Looking back at a year that just was (July-December 2022)

Continued from last week ...

July

• David Wilbrecht was sworn in as interim city manager following the resignation of former manager Michael Jones. Wilbrecht served as the city’s manager from 2013 to 2018. 

• Cabana Cuts hair studio opened in Birch Bay on July 1. 

• The first northern giant hornet nest found in the U.S., in east Blaine, was put on display at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. 

• Blaine had its Old-Fashioned Fourth of July parade for the first time since the pandemic. Thousands attended for the parade, car show, live music, vendors and fireworks show. 

• The Northern Light sat down with Harmit Gill, the new U.S. Customs and Border Protection port director for the Blaine area. Gill, a longtime Blaine resident, discussed what he hoped to accomplish in his first year and how he’s improving transparency within the agency. 

• The Pacific Arts Association brought back in-person performances and classes at Blaine Harbor Music Festival and Camp for the first time since the pandemic.

• Whatcom County Library System hosted Pride in the Park to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community at Blaine Marine Park. 

• The national suicide and crisis hotline changed to 988 to create better access to services. 

• Former mayor and Blaine Food Bank operations manager Gerald “Jerry” Bladies was remembered for his community service after he died July 17. He was 86 years old. 

• Scientists asked the public to start calling the world’s largest hornet the “northern giant hornet” to avoid using a geographical region in the insect’s name.

• Blaine school district adopted its 2022-23 budget that had a four-year budget forecast projecting a $14 million deficit. 

• Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Rollback Weekend and Sand Sculpture Contest took place in Birch Bay over July 30-31.

August

• Bayside Beauty Salon owner Judy Dunster celebrated 50 years of styling hair in Blaine on August 1.

• Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce and Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office celebrated National Night Out at Birch Bay State Park to strengthen community ties between residents and their first responders.

• The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released an environmental impact statement on operating the north wing of the BP Cherry Point shipping terminal. The Corps planned to consult with local tribes before determining whether the wing should be used as permitted.

• The August 2 primary election indicated a tight November race between Democrats and Republicans.

• The first Whatcom County resident tested positive for the monkeypox virus on August 2, and the White House declared monkeypox a public health emergency on August 4. By the end of 2022, Whatcom County had had five cases in total.

• Family Care Network CEO and president Dr. Rodney Anderson said the company was committed to building a Blaine healthcare facility on the Gateway property, despite the lack of progress.

• Drayton Harbor Maritime Festival and Pirate Daze returned for a weekend of maritime-themed family activities. The Prestigious George Raft Race was a festival highlight. 

• A Whatcom County Health Department survey showed the county experienced a small decrease in homelessness in the past year that department officials believed was because of increased resources.

• Demolition started on the old city hall building on H Street August 9, bringing down nearly a century of history.

• City and county officials said Yew Avenue and Drayton Harbor Road, near Shintaffer Road, were expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future after the November 2021 flooding damaged them.

• City council approved annexing two H Street properties, five acres total. It was the first east Blaine annexation since 1996.

• City council discussed allocating $900,000 of remaining federal Covid-19 stimulus before the end of 2024.

• City council approved a planning document that would start the process of making amendments to the central business district zoning involving downtown height restrictions and parking regulations, etc. Council agreed to form an ad hoc downtown development advisory committee.

• Drayton Harbor Oyster Company sought approval to add a floating oyster farm in a cleaner area of Drayton Harbor as water quality continued to be a challenge. The farm would also reduce impact on eelgrass.

• Hill’s Chevron owner Mike Hill recently purchased a 3,500-pound Sasquatch statue that he placed on a pedestal on the edge of the gas station’s property.

• Simon Fraser University announced it would hold four home games at Blaine High School’s stadium because Canada’s vaccination requirement created barriers for traveling teams.

• The Good Ol’ Boys golf group donated $18,500 to Blaine Food Bank, surpassing its previous two donations.

• Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 honored Heidi Holmes for 11 years of service as the district’s program manager. Holmes left the district earlier in the year.

• Former Blaine public works director Bernie Ziemianek was asked to resign after allegedly using a city credit card to purchase over $4,000 in personal items.

