ay 4 -22 -2020
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
April 23 - 29, 2020
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BHS alum graduates from Air Force Academy, page 8
How to drive in golf cart zones, page 13
Local teenagers injured in single-car collision, page 15
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Many summer events canceled following health department’s guidance By Oliver Lazenby
(See Events, page 6)
s On April 14 in Blaine, volunteers for Wildbird Charity prepared weekend food bags for Whatcom County children at risk of food insecurity. To learn more about the charity’s weekend food program for local kids, read our story on page 8.
Photo by Louise Mugar
City of Blaine prepares for steep drop in tax revenue By Jami Makan The city of Blaine is preparing for a significant shortfall in revenue following the sharp decline in economic activity and cross-border traffic caused by border restrictions, governor Inslee’s stay-home order and other COVID-19 response measures. City manager Michael Jones and finance director Jeff Lazenby prepared a memo for governor Jay Inslee and district 42 legislators outlining the city’s anticipated budget
impacts, increased expenses and reduced revenues attributable directly or indirectly to COVID-19. The memo said the city anticipates a minimum $700,000 drop in a $7.1 million general fund budget based solely on the immediate impact of border restrictions and the governor’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order. “We modeled the impacts of what we can be virtually certain of: sales tax, lodging tax, border gas tax and local [business and occupation] tax shortfalls based on
Whatcom County Jail sees major population decrease By Grace McCarthy The Whatcom County Jail has seen a drastic decrease in its inmate population over the past several weeks. Between March 1 and April 20, the number of inmates dropped from 303 to 154 between the downtown Bellingham jail, electronic home monitoring and the Interim Work Center, a minimum-security facility that is also in Bellingham and offers alternative corrections programs. Wendy Jones, Whatcom County chief
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corrections deputy, said she’s never seen the jail population decrease so significantly. Fewer arrests are being made, as the county works to reduce the jail population and fewer people go out in public due to COVID-19 social distancing measures, including the “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order by governor Jay Inslee on March 23. The Whatcom County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office is working with the Whatcom County Public Defender’s Office to conduct reviews and evaluations of offenders in custody, Jones said. She said cases
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are being reviewed to reach plea agreements or for possible reductions in bail, contributing to the lower jail population. Jails and prisons nationwide have sought to reduce their inmate populations due to concerns about COVID-19 spreading through densely populated facilities. In Washington, governor Inslee announced that up to 950 nonviolent inmates would be released early, including individuals who were incarcerated for nonviolent and drug(See Jail, page 7)
the April through June border restrictions, combined with the immediate impacts of sheltering in place,” read a three-page draft of the memo circulated to city councilmembers and dated April 9. “Further ripple effects from the closures are assured, but the impact is unclear and we have not modeled these longer-term effects,” the memo said. “Our $700,000 shortfall could easily be double or triple if a recession follows the pandemic.” (See City revenue, page 3)
INSIDE
Hands Across the Border, Blaine’s Old Fashioned Fourth of July parade and fireworks, the Blaine Harbor Music Festival and many other summer events throughout Whatcom County have been canceled this year due to COVID-19. On April 14, Whatcom County Health Department director Erika Lautenbach recommended that summer events throughout Whatcom County be canceled to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. She didn’t mention specific events or give a threshold about event size, but said her recommendation included parades, community festivals and fireworks displays. In the days after Lautenbach’s recommendation, many event organizers canceled their events. “Blaine has been very event-heavy for its whole existence, which is a wonderful thing, but it has made this an especially tough situation,” said Donna Raimey, program and events coordinator for the Blaine Chamber of Commerce. The International Peace Arch Association, which organizes Hands Across the Border, will hold an online version of the event from 1 to 2 p.m. on Sunday, June 14. “We can all dress up in our best U.S./Canada gear, enjoy being friends and enjoy our fellowship as we sing our anthems together,” the organization said on the website for Hands Across the
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Crossword . . . . . . 14 Police/Sheriff . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
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The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
Bay Builders From Cherry Point to the Peace Arch
Great Kids Doing Great Things Featuring students of the Blaine School District
Jackson Jackson Bray, Bray, 12th 12th grade grade Jessica Adams, 12th grade he Jackson Jackson works works hard hard in in everything everything he Jackson Bray, grade Jackson Bray, 12th 12th grade grade Jackson Bray,12th 12th grade Jessica is an outstanding student who is more
does. does. To Toworks have haveaahard student student ininyour yourclass class in he Jackson Jackson works works hard hard in ineverything everything everything he he Jackson works hard in everything he thanJackson deserving of this honor as Student of the who who gives gives 100 100 percent percent is is so so amazing amazing does. To in class does. does. To Tohave have have student student in inyour your yourstudent class class in does. To have student in your class Month. Jessica isaaaaastudent high achieving and and makes teaching teaching worthwhile. worthwhile. Jackson Jackson who gives percent is who whomakes gives gives100 100 100 percent percent is isso so soamazing amazing amazing who gives 100 percent is so amazing Honor Society and an exceptional student provides provides a a positive positive vibe vibe to to the the classroom classroom and and andmakes makes makes teaching teaching worthwhile. worthwhile. Jackson Jackson and makes teaching worthwhile. Jackson athlete. Sheteaching is a veryworthwhile. hardworkingJackson and and and isisaagreat great classmate classmate to tothe others. others. provides vibe classroom provides provides positive positive vibe vibe to to the classroom classroom reliable aastudent. She isto anthe excellent provides aapositive positive vibe to the classroom and is to and and is isaaaagreat great greatclassmate classmate classmate to toothers. others. others. collaborator and is proactive in and is great classmate to others. group projects. She has great time management skills and sets priorities to achieve her goals. In addition to her academic accomplishments, Jessica is a positive person who is thoughtful and compassionate to others. I am excited to see how she builds her life after high school.
Seth Seth Blomeen, Blomeen, 8th 8th grade grade Seth Seth Blomeen, Blomeen, James Creydt,Seth 6th Blomeen, grade
Seth Sethgrade is isaahardworking hardworking James is one of the8th most courteous middle school 8th 8th grade grade 8th grade student student who who asks asksquestions questions students that I have Seth met. He is hardworking, is a hardworking Seth Seth is is a a hardworking hardworking Seth is a hardworking he to to check check his his understanding, understanding, cares about doing hisstudent best onwho all class asks questions student student who who asks askswork, questions questions student who asks questions clarify and and deepen deepen his his and heclarify is polite and helpful in to to tocheck check checkhis his hisunderstanding, understanding, understanding, to check his understanding, learning. learning. Seth Seth gets gets along along the classroom. James is a clarify clarify clarifyand and anddeepen deepen deepenhis his his clarify and deepen his well well with with others others and and always always has pleasure to have in class, learning. learning. learning.Seth Seth Sethgets gets getsalong along alonghas learning. Seth gets along a a positive positive attitude. attitude. It’s It’s a a and his commitment to well well wellwith with withothers others othersand and andalways always alwayshas has has well with others and always has pleasure pleasure to tohave have him correctly is carried aaaabehaving positive attitude. It’s aahim positive positive attitude. attitude. It’s It’s positive attitude. It’s aa inin class! class! into other spaces thehim pleasure to have pleasure pleasure to tolike have have him him pleasure to have him hallways, in lunch room, and in inclass! class! class! in class! play areas. James sets a good example for his peers to follow and is an asset to our class and school.
Steven Steven Reimer, Reimer, Alyssa McLane, 4th grade 5th 5th grade grade Steven Reimer, Steven Reimer, Steven Reimer,
Alyssa is a wonderfulSteven student. is dedicated, Steven isisShe aagood good friend friendto to 5th grade 5th 5th grade grade 5th grade responsible, hardworking and others. others. He He is is kind, kind, helpful, helpful, Steven Steven Stevenis is isaaaagood good goodfriend friend friendto to to Steven is good friend to listens carefully to instructions, and and encourages encourages others. others. others. He helpful, others. others. He Heis is iskind, kind, kind, helpful, helpful, others. He is kind, helpful, using what she Steven Steven loves loves to tolearns help help inintothe the and others. and andencourages encourages encourages others. others. and encourages others. independently complete her that classroom classroom with with different different jobs jobs Steven Steven Stevenloves loves lovesto to tohelp help helpin in inthe the thethat Steven loves to help in the work. She is respected by her need needto to be bedifferent done. done.Thank Thank you classroom with jobs that classroom classroom with with different different jobs jobsyou that that classroom with different jobs that classmates and has been Steven Steven for for making making our our need to be done. Thank you need need to to be be done. done. Thank Thank you you need towith be friends done. Thank working to writeyou an class classfor and and our ourschool school Steven making our Steven Steven for for making making our our Steven for making our entertaining and funny series aafabulous fabulous place place to to class and school class class and andour our our school school class and our school of stories about children who learn. learn. to fabulous fabulous place place to to fabulous place to takeaaaaafabulous trip on anplace airplane. learn. learn. learn. I lovelearn. having Alyssa in my class!
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Sienna Sienna Boucher, Boucher, 12th 12th grade grade EmmaSienna Nash, 12th grade Sienna is is motivated motivated to to succeed. succeed. Boucher, grade Sienna Boucher, 12th 12th grade grade Sienna Boucher, 12th grade It hasSienna been my privilege to be12th Emma’s
She Shecomes comes to tois class class prepared prepared to tolearn, learn, motivated to Sienna Sienna is motivated motivated to tosucceed. succeed. succeed. Sienna is motivated to succeed. advisorSienna for the is past four years. She and and tackles tackles tough tough assignments. assignments. comes to to She She comes comes to toclass class class prepared prepared to tolearn, learn, learn, She comes to class prepared to learn, isShe also a student in myprepared AP Biology She Sheasks asks thought-provoking questions questions tackles tough assignments. and andthought-provoking tackles tackles tough tough assignments. assignments. and tackles tough assignments. class.and Through these experiences I that thatasks make makethought-provoking class classintriguing intriguingfor for others. others. She She She asks asks thought-provoking thought-provoking questions questions She asks thought-provoking questions have gotten to know Emma toquestions be a This This attitude attitude and and her her wonderful wonderful smile smile that others. that thatmake make makeclass class classintriguing intriguing intriguing for for others. others. dedicated, hardworking andfor talented that make class intriguing for others. will will take take her her far farininlife. life. This attitude and her wonderful smile This This attitude attitude and and her her wonderful wonderful smile smile young woman. She meets and exceeds This attitude and her wonderful smile will far will willtake take take her her far farin in inlife. life. life. my expectations asher a teacher and advisor. will take her far in life. Emma is an excellent student and also a well rounded individual, participating in many types of activities here at BHS. From jazz band to tennis to peer advisor, Emma fills her days with ways to help others while getting an education. A job well done!
Morgan Morgan Zasccheo, Zasccheo, 7th 7th grade grade Morgan Morgan Zasccheo, Morgan Zasccheo, Zasccheo,
Morgan Morgan has hasshown shownher her 7th grade 7th 7th grade grade 7th grade dedication dedication to to academics. academics. Morgan Morgan Morganhas has hasshown shown shownher her her Morgan has shown her She She isisincredibly incredibly bright brightand and Josephine Stack, 6th grade dedication to academics. dedication dedication to to academics. academics. dedication to academics. Josephine is a gem of a young woman, articulate. articulate. She She is is willing willing She She Sheis is isincredibly incredibly incrediblybright bright brightand and and She is incredibly bright and through and through. to to share share her her ideas, ideas, which which articulate. articulate. articulate.She She Sheis is iswilling willing willing articulate. She is willing She is helpful, kind,to and enriches enriches the thework work ofofthe the share her which to to share share her herideas, ideas, ideas, which which to share her ideas, which generous. She is eager enriches whole whole class. class. It It is is enriches enrichesthe the thework work workof of ofthe the the enriches the work of the to help those in need such suchclass. aapleasure pleasure whole ItItItItis whole whole class. class. is is whole class. is and stands up for to tohave have her herinin such aaaapleasure such such pleasure pleasure such pleasure what is right. class! class! to to tohave have haveher her herin in in to have her in class! class! class! class!
