The Northern L ght

The Northern Light is published weekly by Point Roberts Press Inc.

Locally owned and managed, the company also publishes the All Point Bulletin, covering Point Roberts, Mount Baker Experience, covering the Mt. Baker foothills area, Pacific Coast Weddings annual guide, and the summer recreation guide Waterside as well as maps and other publications. Point Roberts Press Inc. is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Chambers of Commerce of Bellingham/ Whatcom County, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts and the Bellingham/ Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors.

Letters Policy

The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters are limited to 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. The letters to the editor column is primarily intended to allow readers to voice their opinions on local issues of general interest to local readers. A fresh viewpoint will increase the likelihood of publication. Thank-you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Consumer complaints should be submitted directly to the business in question or the local chamber of commerce. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com.

Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com

Co-publisher & Advertising Director

Louise Mugar lmugar@pointrobertspress.com

Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com

Reporter Ian Haupt ian@pointrobertspress.com

Creative Services

Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman production@pointrobertspress.com

Office Manager

Jeanie Luna info@pointrobertspress.com

Advertising Sales Molly Ernst, Gary Lee sales@pointrobertspress.com

General Editorial Inquiries editor@pointrobertspress.com

Contributors In This Issue

Doug Dahl

Jonathan Hall

The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230

Tel: 360/332-1777

Vol XXVIII, No 35

Circulation: 10,500 copies

Circulation Independently verified by: s Paul Johnson, a Blaine-based documentary filmmaker and journalist, interviewed avid birder and wildlife photographer Joe Meche at Jorgensen Pier while creating a visual story about Blaine’s Wings Over Water NW Birding Festival that runs Friday, March 17 through Sunday, March 19. The story will be featured on his new Discover Whatcom YouTube Channel created to share visual and inspiring stories about our region. Learn more at pauljohnsonfilms.com. Learn more about the festival and register for events at Wings Over Water NW Birding Festival at wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com.

Maritime Washington National Heritage Area receives $350,000 grant

The Washington Trust for Historic Preservation recently received a $350,000 grant for the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area. The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust provided the grant to enable the heritage area to build a strong base after being established a few years ago.

The U.S. Congress established the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area in 2019 to pay tribute to the state’s maritime history while supporting the maritime communities through resources and partnerships.

The heritage area is one of 62 in the U.S. and is the only heritage area focused on maritime, according to a February 7 press release from the Murdock

The Editor:

I really enjoyed Jonathan Hall’s article “Glacial ice sheet that covered Blaine leaves remnants” on the opinion page of the February 2 issue.

I have always wondered about the origin of those rocks, out along the southern edge of Drayton Harbor, as I drive from Birch Bay to Blaine, via Drayton Harbor Road. I would love to get Jonathan’s contact information so I can find out about the

Trust. The area spans over 3,000 miles of shoreline from Grays Harbor to Blaine and includes 33 port districts.

“Something that makes Washington so special is that we still have a very active maritime heritage. It’s a world that is very alive and well here among people from many diverse background and cultures,” said Alexandra Gradwohl, the heritage area’s new program director, in a statement. “It’s very exciting that we’re now able to move this program forward and help unify that maritime identity for the entire region.”

Last November, the U.S. Secretary of the Interior approved a management plan for the heritage area. The plan can be viewed on the Washington Trust’s website at bit.ly/3Yw1vIt.