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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
August 20 - 26, 2020
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Seventh Asian giant hornet found, page 2
Back to School
Car show in Blaine this Saturday, August 22, page 4
BHS grads plan for uncertain future, page 6
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Layoffs loom at Blaine schools
Pull-out section on pages 9-12
Low-barrier Covid-19 testing coming soon to Birch Bay By Ian Haupt
(See Testing, page 17)
EXPERIENCE THE
! N FU
s Blaine school district employees and members of the Services Employees International Union (SEIU) rally outside the school district office on August 18 after learning of plans to layoff school bus drivers, cafeteria workers, and other school district employees.
Photo by Grace McCarthy
School bus drivers, cafeteria workers may be cut Workers seek furloughs, rather than layoffs, to keep health insurance By Grace McCarthy A union representing Blaine school district service employees announced to its members in an August 18 letter that the district plans major layoffs that could affect dozens of employees, including bus drivers and food service employees, among others. Honking cars filled the streets in front of the Blaine school district office later in the day as nearly 20 district employees rallied for community support. “We just want to be heard. We matter too,” said Kim Ingham, a bus driver and food service worker who was starting her 29th year with the district, during the rally.
“We’re not asking to save our jobs. That’s not even going to be possible, but save our medical.” Blaine will lay off all bus drivers and reduce bus mechanic staffing from 10 to four hours per day, according to the letter sent to union members. All nutrition service positions will be cut with the exception of four cooks. Associate positions that won’t support students during remote learning will be eliminated, according to the letter. Union officials say the number of paraeducators to be cut is unclear. In addition, the district tried to reduce all office staffmembers’ hours by one hour per day and reduce all maintenance, grounds and custodial staff by two hours per day but both amendments weren’t allowed by the union’s contract with the school district, which will expire August 2021. Any reductions in these positions will affect employees with the lowest se-
niority, the letter states. In the letter, the union says it argued to the district that the budget cuts were too big and tried to bargain for furloughs in(See Layoffs, page 7)
INSIDE
Whatcom County’s Covid-19 mobile testing program will offer a free, low-barrier test site at the Birch Bay Bible Community Church parking lot when the pilot phase is complete. This week, the pilot program started accepting registrations from anyone, including those without insurance or a physician’s referral, for testing at a site in Bellingham. Tests are available by appointment only and can be scheduled online starting the Saturday prior at TestDirectly.com/whatcom or by calling 360/778-6075 between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m daily. This week, testing appointments can be scheduled on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 1-4 p.m., in Bellingham, according to a press release from the Whatcom County Health Department. The program is expected to launch six additional testing sites by August 24, the press release says. Blaine and every other school district in the county will have a testing site. Public information officer Amy Cloud said the hope is to have the additional testing sites active by Monday, August 24, but the county cannot confirm that to be true until the end of the week. The health department piloted the low-barrier, mobile testing program with assistance from licensed medical professionals and Whatcom Unified Command (WUC) last week but was not accepting registrations due to an already full queue of people. “We know that timely testing and results are essential in preventing the spread of Covid-19. We also know there are sever-
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Back to School . . . 9 Pets . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Classifieds . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . 18
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The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
Seventh Asian giant hornet found in Custer By Grace McCarthy
Help us ‘paint’ the Lightcatcher with Whatcom Squared!
The Whatcom Museum invites you to participate in a community art project, designing colorful squares for our Lightcatcher wall. Create a drawing that shows us what community means to you. More info at www.whatcommuseum.org/whatcom-squared/ This program is made possible by the Whatcom Community Foundation’s Project Neighborly grant. Lightcatcher building | 250 Flora Street info@whatcommuseum.org
The first male Asian giant hornet found in the U.S. was discovered in a Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) trap in Custer. The agency trapped the hornet on July 29, but it wasn’t processed by WSDA until August 13. It’s not the first time the invasive hornet has been detected in Custer since it arrived in North America. A mated queen was found dead in Custer in late May and WSDA suspects a honeybee hive was decimated by the hornet last fall. WSDA entomologist Sven Spichiger said during an August 17 press conference that the detection of queens earlier in the summer informed the agency where to allocate trapping resources. “From that stand point, we’re not really feeling the pressure yet,” Spichiger said of not eradicating a nest yet. “But the pressure that we want to take care of [the hornets] before they kick out breeding castes has always been there since day one.” This is the seventh Asian giant hornet caught in the U.S., all of which were detected in Whatcom County. The last hornet found was trapped July 14 in a WSDA
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The Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest hornet, measuring up to 2 inches in length with a large, orange head and black-and-orange striped abdomen.
Courtesy of Washington State Department of Agriculture
bottle trap in Birch Bay, just north of BP Cherry Point Refinery. Three weeks later the agency confirmed that hornet was an unmated queen. The agency will now attempt to locate the nest where the male hornet originated. They will hang live bottle traps, which are the same as the other 1,800 traps set by WSDA and the public, but include a wire mesh to separate specimens from the bait. Once a live hornet is captured,
WSDA will fix a radio tag to it and follow it to the nest. The agency will prepare to eradicate the underground nest after it’s located. WSDA officials estimate about two nests were established last year. Spichiger said that although potentially 400 nests could be established from those two nests, he estimates only a handful survived and settled in the area. August and September are the months when residents are most likely to see Asian giant hornets, WSDA public engagement specialist Karla Salp said during the press conference. The Asian giant hornet is the world’s largest hornet, measuring up to 2 inches in length with a large, orange head and blackand-orange striped abdomen. The hornet is thought to have first arrived in North America last fall by shipping trade with Asia, where it originates. The invasive species’ presence in North America is threatening to commercial pollinators and beekeepers, whose hives are at risk of having an entire colony slaughtered by the hornets in hours. To report an Asian giant hornet sighting, visit bit.ly/34akL4H or call 800/443-6684. Note that WSDA generally cannot confirm a sighting without a photo or specimen. More information on the invasive species can also be found at agr.wa.gov/departments/ insects-pests-and-weeds/insects/ hornets.
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August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
ADVICE FROM THE PROS Q: I feel so much younger than I look right now, What can I do? A: I hear this a lot from our clients. As we get older
Dr. Ken Stiver MD Medical Director 1501 Cornwall Ave Bellingham, WA 98225
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gravity takes a toll on our face. A great way to turn back the hands of time, is to treat your face with dermal fillers and/or wrinkle relaxers. Relaxers such as Botox and Dysport are very effective doing just that. Fillers create volume where it is needed to create a smoother fuller facial surface. Juvederm has several product lines including Ultra XC which is great for lips and Voluma XC for cheeks and deep wrinkles. A combination of both relaxers and fillers is referred to as a non-surgical face-lift. Highly recommended, Obagi facials and chemical peels. These are prescription medical grade products for ultimate results. Visit our website for our grand opening specials with 50% Off!
Q:
3
A Special Section of published monthly on the 3rd Thursday of the month
A:
Q: Is now a good time to refinance? A: Yes.
Interest rates are very low, and they should remain that way through the end of the year. Talk to a lender to see if it makes sense to refinance while considering your current rate and situation. Taking equity out for improveLoren Adkins ments, consolidation of bills, or refinancing to Senior Real Estate improve the Rate and Term on a current balLoan Officer ance, can all make sense. Plenty of options exNMLS# 643779 Office: (360) 647-4425 ist, and the process is more streamlined than you might think. You may not even need an Cell: (360) 303-8599 loren.adkins@peoplesbank-wa.com appraisal.
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Q: Is Blaine, Washington the best place
Julia Mullenix 978 Peace Portal Drive Blaine, WA 98230
(360) 922-0102
to buy a home in Whatcom County?
Q: Why do we become more stiff in our joints as we age?
