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Letters
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.
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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.
Free produce at CTK Community Church
Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com
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The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVI, No 9 Circulation: 10,500 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
s Members of North Bay Christ the King Community Church (CTK) handed out boxes of free produce to the community on Wednesday,
August 5. The boxes contained lettuce, onions, tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, zucchini, beets and green beans grown on CTK’s local farm. The next opportunity for the free produce is Wednesday, August 19 from 4 to 6 p.m., at 4895 Birch Bay-Lynden Road, while supplies last.
Photo by Molly Ernst
Letters
The Editor: ment of that entity. He assigns strong capa
President Donald Trump, I suspect for ble operatives, who are well founded in their many, is not an easily likable individurespective disciplines, to cabinet and bual. More strongly, he’s likely an easily disreaucratic positions (unlike political favorlikable individual. Go figure, he did not itism appointments of almost all previous spend the bulk of his adult life as a polipresidents). tician; publicly making statements reMy intention, in this local publication, fined by handlers, opining poetically false here in the far northwest corner of the piety, conscious misdirection of policy country, is not to affect anyone to vote for positions, etc. Trump and influence the outcome of the
Trump is the only person ever to be electupcoming presidential election (particulared President who previously had never run ly considering the representative influence for political office – he was this nation’s first of this state). It’s not even to convince any‘non-political’ presidential opportunity – one to now like Trump – that’s even difficult what many had often wished for. Now we for those of us who support him. are, apparently, shocked at what that is like. My hope is that those of you who identi
He very often (and often to his disadvanfy with his opposition – at least understand tage) does not give a damn about how he and accept us who do support him. My comes across. This is a trait that many of us interests are selfish, as I do regularly wear used to find, maybe, refreshing? Yes, Trump Trump and Pence attire around the commuis at times, or seems, crude, opinionated nity and want to reduce the likelihood of and often self-indulgent. having the likes of tomatoes or eggs thrown
However, he’s not your minister, family at me. counselor or life coach. He’s in charge of the We do love you liberals, hoping you most complex secular entity in the world. understand us. And I believe his primary concerns are, near Peter Werner hourly, focused on doing that for the betterBlaine
Civi Meetings
The Editor:
The Port of Bellingham and various school officials are working on getting internet to those who don’t have it. One company they have reached out to is Comcast. We can help nudge Comcast to bring their service to all of Blaine. “How?” you ask. By calling Comcast at 800/xfinity. This may show them that there is enough demand to bring service to more of Blaine. They may tell you they don’t currently service your address. Ask to be put on a list for potential future growth. Let’s show them the potential for growth in Blaine.
Thank you for your time and please call.
Marci McCarthy
Blaine
The Editor and Mickey Masdeo:
When I read your letter in the last edition of The Northern Light, I wished we could sit down for a visit. You seemed to be looking for answers and expressed some distress over an article written by a young
(See Letters, next page)
Next issue: Aug. 20 Ads due: Aug. 14
Birch Bay Water & Sewer District: Second and fourth Thursdays, 4:30 p.m., district offices, 7096 Point Whitehorn Road, Birch Bay. Info and Zoom meeting link: bbwsd.com.
Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info and virtual meeting login: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Blaine Planning Commission: Second and fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: blainepc@ cityofblaine.com. Info for joining Zoom meetings: bit.ly/2CiMKnk. Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Second Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., location varies. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Virtual meeting info: bbb- parkandrec.org/board-meetings/
Blaine Park and Cemetery Board: Second Thursday, 9 a.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330.
Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district offices. Info and virtual meeting link: blainesd.org.
Letters ...
From previous page Black woman who was explaining the Black perspective. You felt her perspective was too negative and what she said seemed to offend you. I am a privileged white person, just like you, so maybe you will find it easier to hear what I am saying.
Because your family willingly came to the U.S. and experienced the hardships of not speaking the language, survived and became good citizens, do not equate that with being kidnapped from your home and brought to the U.S. as a slave.
