All Point Bulletin – April 2023

Concerns raised over park district expenses

The manner by which the Point Roberts Parks and Recreation District commissioners have been approving expenditures came under fire at their recent monthly meeting on March 13. Local resident Allison Calder expressed concern over the way recent spending decisions had been made by the board.

“In the bylaws, it is stated that any program and activity that is sponsored by the parks district must come before the parks board for approval before being implemented. We are having events where the expenditures are not being approved by the board beforehand and the community and the taxpayers are not being informed of,” she said.

Calder was specifically referring to the recent Valentine’s Day dance, which carried an $800 price tag.

Former parks board chair Bennett Blaustein added, “One of the things that the current board hasn’t been doing is, when you have been scheduling events, you haven’t been budgeting for those events, they’ve been coming up at the last minute. You have to schedule your events a couple of months out. You set a budget: you bring it up at one meeting, approve it at the next meeting, and then it is set to go. But you’re doing this stuff between meetings without having any oversight at all.”

Agreeing that both Calder and Blaustein had raised “valid points,” commissioner Michael Cressey pointed out that the next planned event, the spring dance, is scheduled for April 15, and noted that the April meeting would not allow the board to budget ahead for the dance. He expressed support for the event, saying that dances “keep the fabric of the community together.”

Board chair Mitch Friedman emphasized the need to provide recreational events for the public and suggested costs could be lowered by partnering with businesses or non-profits to help carry the financial load. Friedman did not explain how such partnering would result in lower costs. Historically, non-profit entities on the Point have

(See Parks, page 6)

CBSA opens up NEXUS offices

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Canadian and U.S. government officials announced March 20 that NEXUS enrollment centers will reopen at eight Canadian airports within the next month.

The announcement from the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection comes after more than 350,000 applicants have experienced interview backlogs over the past year.

This will be the first time Canadian enrollment centers have reopened since the pandemic, nearly a year after U.S. enrollment centers reopened last April.

The Vancouver International Airport NEXUS center will reopen on April 3.

Other NEXUS centers will soon reopen at the following cities: Calgary, Edmonton, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa.

The centers in Halifax and Winnipeg reopened March 27.

Applicants have three options to complete their interviews. They can either have a joint interview at a U.S. enrollment center; interview at a Canadian land enrollment center and then interview separately at a U.S. enrollment center on the U.S./Canada border; or air travelers can do a two-step process where U.S. and Canadian border agents will conduct interviews separately.

For more NEXUS information, visit bit.ly/3zl4yIs

s You know spring has arrived when the cover of the All Point Bulletin features Point Roberts’ Ladybug Nursery owner, Darlene Gibbs, hard at work raising the flowers, vegetables and plants that will soon grace local gardens.

Photo by Louise Mugar

County has new public works director

B y G race M c c arthy drew their application.

Whatcom County executive Satpal Sidhu appointed Elizabeth Kosa, former assistant director of the public works department, as the new director on March 14. Whatcom County Council is expected to confirm the appointment during the Tuesday, April 11 council meeting.

Kosa was decided on between another finalist, Mike Gent. A third finalist with-

Kosa has served as the interim director since former director Jon Hutchings resigned last November. The county is actively hiring for a new assistant public works director.

Public works oversees county roads, provides Lummi Island ferry service, flood control, noxious weed control as well as natural resource and stormwater management.

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1423 Gulf Road • Point Roberts

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Op Ed: Lawsuit could impact Whatcom County marine businesses

B y P ete G ran G er and

illen

While Alaska might be more than 1,000 miles away, Washington shares a lot more with the 49th state than most people realize.

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Printed in Canada • Vol. XXXVII, No. 11

Letters Policy

The All Point Bulletin welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 450 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality and good taste.

A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis.

Thank you letters should be limited to ten names.

Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email your letter to: letters@allpointbulletin.com

P.O. Box 1451, Point Roberts, WA 98281

Fax: 360/945-1613

Next issue: May 2023

Ads due: April 21

This is especially true in the fishing industry where the relationship between Washington and Alaska runs deep and ripples throughout Washington’s economy and communities. We are seeing the complexities and the nuances of this relationship play out right now in a lawsuit that the Seattle-based Wild Fish Conservancy brought against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) in 2020 with the goal to shut down southeast Alaska’s small boat, hook-and-line Chinook troll fishery in the misguided name of saving the southern resident killer whales (SRKW).

Shutting down Alaska’s troll fishery will not bring us any closer to addressing the deeper, complex issues that are driving the decline of our local orca and salmon populations. Instead, it will have devastating impacts on hundreds of fishing families and businesses that rely on Alaska’s troll fishery for their income and jeopardize the economic stability of Washington and Alaska’s coastal communities.

Blaming Alaska’s troll fishery for the SRKW’s decline might sound like an easy solution, but the reality is not that simple – nor does it follow the well-documented science pointing to the habitat loss and degradation, toxic water pollution and dams in the pacific northwest that are harming our local salmon populations, and with them, the SRKW.

Just last month, Washington state released its State of Salmon in Watersheds 2022 report that provides a sobering snapshot of the status of Washington’s salmon populations and the pressures feeding their decline. The report reinforces the major impact that habitat loss (much of it driven by Washington’s booming population) is having on Washington’s salmon, with one-

third of Puget Sound’s 2,500 mile shoreline lost due to armoring and 50 to 90 percent of land along Washington waterways lost or greatly modified by humans. The report leaves no doubt that the way to bring back Washington’s Chinook is by addressing these issues in our own backyard.

Currently, 115 southeast Alaska troll fishery permit holders live in Washington and migrate to Alaska each summer to make their income. In addition, there are many Washington seafood processors, distributors and transportation companies that rely on southeast Alaska’s troll fishery as a key source of revenue. Not to mention the restaurants, retail stores and fish markets that are committed to only sourcing troll-caught salmon because of its trusted reputation for sustainability and premium quality. The southeast troll fishery generates $148 million annually in economic outputs for the business sectors in the northwest and beyond.