Carrie Carrie Balback, Balback,1st 1stgrade grade Coramina Schrengohst, Carrie Carrie is is a a delightful delightful first first grader! grader! Carrie Carrie CarrieBalback, Balback, Balback,1st 1st 1stgrade grade grade 1st grade 1stisisis grade She She isishelpful, helpful, attentive, attentive, Carrie a delightful first grader! Carrie Carrie a a delightful delightful first first grader! grader! Carrie is delightful first grader! Cora is asuch a fabulous first smart smart and and kind. kind. She She isisdoing doing She isis attentive, She She ishelpful, helpful, helpful, attentive, attentive, She is helpful, attentive, grader! She is happy and a a terrific terrific job job of of creating creating high high smart smart smartand and andkind. kind. kind.She She Sheisis isdoing doing doing smart kind. She is doing excited toand learn. She works quality quality work work and and working working on on task. task. aaaaterrific terrific terrificjob job jobof ofofcreating creating creatinghigh high high terrific job creating high diligently onespecially her of independent I’m I’m especially impressed impressed quality and working on quality qualitywork work work and and working working on ontask. task. task. quality work and working on task. desk work, and shereading loves ability. with with Carrie’s Carrie’s reading ability. I’m impressed I’m I’mespecially especially especially impressed impressed I’m especially impressed to be with her friends. Cora She She loves loves to to read read and and isis with reading with withCarrie’s Carrie’s Carrie’s reading readingability. ability. ability. with Carrie’s reading ability. always enters our classroom starting starting to to read read longer, longer, She to and She Sheloves loves loves to toread read read and andisis is She loves to read and is with achallenging smile ... and I’m sure more more challenging books books starting to read longer, starting starting to to read read longer, longer, starting to when read longer, she’s smiling using our with with enthusiasm! enthusiasm! more more morechallenging challenging challenging books books more challenging books Online Classroombooks too! She with withenthusiasm! enthusiasm! enthusiasm! with enthusiasm! brings with excitement to all of us!
Jennifer Jennifer LaFoy, LaFoy, 4th 4th grade grade Jennifer Jennifer is is an an amazing amazing young young Jennifer LaFoy, 4th Jennifer LaFoy, 4th 4thgrade grade grade Steven Phelps-McDonald, Jennifer LaFoy, 4th grade lady. lady.Every Every day day she shecomes comes 5th grade Jennifer is amazing young Jennifer Jennifer is isan an an amazing amazing young young Jennifer is an amazing young to to class class early early to help help pass pass Steven exemplifies “Borderite Pride” lady. Every day she comes lady. lady. Every Every day dayto she she comes comes lady. Every day she comes out out Chrome Chrome books. books. She She has has in our classroom! He has to to toclass class classearly early earlyto to tohelp help helppass pass pass to class early to help pass a a positive positive attitude attitude about about a love of learning and out out outChrome Chrome Chromebooks. books. books.She She Shehas has has out Chrome books. She has we we do doand and always always demonstrates integrityeverything aaeverything positive attitude about a positive positive attitude attitude about about a positive attitude about encourages encourages others others to to on a daily basis. He iseverything we everything everything we wedo do doand and andalways always always everything we do and always do do their their best best work. work. a great partner and role encourages encourages encouragesothers others othersto to to encourages others to We We look lookbest forward forward to to model for other students. do their work. do do their their best best work. work. do their best work. seeing seeing Jennifer’s He is well loved and We look forward We We look lookJennifer’s forward forwardto to to We look forward to smile smile daily. daily. respected by both students seeing seeing seeingJennifer’s Jennifer’s Jennifer’s seeing Jennifer’s and teachers! smile smile smiledaily. daily. daily. smile daily.
Evan Evan Larsen, Larsen, 1st 1stgrade grade Evan Evan is is an an attentive, attentive, kind kind hearted, hearted, Oscar Amador-Cruz, Evan Evan EvanLarsen, Larsen, Larsen,1st 1st 1stgrade grade grade 1st grade 1stis grade and and hardworking hardworking first first grader! grader! Evan an attentive, kind hearted, Evan Evan is is an an attentive, attentive, kind kind hearted, hearted, Evan is an attentive, kind hearted, Oscar isalways a dedicated and hardand He He always works workson on task task and and hardworking first grader! and and hardworking hardworking first first grader! grader! and hardworking first grader! working first grader. He loves stays stays focused focused to to complete complete He He Healways always alwaysworks works workson on ontask task taskand and and He always works on task and to stay focused to accomplish assignments assignments in in a a timely timely manner. manner. stays stays staysfocused focused focusedto to tocomplete complete complete stays focused to complete his and skills does aare quality job His Hiswork reading reading skills are blossoming blossoming assignments in manner. assignments assignments in inaaaatimely timely timely manner. manner. assignments in timely manner. onbecause his assignments. Even because ofofskills his his hard hard work. What What His reading are blossoming His His reading reading skills skills are arework. blossoming blossoming His reading skills are blossoming while working fromme home really really impresses impresses me about about because because becauseof of ofhis his hishard hard hardwork. work. work.What What What because of his hard work. What now, he is completing Evan Evan isis his his math mathability. ability. really impresses me really really impresses impresses me meabout about about really impresses me about muchHe work andto keeping He loves loves to solve solve Evan is math ability. Evan Evan is ishis his his math math ability. ability. Evan is his math ability. his skills sharp! Oscar problems problems and and He loves to solve He He loves loves to to solve solve He loves to solve will besolutions. successful in his find find solutions. IIlove love problems and problems problems and and problems and future school years with having having Evan Evanininclass! class! find solutions. I love find find solutions. solutions. I I love love findgreat solutions. love such study Iskills! having having havingEvan Evan Evanin in inclass! class! class! having Evan in class!
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April 23 - 29, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
City revenue ... From page 1
The memo requests the distribution of federal relief dollars to small cities, and for the state to add flexibility in the use of existing revenue, such as by making Transportation Benefit District (TBD) funds available for general street maintenance and by making real estate excise tax (REET) funds available for maintenance of capital facilities in the 2020 calendar year. In addition to the governor and state legislators, city leaders have also been communicating with U.S. congresswoman Suzan DelBene’s office. “We asked for some specific attention to the very impacted border communities but also very specific attention to very small communities,” Jones said. The city is now taking steps to address what will likely be at least a 10 percent impact to its general fund. “I had staff meet, and the department heads have put together a preliminary budget amendment and budget cuts,” Jones told councilmembers at their April 13 meeting. “I asked people to dig deep and see what they can do to their budgets and potentially reduce. We did this a couple of times during the budget’s development, so there wasn’t a lot of fluff by any means in the budget.” Jones said that his team has identified about $250,000 so far in potential budget cuts that don’t affect level of service or staffing directly. “Given the potential $700,000 shortfall, we still need to do more in that area,” he said, adding that he was considering introducing the concept of a oneweek furlough for all employees except some police personnel and wastewater treatment plant operators. “Time off in those areas would result in a lot of overtime so it wouldn’t really be beneficial for the budget’s bottom line,” he said. “But we will begin a conversation with the union about the possibility of a one-week furlough for the rest of us,” he said, noting that this could save the city about $70,000. Jones said that additional cuts may be necessary. He also said the city currently has sufficient finances to operate. “Provided things don’t get substantially worse, we do have the balance to ride this to the end of the year and then make our decisions in a much more thoughtful and planned way going into 2021,” he said. According to Lazenby, the city’s $700,000 deficit forecast is preliminary and was modeled on two past events: the Great Recession and the temporary closure of the Semiahmoo Resort in 2012. Both of those economic shocks result-
ed in 10 to 12 percent reductions in the city’s general fund over the course of a year. Lazenby said that there is a two-month lag between when tax revenue gets reported and when the city receives it. “We won’t know the true, full impact until I would say June,” he said. Lazenby said sales, lodging and gas tax receipts are declining precipitously. “We are projecting at least a 50 percent decrease in the penny-per-gallon gas tax which is going to have a major impact on streets and maintenance,” he said. “It’s going to be very big. The lodging tax – we know that people are not staying at the resort, so that’s going to take a big hit. The main driver behind these revenue decreases is really the closure of the border, so once the border opens back up, that will be a positive sign.” City manager takes additional emergency actions At council’s April 13 meeting, councilmembers ratified two additional emergency actions taken by city manager Michael Jones since the last council meeting. Councilmembers voted 7-0 to pass Resolution 1809-20 confirming Emergency Order EO20-02 and Emergency Order EO20-03. Emergency Order EO20-02 relates to late fees for monthly penny-per-gallon tax payments by local gas stations. “The first order stems from calls that we received right when the governor’s order came out that implemented changes that were going to potentially make it difficult for some of our gas stations to get checks cut from their corporate offices or from their accounting firms they work with,” Jones explained to councilmembers. “We received a couple of calls and they were concerned that they might be subject to a late payment fee because of not being able to get checks cut in a timely manner.” To alleviate those concerns, Jones authorized waiving the late payment fees for these tax payments. However, none of the businesses needed to take advantage of this relief. “All of the fees were submitted in a timely manner,” Jones said. “We would anticipate, now that the emergency situation and the governor’s order has become kind of commonplace, if you will, they will probably be prepared to make their payments on time at the end of April as well.” Emergency Order EO20-3, meanwhile, changes sick leave policies for city employees in two ways. First, it allows people to use sick leave for instances where they believe they may have been exposed to COVID-19 or have been ordered to quarantine. “Our sick leave policies and our contracts for collective bargaining require that people use sick leave for either their own illness or an illness for someone who they care for, a spouse or
child or other dependent,” Jones explained. “This allows them to quarantine themselves if they feel it’s necessary or to follow quarantine orders from someone else.” The second change to sick leave policies created a COVID-19 sick leave pool, consisting of sick leave and vacation time donated by city employees. “An employee impacted by COVID either through a quarantine or an actual illness of themselves or others could draw on that pool if they run out of sick leave,” Jones said. “That would only apply to a few of our employees for a protracted illness because most folks do have a fair amount of sick leave built up, but there are some new employees or folks who have been through other illnesses who have depleted or small sick leave balances.” Telephonic meeting goes relatively smoothly The April 13 council meeting was conducted telephonically pursuant to governor Inslee’s current prohibition on in-person city council meetings throughout the state. The meeting utilized the audio conferencing software OpenVoice. To listen in, members of the public could call a toll-free number and input an access number. The voices of those listening in were muted for the entirety of the meeting. This format is expected to continue into May and possibly beyond, mayor Bonnie Onyon said at the outset of the meeting. Onyon asked councilmembers to first state their names before speaking up on any matter, so that their voices could be easily identified. She asked them to speak slowly and not interject too quickly due to a slight time lag on some councilmembers’ phone lines. Most, but not all, of the speakers could be heard clearly. Prior to voting on each agenda item, Onyon asked each councilmember individually if they had any comments or questions. Each vote was held as a roll-call vote.
