Around the Bay

Birch Bay receives new sheriff deputy

The Whatcom County Sheriff’s department has hired a new resident deputy for the Birch Bay and Blaine area.

Cliff Langley, a veteran of the Whatcom County Sheriff’s office and founder of the department’s neighborhood deputy program in the Paradise-Kendall area, began his tenure as resident deputy last month, conducting follow-up investigations, identifying repeat criminals and responding to traffic safety issues in the greater Blaine and Birch Bay areas, according to a statement released by Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo.

“The neighborhood deputy program is the cornerstone of efforts to mobilize the community and form partnerships with the sheriff’s office to address crime, traffic safety and quality of life issues in our most rapidly growing communities,” Elfo said.

Sheriff’s department officials will introduce Langley at 2 p.m. Saturday, May 5 in the field of the 7800 block of Birch Bay Drive near the former Sea Links Restaurant. Sheriff’s office equipment will be on display as will information on crime prevention and forming block-watching programs. For more information, call 676-6650.

BCT schedules additional performances this weekend
Blaine Community Theater has scheduled three additional performances of their popular musical “Don’t Count Your Chickens Until They Cry Wolf” this weekend.

The play is based on Aesop’s fables and is scheduled for 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, May 5, as well as an additional performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 6. Admission is $5 for all ages. For more information, call 360/392-0582.

Blaine appoints new BTAC member

The city of Blaine has appointed a new member to the Blaine Tourism Advisory Committee, a seven-member advisory committee to the Blaine City Council.

In a regular meeting of city council last Monday, councilmembers voted 7-0 to approve the nomination of Kathleen Hernandez, a Blaine resident, retired school teacher and tour bus driver to fill the position left by Blaine resident Bob Boule, who resigned earlier this year.

Tomsic said in addition to her experience driving a tour bus in Alaska, Hernandez has volunteered at the Blaine Visitor’s Center and on several community events such as the Wings Over Water festival.
“She is enthusiastic and knowledgeable,” he said. “As a new member of our community, she brings fresh eyes and great experience.”

Volunteer ‘beach naturalists’ returns to Whatcom County
RE Sources, a non-profit environmental group, will host a series of workshops under its Beach Naturalist program beginning May 16. In-class and on-the-beach sessions beginning May 16. For more information, contact Doug Stark at dougs@re-sources.org or 733-8307, or visit www.re-sources.org.

By Tara Nelson