Seafood Producers Cooperative (SPC) is one of those businesses. Founded in 1944, SPC has about 400 fishermen-member owners with a state-of-the-art processing plant in Sitka, Alaska that employs 100 seasonal and resident workers, and an office in Bellingham for the sales and accounting staff. SPC has the distinction of being the longest surviving and largest operating seafood cooperative in the U.S. Alaska’s troll fishery makes up about 50 percent of its annual production on average and is integral to SPC’s goal to provide the highest quality salmon to wholesale and directly to consumers. The Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County is another local entity that relies, in part, on the future survival of Alaska’s troll fleet. The coalition works hard to promote the vitality and economic benefits of Whatcom County’s working waterfronts and has over 130 business members, including a number of Bellingham trollers who fish in Alaska and marine service companies that supply, build, repair and service Alas-

ka’s troll boats.

It’s perhaps ironic that Wild Fish Conservancy’s lawsuit threatens some of the biggest salmon stewards and advocates out there: Fishing communities in Alaska and the pacific northwest. For decades, trollers have been on the frontlines of fighting oldgrowth logging in southeast Alaska’s Tongass National Forest and supporting removal of the four lower dams on the Snake River in the Columbia River Basin. This commitment to sustainability stems from the intimate relationship between trollers and salmon; trollers catch each salmon individually with a hook-and-line before carefully placing it on ice. That’s why trollcaught salmon fetches some of the highest prices in the marketplace; it’s a premium quality product that truly honors and fully maximizes every single salmon caught.

As fishing families and businesses that rely on clean and intact waterways, healthy ecosystems and sustainable fisheries, our future is tied to the health of the orcas and wild salmon. It’s time to stop passing the blame around and, instead, realize that we’re all in the same boat and start pulling in the same direction.

Arguing over who is catching whose fish hasn’t helped wild salmon in the past and it won’t help them now. We need collaborative partnerships that promote what’s best for the salmon, including doubling down on restoring critical salmon habitat and addressing the root problems. Alaska and Washington’s fishing families and businesses will continue to fight for what’s best for wild salmon and we hope others will join us.

Norman Pillen is president of Seafood Producers Cooperative and works out of both SPC’s Bellingham and Sitka offices.

Pete Granger commercially fishes salmon in Washington state and is on the board of the Whatcom County Working Waterfront Coalition.

The Editor:

We would like to thank our community for their diligence throughout the pandemic and their thoughts and care of their neighbors and friends. The last Covid testing at the fire hall will be April 9, 2023.

I would also like to thank all of the fire department members and community volunteers that have made this a success for our community since 2020. So many of you returned week after week to offer countless hours of volunteer work to help our community have safe and reliable testing. You came together and defined professionalism.

Best wishes everyone!

Chief Christopher Carleton

Point Roberts Fire District #5

Point Roberts, WA

The Editor:

Wow, what a showing from our Whatcom County basketball teams at the state tournament in Yakima!

First of all, being a lifelong Borderite, I have to say congratulations to Blaine for bringing home the third place trophy. I also want to give a huge shoutout to the Lynden High School pep band. When it was realized that the Blaine High School pep band would not be able to make it, Lynden stepped up big time.

Not only did they rock the dome with their impressive pep music, but they

cheered for Blaine, a fellow Whatcom County team. Even some of their student section, dressed in Borderite orange vests and wigs (most likely supplied by our amazing Blaine cheer squad), cheered and

chanted for a good part of Blaine’s semifinal game Friday night.

I think people often root against Lynden, I know I do, because they are just so good and win so often. I for one changed my tune during the tourney. From top to bottom, what I saw from Lynden was a class act. Go Borderites ...

Preston Bouma Birch Bay

Please send letters to editor@allpointbulletin.com

Margot Griffiths, M.Ed., C.L.C.

After 30 years experience at The University of British Columbia in the Office of Counseling Services, I am pleased to begin my Life Coaching practice in Point Roberts. Confidential appointments arranged by email or text. margot@pointroberts.net 206-604-1713

self-awareness personal development relationships recovery wellness transitions retirement life planning

April Services & Events

2nd: 11:00 am Sevice with Pastor Jean Barrington

7th: 1:00 pm Good Friday Prayer Service

8th: 4-6 pm An Afternoon of story & song in anticipation of Spring

With Craig Fry on violin, Paul Lucas on guitar, Javid Nouripour on piano

9th: 11:00 am Easter Sunday Service with Pastor Jean Barrington

16th: 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet 4:00 pm Bergamasca Concert " The Leaves Be Green "

23rd: 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet

30th: 11:00 am Service with Pastor Gina Gaudet

Now making monthly healthcare visits to Point Roberts

Providing house calls and telehealth visits for patients 18 years of age and older.

JR Healthcare Consultants

Dr. John Anwar MD

Board Certified in Internal Medicine

Learn more at www.jrhealthcareconsultants.org

Call/text 305-877-5497

Email: john.anwar@jrhealthcareconsultants.org

Parks ...

From page 1

used events to raise money for their organizational aims.

Friedman said, “I don’t want to put too much of a burden onto the taxpayers. We also have other funding as well, the park district rents a tower to the communications company SBA, and they recently added something to that tower (Ed. Note: T-Mobile is now a sublessor along with Verizon, the original owner of the tower), I negotiated a new contract with them that brought $25,000 into our budget.” Friedman was referring to the cell tower that is located near the water tank adjacent to Baker Field. The tower had been receiving rent of around $17,000 a year.

Commissioner Kathleen Friedman estimated the cost of the April dance would be approximately $450, which included $350 for the band and $100 for supplies. Mitch Friedman introduced a motion to approve the budget for the dance despite the fact that it was not on the meeting agenda or had the benefit of the public comment period to allow members of the public to express their viewpoint.

“I am going to make a motion for this budget, and then from now on we will need to discuss these events at least a month ahead of time,” he said.

