Around the Bay

Port reopens fishing pier

The Port of Bellingham has reopened the Blaine public fishing pier located at the end of Marine Drive. The pier had been closed since mid-November after a vehicle crashed through the pier damaging a section of railing.

Port and Blaine city officials will also hold a joint public meeting at 7 p.m. February 7 at Blaine’s boating center to present an outline of the Blaine wharf district master plan to the public.

City of Blaine to secure additional water rights

The city of Blaine public works department is moving ahead to secure additional ground water rights within the next five to 10 years.

In a regular meeting of the Blaine City Council January 22, council members approved a request from the department requesting additional ground water rights within Blaine’s aquifer from the Washington State Department of Ecology (DOE).

“As we look into the future, it is no surprise that we will be needing additional water to serve project increases in demand,” said Blaine public works director Steve Banham.

Banham said in addition to securing new water rights, Banham said the city is looking to expand or improve the drilling capacity of its existing wells.

He added that the planned Lighthouse Point water reclamation facility will also help reduce demand by using up to 500,000 gallons of high-quality wastewater effluent per day for irrigation purposes for large customers such as the Semiahmoo Golf Course.

Volunteers needed to monitor salmon eggs
The Bellingham-based Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) is looking for volunteers to help monitor more than 50,000 chum salmon eggs that were planted earlier this week.
Volunteers are needed to check on the eggs on a daily basis until they hatch and are ready to migrate in late March or early April.
Those individuals interested in site monitoring should contact Rachel Vasak, program director for the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) at 715-0283 ext. 112, or by emailing her at rvasak@n-sea.org. The organization’s web site is www.n-sea.org.

Students face off at knowledge bowl
Two hundred high school students from 16 districts will face off Monday, February 5, for the Knowledge Bowl playoffs, a regional academic tournament sponsored by NW Educational Service District 189.

The event is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. at Blaine high school. Contenders include teams from Blaine, Ferndale, Sehome and Lynden high schools and includes a series of three oral rounds plus one written round. The top teams will advance to the state tournament March 24 in Camas.

Birch Bay marathon scheduled for February 18

The 39th Annual Birch Bay Marathon is scheduled for 7:30 a.m. Sunday, February 18.

Beginning at Birch Bay State Park, runners will head north along the waterfront to Harborview Road and then complete two 10-mile counter-clockwise loops around Birch Point before returning to the finish at the park.

The event also features a 16-mile race following the marathon route but requiring running only one loop of Birch Point.

The race is certified as a qualifying event for the 2007 Boston Marathon.
Race director Tjalling Ypma said the Birch Bay Marathon is the second oldest annually run marathon in the western states. It was once a regional championship race, drawing many outstanding athletes.

The event, however, decayed during the ’90s, becoming an informal fun run with a handful of competitors. In 2005, the race was adopted by the Greater Bellingham Running Club (GBRC), which led to substantial growth in the number of participants and interest from the community.

For more information, call Tjalling Ypma at 360/734-2616 or 650-3410. Race and registration details can be found on the GBRC’s website at www.gbrc.net.

Analyst to speak on WHTI

Don Alper, director of Western Washington University’s Center for Canadian-American Studies and the Border Policy Research Institute, will speak on the economic, cultural and psychological effects of tightened border controls since September 11, 2001 on Thursday, February 8.

The lecture, titled “Border Control on the 49th Parallel: At What Cost to Border Regions and Communities?” is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Squalicum Boathouse at Zuanich Point Park

The lecture is the second in WWU’s College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Community Lecture Series.

The park is located at 2600 Harbor Loop in Bellingham. Admission is free.

Goldstar unveils plans for 64-unit condominium project

Goldstar Resorts has released its preliminary plans for a new condominium development in Birch Bay.

The Ocean Breezes, a 64-unit condominium project is planned for Birch Bay Drive between the Trendwest Building and the Sandcastle Resort. Construction is expected to begin this July.

Blaine primary school showcase student art

Art projects by Blaine primary students will be showcased from 3 to 5 p.m. Thursday, February 8 at the Blaine primary school’s multi-purpose room.

The fair is open to all Blaine primary students grades kindergarten through second. All participants will receive a ribbon. For more information, call Robb McKay at 332-1300.

Inversion Snow-N-Skate offers new clothing line

Inversion Snow-N-Skate clothing and skate supply store in Blaine is now offering new product lines for the spring and summer.

Owner Brian Novak said the store is now selling early spring and summer lines from 686 and Desolation clothing including softshell jackets, hoodies, jeans, windbreakers and other soft goods.

Other new items coming soon include items from Matix Clothing, Sessions outerwear, sunglasses from Electic Optics and men’s and women’s shoes and sandals from Reef, DC, IPATH footwear, DVS shoes and Lakai.

Novak also said they will soon be offering hard-to-find items such as DVS’s Original Intent series, a limited line of shoes and clothing.

“It’s not something you will find in the mall,” he said. Inversion Snow-N-Skate is located at 477 Peace Portal Drive and is open 3 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. They can be reached by calling 332-1812.

County offers gun safety class

The Whatcom County Parks and Recreation Department is offering its Plantation Rifle Range class from 7 to 10 p.m. on Monday, February 5. Fee is $10 per person. To register, call 733-2900.

By Tara Nelson