A: Yes. Blaine is the best place to buy a home
A: As we age the tissue around joints becomes stiffer.
and live in Whatcom County. Home prices are on average lower than Bellingham and other parts of Whatcom County. Homes are also newer and bigger on average, making your dollar go further. Besides the structure, what do you get? Moderate weather from being close to the bay, beautiful sunsets, marinas and access to the water, a great school district, an active senior center, community services, a growing downtown, proximity to BC and other parts of Whatcom County, and a warm and welcoming community. Full disclosure – The author lives in Blaine and may be biased.
Doniel Hagee, DPT, ATC, OCS Physical Therapist Capstone Physical Therapy
1733 H Street, Suite 400 Blaine, WA 98230 360-332-5111 www.capstonept.com
Elastin and collagen (this gives our tissue tensile strength and elasticity) production becomes impaired. Sarcopenia (the loss of muscle mass) also occurs contributing to inflexibility. Often there is a decreased thirst response with aging, contributing to dehydration and to joint stiffness. It is very important for aging athletes to be intentional with water intake, and carefully prepare for activity by doing a warm-up followed by an active stretching routine in order to prevent injury and increase flexibility. Capstone therapists can help you to develop a stretching program to prevent injury and increase mobility. 825 Birch Bay Square Street, Suite 248 Blaine, WA 98230
julia@peacearchrealestate.com
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Q: Should we self-insure our Group Benefits Program? A:
For some, self-insuring can provide better coverage, lower rates and greater stability - especially when paired with a wellness program. Unlike traditional fully-insured plans where cost containment requires shifting carriers, deductibles and out-of-pocket amounts, self-insuring directly manages the supply chain (office visits, surgeries, imaging, prescriptions) which can lower healthcare costs and increase predictability of claims. Level-Funding is an easy-to-understand, low risk form of self-insurance that’s growing in popularity. Here’s how it works: An employer starts by paying a set monthly premium into an account - the money is then used to pay claims for healthcare - if there’s any funds left in the account at the end of the plan year, it goes back to the employer, or if claims spending exceeds the funds in the account, the health insurer covers the difference. When accompanied by a thoughtful wellness program that incentivizes healthy activities like smoking cessation, mid-day fitness and nutrition counseling, the year-end claims savings is typically even greater.
Justin Kulhanek Principal, Employee Benefits 360-424-5507
288 Martin St. Downtown Blaine (360) 332-7300 (604) 256-1384
360-366-5511
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4
The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
Opinion
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.
The end of the old BHS grandstands
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 Oliver Lazenby oliver@pointrobertspress.com Reporter & Copy Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com Reporting Interns Kyra Planetz, Ian Haupt prpintern@pointrobertspress.com Creative Services Ruth Lauman, Doug De Visser, production@pointrobertspress.com
s A contractor works on demolishing the old grandstands at the Blaine High School football field on August 11.
American Graffiti Auto Show in Blaine August 22 At least one car show is still on this summer: Nimbus Real Estate and Wild Bird Charity are hosting the American Graffiti Auto Show this Saturday, August 22, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Nimbus’s parking lot at 225 G Street in downtown Blaine and on G Street near the business. The show will include a 1960 Rolls Royce, a 1957 Ford Fairlane, a 1979 El Camino and more, said Karen Trudel, a broker with Nimbus Real Estate who is helping organize the show. As of August
General Editorial Inquiries editor@pointrobertspress.com
The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVI, No 10 Circulation: 10,500 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
Next issue: August 27 Ads due: August 21
18, about 25 cars were signed up and Trudel was still getting calls from interested auto enthusiasts, she said. In addition to classic and vintage cars, Nimbus will be handing out posters for a coloring contest for kids to take home, color and enter for a prize, and Gateway1890 and the Rustic Fork – two future Blaine restaurants – are giving away a prize basket. Nimbus will provide hand sanitizer and masks and is asking that attendees follow
physical distancing guidelines. Coffee, water and donuts will be available by donation. All donations will go to Wild Bird Charity, a Blaine nonprofit that provides meals to Whatcom County youth. The show will be Nimbus’s first car show. “We just decided to go for it,” Trudel said. “We wanted to try to get people out and get the community together.”
Letters
Office Manager Jeanie Luna info@pointrobertspress.com Advertising Sales Molly Ernst sales@pointrobertspress.com
Photo by Louise Mugar
The Editor: Just a reminder to remind family, friends and neighbors to slow down, quiet down and be respectful of other neighborhoods and communities while driving. I know some of you that read this are guilty of or know someone who is guilty of disrespectful driving. I like to think we all have the same goals and wants in our lives, and that includes being able to sleep in or enjoy dinner or just kicking back with family without the sound of constant speeding and hot rodding. Have some compassion, think about the mom or dad that’s been up all night with a sick child, a cancer patient sick from chemotherapy, a vet that suffers from PTSD, someone who works two jobs to make ends meet finally getting to sleep only to become woke by loud cars, music, squealing of tires. What has become of people around here to be so self-absorbed and non-caring about the well-being of this spectacular community and the folks who live here? The next time you hope in the car or on a motorcycle and head off to somewhere, look at the houses you pass and think about the people who live there,
maybe they have had a horrible night and need to sleep. Toni Benson Blaine The Editor: Two items of concern: 1. Given the hot and dry weather, open fires should be put on hold. There is the danger of sparks igniting dry vegetation. Also, given the high temperatures, folks are having windows open in the evening to cool down their living area. Smoke from the open fires enter and is an irritant, and for some, a health problem. 2. Now that the primary election is over and the candidates determined for the general election, it is important for those registered voters who didn’t vote in the primaries and for those who are not registered to make certain that they register and vote in the general election. With concerns for ballots being delivered on time by the U.S. Postal Service, it is imperative that ballots are filled out immediately and returned by mail and/or left in the drop boxes. Dennis M. Olason Blaine
The Editor: I rarely engage in political debate – opinions are so fixed it is a waste of time. But I will address Peter Werner’s letter because he acknowledges that the president is flawed and seems sincere in his quest for understanding. We’re all frustrated with politics, but I think compromise is the solution, not the indiscriminate destruction of institutions that President Donald Trump appears to prefer. It is refreshing to hear a public figure speak freely, but words matter. His often are ill-conceived or mean-spirited. My father taught me that a good person’s word is his (or her) bond and that you have to own your mistakes. Trump fails on both counts. If America is to be great, doesn’t it need – at the very least – a good leader? Instead, ours is uninformed, deceptive and divisive. His response to the pandemic has been a dereliction of duty. As for his operatives, loyalty is more important than qualifications. Most fawn over him; those who show independence are fired. I agree my side doesn’t understand you. How can you fail to see what’s behind
August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com the curtain? Trump believes that what’s good for Trump is good for America. The “entity” he works for is himself, and for him to thrive those things that favor the privileged also must thrive. America is first only when it furthers his agenda. Your quest for understanding is based on the fear of being pelted with eggs and tomatoes. What I fear is far more serious. It is the threat to our democracy. Trump may lose in November so he attacks our election and the USPS. Should his all-out war fail, it won’t be food stuff I fear, but camouflaged “forever Trumpers” venting with assault weapons. No doubt he’ll call them “good people” and “patriots.” Sorry, but I cannot understand your support for Trump. I’ll remain civil with you and my friends who support him. Why? Because I think that’s what Jesus would do. Ask what he would do before you cast your vote in November. Better yet, ask whether he could get a visa under Trump’s immigration policies. Neal Engledow Blaine The Editor: President Donald Trump possesses few, if any, of the attributes that make up the character of leader. He lies, he cheats, he is disloyal, he is profane, he is immoral, he is rude, he is ignorant, he is selfish, he is incompetent and yes, he is unlikable.