Several members of the community in attendance disagreed with the motion,

pointing out that it was not in accordance with the standard rules for parliamentary procedure, known as Robert’s Rules of Order. Despite those objections and some hesitation from board members, the motion passed by a unanimous vote.

In any event, it ultimately became moot.

In a letter dated March 23, Kathleen Friedman resigned effective immediately citing personal health concerns. The dance was subsequently canceled because she was the commissioner in charge of the event, and it was too late to assign someone else for that duty, she said.

How the commission-approved event was canceled without the benefit of a board meeting was not explained. Under the commission style of government, individual commissioners have very limited powers of decision-making. Only the board itself has the power to make decisions affecting the district. An email to the district asking for details on how the decision to cancel was made was not answered before going to press.

Surprisingly, the commission did not discuss the summer kids program during the March meeting. Typically, planning gets underway in February or March. Last year, then-chair Bennett Blaustein reported at the March meeting that the district had been awarded a $31,000 state grant that would be used for enrichment activities during the summer program. It’s not known if the district has applied for any grants this year.

Providing non-emergency home

education and referral services. For an appointment or more information, please contact Chief Christopher Carleton at 360-945-3473 or chief@wcfd5.com

Council on Aging faced trial by fire

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Managers of the Whatcom Council on Aging (COG), the organization responsible for the seniors’ lunch program in Point Roberts and elsewhere, must have felt like they had been to hell and back after a March 23 townhall meeting. The meeting took place after the popular longtime chef Roger Gookstedder was let go from his position.

COG executive director Chris Orr, food services manager Ian Cassinos and Meals on Wheels & More director Julie Meyers made the trek to Point Roberts to discuss the program and its future.

Drs.

They faced a mostly angry crowd of around 30 people upset at Gookstedder’s dismissal who demanded answers that, for the most part, were not forthcoming.

Orr told the crowd that he was not at liberty to discuss the reasons why Gooksted-

der was let go but said it involved multiple issues. A number of speakers had suggested that it had been due to complaints from the parks district but Orr denied that those complaints were the main reason for the council’s action and repeated he wasn’t able to discuss the issue in detail.

A number of speakers criticized the current service levels with one complaining that “We’re getting lukewarm meals.” COG is currently preparing the lunches in Bellingham and driving them to the Point.

Orr told the crowd, “Here’s my commitment, we’ll have a stronger presence up here and we will work towards catered food.” He then promised to be back in April and find ways to improve the food’s quality.

Resident Bill Zidel said the social aspect of eating together is more important than someone sitting around sharpening their pencil.

s About 30 people showed up to express their dissatisfaction over the recent firing of seniors’ lunch program chef, Roger Gookstedder. Above, standing, Chris Orr responds to questions from the crowd. Photo by Pat Grubb

Sowing seeds of progress

April is a busy month for Circle of Care. We are pleased to announce this year’s annual general meeting (AGM) will be held from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 16, at the Benson Road fire hall. Refreshments will be served and all are invited.

Our guest speaker will be Dr. John Anwar. Dr. Anwar is the chair of medicine at St. Vincent de Paul/ Virginia G. Piper Medical Clinic as well as an assistant clinical professor at Creighton University School of Medicine’s Department of Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Dr. Anwar is now a part-time resident of Point Roberts, as he spends one week a month here and the rest in Phoenix, Arizona. He provides medical consulting services in person and remotely through telemedicine to supplement the local clinic’s current clinical providers.

He is not associated with Circle of Care but we find his story inspiring, and we want to share with you his message of unconditional giving, humanitarian practice and generosity. Here is a link to an article written about Dr Anwar in 2021: bit. ly/3ZqMaZf.

Dr. Anwar will be speaking to us via Zoom, as his schedule does not permit him to be here that week. We hope you will welcome him into our community. The AGM will also cover how Circle of Care is moving forward to provide you with more extensive services.

While we would love to see you in person, feel free to attend the AGM via Zoom. The AGM will be held at the following link: bit.ly/3lHF30V.

Our wine/chocolate pairing and silent auction fundraiser will be held on Saturday, April 22, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., at the Trinity Church community hall. April 22 is Earth Day and we will be serenaded by and singing along with Savilla Kress to the music of the 1970s, to celebrate the first Earth Day, which took place in 1970.

The silent auction will feature a wide range of services from merchants both in Point Roberts and in the lower Mainland of B.C. Join the fun, enjoy the wines and chocolates from Washington State, and bid on the perfect service for yourself or for someone else. Tickets are $15 per person or $25 per couple. Tickets are available by contacting us at prcircleofcare@gmail.com or 360/945-5222.

s You’re never too old for cake!

B y G alen W ood

s Dorothy (Dot) Coen turned 100 on March 20, 2023. She has been a part-time resident in her Park Lane cabin for over 60 years. She has many happy memories of her friends and family at the cottage and still visits when she can. Courtesy photo

PUD, PointNet and Whidbey wait

In January, PointNet LLC partnered with the Public Utilities District #1 (PUD) to apply for a Washington State Broadband Office (WSBO) grant to provide highspeed internet access to all underserved and unserved customers in Point Roberts. The areas chosen would avoid any conflict with private providers such as Whidbey Telecom. The project has a $3.5 million budget and would cover at least 1,200 homes in designated areas. The company is led by president Bob Hillman and will offer a mix of service levels utilizing fiber optic and cables. They will be utilizing infrastructure originally constructed by Delta Cablevision which formerly offered cable television wired directly to homes throughout the Point.

Originally, WSBO said the successful applicants would be announced on February 28. The grant process, however, allowed for any party to file a challenge to grant applications. Whidbey Telecom filed a challenge to the PUD/PointNet application claiming that it currently provides high speed service and have begun construction in the area that PUD and PointNet’s grant application included. However, the WSBO ruled the objection invalid and dismissed it. A number of other WSBO grant appli-

cants in the state faced objections from Comcast, a large national internet provider and cable company. Consequently, the WSBO is currently sorting through the objections and have postponed the announcement of successful applicants until April.