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BLAINE HARBOR MUSIC FESTIVAL/CAMP We are sorry to have to announce that, due to the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 virus, we cannot risk opening the 2020 Festival/Camp in July. We are already planning the 2021 Festival which will start next summer on Sunday, July 11. Thanks for your support and understanding and Be Well!
CITY OF BLAINE Due to COVID-19 and the Governor’s Proclamation, meetings are now only open to the public telephonically. Information on how to listen to the meeting live will be on the City Council agenda which is located on the City’s website homepage under Your Government, City Council, City Council Agenda.
Monday, April 27 6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting
Monday, May 11 6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting
Tuesday, May 26 (Monday the 25th is Memorial Day)
6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting
Monday, June 8 6:00pm – Regular City Council
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Monday, June 22 6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting All City offices are currently closed to the public. Contact information for staff and Councilmembers can be found on the City’s website. Call (360) 332-8311 or visit our website.
www.cityofblaine.com
Bay Medical Clinic will be closing on Thursday, April 30, 2020. Drs. Allan, Kazymyra, and staff would like to thank you for your many years of faith in us and for being such loyal patients. We are going to miss everyone.
Stay healthy!
Please arrange to pick up your chart ASAP before April 30th. The office phone will be checked occasionally for messages. No prescriptions will be filled after April 30th. Anyone who doesn't have a provider needs to find one as soon as possible.
Phone: 360-332-6327
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The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
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. 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 Jami Makan jami@pointrobertspress.com Copy Editor Aly Siemion aly@pointrobertspress.com Reporter Oliver Lazenby oliver@pointrobertspress.com Reporting Intern Grace McCarthy prpintern@pointrobertspress.com Creative Services Ruth Lauman, Doug De Visser production@pointrobertspress.com Office Manager Jeanie Luna info@pointrobertspress.com Advertising Sales Molly Ernst, Kristin Siemion sales@pointrobertspress.com General Editorial Inquiries editor@pointrobertspress.com Contributors In This Issue Doug Dahl The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200 Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXV, No 45 Circulation: 10,500 copies
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s Melody Philips, Whatcom Council on Aging (WCOA) lead cook, and Laurie Donaldson, Blaine Senior Center board member and volunteer, prepared, packaged and froze hundreds of meals that were distributed on April 22. Due to social distancing, the senior center stopped daily hot meals and worked with WCOA using frozen meals out of Bellingham. Since the number of those 60-plus needing meals has increased, the decision was made to make it local. “We are so proud of what Melody and Laurie are doing,” said senior center director Kathy Sitker. “Kudos to a job well done!”
Photo courtesy of Kathy Sitker
Letters The Editor: Last Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday, we provided hundreds of surgical masks to the people of Blaine and Birch Bay. I would like to especially recognize the anonymous donor for making the shipment to me possible, and for incurring the huge personal expense. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Also, to my dear friend Linda Weed, who has been tirelessly making cloth masks and whose smile brightens my day when we meet for a weekly exchange of goods. This also could not be a success without the help of The Northern Light, which puts the word out in print and online, as well as pastor Justin Long (Blaine Christian Fellowship) and pastor Lee Connors (The Bridge Community Hope Center). Last but not least, my kind, caring and giving helper, Joe Zaccaria, who is always ready and willing to jump in to help those in need, and Dr. David Allan. We hope to keep this drive going as long as we have masks. This would not have been such an amazing success without each and every one of you. Wishing our community good health at this difficult time. Marta Kazymyra, M.D. Blaine The Editor: We have gone, and are going, through a significant life-changing event with COVID-19, an event most of us probably did not see coming a few months ago. If you are like me, you have been watching the news to see what new tragedy has evolved somewhere in the world. You have sought the latest numbers on the internet for new confirmed cases and the number of deaths since yesterday. You pick up your cell phone and text your kids, grandkids and great-grandkids to confirm that none of those numbers was them. Yes, it is truly a calamity that none of us will soon forget. However, as we are now hopefully seeing the numbers give an indication of flattening out, we can begin to think that we are maybe returning to a period of some sanity, and that we are, with a bit of luck, a little wiser. For me, that wisdom includes the realization that I am extremely fortunate to be home in Whatcom County. Yes, we have observed our own heartbreaks, but surely this is nothing when compared to China, Italy, New York, New Orleans or even Seattle. With my oldest daughter in Lynden and youngest daughter in Point Roberts – recently declared to be one of the safest places to be right now – I am extremely fortunate. But with a son in Houston and another in San
Diego, I still have much cause to worry. Very fortunately indeed, my wife and I are in Blaine, a very strong and supportive community. I find myself very thankful. To Sukhwant Singh Gill and his son Gury Gill at the D Street Shell station for their milk, bread and powerful community spirit, giving back when needed. To the staff at Cost Cutter and Rite Aid who have been open with stocked shelves and cheery greetings, day after day. To our letter carriers who have been our contact to the outside world – neither snow nor rain nor pandemic keep them from their appointed rounds. Those who have kept us safe, out first responders, police and fire departments. And I am not forgetting you and your staff at The Northern Light newspaper; you have been there for us, keeping us in the loop. We must all remember this tragedy and learn from it. We should also remember that we have been very fortunate; it could have been far worse. We live in a strong, wonderful community with many doing what they must, what they can for all of us. For all in Blaine, for all in Whatcom County, thank you, friends. Lee C. Bravener Blaine The Editor: The COVID-19 pandemic threatens the health of millions in this country and around the world, but it also presents additional challenges for more than five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, their caregivers, the research community and the nonprofits serving these vulnerable populations. As an advocate for people with dementia, I understand first-hand the impact Alzheimer’s and all dementia has on families across America. Congress can act to help the Alzheimer’s and dementia communities during this crisis, by including these bipartisan Alzheimer’s Association proposals in the next economic relief package. 1. The Promoting Alzheimer’s Awareness to Prevent Elder Abuse Act would require the Department of Justice to develop best-practices materials to assist professionals who support victims of abuse living with Alzheimer’s and other dementia, to improve the quality of interactions with this vulnerable population. 2. The Improving HOPE for Alzheimer’s Act would educate clinicians about the Alzheimer’s and dementia care planning services available through Medicare. 3. Create a fund to support larger nonprofits, including loan forgiveness, so that charities like the Alzheimer’s Association can continue to effectively serve the com-
munities that depend on them. Please join me in encouraging U.S. senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and representative Suzan DelBene to include these proposals in the next pandemic relief package that will help the millions of families affected by Alzheimer’s and other dementia. Pete Minden Kirkland Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Young Reporters Attention all kids of Blaine, Birch Bay and Semiahmoo! The Northern Light is looking for young reporters and photographers. For the next several weeks, we will be offering newsroom assignments for any interested students. Each newsroom assignment will come out in the paper on Thursday and young reporters can submit their work by 5 p.m. the following Thursday. Submissions should be emailed by a parent or legal guardian to kristin@pointrobertspress.com and should include the parent’s contact number as well as the young reporter’s name and age. Following each assignment, one winning submission will be chosen for each of three age groups: 6 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years and 14 to 18 years. Prior to publication, parent permission slips will be required. Winning submissions will be published in The Northern Light, and their authors will receive a certificate and three-day YMCA youth pass. This week’s assignment: While they are under the governor’s stay-at-home order, kids’ lives have changed. They do their schooling from home, and probably more chores. What are they doing for fun? We are asking young reporters to think of things that kids can do for fun if they are bored. Explain your ideas in 200 words or less (for elementary students) or 350 words or less (for middle and high school students). Please submit a photo and one-sentence caption to accompany your article. Good luck!
April 23 - 29, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Our Thanks and Gratitude to our Donors and Advertisers Week 5 At time of writing, we have received 598 contributions in response to our request for support. We are so gratified to hear from so many people about the important role that The Northern Light plays in the lives of our readers and community. If we ever had any doubt that what we did wasn’t valued, we have been set straight by your support and comments. We are inspired to keep working and reporting about what’s happening locally and regionally while all of us experience a new reality. We’d also like to thank all of our advertisers – those who have been able to continue advertising with us and those who haven’t because of the coronavirus and its effects on their business. We understand and will look forward to welcoming you back as conditions permit. We wish you the best in the meantime. All of us at The Northern Light are well, practicing social distancing and working remotely when possible. We hope all of you are doing the same – our mutual adherence to these strategies will end up saving lives and livelihoods.
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The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
Events ... From page 1
Border, handsacrosstheborder.info. The Peace Arch monument has its 100th anniversary next year, and the group has already scheduled next year’s Hands Across the Border for June 13, 2021. The city of Blaine had some new events planned this summer, but it has canceled those and other city-organized summer events, said Alex Wenger, community planner. The city had more events planned than usual, he said, including a new series of
summer street dances. “I do want to emphasize how disappointed we are,” Wenger said. “We had put quite a bit of effort into two summer dances.” The Blaine chamber’s other upcoming summer events, such as the Drayton Harbor Days maritime festival featuring tall ships, will have their funding revoked by the city of Blaine. The Blaine Tourism Advisory Committee voted at an April 22 meeting to recommend to city council that all funding for those events be canceled. The city funds those and other events through an annual grant program funded by a citywide hotel and motel tax. Last year, it awarded more than $120,000 to
local citizens and nonprofits for hosting and marketing events. That advisory board made its recommendation to pull event funding to slow the virus’ spread, but Wenger also noted that the city’s lodging tax will collect considerably less than normal due to the pandemic’s effect on travel and tourism. “We’re expecting, at this point, a 30 percent reduction,” he said. The first-ever Point Roberts Race Week, a week of sailing races that would have included water taxi service from Blaine, has also been canceled by its organizers. The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce hasn’t made an announcement about its summer
events, which include the Birch Bay Kite Festival on May 30 and 31 and the Birch Bay Sand Sculpture Competition and Rollback Weekend on July 18 and 19. Chamber executive director Liz Thornton said in an email that the chamber board hasn’t had a meeting yet to talk about its events. One of the larger gatherings in Birch Bay is the unorganized fireworks on the beach and other festivities surrounding the Fourth of July. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office doesn’t yet have a plan for Fourth of July in Birch Bay, said undersheriff Doug Chadwick. “We’ll certainly take a look at that once it gets a little closer and do an assessment on state and
local guidance and on whether some of those restrictions have been lifted,” he said. He added that so far, the county sheriff has taken an approach of education, rather than enforcement, for the governor’s stay-at-home order. Many big summer events elsewhere in Whatcom County have been canceled, including Bellingham’s Fourth of July festival and fireworks. Many events, including local film festivals, are now “virtual events” with live-streamed online gatherings and film screenings. The Lynden Chamber of Commerce announced in a Facebook post that it will delay any announcements about canceling chamber events.