Your white privilege allowed your family to prosper. White skin, which you did not earn, gave you an advantage and helped you reap rewards throughout your life … rewards that are denied to people with Black skin.
Because you have never personally observed racism, do not assume racism does not exist. Because you had one Black friend, you have not proven you are not a racist.
As a low-income landlord you saw firsthand how people must use whatever means necessary to survive in a system that over incarcerates and denies equal opportunities for employment, education, voter rights and all other manner of rights because their skin is Black.
All lives do matter. Black Lives Matter asks us to acknowledge that Black lives have value and deserve equal respect and treatment. Black Lives Matter is an organization that does not advocate violence.
The marches and rallies promoting Black Lives Matter have been predominantly peaceful. Anarchists and troublemakers will always take advantage of a situation to further their lawless cause. Know troublemakers for who they are and do not confuse them with peaceful protesters.
Aggressive police action taken against citizens, both Black and white, who are publicly congregating and exercising free speech, a constitutional right, has created many of the violent street scenes.
So, here I am, Mickey, a white person, explaining what it feels like to be Black and how words and deeds that a Black person lives with every day are hurtful and damaging.
But, you know, it’s really not my place to do this. It’s time for us to stop telling the story from our perspective. It’s time for us to stop interpreting the Black story. It’s time us white folks to sit down and listen.
Georgia Donovan
Blaine
Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Crabbing Season starts Aug. 20! Get your license Please bring your ID.
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Helicopter flies 200 logs to Terrell Creek
B y O l
v e r L a z e n y
A low-flying helicopter carried an estimated 200 logs between BP Cherry Point Refinery and Terrell Creek from August 10-12 as part of fish habitat improvements on the creek.
“This aerial operation will be an unusual sight for local residents, so we want to remind people to stay away from the area for the safety of everyone involved,” project engineer Cody Swan said in a news release before the project started.
The project placed logs and woody debris along 2.5 miles of streamside private property between Kickerville and Jackson roads, according to a press release from Whatcom County. The locally sourced cedar and fir logs weighed between 5,000-9,000 pounds and included the tree root wad. The project was part of the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association Terrell Creek Restoration Plan and aims to benefit salmon and other aquatic species.
Tiger Construction, the county’s contractor for the project, used a helicopter to avoid damaging the site, according to the news release.
This work was part of the required mitigation to build the Birch Bay Drive berm and pedestrian improvements. The Birch
Newsstand Copies of The Northern Light are available at: Blaine Harbor Office Bay Center Market Edaleen Dairy Bay Properties Nimbus Realty Beachwood Store Dollar Store Birch Bay Chamber Cost Cutter GKT Gas Station Rite Aid Domino’s Dank of America Custer Post Office Pacific Building Center Walgreens Ferndale Yorky’s on Blaine Rd. Ferndale Lube Windermere - Birch Bay Square The Market at Birch Bay Square
Bob’s Burgers & Brew at Birch Bay Square Banner Bank Building Lobby The Northern Light Bldg.
225 Marine Dr. • Blaine, WA 360-332-1777 www.TheNorthernLight.com s A helicopter delivers woody debris to private property along Terrell
Creek as part of a habitat improvement project.
Photo by Ian Haupt
Bay Drive project is one of the largest projects ever undertaken by Whatcom County Public Works. It will restore the natural shoreline, repair beach erosion, improve pedestrian access and reduce the severity of storm surge damage. More information is available on the project webpage at whatcomcounty.us/publicworks, click on Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility.
Blaine United Church of Christ "Where friendly people gather and become family" Sunday Services 10:30 am
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N e i t h e r d o w e . (360) 332-6906 885 4th St. • Blaine, WA 98230 Pastor Sandy Wisecarver
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. Please check the agenda prior to each meeting as the call in number or location may change.
Thursday, August 13 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting Monday, August 24 6:00pm – City Council Meeting Thursday, August 27 9:00am – Parks and Cemetery Board Meeting 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting Monday, September 7 City Offices Closed – Labor Day Tuesday, September 8 8:00am – Blaine Tourism Advisory Committee
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
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B y I a n H a u p t
Whatcom County public works engineer Jim Karcher told county council members that construction on Birch Bay’s ongoing 1.6- mile beach restoration project will resume soon, hopefully before the end of the month.