He is one of five presidents without previously elective experience. Lack of prior elective office neither qualifies nor disqualifies someone to be president. I was alive when Eisenhower was president. Ike did not dismantle the institutions that have made this country a more productive, safe and humane nation. The most recent example of the quality and capability of his appointments and his expectations of them is seen in our mega-donor postmaster general. Both by his actions and the President’s own statements, this man has undertaken to destroy the postal service in order to undermine mail-in voting. Successful mail-in elections are nothing new in this county. Here is what defines the totality of Donald J. Trump’s presidency. His actions and inactions have directly resulted in the avoidable deaths of tens of thousands American souls from Covid-19. This death toll currently exceeds the losses in many wars fought by our nation. His decisions related to the pandemic favor what he perceives as bolstering his re-election chances and are contrary to the best advice from his own epidemic experts. Even if there was once some justification for the “China Virus” label, for Americans it is now the “Trump Virus.” I want to say I appreciate the tone of Mr. Werner’s recent let-
Happy 100th BJ irthFday! ohn
ter to the editor and hope I have respected this. However, I admit I would like people who plan to vote for Trump to change their minds. I believe every vote for his re-election is an endorsement of his conduct in office. Jim Thomson Blaine The Editor: The Nimbus auto show advertised on the back page of the August 13-19 Northern Light caused me great apprehension. Even though it was mentioned that hand sanitizer and masks would be available and social distancing would be followed, I feel any public gathering is inadvisable due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Clare Nurre Blaine
5
Border closure extended until September 21 Non-essential land travel between the U.S./Canada border will remain closed until at least September 21, acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf announced in an August 14 tweet. This is the fifth border closure extension since the border closed to non-essential travel on March 21 to limit the spread of Covid-19. Land ports between the U.S. and Mexico are also included in the extension.
According to a July poll, 85 percent of Canadians want the border to remain closed until the end of the year. To date, the U.S. has had more than 5.4 million confirmed Covid-19 cases and 171,012 virus-related deaths, according to CDC data. Canada has had 123,154 confirmed Covid-19 cases and 9,045 virus-related deaths, according to the Canadian government.
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Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
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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.
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Comcast Franchise Agreement
5:30pm – Study Session: Blaine Tourism Advisory Committee (BTAC) 6:00pm – City Council Meeting
Friends of Birch Bay Library
Thursday, August 27 9:00am – Parks and
inn
Annual General Meeting Monday, August 24 at 7p.m. via Zoom
Cemetery Board Meeting 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting
You are a treasure and a gift. We are so sad we can’t all be with you on your special day. We love you more than words can say!
Monday, September 7 City Offices Closed – Labor Day
Tuesday, September 8 8:00am – Blaine Tourism
From your wife, Barbara,
Voting members are urged to contact Dianne Marrs-Smith, ddiannesmith@gmail.com, by noon on August 23 to obtain meeting details, as are any potential candidates for open board positions.
Advisory Committee
and all your nieces and nephews, great and great-great!
All City offices are currently closed to the public. Contact information for staff and Councilmembers can be found on the City’s website.
US Coast Guard WWII FS-268
For more information, see friendsofbirchbaylibrary.org
Call (360) 332-8311 or visit our website.
www.cityofblaine.com
Thank you for supporting local journalism. This week’s supporters: Barbara Fuoto • Ron & Jane Graham • Guy Kelly Kristin Lomedico • Tim Newton • Jean Woodcock
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6
The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
BHS 2020 graduates plan next moves Postpone college? Study at home? Grads make tough college decisions
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meet new people but since the pandemic started, it’ll be hard to get that experience,” she said. The desire to experience a new area has Mulryan debating if she will get an apartment in Ellensburg with the people she would have lived with in the dorms – a decision she’s mulling over with friends and family, including her older sister who attended Central Washington University.
By Grace McCarthy The celebration was everything but traditional for Blaine High School graduates when they marked the end of their K-12 education in a June virtual graduation. Class of 2020 graduates across the country left school in a time of uncertainty, not knowing what the future would bring. Now, two months later, some are packing their bags for college, others are staying in Blaine for a gap year and others are left scrambling to make last-minute decisions. The Northern Light followed up with seven recent graduates we interviewed in April about finishing their high school careers in a pandemic. • • • • • •
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s Ingrid and Marni Aosved s Leo Good Leo Good had just returned from a road trip to the Grand Canyon when he heard the news: Football season at the University of Redlands would be canceled. He didn’t wait to learn if classes at the Southern California university would be online. He decided to take a gap year after seven months of preparing to join the university’s football team. “It was an odd feeling trying to process that I have another year and not a month,” Good said of his extended stay in Blaine. Good quit his job at Burger King at the beginning of the summer to spend time with family and friends before leaving for college. Now, he’s looking for a job while enjoying spending time with close friends and family. Tobin Akre was planning to play baseball at Big Bend Community College in Moses Lake. He decided to take a year off to stay safe during Covid-19 and prepare to pay student loans by working at his mom’s store, Pacific Building Center.
“There are times where it’s definitely all I think about at work,” Akre said. But for Ingrid Aosved and her sister, Marni, college became a reality on August 15 when they packed their bags and moved into their dorms at Willamette University, a small private college in Salem, Oregon. Ingrid Aosved said she’s excited to live on campus but is apprehensive about how others will physical distance and wear masks on campus. To mitigate the potential impact of Covid-19 on campus, the Aosved sisters said they aren’t able to see each other’s decorated dorms or come home before Thanksgiving. Despite this, Ingrid Aosved looks forward to participating in the school’s arts programs and meeting up with her sister and another Blaine graduate for coffee.
s Emma Mulryan Mulryan said a lot of her classmates who planned on attending UW and Washington State University will stay home, while some now attend university in states with lower Covid-19 case counts. Many others, like Savannah Camba, enrolled in community college. Camba is planning to use the upcoming year to finish the associate degree she started with Running Start at Whatcom Community College. She then plans to transfer to Western Washington University to study human services. “Everyday it’s changing so it’s kind of like you have to take the punches and roll with it,” Camba said. “You have to get used to the constant changes.” Instead of moving out like she had hoped, Camba decided to stay at home while attending Whatcom Community College.
s Dylan Burnett
s Tobin Akre Although he stays busy working full-time and working out for the next baseball season, Akre said it’s an odd feeling not playing the sport he’s played since he was 4 years old.
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.
Dylan Burnett, a former member of wind ensemble and jazz band, is preparing to move into his dorm at the University of Washington. He had a roommate back out of their housing because of Covid-19, leaving him unsure of who he’ll live with a month before moving in, but nonetheless he is excited to take the next step toward college life. “It will be disappointing to not be able to go into classes for my first quarter of college,” he said, adding that he is excited for the array of course offerings at UW. Burnett, who plans on majoring in molecular biology, said he’s nervous about having a tough workload without the same support as in-person classes. Emma Mulryan, former class president, said she pulled out of her dorm housing at Central Washington University in early August. Mulryan made the decision because only a fraction of students were able to live on-campus and she feared a spike in Covid-19 cases could push her out of housing. “I thought it would be really exciting to get out of Blaine and
s Savannah Camba Camba said she goes on bike rides and works out to distract herself from the added stress she’s felt this summer. Camba said it’s a positive that she gets more time to spend with her friends who have decided to stay in Blaine for the year but she’s sad that they will miss out on part of their college experience – something she says will always be a part of the class of 2020. “It’s made us come together but it also makes us feel like we didn’t get to close that chapter,” she said. “It’s a book page still open.”
