Trump postpones big tariffs against Canada and Mexico for one month
B y S hauneen M iranda /
W a S hington S tate S tandard
President Donald Trump, on February 3, punted for one month his plans to impose sweeping tariffs against Canada and Mexico after both countries announced plans to act on his demands to curb drug trafficking and illegal immigration into the United States. Most elements of the plans had previously been announced by the two countries.
The pauses came as Trump signed a trio of executive orders over the weekend that would kick-start a 25 percent tariff on Mexico, a 25 percent tariff on most goods from Canada and a 10 percent tariff on imports from China, beginning early February 4. The tariff against China remained in place the afternoon of February 4.
Many economists have warned about the negative effects such broad tariffs could have on consumers.
Trump said the tariffs – a tax on goods that come into the country – were an effort to hold the three countries “accountable to their promises of halting illegal immigration and stopping poisonous fentanyl and other drugs from flowing into our country,” according to a White House fact sheet.
Mexico, Canada and China are the United States’ top trading partners. The three countries had responded to Trump’s plans with their own retaliatory measures.
Two calls with Trudeau
In a post on social media, Trump said “Canada has agreed to ensure we have a secure Northern Border, and to finally end the deadly scourge of drugs like Fentanyl that have been pouring into our Country, killing hundreds of thousands of Americans, while destroying their families and communities all across our Country.”
Trump held two calls Monday with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
After his second call with Trump, Trudeau said in a social media post that “Canada is implementing our $1.3 billion border plan – reinforcing the border with new choppers, tech-
(See Tariffs, page 3)
First snowfall of the year covers region
Whatcom County appoints first members of Birch Bay Advisory Committee
Whatcom County Council confirmed four appointees to the newly formed Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee on January 28, marking another step in the process of unincorporated Birch Bay achieving representation in county government.
Doralee Booth, Daniel Mead Smith, Stephen Nelson and Sheila Wood were appointed by county executive Satpal Sidhu, and confirmed by a unanimous council vote. They will serve three-year terms.
“This is a conversation that started in spring and we worked on it over the course of last year, so I’m glad we’re here,”
councilmember Jon Scanlon said of the committee.
Jed Holmes, spokesperson for the county executive’s office, said the four appointees were filling at-large positions, and more appointees will be made to represent the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, BlaineBirch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 and North Whatcom Fire and Rescue.
“I believe this new official partnership with Whatcom County will ensure a better public participation and communication with the Birch Bay Urban Growth Area,”
Doralee Booth wrote in her application.
“This advisory [group] will hopefully give Birch Bay a voice in county planning by encouraging public participation and input.”
Booth has been an active volunteer in the
(See Committee, page 3)
Photo
This Week’s FLYERS DeWaard & Bode
The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center is accepting submissions for its youth poetry contest that focuses on peace.
The contest is open to children and young adults ages
4-18 years old who write about peaceful conflict resolution.
The contest, which opened February 1, runs until June 13.
Entries can be poems, raps, spoken word, songs, stories or other short writing samples.
Leading up to the contest deadline, the center will hold poetry writing workshops in Whatcom County, though dates have yet to be announced. Previous themes have surrounded conflict resolution, acceptance, anti-bullying and more.
Winners can read their poem at the center’s Peace Builders Awards Gala in late October and at the Youth Peace Poetry Reading at Village Books. For more information or to submit an entry, visit whatcomdrc.org. Entries can also be sent to youth@whatcomdrc.org or submitted to 206 Prospect Street in Bellingham.
The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center is a Bellingham-based nonprofit that works toward overcoming conflict through education and training.
Tariffs ...
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nology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.”
He said nearly “10,000 frontline personnel are and will be working on protecting the border” and that the country would make new commitments to appoint a “Fentanyl Czar.”
Canada will also “list cartels as terrorists, ensure 24/7 eyes on the border” and “launch a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering,” Trudeau said.
“I have also signed a new intelligence directive on organized crime and fentanyl and we will be backing it with $200 million,” he said.
Negotiations with Mexico In a social media post on Monday, Trump said he had a “very friendly conversation” with Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum and that the two agreed to “immediately pause the anticipated tariffs for a one month period.”
Negotiations led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary nominee Howard Lutnick and “high-level” Mexico representatives would take place during that time, Trump said.
Sheinbaum also agreed to “immediately supply” 10,000 troops to the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to curb illegal immigration to the U.S., in addition to fentanyl smuggling.
Senate Dems on tariff impacts
Meanwhile, Senate Democrats – including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York; Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota; Ron Wyden of Oregon; Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire; and Angela Alsobrooks of Maryland – underscored how Trump’s tariff plans could hit Americans’ pocketbooks.
“Trump is yet again rigging the same game for his billionaire friends while doing nothing to lower costs for American families,” Schumer said.
“These nonsense tariffs equate to a tax increase on the American people, and the president isn’t just randomly slapping on tariffs – he’s slapping consumers right where it hurts: their wallets,” he added.
Asked about any legislation the Senate Democrats were contemplating, Wyden said “everything is on the table at this point.”
“No president has ever used this particular statute to impose a tariff, and we’ve already got legislation from several Democrats to make sure that it can’t be used as a blank check for the president,” the Oregon Democrat said.
The senators also brought in Ernie Tedeschi, director of economics at the Budget Lab at Yale, which has conducted its own analysis on the economic and fiscal effects of Trump’s tariff plans regarding Mexico, Canada and China.
“We found that the average price increase was the equivalent of about $1,250 per household in America,” Tedeschi said.
“Now bear in mind that that’s just an average – tariffs are not an equitable tax – they pinch the middle class more than they pinch upper-income households.”
Washington State Standard is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization. To read more articles, visit washingtonstatestandard.com.
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office will not enforce federal immigration law, per state guidelines
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Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley has publicly affirmed that his office will not take action on immigration statuses following questions surrounding the sheriff’s office’s potential role in assisting federal law enforcement with the new presidential administration’s immigration policies.
In a January 23 letter to the public, Tanksley wrote, “a person’s immigration status is not a factor in our criminal investigations unless there is an explicit ba-
sis in state law, such as a violation of alien possession of firearms.”
The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) follows the Keep Washington Working Act, passed by the state legislature in 2019, that states it is not local or state law enforcement’s primary purpose to enforce federal immigration law and that a person’s immigration status alone is not reason for action, according to Tanskley’s statement.
The sheriff’s statement came days after President Donald Trump was sworn into office, promising
mass deportations of people living in the U.S. without legal status.
Tanksley wrote the WCSO will continue to support federal law enforcement’s criminal investigations when requested for criminal activity that impacts Whatcom County.
“The office’s first duty and mission is protecting lives and reducing crimes to ensure everyone enjoys a good quality of life,” Tanksley wrote. “We will proactively pursue that duty, protecting all persons without bias in the most professional and compassionate way possible.”
CASCADIA Film Festival to host Black History Month film with director
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The CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival is hosting a screening of “Breaking Boundaries,” a film highlighting the life of Black Olympic gymnast Nastasya Generalova, at FireHouse Arts & Events Center, 1314 Harris Street in Fairhaven, on Saturday, February 15.
Tickets are $12 and include access to the 76-minute screening and a Q&A with the director, Dina Burlis. The film, produced by Melissa Azizi, will be shown in observance of Black History Month as Generalova was one of the few Black women on Team USA when she competed in rhythmic gymnastics eight times.
“It’s a great inspirational story for a young audience to see,” Azizi wrote in an email. “She has a great, unique story for a teenager.”
The film will look at Generalova’s journey in the stressful lead up to the Tokyo Olympics qualification as well as the personal backstory to Generalova’s road to becoming a gymnast when she was raised by her single white
Committee ...
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Birch Bay community for 25 years and holds positions as director of Friends of the Birch Bay Library, director of Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, and president of Friends of Birch Bay State Park.
Mead Smith is a member of the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce, is president of the Mead Smith Group, a political think tank, and has had a home in Birch Bay for 16 years, according to his application.