Blaine United Church Government officials planning next phase in virus battle L of Christ B O y
Sunday Services Now Online! Join Us Livestreaming via Zoom Meetings (see Facebook for details) u Jes
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With new COVID-19 infections dropping, state and local governments are planning for the next stage of the pandemic – one in which some social distancing restrictions are eased while targeted containment measures keep the number of new infections in check. The governor and the Whatcom County Health Department have outlined some goals for lifting restrictions. In a televised announcement on April 21, governor Jay Inslee suggested that some restrictions could be lifted soon, but that “not many restrictions would be lifted by May 4.” Elective surgeries, construction and more outdoor
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recreation could start soon, he said. Fishing is closed throughout the state, some public lands are closed and many cities have closed playgrounds and basketball courts. The state has a plan to allow construction to start in a limited way with safety measures in place, the governor said. Without targeted measures to contain the virus’ spread, the rate of new infections will climb as soon as restrictions are lifted, the governor said. To find new infections and stop them from spreading, the state is working to expand its ability to test widely, isolate those who are infected, identify those they came into contact with and quarantine those contacts. While the state is making progress, it lacks test kits – the swabs, sterile tubes and viral test medium needed to collect a sample and transport it to a lab. “The simple fact is that the nation is sorely lacking test kits, and today I sent a letter to the vice president saying as much,” Inslee said. Between state and local health departments, the governor expected that by the second week of May, 1,500 workers would be trained on “contact tracing,” the process of identifying who infected individuals have come into contact with, which is currently done primarily through phone interviews. Whatcom County Health Department officials outlined similar local requirements in a virtual press briefing on April 20. Cindy Hollinsworth, communicable disease and epidemiology manager, said the county is working to expand community testing sites and helping health care providers set up their own sites. As of last week, about 1,000 people per week could get tested in Whatcom County, she said. The health department is also training community health staff to do contact tracing. A new health department task force will help businesses “reopen and feel confident they can keep staff and customers safe,” health department director Erika Lautenbach said at the press briefing. The health department plans to put out more information this week for those interested in joining the task force. New infections decreasing in Whatcom County To date, Whatcom County has 280 confirmed cases and 27 deaths from the respiratory illness, and the number of new infections per week is decreasing.
During the week beginning April 12, the health department reported 11 new cases. The highest weekly total occurred the week of March 22, when the health department reported 107 total cases. Statewide, 112,282 people have tested positive for the virus and 682 had died as of April 21, according to the state department of health. In the U.S., about 776,000 people have tested positive and more than 41,000 have died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of April 21, 1,724 in B.C. had tested positive, and 87 had died, according to the B.C. Centre for Disease Control. Border restrictions extended 30 more days Restrictions on non-essential travel across the northern border have been extended for 30 additional days, after they were due to expire on April 20. In a statement posted to the Department of Homeland Security website on April 20, acting secretary Chad Wolf said that the decision to extend the border restrictions was mutual. “In close collaboration, the U.S., Mexico and Canada have each agreed to extend restrictions on non-essential travel across their shared borders for 30 additional days,” Wolf said. “As President Trump stated last week, border control, travel restrictions and other limitations remain critical to slowing the spread and allowing the phased opening of the country.” As of April 22, there was no official statement about the extension on the main page of the Canada Border Services Agency website. Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau initially announced the extension at an April 18 briefing in Ottawa. “The agreement is the same terms,” Trudeau reportedly said. “It’s just extended for another 30 days. It will ensure we continue to get essential goods and services back and forth across the border.” County prepares for drop in revenue Whatcom County executive Satpal Sidhu has implemented a hiring freeze, a postponement of existing contracts and other immediate steps to decrease county operating costs in the face of falling tax revenues, he said in an April 21 press release. “Our organization will continue to prioritize the emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. While the economy idles,
we are immediately implementing measures designed to decrease our operating costs,” Sidhu said in the press release. “Our objectives are to prepare our organization to weather the financial impacts of this emergency, keep our organization intact, cohesive and resume expected operations that serve our community.” In addition to a hiring freeze and postponement of contracts, the county is reducing supply purchases and discretionary spending, and is saving on personnel expenses through schedule adjustments. The county anticipates that property tax collections will be about two-thirds of normal levels for April, and that sales tax revenue will be cut in half through April and May, in addition to declines in other revenue sources. “We learned from the last recession that the quicker we act in a fiscally prudent manner with cost reductions, the better financial health we will have in the long term,” Sidhu said. UW model suggests state can ease social distancing May 25 A state-by-state analysis from the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) released April 21 suggests that Washington state can relax some social distancing measures starting the week of Monday, May 25. The IHME model uses one infection per million people as a threshold for when social distancing can be relaxed, but it only recommends making changes at that point if containment measures are in place to stop a resurgence of the virus. Containment measures include extensive testing, interviews to determine who infected individuals have come into contact with (known as “contact tracing”) and isolation of new cases. In the first wave of the outbreak, Washington state went from one case per million to more than 600 per million in a month, from February 28 to March 28, according to data from the state department of health. Schools and businesses were open for much of that time; the governor announced statewide school closures on March 13 and issued a stay-home order on March 23. A previous version of the model suggested Washington could lift social distancing restrictions a week earlier, on Monday, May 18.
April 23 - 29, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Jail ... From page 1
or alcohol-related offenses, as well as people being held on lower-level supervision violations. “This will help allow for increased physical distancing throughout the Department of Corrections’ system, reducing the population by up to 950 people to continue to reduce the risks to incarcerated individuals while balancing public safety concerns,” Inslee said in an April 13 press release. “People are routinely released from jail and prison early all of the time,” said Blaine Police Department sergeant Michael Munden in an email to The Northern Light. “Most are released for good reasons and many go on to be productive members of society. In the case of those who may return to their former criminal lifestyle, we trust our partners in the Department of Corrections to properly monitor those released through the many options they have available to them.” What happens to an inmate who is released early and commits another crime depends on the severity of the new crime, Jones said. “Except for crimes of violence against people or domestic violence, we’re pretty much not taking people into custody,” Jones said. “DUI is the other exception for that, and we will either hold them until the judge lets them go or hold them until they sober up and we can let them go.” Jones said people concerned about the release of a particular inmate should visit Whatcom County’s website, whatcomcounty. us, to better understand why the inmate was released. The website offers information about Whatcom County Jail releases by date. The average daily release rate has decreased 41 percent, according to jail data. The jail’s daily release rate since March 1 was 10.6 inmates per day, whereas that number averaged 18 people per day in 2019. The reason the release rate has decreased is because fewer people are being booked into the jail, Jones said. No inmates or staff of the Whatcom County Jail had tested positive for COVID-19 as of April 20. “Everybody who comes into the jail, whether they are an offender, police officer, corrections deputy or attorney, has to get a temperature reading when they’re coming on shift or into the building,” Jones said. “We don’t want anyone bringing it into the jail.” Remote court appearances, spreading inmates throughout the facility and a temporary halt to visitation are some of the precautionary measures the jail is taking to prevent COVID-19 from infecting inmates or staff. The jail was built in 1984 to house one person per cell, but within 10 years, two people regularly shared a cell, Jones said. Now, the reduced population means that every inmate has their own cell, even with two units currently closed to construction and two medical dormitories sectioned off for potential COVID-19 response. The medical dormitories have air vents that channel air outside as opposed to circulating it through the facility. This helps
redirect respiratory droplets caused by coughing and sneezing to vents that are regularly cleaned by maintenance, Jones said. Inmates have cooperated with the new measures, Jones said. She pointed to communication between jail staff and inmates as the primary reason there hasn’t been pushback to the new measures. To help ease the loss of visitations, the jail is providing extra supplies for letters and relying on phone calls for inmates. Jones said her biggest concern is a staff member being exposed to COVID-19 outside the jail and bringing it into the facility. “That would potentially be a nightmare scenario for us,” Jones said. “Everyone is being very careful and we’re taking the precautions that we can, so I’m hoping that scenario does not occur.” Kittitas County agreement Barely four months into its newest inmate housing agreement, Whatcom County brought its 10 inmates back from Kittitas County on April 1 due to extra space opening up in Whatcom County’s facilities. The agreement, which allows the county and its municipalities to house inmates in the Kittitas County Jail, went into effect on January 1 to help alleviate capacity constraints while Whatcom County undergoes a $4.2 million construction project that started in January to replace old cell doors. Although a decreased Whatcom County Jail population from COVID-19 has lessened the need for extra housing, Jones predicted that the jail will eventually go back to transporting inmates the 190 miles to Ellensburg, where the Kittitas jail is located. “I’m sure that we’ll be back because I suspect that after all the restrictions related to COVID are lifted, bookings may then increase if people are out and about more,” Jones said. “I would anticipate by this summer, depending on how the pandemic goes, we may have offenders back in Kittitas.” The agreement with Kittitas County followed Yakima County’s abrupt termination of its previous contract with Whatcom County in August. Ed Campbell, director of Yakima County’s corrections department, declined to comment on why his county terminated the contract. Whatcom County had begun its contract with Yakima in 2017. Whatcom County municipalities pay Whatcom County’s corrections bureau $131 per day to house an inmate, whereas Whatcom County pays Kittitas County $66.50 per day to house an inmate. The extra fees charged to Whatcom’s cities cover communications, transport and other functions that Whatcom County now handles. “Communication with Whatcom County has been tremendous,” said Steve Panattoni, the Kittitas County Jail superintendent who helped facilitate the agreement. “Our sergeants work with theirs on a daily basis.” The Kittitas agreement anticipates 20 to 50 Whatcom County inmates per week at the jail, Panattoni said. The jail has 209 beds, about 68 of which can be used for outside inmates. The jail’s capacity for Whatcom County inmates is about 70, depending on the economy and
other factors, he said. The Kittitas agreement was made to help alleviate space constraints as Whatcom County works on remodeling its jail. Kittitas County can work with Whatcom County beyond the completion of the Whatcom County Jail renovations, Panattoni said. Construction continues at Whatcom County Jail Construction of 160 new cell doors in the Whatcom County Jail is part of a larger plan to update the building. Some of the renovations have been needed for a long time, almost since the start of the jail’s operations. “Initially, the downtown jail started having problems three years after we opened,” Jones said of the 36-year-old jail. The opening of the Interim Work Center in 2006 helped with capacity constraints when it added 146 beds, but about five years ago, population crowding once again became an issue, she said. While the number of individual inmates at Whatcom County Jail has decreased 29 percent over the past decade, crowding has occurred nonetheless. Of the inmates who are coming in, many are staying longer because they are more serious offenders, Jones said. These cases also tend to be more complicated and move at a slower pace through the criminal justice system. Felony-level drug charges and DUIs were the two largest categories of offenses in 2019, Jones said. Construction is continuing as scheduled, Jones said. The construction site is separated from inmates and workers are taking proper social distancing measures. Doors for the first two units are finished and inmates are already occupying those cells, creating what Jones hopes will be an easy template for the remaining units. Rusty Noble, special project manager for Whatcom County, said new cell doors were the first priority for the construction project. “They are the original doors of the jail. They’re out-of-date,” Noble said. “They’re opened and closed thousands of times and kicked on and worn out. For the safety of the officers, as well as the inmates, that was the first thing that needed to be taken care of.” Noble said the original assumption was that construction would take a year to a year and a half, but he doesn’t think it will take as long as initially projected. Best-case scenarios project completion by February 2021. “The [construction workers] learned from those first two units and now have everything straightened out to go through the rest of jail,” Jones said. “We’re hoping it’ll speed up a little bit, but we’ll see.” Before COVID-19, the sheriff’s office was already putting greater emphasis on alternatives to incarceration to ease facility constraints. The county is listening to public opinion that is asking for treatment of people convicted of crimes instead of jail time, Whatcom County sheriff Bill Elfo said in February. When someone is convicted, the county will determine if they are eligible for the Interim Work Center or pre-trial home monitoring. Other initiatives include lowering bail and releasing people on a promise to appear in court.
