 23 percent of students and staff being sick.
• Washington State Department of Agriculture scientists confirmed all of the Asian giant hornet nests found in east Blaine in 2021 were genetically linked to the nest eradicated in east Blaine in October 2020.
• An unknown Blaine business owner paid to have an uncensored newspaper called “The Flame” distributed to Blaine and Birch Bay households. The newspaper, which contained far-right conspiracy theories, was distributed to 10,000 households across Whatcom County. While some residents voiced support of the paper, others felt threatened by its appearance on their doorstep.
• Rhino Development LLC purchased CJ’s Beach House, the Sea Links Golf Course behind it and two properties on Blaine Road for $3.15 million. Rhino Development is partly owned by the group that owns The Beach at Birch Bay.
• The Washington State Department of Commerce awarded 19 Blaine and Birch Bay businesses grants to help businesses impacted by the U.S./Canada border closure. Of the $2.6 million given statewide, Blaine and Birch Bay received $226,600.
• The Northern Light first reported that Blue Wolf, a New York City private equity firm, was trying to purchase Alcoa’s idled Ferndale aluminum smelter and needed to secure an energy contract with Bonneville Power Administration. The state’s 2022 budget also included $10 million to help restart the plant and reduce its environmental impact.
• U.S. representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) and state representative Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) joined Friends of Birch Bay Library as they waved signs ahead of the February 8 special election. Proposition 2, which was on February ballots, would have created a taxing district to fund the library’s construction.
• Bosporus Properties Inc. purchased the vacant 665 Peace Portal Drive property from the city for $300,000.
• Protestors, local and from neighboring states, gathered under the Peace Arch to support the “Freedom Convoy” of Canadian truckers as the convoy headed to Ottawa to protest Canada’s vaccine mandate. This came a week after protestors met under the Peace Arch to oppose the Covid-19 travel requirements for crossing the U.S./Canada border.
February
• White-Leasure Development Company’s operations vice president Ken Lenz said it expected McDonald’s and Taco Bell would be built on its Gateway parcel by the end of 2022. The company had three other lots for sale.
• Jonathan Jakobitz became Blaine Library’s branch manager on February 1.
• Proposition 2, which would have funded the Birch Bay library’s construction, failed to reach its 60-percent supermajority by 26 votes during the February 8 special election.
• The Washington State Beekeepers Association named Birch Bay beekeeper Ruthie Danielsen as 2021 Beekeeper of the Year for her education efforts surrounding the Asian giant hornet. Danielsen purchased the nest for scientists to research and helped state scientists with education and trapping.
• North Whatcom Fire and Rescue and Whatcom County Fire District 4 discussed how to fund their levels of service after voters twice rejected their proposed levy rate increases in 2021.
• U.S. congresswomen Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Pramila Jayapal (WA-07) said their request was ignored after they demanded a public apology from U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials for the January 2020 detention of Iranian-Americans in Blaine.
• A Northwest Clean Air Agency investigation found Petrogas’ Cherry Point facility expanded without necessary permits.
• Sefzik introduced a ‘Blessing of the Fleet’ resolution in the state legislature to honor the commercial fishermen who risk their lives in Alaska.
• David Franklin took the helm as Semiahmoo Resort Association’s general manager. Franklin previously worked as Shelter Bay Community’s general manager in La Conner.
• Westside Pizza opened February 16 in the Cost Cutter Plaza.
• The Canadian government announced travelers could opt for an antigen Covid-19 test, instead of a PCR test, when entering the country starting February 28.
• Jen and Pat Freeman began construction of a modern three-story building at the corner of H and 3rd streets. The building was one of the first reviewed under the city’s 2018 design code update. 
• Birch Bay-Lynden Road reopened February 18 after a 40-foot section washed out over California Creek during the November 2021 floods. The road still needs permanent repairs.
• Truckers and supporters blocked the Pacific Highway border crossing for three days in mid-February as Canadians continued to protest vaccine mandates and border restrictions in the “Freedom Convoy,” which closed Ottawa and blocked multiple ports of entry on the U.S./Canada border.
• Blaine school board appointed Don Leu to fill its vacant board member position.
• City council brainstormed the future of the Blaine police station, with discussions on using the old city hall property or moving the police station to east Blaine. The previous city council had asked the city to use one-third of the city hall property for the police station expansion, but then city manager Michael Jones gave the new councilmembers the option to review the plans.