Whidbey Telecom has served Point Roberts for over 25 years. Almost two years ago they installed fiber optic cables for the commercial corridor, including the library and community center on Gulf Road. “Whidbey Telecom is investing in Point Roberts because grants did not cover the entire commercial area, including a lot of the mainline, the backbone of the fiber,” said Martha Ford, director of marketing for Whidbey.

In December 2021, Whidbey was awarded a $1 million USDA Community Connect grant to bring broadband to underserved residents and businesses along the south and western edges of Point Roberts. Last summer, they began installation of underground fiber optic lines to homes near the marina on Edwards and Marine Drive. They are currently working their way westward on Marine Drive and are contacting customers as they approach their homes to offer them service. The company will continue working throughout the summer and plan to finish their multi-phase project in the next three years.

SAVE THE EARTH

It’s

Wine and Chocolate Tasting

• 70’s Sing-a-long with Savilla Kress.

• Silent Auction of Gift Certificates – all sorts of services from haircuts and mani/pedis to personal chef, wine-paired dinners. Tickets are $15 per person, $25 per couple (only 50 tickets will be sold so get yours soon!) Tickets will be for sale at Marketplace April 4th and 5th from 1-4pm and the 12th from 11am to 4pm. Or contact prcircleofcare@gmail.com to purchase tickets at any time.

Saturday (Earth Day), April 22 from 6:30 - 9:00 pm Trinity Church Hall – 1880 APA Road

130 years of Icelandic heritage

European settlement of Point Roberts dates to the mid-19th century, but it was the arrival of a specific ethnic group, Icelanders, who propelled the population growth and development of Point Roberts. This is the 130th anniversary of the arrival of the first Icelander, Kristjan Benson.

Over 40,000 Americans and 90,000 Canadians tell the census they’re of Icelandic heritage, together, nearly half the current population of Iceland. They are descendants of a time in the late nineteenth century when one-fifth of Iceland’s population emigrated to North America.

Benson arrived at Point Roberts on March 7, 1893, from Bellingham. He encouraged a large group of Icelanders in Victoria, which was in a recession, to join him in Point Roberts and settle it as an Icelandic community. He told them a cannery was about to open at Lily Point that would provide jobs, and that there was land available.

In her 1975 memoir, Echoes from the Past, Runa Thordarson, one of the Point’s notable Icelandic residents, recounts Ben-

son’s sales pitch as tax-free living on the condition that each man would cooperatively help to build roads for two-and-ahalf days without pay in spring and summer. The land that they bought, however, gave them squatters rights only. Homestead rights would be granted 14 years later, allowing all residents to claim their holdings.

The Icelanders from Victoria arrived in 1894, and went on to operate many businesses and institutions on the Point. By the 1900 census, half of Point Roberts was Icelandic, and many only spoke Icelandic. As late as the 1930s, many children only learned English when they reached school age. Though there are few Icelandic speakers left, ties with Iceland are maintained through cultural exchange programs.

Today, seven generations after his arrival, Kristjan Benson is best known as the namesake for Benson Road. His overgrown house still stands on Benson Road near Tyee Drive.

Stop in to the Point Roberts History Center (open Saturdays) to learn more about the 130-year Icelandic heritage in Point Roberts.

Blood draw policy raises concern

A client expressed frustration with a new clinic policy during the hospital district’s regular monthly board meeting on March 8. Local resident Judy Ross needed a blood draw to renew a prescription and was disappointed to find out that the new policy would now require a trip to Bellingham for any lab work.

“The people of Point Roberts ought not to have to make a four-hour drive for a five-minute procedure,” Ross said. Transportation to Bellingham was a challenge, especially because Ross no longer drives on the freeway. “I don’t expect you to treat my appendicitis at the clinic, but something like a blood draw should be done.”

The termination of the blood draw program was announced during the February board meeting by Dr. Sean Bozorgzadeh, a principal of SuperTrack Urgent Care, the Bellingham company that provides medical services for the Point Roberts Clinic. “Although it may appear to be a 5-minute procedure, there are many things that need to be in place before a blood draw can be done,” Dr. Bozorgzadeh said, adding that whoever draws the blood must be able to deal with possible complications, and that

person must be at least an RN. The current RN has recently turned in her resignation. He went on to say, “The problem doesn’t stop there, there is also a problem with transportation. There have been several days where FedEx hasn’t picked up and we have had to drive the blood down to Bellingham ourselves.” Holding samples for too long can result in faulty lab results, which would require the test to be repeated. “It is actually better for you to have your blood drawn [off the Point]. You don’t even need to go to Bellingham, it can be done in Ferndale.”

Dr. Bozorgzadeh acknowledged the clinic’s obligation to make the process as easy as possible for all residents. “Our initial promise was that we will accommodate people who cannot get across the border and have a valid reason, and that promise is still the same.”

Dr. Bozorgzadeh also suggested a possible solution to the problem. He recommended approaching the Quest Diagnostics lab and asking that they send a representative to Point Roberts to draw blood on a weekly basis. He said he will speak with district superintendent Barbara Wayland to coordinate a meeting with Quest to explore the feasibility of the idea.

s The home still exists at the corner of Benson Road and Tyee Drive, almost totally overgrown by blackberry bushes. Photo courtesy of Point Roberts Historical Society.

B y e rin K elly

Sheriff Bill Elfo to step down

budget of $21.5 million.

Whatcom County Sheriff Bill Elfo announced he would not seek a sixth term in November and plans to retire after 20 years as sheriff.

Elfo said in a March 20 statement it has been an honor to serve Whatcom County but that he intends to retire after nearly 50 years in law enforcement. His term ends January 2024.

“The current environment presents many challenges that moving forward, will require extraordinary leadership,” Elfo said in the statement. “My departure, however, will not result in any voids. Our highly developed and capable leadership team is fully prepared to meet all challenges and propel the sheriff’s office to new heights in excellence, integrity and teamwork.”