WHAT’S OPEN Up-to-date information on business hours, special offers, and delivery/pick up options. For more listings and to add your business to the online service for free, visit:
www.thenorthernlight.com/whatsopen Bow Wow & Woofs Offering Curbside Pickup! Simply call your Order in & Pay over the Phone or Order Online at www.bowwowwoofs. com! Pick up at the Store Rear Entrance. Just pop your Trunk & I will place your Pet Food, Treats etc. in your trunk with no human contact! www.bowwowwoofs.com
Peace Arch Real Estate Office is closed, but agents are working remotely to list and purchase homes. Virtual tours, e-signings, and wire transfers are available. Showings are possible by appointment only and with only 1 person and agent. www.peacearchrealestate.com
Law Offices of Roger Ellingson, PS We are still open working on wills, contracts, family law, business formation, and litigation. Potential clients are welcome to call us at 360-332-7000 - we can effectively meet your legal needs via telephone and videoconferencing. www.northwhatcomlaw.com
Blaine Bouquets
Blaine Bouquets
Our storefront is closed. We are taking orders on our website and phone in. “No contact” deliveries or pick up curbside. You can order ‘’curbside”-speak through our front door. Open Mon-Fri 10 am to 2 ish or later depending upon business. www.blainebouquets.net
Spoken Designs In this difficult season, we are still available to assist business owners with websites and marketing projects. Potential clients are welcome to call us at (360) 603-0793. www.spokendesigns.com
Silver Reef Casino Resort We have temporarily suspended all operations. When the time is right to reopen, we will adhere to our stringent cleaning & disinfection efforts for everyone’s safety. We are accepting virtual appts for meetings/weddings booking for future dates. www.silverreefcasino.com
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ay ay ance to
Day-to-Day Dance Studio We are offering all our classes virtually. Hours Vary. See schedule at www.daytodaydance.com
Blaine Chamber of Commerce
Our hearts go out to you, your families, and all of our communities during this uncertain time. While this is a challenging, scary situation for everyone, we know that it is especially difficult for those, like so many of you, who are working to build a new business or keep a small, local business afloat. Now and always, you are our greatest inspiration. If we can assist you in any way during this difficult time, please reach out to our program coordinator, Donna Raimey. www.blainechamber.com
Fortiphi Insurance Our business is all about serving you. We know COVID-19 is impacting many of our valued clients and Fortiphi has a business continuity and technology strategy in place to allow us to continue to provide uninterrupted service to you during this time. You can call us at 360.332.7300 or email at info@fortiphi.com and our team is happy to assist new and existing clients. We’re so grateful to service your insurance, locally. Our best to you and yours doing this time! www.fortiphi.com
Washi Arts We are taking orders from our website (www.washiarts.com) for shipment or curbside pickup. www.washiarts.com
Dank of America We are open 7-days a week, Safety is our highest priority! We have a hand wash station and hand sanitizer for our customers. Please visit our website DankofAmericaBlaine.com for further info on our precautions and Specials. Also Call in ordering available. www.DankofAmericaBlaine.com
Launching Success We are open to the public with a limit of 10 people in our store. We are taking orders over the phone, email, Facebook messenger and on our website. We are offering free delivery and parking lot pick-up. We will work with whatever works for you and your families! We’ve created learning kits at different price levels that you can customize for each kiddo in your life. Check them out on our website. Be well! www.launchingsuccess.com
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The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
Wildbird Charity delivering more weekend meals to hungry kids By Jami Makan For almost two years, Wildbird Charity has been providing Whatcom County kids with bags of food to take home on weekends. But demand is growing during the coronavirus pandemic as many parents lose their livelihoods due to mandatory business closures. As a result, Wildbird has gone from supplying 220 food bags each week to 830 bags, said Phill Esau, executive director of Wildbird Charity. “Many families have become unemployed, so the need has grown tremendously since the virus hit,” Esau said. Wildbird’s program supplements efforts by school districts to provide breakfasts and lunches to kids stuck at home during mandatory school closures. For example, the Blaine school district is currently delivering meals along regular bus routes Monday through Friday, and it is also distributing meals at five churches around Blaine.
Although it delivers double on Fridays, food from the school district is not always enough to last the whole weekend, Esau said. That’s why Wildbird provides food bags every Friday to kids from the Blaine, Bellingham and Mt. Baker school districts who are in need. Each bag contains two breakfasts, two lunches, two dinners and some snacks. The Blaine Food Bank donates food for the Blaine portion of the program, while the rest of the food is usually purchased from stores like Costco, which generally don’t offer bulk discounts to charities. The food is purchased using donations from private individuals, corporations, the Rotary Club and churches. Food bags were previously assembled at three locations: St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Bellingham; the Blaine school district’s Family Service Center; and the Mt. Baker school district in a portable trailer adjacent to Kendall Elementary School. After the virus hit, the program grew
and schools and churches were forced to close, volunteers relocated all packing to Blaine. Every Tuesday and Thursday, about 20 volunteers – divided into morning and afternoon crews – get together in Blaine to pack food bags. The volunteers consist of various community members, including some people who had walked past the building, asked what was going on and offered to assist. “It’s a nice variety of hardworking people who enjoy what they’re doing,” Esau said. Packing is done at the old Wolten and Montfort grocery store at 648 Peace Portal Drive, a structure that is being renovated by Nimbus Properties, a real estate company whose proceeds help support Wildbird Charity. “The city gave us a temporary occupancy permit to do the packing,” Esau said. Working together, volunteers wear masks and gloves and practice social distancing. After the food bags are assembled, they are
s A volunteer for Wildbird Charity assembling weekend food bags in Blaine for Whatcom County children at risk of food insecurity. Photo by Louise Mugar
delivered on Fridays to schoolaged children in need in Blaine, Bellingham and Mt. Baker. Last week, Wildbird’s weekend program more than doubled in size after expanding to Ferndale, where the charity will deliver an extra 500 bags of food per week.
If you are interested in donating to or volunteering for Wildbird Charity, please visit wildbirdcharity.org. The charity is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and those who make charitable contributions will receive official donation receipts.
BHS alum graduates from U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs By Jami Makan A member of the Blaine High School (BHS) Class of 2012 recently graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy, earning a bachelor of science degree in systems engineering – human factors. Stefawn Perrin, 26, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Air Force following a graduation ceremony that took place on April 18 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The ceremony featured a commencement address by U.S. vice president Mike Pence and a fly-over by the Thunderbirds squadron of fighter jets. During the ceremony, which was originally scheduled to take place on May 28, cadets marched or sat at least six feet apart from each other. The event was livestreamed to friends and family members like Perrin’s parents, Fuzz and Patty Perrin, who were not allowed to attend the ceremony at Falcon Stadium in person. At the end of the ceremony, 967 new officers including Perrin hurled their caps high into the air. “We actually got the vice president to come – that was incredible,” Perrin said. “It was something that was very memorable. We had to sit eight feet apart, and had to wear masks at the end. It’s a tradition that the Thunderbirds fly over, and we actually got the oppor-
tunity for them to fly over. It was incredible because we got to graduate. With everything happening with COVID, it’s been tough on the whole nation. For our leadership to actually let us do that, following all CDC guidelines, was something that was remarkable.” After graduating from BHS in 2012, Perrin spent a year at Skagit Valley College before enlisting in the Air Force at the end of 2013. She worked in the Air Force’s security division as an Air Force cop, including in Minot, North Dakota where she moved at the beginning of 2014. While sitting in the gym in Minot one day, Perrin decided to apply to the prestigious Air Force Academy. She had started, but not completed, an application to the academy during her junior year at BHS. In addition to serving her country, she wanted to be the first person in her family to graduate from a four-year college. “In the first place, I’m a big family person, so I did it for my future family and for my family now to have someone to look up to,” she said. “I really wanted to serve. I really wanted to protect my country.” After applying, Perrin spent a year in preparatory school on the Air Force Academy campus in Colorado from 2015 to 2016, studying math, English, the sci-
ences and “everything that could get you prepared for the higher level of the academy,” she said. Perrin began her studies at the academy in 2016, wearing a uniform to school every day. In addition to classes on Monday through Friday, she participated in military trainings on Saturdays. Her studies also included an emphasis on physical fitness with mandatory PE classes. Perrin is now on a two-month break, which she is spending in Colorado hanging out with friends and staying fit. She will then attend training in Pensacola, Florida where she will learn how to be a combat systems officer. This flight role involves overseeing navigation, electronic warfare and weapons systems. “It’s everything in the aircraft that the pilot doesn’t do,” Perrin said. “I have never been in a fighter jet but I hope to. I will just take it from here and see how it goes.” Perrin, who turned 26 a day after her graduation ceremony, said that she tries to return to Blaine once a year if possible. “It’s the people,” she said. “I still keep in contact with some of my mentors, including my old basketball coach and a secretary at BHS. They helped me out and got me to where I am today. Blaine in general is a great place to come from, honestly.”
s BHS and U.S. Air Force Academy graduate Stefawn Perrin. Photo courtesy of Patty Perrin
Bay Medical Clinic closing permanently on April 30 By Jami Makan Bay Medical Clinic patients are reminded to contact the clinic as soon as possible before the clinic closes permanently on Thursday, April 30. Patients are urged to refill their prescriptions to ensure they have a sufficient supply until they select and visit a new provider. No prescriptions will be refilled after
April 30, and pharmacies are being notified so that they no longer fax the clinic after that date. If patients need their charts, they should make an appointment as soon as possible to sign a records release and let the clinic know where the records will be going. The clinic will then release the records to the patient to take to their new provider. No retirement celebration or gath-
ering is planned due to COVID-19. Once the clinic closes, its doctors will be donating furniture, equipment and other items. The clinic hopes to donate some of its furniture to the Community Assistance Program (CAP) for the new, 1,200-square-foot CAP Center that will eventually be built on C Street. The clinic also hopes to donate its models of the human body to college nursing programs in Belling-
ham, as well as cloth exam gowns to local nursing homes. The clinic is also in touch with some family physicians to see if they would like to acquire any of the clinic’s specialized medical equipment. “We’re very grateful for our long and challenging careers,” said Dr. Marta Kazymyra, who opened the Blaine practice four decades ago with her husband, Dr. David Allan. “It’s been a huge
pleasure serving this community and we’ll miss everybody.” Dr. Kazymyra wanted to acknowledge the clinic’s staff in particular. “They have worked tirelessly during the COVID pandemic to keep the patients safe,” she said. “They’ve done an outstanding job. They are so dedicated and we have always been blessed by amazing staff. They definitely are the best.”
