The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on accessory dwelling unit rules at its Sept. 17 meeting. The commission will soon outline recommendations that it will pass along to the City Council to potentially adopt modified ADU regulations for Blaine. Updated zoning language will be available for public review before the meeting and can be found at ci.blaine.wa.us in the “News Flash” section.
Border Town Pizza is seeking donations for its Blaine school spirit wall that will go up this month. Items such as photos, jerseys, trophies and other memorabilia will be accepted. Donate or loan items to kick off the school year by celebrating Borderite pride. For more information, visit facebook.com/p/Border-Town-Pizza-61554915757093/.
Community Dinners return this fall starting Thursday, Sept. 17, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Dinners are hosted on the third Thursday of each month by Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 at the Blaine Community Center, 763 G St. This month’s offering is a chili bar. All dinners are open to the public and are by donation, so there is no cost required to attend. For more information, call or text 360-656-6416.
Labor Day might signal the end of summer, but Bureau of Land Management officials in Washington and Oregon said it doesn’t mean the end of fire season. More than 2.5 million acres have burned in the Northwest this year in what officials are calling an “exceptionally active wildfire season.” They’ve asked the public to remain vigilant even as temperatures cool and rain falls in some places. That’s because vegetation is still dry, and September can bring warm, dry and windy weather that could cause fires to grow. “Conditions can change quickly, and one careless spark can have consequences for communities, wildlife, natural resources and firefighters,” said Todd Forbes, acting associate state director for BLM Oregon/Washington. People should check the latest fire restriction information for the district or recreation area they plan to visit before they go, officials said.
Bloodworks Northwest is asking each of its regular donors to donate just one more time to combat the national blood shortage. In July, the American Red Cross declared a national blood supply crisis for the second time in its history. Bloodworks Northwest donors typically donate twice a year, which yields over 181,000 units annually. If each donor were to donate three times, that would amount to more than 270,000 units donated per year. “Both overall and group O usage in July was 8% above the 12-month average. Platelet usage was also high in July, 11% above the 12-month average,” said Don Eby, Bloodworks senior business intelligence analyst. To schedule a donation appointment, visit donate.bloodworksnw.org/donor/schedules/geo/.
Larrabee State Park in Bellingham will close to replace its water system starting Sept. 16. The project will improve water quality and service in campground and day-use areas of the park and reduce maintenance requirements. Areas of the park that will remain open during construction include the boat launch, Cleator Road, Chuckanut Drive, Cove Road, Hiline Road, Clayton Beach, Interurban Trail, Lost Lake parking lot and Lost and Fragrance Lake trail. Construction and closures are expected to continue through May 2027. For more information, visit parks.wa.gov/larrabee-water-system-overhaul?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term=.