In a virtual public works and health committee meeting August 5, Karcher said the department’s goal is to restart work on the Birch Bay Drive berm before the end of the month.
The $8.7 million project, officially called the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project, will replace the riprap, sea walls, groins and bulkheads along the shore with sand and gravel, according to the Whatcom County website. The project will recreate a natural seashore, reduce flooding and erosion through natural wave attenuation, and create bicycle and pedestrian paths.
The county anticipates the bulk of construction on the berm to be complete by the end of the year. That includes storm drainages infrastructure: pipes extending under the berm and into the water to assist drainage and stormwater treatment swales, but not the plantings, which would be finished in the late winter or spring 2021, Karcher said.
In May, Granite Construction, the county’s contractor for the project, finished the first of two rounds of construction. The construction was scheduled to be done in two phases in or
According to the Whatcom County Auditor’s latest update, 60.7 percent of Whatcom County’s 150,509 registered voters turned in ballots for the August 4 primary election. As of 5 p.m. on August 10, 91,387 ballots had been counted with 241 left to count. The results will not be official until October 18.
Statewide, governor Jay Inslee, D., had received 1,206,217 votes (50.7 percent) as of August 11 with the next closest candidate, Republican Loren Culp, receiving 403,373 votes (17 percent). In Whatcom County, Inslee received 46,893 votes (51.7 percent) versus the next closest candidate, Culp, who received 16,325 votes (18 percent).
Democrat Congresswoman s A Granite Construction worker moves a log on a re-built section of
the beach at Birch Bay.
Photo by Chuck Kinzer/CKimageart.com
der to avoid working during the summer tourism season and fish spawning periods.
Karcher said the public works department intends to come back to council in September to request an additional $500,000 for the project’s budget. The extra funding would serve as insurance in case of a possible change or delay in construction.
Karcher said the department is working closely with the Whatcom Council of Governments, which administers various transportation funds in Whatcom County, in case other projects in the county have extra money. “Of Suzan DelBene received 143,434 votes (55.6 percent) statewide versus Republican Jeffrey Beeler, Sr., who brought in 82,618 votes (32 percent).
In Whatcom County, DelBene received 18,442 votes (40.5 percent) versus Beeler’s 22,333 votes (49 percent). In the Lieutenant Governor’s race, Democrat Denny Heck received 20,058 (22.8 percent) while his closest competitor, Democrat Marko Liias, received 19,380 (22 percent) in the county while in the state, the two Democrats received 557,505 (25.2 percent) and 428,604 (18.7 percent), respectively.
Statewide, Secretary of State Kim Wyman, R., received 1,180,151 votes (50.6 percent) course, the berm is there with its hand out saying ‘We can take the money and use it quickly,’” he said.
What that money would be used for isn’t clear, as the project is currently on or close to budget as of August 5, Karcher said.
Construction will likely have traffic impacts. The county’s website says to expect some single-lane and shoulder closures while work is in progress and that wait times for lane closures should be less than five minutes.
For more information, visit the county’s project page at bit.
Updated preliminary election results
ly/3fZfmQx and will face Democrat Gael Tarleton with 1,019,327 (43.7 percent) in the general election. Attorney General Bob Ferguson, D., cruised to a primary victory with 1,311,805 votes (56.2 percent) against Matt Larkin, R., with 547,415 votes (23.5 percent).
Luanne Van Werven, R., pulled in 32,115 votes (51.9 percent) against Blaine’s Alicia Rule, D., with 29,733 votes (48 percent) for state representative District 42, Pos. 1. Jennifer Sefzik, R., received 31,190 votes (50.5 percent) for the Pos. 2 seat while Democrat incumbent Sharon Shewmake received 30,565 (49.5 percent).
