SBDC to provide free advising services
BELLINGHAM – Western Washington University’s Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) certified business advisors will offer no fee confidential professional advising services to business owners and entrepreneurs in the east county area. Current plans include offering services one Wednesday a month and work out of the Mt Baker Foothills Chamber of Commerce office in the Maple Falls Town Hall from March through October. Technical assistance, counseling and research support are available. To book an appointment, contact 778-1762 or jennifer.shelton@wwu.edu.

Whatcom Conservation District Plant Sale coming up
WHATCOM – The Whatcom Conservation District’s (WCD) 19th Annual Native Plant Sale & Expo will be held Saturday, March 24 on the Campus of Whatcom Community College from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Low cost native plants, seedlings, and shrubs will be available. Vendors on site. For more information, visit www.whatcomcd.org or call 354-2035 ext. 3.

Everson Community Garden to open
EVERSON – Opening Day of the Everson Community Garden is Saturday, April 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public is welcome to come and share seeds, starts, tools, tiller, greenhouse and dirt. Learn as you go from experienced gardeners.  The cost for the season is $20 and a $20 cleaning deposit for any size plot you like. Sign up opening day or any Wednesday, from 5 to 7 p.m. For more information, contact Meredith Ford at landmford@gmail.com or visit 988-0630.

Safeguard the South Fork sponsors coal train forums across county
COUNTY – A “Community Conversation on Coal Trains Running Through Whatcom Farmlands” will be featured at several Whatcom County locations during March and April. This tour is organized by Safeguard the South Fork–a grass roots organization whose mission is public education for agricultural and environmental integrity in the Nooksack River watershed. The forums will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at the following locations, with doors opening at 6:45 p.m.: March 22, Haynie Grange, Custer; April 4, Ten Mile Grange, Lynden; and April 19, Acme Elementary School, Acme. The first forum was held March 8 at the Glen Echo Community Hall in Everson. These forums will focus on various risks to the communities along the alternate “Farmland-Coal Port Route” and will provide information on how residents can participate in the Environmental Impact Statement scoping process anticipated in June 2012. For more information, visit safeguardthesouthfork.org/

Two trails closed due to heavy snow
WHITE SALMON HROAD – Due to heavy snows and concern for the safety of snowshoers, two routes have been closed for the winter. The Razor Crest and the Razor Creek routes, off of White Salmon Road, have been closed. Signs have been posted at the trailheads. Other snowshow routes off of White Salmon Road continue to be open, including The Lodge Trail, Pete’s Shortcut, and Razor Connector Route.

Free pizza: NW Clean Air Agency holds event for Columbia Valley residents
COLUMBIA VALLEY – The Northwest Clean Air Agency, the Opportunity Council, Community Energy Challenge and Puget Sound Energy are hosting a free pizza party and meeting on Wednesday, March 21 for residents to learn about the wood stove change-out program available to Columbia Valley/Kendall area residents. Residents who qualify can replace old, uncertified wood stoves with new stoves or heat pumps. The event will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. at the East Whatcom Regional Resource Center. More information is available at http://www.nwcleanair.org/aqPrograms/CV_Wood_Stove.htm. Contact Laura Curley at 428-1617 ext. 202 or laura@nwcleanair.org.

Arts & Crafts contest at the Grange
COUNTY – The 2012 Whatcom County Arts & Crafts Contest will be held Tuesday, April 17 at the Rome Grange. This event is open to all residents who want to submit a craft item, including knit, crochet, sew, paint, carve, paste, cut, stain, sculpt, or photograph. Winning entries are eligible for cash prizes at the State competition in June. There are categories for both adults and children. Full details can be found in the Program Handbook, available on the State Grange website at www.wa-grange.org, or contact Edye Regions at 398-8820 or edyeye@live.com with any questions. Entries can be brought to the Rome Grange on Sunday, April 15 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m or Monday, April 16 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The public viewing is Tuesday, April 17 at 6 p.m.

EVERSON—Nine-year-old Marques Brown is hard at work polishing a row of orange Husqvarna lawn tractors. His father, Steve Brown, has owned Everson Farm Equipment since the first of the year, and it’s clearly a family affair. Nearby, mom Karen Brown balances the books while their daughter, 12-year-old Joelle, dusts and organizes merchandise in the retail store. By the coffee pot, Steve visits with dairy farmer Harold Van Berkum who’s come in to see about tractor repair. In the back, shop manager Marty Allbaugh is already at work on the machine.