Elfo is the 37th sheriff to hold office since Whatcom County’s founding in 1854. He joined Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) in 2003 from the Blaine Police Department when he was appointed interim sheriff. He was elected sheriff later that year and four consecutive four-year terms since.

“I have deep admiration and respect for Sheriff Elfo’s many years of service and dedication to our community,” County Executive Satpal Sidhu told The Northern Light in an email. “I have seen firsthand his steadfast commitment to public safety and the well-being of his deputies. His retirement is well earned and he will be missed.”

Elfo told the All Point Bulletin it was a difficult decision to make but he felt it was time to retire.

“I’ve been working since I was 12 years old with no breaks between jobs,” he said. “We have a great organization here at the sheriff’s office and I think it’s come time to pass the torch.”

Elfo, who will be 68 in April, started his career with the Pompano Beach Police Department in Florida where he rose to the rank of captain. He holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in criminal justice as well as a law degree. He is a member of the Washington State Bar Association and federal bar of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. He served as a prosecutor and assistant city attorney.

As sheriff, Elfo oversees 212 department positions, including 95 law enforcement officers and 78 corrections officers, and a

One of the highlights of Elfo’s career was when WCSO established probable cause to arrest Mandy Stavik’s killer in 2019, he said. The case went unsolved for nearly 30 years, after the 18-year-old vanished November 24, 1989 and her body was found three days later in the south fork of the Nooksack River.

“It was a great feeling being able to tell her 80-year-old mother, on her birthday, that we got him,” Elfo said.

Having served as Blaine police chief from 1996 to 2003, Elfo thanked the residents of Blaine for their support.

Elfo has endorsed WCSO undersheriff Doug Chadwick to take over as Whatcom County sheriff.

“Doug has been a critical factor in our ability to provide exemplary law enforcement, search-and-rescue, corrections, and emergency management services to Whatcom County residents,” Elfo said in the statement. “His knowledge and experience make him the most qualified person to take the sheriff’s office to the next level of excellence.”

Chadwick, who has served as undersheriff since 2019, announced his bid March 20.

Chadwick is a Whatcom County native who graduated from Mount Baker High School and Western Washington University. He joined WCSO in 1994 and has held every rank as well as numerous specialty positions, according to a March 20 announcement.

Blaine police chief Donnell Tanksley is also running for the position and announced his bid in December 2022.

Both Chadwick and Tanksley have registered with the state Public Disclosure Commission to raise campaign funds.

“As the day of retirement draws closer, it will be personally difficult,” Elfo said in his statement.

“I plan on remaining active in the community through volunteer and charitable service.

I will also continue to be an advocate for crime victims; the brave men and women of law enforcement; and all who support them. Thank you all and God bless.”

S Point Roberts resident Sean Heppner was named the Rize Laboratory Pitcher of the Week. A sophomore playing for the University of British Columbia’s ThunderBirds, Heppner completed a shutout against No. 3-ranked Lewis-Clark State College ending the game with a perfect ERA.

Courtesy photo

S A spate of fires struck homes in Point Roberts in February and March. This mobile house on Benson Road was totally engulfed by the time the firefighters arrived and left the family homeless. Over 20 firefighters responded to the scene.

s Sheriff Bill Elfo. Photo courtesy of WCSO

Photo by Nic/Frida Lehoux

Borderite Report THE

Bowling

After learning about bowling in PE our students took a field trip to Lucky 9 Lanes where they got to use their bowling skills in an actual bowling alley! What a fun afternoon!

Science Fair

In the months of February and March our students each choose a topic to learn about for our Science Fair. Our students combined research, reading, writing, art, and the creation of hands-on projects to showcase their learning. Family members were invited to our Science Fair to showcase each student’s project. Congratulations to the students of Point Roberts Primary!

ChurCh news

The Astronomy of Easter

As this will be read before Easter, I thought it would be interesting to look at the history of the most changeable holiday of the year. Anyone who has raised children has likely had to explain why Easter is not the same date or Sunday every year. The easiest and most basic explanation is that Easter falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the first day of Spring (which is around the 21st of March).

Science World

To celebrate science this month, our class went to Science World for the day. Our students explored the exhibits and learned about bubbles and ice. We had a fantastic day in sunny Vancouver!

A special thank you to our community members who generously support our PTO. Our PTO sponsors our field trips and special in school projects such as our Science Fair. Last month the PTO purchased 3 new beanbags for our reading corner. When you support our PTO you directly support the students in our school!

Jessie Hettinga M.S.Ed Principal - Point

Roberts

Primary

Our universe is so immeasurable that our orderly calendars are sadly inadequate for documenting vast quantities of time or space; we often have to manufacture computations that make sense to us. To further complicate things, Jesus was Jewish, and Jewish tradition follows a lunar calendar. The Christian calendar is a solar one. (Lunar calendars follow moon cycles, which are shorter than sun cycles). Are we having fun yet? I know I am.

The history that is available to us through the gospels tells us that Jesus was crucified on the day after the feast of the Passover. The Passover commemorates the liberation and the Hebrews’ escape from slavery to the Egyptians. The communion service that generally initiates the sacred three days that Christians observe as a memorial of the last supper, which was the Passover feast that Jesus observed with his followers before his arrest. This happens on Maundy Thursday.

Because the Passover is a Jewish holiday, we schedule Easter (Jesus’ resurrection) to coincide with the third day of Jesus’ death. This is another source of confusion, because Jesus is said to have risen on the third day after his crucifixion, which is observed on a Friday. Which is two days before Sunday. Go figure. Here we need to understand the Jewish observance of days

as beginning at sunset the prior evening (see Genesis 1:5, 1:8). So according to the calendar above my desk, on Wednesday, April 5, Passover begins at sundown. So Jesus feasted with his disciples on that evening.