Stephen Nelson has been a resident of Birch Bay for over 50 years, and runs a CPA business in Birch Bay.
Sheila Wood moved to Birch Bay in 2020 with her husband and works at the Lynden Chamber of Commerce. From 2021 to 2023, Wood served as executive director for the Blaine Chamber of Commerce.
A county ordinance established the committee on December 3, 2024 as a way for Birch Bay residents to bring input to the coun-
Russian mother Olga.
Generalova was enrolled in rhythmic gymnastics at the age of four. It was initially a way for her to connect with Olga’s homeland but grew into something much more.
“Even though we as the filmmakers have watched it so many times, we still get shivers on our skin at some points when we feel
happy for Nastasya, or when we feel intrigued or sad,” Azizi said.
The event in part is made possible by a grant from the Washington State Arts Commission and the National Endowment for the Arts.
“Nastasya’s story is historic and in fact she made history in her sport,” Azizi said. “It feels fitting that her story is shown in Black History month.”
s Whatcom County Council unanimously confirmed four appointees to the Birch Bay Community Advisory Committee on January 28.
ty, similar to the longstanding Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee.
Photograph by Helen Worley
s Nastasya Generalova of “Breaking Boundaries,” a film about Generalova’s journey as the only Black athlete on Team USA’s rhythmic gymnastics team. Photo courtesy of CASCADIA International Women’s Film Festival
s Whatcom County Sheriff Donnell Tanksley. File photo
Photo courtesy of Whatcom County Government
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Vol XXX, No 34
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Blaine Food Bank now carrying formula, diapers OpiniOn
Blaine Food Bank has started distributing diapers and baby formula for families with children. The funding comes from a $800,000 grant from the Healthy Children’s Fund, a childcare and early development property tax passed by Whatcom County voters in November 2022.
The grant is being distributed to all food banks in the county and is expected to last until February 2026. Blaine is the second largest food bank in the county, Blaine Food Bank director Lisa Dobbin said.
People can visit the food bank just for
Letters
diapers and formula, and those who haven’t visited the food bank before just need to sign up during distribution days, Dobbin said.
Blaine Food Bank, 500 C Street, is open 5-7 p.m. Wednesday and from 9 a.m. to noon Friday and Monday.
Ads due: Feb. 7
The Editor: I enjoyed reading your new “Restaurant Beat” section. Even though I’m only a summer resident, we really like reading our “local” paper. We always prefer to support the local restaurateurs. One item you may not be aware is that Alan, the co-owner of The Vault, is an accomplished musician and often joins his musical groups on stage playing a combination of trombone and mandolin.
John Kros Blaine
The Editor: I would like to respond to the letter from Ms. Berg and some inaccuracies in her letter regarding Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2) and the Blaine Senior Center.
BBBPRD2 responded to a public request for proposal (RFP) posted by the city of Blaine. The details of what is required in the RFP is on the city’s website. Any organization that is eligible can submit an
RFP to manage the senior center for the city of Blaine by the extended deadline of January 31, 2025. BBBPRD2 did not petition the city to take control over the cityowned portion of the community building that is used by the senior center and maintained by them as part of their use agreement with the city.
If we are awarded the RFP, the district’s management plan for the community building would be to maximize the building use during the evening hours after the senior center has finished its day. This could include civic and nonprofit activities such as thespian workshops, youth award ceremonies and music events.
Additionally, we hope to bring more community activities like dinners, dance classes, game nights, educational speakers and workshops. We do not have eyes on the equipment, which we have donated to in previous years. The senior center’s hours would remain the same.
Regarding the pavilion, BBBPRD2 sub-
CiviC Meetings
Birch Bay Water and Sewer District: Second and fourth Thursdays, 4 p.m., district office, 7096 Point Whitehorn Road, Birch Bay. Info and Zoom meeting link: bbwsd.com.
Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Blaine Planning Commission: Second Thursday, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: bit.ly/3EwWiZi.
Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Second Tuesday of each month at 5:30 p.m. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
mitted a proposal to manage its rental operations, and the senior center board decided not to submit a proposal for rental management. Since assuming this role, we have maintained all of the senior programs that were previously in place and have not changed or limited any of the senior center’s hours. Additionally, we have increased community use by promoting availability through our website, facility management software, newspapers, social media and newsletters.
BBBPRD2 is a fiscally responsible organization. We are audited on a regular basis. We employ an amazing staff. We are here to support community participation in recreational activities.
Sheli Eastman Moore, BBBPRD2 chair Blaine
Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Blaine Public Works and Park Advisory Board: Second Thursday, 9:30 a.m., Blaine council chambers. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330.
Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district boardroom, 770 Mitchell Avenue. Info: blainesd.org.
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue: Third Thursday, 10:30 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
BBWARM: Birch Bay Watershed and Aquatic Resources Management (BBWARM) District Advisory Committee meets quarterly in-person and on Zoom. Info: bbwarm.whatcomcounty.org.
s The Blaine Food Bank has shelves stocked with diapers and five types of baby formula.
Photo by Grace McCarthy
Op-Ed: Starting 2025 with the mindset that every refill matters
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There’s something about the clean slate as the final month is torn from the calendar that beckons us toward envisioning a new self in the new year. There is a pull to dust ourselves off as we rise from the crumbs of our holiday feasting and declare that something will change – has to change. And every year, somewhere at the end of January, there is a collective sigh releasing the tension brought on by trying to be perfect, and we return to our comfortable zones. With a quiet nod to last year’s self, we start to second guess if things really needed to change. I mean look at all of these picture highlights where everything and everyone is beautiful.
With each sacrifice or small ad-
justment we make to our incorrigible habit, we are running on faith that any small steps we are making will actually add up to yield the desired result. It’s hard to keep going. It’s so personal and there’s no group effort to lose my weight. Wouldn’t that be amazing if for every calorie someone else avoided, you reaped the benefits? Or every time someone cleaned their house, the stacks of papers that clutter your mental and physical space sorted themselves?
Unfortunately, it does not work that way. We are individually responsible to work through what matters to our personal lives. However, collectively all of our choices and actions add up and affect our planet.
It’s really hard to see in a concrete way how choosing to buy
one thing from a local maker or business without packaging, for example, impacts on the environment and local economy. The default response is often, “I’m just one person. What difference does it make?” We have to rely on trust that it does make a difference, and we’ve already proven to ourselves that it can be hard to choose trust when the temptation to satisfy a desire comes knocking.
A useful self-talk to engage in is “What is the next best thing that I can do now?” This line of thinking helps us align with our values and make choices that reflect what is important to our lives. It’s not about being perfect, but engaging in practices that come from this authentic question. And this question, by the way, takes into account a personal assessment of your bandwidth at the time of the asking. It is an endeavor to be honest with yourself in order to be successful on your path rather than trying to be perfect and ultimately feeling defeated.
Here is a numeric perspective for you to show how small individual acts contribute to a huge collective movement. In 2024, 3,687 dish soap bottles were diverted from the landfill by being refilled with nontoxic dish soap at Living Pantry. This is just one product and one year. Since opening in 2020, there have been 38,850 containers refilled with everything from toothpaste to laundry soap.
Those numbers are incredible, and they are the result of individuals like you making a choice to
do something differently and trust that it makes a difference. Imagine the opposite: this many containers not saved. It’s staggering and proves that your actions, in combination with your community, make a difference. Thank you!
Sometimes in Living Pantry, a customer will apologize that they are “only” refilling their dish soap and remark that maybe they will start to refill shampoo, or something else, at some point. And I always respond that what they are doing is huge and it matters. I encourage people to be proud of the one refill they are choosing and to stay attentive to asking themselves the question of the next best thing.
With all of my heart, I believe and share that every refill matters.
Road Rules: Your headlights are worse than you thought
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y d oug d ahl
You’re being lied to. I know, that sentence sounds like conspiracy theory clickbait. But the lie I’m talking about isn’t coming from the government, Hollywood, NASA, the educational system or a cabal of doctors. It’s from your own brain. The next time you drive at night, your brain is going to tell you that you can see better than you actually can.
