Briefs

Shoreline cleanup this Saturday

Birch Bay residents are invited to participate in the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup this Saturday at 9 a.m.
The clean-up is one of the largest volunteer events of its kind in the world and is scheduled in conjunction with volunteer teams from around the world, who will remove trash and debris from beaches, lakes and streams on every continent, said Birch Bay Steering Committee chair Kathy Berg.

“Since 1986 thousands of volunteers from around the globe have cleared over 100 million pounds of trash from 170,000 miles of shorelines, rivers, lakes, and wetlands,” she said.

Participants should meet at the C-Shop in Birch Bay for coffee and area assignments and should bring gloves and sturdy shoes. Trash bags will be provided by Whatcom County Parks and Recreation, Whatcom County Public Works and Blaine Bay Refuse.

Trash collected from the clean-up will be recorded and categorized by volunteers and will subsequently be used by the Ocean Conservancy to compile, analyze and track the data year-by-year and make discoveries about the behaviors that cause the debris. For more information, visit www.birchbayinfo.org.

High school band carwash this Saturday

The Blaine high school band has scheduled a car wash from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, September 15 at Blaine middle school in the parking lot. Proceeds will benefit the band’s trip to Portland, Oregon for the annual Starlight Parade in June of 2008. Suggested donation is $5.

Cost Cutter to collect gleaning donations

The Blaine Cost Cutter store will be providing customers the opportunity to donate to the Whatcom County Small Potatoes Gleaning Project at their checkout counters beginning September 15.
Volunteers with Small Potatoes harvest fruit and vegetables from local farms, orchards and gardens that would otherwise be wasted and deliver the produce to local agencies who provide food to people in need right here in our community. Donations will be used to supply fresh produce to more than 25 Whatcom County locations.
For more information, visit www.gleaningproject.org or call 360/966-2533.

Blaine alumni to be honored at homecoming game

Blaine high school officials have arranged for a special reserved seating section for Blaine high school alumni at this year’s homecoming football game. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, September 21.

BCT features “Double Trouble”

Blaine Community Theater will feature their all-ages dance “Double Trouble” at 7 p.m. September 22. Cost is $5. Refreshments are available by donation. For more information, call 392-0582.

Port schedules public hearing on wharf district master plan

The Port of Bellingham is in the process of updating its Comprehensive scheme of harbor improvements for Blaine. The proposed plan update is entitled the Wharf District Master Plan.
The draft plan may be viewed or downloaded on-line by visiting www.portofbellingham.com. A limited number of hard copies will be available at the hearing.

A public hearing is scheduled to receive public comment regarding the proposed draft plan at 3 p.m. on Tuesday, September 18 at the Harbor Center building, at 1801 Roeder Avenue, in Bellingham.

Individuals unable to attend may submit written comments to Sylvia Goodwin, Planning and Development director, P.O. Box 1677, Bellingham, WA 98227-1677, by email to sylviag@portofbellingham.com or by calling (360/676-2500 ext. 343.

Meeting will discuss storm water rates

Whatcom County Public Works has scheduled a public information meeting to discuss funding rates and implementation strategies for the county’s comprehensive storm water plan.

The meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 19, at the Birch Bay Bible Community Church, 7039 Jackson Road, in Birch Bay. For more information, call 360/715-7450 or visit www.BirchBayInfo.org/Stormwater/BBWARM.

Incorporation committee holds public forum

The Birch Bay Incorporation Feasibility Study Community has scheduled a community forum to discuss the fundamentals of incorporation and gather information about community preferences for 7 p.m. Monday, September 24 at the Birch Bay Bible Community Church.

For more information, email birchbay@berkandassociates.com or call 360/676-6707 ext. 50686. Surveys may also be submitted at www.berkandassociates.com/survey.html. Completed surveys must be submitted before September 30.

Classes teach composting

Washington State University’s Whatcom County master composter classes are scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 25 at the Greenways transfer station on Lakeway Drive and Woburn Street.

Classes meet at 5 p.m. Tuesday, September 25; and at 9 a.m. Saturday, September 29; Saturday, October 6, and Saturday, October 13. For more information, email: joycej@wsu.edu or call 676-6736.
WDFW seeks comments on wildlife management plan
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is conducting a public opinion survey to help identify key wildlife issues to be addressed in the department’s 2009-2015 game-management plan.

The information gathered from the survey will help WDFW update its current plan, which was originally developed in 2003 as a tool to guide the long-term management of game species. The survey is the first step the department is taking to gather public input on the updated plan.

The survey will be available on the WDFW website from September 5 through October 1 at

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/management/2009-2015.
Copies of the survey are also available by calling 360/902-2515.