For more election results, go to bit.ly/2PrrPBx.
August is Leak Detection Month
Be A Leak Detective!
LOOK for water stains to identify the origin of a leak.
LISTEN for continuous sound of water when nothing is turned on. LEARN how to read and understand your water meter and water bill. An increase in water usage or a continuous running meter indicates a leak.
Local Montessori teacher engages children around the world
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Online preschool & mindfulness enrichment for children Including: Math • Practical Life Language • Sensorial Science Experiences • World Exploration
s Fawn Ventura and her Blaine students talk with international students online at Ventura’s home this
summer.
Photo courtesy of Fawn Ventura
Created by Fawn Ventura, a certified Montessori teacher and founder of Peace Arch Montessori. Fawn has 18+ years of experience working with young children both in the US and abroad To learn more visit www.amitymontessori.com Or email fawnventura@icloud.com
B y K y r a P l a n e t z
For kids, Covid-19 has made learning and connecting with peers a challenge. In addition to K-12 school closures, the closure of preschools in early March also meant some kids had to put early learning on hold. Recognizing that, Peace Arch Montessori Preschool founder and teacher Fawn Ventura donated her time to ensure continuous learning for local and international preschool students during the pandemic.
Ventura opened Peace Arch Montessori in 2014 and has over 15 years’ of experience in early childhood education. She has a bachelor’s degree in social services and administration and is a certified Montessori teacher. Originally from Thailand, Ventura has lived in Blaine for 10 years and is fluent in English, Lao and Thai.
“I do have a passion for helping children, inspiring them and helping them learn effectively,” Ventura said.
When the Montessori closed on March 15, Ventura saw an opportunity to continue teaching while connecting her Blaine students to others around the country and the world. From April to June, she taught students from Washington, New Jersey, Canada, France, Thailand, Philippines, Laos and the Middle East in an online classroom. Ventura taught her students at no cost, believing in the importance of continuous learning and connection to others during the pandemic.
“We are humans. We have to socialize with other people, even though we are not able to connect in person,” Ventura said.
Marissa Kleven’s two children were enrolled in Peace Arch Montessori before schools closed in March. Kleven said she worried about her kids’ education and if she would have to teach them herself. But when Ventura began teaching online, Kleven enrolled her children and said Ventura’s program exceeded her expectations.
“She kind of seamlessly stepped up,” Kleven said. “The online program was just a perfect opportunity for the kids to see each other again, be engaged, and see Miss Fawn again.”
During each class Ventura allowed her students to interact with the other children for the first five to 10 minutes and then would begin fun and engaging lessons. She taught math, reading, science and more by playing games, dancing and singing. Ventura finds children are excited to learn in this way and don’t feel as if they are doing work. Ventura also personally delivered learning packets with activities and projects to her local students.
“I think she is really gifted at captivating young minds,” Kleven said. “She’s really engaging and makes it fun.”
Along with basic preschool education, Ventura practices mindfulness with her students. She starts by lighting a candle and asks the children to be quiet for 30 seconds. During this time she also asks them to focus on breathing, recognize how their bodies feel and notice their surroundings. After the brief silence she blows out the candle and the children are told to make a wish and think of someone who loves them. Ventura believes even young children have the ability to practice mindfulness and that it benefits their learning.
“They are going to be the future,” Ventura said. “If we plant a good seed for them then they’ll grow up to be meaningful and responsible adults in the future.”
Grace Smith enrolled her 4-year-old son in the online summer class and said she was inspired by Ventura’s teaching style. She especially appreciated Ventura’s mindfulness activity, and continues to practice it at home.
“After [my son] got in the habit of it, it seemed to be pretty meaningful to him,” Smith said.
With the success of her online classroom, Ventura has decided to open Amity Online Montessori Preschool. She received a business license last month and will begin teaching again in September. Throughout the summer Ventura has been developing a curriculum that will include mindfulness along with preschool education. Enrollment for children 3 to 6 years old is now open. For more information, visit amitymontessori.com.
Water Wisely Schedule
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