Vision has two jobs when you drive: Your ambient vision takes care of lane-keeping (helping you know where you are), and your focal vision identifies objects and obstacles ahead. The problem is
that we don’t need a lot of light for lane-keeping; our headlights are more than adequate. But they fall short for obstacle recognition, and sometimes by a lot. Your ability to safely travel in your lane leads you to believe that you can adequately see and respond to any obstacle up ahead in the road. That’s the lie.
Headlight tests have found that low beams provide a lighted distance of between 300 and 450 feet, depending on the type of bulb, and high beams reach up to 500 feet. That would correlate with a maximum speed of 39 mph at the low end and 55 mph at the top before overdriv -
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ing your headlights.
But that’s an overly optimistic result based on ideal circumstances. Even if headlights reach that far, drivers don’t notice obstacles at that range. When a pedestrian in dark clothing approaches a roadway from the right, the average driver spots them at 150 feet. When approaching from the left, visibility distances are cut in half. If you’re puzzled about the difference, it’s easier to spot pedestrians approaching from the right because car headlights are aimed slightly toward the right to reduce glare for oncoming traffic.
We can calculate an estimated vehicle stopping distance for
given speeds. If we use a perception-reaction time (the time it takes to see and then respond to a hazard) of 1.5 seconds (the standard for an attentive driver), at 25 mph it takes 85 feet to stop, at 35 mph it’s 135 feet, at 50 mph it’s 230 feet. Those distances only get longer if road conditions aren’t ideal or if the driver isn’t looking at the road when the hazard emerges.
Conceivably then, even at 25 mph a driver might not spot a pedestrian approaching the road from the left until it’s too late. And think about all the rural
(See Road Rules, page 13)
Living
they bring Whatcom County’s first refill-centric natural products store. For more information on how numbers are calculated, you can connect with them directly at the shop or reach out at connect@livingpantry.com.
Shawna co-owns
Pantry in Blaine and Bellingham with her husband, Seppi. Together,
s Refillable containers at Living Pantry, 264 H Street in Blaine. Photo courtesy of Shawna Morris
s From l.; Living Pantry co-owners Seppi Morris and Shawna Morris and employee Rosa Siron in 2021. File photo
Snowstorm postpones high school sports across Whatcom County
B y n olan B aker
There aren’t many games to report on this week in the wide world of Blaine High School sports. Both boys and girls basketball teams played Ferndale on January 30 before a winter snowstorm blew through Whatcom County, canceling schools and postponing athletic events.
But there’s still plenty of Borderite sports action expected this upcoming weekend. Girls bowling will play in the state tournament starting Saturday, February 8, boys wrestling will look to send wrestlers to state at the District 1 1A tournament in Deming on Saturday, February 15, boys swimming will hold the Northwest Conference championships at Arne Hanna Aquatic Center at 3:15 p.m. Friday, February 7 and a flurry of basketball games will be played over the next week to make up for postponements due to inclement weather.
Girls bowling
Blaine girls bowling will look to continue its postseason success after a rousing win at the 1A/2A District Championship on January 28. All seven members of the varsity team, Danika Morecombe, Nevaeh Zaddack, Shaylie Daniels, Madi Miller, Ainslee Ellis, Mackenzie Schreiner and Della Cochran, will compete at the state championship in Tukwila starting Saturday, February 8.
The state championship will feature two days of competition, with the first round on February 8 featuring individual rounds, then a “Baker Game” on Sunday, February 9, meaning each bowler will bowl just two frames in a 10-frame match.
Tickets are on sale now at bit. ly/40BKhvl for the 1A/2A state tournament held at Bowlero South Seattle. Prices start at $12
per day for adults, and $9 per day for students, seniors and military members.
Boys basketball
Blaine boys basketball hosted Ferndale on January 30 before multiple inches of snow came roaring through northwest Washington over the past weekend, postponing a game that Blaine was scheduled to play February 3.
In tough fashion, Blaine lost 58-55, the narrowest margin of defeat so far this season, despite a solid second half that saw the Borderites outscore the Golden Eagles 32-29.
Blaine held on desperately to a two-point lead with less than three minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, but a string of costly turnovers led to a 7-2 run by Ferndale to end the game,
and the Borderites couldn’t find a game-winning shot.
Senior forward Dulio Kanagie had one of his best offensive performances of the season, scoring 14 points (12 of which came in the second half) to lead the team, along with a crowd-pleasing slam dunk.
Junior forward Landon Melton continued his productive season as one of Blaine’s better perimeter scorers, producing 13 points and six rebounds. Senior guard Josiah Weeda also finished with 13 points on the night, followed by Beckum Bleazard with seven points. Sophomore guard Dawson Dohner, recently called up from the junior varsity team, scored three points.
After starting the season with an encouraging 2-0 start, the Borderites haven’t been able to
find a footing in Northwest Conference play, and are still searching for that first conference win. With just three games remaining in the regular season, the Borderites have only a few more chances to make that a reality. Unfortunately, the three-point loss to Ferndale was the closest the Borderites (3-15, 0-13 NWC) have been this season. Due to weather rescheduling, Blaine will face off against Mt. Vernon two games in a row, hosting on February 5 (after press time), then going on the road at 7:15 p.m. on Friday, February 7. Blaine’s last regular season home game of the season is scheduled against Sedro-Woolley at 4 p.m. Saturday, February 8. Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Girls basketball Blaine girls basketball played just once over the past week due to the snow. In the lone game on the road against Ferndale on January 30, Blaine was defeated 57-26.
Blaine (4-12, 1-9 NWC) was led on offense by sophomore Kate Koreski who put up 12 points, once again leading the team in scoring in what has been a breakout year for the young guard.
Junior forward Aaliyah Bowman was tenacious on defense, leading the team with five steals and eight rebounds, tied for a team-high with sophomore guard Marcella Bring.
The Borderites couldn’t get their offense going against the staunch defense of Ferndale (99, 7-6 NWC), which forced 37 turnovers and held Blaine to one of its lowest point totals of the season. Led by sophomore guard Brooklyn Larrabee who recorded 14 steals, the Golden Eagles simply didn’t allow the Borderites to get the offense rolling, quickly getting out to a first quarter lead and not letting go.
The Borderites have just two games remaining on the schedule, both on the road, before the postseason begins.
Blaine will travel to face Mt. Vernon at 7:15 p.m. Friday, February 7, and then play the next day with a game against Sedro-Woolley at 1 p.m. Saturday, February 8. The District 1 1A postseason playoff will begin just two days after the final regular season game at Lynden Christian 7 p.m. Monday, February 10, where the Borderites will likely receive the fifth-seed and play Mt. Baker. The winner of that game is expected to face first-seed Lynden Christian on Wednesday, February 12. Stats provided by WhatcomPreps.com
Man pleads guilty in stealing boat propeller in Blaine Harbor
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A Whatcom County man has plead guilty for attempting to steal a boat propeller in Blaine Harbor in early January as part of a plea agreement he took with other local cases.
Thomas Edward Trent Jr., 39, was booked into Whatcom County Jail on January 9 and has since remained in the work center.
Blaine Police Department responded to a call of two men aboard a boat in Gate 3 of Blaine Harbor around 12:30 p.m. January 9, according to the affidavit of probable cause filed in Whatcom County Superior Court. The boat’s owner was away on a trip and the men were unknown to the person watching the boat.
Nearby cameras showed Trent stand on the boat while handing a $5,000 bronze propeller to the other suspect, according to court documents. Witnesses chased the suspects, who dropped the 100-pound propeller, and police were able to arrest Trent.
Trent was originally arrested for first-degree theft and first-degree vehicle prowl, though the vehicle prowl charge was dropped. On January 30, Trent plead guilty to a lesser charge of second-degree theft as part of a plea agreement for first-degree trafficking stolen property and a Whatcom County District Court case. He will serve 90 days in county jail. Want
s Blaine junior forward Landon Melton pulls up for a jump shot in a 73-60 loss to Lynden High School on January 23. Melton scored 13 points in Blaine’s most recent game, a 58-55 loss to Ferndale on February 3.