Everson Farm Equipment has stood on Main Street since at least 1945 and there’s a lot that hasn’t changed: Allbaugh has been working in the spacious shop in the back of the building for 35 years, and Marv Vander Heiden, a former owner, still works part time in the store he’s staffed since 1945. Selling the business in January didn’t mean severing ties, and Brown says there’s hardly a day that goes by when Vander Heiden doesn’t come in for a shift, a cup of coffee, or a talk. “Marv is one of the nicest guys in the world,” Brown said. “He’s a mentor and a friend.”

The history of the business and of the building is a point of pride for Brown, who proudly shows off some well-worn grooves in the hardwood floor. “This used to be a post office,” he said. It’s easy, once you look, to see two sets of parallel footprints where postal counter attendants once stood. Now, the smooth depressions are flanked by glossy orange mowers.

The Brown family is hard at work on their new venture, but they haven’t had to go it alone. Vander Heiden’s continued service as a mentor and part-time employee has helped make the transition easy, Brown said, and Allbaugh’s great reputation means a steady flow of service and repair orders. In addition to keeping Allbaugh on as shop manager and offering the same repair services that Everson Farm Equipment is known for, the Browns have added a new Husqvarna line of consumer power equipment geared towards the homeowner and hobby farmer.

The expanded retail offerings are part of Steve Brown’s dream of creating a one-stop farm equipment shop. “We want people to take a right at Nugent’s Corner,” Brown said. “There’s no need to go to Bellingham. My dream is to make this Everson’s country corner.”

Brown said he appreciates customers who buy local, and hopes that he and neighboring Elenbaas Country Store can provide enough products at competitive prices to make driving elsewhere unnecessary.

Steve and Karen Brown grew up in Whatcom County, and Karen’s family has had ties to Everson for generations. The farm equipment business was an easy choice for Steve, who worked in the automotive parts business before signing on with another equipment dealer nearly a decade ago. When Brown considered owning a business of his own, the Everson equipment shop seemed like a natural fit.

Vander Heiden, who has worked at the shop for 47 years and who owned it since 1973, had a contingent of regular customers. For Everson’s farmers, the transition in ownership from Vander Heiden to Brown has been a smooth process. Harold Van Berkum, a dairy farmer, says the shop is good for local farmers. “It’s nice to see somebody keeping it running.”

The new owners are grateful for their experienced shop manager, saying that Allbaugh’s reputation as an expert mechanic is good for business. “He’s just about the best there is,” Brown said. A talk with Allbaugh reveals that he enjoys the work, and doesn’t plan on going anywhere.

“My dad always said, ‘if you don’t like what you’re doing you shouldn’t be doing it,’” Allbaugh said with a smile. “I’ll be here 36 years come June.”

Everson Farm Equipment will be adding Saturday hours in April. The store is located at 304 West Main Street, Everson and can be reached at 966-3561. Their Facebook page is at facebook.com/EversonFarm.

BELLINGHAM – The public is invited to a listening session with the County Executive and Parks & Recreation Department staff scheduled for Wednesday evening, March 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the Whatcom County Council Chambers.

The purpose of this meeting is to hear public comment and suggestions regarding the recommended concept plan for South Fork Park. The information and comments received will be compiled and distributed to council members for their review prior to the March 27 council meeting, when the tabled proposal is expected to be voted on, according to information from the County Parks department.

The Council tabled the park proposal during a recent meeting after residents stated there was not adequate notice given. Some residents want to see changes made to elements of the park plan, including the parking lot location, which they  are concerned will lead to more problems with summer tubers.

“The theme for this low impact park is to preserve and showcase the natural history and early pioneer life in the South Fork Valley,” a press release states. “The recommended plan encompasses 603 acres of County owned park property along the South Fork of the Nooksack River comprised of three historic farmsteads connected by trail through Department of Natural Resource Lands.

Public access will be provided from an entrance off Mosquito Lake Road. Two trailheads are proposed with a 20 vehicle parking area and restroom for general trail users and a 10 vehicle parking area and restroom for equestrians. A 4-mile multi use trail for hikers, equestrians and bicyclists utilizing existing trails and roads will lead park visitors through the park to the historic Nesset Farm located on the southern portion of the property. The Nesset Farm is proposed for restoration and will showcase pioneer life in the valley through the collection of original buildings and artifacts.”