• City council discussed adding affordable housing to the old city hall property and in east Blaine.
• Blaine Chamber of Commerce awarded The Northern Light newspaper as Business of the Year.
• Blaine Police Department welcomed new officer Kevin O’Neill and promoted Michael Munden to lieutenant.
• The city of Blaine reached six months of budgeted revenue from building permit fees by the end of February. Current and potential developments included Semiahmoo Highlands, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Harbor Hills, Woodberry, Drayton Reach’s Montfort Park neighborhood, Grandis Pond, Lincoln Mews and Pioneer Post Frame’s live-work units.
• WCSO deputies Ryan Rathbun and Jason Thompson were shot in the head with birdshot while responding to a call in Kendall on February 10. The deputies recovered after undergoing multiple medical procedures.
March
• Blaine High School freshman Carson Roesch won First Team All Star at the state chess championships in Stanwood March 4-5, tying the game with a national master. The school’s varsity chess team sent five students total to state.
• North Whatcom Fire and Rescue and Whatcom County Fire District 4 (WCFD4) continued talks on merging districts in a regional fire authority but WCFD4 needed to fill a commissioner position before furthering discussions.
• The city of Blaine increased utility rates 17.5 percent for water, 5 percent for sewer, and 3.5 percent for electric and stormwater.
• Russia’s war on Ukraine hits home for Blaine residents with ties to Ukraine and local organizations mobilized to help people in Ukraine.
• Gas prices beat the previous state record from 2008 at $4.72 per gallon on March 21.
• Wings Over Water Northwest Birding Festival held its first in-person event since the pandemic and bird lovers flocked to Blaine to attend.
• Governor Jay Inslee ended the indoor mask mandate statewide, with exemptions to healthcare and other similar facilities, on March 12.
• City council resumed in-person meetings at city hall, in addition to remote meetings, on March 28.
• Whisper Lake’s developer expected the Birch Bay neighborhood would start construction by the end of 2022 after Birch Bay Water and Sewer District commissioners approved a new water and sewer developer extension.
• Friends of Blaine Library continued fundraising for the future Blaine Library and waited for Whatcom County Library System to determine its next steps for a Birch Bay library, which would impact library construction in Blaine.
• City council gave final plat approval to Muirfield, a luxury Semiahmoo subdivision with 10 custom-designed homes. The subdivision was expected to break ground in April.
• The city of Blaine and Beachwalker Villas Association were in an easement disagreement that cost both parties thousands of dollars in legal fees to determine whether the city had the right to construct a trail in front of the Semiahmoo condominiums. In January, Beachwalker’s attorney rejected a $15,000 settlement from the city.
• The U.S. Census showed Blaine and Birch Bay, combined, were larger than Lynden or Ferndale and had grown 22 percent over the past decade.
• Over 100 people attended a community meeting on Semiahmoo Highlands, a 353-acre development expected to bring over 480 residential units and retail spaces. Residents voiced opposition to the development and cited concern on unmanaged development causing infrastructure and stormwater management issues.
• City council discussed creating an ad-hoc advisory committee to improve communication on the city’s increased development.
April
• Over 7,400 vehicles crossed both ways through the Peace Arch border crossing on April 1, the day the Canadian government dropped its antigen test requirement for those fully vaccinated.
• A backlog of over 270,000 NEXUS applicants waited for an interview as of mid-April and Canada had yet to open its NEXUS processing centers.
• Horizon at Semiahmoo developers announced they would double the subdivision’s expected number of homes, to 400 units, by adding multi-family housing units.
• Whatcom County Council met in-person for the first time since the pandemic on April 12, while continuing to offer remote meeting options.
• Petrogas Energy Corp. denied allegations of violating a permitting moratorium imposed on Cherry Point facilities and submitting inaccurate emissions data.
• Blaine Fine Arts Association hosted the 25th arts and jazz auction that raised scholarship funds for Blaine students on April 16.
• Lil’ Sprouts Child Care Center received a nearly $300,000 state grant expected to double its enrollment.
• Blaine resident Greg Nuzum became a well-known figure around town, dressing up in costumes from the Grinch to Spider-Man.
• Blaine Chamber of Commerce and artist Kay Dee Powell band together to create Blaine’s Art Studio Tour. The event commenced with a gala on April 29 before free studio tours were offered at residences and businesses over the last three weekends of April, May and June.
• City council approved a resolution that allows council the option to impose local utility facility fees, similar to a connection fee, that the city, developers, or both, would pay for utility infrastructure improvements.
