Around the City

City offers Energy Star lightbulbs at discount
The city of Blaine’s public works department is offering Blaine residents reduced pricing on Energy Star-certified compact fluorescent light bulbs through various Blaine locations. Residents can purchase the bulbs for $.99 cents at Rite Aid and Cost Cutter stores in Blaine. Energystar qualified light bulbs last up to 10 times longer; use up to 75 percent less energy and can reduce energy bills. For more information, call 332-8820.

Farming conservation program sign-up ends November 2

Agricultural producers and foresters are encouraged to sign up for the 2008 Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP).

The program provides financial cost sharing to help private farm and forest landowners implement conservation practices. Practices include those that help reduce the impact of livestock on surface and ground water, those that save water through more efficient irrigation system installation, tree planting and thinning, and road upgrading for fish access and habitat restoration.

Farms must produce an annual gross sale of $1000 of agricultural products and forestlands must have a forestry plan, or a history of harvest and forestland management activities.

Applications are due by Friday, November 2. For more information, call 360/354-2035.

Voter pamphlets also available on county auditor’s website

Local voters are able to visit the Whatcom County auditor’s website to either view or listen to an MP3 audio file of the Whatcom County Local Voters’ Pamphlet for the November 6 general and special election if they have not received one in the mail. The pamphlet contains candidates’ statements and photos, explanatory statements of local ballot measures, as well as details regarding voter registration, change of address, drop site locations and other relevant information. For more information, call 360/676-6742.

By Tara Nelson