After the last supper they went with Jesus to Gethsemane, where he sought solitude in order to pray as he anticipated his arrest, trial and death. He was arrested that night (still the Passover). If the timeline holds, his crucifixion would actually take place on the day after (which begins on Thursday at sunset). So he would have died in the daytime after the Passover, which would be the first day of his death. Which would make Good Friday evening, after sunset, the second day of his death. And Saturday evening would begin the third day of his death. Thus, his resurrection is observed on the third day. The women come to the tomb first thing in the morning, because the observed Passover is officially over. (To attend to a dead body legally renders one unclean and so these rituals could not be observed until the holy days of Passover were ended).

So, to return us to the purpose of this exploration, we now understand why Easter is observed on a different date every year. The events leading up to Easter are measured on a lunar calendar. And we see how our timeline is a little confusing since we are translating from a lunar calendar to a solar one. And we also know why Christian folk worship on a Sunday morning, and Jewish folk on a Saturday evening (the beginning of the Sabbath).

We observe Easter on a solar morning after a lunar festival, on a little planet orbiting a light for our days, and orbited by a light for our nights. So, whatever and whenever you celebrate, may your holiday be blessed with light!

Online registration will open March 6 for any new student to Point Roberts Primary who will be enrolling in Kindergarten for the 20232024 school year. Please visit our district website at Blainesd.org and click on the Parents and Students tab. Next click on the New Student Online Enrollment link to begin your registration form. If you have questions about our school please contact Jessie Hettinga at jhettinga@blainesd.org.

B y G ina G audet

s A rock painting session at the community center on March 18 allowed participants to express their creativity using paint, brush and rock.

Photo by Erin Kelly

obituaries

including a three-month run in New York City where he met his future wife, Robin. They married in Puerto Rico in 1990.

He won a Jessie Richardson Award for musical direction of the Arts Club production of Angry Housewives as well as several awards for his songwriting.

s Ross Douglas.

Ross Douglas February 22, 1951-March 20, 2023

It is hard to narrow down a single category to describe Ross and his talents. He was a singer/songwriter, musician who played seven instruments, theatrical musical director, actor, voiceover talent and photographer.

Born in Vancouver, Ross grew up in Surrey, B.C. and attended the University of British Columbia. He appeared in many theatrical productions in Vancouver during the 1970s. In 1980, he began to tour the world as The Pianist in the Canadian classic Billy Bishop Goes to War,

In the 1990s, he spent nine summers as the musical director of the Theatre Royal in Barkerville, B.C. Over the last 20 years, he produced four albums of original songs and toured all over B.C. doing concerts. His song, “Some Call It Bob,” was a local favorite sung at his concerts at the Point Roberts Community Center. Ross’s rich baritone voice animated cartoon characters, film narration, commercials and video narrations.

Ross and Robin moved to Point Roberts in 1994 and Ross’s passions for nature and photography blended into one. His calendars, cards and photographs became best sellers at the local craft fairs.

As a man, Ross had a huge heart. His anonymous generosity to causes he believed in was an integral part of who he was.

He is survived by Robin and will be missed by all who had the joy of knowing him.

she still has many relatives. After high school she worked as a private secretary and then in 1956 she emigrated to Canada, living in Toronto for two years and working as a flight attendant for Trans Canada Airlines before moving to Vancouver where she met her husband, Tom. They married in 1960 and she then worked as a professional model. After their divorce, Jackie moved to Point Roberts where she enjoyed her love of the outdoors, horses, dogs and working at her antique store Ye Olde Barn Antiques.

Jacqueline Enid MacKenzie

November 10, 1933 – Feb. 26, 2023

Jacqueline (Jackie) MacKenzie passed away peacefully February 26, 2023 after a battle with dementia. She was predeceased by her parents Ernest and Billie Townsend and her daughter Karen. She is survived by her son Glen, grandchildren Alexander and Nicola, sister Jill Soleway and dear friend Ron Knott.

Jackie was born in Kent, England where

Jackie was feisty, witty, clever and loved to travel. Greatly appreciated are the friends and professionals who stepped forward to be there when she needed help, and to her former daughter-in-law Michele, who Jackie loved dearly for her love and caring, which involved the everyday responsibilities that were required for her well-being over these past few years.

Thank you also to the staff at Highgate Senior Living in Bellingham, Washington for their compassionate and gentle care.

A celebration of life will be held in Point Roberts at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations would be greatly appreciated to the SPCA or the Alzheimer’s Society of B.C.

(Obituaries continue on page 14)

Point Roberts

s Jackie MacKenzie.

Announcements

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SUNSHINE CARPET and upholstery steam cleaning, reasonable rates. 360-945-0411 or lawson_brad@yahoo.com.

HANDYMAN Carpentry • Remodeling • Fencing • Decks • Painting • Pressure washing • Gutters • Hauling. 360-945-0521.

YARD MAINTENANCE Lawns • Pruning • Hedge/ shrub trimming • Gutters • Pressure Washing • 24 years experience. 360-945-1957.

Coming up

Scheduled Meetings/Ongoing Events

Washington State Hospitality Grant: Portal open until April 6, 5 p.m. Restaurants, bars, caterers, food trucks, bakeries, lodging businesses and other small hospitality organizations are eligible to apply for a onetime grant award. The grant application is now open! Apply here: wahospitalitygrants.com.

Dollars for Scholars Open Enrollment: Through Monday, May 15. Students must complete an online profile on pointroberts.dollarsforscholars.org.

Point Roberts Clinic Hours: Primary Care: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., appointment needed. Urgent Care can be accessed through telemedicine or at the clinic Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Always call for an appointment before coming in, even for urgent care services. Hours subject to change. Flu shots available. Info: 360/945-2580.

PR Library Hours: Tuesdays 1-7 p.m., Wednesdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Library express hours: 6 a.m. – 11 p.m. daily.

Point Roberts Walkers: Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8 a.m., coffee to follow at 9 a.m., Thursdays at the community center, Saturdays at Lily Point. Tuesdays location varies and can be found at prwalkers. wordpress.com.

