Join author Greg Boos for a book signing of “Smuggler: Drugs, Gangs, and Refugees at America’s Northern Border,” a nonfiction book written by both Boos, a retired immigration lawyer, and Reece Jones. “Smuggler” tells the true story of the Smuggler’s Inn bed and breakfast opened by Bob Boulé in Blaine, right against the Canadian border. In 2019, Boulé was arrested for attempting to help people illegally cross the border. He later pleaded guilty in B.C. Superior Court to violating the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and breaching bail and was sentenced to 30 days in jail. The book explores how Boulé found himself in the middle of a moral quandary while helping refugees seeking asylum to cross the border and also assisting U.S. Customs and Border Patrol identify and apprehend suspects. The book signing is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday at Ace Hardware, 1733 H St., suite 700.
The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services is inviting residents to provide feedback as it considers a long-term plan for support services for those with developmental disabilities. The department said its goal is to gather information from people with lived or professional experience to find out what resources are needed to improve services, enhance access to support services and make them easier to use. To fill out the survey, visit bit.ly/4yBOaQ2. For more information on the project details and its timeline, visit bit.ly/3VWKyui.
The Blaine City Council will hold a public hearing for a moratorium on Battery Energy Storage Systems at its 6 p.m. Monday meeting. The moratorium would allow the city to develop regulations on BESS facilities, which are large-scale with reusable batteries that can be used to store electrical energy and released during peak needs. BESS have become popular in recent years as Washington’s Clean Energy Transformation Act requires electric utilities to eliminate carbon emissions by 2045.
Over 1.5 million pounds of ready-to-eat meat and poultry products were recalled by Kayem Foods nationwide, including in Washington, due to possible temperature abuse. The products were produced between March 31 and Oct. 7, and the establishment numbers for impacted products are “EST. M/P 7839,” “EST. P 20935A” and “EST. M 9520.” The impacted products were stored in a warehouse cooler that had temperature inconsistencies, and no illnesses from consuming the products have been reported. Consumers are advised not to eat these products, and instead discard them or return them to where they were purchased.
The 2027 Blaine Commerce Passport from the Blaine Chamber of Commerce is now available for purchase. The booklet includes coupons that add up to $5,000 in savings at local businesses, including restaurants, retail stores and other attractions.
