News in Brief

Proctor and correctors needed
When the state math championship comes to Blaine next week organizers will need dozens of volunteer proctors and test correctors. Organizers are hoping the community will come forward to help with the event, which brings more than 1,500 middle school students, their families and teachers to the city. “You don’t have to be a math whiz to lend a hand,” said Wendy Eickmeyer, representing the Conoco-Phillips Ferndale refinery, which sponsors the event.

Proctors help administer the tests by getting teams where they need to be, reading questions aloud, explaining and enforcing the rules. They start with an orientation at 8 a.m., March 27, and supervise a classroom from 9:30 a.m. to 12:10 p.m. Correctors check answers on the 3,400 or more tests. They start their orientation at 9:30 a.m. and correct until early afternoon. Lunch is provided for all volunteers.
Call Gail Wildermuth at 332-0363 to sign up.

Over $1,500 raised
The Blaine Extreme Sports car wash and raffle on March 20 raised over $1,500 for the skatepark now under construction behind city hall. The raffle’s grand prize, a motorcycle restored by Blaine high school senior Nick Ryser, ended up going to his mentor for the project when Ryser drew Blaine police officer Jon Landis as the grand prize winner. Shelly Button of Blaine won second prize, a Tony Hawk skateboard, which she donated back to the club to kick off another fundraising raffle. Third prize, a weekend kayak rental, went to Brenda Brink of Birch Bay.

The Brants are coming
Planning efforts are moving into high gear for the second annual Washington Brant Festival, which will attract birdwatchers to the area to watch flocks of thousands of Black Brant, a small sea goose, as they make their way north for their nesting season in the high Arctic. The festival runs April 17 and 18 at Semiahmoo Resort and features displays and workshops, culminating with dinner/auction at the resort. Also over the two days bird watchers will be able to view flocks of brant from special viewing stations in Blaine and Birch Bay.
Housing starts stable

The city of Blaine approved eight residential and two commercial building permits in the first two months of 2004, matching the residential numbers for the first two months in 2003. “We’re running at the same level as last year,” city community development director Terry Galvin told city council members at their March 23 meeting. “We expect we’ll start to see a jump in March.” In 2003 the city issued two commercial permits over the entire year, issuing none in the first two months, and issued three industrial unit permits. A total of 72 residential permits were issued in 2003, 44 in 2002 and 39 in 2001.