Approximately 4 acres of the park’s 603 acres will be impacted by trailhead development. The remaining 599 acres will remain in a natural forested state and agricultural use. More information can be found at the Whatcom Parks & Recreation website at www.co.whatcom.wa.us/parks.
Council Chambers are located on the first level of the Whatcom County Courthouse at 311 Grand Avenue in Bellingham.

by the Foothills Gazette

MOUNT BAKER HIGHWAY – The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) closed the Mount Baker Highway Wednesday morning due to massive snowfall causing downed trees and debris along the road.

“We closed Mount Baker Highway east of Glacier this morning because trees are toppling from the weight of the snow,” said Dustin Terpening, of WSDOT Communications. “We had eight trees come down over night. We picked up about 17 inches of new snow overnight, and a total of 92 inches in the last several days.”

The trees, he said, are buckling from the weight of the snow. “It’s just too dangerous for drivers or our crews to be driving through the area right now with the trees coming down.”

At the time of the closure, several visitors had already made their way to the Mt. Baker Ski Area. “We opened the ski area for a few hours today for those lucky few people who made it up before the road was closed and then closed mid day to get people off the mountain and down the highway safely,” the ski area’s snow report states.

WSDOT crews reassessed the situation around noon to see if it’s safe to reopen the road. “It has continued to snow all morning and into the afternoon. We got another five-plus inches of snow so far today. And more trees have come down today – they continue to fall.”

In total, Terpening said, 12 trees have come down. “The diameter of the trees has ranged from 6 inches to 22 inches – some nearly two feet wide. We have cleared all the trees that have come down so far.”

WSDOT will leave the road closed through the night and check on conditions in the morning, Terpening said. “It’s just too risky to reopen the road. We’re hoping the snow level rises, and that the snow will fall off the trees.”

The weather forecast for Thursday afternoon and Friday call for additional snowfall with lowering snow levels.

So much snow is falling, that as of Wednesday morning, the base at Heather Meadows was 247 inches and 285 inches at Pan Dome. The Mt. Baker Ski Area posted on their website a reminder to snow enthusiasts that skiing and snowboarding is not allowed on the highway.

For updated conditions and snow report, visit www.mtbaker.us/

EVERSON – Holly Bumford, the owner of Good to Go Meat Pies, is excited about her new business. “I just wanted to do something different,” Bumford said. “I have two grown-up kids and I thought it was time to try something new.”

Holly Bumford prepares a meat pie at her new Everson location. PHOTO BY CAMERON DEUEL

Bumford, a house cleaner for the past 20 years, said she noticed through her experiences how active families are in need of quick, healthy meals. “At first I wanted to start a home delivery service,” she said.  “But I needed a lot of permits in order for that to happen and it seemed very daunting.” The logical step was to find a storefront for her business. “I wanted to start a business where I could interact with people and my journey led me to Everson.”

Her husband, Bo, built her kitchen and they finished putting their store together about five minutes before opening in January.

Good to Go Meat Pies offers what Bumford calls “a variation of the classic Cornish pastry.” The Michigan native noted how the Cornish pasty was the primary lunch for miners in the 1800s and 1900s. Similar to a pot-pie, a Cornish pasty is rolled on one edge to form a crust, like a handle. The miners held the handle while they ate, so as to not ingest any of the dirt on their hands.

“It’s the ultimate comfort food,” she said. “Once customers try a meat pie they’re hooked.”

Good to Go Meat Pies can be purchased hot, cool, or frozen, and are available in several varieties. Bumford said they’re working on new recipes for the future.

In addition to the meat pies and homemade soups, the store offers local goods such as Black Market Hot Sauce and Casey’s Coffee. Also, Bumford said, the nearby Field of Greens farmstand will provide a prepackaged salad mix in the spring.

Bumford likes to speak to customers about the importance of using local ingredients. “I have strong feelings about it, especially after reading The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” she noted.

Among the local ingredients used includes vegetables from Field of Greens as well as meat from Farmer Ben’s in Lynden and cheese from Appel Farms in Ferndale. Fairhaven Flour Mill’s organic flour is used for the meat pie crust.

The store posts information about local businesses for their customers to become more informed about the ingredients they use.