PR Food Bank: Every Wednesday 9–10:30 a.m. at the Gulf Road Community Center. Info: prfoodbank.org. Seniors and More Lunches: Wednesdays and Fridays, dine-in or park and come inside the community center to pick up your lunches available from 11:45 a.m. until 12:30 p.m., PR community center. All ages welcome. More info: prseniors@whidbey.com or 360/945-5424.

PR Amateur Radio Club: Monday, April 3, 7 p.m., via Zoom.

PR Beekeepers Association: Monday, April 3, 7–8:30 p.m., community center. Info: thelittlegoldenharp@ gmail.com.

PR Cast & Crew: Tuesday, April 4, 7–8:30 p.m., community center. Info: thelittlegoldenharp@gmail.com.

PR Emergency Preparedness: Tuesday, April 4, 7 p.m., community center/Zoom. Info: prepgroup17@gmail. com.

Business Services

TopTier Tree Service

Brandon 360-592-7617

Licensed/Bonded/Insured

Experienced and Professional customer service Specializing in dangerous large tree removal of dead and living trees.

Topping, Pruning, Rigging, Felling, Chipping, Excavating, Lot Clearing, Stump Removal and much more . Firewood For sale!

Half/Full Chords delivered, Different types of wood and sizes depending on availability. Onsite commercial burning services.

Top Tier Roofing

Licensed/Bonded/Insured

Experienced and Professional customer service . Specializing in Duroid/Sloped, Torchdown/Flat and metal roof installs. Moss spraying and removal, roof, gutter cleaning, repairs.

Rabbit Ride and Roll: Saturday, April 8, 10:30 a.m., Kiniski’s Reef Tavern. Outdoor, fun and free community bike ride. Arrive at 10:30 a.m. to decorate bikes. Ride starts at 11 a.m. Bikes, scooters, big wheels, etc all welcome. All ages. dress for the weather. Info: prta@pointroberts.net.

PREP Chili Cookoff: Saturday, April 8, noon – 2 p.m., Kiniski’s Reef Tavern. Tickets: $10. Prizes for first, second and third. Sign up to be a competing chef by Wednesday, April 5 by emailing sara.oggel@icloud.com. Please prepare six to 10 quarts of your favorite chili recipe and arrive at 10:45 a.m. Proceeds support PREP. To register email sara.oggel@icloud.com or cadenza@whidbey.net.

Wildfire Preparedness: Saturday, April 8, noon – 2 p.m., Kiniski’s Reef Tavern. Wildfire preparedness table with Whatcom County’s Wildfire Resilience Specialist. Takes place during PREP Chili Cookoff.

Prologue: An Afternoon of Story and Song Inspired by Spring: Saturday, April 8, 4–5:30 p.m., Trinity Church. Stories from Paul Lucas’ memoir: A Guitar Player on the Yukon Border. Music by Paul Lucas, Craig Fry and pianist Javid Nouripour. Event benefits the save our historic building fund. Suggested donation of $10–$20. No one will be turned away for lack of funds.

Covid-19 PCR testing: Sunday, April 9, 10–11 a.m., Point Roberts Fire Hall, 2030 Benson Road. Bring ID and insurance information. Final covid testing session.

Easter Egg Hunt: Sunday, April 9, 1 p.m., Baker Field. Bring a basket and join the fun! Please arrive five minutes early to ensure you’re lined up for the hunt.

PR Park and Recreation: Monday, April 10, at 7 p.m., via Zoom. Info: prparkandrec.org.

Water District: Tuesday, April 11, 5 p.m., via Zoom.

Fire District 5: Wednesday, April 12, at 4 p.m., via Zoom. Info: WCFD5.com.

PR Hospital District: Wednesday, April 12, 7 p.m., via Zoom. Info: pointrobertsclinic.com.

Taxpayers Association: Thursday, April 13, 7 p.m., via Zoom. Info: PRTA@pointroberts.net.

Septic System Homeowner Training: Saturday, April 15, 10 a.m. – noon, community center. Whatcom County Health Department is offering a free training that allows homeowners to perform required evaluation and become eligible for septic system rebates. Register: bit.ly/WCHDHomeownerTraining2023 or call 360/778-6000.

“The Leaves Be Greene” Bergamasca Concert: 4 p.m. Sunday, April 16, Trinity Community Lutheran Church, 1880 APA Road.

Circle of Care AGM: Sunday, April 16, 2–3:30 p.m. at the fire hall. Guest speaker: Dr. John Anwar. Come hear how Circle of Care is moving forward to provide you with more extensive services. Zoom link: bit. ly/3lHF30V.

Whole Round Earth: Wednesday, April 19, 3:15–4:15 p.m., PR Library. Celebrate Earth Day! Come to the library to make a collaborative art project, creating a whole round Earth for the kids’ room wall.

PR Historical Society: Wednesday, April 19, 7 p.m., in the History Center.

Wildfire Education: Wednesday, April 19, 7–8 p.m., virtual. Subject: improving the wildfire safety on your property. Email Amanda at aknauf@whatcomcd.org for the presentation link.

PR Community Advisory Committee: Thursday, April 20, 7 p.m., via Zoom.

Wine and chocolate pairing/silent auction: Saturday, April 22, from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Trinity Church community hall. Savilla Kress will be performing music of the 1970s. Join the fun, enjoy the wines and chocolates from Washington State, and bid on the perfect service for yourself or for someone else. Tickets are $15 per person or $25 per couple. Tickets are available by contacting us at prcir-cleofcare@gmail.com or 360/9455222.

Wildfire Risk Assessment Blitz: Tuesday, May 23, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Email Amanda at aknauf@whatcomcd. org to sign up.

PR Garden Club: Tuesday, April 25, 7 p.m., community center. Hugelkultur (hill or mound gardening). Public welcome. Info@pointrobertsgardenclub.org.

Stars Above and Stars Below: Wednesday, May 31, 3:15–4:15 p.m., PR Library. Come to the library for crafts and activities that explore the universe and all of our places within it.

History Center: Saturdays, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., History Center, Gulf Road community center.