August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
By Kyra Planetz As Covid-19 continues to spread in Whatcom County, Whatcom Unified Command (WUC) is looking for more volunteers to help with testing sites and food bank support. Since March, WUC has developed an isolation and quarantine facility, began supporting food banks and created mobile testing services. According to a WUC press release, “volunteers have been vital in the work to mitigate the
Layoffs ... From page 1
stead of layoffs, which will result in immediate loss of employee health insurance. The school district and union officials could not give the exact number of jobs affected by press time. The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction sent an August 13 letter to superintendents informing them school districts will get transportation funding from September to January, but starting in February 2021 that funding will be “substantially lower,” for districts with schools in remote learning, since it’s based in part on previous ridership numbers. Blaine school district superintendent Christopher Granger said in an email to The Northern Light that the district began conversations with the union immediately after realizing layoffs were likely. He said he thought the district was still negotiating with Service Employees International Union Local 925 (SEIU Local 925), the union that represents Blaine school district service employees. Granger said he was disappointed to see the statement released before the district finalized decisions regarding the layoffs, but understood the union’s position. The district is working to determine the most fiscally responsible, yet least impactful solutions, he said. “These are incredibly difficult times, with many difficult decisions ahead; for the district, for our staff and for our families,” Granger said. “We regret being in this position and its impact on the staff we care for and appreciate. We will continue to come to the table together to work towards a solution.” With 25 hours of notice, the Blaine school district announced an August 19 special board of directors meeting would convene in executive session, closed to the public, to consider the position of the district in collective bargaining. No action from the board is anticipated at the meeting. Blaine union officials said in the letter to members they closed discussions with the district so members could be notified as soon as possible that they were going to lose healthcare benefits. Two-thirds of the service employee union’s approximate 150 members will lose their jobs, said Sue Schroeder, Blaine chapter vice president of SEIU Local 925.
spread of Covid-19.” During phase 1 of Washington’s Safe Start plan, WUC relied on volunteers, along with city and county staff on loan from their employers. Since the beginning of phase 2, many of those borrowed workers have returned to their regular jobs, creating an increased need for volunteers. WUC Incident Commander Scott McCreery said a community-wide effort is required to minimize the impacts of Covid-19. “WUC volunteers act as Sue Schroeder said the union had good communication with the district until this point and is grateful to have a supportive board of directors. Russell Carleton, Blaine chapter president of SEIU Local 925 and a custodian for the district, said it was clear to him following three meetings with the school district last week that the district had made up its mind on the layoffs. Carleton said he’s never seen staff cuts this severe in his 27 years working in Blaine schools, but the district is not entirely to blame. “The state needs to step up to the plate. They’re the ones who have the money,” Carleton said. “It’s nobody’s fault. It’s the pandemic and everyone gets that but it’s super impacted lives. When you lose your income and medical, that’s just tough.” In an August 17 letter shared with The Northern Light and sent to governor Jay Inslee and the Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction, state education unions asked the governor to use emergency powers to suspend the state’s formula to calculate school districts’ student transportation and provide sufficient transportation funding for the 2020-21 school year. The letter called on state superintendent Chris Reykdal to use his emergency powers to adjust allocated funds for student transportation and require school bus drivers continue to be employed and paid. OSPI spokesperson Katy Payne said the state superintendent doesn’t have emergency powers but the governor’s office and state legislature are aware of the issue and are working to find a solution. The governor’s office is researching if it can use emergency powers to create a fix to student transportation allocations, which would be a quicker solution than the legislature adjusting the allocations in January, Payne said. The letter also cites McCleary v. Washington, a 2012 state Supreme Court case that ruled the state had failed schools with insufficient funding. “The Governor and State Superintendent of Public Instruction have a constitutional obligation to modify the funding formulas using the process provided in statute to define additional differential and significant factors to allow for the safe transport of basic education materials and students during the COVID-19 pandemic and a funding formula that provides for the actual costs
force-multipliers, increasing the capability and effectiveness of our public health and social service partner agencies,” McCreery said in the press release. WUC is currently recruiting volunteers to assist with a variety of tasks including help with testing registration, food bank distribution, licensed medical support and other needs as they develop. Volunteers should be able to commit to working several hours each week for several weeks or months, and will have
the option of trying out different positions. They will receive background checks, training and be provided with personal protective equipment. Volunteers must adhere to proper mask protocol and social distancing for the protection of others. “If ever there was a time for neighbors to help one another, that time is now,” McCreery said. For a full list of volunteer opportunities visit whatcomcovid. com.
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Newsstand Copies of The Northern Light are available at: Tifany Coleman, a Blaine bus driver and food service worker, holds a sign outside the district office on August 18.
Photo by Grace McCarthy
of these basic education transportation services,” the letter reads. The letter is signed by six unions including SEIU Local 925 and the Washington Education Association, the state’s teachers union. State union vice president Tricia Schroeder said it’s difficult to give a number of school districts that have laid off classified employees rather than furloughing them because many districts initially laid off their employees before reversing the decision and furloughing them, largely to preserve medical benefits. Tricia Schroeder warns the state will be in crisis when the schools reopen for in-person learning and former bus drivers have found new jobs, which will add to an already existing deficit for school transportation employees. Blaine union members and representatives echoed these remarks, including Blaine union vice president Sue Schroeder, who said she’s already heard of bus drivers looking for employment at private schools. Tricia Schroeder said the union’s members will increase their presence at school board meetings and lobby when state legislature returns to session in January. Until then, the union has started unemployment webinars for members filing for unemployment. Tifany Coleman, a Blaine bus driver of five years, said she feels abandoned by the district after bus drivers delivered meals to students in March while the rest of the school district worked from home. “When this all started with the pandemic, we were told we were supposed to rally the community together,” she said. “We were the ones on the front lines to help kids feel some sense of normalcy and community.” Coleman said she wanted the rally in front of the district’s office to put faces to the budget cut
numbers and show who would lose health insurance. Many protesters say they want to demonstrate until their voices are heard. Coleman said she fears for her colleagues, many of whom she says have worked for the district for decades and now, over the age of 50, will be left without health insurance in less than two weeks. Even though Coleman said she understood the district’s need to furlough drivers while students study at home, she said she expected more from the administration. “We’re not getting the support we earned,” she said. “I don’t understand them leaving us in the middle of the water without life jackets.”
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New real estate office changes gears due to pandemic By Oliver Lazenby For Chris Hughes and The Firm Real Estate Services, the border closure could not have come at a worse time. Hughes, a real estate agent, had been selling Point Roberts real estate to Canadians for about six years and was working on expanding in Blaine. Hughes teamed up with prominent Canadian real estate agent Fraser Elliott and under the name The Firm Real Estate, opened an office at 838 Peace Portal Drive, in Blaine, this January. While selling a piece of northwest Washington to Canadians wasn’t the sole reason for the company to open a local office, that was a big part of its plan. So the border closure on March 21, two months after the office opened, was frightening, Hughes said. “It was a big deal,” he said. “We have zero Canadian buyers. They
can’t even come and look right now.” Rather than dwell on his change of fortune, Hughes and his team looked elsewhere for buyers. The company had an agreement to market the Pacific Point Condominiums, a group of 18 waterfront condos on the water on Semiahmoo Spit that start at $1 million. Formerly, the Vancouver area would have been an obvious place to advertise those condos. It turns out luxury real estate in Whatcom County isn’t just appealing to Canadians – The Firm found interested buyers stateside fast. “Literally right away,” Hughes said. “Californians are all over Semiahmoo right now. But what surprised us the most was the Bellevue and Seattle interest we get.” Prospective buyers range
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from Californian retirees to ultra-wealthy families with young kids shopping for a second home. Despite Covid-19, the company has already sold three of those condos and the building isn’t even finished. The Firm Real Estate’s team includes Hughes’ son, Michael Hughes, administrator Cesilie Gile, and company president Fraser Elliott. Elliott is well known in Canada; before starting his own team, his RE/MAX team was the company’s top-selling team in Canada in 2017. When Hughes, who serves as team manager at the Blaine office, met Elliot, the two hit it off. Elliott was looking to start selling U.S. real estate to Canadians, and Hughes was already doing that in Point Roberts. “We started, over time, going, ‘Maybe there’s a way we can help each other out,’” Hughes said. Hughes grew up in West Vancouver before moving to California in 1990 and Bellingham five years later. He knew from his work on Point Roberts that Canadians were interested in second homes in the U.S. Canadi-
The Firm Real Estate Services is currently marketing the Pacific Point Condos, on Semiahmoo Spit. ans own 80 percent of homes in Point Roberts, Hughes said, and he thought those same buyers would be interested in Blaine. “If 80 percent of Canadians were buying up Point Roberts, it’s not going to take long for them to figure out that Blaine is right there and Semiahmoo is right there,” he said. While the border has shut down The Firm’s plans, Hughes expects Canadians to once again be interested in U.S. real estate
when the border opens. And in the meantime, finding U.S. buyers has made The Firm a stronger business, he said. “We want to be a nice, easy conduit to the Canadian market, as well as go after the U.S. market,” he said. “This is a strategic location and if it works, we will open an office in Bellingham and then continue down the I-5 corridor.” Learn more at thefirmrealestate.com.