April 23 - 29, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
9
Blaine grandparents visit new Canadian grandson through chain-link fence By Jami Makan Blaine residents John and Sharon Andes recently visited with their new grandson through a chain-link fence, as a result of border restrictions that prevent the couple from crossing into Canada, where the new baby was born and lives with his parents. John and Sharon Andes previously visited with the new baby, Stephen Cyrus Waldner, on March 21 at Peace Arch State Park. That’s the day border restrictions initially went into effect prohibiting “non-essential” travel across the border. That day, the grandparents parked on the U.S. side of the park, while their daughter, son-in-law and sixday-old grandson parked on the Canadian side. They then met in the free zone of Peace Arch State Park, where Americans and Canadians can gather without any border-crossing formalities. After state parks were shut on March 25, the grandparents had to get even more creative. On April 13, they found a spot in a
residential area in Blaine immediately adjacent to “0” Avenue in Surrey. Their daughter, son-inlaw and grandson drove to the same spot from their home in Cloverdale and met them on the other side of a steel fence. They set up lawn chairs on their respective sides of the barrier and began their meeting. “We tried to meet at the park in March, and now we had to meet through a fence,” John Andes said. Within minutes, a border patrol agent approached the family. “The border patrol was right on us right away,” Andes said. “They know you’re there whenever they see activity around the border. We got our chairs out of our car and walked up to the border and right up to the fence, and within minutes they were there.” The agent told the family that he didn’t want the baby passed across the border, and that the two parties were not allowed to touch each other through the fence. Other than that, the agent was polite and understanding. “He was a very nice gentleman,”
Andes said. “We told him what we were doing and he was totally fine with it and said that’s great.” For about an hour, the grandparents chatted with their daughter and son-in-law. The baby, who was born in good health and is now one month old, was awake for part of the meeting and then fell asleep. “People are still trying to connect with their families in any way possible despite the border being closed,” Andes said, noting that he and his wife have friends in Lynden who have held similar cross-border meetings with their Canadian relatives, separated by fences, ditches and an invisible line. The border restrictions were due to be lifted on April 21, but on April 17, it was reported that Canada and the U.S. agreed to extend the current restrictions for at least another 30 days. Toward the end of their April 13 meeting, the property manager, an elderly woman, walked over to the Andes and told them they couldn’t sit where they were
s Due to border restrictions, Blaine residents John and Sharon Andes visited with their Canadian daughter, son-in-law and new baby grandson through a metal fence on April 13.
Courtesy photo
sitting. “She didn’t really want us to be there, so it kind of ended our time,” John Andes said. “It ended not so well.” Andes said that the family will try looking for other spots along the border, and that they have also tried meeting digitally using FaceTime. In a recent video meeting, the Andes opened
up some presents for the baby and gave them to him virtually. The gifts included some sportsthemed toys and a small stuffed kangaroo. “We’re grateful and we realize that these are unique times,” John Andes said. “We’re just going to have to keep doing what we can.”
Q&A with Blaine councilmember and district 42 candidate Alicia Rule By Grace McCarthy Alicia Rule is a Democrat running for the District 42 – Position 1 seat in the state house of representatives in this year’s elections. Rule is a Blaine city councilmember and has worked in Whatcom County as a social worker and small business owner. Rule discussed with The Northern Light what she’s accomplished, the highest priorities on her political agenda and what she wants people to know about her election campaign. This interview was edited for brevity and clarity. Could you talk about your personal history and how that led to public service? I probably became a public servant much younger than I realized. My family and my community instilled values in me early on that it’s our job to take care of those around us and to do what we can to help our community members. I’ve looked for opportunities to use that wherever I can. When you volunteer enough, eventually I think you land in politics. What inspired you to take this path? I was expecting to look for an opportunity where I could help my neighbors and my friends and the community. When I arrived at city council, I found that I really loved the work. It’s when we get deep in the work and really start thinking through problem solving that I’m at my best. As much as I enjoy working at the local level, I started to see the bigger picture. A lot of the issues we’re bumping into for our community are influenced by stuff that’s happening at the state and larger levels. How do you believe that you can support the people of the 42nd district? My family has been in Whatcom County for five generations. We have done so many different things, collectively, in this
county that I feel I have a good idea about who we are as a community, coupled with my background as a social worker where I’ve managed and led programs through difficult times through much of my career. Whether it’s helping somebody individually work through a crisis or helping large organizations move through big changes, when things get difficult, I lean in and that’s when I do my best work. Although I’m very impacted like everybody about the COVID-19 crisis that we’re dealing with, I feel that those experiences throughout my professional background have suited me well to lead us through this and get to the other side. We will not always be in this crisis and we’ll need a good, strong leader to be able to lead us into the future, including a lot of rebuilding of systems that aren’t working well right now. What does the district mean to you? This is home to me. Everything I do here is connected to the people who live here and the land we live on. When I look outside my house, I see the bald eagles dipping in and out of the trees. Those are the same bald eagles that we worked so hard to protect when I was a child. When I go to the ocean and I taste how it tastes in the air, that’s the same thing that I got to experience when I was a kid. I never want to be able to look back and say, “We didn’t protect that.” Whether it’s our land or our community, we have really special values here and we look after each other. I see that so clearly in the current circumstances. When things get hard, we look after each other, we connect, we take care of each other and we don’t leave anyone behind. What do you want people to know about your election campaign? We are working hard to thoroughly understand the district and bring the values and things
that are important from the real people who live here to Olympia. I’m looking forward to being able to help bring back good jobs. We’re going to need them and I’m looking forward to supporting small business. Our small businesses are hurting, and being able to rebuild that system is going to be critical to maintaining our lifestyle in Whatcom County. What are the highest priorities on your political agenda? I think rebuilding the economy is going to be critically important, and I think rebuilding the economy in a way that includes everybody is even more important. We don’t exactly know what it’s going to look like in our future, but we do know that it’s going to be challenging and we know that we are going to need a voice that really understands the diverse constituency we have in the 42nd district. How has your work on the Blaine council helped prepare you for this position? One of the things I like about it is that we’re a really, really mixed group of people. We have varying personalities and points of view, even varying political views, and we work together well, even when we disagree. I hope that experience is something I can bring to Olympia – that we can get to a point where we can talk about issues and do problem-solving that’s beyond finger-pointing and the divisiveness that we’ve seen historically. What do you consider your biggest political accomplishments so far? One of the things I’m really proud of is the work we did with our downtown. What worked really well is bringing people together. No one person was able to put downtown together and no one person is going to be able to preserve and work hard for that in the future. It takes the work of business people, community leaders, community members
and elected officials as a team to get things done. It’s a representative’s job to take the voice from all the people in the district, even when they don’t agree, and make decisions that solve problems. What initiatives did you take to get those things accomplished? Every time we meet as a council, there’s a lot of preparatory work that happens before we get to the meeting. Some of the things make it into actual movement and other things don’t, but it still can move the needle on things. One of the things I feel proud of is our economic development. The B&O tax might be something that’s helpful at a time like right now when we’re about to turn into what might be a recession. There are some businesses that are doing quite well. For example, grocery stores. If they’re able to contribute when other people are not able to contribute to our tax space, it might be the thing that saves us. Another thing I’m really proud of: I moved forward a proclamation for a Sikh Awareness Day. That was especially important to me because I can see the 42nd district is changing. It’s important that we make sure and celebrate our differences while being able to work together. There have been some seemingly small things I’ve been able to do, like recently being a leader in the decision to suspend late fees for utilities. That was something important because I understand there are many people in Blaine against hard times and I wanted to be sure we were protective of them. I was glad to be able to make a case for that with the council, which made a unanimous decision to make that happen. There have been a few other projects like saving trees in Skallman Park. I feel really happy when I can go over to the park and see they’re still there.
s Alicia Rule.
File photo
What more do you hope to achieve? I think in some ways, the goals are the same. Something that’s important to our area in Whatcom County is for all people to be able to access a quality of life that allows for fresh air, clean water and access to the outdoors while being able to have affordable housing and a good job. That was important before and now that we know we’re up against some really unprecedented challenges to our way of life based on this pandemic. Is there anything else that you would like to add or you think that people should know? I want to be sure people understand that as a small business owner and as a manager of nonprofits, and some of my other experience as a school social worker, I’ve had a variety of experiences in my professional life that have led me to be able to really understand a good variety of people and their perspectives. When I go to meetings and I am in a decision-making capacity, it’s the stories I’ve heard over the years from different people that help me arrive at decisions that are sound for everybody. An interview with a third candidate in the race for the District 42 – Position 1 seat, Dustin Gleaves, is available exclusively online at thenorthernlight.com.
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The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
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s On April 15, a gray whale came to the surface just south of Birch Bay along Point Whitehorn. Photographer Eric Ellingson was just coming back from a hike on Sucia when he spotted the whale at 4:30 p.m. He cut the engine and spent 30 minutes watching the amazing sight. Photo by Eric Ellingson
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Legal IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In re the Matter and Estate of: JANET GILLIS HANSEN, Deceased. No. 20-4-0015437. AMENDED PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. RCW 11.40.030 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: April 9, 2020. PATRICIA ALESSE, Personal Representative PRESENTED BY: Law Offices of Roger L. Ellingson, P.S. by: Roger L. Ellingson, WSBA #19292. Attorney for Personal Representative. PO Box 1258 / 289 H Street. Blaine, WA 98231-1258 (360) 332-7000; Fax: (360) 332-6677
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Woodberry Land Development, LLC, Brady Mayson, PO Box 438 Custer, WA 98240, is seeking coverage under the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Construction Stormwater NPDES and State Waste Discharge General Permit. The proposed project, Woodberry PUD, is located at Tax Parcel Number 405111 020076 in Blaine in Whatcom county. This project involves 9.7 acres of soil disturbance for Highway or Road, Residential, Utilities construction activities.The receiving waterbody is Semiahamoo Bay. Any persons desiring to present their views to the Washington State Department of Ecology regarding this Application, or interested in Ecology’s action on this Application, may notify Ecology in writing no later than 30 days of the last date of publication of this notice. Ecology reviews public comments and considers whether discharges from this project would cause a measurable change in receiving water quality, and, if so, whether the project is necessary and in the overriding public interest according to Tier II anti-degradation requirements under WAC 173-201A-320. Comments can be submitted to: ecyrewqianoi@ecy. wa.gov, or Department of Ecology Attn: Water Quality Program, Construction Stormwater P.O. Box 47696, Olympia, WA 98504-7696.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT Chapter 18.27.100 of the Revised Code of Washington requires that all advertisements for construction services include the contractor’s registration number in the advertisement. To verify a contractor’s license, call the Dept. of Labor and Industry’s contractors registration at 1-800-647-0982.
11
Legal IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM No. 20-2-00464-37 SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION JAMES LAWRENCE CLARKE, in his individual capacity and as Co-Personal Representative of the ESTATES OF RICHARD BONIFACE CLARKE and ELLEN BERYL CLARKE, Deceased; GERARD JOSEPH CLARKE, in his individual capacity and as Co-Personal Representative of the ESTATES OF RICHARD BONIFACE CLARKE and ELLEN BERYL CLARKE, Deceased; RICHARD JAMES CLARKE, in his individual capacity; PAUL ANTHONY CLARKE, in his individual capacity; PATRICK JOHN CLARKE, in his individual capacity; JOHN TIMOTHY CLARKE, in his individual capacity; FRANCES ALVIN CLARKE, in his individual capacity; ANDREW THOMAS CLARKE, in his individual capacity; and ELLEN MARIE FAIRN, in her individual capacity, Plaintiffs v. ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL; ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER; and ALSO ALL OTHER PERSONS OR PARTIES UNKNOWN CLAIMING ANY RIGHT, TITLE, INTEREST, ESTATE, OR LIEN IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN, Defendants. TO THE DEFENDANTS: ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL; ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER; and ALSO ALL OTHER PERSONS OR PARTIES UNKNOWN CLAIMING ANY RIGHT, TITLE, INTEREST, ESTATE, OR LIEN IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN. YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear within sixty (60) days after the date of first publication of this summons, to wit; within sixty (60) days after the day of March 19, 2020, and defend the above-entitled action in the above-entitled court, and answer the Verified Complaint of the Plaintiffs JAMES LAWRENCE CLARKE, ESTATES OF RICHARD BONIFACE CLARKE and ELLEN BERYL CLARKE, Deceased, GERARD JOSEPH CLARKE, RICHARD JAMES CLARKE, PAUL ANTHONY CLARKE, PATRICK JOHN CLARKE, JOHN TIMOTHY CLARKE, FRANCES ALVIN CLARKE, ANDREW THOMAS CLARKE, and ELLEN MARIE FAIRN, and serve a copy of your answer upon the undersigned attorney for Plaintiffs, Mark W. Stowe of Stowe Law PLLC at their office stated below; and, in case of your failure to do so, judgment will be rendered against you according to the demand of the Verified Complaint in this action, which has been filed with the Clerk of said Court. The object of this action is to quiet title in the Plaintiffs to real property located in Whatcom County, Washington, described as: LOT 7 AND THE EAST ONE-HALF OF LOT 8, BLOCK 6, MAPLE BEACH ADDITION, POINT ROBERTS, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY AUDITOR OF WHATCOM COUNTY, STATE OF WASHINGTON, RECORDED IN VOLUME 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 22. SITUATE IN WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON. against any and all claims of the Defendants and any one of them, and as otherwise stated in said Verified Complaint. DATED this 6th day of MARCH 2020. Stowe Law PLLC By: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA# 16655 Attorney for Plaintiffs Stowe Law PLLC P.O. Box 129, 276 Boundary Bay Road Point Roberts, WA 98281 Phone (360) 945-0337 Email: stowelawpllc@outlook.com
GO ONLINE!