Storytime: Wednesdays, 10:30–11 a.m., PR library. For ages 2-6. An open program that includes stories, rhymes and songs with opportunities for movement and interactive participation.

Craft and Game Night: Tuesdays from 5–7 p.m., Point Roberts Library. Bring a craft to work on or a board game to play.

Whatcom County Al-Anon: Online meetings available via Zoom and GoToMeeting. Info: whatcomafg.org.

Library piCks

K ri S lo M edico

Bestsellers:

Dead Fail Brad Thor

The White Lady

Crossings >>>

Jaqueline Winspear

My Father’s House

No Two Persons

Movies:

Joseph O’Conner

Erica Bauermeister

Triangle of Sadness

April Tides

Harris Dickinson

Living Bill Nighy

Missing Nia Long

Juniper Charlotte Rampling

Music:

A Concert for Ukraine Metropolitan Opera

Where the Crawdads Sing Taylor Swift, MST

Atum Smashing Pumpkins

Getting’ Old Luke Combs

Teens:

Free Radicals Lila Riessen

Into the Light Mark Oshiro

The Quiet & the Loud Helena Fox

Kids:

I Did It! Michael Emberley

Whale Done Stuart Gibbs

The Windeby Puzzle Lois Lowry

Hours:

sheriff’s report

call on South Beach Road.

March 14, 9:14 a.m.: Threat cold call on Simundson Drive.

March 14, 8:17 p.m.: Alarm panic on Marine Drive.

March 15, 1:02 p.m.: Landlord tenant dispute cold call on Simundson Drive.

March 15, 12:33 p.m.: Theft cold call on Benson Road.

March 16, 6:43 a.m.: Vehicle theft cold call on Simundson Drive.

March 18, 9:14 a.m.: Traffic hazard on Johnson and Mill roads.

March 18, 11:33 a.m.: Request for law enforcement on Boundary Bay Road.

March 18, 1:05 p.m.: Security check on Gulf Road.

March 18, 2:43 p.m.: Civil problem cold call on Peltier Drive.

March 19, 7:45 p.m.: Hang up (911) on Gulf Road.

March 19, 11:49 p.m.: Request for law enforcement on Boundary Bay Road.

March 20, 8:30 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Marine Drive.

September 7, 1939 – March 17, 2023

Tom passed away peacefully on March 17, 2023, at the age of 83 after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Tom was born in New Westminster,

Yacht Sales–Power and Sail Service

B.C., to Fred and Joyce Hollett. He grew up in Vancouver, B.C. and was the eldest of four children. As a boy, he was often involved in many antics, especially with his brother, Rod. Tom always loved the outdoors, camping, fishing, and hiking. As a boy and teenager, he always talked about his fishing trips.

His family fondly remembers later trips to many lakes and Campbell River, and camping on their property in Cle Elum, Washington. He loved the beach. Skipping stones on Blackie Spit in Crescent Beach, and agate hunting in Point Roberts were his favorite pursuits. In his retirement years, he enjoyed hiking clubs while snowbirding in Yuma, Arizona.

One of his greatest accomplishments was becoming a Queen’s Scout with the Boy Scouts of Canada. He had the honor of being one of three chosen to guard Queen Elizabeth II’s hotel room when she visited Victoria. She even spoke to him briefly. He always told the story of the night he slept alone in the woods with a cougar (he didn’t sleep a wink and built the biggest fire imaginable!).

While working at Christie Biscuits in his young adult years, he discovered he had a gift for numbers and went to night school at the University of British Columbia to get a degree in accounting. He became a Chartered Accountant and financial controller for Empress Foods, a division of Canada Safeway, then later at Western Foods. He also did the accounting for his wife’s retail business, Now & Then Interiors.

After retiring from accounting, Tom became one of the mail carriers for Point Roberts. He loved this job and the people of Point Roberts. People would often leave treats in their mailbox for him and consequently later down the route, residents would find chocolate smudges on their mail. Tom served on the Point Roberts Registered Voters Association and he also

helped work on replacing the pier.

Tom had a dry sense of humor and a witty quip at the ready. He loved attention and would make certain he was noticed. For example, he would ask bakeries to take a broken cookie off their hands and he would almost always be given a full one!

Tom loved his family; his wife of almost 46 years, Jackie, and five children. When his kids wanted something, they learned to stroke his ego and call him “wonderful, handsome dad.” It didn’t always work, but he loved it.

The family remembers their camping and fishing trips, Hawaiian vacations (he begrudgingly fell in love with the place), ski trips to Whistler and later traveling to Europe with Jackie and friends. Always seeking attention, Tom even named the “bratty boy” in him, Garrett. Garrett notoriously gave the family completely useless gifts at Christmas. There were groans from the receivers but Tom beamed.

Tom loved being a grandpa best of all. He would get away with sneaking treats to the grandkids when their parents weren’t looking (and even when they were). He would intentionally teach the grandkids the wrong names of animals and they quickly learned to play along with “silly grandpa.”

Tom was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by the love of his life, Jackie, of Blaine; daughters Brenda Hansen of Blaine, Lesley (Daryl) Boden of Cloverdale, B.C., and Molly (Erik) Ernst of Blaine; sons Matt (Jean) Hollett of Penticton, B.C. and Mike (Deanna) Machula of Ocklawaha, Florida; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; brothers Rod and Dugan and sister Terry.

Family and friends will celebrate Tom’s life at a date to be determined this summer. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Alzheimer’s Society or the Boy Scouts of America or Canada.

Thomas Paul Hollett

s Tom Hollett.

SMOKED SALMON FETTUCCINE

Available in April starting at 11:00AM

House-smoked salmon in creamy seafood infused alfredo sauce with julienne zucchini and garnished with fried capers. Served on top of fettuccine pasta with garlic bread and choice of soup or salad.

$21.95

SPRING DRINK SPECIALS

Available through May starting at 8:00AM MEXICAN CANDY $11

COCONUT MARGARITA $11

SPRING FLING $8