News in Brief

Birch Bay cleanup scheduled for July 5
Community members and visitors are encourage to participate in the Birch Bay cleanup on Saturday, July 5. Participants should bring gloves and meet at the C Shop at 9 a.m. for coffee, bags and area assignments to clean the beach of fireworks debris and other unnatural objects. Debris can be delivered to the dumpsters at the end of Alderson Road. The clean-up is held annually and sponsored by residents of the community and Blaine-Bay Refuse.

Public works to perform sewer smoke tests
The city of Blaine public works department has announced it will be conducting leak tests of the sanitary sewer system in the areas of north and central Blaine. Workers will force smoke into the lines, which will help them locate places where storm and other surface waters are entering the city�s sewers and reveal sources of sewer odors. Residents in testing areas will be given advance notice via hang tags delivered to their homes. Public works said most residents will not see or smell the non-toxic smoke, which leaves no residuals or stains and has no effect on plants or animals.
In the unlikely event that residents do have direct contact with the smoke, they should seek adequate ventilation because the smoke could be a slight irritant. Residents with asthma, emphysema, or respiratory conditions are asked to notify the city immediately to discuss their case in further detail. If traces of the smoke or its odor enter your building, it is an indication that gases and odors from the sewer also may enter. Evidence of smoke in your house during the smoke testing should be immediately reported to the Public Works department testing crew and to your plumber. For more information, call 332-8820 between 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or visit online at www.cityofblaine.com.

Sea-Tac airport pickup available in Birch Bay
Residents of Birch Bay and Blaine can now pick up the Sea-Tac Airporter Shuttle from Whatcom Transportation Authority (WTA) park-n-ride locations at the Peace Arch Outlet Mall, located at I-5 exit 270. The cost for round trip transportation from Birch Bay is $79 plus tax and free overnight parking, for up to 10 days, is available. Reservations for rides and parking must be made 24 hours in advance through the Airporter Shuttle at 380-8800 or online at www.airporter.com. For information regarding bus routes and schedules to park-n-ride locations, call 676-RIDE or visit www.ridewta.com. The Airporter Shuttle makes 10 round trips from Whatcom County to SeaTac Airport per day.

Inspectors seize 21 pounds of ecstasy tablets
Customs and border protection (CBP) inspectors seized approximately 21 pounds of ecstasy tablets during a routine examination last Monday, June 23 at the Peace Arch crossing.

Inspectors discovered 42,100 tablets in eight shrink-wrapped bags concealed within a compartment under the back seat of a passenger vehicle. The vehicle, a 1997 Toyota Avalon, was also seized.

The driver, Trevor Duane Rose, 29, of Seattle, was arrested on federal charges of importation and possession with intent to distribute Methamphetamine/MDMA (Ecstasy). Rose made his initial appearance last Tuesday before a federal magistrate in Seattle, WA.

Customs and Border Protection acting area port director, Jerald Jensen, congratulated Blaine CBP inspectors involved in the seizure. �Our heightened vigilance has paid off again. We are maintaining that vigilance at every port, every day. We continue to carry out our number one priority, anti-terrorism, and in addition, we continue to make significant narcotics seizures.� The ecstasy seized Monday has an estimated street value of $800,000.