“We’re extremely grateful for the attention and I’m thankful for the people who’ve stepped up to help me,” she said. “Right now I’m just trying to keep up with the demand and trying out new recipes.”

Good To Go Meat Pies is located at 128 W. Main Street in Everson. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 .m. on Saturdays. Call (360) 966-2400 or visit www.goodtogomeatpies.com.

Eagle perched along the Skagit River. PHOTO BY ED McKNIGHT

There are several sites in eastern Whatcom and Skagit counties that provide visitors with plenty of views as well as interpretive displays and even speakers. Visit the ranger stations or visitor centers as well along the way on Mount Baker Highway and North Cascades Highway for additional ideas.
Deming Homestead Eagle Park: Located off of Truck Road, on the North Fork of the Nooksack River, the park has some interpretive signs and benches. To get here, travel east on Mt. Baker Highway. After milepost 14, turn right on Truck Road. It’s an easy .3 mile one-way walk in the park.
Skagit River Bald Eagle Interpretive Center: Follow the signs in Rockport from Highway 20 and Highway 530 to Alfred Street and you’ll find the center open weekends from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through mid February.
Howard Miller Steelhead Park: Located near the Interpretive Center is the Howard Miller Steelhead Park, near the bridge over the Skagit River. The bridge offers the best view point, but there are hiking trails at the west end of the camping areas that lead to more riverside viewing sites. Also nearby is the Bald Eagle Natural Area, a State Fish and Wildlife viewing site on Martin Road, off SR 530, just south of the Skagit River bridge.
Take a rafting trip: A winter rafting trip provides a beautiful, up close way to view eagles as they  are perched above and soar down into the water to feed on salmon.  Check out the local Wild & Scenic River Tours in Glacier, as well as Skagit RIver Adventures, Ackerlund’s Guide Service on the Skagit River, Alpine Adventures, Blue Sky Outfitters and Pacific NW Float Trips.
Milepost 100 Rest Area: The Skagit River runs directly next to this popular site at Sutter Creek on State Route 20, allowing visitors great views of feeding areas on the gravel bars on the south side of the river. Look to the mountainside—a prime eagle night-roosting site. There are interpretive displays here and parking.
Marblemount Fish Hatchery: At Marblemount, cross the Skagit River bridge and proceed past the entrance to the Marblemount Boat Launch (this is the starting place for bald eagle rafting trips and the location of a very nice bird-watching loop walk that follows the Skagit and Cascade Rivers). Go past the boat launch a half mile, then turn right on the Rockport-Cascade Road, cross the Cascade River Bridge, and take the next right to the Fish Hatchery.
Visitors can view and learn about them from volunteers with the Eagle Watchers Program hosted by the US Forest Service. Three viewing stations with off-highway parking along North Cascades Highway 20 provide spotting scopes and binoculars to help you see the birds up close. Volunteers will staff stations Saturdays and Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. through Jan. 29. Eagle Watcher stations are located at Howard Miller Steelhead Park in Rockport, Sutter Creek Rest area (milepost 100) and the Marblemount Fish Hatchery. View a map showing the viewing sites and learn more about Skagit River wildlife. Call (360) 856-5700 ext. 515 for more information.

by the Foothills Gazette

COUNTY – Areas of eastern Whatcom County received up to 18 inches of snowfall during this week’s storm, with temperatures below freezing and making for icy road conditions and closures. According to the National Weather Service, another strong wet system is coming through on Friday, but will bring heavy rain at times, with more snowfall in higher elevations throughout the weekend.

Snowfall accumulates on mailboxes in Van Zandt along Highway 9. PHOTO BY KELLY MAKARAVAGE

As of Wednesday evening, snow accumulation was as much as 18 inches in the South Fork Valley and Maple Falls-Glacier area, and approximately six inches to a foot and more in other communities.
The Mount Baker and Nooksack Valley school districts – closed Monday for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday – announced closures on Tuesday due to snow and icy road conditions, and continued to be closed through the week.

The Mt. Baker Ski Area, which held its Locals Qualifiers event on Monday for the annual Legendary Banked Slalom, closed on Wednesday due to weather conditions, and reopened as of Thursday morning. Ski area officials recorded an estimated 57 inches of new snow during this week’s storm, giving Mt. Baker Ski Area one of the  deepest snowbases in North America. Snow levels show a 118-inch base at Heather Meadows and 148 inches at Pan Dome.