Photo by Zen Hill
Otto Shelton’s wrestling journey from frustration to dominance
After a frustrating freshman season bogged down by Covid-19 restrictions, Otto Shelton had quit wrestling. Now as a senior at Blaine, he has outwrestled some of the best wrestlers in the state and is currently ranked third in 1A, according to the Washington Wrestling Report.
Shelton will compete at the District 1 1A tournament in Deming on Saturday, February 15 for a trip to the Mat Classic XXXVI State Tournament in Tacoma.
“I want to go into the tournaments in as good a shape as I can accomplish,” Otto said. “I’d like to take first at districts and hopefully first at state.”
Shelton has already racked up two first place finishes at the Mariner Holiday Wrestling Tournament and the 2025 Apple Pie Invite. He placed second at the Spud Walley Invite and The Rock Tournament.
“He’s had a great season,” Blaine wrestling head coach Tom Hinz said. “He’s gotten stronger, more patient and he really knows what he’s good at and sticks to that.”
This season, Otto has focused on wrestling in a style that fits his weight class. He returned to wrestling last season, his junior year, after not being on the team as a sophomore. Otto had to adjust to the heavier 285-pound weight class.
“Last year, I came into it thinking, ‘I’m going to shoot on everybody and basically wrestle like a lighter weight class,’ because I was previously 215,” Otto said. Otto won a match at the state tournament last year but lost to the eventual 285-pound state champion Anthony Nava of Toppenish, now a 2A school.
Otto began his wrestling career at a very young age because his parents ran the Blaine Barracuda Wrestling Club.
“We ran the paperwork side of it, and then we found a couple coaches to step in and coach the kids,” said Max Shelton, Otto’s dad. “Initially it was just for fun, to go to practice and have a good time. And then he got to the point where he wanted to start competing and going to tournaments.”
Otto continued his wrestling career past the youth levels and joined the high school team as a freshman. But Covid-19 restrictions led to a slow freshman season with minimal competitions.
“My wrestling partner kept getting Covid, and the protocol was whoever wrestled him the night before couldn’t go to the wrestling tournaments,” Otto said. “I didn’t end up going to a lot of wrestling tournaments my freshman year.”
Since he couldn’t compete at tournaments, there wasn’t motivation to continue in the sport.
“I lost interest,” Otto said.
After skipping his sophomore season, Victor Gervol, who placed third at state last year, got Otto back on the team.
“He honestly got me back into wrestling and made me rejoin the team,” Otto said.
Otto has excelled in his senior season, challenging some of the best wrestlers in the state. Earlier this season he lost to the number one 1A wrestler, Logan Roberts, of Montesano High School.
Now, Otto is headed to districts with vengeance.
“He would like to be in the finals of state and I think that he’d like to have another shot at the
Montesano kid, or whoever’s going to be there,” Hinz said. “He has all the tools. He just needs to believe that it’s a possibility.”
This wrestling season has been unique for 1A wrestlers. Over the offseason, the Washington Interscholastic Athletic Association Executive Board got rid of regional tournaments and the state bracket has now doubled in size to a 24-man bracket for 1A.
“We have prepared ourselves for that,” Hinz said. “We’ve gone to a lot of really tough tournaments.”
Blaine will wrestle Meridian, Mount Baker and Nooksack Valley at the District 1 1A tournament at Mt. Baker High School on Saturday, February 15. The top two teams will qualify for the Mat Classic XXXVI State Tournament beginning Friday, February 21 at the Tacoma Dome.
Thru 2/28/25
s Otto Shelton, l., pins his opponent on the mat during a match at The Rock Tournament on December 28, 2024. Shelton is the third best wrestler in 1A, according to the Washington Wrestling Report.
Photo courtesy of Otto Shelton
Active S eniors
Meals on Wheels ending pandemic-era
Frozen meals for homebound seniors will continue uninterrupted
B
y n olan B aker
The local Meals on Wheels chapter serving Whatcom County will no longer provide “frozen to-go meals” for seniors who felt uncomfortable dining in public spaces during the Covid-19 pandemic, the organization announced.
Frozen meals for homebound seniors will continue uninterrupted. Seniors who used the now-defunct “frozen to-go meal” service will still be invited to participating senior centers, said Rob Vandine, director for Meals on Wheels and More (MOW) Whatcom and San Juan Counties.
“We’re trying to make sure nobody slips through the cracks,” Vandine said. “If they are able to come in and dine with us, we’d love to see them at any of our senior centers. If they can’t handle that, if they are homebound, we are doing our best to get them on one of our routes and reach out to them.”
During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, seniors were unable to utilize senior centers for in-person meals, which are funded through both Meals on Wheels and the Whatcom Council on Aging (WCOA). A temporary solution was the frozen to-go meal service that was officially canceled in late January.
According to data from WCOA, in 2024, 30,000 frozen to-go meals were served out of Belling-
ham, the largest distribution center in the region. Roughly 1,300 homebound seniors in Whatcom and San Juan county were provided over 165,000 meals in 2024, and that number could grow in 2025 if more sign up and qualify, Vandine said.
For in-person meals at senior centers around the region, 270,000 meals were served in 2024, and that number is also expected to increase.
“Our Meals on Wheels program has been an outlier in the state due to our lack of a waitlist to join the program,” Vandine said. “The changes to the frozen program will help keep this a reality, and make sure our resources are being directed toward our homebound senior population.”
Vandine said nearly half of MOW’s funding comes from donations. Each frozen meal costs roughly $12 to make and deliver, Vandine said, while MOW asks for a donation of $6 per meal, though no client will be denied a meal due to an inability to pay. The frozen to-go meal program cost in total over $130,000 annually to operate, Vandine said. Federal funding freeze worried WCOA
One-third of MOW’s funding comes from the federal government, with 12 percent coming from the State of Washington, seven percent from Whatcom and San Juan counties, and three percent from city governments,
according to MOW data.
When the Trump administration put out a brief but shocking memo on January 27 issuing a blanket ban on federal grants, leaders at WCOA and MOW were put in a frenzy. The order was rescinded two days later.
Chris Orr, WCOA executive director, said they have more demand for basic meal services,
and a stoppage in federal funding would be one more hurdle to clear.
“Our clients and staff were surprised by the announcement, and worried about the program’s future,” Orr wrote in a statement to The Northern Light. “No matter what happens with federal funding, we remain committed to serving seniors. The need is
growing, and community support is more important than ever.”
Vandine said that the Whatcom and San Juan region would need to adapt if one-third of its funding was taken away, but that they are in a good position to continue serving meals.
“We probably felt more anxiety than we’re used to. There was a little bit of stress in the air,” Vandine said. “A lot of clients and members were concerned. We’re unique from other Meals on Wheels in the state where we might be able to weather such a funding storm without much change in our services that we can offer.”
For more information on how to apply for frozen meal deliveries, visit whatcomcoa.org/ meals-on-wheels-and-more, or call Robert Vandine at 360/7334030x1023.
s Seniors eat in the Blaine Senior Center after the hot meal program returned in June 2022. File photo
February Blaine Senior Center Lunch Menu
11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Thu, Feb. 6: Turkey Meatloaf or Veggie Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Green Beans, Spinach Salad, Apple Slices
Fri, Feb. 28: Whatcom Council on Aging closed for staff retreat
Subject to change. While quantities last.
The impact of reading on cognitive decline
Aging and change go hand in hand. Although some may bemoan the gray hairs that start to arrive or stiffness in the knees that seems to sneak up on a person in middle age, such concerns are not necessarily enough to lose sleep over. However, many people 50 or older are nervous about the potential for cognitive issues like dementia as they grow older.
The Alzheimer’s Association estimates that 6.7 million people have Alzheimer’s disease in the United States. The Alzheimer Society of Canada estimates that there were 733,040 people living with dementia in the country as of January 1, 2024. Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can rob people of their memories, personalities and abilities to live satisfying, independent lives. While it may not be impossible to prevent all cognitive issues completely, there is reason to believe
that reading could be an ally in cognitive care.
