October 6 - 12, 2016
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Blaine high schoolers return to class, page 5
New Blaine program offers help and hope
Local historian has a knack for sports recordkeeping, page 6-7
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
SeaFeast attracts a hungry crowd, page 12
Skaters get some air at newly renovated park
B y S t e fa n i e D o n a h u e
(See Roots, page 17)
s Blaine skaters celebrated the reopening of the newly renovated skate park, located behind the library on 4th Street, on September 30. The city of Blaine closed the park in mid-July to install new ramps, rails, ledges and quarter-pipes. Photo by Oliver Lazenby
Student homelessness programs are off to a busy start By Oliver Lazenby Blaine School District’s Family Service Center provides low-income and homeless students with a variety of supplies and services to relieve the stress of not having what they need. Rows of backpacks, jackets, and stacks
of spiral notebooks, colored markers, scissors and other school supplies add a burst of color to one corner of the center’s office behind the middle school. “I think most of us remember coming to school on the first day with a new backpack and new school supplies. Well, some of these kids don’t have anything,”
Anatomy of an Exclusion: How it happens B y P at G r u bb Engraved on the International Peace Arch are the words, “May These Gates Never Be Closed.” For a few unlucky individuals, these gates have effectively clanged shut, possibly for the rest of their lives. Recently, a number of Canadians have found themselves “excluded” by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from traveling to the U.S. after they admitted to past drug use, usually marijua-
na. Anticipating marijuana legalization in Canada and knowing that the drug is legal in Washington state, these Canadians have been surprised to learn that marijuana is still considered illegal by the federal government and have been sent packing home. This is how it happens… Under the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, travelers are ineligible to enter the U.S. if they have been found guilty of, or admit to, violating any laws of the United States or a foreign country
OCTOBER 8 & 9
relating to a controlled substance. Once an individual has admitted using marijuana or another controlled substance, it is tantamount to having been found guilty in a court of law. The usual suspects Driving up to the border, Canadians looking forward to shopping south of the border or going to see a Seahawks game or whatever else draws people south of the line suddenly find themselves looking (See Exclusion, page 14)
said Jessie Burton, family coordinator and homeless liaison at the center. “They’re literally coming to school with nothing.” The number of kids using the center’s services is on the rise. The number of homeless students – as defined by the (See Students, page 19)
INSIDE
Beginning this week, all are welcome to participate in Roots, an outreach program that supports families coping with the aftermath of trauma. The program was developed by the staff at Rebound, which launched as an independent nonprofit in 2006 to serve individuals with trauma backgrounds in Whatcom County. Through a variety of community programs, Rebound aims to foster growth and positive change for those who’ve experienced abuse, neglect, poverty and other forms of trauma. Roots began in Bellingham and serves hundreds every year. Wednesday, October 5 marked the first day the program expanded to Blaine. Each Wednesday from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Rebound will offer Roots programming to parents and children at Blaine Elementary School following the weekly Community Meals Program operated out of the Blaine Senior Center. At $50 per quarter, anyone can join in on a variety of engaging and educational opportunities. Each week at Roots, parents and children are separated into groups. Parents are invited to participate in a sequential enrichment course led by trained facilitators with help from volunteers and sometimes participants from past programs. The courses cover topics about financial literacy, healthy living and parenting, just to name a few. Kids are divided into three groups: pre-K/nursery, elementary and middle school. Program facilitators lead a variety of activities, including a discussion period where kids learn about making choices, dealing with family challenges and developing their emotional and social skills. For Bellingham resident Danielle Good-
Coming Up . . . . . 18 Classifieds . . . . . 15 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 18 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 6 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 18
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