THE REAL BLOG

TRANSACTION #1: BLAINE ROAD PROPERTIES (8358 & 8366) The Properties Two adjacent 7-acre properties on Blaine Road in Whatcom County: 8358 Blaine Road: 7.35 acres, assessed value $59,000 (2019) 8366 Blaine Road: 7 acres, assessed value $103,067 (2019) Combined assessed value: $162,067 The Purchase (April 2019) Buyers: Lara Kratzer (Mahaffie's live-in girlfriend at same home address) purchased 8358 for $70,000 Dead Goat Properties LLC (Mahaffie's company, address in Sedro Woo

How Neighbors Were Blocked, Land Was Altered Without Permits, and the Rules Quietly Changed Environmental protections only work if they are applied consistently. Wetlands either matter, or they don’t. When the same land is regulated one way for one owner and another way after ownership changes — especially when unpermitted work has already occurred — the integrity of the regulatory system itself comes into question. This article examines what happened at 9524 Freedom Place, B

Washington State faces a housing crisis manufactured by its own regulatory system. According to the Building Industry Association of Washington's 2024 study, regulations imposed at local, state, and federal levels account for approximately $204,000—or 29.5%—of the median new home sales price of $690,701 . In some counties, regulatory costs alone add over $164,000 to the cost of each new home. These aren't just abstract numbers. They represent middle-class families priced out

The evidence is overwhelming. The cover-up is documented. The threats against citizens are on the record. The County Executive's office has shown it won't take corruption seriously—it protects it. Now Whatcom County Council faces a choice: investigate this corruption properly under RCW 42.23.070, refer it to the Washington State Attorney General, and hold all complicit officials accountable—or watch as this escalates beyond their control. This investigation started with three