BLAINE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Back to School 2020-2021 A special publication of The Northern Light
Welcome Borderites to the 2020-2021 School Year! Staff and administrators at Blaine School District have been working all summer to prepare for this new and unique start to school and are ready to welcome our students back to learning! What will it look like? How will it work? We have created a new section of our website specifically for the 2020-2021 school year, and we hope it will answer all your questions, but we’d like to share a few highlights here as well.
purchased a Chromebook for every student in grades K-12. programs. We are working to engage students through an There are also mobile hot spots available for families who improved delivery, translating what we know about good indicated a need for assistance with improved connectivity. teaching to a remote setting and finding ways to help students do important thinking and concept work rather than How will it work? simple task completion. Students will be provided a structured schedule K-5 with a good mix of synchronous and asynchrowill receive periods of instruction, 6-12 Students nous learning. This will give them a chance to engage in with a significant amount of direct contact live sessions with their teacher and classmates for focused with teachers and classmates in live sessions. Lessons What will it look like? bits of time, but also have time to work offline and flexi- will be formatted with a mix of live instruction and time The Blaine School Board made the decision to start the bly. There will also be pre-recorded video lessons for core to work and process; beginning with a short mini-lesschool year in a 100% virtual environment. The district has content, such as our Bridges and Fountas and Pinnell son from their teacher, work time with support, and a wrap up/summary. We are also working hard on remote learning strategies to engage students for improved delivery, as well as enhanced electronic tools and We’ve worked hard all summer to improve remote learning, and we’re ready for fall! curriculum.
Enhanced curricula with improved delivery, including live streamed lessons and recorded content. Technology investment in Chromebooks for every student and mobile hotspots for those needing improved connectivity
All new website content specific to this school year to support students and families
Virtual office hours for teachers and a special tech help team to support students and families
What if we need flexibility? Last spring we heard from many families who asked for more structure in our online delivery, and we have worked to provide that. Since then however, we have heard from more families who say flexibility is what is needed. We understand that every family’s situation is unique, and we want to meet the needs of every student and family. To that end, we are preparing to offer some flexible options for meeting the requirements of attendance, but these options do include more onus on the part of the parent or guardian in helping their student stay on pace. As each family’s need for flexibility is unique and plans need to involve collaboration with teachers, we will not be able to finalize how they will work until all of our teachers are back to work. Stay tuned to our website and social media platforms for updates.
BLAINE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Back to School 2020-2021 Every Student. Every Day. In a New Way!
Dr. Christopher Granger, Superintendent Blaine School District
I sit here typing this back to school message and realize when you read this I will have just completed my 365th day of being the superintendent of the Blaine School District. Looking ahead to a new and challenging year, I know the value of Blaine community and the heart that runs black and orange through the town and its people. Despite all the ad-
versity we have faced, many have stepped up and met the challenges head on. We are committed to partnering with families and community members to continually improve our schools. In spite of anything that is going on around us, Blaine will rise above and set the standard, because we are BLAINE. Building Community Learning to Lead Achieving Success Inspiring Growth Nourishing Potential Educating for Greatness We are pleased to welcome back our staff members, and
we will continue to work hard for every student every day. Together we will uilding Community make Blaine the best earning to Lead place in Washington for our students to chieving Success get a well-rounded nspiring Growth education. It is a great day to be a Borourishing Potential derite, and, as always, ducating for Greatness a great day to be your superintendent.
B L A I N E
THE BLAINE WAY
BLAINE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
Craig Baldwin, Ed.D., Principal Blaine Elementary School
Online Preschool www.amitymontessori.com
Welcome to the 2020-2021 school year students and families of Blaine Elementary! We’re grateful for your partnership and are excited to launch the school year as we serve the children of Blaine Elementary School. We welcome the arrival of our new students, including our incoming third graders and those new to the Blaine School District and would love for you to join us at a virtual orientation and welcome night on Tuesday, August 25 from 6–7 p.m. At Blaine Elementary we strive to provide an outstanding education, believing that as a community: Together We Make a Difference. Our mission is to work in partnership with our community and families to educate and inspire students as they develop the skills necessary to reach their academic and creative potential. At Blaine Elementary we nurture respectful, socially
responsible and life-long learners. We work hard to provide students with an education that cultivates academic, social and emotional development. This year our staff will continue to grow engagement practices that are responsive to students and nurture classroom environments where every student feels safe, supported and can thrive. We would like to invite all Blaine Elementary families to participate in our Parent Teacher Organization (PTO). This leadership group actively supports our school by funding educational enrichment opportunities and coordinating community events. We would also like to encourage Blaine community members to volunteer or participate in our school events and celebrations. Public schools are about coming together as a community to serve children and we can all contribute to a quality educational experience for our
kids. You can learn more about our school by visiting the Blaine School District website, contacting our office or joining school events. School starts Wednesday, August 26, with individual, scheduled google meets. The typical class schedule will begin on August 31. Virtual classrooms will start promptly at 8:20 a.m. each day. Your child(ren)’s teacher will provide more details regarding specific learning schedules in the first days of school. We welcome communication from families. Please check our website for updates, including a link to our new student and family orientation night. If you have additional questions or need clarification on the start of the 2020-21 school year, please don’t hesitate to contact our main office at 360/332-5213. On behalf of our staff, welcome to the 2020-21 school year!
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Meal distribution is going to look different in the 2020-2021 school year than it did in the spring of last year. Without a federal waiver similar to the one received in the spring, the school district is unable to provide free meals to all children. Students or their families will be able to pick up meals at the school once a week, and it will contain five breakfasts and five lunches. Cost for the meals will be based on the student’s meal approval; free, reduced or paid. The cost of the weekly meals is as follows; PAID: K-5 $21.75 ($1.50/breakfast and $2.85/lunch) 6-12 $23.25 ($1.50/breakfast and $3.15/lunch)
Meals can be picked up each Wednesday, at the rear of the high school, in the parking lot behind the grandstands with two convenient pick up times; 12–2 p.m., and 4–6 p.m. To help our food service staff plan, please complete our weekly online order form, which can be found on the new 2020-2021 school year section of the school district website. Families may apply for free and reduced meals at any time, and we encourage you to do so. This year we are offering an easy, new online option, which can be found in Skyward Family Access. Applications can also be printed from our website and mailed or delivered to the district office.
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Have a fantastic school year!