• Gym Star Sports Center sent six gymnasts to USA Gymnastics regional championships and 14-year-old Blaine gymnast Campbell DeJong qualified for Level 9 Western Championships in Salt Lake City, receiving 11th all-around in Utah.
May
• The 38th annual Blessing of the Fleet honored the lives of those lost at sea during the ceremony at Blaine Harbor on May 1.
• The Haynie Opry hosted its last performance on May 14 after performances since 2005. Matt Audette and the Circle of Friends Band played its last show.
• Bird flu was detected in Whatcom County on May 12 after being detected in B.C. and other Washington counties.
• Port of Bellingham commissioners updated the port’s moorage model to increase slip rates over the next four years. The increases were expected to up the port’s cash flow to pay for large projects and operational expenses without bond financing.
• Blaine school district’s main campus went into lockdown on May 24 after a student received anonymous texts threatening to shoot up her school and kill her. There were no physical injuries and the Blaine Middle School student suspected of sending the texts was arrested.
• Washington State Department of Agriculture began a new northern giant hornet monitoring program using paper wasp nests and set 1,000 traps in Whatcom County.
• City council kept maintenance review in the park and cemetery board’s purview after a heated debate on limiting the parks board’s involvement in managing the parks and its budget.
• Intalco union members entered a labor deal with Blue Wolf Capital Partners as the company tried to reach an energy agreement with Bonneville Power Administration to restart the Ferndale smelter.
• State senator Simon Sefzik (R-Ferndale) and state representative Alicia Rule (D-Blaine) attended a Birch Bay Water and Sewer District meeting on water affordability and sanitary removal of sewer.
• Inverness developers hosted a community meeting, with about 40 people in attendance, on the upcoming Semiahmoo subdivision set to bring 88 single-family and townhomes.
• The historic Plover ferry started chartering passengers on May 27 for the first time since the pandemic.
• American Legion Post 86 and Veterans of Foreign Wars 9474 of Custer hosted the Blaine Veterans Memorial Day Ceremony on May 30.
June
• Michael Jones announced his resignation as city manager on June 1 after 15 years working for the city, with four of which as manager.
• Peace Arch Historic State Park ranger Rickey Blank celebrated 50 years of serving Washington State Parks on June 1.
• Blaine Senior Center resumed hot lunches for the first time since the pandemic on June 2.
• The U.S. Supreme Court reversed the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision to uphold Smuggler’s Inn owner Bob Boule’s Fourth Amendment excessive-force claim and First Amendment retaliation claim against a U.S. Border Patrol agent in a June 8 decision. The decision further protected federal law enforcement officials from facing damages for violating constitutional rights.
• Three Blaine Police Department officers were sworn in during the June 13 Blaine City Council meeting. Jeremiah Leland and Benjamin Diacogiannis were sworn in, along with Kevin O’Neill, who was hired in February.
• Mayor Mary Lou Steward wrote a letter to Blaine’s U.S. Congress representatives for assistance in getting U.S. Customs and Border Protection and BNSF Railway to finish installing and updating the Vehicle and Cargo Inspection System.
• A dead grizzly bear thought to have originated from Canada mysteriously washed up on a Cherry Point beach on June 17.
• Japan-based Somi Foods Inc. purchased the Odell Road factory where it operates for $6.35 million.
• Blaine Primary School special education teacher Emily Olsen was awarded Educator of the Year.
• Whatcom County Parks and Recreation director Mike McFarlane retired on June 21. Bennett Knox was selected to start as the new director in September.
• City council continued discussions on the future of the police station and asked city staff to create a report on the cost to develop a full-scale station.
• Police chief Donnell Tanksley celebrated his third anniversary at the police department on June 24.
• The Whisky Minstrels played at the chamber’s first downtown summer outdoor concert and beer garden on June 25.
• The Birch Bay Kite Festival returned June 25-26, offering a family-friendly event just in time for the start of summer.
• Blaine High School’s Technology Student Association competed at nationals in Dallas. Tommy Stiles and Sam Heslop placed sixth in high school board game design.
• The Public Health Agency of Canada announced June 29 that it was extending current border rules, including requiring ArriveCAN to enter the country, for at least three months.
• Sons of American Revolution honored John Finn, a 101-year-old Birch Bay veteran, for hanging a 48-star U.S. flag outside of his house that he flew on his World War II ship.

To be continued next week …