• The city of Ferndale fired Ferndale police officer and Blaine resident Michael Scott Langton after he was charged with attempted child molestation.

• Summer Fun in the Park livened Blaine Marine Park with music, entertainment and food trucks.

• The 43rd annual Discover Birch Bay Days brought back its parade for the first time since the pandemic and took over Birch Bay August 27-28.

• Blaine school district welcomed its students for the first day of school on August 31.

September

• Conditionally approved NEXUS members who reapplied for membership before their card expired were given a five-year grace period to receive a new card. This came as U.S. enrollment centers were seeing extensive backlogs.

• Totally Chocolate’s owners purchased the company’s Sweet Road facility for $7.3 million from Totally Chocolate’s founder.

• Governor Jay Inslee announced September 8 that he would lift Washington’s Covid-19 state of emergency by the end of October.

• Whatcom Water Week kicked off with the 10th annual Run with the Chums 5K race at BP Highlands.

• An unofficial 9/11 memorial was held under the Peace Arch on September 11 to honor those who died during the 2001 terror attacks.

• Bennett Knox started his first day on the job as Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department’s new director. Knox previously had a 20-year career at Louisville Metro Parks.

• The Cascadia Innovation Corridor brought cross-border dignitaries, including Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, to Semiahmoo Resort for its “Cascadia 2050 Vision: Moving to climate action.”

• The newly established Blaine Arts Council recruited members and began monthly meetings with the goal of improving the city’s arts scene.

• Sahara Pizza opened in Birch Bay Square on September 28.

• County council established an alternative 911 response team pilot program to determine whether behavioral health professionals should respond to behavioral health calls.

• Gateway 1890 Taphouse and Grill hosted ‘Gate-Oberfest’ that had keg rolling, pretzel eating and stein relay contests.

• Caryl Dunavan, a domestic violence victims advocate for small cities in Whatcom County, was honored for her service during the September 26 city council meeting.

• Amtrak resumed train service from Seattle to Vancouver, B.C. for the first time since the pandemic.

October

• The Canadian government dropped its Covid-19 vaccination, random testing and ArriveCAN app requirements on October 1.

• The Bridge Community Hope Center opened its Grace Core Academy office for chaplain training and counseling services on Alderson Road.

• U.S. District Court in Seattle dismissed the lawsuit alleging Whatcom County government officials committed fraud during the November 2020 election. Other nearly identical lawsuits across the state were dismissed.

• Two Blaine kindergarten classes consolidated as the district’s kindergarten numbers were below normal enrollment. The district over budgeted by 43 kindergarten students, which cost the district nearly $740,000.

• Former Custer resident and country music star Loretta Lynn died in her Hurricane Mills, Tennessee home on October 4. She was 90.

• Birch Bay beekeeper Ruthie Danielsen presented at the Smithsonian Natural History Museum about citizen scientists’ efforts to eradicate the northern giant hornet in Whatcom County.

• The city of Blaine, Blaine Chamber of Commerce and Drayton Harbor Oyster Company hosted the first Blaine Oyster Festival on October 8. The festival had a successful turnout with thousands in attendance for oyster contests, cooking demonstrations, live music, family games and oyster farm tours.

• County council established a racial equity commission to address the racial equity priorities.

• Community Assistance Program kept local families warm during the winter as it distributed clothing from its annual coat drive.

• Birch Bay Water and Sewer District finished installing nearly $2 million of automated water meters that quickly detect leaks and give more accurate readings.

• A Blaine couple posted a $1,000 reward for a potential cat killer after neighbors, social media posts and rumors circulated about missing and deceased cats.

• City council approved the police department’s request to use $41,000 of federal Covid-19 stimulus to purchase ballistic shields and helmets.

• The Whatcom Working Waterfront Foundation held its first class for the Northwest Maritime Apprenticeship program.

• Peace Arch Provincial Park reopened October 24 after being closed for nearly 2.5 years because of Covid-19 concerns.

• A school survey showed Blaine educators felt better prepared for the school year than they had in 2021.

• Blaine Community Theater put on its first full performance since the pandemic with “Wyrd Sisters.”