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A special publication of The Northern Light
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August 2020
BLAINE HIGH SCHOOL Welcome back Borderites! The 2020-2021 school year is one that will be remembered for a very long time. The administration and staff are here for you every step of the way during this worldwide pandemic. This year, as every year, we commit ourselves to providing the very best educational experience possible, both virtually and in the hybrid model to come. Be assured we are committed to meeting the needs of all our students and families. Our focus is on continuous improvement and communication. We will update you often through our district and school websites, Skyward emails and social media outlets, as well as updates via Dr. Granger’s community question and answer sessions. In this virtual start, it will be very important for students to monitor their district issued email (first.last@stu.blainesd.org). This is how students will access their Google Classrooms and communicate with their teachers. We ask that parents make sure to verify and up-
date their student’s information, as well as have an accurate parent email in Skyward. This is how we will continue to communicate with you regarding your student and with school news and updates.There are a few things we will never change, such as our belief and our mission that: WE ARE BLAINE HIGH SCHOOL We foster RESILIENCE We model RESPECT We practice RESPONSIBILITY We demonstrate COMPASSION Resilience is a precious skill, and this year, more than ever, it will serve us all well. Those with resilience tend to have three underlying advantages: a belief they can influence life events; a tendency to find meaningful purpose in life’s turmoil; and the conviction to trust they can learn from both positive and adverse experiences. Students, we want you to know your teachers care about you and your edu-
cation. Work hard under difficult circumstances and push through adversity knowing that good things will be there for you. Please feel free to contact our administrators via email at scott_ ellis@blainesd.org, wvezzetti@ blainesd.org and dcottnair@ blainesd.org. We are here to help our families and students with any issues that may occur during the 20/21 school year. We look Scott Ellis, for forward to seeing our stu- Principal dents digitally and in person in Blaine High School the near future.
room during the first four periods of the day. In the afternoon, students will get active by following the PE lessons posted in the Google Classroom, as well as selecting from music and/or study hall content, also accessed through Google Classroom. Fridays are designed for students to complete weekly work, improve music skills, and focus on being physically fit through exercise and kinesthetic activities. Middle school students and families are invited to attend a BMS orientation presented by school administrators: Mr. Benson, Mr. Vanderyacht, and Mrs. Cottnair on Thursday, August 20 from 6–7 p.m. This orientation will be an informative Zoom Webinar, where students and families will receive up-to-date information related to the school sched-
ule, classes, and expectations. Be looking for a Zoom link to the meeting on the BMS calendar on the district website as well as on the district’s social media channels. Questions can be emailed in advance to questions@blainesd. org before noon on the 20th. Please put BMS in the subject line. Blaine Middle School stands ready to teach, learn, and grow as we partner to educate our stu- Darren Benson, dents together. We got this! Principal Blaine Middle School
BLAINE MIDDLE SCHOOL Welcome to the 2020 - 2021 school year. To begin, I want to thank the Blaine community for your support and commitment as we develop and implement our new continuous learning model in the Blaine School District. At Blaine Middle School, we focus on building students with strong social and emotional skills, who can persist while reading and interacting with complex text and solving challenging problems. As we transition to this new school year, we are committed to providing a quality education in whatever virtual or physical setting we find ourselves. Middle school students can expect that language arts, social studies, math, and science teachers will teach real-time virtual lessons Monday through Thursday using Google Meet and Google Class-
BLAINE PRIMARY SCHOOL Students and families of Blaine Primary School, we want to welcome you back to the 2020-21 school year! My name is Jordan Radke and I am so excited, humbled and honored to be joining you as your new principal this year. I want to personally thank you for entrusting us with your students and their education. We take our work very seriously and know just how important education is for our children. While this year is going to look different than years past in many ways, the staff here at Blaine Primary wants you to know we are here for you and are committed to your success, now more than ever. Together we are going to accomplish great things this year! Our mission at Blaine Primary School is to unite family, staff, community and students in a partnership that provides opportunities to enable children to fully develop their individual potential. We believe deeply in the power of partnering together with our families and community to make a real and lasting difference in the lives of our students. We are working hard to provide an educational experience that meets each child at their own level and helps them to develop the skills necessary to be lifelong learners. As we begin this year in remote learning, we know you will have many questions. We are all learning new ways of doing things. We want you to know you can always reach out to us with questions or concerns you may have. We are in this together and are here for you. You can reach out by calling the school at 360/332-1300 or by emailing me at jradke@blainesd.org. If you’re new to Blaine Primary and would like to know more about the school prior to the first day, you can attend our virtual orientation night on August 25 from 5–6 p.m. Along with Michelle McKeown, assistant principal and our
Make it a great school year!
counselor, Mr. Robinson, we will lead students and families on a virtual tour of the school, share information about virtual learning this fall and provide a question and answer segment where we can respond to your questions. Whether you’re new to Blaine Primary or not, all parents and students are welcome! This year will be one to remember and we will continue to work hard for you, our students, families and community. We are honored to be navigating these times with you and to have the opportunity of serving your students. We are excited to be seeing our students’ shining faces again very soon and can’t wait to begin engaging them in learning. On behalf of our staff, welcome to the 2020-21 school year!
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Back to School 2020-2021
BLAINE SCHOOL DISTRICT
School Calendar AUGUST 20 21 24-25 24 25
26
6-7 p.m., BMS Virtual Orientation Teacher Work Day District Wide In-Service 6-7 p.m., BHS New Student Orientation 5-7 p.m., BPS Virtual Orientation 6-7 p.m., BES Virtual Orientation First Day of School
SEPTEMBER 7
Labor Day (no school)
NOVEMBER
11 Veterans Day (no school) 13 Teacher Work Day (Non-Student Day) 20,23-25 Family Conferences (K-8) 26-27 Thanksgiving Break
DECEMBER 18-31
Winter Break
JANUARY
1 4 18 22
New Year’s Day (no school) School Resumes Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (no school) Teacher Work Day (non-student day)
FEBRUARY 12 15
Mid-Winter Break Presidents Day (no school)
MARCH 4-5 12
26
Family Conferences (K-8) Closure Make Up Day #1 (no school unless make up day needed) Closure Make Up Day #2 (no school unless make up day needed)
APRIL
5-9 21-22
Spring Break HS Family Conferences
MAY
7 14
31
No School (Work Day rescheduled) Closure Make Up Day #3 (no school unless make up day needed) Memorial Day (no school)
JUNE
11 15 16-18
24
BHS Graduation Students & Teachers Last Day Closure Make Up Day #4-6 (no school unless make up day needed) 6-7 p.m., BHS New Student Orientation
Contact Information
A special publication of The Northern Light
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August 2020
Chromebook Information Questions? Call us: 360-332-5881 Email us: techhelp@blainesd.org Chromebook Monitoring & Filtering • Internet activity at school is filtered through a district server • Internet activity through your home wireless network is not filtered • All activity is logged and monitored when logged into your district Google account • Emails ARE NOT confidential. Emails are monitored. Emails are considered legal documents Student Safety • You are responsible for what is in your Google account • Be careful about information you share from your Google drive • Once something is posted on social media and online, it is permanent • Respect others: Never post anything rude or offensive • If someone makes you feel uncomfortable - do not respond, save evidence, tell your parent, guardian or another trusted adult • Keep your passwords strong and secure • Do NOT leave your device logged into your Google account and unattended Internet Safety Tips at Home • Keep vital numbers private • Establish “house rules” - Use your device in a “public” place in the home • Have your student show you what they have learned What is Cyberbullying? • Cyberbulling is bullying that takes place using electronic technology. Electronic technology includes devices and equipment such as cell phones, computers, and tablets as well as communications tools including social media sites, text messages, chat and websites • Examples of cyberbullying include mean text messages or emails, rumors sent by email or posted on social networking sites and embarrassing pictures, videos, websites or fake profiles Safety Tips at Home • Keep liquids at a safe distance from your Chromebook • Keep your Chromebook & charger away from pets • Close your Chromebooks before moving Theft Protection • Keep your device in your possession at all times • You could be liable for loss and/or damage • Theft of a laptop will result in legal action • Failure to return a laptop at the end of the year or at the time of withdrawal will be treated as theft Cleaning and Caring for Your Chromebook • Never spray water directly on the Chromebook, spray the cloth • Keep your device at room temperature at all times - Don’t leave it in the car. • Make sure that the keyboard area is clear prior to closing the lid • Keep your Chromebook in the bag when you are not using it • Don’t drop or throw the Chromebook on the floor, desk or table
• • • • •
Use microfiber cloths to clean screens No Windex or chemicals Keep your Chromebook and power cord clean Rest on hard surface while in use Do not apply excessive pressure on the screen
Take Care of Your Chromebook • Clean your Chromebook with a dry soft cloth • Open and close your Chromebook with care • Bundle and store your charger appropriately
Tech
4
Technical Support • Do not attempt to repair your Chromebook. • Do not purchase after market chargers, etc. • If you are having technical concerns email techhelp@blainesd.org
Email techhelp@blainesd.org for any technical support.