The American Academy of Neurology says that reading stimulates the brain and has been shown to slow down cognitive decline in old age. Reading also may help slow down memory loss.
The powers of reading were noticed more than 10 years ago when a 2013 study from researchers at Emory University measured readers’ MRI scans as they read books. They found the deeper readers went into a story, the more areas of their brains were activated. This activity remained elevated for several days after participants finished their books. The more a person reads, the stronger complex networks in the brain become.
Additional evidence that reading can help the brain was noted by researchers at the Texas A&M School of Public Health. A 2024
study suggests that older people with mild cognitive impairment who engage in activities like reading, hobbies and word games have better memory, working memory, attention, and processing speed than those who do not take part in such endeavors. Furthermore, a 2021 study published in Neurology found that high levels of cognitive activity, like reading and writing letters, can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s disease by five years among those age 80 and over.
Reading can keep brains functioning optimally and potentially delay age-related cognitive decline.
File photo
The Massaro family has their slice of life at Border Town Pizza
B y Z en h ill
Laura Massaro has turned the former Pizza Factory chain into a family-friendly staple of downtown Blaine as Border Town Pizza. Laura is succeeded by Kara Massaro, her daughter, as the two run the family business together.
Border Town Pizza, 738 Peace Portal Drive, has been serving homemade pizza, pasta, sandwiches and more since Laura parted from the chain to create a more mom-and-pop style restaurant.
“I decided to de-brand and make it my own,” Laura said. “I get to make all my own recipes and go with what I wanted to.”
The restaurant serves meals featuring fresh ingredients and family-secret recipes.
“Everything is made daily,” Laura said. “We marinate all our own meats, we make our own sausage, we make our own chicken, we make our own just about everything.”
Managing Pizza Huts in Las Vegas, Laura learned how to make a pizza fast, and she has used that same timely mindset at Border Town Pizza.
“I want that pizza in the oven within three minutes after getting the order,” Laura said.
Her dedication to fast service comes from her desire to satisfy every customer who walks through the door. Laura emphasized that she wants the restaurant to be a place where families and kids can visit as a third place outside of home and work or school.
“There’s not a lot for teens to do in this area,” Laura said. “It’s nice to see Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation [District 2] doing a phenomenal job with the kids because that’s what we were trying to do here for so long.”
Recently, the restaurant hosted Teen Night for the first time since the pandemic. It took place in their newly renovated party room, which features a pool table and foosball table, among other entertainment.
“It’s really exciting,” Laura said. “We were super involved with the community for a lot of years, and everything went away.”
By welcoming outside fami-
lies into their extended home, the Massaros feel like their pizza parlor is more than a restaurant.
“It’s definitely more like a home for us versus a restaurant feel,” Kara said.
Restaurant recommendation: Laura and Kara recommend the chicken bacon ranch pizza, the chicken parmesan pasta or the meatballs, which come as a sandwich or with spaghetti.
Baywood Coffee: Building community one cup at a
B y Z en h ill
The trendy coffee shop of Baywood Coffee is a young business in Birch Bay that is not even a year old.
The owner, Antonie Inthavong, grew up in Birch Bay and is part of a long line of family restaurateurs in Whatcom County. Inthavong grew up working at Birch Bay Teriyaki & Chinese Cafe, Nami Asian Bistro and SKAI Sushi for most of his life. In his 29 years, no job has been as rewarding as Baywood Coffee, he says.
“It’s so much fun,” Inthavong said. “I never thought in a million years I’d end up having to
learn how to be a barista.”
Baywood Coffee, 8036 Birch Bay Drive, is in a building that his family has owned since 1997 that was once Birch Bay Teriyaki & Chinese Cafe. The building sat empty after old tenants had left when the restaurant closed and the family decided Inthavong should open his own coffee shop.
“It was my grandparents, my parents and my grandpa’s brother who had the idea of Baywood Coffee,” Inthavong said. “They wanted to change it into something that was more fitting for the bay.”
Birch Bay Drive separates the shop from the water, and natural light shines through the windows on sunny days. Not all days are sunny though, and winter is especially hard for businesses in such a small, tourism-focused town.
“If you can’t make it through the winter, then you’re probably going to go under,” Inthavong said. “Luckily we had a lot of support from locals.”
Since the business has only been open since last May, this winter was the trial run and Inthavong said he’s glad they lasted through the hardest months. Approaching sunnier days and increased tourism will help Baywood Coffee grow to achieve its goal of being a welcoming space, Inthavong said.
“We want everyone to feel like family here,” Inthavong said. “We want to be able to
time
give back and provide a space that’s inviting for everyone.”
Inthavong said he strives to be open-minded and listen to community feedback. He has plans of offering more food to expand Baywood Coffee’s menu that al -
ready includes a brown butter Biscoff latte, Korean shaved ice, pastries, ice cream and more.
“I’m just so thankful that the community is patient,” Inthavong said. “It’s not just doing it to have locals to come in all
the time but to really build genuine relationships with them.”
Restaurant Recommendation: Inthavong recommends the turkey pesto croffle, a croissant sandwich that is waffle pressed, and the salted honey latte.
s Antonie Inthavong stands in Baywood Coffee, 8036 Birch Bay Drive, on January 29. Inthavong opened Baywood Coffee in May 2024. Photo by Zen Hill
s An iced coffee from Baywood Coffee in Birch Bay. Courtesy photo
s Laura, l., and Kara Massaro at Border Town Pizza, 738 Peace Portal Drive, on January 22. The two are the mother-daughter tag team who run the downtown pizza shop.
Photo by Zen Hill
s The luau pizza at Border Town Pizza. Photo courtesy of Kara Massaro
CLASSIFIEDS MARKETPLACE
CITY OF BLAINE Seasonal Maintenance Workers
Salary Range: $20 per hour, no
Interested persons should complete the online application on the City’s website, https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/blainewa
EXPERIENCED SEAMSTRESS
sewing cushion covers and backing to tapestries from home. Phone 360-312 -3173.
Superior Court of Washington For Whatcom County No. 24-2-01973-37
JACK WONG, an individual; and DARRYL CHEN, an individual, Plaintiffs, vs. PENG XIE, an individual, Defendant. The State of Washington to PENG XIE: You are hereby summoned to appear within sixty days after the date of the first publication of this summons, to wit, within sixty days after the 2nd day of January 2025, and defend the above entitled action in the above entitled court, answer the complaint of the plaintiffs, and serve a copy of your answer upon the undersigned attorneys for plaintiffs JACK WONG and DARRYL CHEN, at their office below stated; and in case of your failure to do so, judgment will be rendered against you according to the demand of the complaint, which has been filed with the clerk of said court. This is a quiet title action relating to real property situated at 1390 4th Street, Blaine, Washington 98230.
Payton C. Tompkins, WSBA No. 61724 Ellis, Li & McKinstry PLLC 1700 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1810 Seattle, WA 98101 Attorney for Plaintiff
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Barbara Jean McMahan, Deceased. NO. 25 4 00017 37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Robert E. Olson
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Carolyn Troutman, Deceased. NO. 25 4 00022 37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Lee Grochmal
The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of First Publication: January 23, 2025
Personal Representative: James Troutman 1411 Woods Point Loop Ferndale, WA 98248
Attorney for the Personal Representative: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Address for Mailing or Service: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 25 4 00022 37
Number: Cause No. 24 4 00628 37
The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of First Publication: January 23, 2025
Personal Representative: Linda Gale 244 Pacific Hwy. Bellingham, WA 98229
Attorney for the Personal Representative: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Address for Mailing or Service: Katti Esp
301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 25 4 00017 37
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR WHATCOM COUNTY In re the Estate of: MARCELLA SAUVE, Deceased. No. 24-4-01160-37 NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Judge ROBERT OLSON. The Person named below has been appointed as Administrator of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Administrator or the Administrator’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the Administrator served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both of the decedents’ probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of Filing of Notice to Creditors: January 23, 2025, with the Clerk of Court
Date of First Publication: January 23, 2025
Name of Administrator: Sharon Grim
Attorney for Personal Representative: Genissa M. Richardson, WSBA #56339
Address for Mailing or Service: True North Legal Services, PLLC PO Box 934, Bellingham, WA 98227
P: (360) 639-3393
E: Genissa@truenorthlegalservices.com
DATED: January 15, 2025
True North Legal Services, PLLC
Genissa M. Richardson, WSBA #56339
Attorney for Administrator: Douglas Allen Reynolds
Published in The Northern Light January 23, 2025, January 30, 2025, & February 6, 2025
Real Estate Real Estate
Estate
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In the matter of the Estate of JUNE KATHERINE LEWARNE, Deceased. No. 254-00087-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. (RCW 11.40.030)
LESLIE ANN BAROUX has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above estate. Any person having a claim against the deceased JUNE KATHERINE LEWARNE must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner provided by RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Personal Representative or the Personal Representative’s Attorney at the address stated below, a copy of the claim, and filing the original of the claim with the Court in which the probated proceedings have commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Personal Representative mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020 (1) (c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of this notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim will be forever barred except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 or 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the probate and nonprobate assets of the Decedent.