• Blaine school board member Todd Nunamaker announced his resignation from the district 1 position due to health challenges.

• PeaceHealth began allowing up to two visitors at its Whatcom County medical facilities as Covid-19 cases declined.

• The 2022 Whatcom County Buildable Lands Report showed Birch Bay’s population and housing development were growing slower than projected.

• City council approved new voting ward boundaries that needed to be updated after the latest U.S. Census was released.

• City council appointed seven members to its ad hoc downtown advisory committee that will look at downtown policy and code changes.

• Blaine and Birch Bay went big for Halloween. Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce’s Trick-or-Treat on the Berm saw a successful second year with thousands of children in attendance, and the Freeman’s house was a Blaine hit with its Harry Potter themed carnival.

November

• The Port of Bellingham received $3.36 million from the Washington State Department of Ecology to partly pay for petroleum cleanup at the old Sea K Fish property.

• Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 9474 and American Legion Post 86 honored those who have served during the Veterans Day tribute on November 11.

• Democrats swept the 42nd Legislative District races with Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham) closely beating Simon Sefzik (R-Ferndale) for the state senate seat. Alicia Rule (D-Blaine) and Joe Timmons (D-Bellingham) won the state representative seats. Voters approved the EMS levy increase and children’s initiative levy lid lift.

• Blaine freshman Hailey Ferrell won first and third place in the 50- and 500-meter freestyle races at the girls 2A state swim and dive championships in Federal Way.

• Jay Dodd stepped down as Blaine High School football coach after 17 years of leading the team and four state championship tournaments.

• Blaine High School theater students put on their first in-person performance since the pandemic with the Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” musical.

• Community Assistance Program volunteers served 1,250 community members with their Thanksgiving baskets.

• Blaine elementary and primary students collected thousands of pounds of food during a successful food drive.

• As of November, Blaine school district’s enrollment was 52 students below what it budgeted for the 2022-23 school year.

December

• Holiday Harbor Lights celebrated the holiday season with all-day events including the Holiday Lights Obstacle Dash, Blaine Library book sale, vendor market, Christmas tree lighting and meet-and-greet with Santa Claus.

• Blaine’s border economy was experiencing a mixed recovery after the U.S./Canada border reopened. The city’s sales tax receipts seemed to be rebounding, although they were still below 2019 numbers. The city’s gas tax revenue, however, remained down 74 percent in the first three quarters of 2022, compared to 2019.

• Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley announced he would run for Whatcom County Sheriff in 2023.

• As respiratory viruses surged, Whatcom County Health Department asked people to mask indoors.

• Community Assistance Program held its annual Community Toy Store for families to purchase presents at a discounted price. The community donated about 1,500 gifts for over 250 children.

• No northern giant hornets were found in east Blaine, or elsewhere in North America, in 2022.

• Pacific Arts Association held a Christmas concert with saxophonist Nick Biello and trumpeter Charlie Porter.

• Blaine Community Theater brought “Hard-Boiled Eggnog: A Christmas Noir” to the center stage.

• The city’s planning commission held a well-attended public hearing on a proposed zoning text amendment that would allow large manufactured home parks in east Blaine. Planning commission tabled its vote until 2023 after residents raised concerns on the amendment.

• City council approved Michael Harmon’s employment contract as the next city manager. Harmon was the chief operating officer of an electric utility provider in Wyoming and former city administrator of Spearfish, South Dakota.

• The historic Plover passenger ferry was undergoing repairs, the most extensive in over 25 years, to make it seaworthy by spring.

• Drayton Harbor Oyster Company co-owner Mark Seymour presented to city council an idea to build an ecotourism platform on Blaine’s marine waterfront through a marine science center and ecotourism tours. 

• City council approved an $80,000 feasibility study for the Bell Road grade separation project to create an overpass at Bell Road and Peace Portal Drive.

• City council delayed approving its downtown revitalization project contract, originally put before them in September, to gain a better understanding of the project’s budget and necessary items.

• Blue Wolf Capital Partners, the private equity firm that was attempting to restart the Alcoa Intalco smelter in Ferndale, ended energy contract negotiations with Bonneville Power Administration.