TIPS for success
Phone Numbers & Emails to remember www.BlaineSD.org Administrative Offices .................. 360/332-5881 Blaine Primary School ................... 360/332-1300 Blaine Elementary School ............. 360/332-5213 Blaine Middle School .................... 360/332-8226 Blaine High School ........................ 360/332-6045 Point Roberts Primary School ....... 360/945-2223 Family Service Center ................... 360/332-0740 Special Education ......................... 360/332-5881 District Snow Hotline .................... 360/332-0789 Transportation ............................... 360/332-0700 Chromebook Tech Support Email: ....................... techhelp@blainesd.org
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Prioritize social and emotional wellbeing for your family
Use a daily schedule or checklist to complete tasks in small chunks
Pause learning for movement and brain breaks
Stay in touch with your child’s teacher and school
August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
P
et P aparazzi
13
from The Northern Light readers!
Dean Tjoelker’s horses, Peppy, Party and RC.
Amanda Valsonis’ fur babies Izzie, l., and Calvin.
Annie’s Yorkshire terrier, Kanji.
Kulshan Veterinary Hospital
Providing our patients and clients with the highest quality team oriented veterinary care emphasizing respect, dignity and compassion.
• Exams & Vaccinations • Surgery & Dentistry
2 Locations to serve all your pet needs:
Remy and her brother Kona (in the back), part of the Noland family.
tom) O’Neill Family dog, Stout, enjoying the sun. for your support!
FERNDALE • 6220 Portal Way
LYNDEN • 8880 Benson Rd.
I-5 Exit 263
at the corner of Badger Rd. and Benson Rd.
360-354-5095
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Just In!
Square Egg
Meat Free Formula The Perfect Protein Superfood Open: Tues - Fri 11am-5:30pm • Sat 11-5 I-5 exit 270 in Birch Bay Square
360-332-DOGS www.bowwowwoofs.com
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
ADOPT A PET! We’re looking for good homes! To adopt one of us please call our Adoptions department at (360) 733-2080
Or visit us at 2172 Division St., Bellingham, WA 98226 Hi, I’m Kitty!
Hi, I’m Tempest!
Hi, I’m Uta!
Hi, I’m Zeus!
View more about us at www.whatcomhumane.org
14
The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
NEXT ISSUE: Aug. 27 AD DEADLINE: Aug. 24
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SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM, No. 18-2-01850-37. SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION. Green Truck Financial, LLC, Plaintiff, v. Reginald Chandra, You are hereby summoned to appear within sixty days after the date of the first publication of this summons, to wit, within sixty days after the twentieth (20) day of August, and defend the above entitled action in the above entitled court, and answer the complaint of the plaintiff Green Truck Financial, LLC, and serve a copy of your answer upon the undersigned attorneys for plaintiff, at their office below stated; and in case of your failure so to do, judgment will be rendered against you according to the demand of the complaint, which has been filed with the clerk of said court. The purpose of this lawsuit is to obtain a judgment for Defendant’s breach of contract and for the collection of monies due and owing. This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Plaintiff’s attorneys: Andersson Cross Border Law Corp., R. Dallan Bunce, WSBA #47213, 1305 11th St. STE 304. Bellingham, WA 98225.
SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM, No. 18-2-01673-37. SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION. Green Truck Financial, LLC, Plaintiff, v. Iqbal Singh Samra, You are hereby summoned to appear within sixty days after the date of the first publication of this summons, to wit, within sixty days after the twentieth (20) day of August, and defend the above entitled action in the above entitled court, and answer the complaint of the plaintiff Green Truck Financial, LLC, and serve a copy of your answer upon the undersigned attorneys for plaintiff, at their office below stated; and in case of your failure so to do, judgment will be rendered against you according to the demand of the complaint, which has been filed with the clerk of said court. The purpose of this lawsuit is to obtain a judgment for Defendant’s breach of contract and for the collection of monies due and owing. This is an attempt to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Plaintiff’s attorneys: Andersson Cross Border Law Corp., R. Dallan Bunce, WSBA #47213, 1305 11th St. STE 304. Bellingham, WA 98225.
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August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Real Estate BLAINE, BIRCH BAY & SEMIAHMOO
Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom Inc. 360.371.5100 8105 Birch Bay Square St. I-5 Exit 270, Blaine
15
For the health & safety of our clients, Windermere Real Estate is pleased to follow the State of Washington’s mandate to not hold Open Houses. We are, however, available to show you your dream home by virtual tour or private appointment. Please call your Realtor for assistance.
SEMIAHMOO LISTINGS
6155 Semiahmoo Lane 9525 Semiahmoo Pkwy #A104 8783 Clubhouse Point 5597 Sandpiper Lane 8804 Osprey Road MLS #1647980 $629,900 MLS #1639427 $1,049,000 MLS #1232342 $839,000 MLS #1563577 $769,000 MLS #1641328 $2,150,000 Exceedingly rare newer construction show stopper! Medium bank 2.1 acre waterfront property features 200' of grandfathered beach + tidelands ownership, in-home elevator, 10’ & cathedral ceilings, south facing wall to wall windows + 180 degree ocean & mountain views. Tucked away between Seattle & Vancouver, all the details were thoughtfully considered when creating this private modern oasis: ADA accessible, passive solar design, radiant concrete floors, stunning owner's suite & chef's kitchen.
Leah Crews 360-305-4747
Own a piece of paradise nestled on the Semiahmoo sand spit. Inspired by the surrounding features of the Northwest, enjoy a modern feel of architecture & craftsmanship that includes the charm of luxury & ultimate convenience. High-end finishes throughout: granite counters, hardwood floors, & stainless steel appliances. Radiant floor heating keeps the cost low & energy efficiency high. HOA is well run and strong financially. If you are looking for a spot in the PNW, there is no better buy!
Kathy Stauffer 360-815-4718
SEMIAHMOO LISTINGS
3935 sf. Last paired home at Semiahmoo’s 14 residence “Clubhouse Point”. Premium Southern exposure. Elevated, lake & green views of Palmerdesigned 18th fairway. Primary living on main. Spacious office opens to your private interior courtyard. Expansive covered decks, walls of windows bring the outdoors in. Super pantry, Stainless appliances, white cabinets, quartz counters, juxtaposed w/gloss charcoal island to match massive stone tiled FP. Gloss white cabinets in laundry & baths. 3 car garage.
Linda Kiens 360-815-6640
This home has it all! Main floor great room living with chef’s kitchen & restaurant style breakfast bar. Ideal for entertaining, this spacious floor plan captures the sunlight from the vaulted ceiling & walls of windows. French doors open to a patio that rivals a Sunset magazine ad with the built-in bar-be-cue, hot tub & farm to table raised garden beds. With clean lines & classic trends the Brazilian cherry floors are accented by the interior stack stone wall accents. Much to see and appreciate!