DATE OF FILING OF NOTICE TO CREDITORS WITH CLERK OF THE COURT: January 24, 2025
DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: February 6, 2025
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE:
LESLIE ANN BAROUX
ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE:
Mark W. Stowe, WSBA #16655
ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR SERVICE:
Mark W. Stowe, Attorney
Stowe Law PLLC
276 Boundary Bay Road, P.O. Box 129 Point Roberts, WA 98281
Phone: (360) 945-0337
Email:stowelawpllc@outlook.com
DATED this 24th day of January 2025.
Mark W. Stowe, WSBA# 16655
Attorney for Personal Representative
LESLIE ANN BAROUX
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR WHATCOM COUNTY In re the Estate of: ROBERT BRUCE CAMERON, Deceased. No. 25-4-00112-37. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Judge Evan Jones
The Administrator named below has been appointed and has qualified as Administrator of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Administrator or the Administrator’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probated proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Administrator served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
All real estate/rentals advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 as amended, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference,
Date of Filing of Notice to Creditors
January 29, 2025 with Clerk of Court:
Date of First Publication: February 6, 2025
Name of Administrator:
IAN B. CAMERON
Attorney for Administrators: Steven D. Avery, WSBA #35262
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Jon Patrick Miller, Deceased. NO. 25-4-00076-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Lee Grochmal
The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of First Publication: January 30, 2025
Personal Representative: Marcus R. Miller PO Box 506
Ester, AK 99725
Attorney for the Personal Representative:
Katti Esp
301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Address for Mailing or Service:
Katti Esp
301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 25-4-00076-37.
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR WHATCOM COUNTY In re the Estate of: SOPHIA STEPHEN PITTMAN, Deceased. No. 25-4-00111-37. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Judge Lee Grochmal.
The Administrator named below has been appointed and has qualified as Administrator of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Administrator or the Administrator’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probated proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Administrator served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of Filing of Notice to Creditors: January 29, 2025 with Clerk of Court:
Date of First Publication: February 6, 2025
Name of Administrator: SHAWN THOMAS PITTMAN
Attorney for Administrators: Steven D. Avery, WSBA #35262
by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.
Date of First Publication: February 6, 2025
Personal Representative: Daniel J. Fogarty 11122 55th Ave. West Mukilteo, WA 98275
Attorney for the Personal Representative: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Address for Mailing or Service: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225
Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 25-4-00119-37.
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In the matter of the Estate of BERENICE ANN HOCKLEY, Deceased. No. 25-4-0005537. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. (RCW 11.40.030) JANET ANNE SNELL has been appointed as Personal Representative/Administrator of this estate. Any person having a claim against the Deceased must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner provided by RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Administrator or the Administrator’s Attorney at the address stated below, a copy of the claim, and filing the original of the claim with the Court in which the probated proceedings have commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Administrator mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020 (1) (c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of this notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim will be forever barred except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 or 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the probate and nonprobate assets of the Decedent.
DATE OF FILING OF NOTICE TO CREDI-
TORS WITH CLERK OF THE COURT: January 17, 2025
DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: January 30, 2025
PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE/ADMINISTRATOR: JANET ANNE SNELL
ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE/ ADMINISTRATOR: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA#16655
ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR SERVICE: Stowe Law PLLC 276 Boundary Bay Road, P.O. Box 129 Point Roberts, WA 98281
Phone: (360) 945-0337
Email:stowelawpllc@outlook.com
DATED this 17th day of January 2025. STOWE LAW PLLC: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA# 16655 Attorney for Administrator JANET ANNE SNELL
Blaine book club: “The Art Thief”
B y J onathan J ako B it Z
Stéphane Breitwieser is perhaps the most prolific art thief of all-time. He committed over 200 heists throughout Western Europe, purloining an art collection with an estimated value of $2 billion. Working both solo and in conjunction with his partner, Anne-Catherine, Breitwieser’s heists allowed him to amass a horde of art that he stored away in his small attic apartment.
While most thieves do it for profit, Breitwieser never profited financially from his heists, so his motives remain unclear. Did the allure and beauty of the art itself entice him to steal it? Did he steal to protect and preserve art for future generations? Or did he steal simply because he could? Author Michael Finkel seeks to answer these questions, among others, as his book, “The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and A Dangerous Obsession,” meticulously recounts the span of Breitwieser’s career as one of the world’s foremost art thieves.
Perhaps better than any fictional heist story could convey, Finkel’s history communicates the thrill and joy Breitwieser found in outsmarting locks, alarms, museum security and the police. The resulting high from pulling off the seemingly impossible became an addictive drive that Breitwieser still couldn’t shake. Finkel’s look into a life and mindset, so far removed from most people’s everyday existence, is thrilling and disturbing. Ultimately, it is a universally human story of how unchecked compulsions and obsessions will lead to inevitable downfall.
“The Art Thief” is a fast paced, detailed look at the rise and fall of an individual whose story truly fits the adage that truth is stranger than fiction. Finkel’s writing is compelling and fascinating, and should appeal to readers of true crime, thrillers, art history and anyone interested in an examination of the psyche of a compulsive thief. Visit wcls.org to find “The Art Thief” and other similarly themed stories.
“The Art Thief” is the February selection for the Books and Bites book group. Join Books and Bites at the Blaine Public Library at 1 p.m. Friday, February 21 for a time of community and lively conversation.
OBITUARIES
Theresa Ann Drake
November 3, 1961 – December 18, 2024
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Theresa Ann Drake, cherished wife, mother, and friend to many. She passed peacefully from this earth Wednesday, December 18, 2024, surrounded by loved ones. Theresa was born November 3, 1961 in Houston, TX to Gladys and Leroy Sims.
Theresa was a devoted and loving wife and mother who had a beautiful heart and optimistic spirit. She had a deep and abiding walk with God, and a heart for helping people. As a fifth degree black belt with many tournament medals to be proud of, she touched hundreds of lives in her 30 years of teaching Goju-Kai Karate alongside her husband, partner, and love of her life, Shihan Thomas Drake. She had a special talent for helping young children with her kindness, empathy and strength. She managed the business side of Drake Dojo, and was also an accomplished cook, wonderful baker and talented seamstress.
Surviving her is her husband, Thomas F. Drake. They were married January 13, 1989 in Custer, WA. They were perfectly matched and deeply connected for 36 years. She also leaves behind her beloved biological daughters Tina and Echo Hall, Sarah Brown and Melena Drake, grandchildren Nico Blotsky, Phoenix Dana, Charlotte Brown, Samantha, Lucy and Kolson McGee, as well as stepchildren Terah, Christina and Thomas Drake, and step-grandchildren James and Savannah Sartain, Evalynn and Windsor Drake, Britney and Brent Drake, Tylynn and Teesin Jackson. She had three step-great grandchildren; Sébastien and Madilynn Shin and Josiah Saenz. Theresa’s mother and father preceded her in death, as did her brother Jerry Sims and sister Darlene Sims. Still living are brothers David, Leroy, and Paul Sims. Theresa‘s passing leaves a deep void in those who survive and loved her, but they find comfort in the memories and abiding love they shared.
