Briefs...

Blaine Chiropractic Center hires son
Dr. Nicolas Constantin recently received his doctorate degree in chiropractic from Life Chiropractic College West in Hayward, California. The degree represents four academic years of professional study, including an extensive clinic internship.

A graduate of Ferndale high school in Ferndale, Constantin is the son of Pierre and Susan Constantin.

Before entering Life West, he attended Whatcom Community College and Western Washington University in Bellingham.

While at Life West, he was active in the Chiropractic Biophysics Club.

Constantin, his wife Rhonda and their daughter Olivia plan to make their home in Blaine where they joined the family practice at Blaine Chiropractic Center.

Cherry Point employees donate $340,000 to county United Way
BP Cherry Point Refinery employees pledged $346,000 to the United Way of Whatcom County during this years’ fundraising campaign.

This represents 19.2 percent of the county-wide campaign goal of $1.8 million and is a 36 percent increase over last year’s pledge.

Cherry Point Refinery manager Rick Porter said BP Cherry Point is the only company that contributes more than $200,000 and has done so eight out of the last nine years.

The gift will support 29 United Way Partner Agencies in such areas as child abuse and domestic violence prevention, emergency and transitional housing, mental health services, developmentally disabled assistance, health care for low income residents, early childhood education and various programs for at-risk youth.

Peter Theisen, president of United Way of Whatcom County, said that BP has given more than $4 million to the organization during the last 23 years.

Blaine students compete in Reader’s Digest contest
Blaine elementary students Dominic Allmann (4th grade) and James Aguirre (5th grade) were named grade-level champions of the 2006-07 Reader’s Digest National Word Power Challenge on December 7. 

The Grade-Level Championship, at which students answered oral questions challenging their vocabulary skills, completes the local school component of the annual Reader’s Digest National Word Power Challenge.  

Thousands of schools across the United States participate in the challenge. 

Grade-level champions now take a qualifying test to determine top scorers among 4th and 5th graders in the state who will receive recognition and awards; the top 100 scorers in 6, 7 and 8 grade will be invited to compete in the state championship on March 19, 2007, for the title of State Champion.

The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.  The second and third place winners will receive $15,000 and $10,000 college scholarships, respectively.  

Whatcom Symphony Orchestra releases first-ever CD
The Whatcom Symphony Orchestra’s first-ever CD is currently on sale at three Bellingham locations. Village Books in Fairhaven, Johnson’s Flower Shop downtown Bellingham, and Hamann’s Gallery & Gift in the Barkley District.

Dvorak’s Seventh Symphony is viewed by many as the pinnacle of his entire musical output. The CD includes a performance of the Dvorak 7th Symphony by the full orchestra and of the Beethoven 4th Symphony by the chamber orchestra.

It is the first professional recording made by the WSO. The cost of the CD is $20