TheNorthernLight.com
12
The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
Real Estate
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DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LOW INTEREST RATES! This 3-BD/1-BA 1450 SF home feels like it is out in the country yet is only minutes to downtown Blaine, I-5 access, grocery stores, schools and the US/CDN Border! Nice corner lot with detached garage and RV parking! The fully fenced yard is great for entertaining and is very well landscaped! Great opportunity to update this home with your own personal touch!
SOUTH FACING VIEWS OF BIRCH BAY! Remodeled/updated 1990 singlewide offering 2-BD & 1-BA in very good condition on large corner lot with south facing view of Birch Bay. Wrap around deck, attached carport, wired & plumbed tool shed plus new roof, windows, flooring, appliances & recently painted inside & out. Ideal starter home or revenue generating property! Seller financing available to qualified buyer with sufficient down.
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CeCelia Breivik • (360) 303-8161
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FRONT in BBV! Very unique opportunity to own the largest property in BBV with direct SW views to San Juan Islands, Birch Bay & Mt. Baker. Situated on .65 acre with unlimited possibilities for expansion of current home or building your dream estate. Main floor entry has great open floor plan for stunning views. Master + 2 more guest rooms on main w/upper level guest suite, bonus room & patio for sunsets. Bring imagination and create your oasis now!
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VIEW, VIEW, VIEW! Enjoy the spectacular sunsets over Semiahmoo Bay from this almost acre property! The completely remodeled and updated luxury single level 1688 SF, 3-BD, 2-BA rambler offers a lavish interior with new appliances, cabinets, fixtures and drywall plus a covered front trex deck, back yard patio & more!!! Perched on Semiahmoo Ridge, this is that highly sought after “view” home!
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This Heronswood home site borders lake within the common area of the development that includes a walking path. Price includes a set of JWR plans including engineering work & wet lands assessment.
5071 Fern Street • $399,950 MLS # 1587721 • 2-BD, 2-BA, 1,584 Sq. Ft. Remodeled cottage with panoramic waterviews of Birch Bay, Islands & Olympic Mountains. New remodeled kitchen /stainless appliances, windows, fixtures, and more. Includes 550 square foot carport, and 525 square foot deck on large 6098 sq. ft. home site with 82 feet +/- of frontage.
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Owner/Agent
360.815.6638
see more pictures at www.briansouthwick.com
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Owner contract possible AT 20% DOWN, 6.5% 30 year Amortization. Some residential zoning, currently in open space. Great tax advantage.
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Carl W. R. Dufton • (360) 815-6637
NEW ON MARKET!
STUNNING VIEWS! 3 BD, 2.5 BA TOWNHOME!
after Tide’s units in prime HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER location! Craftsman style UNIT! townhomes nestled on a tree lined green space acreage. Beautiful & private units are 1,140 +/- SF, 2-BD (Master Suite on the Main Floor!) 1.75-BA, superbly finished with quartz counters, rock gas fireplace, SS appliances including W/D and Refrigerator, on-demand HW, quality fixtures, designer flooring & covered deck! Furniture negotiable! Clubhouse, pool, & spa! High demand for these units - don’t miss out!
I’m always available to show you by private appointment all
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PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • Vacation Properties WE DO • Residential Properties ! IT ALL • Commercial Properties Call Phill Esau Today!
Nimbus Property Management
360-594-8600 225 G Street, Suite 102
Downtown Blaine (Across from Hill’s Chevron)
www.NimbusRealEstate.com Rentals - Commercial
NELSON BUILDING 925 Ludwick Ave., Blaine
Near Truck Route & Shopping Mall
LEASE SPACES FOR:
Warehousing & Distribution Manufacturing or Retail Yard Storage for Vehicles Please Call Don Nelson For Availability & Rates
360-332-2743
Email nelsbldg@msn.com
FIND IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS 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, limitation or discrimination. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertisement for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll-free at 1-800-877-0246.
April 23 - 29, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
13
With weather improving, golf cart zones likely to become an issue, again By Doug Dahl Q: I live in Birch Bay, and we have a mix of fast drivers trying to get to work and slow golf carts in no hurry at all on the same road. How do you drive in a golf cart zone? A: One bite at a time. No, wait. That’s the punch line to a different joke. But I feel like there should be a punch line to your question. Something about drivers or putters, maybe. Rather than try to think up what would inevitably be a lousy joke, I’ll explain the laws around golf carts on public roads. From there I think we can figure out how to drive in a golf cart zone. Let’s start by defining a golf cart. The legal definition is pretty much in line with the common idea of a golf cart: a gas- or electric-powered four-wheeled vehicle originally designed for operation on a golf course. The law adds one more detail we don’t normally include in the layperson’s concept of a golf cart; a 20 mph maximum speed. Does that mean if your golf cart can go faster than 20 mph that it has existentially transcended its golf cart-ness? No. It just means that
your golf cart doesn’t comply with the law, so it wouldn’t be legal to drive on the road in a golf cart zone. I’ve used the term “golf cart zone” a few times now, so I should probably clarify what that is. Golf cart zones are a fairly recent addition to our law, added in 2010. The law allows local governments to create zones where golf carts can be used on public roads, subject to some limitations. The zones can only be established on roads with a maximum 25 mph speed limit. Golf cart drivers are subject to all the rules of the road. (Yes, that should be obvious, but I point it out because it’s clearly stated in the golf cart law.) Golf carts can’t be driven at night unless equipped with all the proper lighting equipment required by law. You can’t just duct tape some flashlights to your hood and think you’re ready to go. State law doesn’t require a driver of a golf cart to have a driver license as long as they are at least 16 years old and have completed driver’s ed or have previous experience as a licensed driver. However, Whatcom County specifies in its ordinance that golf
cart drivers on public roads must have a driver’s license. Even in golf cart zones that don’t have a requirement for a driver’s license (there are several around the state), you can’t drive a golf cart if your license has been revoked. A few more rules: Golf carts must have reflectors, seat belts and rearview mirrors. Golf cart zones must be clearly marked by signs at the boundaries. Any collision involving a golf cart must be reported following the same rules as any other motor vehicle. Once you read all the rules it becomes apparent that driving a golf cart is kind of like driving a car with a 20 mph governor. (And realistically many carts top out at around 15 mph.) But I suspect that the original question isn’t so much about the rules and more about how cars and golf carts can get along. Here are a few suggestions for both cart and car drivers. If you’re driving a golf cart, don’t forget about the slow-moving vehicle law. If you have five or more vehicles behind you, you’re required to pull off the road at your next safe opportunity to let the folks behind you pass. Plus, doing it makes you a better human.
If you’re in a car, have a little patience. The 25 mph speed limit is a maximum, not a minimum or even an average. If the golf carts are out on the road, the weather is probably nice enough to bring out the bike riders, the seaside walkers and the kids headed to the beach. A golf cart zone, by its nature, is generally in a recreation area. It’s never a great idea to speed, but an area full of vulnerable humans is not the place to make up time on
your trip to work. One more thing: Golf carts and recreation belong together. For some people, impairing substances and recreation go together. But that doesn’t mean golf carts are a transportation solution if you’re impaired. You can get a DUI in a golf cart just like you can in a car. Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTORY Raymond James is now in Blaine bringing objective investment strategies and personalized financial service to the area.
Loomis Hall // 288 Martin Street, Ste 302 Blaine, WA 98230 // T: 360.388.4068 raymondjames.com/redwoodinvestments david.geske@raymondjames.com
David Geske, CFP® Financial Advisor
CFP Board owns the CFP® marks in the United States. Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Redwood Investments is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent of Raymond James Financial Services. 20-BR8RN-0010 TA 1/20
Field turf construction begins at BHS By Oliver Lazenby Contractors started installing field turf at the Blaine High School football field on April 6, and the project is expected to finish this summer, in time for fall football. Though much construction
is on hold throughout the state due to governor Jay Inslee’s stayat-home order, the governor and the state superintendent of public instruction have said that school district construction projects are essential and can continue. The project is funded through a
$12 million, six-year capital project and technology levy that voters passed in an April 2018 special election. The school board approved the district to spend up to $1.33 million on the project at an October 2019 board meeting, and bids for the project came in below that.
Protecting you from the unexpected.
James McGregor A.Sc. T (B.C.) CHI Licensed Home Inspector #2504
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s Contractors have started work on installing field turf at the Blaine High School football field. The project should be finished in time for fall football season.