Road Rules ...
From page 5
Jonathan Jakobitz is an avid reader and the branch manager of Blaine Public Library. roads with 50 mph speed limits. You’re not likely to encounter pedestrians, but if a deer wanders out in front of you, both the deer and your fender don’t stand a chance.
Is the problem our headlights?
One report stated that “headlights found in U.S. vehicles fall short on safety.” But that’s not exactly correct. Our headlights fall short of illuminating the road at the speeds we’d like to drive. If we drove slow enough, our headlights would be sufficient. However, many drivers would probably find that speed unacceptable. What about making headlights brighter? In the movie Joy Ride,
the lighting crew replaced the vehicle headlights with aircraft landing lights for the nighttime chase scenes. Great on a closed movie set, but not for oncoming traffic on a public road. We’re already at the limits set in law for the maximum brightness of headlights.
I’m not proposing 20 mph nighttime speed limits. My point here is that our headlights aren’t up to the task of illuminating hazards in the road at the speeds we typically travel. Knowing that driving at night is a sub-optimum condition, it’s up to us as both drivers and pedestrians to make wise decisions.
Doug Dahl is a Blaine resident, manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.
s Jonathan Jakobitz holds “The Art Thief.” Courtesy photo
File photo
sheriff’s repOrts
January 24, 9:57 a.m.: Vandalism cold call on Breeze Loop.
January 24, 2:24 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on H Street Road.
January 24, 4:27 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances cold call on Birch Bay Square Street.
January 24, 8:09 p.m.: Sex offender registration on Custer School Road.
January 25, 1:38 a.m.: Party on Valley View Road.
January 25, 8:55 a.m.: DUI on Creasey Road.
January 25, 10:02 a.m.: Civil problem cold call on Peace Park Drive.
January 25, 10:48 a.m.: Hulk vehicle on Main Street.
January 25, 10:53 a.m.: Shots on Skyline Drive.
January 25, 11:30 a.m.: Civil problem on W. Badger Road.
January 25, 11:54 a.m.: Domestic physical on W. Badger Road.
January 25, 6:48 p.m.: Threat cold call on W. 34th Crescent.
January 26, 6:40 p.m.: Welfare check cold call on Salish Lane.
January 27, 3:46 p.m.: DUI arrest on Custer School Road.
January 27, 4:16 p.m.: Burglary cold call on White Road.
January 27, 8:38 p.m.: Juvenile problem cold call on Rock Crab Drive.
January 27, 8:47 p.m.: Domestic order violence cold call on Markworth Road.
January 28, 11:18 a.m.: Domestic order violence cold call on Markworth Road.
January 28, 12:40 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Carstan Loop.
January 28, 12:54 p.m.: Suspicious person on Boblett Street.
January 29, 1:17 p.m.: Assist citizen on Main Street.
pOLiCe repOrts
January 25, 8:29 p.m.: Harassment on C Street.
January 26, 9:40 a.m.: Death investigation on Boblett Street.
January 26, 10:43 a.m.: Shoplift on H Street.
January 27, 12:26 a.m.: Trespass on Peace Portal Drive.
January 27, 1:11 p.m.: Threat on H Street.
January 27. 5:42 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Cherry Street.
January 28, 11:51 a.m.: Serve warrant on Adelia Street.
January 29, 11:54 a.m.: Juve-
nile problem on 9th Street.
January 29, 1:04 p.m.: Theft on Semiahmoo Parkway.
January 29, 6:25 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances on H Street.
January 30, 2:41 a.m.: Missing person on Peace Portal Drive.
January 30, 12:02 p.m.: Theft on Boblett Street.
January 31, 4:21 p.m.: Vandalism on 8th Street.
January 31, 6:36 p.m.: Theft on H Street.
January 31, 9:21 p.m.: Trespass on Boblett Street.
Coming up
Let’s Make Valentines: Thursday, February 6, 3:30–4:30 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Kids make Valentine cards for all the loved ones in your life. We’ll have all the supplies you need, you bring your creative spirit and open heart. Info: wcls.org.
Allied Arts Annual Member’s Show: Tuesday–Saturdays, February 7–March 1, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., 1213 Cornwall Avenue, Bellingham. Featuring work from nearly 100 Allied Arts members, including professional artists, students and emerging artists. Opening reception, Friday, February 7, 6–9 p.m. Open to the public. Info: alliedarts.org.
Pruning 101: Saturday, February 8, 9:30–11:30 a.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Now is a great time to start deciding how your will prune your trees. Take advantage of some of our sunny winter days and brush up on pruning skills. Discussing tools, why prune, decisions necessary (understanding growth habits). Presentation on overgrown trees and how to get them back in shape. Bring questions. Free. Info: nwcore.org.
Arts and Jazz Fundraiser: Postponed due to inclement weather. Watch for new date. Info: blainefinearts@gmail.com.
Valentine’s Craft Fair: Saturday, February 8, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., The Christian Way Church, 1733 H Street (next to Westside Pizza). Shop from over 25 local artists, food and espresso bar.
Buoy Painting Workshop: Saturday, February 8, 11 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Attendees will be given a small buoy and as we decorate the buoys, we’ll engage in a fluid discussion of the Whatcom Reads book, “No Two Persons.” The buoys will be collected and incorporated in a large art installation that will be displayed at the 2025 SeaFeast celebration! Spaces are limited and registration is required. Info: wcls.org.
Second Saturday: Saturday, February 8, 4–6:30 p.m., Blaine Art Gallery and participating downtown Blaine businesses, 922 Peace Portal Drive. View works from local artists. Refreshments by L & L Bakery. Info: blaineartscouncil.com.
Adult Prom: Postponed due to inclement weather. Watch for new date. Info: bbbparkandrec.org.
ACROSS
1. “The Las Vegas of the East” 6. Cook 10. Manning and Wallach are two 14. Chameleon 15. A way to fill up 17. What MLBers hope to play in 19. Unhappy 20. Indefinite period of time
21. Excites 22. Males 23. Mongol leader Genghis
24. Turfs
26. Soda comes in them
29. Not nice
31. Professional organization
32. Part of a play
34. Sea eagle
35. Emily Blunt’s character in “Sicario” 37. Beige
38. Mental sharpness
39. Valley 40. Alcyone’s husband
41. A place to gamble
43. Flightless Australian birds
45. Call out some-
body’s name over a P.A. system
46. US spy group
47. Pancakes from buckwheat flour
49. Swiss river 50. Disfigure 53. Have surgery 57. Formal withdrawal 58. Early English council 59. Square measures
60. 2,000 lbs. 61. Siskel and __, critics DOWN
1. Mouths 2. Buffalo 3. You plug it in 4. Each 5. Largest English dictionary (abbr.) 6. King of Thebes 7. English name meaning “mythical hunter” 8. Indicates near 9. More herbaceous 10. Gas-powered cars need one 11. Dishonest individual 12. Systems, doctrines, theories 13. The woman 16. The whole of
one’s holdings 18. Witnesses 22. Doctor 23. Paul __, Swiss painter 24. Kids look for him on December 25. Single 27. Competitions 28. Predict the future
29. Cage for trained hawks
30. Musician Clapton 31. Frozen water 33. Semiformal men’s evening attire 35. Most worn 36. Common soap ingredient
37. Former EU monetary unit 39. Provisions 42. Book parts 43. Republic of Ireland
44. Partner to “Pa” 46. Sammy __, songwriter 47. Dutch colonist 48. Clare Booth __, American writer 49. Solar disk in Egyptian mythology 50. Minute arachnid 51. From a distance 52. Monthly apartment cost 53. Young women’s
association 54. Tourist destination 55. “Woman” in Ojibwe language 56. Pointed end of a pen
tides
February 6 - 12 at Blaine. Not for navigation.