Ski area officials have issued a deep snow warning to skiers and snowboarders, letting them know to ride with a partner (in sight) and be aware that tree wells and deep snow conditions exist throughout the ski area.

The National Weather Service has issued avalanche and flood watches in some parts of the east county. A watch means conditions are favorable, but it is not imminent or occurring. Temperatures will rise into the 40s over the weekend, and snow levels are expected to fall, creating possible avalanche and flood conditions. Snow levels will begin around 5,500 feet Friday and remain there until late Saturday when it will fall to 2,500 feet. All areas could see excessive surface runoff. The winter storm watch will remain in effect from Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.

The Mt. Baker Highway Department of Transportation crew have been out clearing and sanding the highway, while Whatcom County Public Works crews also worked to clear local roads. Officials said several roads were covered in snow and ice this week, with many drivers staying off the roads. Drivers on Friday morning will likely see a wintry mix of snow, sleet and rain.

“It’s been quite a week in terms of snowfall. It’s not unusual to see this much snow lining the highway east of Glacier. But what’s unusual is that most of it came all at once. We must have got two feet of snow in one night at Power House Hill. Usually it builds up over the course of the winter, but not normally in one night. The teams have done a great job and worked really hard and long hours to keep up with it all,” WSDOT Superintendent Rod Morgan said.

“We actually have two teams that work Mount Baker Highway. We have a seven-person crew stationed at the Shuksan snow camp and a four-person crew stationed at the Maple Falls shed. The Shuksan crew covers the highway from Glacier to the ski area, and they work four ten-hour days each week. The Maple Falls crew covers the highway from Glacier west, and they have been working 12-hour shifts this last week, so we can have two people working days and two working nights. We’ve been on this schedule since last weekend and will continue this way as the weather dictates.”

Morgan added both teams are experienced and dedicated to keeping the highway cleared and safe for drivers. “There’s great communication between the teams, and they work really well together to take care of the highway and drivers. They are truly a pleasure to work with.”

Emergency management officials in Whatcom County are now compiling reports of property damage in Whatcom County due to the winter storm for informational purposes. Residents can report the damage (except for vehicle collisions) to Whatcom Unified Emergency Management at (360) 676-6681.

VAN ZANDT – The South Fork Valley Community Association is holding a Radio Roundup at the Van Zandt Community Hall on Saturday, Jan. 28 at 4 p.m. for anyone who may be interested in volunteering for KAVZ 102.5 FM.

The station is in need of a variety of positions, including web managers, programmers, and administrators. “We’re looking for what I like to call ‘worker bees’ for the station,” said Jeff Margolis, the South Fork Valley Community Association (SFVCA) board president. Volunteers are needed for an operating committee and CEO to work together to establish a relationship between KAVZ and the SFVCA. “The operating committee will generate a budget,” he added.

Margolis also expects that they will form a committee of fundraisers to fund the budget. “We need outreach, agents, and grant writers,” he said.  After those are established, the wishes of the listeners need to be fulfilled by commentators and disc jockeys. For anyone interested, be aware that working for KAVZ will be laborious so volunteer if you are truly passionate about the work.  “We are in need of commitments from people,” explains Margolis, “Hands-on people, especially.” He estimates that the station is in need of about 20 volunteers in order to run smoothly.

The span of the station reaches from the South Fork Valley to Maple Falls, Everson, and west to Smith Road. Margolis believes it has the potential to reach about 10,000 listeners or, as he notes, “twenty-thousand ears.”

He said the thought of reaching such a large audience is a rewarding feeling, especially after the group disbanded in 2010. At the time, the Van Zandt Hall was undergoing renovations, including the septic system and bathrooms, and radio station volunteers were unable to easily access the radio station in the Hall. “We faced severe limitations,” he said, noting the biggest obstacle for KAVZ is raising the necessary funds for their operation. “We can’t expect volunteers to help forever. We need to gain support to avoid burnout.”

KAVZ’s return to the air came on New Year’s Eve during a gala event at the Van Zandt Hall. The station can be heard at all hours of the day and features local news and locally produced programs. KAVZ will also focus on music, which gives disc jockeys a chance to play specialized music. Future plans for the station include web-streaming.

For more information, contact Jeff Margolis at 592-2297 or follow the KAVZ Facebook page.