Photo by Oliver Lazenby
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14
The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
Games and Puzzles
Crossword Answers at thenorthernlight.com
ACROSS 1. Seed part 7. Productive 13. Popular cocktail 14. Sausages 16. Western state 17. Natural desires 19. Defunct British automaker 20. Early media tycoon 22. Move from one place to another 23. Letter of Semitic abjads 25. Female birds 26. Umbrella brand 28. Delinquent 29. Tax collector 30. Cooking tool 31. Female sibling 33. Flat-topped hat 34. Angolan currency 36. Boardwalk candy 38. European nation 40. Leaflike part of palm 41. Removed with solvent 43. Uttered words 44. Unfashionable person 45. Disappointed 47. Controversial device in soccer 48. 007’s creator
51. Pain 53. UCLA mascot 55. Razorbill 56. Turkic people 58. Mimic 59. Crime involving fire 60. And, Latin 61. A saponaceous quality 64. Dorm employee 65. Estate lands 67. States 69. They slow you down 70. Gets up DOWN 1. One or the other 2. Doc 3. Songs have them 4. Record of payment (abbr.) 5. Speak endlessly 6. American state 7. Digressions 8. Tell on 9. Brews 10. Belongs to the bottom layer 11. American cigarette brand 12. Legal voting age in US 13. Dish 15. Expelled air from the nose
18. Body art 21. Fierce, destructive act 24. Bear bright yellow flowers 26. Japanese delicacy 27. Get off your feet 30. Male organs in some invertebrates 32. __, so good 35. Cleverness 37. Protest yacht 38. Anesthetized 39. Mollified 42. Touch lightly 43. Diego, Francisco, Anselmo 46. Some windows have them 47. National capital 49. Squirrels like them 50. Grandmothers 52. Painter’s tool 54. News organization 55. __ and thesis: musical term 57. Famed activist Parks 59. __ Spumante (Italian wine) 62. A number or amount not specified 63. Body part 66. Of I 68. Old English
Sheriff’s Reports April 17, 8:22 p.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. April 17, 8:43 p.m.: Watch for on Harborview Road. April 17, 8:44 p.m.: Noise on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. April 17, 8:42 p.m.: Hot rod on Harborview and Anderson roads. April 17, 9:02 p.m.: Suspicious person on C Street. April 17, 9:07 p.m.: Assist agency on C Street. April 17, 9:21 p.m.: Not available on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. April 17, 11:16 p.m.: Mental on Valley View Road, Custer. April 18, 12:05 p.m.: Welfare check on Stein Road, Custer. April 18, 3:05 a.m.: Refer to other agency on Sunrise and W. Badger roads. April 18, 8:08 a.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Delta Line and Zell roads, Custer. April 18, 10:29 a.m.: Domestic verbal on Harbor Drive. April 18, 10:47 a.m.: Assist agency on Loomis Trail Road, Custer. April 18, 11:10 a.m.: Hit and run cold call on Portal Way. April 18, 12:19 p.m.: Watch for on Koehn Road. April 18, 3:36 p.m.: Mental cold call on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. April 18, 5:15 p.m.: Vehicle prowl cold call on Custer School Road, Custer. April 18, 5:50 p.m.: Mental cold call on Salish Lane. April 18, 6:27 p.m.: Bicycle theft on Helweg Road. One arrest for theft, other. April 18, 7:35 p.m.: Trespass on Blaine Road. April 18, 7:36 p.m.: Alarm audible on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. April 18, 7:44 p.m.: Refer to other agency on Lyn Court, Custer. April 18, 8:46 p.m.: Alarm audible on Harborview Road. April 19, 2:43 a.m.: Security check on Roger Road.
April 19, 3:11 a.m.: Welfare check on Harborview Road. April 19, 3:13 a.m.: Hit and run on Halibut Drive. April 19, 3:17 a.m.: Hit and run on Clamdigger Drive. April 19, 4:01 a.m.: Refer to other agency on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. April 19, 8:53 a.m.: Watch for on Stein Road and Dead End, Custer. April 19, 8:54 a.m.: Watch for on Stein Road, Custer. April 19, 8:57 a.m.: Watch for on Custer School and Birch Bay-Lynden roads, Custer. April 19, 9:16 a.m.: Hit and run on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. April 19, 3:22 p.m.: Vandalism cold call on Boblett Road. April 19, 5:16 p.m.: Neighborhood dispute cold call on Seavue Road. April 19, 6:30 p.m.: Suspicious person on W. 31st Place. April 19, 7:48 p.m.: Traffic problem on Birch Bay Drive. April 19, 8:08 p.m.: Suspicious person on Birch Bay Drive. April 19, 8:11 p.m.: Disorderly conduct on Birch Bay Drive. April 19, 9:01 p.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay-Lynden Road and Portal Way. April 20, 1:39 a.m.: Theft on Beachcomber Drive. April 20, 11:03 a.m.: Not available on Bay Road. April 20, 1:25 p.m.: Request for law enforcement on Delta Line Road, Custer. April 20, 1:59 p.m.: Impound private on Blaine Road. April 20, 2:15 p.m.: Assist citizen on Ashbury Court. April 20, 4:25 p.m.: Alarm silent on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. April 20, 4:41 p.m.: Motor vehicle accident non-blocking/ non-injury on Portal Way.
Reports provided by WCSO
Police Reports April 11, 1:39 a.m.: A woman called police after she got off work and found her car had been ransacked. The victim believed one of her car doors may have been left unlocked. A suspect was later located. The victim will be asked to come to the police department to identify items that could belong to her. April 11, 1:58 a.m.: A Blaine resident called to report having a pair of boots stolen from his front porch. The man was identified as another victim from a rash of thefts and vehicle prowls. The boots had already been recovered and were released to the rightful owner. Additional charges will be forwarded to the prosecutor for review. April 11, 1:58 a.m.: A Blaine resident called to report seeing an unknown man entering several vehicles in the middle of the night. Officers located the man who had several bags of items stolen from vehicles. The man was taken into custody for the crimes. Case information will be forwarded to the prosecutor for charges. April 11, 3:03 a.m.: A man called police after getting off work and noticing his car had been broken into. The man found that several items had been stolen. The items were later recovered by police and returned to the victim. Charges are being forwarded against the suspect. April 11, 4:30 a.m.: Officers investigating another vehicle prowl discovered a wallet belonging to a local woman. Dayshift officers will contact the woman and have her identify her property. Charges will be forwarded against the suspect who was found in possession of her property. April 11, 4:34 a.m.: A woman called police after seeing a homeless man walking around with several bags of items. The man abandoned the bags near the woman’s property. Police arrived and recovered the likely stolen property. The suspect matched the description of the man arrested for several vehicle prowls hours before. Much of the property does not appear to be of value. April 11, 6:56 a.m.: A woman called police after waking up and noticing her car and her boyfriend’s car had been broken into. The woman found several items had been stolen out of both vehicles. The items were recovered by police and returned to the victim. Charges are being forwarded against the suspect. April 11, 8 p.m.: Blaine police were advised of a domestic assault that had occurred in Marysville. The suspect had left with his infant child and was possibly traveling to Blaine, where his parents lived. The victim also advised the suspect had been drinking and was possibly armed with a pistol. Blaine officers located the man and arrested him without incident for charges out of Marysville. The child was not harmed and was returned to relatives. A loaded pistol was removed from the suspect’s waistband during the arrest. The suspect was transferred over to a waiting Marysville Police Department officer. April 12, 11 a.m.: Blaine police were notified by phone of a theft from a construction site. An unknown person entered a closed construction site and stole from a woodpile being used to store small usable scraps. A neighbor was able to provide a specific date and time of the theft as well as a very detailed description of the suspects’ vehicle. Police are actively searching for the vehicle. April 14, 1:07 p.m.: Officers responded to a vehicle off the roadway and a female driver disoriented in the 1200 block of Peace Portal Drive. Officers arrived and contacted the female who was exhibiting signs of having a medical emergency. Officers determined the individual had driven the vehicle off the roadway and over the sidewalk causing two of the vehicle’s tires to deflate completely. North Whatcom Fire and Rescue arrived on the scene and transported the individual to the hospital. Officers impounded the vehicle and cleared with no further incident. April 16, 7:40 a.m.: A Blaine officer was dispatched to an audible alarm at a residence. The officer contacted the homeowner who forgot she set the alarm and did not remember the password. The officer confirmed she was the homeowner. A false alarm notification was filled out to be sent to the homeowner. No further action was taken. April 16, 12:48 p.m.: Blaine officers responded to a possible physical domestic. The neighbors heard yelling coming from the house. The police arrived and interviewed both parties from the dispute. The officers determined no crime occurred; it was only verbal between the two. The officers cleared the call. April 16, 6:10 p.m.: The Blaine Police Department was called to the Blaine school district about a possible cybersex crime during an online computer meeting. Report to be forwarded to the FBI and National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
Reports provided by Blaine Police Department
Weather Precipitation: During the period of April 13–19, 0 inches of precipitation were recorded. The 2020 yearto-date precipitation is 16.8 inches. Temperature: High for the past week was 71°F on April 16 with a low of 35°F on April 13. Average high was 66°F and average low was 43°F. Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
Tides April 24–30 at Blaine. Not for navigation. 49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W
DATE TIME HEIGHT TIME HEIGHT Fr 24 12:59 am
4.7
6:19 am
8.2
1:12 pm
0.3
8:16 pm
8.7
Sa 25 1:37 am
5.3
6:39 am
8.1
1:44 pm
0.0
9:02 pm
8.8
Su 26 2:19 am
5.9
6:57 am
7.9
2:16 pm
-0.2
9:52 pm
8.9
Mo 27 3:05 am
6.4
7:15 am
7.7
2:54 pm
-0.3
10:46 pm
8.9
Tu 28
4:03 am
6.8
7:33 am
7.5
3:36 pm
-0.3
11:44 pm
9.0
We 29 5:15 am
6.9
7:57 am
7.2
4:26 pm
-0.2
Th 30 12:42 am
9.0
6:39 am
6.7
6.8
5:24 pm
0.1
8:45 am
s On April 16, work continued on the Birch Bay berm project, with contractors placing logs on restored areas of the beach. Photo by Chuck Kinzer/CKimageart.com
April 23 - 29, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Teenagers injured in single-car collision Two 19-year-olds, including one from Blaine, were injured and transported to PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center following a single-vehicle collision in the early morning hours of April 17. The collision, which took place around 2:43 a.m. on April 17 near Lynden, occurred after the driver, 19-year-old Yashleen Singh of Lynden, was driving eastbound on Abbott Road near Thiel Road. The vehicle, a black 2005 Audi A4, left the roadway and struck a telephone pole. The vehicle continued moving and then struck a parked John Deere tractor. Singh and her passenger, 19-year-old Chase Abshere of Blaine, were both wearing seatbelts but were injured in the accident. They were both transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for treatment. The Audi was totaled, said a Washington State Patrol (WSP) press memo. WSP trooper and press officer Heather Axtman said that following the accident, Singh was reported to be in critical condition, while Abshere was reported to be in serious condition. A PeaceHealth spokesperson said on April 20 that Singh remained in critical condition, while Abshere’s condition had stabilized and that he had been transferred to a different medical facility. The cause of the accident is still under investigation, but alcohol or drugs were involved, Axtman said. Abshere was a member of Blaine High School’s Class of 2019. He played on the BHS baseball team. According to his family, he is progressing in a positive direction and they were hoping that he could come home this week. The family said they appreciate the outpouring of love and support received from the community.
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The Northern Light • April 23 - 29, 2020
Man arrested in Blaine after high-speed chase in classic car A man was arrested and booked into jail after leading law enforcement officers on a high-speed chase that ended in Blaine. At approximately 9 a.m. on April 19, Blaine officers assisted the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) in ending a vehicle pursuit. A black 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle with a decorative front license plate was stolen earlier in the morning from a location in Bellingham, and the driver took off after being spotted by law enforcement. The suspect vehicle fled at a high rate of speed and failed to yield for the pursuing deputy. During the pursuit, a Blaine officer was forced to pull up onto the sidewalk to avoid a collision with the speeding vehicle, said a Blaine Police Department (BPD) spokesperson. A second Blaine officer attempted to deploy spike strips, but the suspect vehicle was traveling too fast for the officer to get into position in time. The vintage car accelerated past
the location of the Blaine officers, spinning sideways and out of control. The pursuit finally ended in the 2100 block of Peace Portal Drive, where the suspect was removed from the car by two Blaine officers. A sheriff’s deputy stepped in to help get the suspect under control so that handcuffs could be put on. In addition to BPD and WCSO officers, Washington State Patrol and North Whatcom Fire and Rescue were also on scene. None of the first responders were injured during the brief struggle with the suspect, who received medical attention at the scene and was transported to St. Joseph’s Hospital for further evaluation as a precaution. The suspect was eventually booked into the Whatcom County Jail for felony charges including second-degree assault, attempting to elude a police vehicle, hit and run, possession of a stolen vehicle and theft of a motor vehicle.
s A black 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle was damaged on April 19 after a man stole it and led police officers on a high-speed chase that ended on Peace Portal Drive in Blaine.
BPD photo