Composting and Worms: Wednesday, February 12, 5–7 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Don’t throw organic matter in the garbage, learn the basics of food waste recycling and how easy it is by managing worms, indoors and out. Free. Info: nwcore.org.
Blaine Chamber of Commerce Annual General Meeting: Thursday, February 13, noon, Great Blue Heron Bar and Grill, 8720 Semiahmoo Parkway. Networking, speaker, door prizes. RSVP required at blainechamber.com.
Big Bucks Bingo: Saturday, February 15, Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Over $275 in prizes. Games begin at 12:30 p.m. Eight games $15. Concession stand snacks available. Info: blaineseniorcenter.org.
Birch Bay Chamber Luncheon: Thursday, February 20, 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m., Paso del Norte, 758 Peace Portal Drive. Speaker: Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center. Registration: birchbaychamber.com.
Blaine Chamber After-hours Networking: Thursday, February 20, 4–5:30 p.m., Paso del Norte, 758 Peace Portal Drive. Network with other local businesses. No-host. Info: blainechamber.com.
Family Science Night: Thursday, February 27, 5-7 p.m., Blaine Primary School, 820 Boblett Street. An evening full of science experiments and demonstrations. Open to the public.
Ongoing
Blaine Food Bank: 500 C Street. Open Mondays 9 a.m.–noon, Wednesdays 5–7 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m.–noon. Info:360/3326350 or Info@blainefoodbank.org.
The Bridge Food Bank: Fridays, 2 p.m.-4:30 p.m., The Bridge Community Hope Center, 7620 Birch Bay Drive. New registration required at thebridgehope.com or call 360/366-8763. Volunteers welcome.
CAP Clothing Bank: Mondays and Fridays, 9 a.m.–noon and Wednesdays, 5–7 p.m. 508 G Street. The Community Assistance Program clothing bank is now located in the basement of the CAP Center providing free clothing and linens. Donations accepted only during open hours or by special arrangement. Info: blainecap.org or 360/392-8484.
Senior Community Meals: Monday–Friday, 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Suggested donation of $6 per meal ($10 if under 60) or whatever is affordable. First come, first serve basis. Info: 360/332-8040.
The Bridge Clothing Bank Boutique: Open Wednesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Donations accepted Wednesdays, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. or by appointment. The Bridge Community Hope Center’s new location, 7620 Birch Bay Drive.
Weather
Precipitation: During the period of January 27 to February 2, 1.1 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2025 yearto-date precipitation is 2.6 inches.
Temperature: High for the past week was 45.9°F on January 31, with a low of 21°F on January 27. Average high was 42.7°F and average low was 26.3°F.
Friends of Birch Bay Library: Meets second Mondays. 6:30 p.m., Birch Bay Birch Bay Vogt Library site, 7968 Birch Bay Drive. Info: friendsofbirchbaylibrary.org.
Friends of Blaine Library: Meets third Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Find out the latest library news at this monthly FOBL Board of Directors meeting. All members and guests are welcome to attend. Info: blainelibraryfriends.org.
Alaska Packers Association Cannery Museum: Open Friday–Sunday, 1–5 p.m., 9261 Semiahmoo Parkway. Free, donations welcome. Books and Bites: Friday, February 21, 1 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. February title: The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and A Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel.. Info: Kelly at 360/305-3637.
Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to
Guitars 4 Vets empowering veterans through lessons
New Bellingham chapter helps veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder
B y n olan B aker symptoms get triggered and her head begins to spiral, she goes into her music room and picks up her acoustic guitar.
Walk through the double doors at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1585 on State Street in Bellingham, and you’ll be greeted by a tapestry of service and camaraderie shared by veterans spanning multiple generations.
Artwork and mementos adorn the slim hallway leading into the bar area speckled with vets conversing and relaxing. On the other side of the hall, a group is setting up for a night of live music.
Up a set of steep stairs, there’s a simple bedroom overlooking downtown Bellingham. In that room, Charlene Waters, a Birch Bay resident and Air Force veteran of 14 years, is teaching Fred Krapf, an Army veteran of 32 years, how to play the guitar.
Krapf, 71, said he first picked up a guitar when he was about eight years old, but never could get the hang of playing. For years, he had dipped a toe in, without fully immersing himself in the initial, fingertip-blistering learning phase that seems to stop so many other students.
“I could have taken the acoustic that I bought to Iraq with me, but decided not to,” Krapf said, reminiscing on his time stationed during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. “There was a youngster in my unit whose family sent his, so I fiddled around with that a little bit.”
Krapf, like so many other veterans, developed symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after a long career of multiple combat deployments. He said he would often suffer from anger issues mainly over poor decisions from leadership, an “age-old thing” among veterans, Krapf said.
He worked as a peer mentor with the Wounded Warrior Project, and it was there that he learned about alternative therapy methods, including Animals as Natural Therapy, a Whatcom County animal therapy nonprofit that pairs people with animals, primarily horses.
Years later, Krapf wanted to pick the guitar back up, and heard through social media about Guitars 4 Vets (G4V), a nation-wide charity providing guitar lessons for veterans. The only problem was, there wasn’t a chapter set up in northwest Washington.
That’s where Charlene Waters came in.
Waters learned of G4V through the charity Challenge America Veteran Arts Community, which connects veterans with art programs and works closely with G4V. Waters quickly joined to teach online lessons, and was picked out to lead the beginnings of a Bellingham branch as chapter coordinator.
The program began in September 2024 with Waters and just a few pupils, mostly doing online lessons. Those can prove a bit tricky, so Waters reached out to the local VFW to host in-person lessons. It was a no-brainer, Waters said.
“It’s there for vets,” Waters said of the VFW post. “They’re here to help vets. That’s part of the mission.”
Waters also lives with PTSD and struggles with insomnia. When her
“It slows everything down for me and really brings me back from this mad racing that, if it was physical, it would literally be running back and forth,” Waters said. “With the guitar and the music, just letting myself get into the music, it’s very meditative. It helps me so much.”
Going into the sixth month of the program, the Bellingham chapter of Guitars 4 Vets has eight students and an additional instructor. Some lessons, Waters said, the guitar is the least important part.
“Sometimes our lessons are more about a therapy session than it is about a music lesson,” Waters said. “I don’t pretend to be a mental health professional. I’m not. I don’t offer advice. But sometimes people just want somebody to listen. And somebody who will and understand.”
Krapf said having a veteran-to-veteran connection during his lessons is crucial, and that unspoken bond has kept him practicing and learning guitar more than he ever.
“It’s very therapeutic. Veterans have countless reasons for the baggage we carry,” Krapf said. “These things take your mind off what you don’t want to remember.”
According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, veterans die by suicide at a rate of 34.7 per 100,000, more than double the non-veteran rate. In 2022, roughly 17 veterans died by suicide every day.
If teaching somebody guitar will save one veteran from deciding that laying on the dirt is better than walking on the sidewalk, it’s worth it,” Waters said.
Call 911 if you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts.
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for veterans is 988(press 1) or text 838255 for a crisis counselor.
The Whatcom County Triage Center crisis line is 800/584-3578.
For more information on veteran mental health services, visit the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website at bit.ly/42KtfxH.
For more information on local mental health resources, visit namiwhatcom.org/crisis-resources.html.
Volunteers needed
Guitars 4 Vets holds a jam session at the American Legion Post 86, 4580 Legion Drive in Birch Bay, every third Saturday of the month.
G4V Bellingham is seeking volunteer instructors. Volunteer instructors must be at least 18 years old, complete a G4V application and background check, and provide their own transportation. Instructors do not have to be a veteran to be considered.
For more information on instructing guitar lessons with G4V, visit guitars4vets.org/volunteer-guidelines or contact Charlene Waters at wa.bellingham@guitarsforvets.org.
s Guitars 4 Vets Bellingham chapter coordinator Charlene Waters, l., plays along with student Fred Krapf during a lesson at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1585 in Bellingham. Waters is an Air Force veteran of 14 years, and the first instructor for the new Guitars 4 Vets chapter.