Kathy Stauffer 360-815-4718
8804 Osprey at Semiahmoo, is located right behind the 10th Green of this Private, World Famous Arnold Palmer Design. The home is 3111 sq. ft. located on a quiet dead-end cul-de-sac with circular driveway. Featuring soaring ceilings, impressive views, 3 or 4 bdrms depending on how you want to use it, & a remarkable entertaining layout. Natural gas, hardwood floors, granite, stainless, tile and carpet. Enjoy the new centerpiece of the deck, a sensational new stone horizontal fireplace! See it soon!
Brian Southwick 360-815-6638
B I R C H B AY L I S T I N G S
NEWCE! PRI
9085 Sea Mist Lane 7714 Birch Bay Drive #103 MLS # 1648573 $425,000 MLS #1563744 $585,000 3 BR / 2 BA Modern floorplan offers 2,160 sf of onelevel living. 850 sf covered outdoor living & HUGE sunny patio. Resort lifestyle w/nature trails and amenities abound in this new gated community featuring resident beach access, miles of salt-waterfront beaches w/colorful sunsets and 360* Views, neighborhood parks, deepwater marina, seaside golf & country club & resort living at its finest! Move-in w/ease in this turn-key newly built Custom Rambler. Front yard and common areas maintained by Resort Association.
Lisa Viereck 206-852-2289
Enjoy unobstructed front & center VIEW of Birch Bay from this ground floor oceanfront condo. This sunny west facing residence features 9 ft ceilings, AC, custom cabinets, slab granite counters, tile & wood flooring & open concept living area. Exceptional quality throughout this 2-bedroom, 2 bath condo. Luxurious bathrooms include radiant heated flooring & jetted tub. A beautiful spacious patio for entertaining accessible from living area & master. Assigned covered parking, & Deeded private beach.
Randy Weg 360-305-5704
8217 Chehalis Road 7545 Sunset Drive 6885 Holeman Avenue MLS #1589430 $620,000 MLS #1622292 $698,000 MLS #1645390 Come home to this remarkable "Weibe" built custom Once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase a beau$329,000 Don’t miss this spectacular north facing waterfront view lot on Point Whitehorn. Situated amongst upscale homes, this lot overlooks Birch Bay and the Canadian mountains. The site features waterfront access for you to enjoy clamming, crabbing, beach combing, kayaking, and everything else Birch Bay has to offer. Build your dream home and take advantage of the gentle slope with a daylight basement to capitalize on the beautiful view and great evening sunsets.
Gerry Allen 360-920-0563
home w/features galore. Spectacular golf course & Mtn views. Glass railed sundeck, resort style private patio w/fountain, gardens & hot tub. Inside find magazine quality appointments, colors & creativity. From luxurious owner’s suite to gourmet kitchen no detail overlooked. Family/media room, oversize garage & huge storage. In popular Birch Bay Village guard gated golf, pickleball, tennis & marina community. Home Warranty & first yr HOA dues paid
Mike Kent 360-815-3898
B I R C H B AY L I S T I N G S
XXX Holeman Avenue MLS #1405680 $399,000
7714 Birch Bay Drive #402 MLS #1597528 $429,000
Enjoy sunsets from this deluxe top floor waterfront condo. This sunny west facing residence features 9ft Gorgeous views from this high bank Birch Bay wa- ceilings, custom cabinets, slab granite counters, tile & terfront, gently sloped .36 acre homesite ready for wood flooring & open concept living area. Exceptional your dream home. One of the last remaining water- quality throughout this 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with front lots with spectacular views of Birch Bay, Coastal elevator access. Luxurious bathrooms include radiCanadian mountains and sparkling city lights. Enjoy ant heat tile flooring & jetted tub. A beautiful extra private neighborhood beach access, beach combing, deck for entertaining & 1 assigned covered parking. minutes’ walk to the State Park and a short distance Deeded beach access. Amazing ocean view...start livto I-5. ing the dream!
Ingrid Andaluz 360-961-0488
Randy Weg 360-305-5704
tiful water view property w/ in home elevator to all floors! 3 bed/4 bath home has been very lightly lived in & would be an ideal full-time residence or vacation rental. Open concept kitchen/dining/living features gas fireplace, 10' ceilings + leads directly to massive wraparound bay view deck. No detail overlooked: Credo built & rock solid - wide & bright spaces, skylights, solid core doors + just steps to Birch Bay State Park & The C-Shop.
Jen Freeman 360-815-0803
BLAINE LISTINGS
9464 Odell Road 4751 Birch Bay Lynden Rd #113 3388 Haynie Road MLS #1604802 $675,000 MLS #1636879 $609,000 MLS #1628098 You've driven past & admired it for years: "THE" $295,0000 Two for the price of one! Spectacular 800 sqft quality home on a 365-day lot, with an adjoining 180-day lot #4001302103950012 included in the sale. Park your RV, Motor Home or use second lot for entertaining or rental income. Home exterior is long lasting hardi plank siding and metal roof. Interior has Corian countertops, gas fireplace, vaulted ceilings, cherry cabinets, tons of storage and 4 sky lights for lots of natural light. Too many great features to list!
Gerry Allen 360-920-0563
A wonderful opportunity awaits… private + peaceful equestrian property set back from the road, updated 4 bedroom/2.5 bathroom house, massive 30x60' heated shop with power + 2 stall horse barn! Home features vaulted ceilings, modern updated flooring, cabinets, quartz counters, s/s appliances & gas fireplace. Zip down Valley View for quick & easy I-5 access or US/CAN border access. Don't delay, this one checks all the boxes and won't last long!
Leah Crews 360-305-4747
quintessential Blaine farmhouse, barn, guesthouse, studio, potting shed & potential equestrian area. Located on 4.8 acres & tucked away 250' from the street with easy access to booming downtown Blaine, the waterfront, US/CAN border & I-5. Unbelievable care & detail have gone into restoring this 3 bedroom charmer. 4510 sq ft two story barn (with water) could easily house animals or... Guesthouse features 3/4 bath + kitchenette area.
Jen Freeman 360-815-0803
www.windermere.com PRICE REDUCED
I’m always available to show you by private appointment all Residential, Commercial, Vacant Land & New Construction Properties!
What is your house worth?
callhugh.johnlscott.com/home-evaluation
or
Call Hugh :
360.371.5800 Hugh Brawford, Managing Broker
Your Local Expert For All Real Estate, Residential Or Commercial Services!
20+ ACRES - $175,000 Homesite
on Kickerville with beautiful, meandering Terrell Creek.
Build your home here!
Owner contract possible AT 20% DOWN, 6.5% 30 year Amortization. Some residential zoning, currently in open space. Great tax advantage.
Semiahmoo Marina Boat Slips Available!
www.CallHugh.com
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
1033 Harrison Ave
Blaine, WA 98230 MLS #1631488
$339,950
Absolutely adorable and well maintained 3 BD/1 BA home in the Heart of Blaine. Classic home. Just a short walk to downtown & the boardwalk overlooking the harbor. So much too see. Make appt to view today before it is gone!
Ray Pelletti 360-815-0251 One Realty homesmart.com rjpnwa@comcast.net
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
16
The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
Birch Bay WWII veteran celebrates his 100th birthday By Kyra Planetz John Finn of Birch Bay celebrates his 100th birthday on Thursday, August 20. He was born in 1920 in a small Michigan town and grew up to live an exciting and adventurous life. Now 100 years later, Finn reflected on his life accomplishments. As a young adult Finn worked in the employment department for a Ford manufacturing plant that built military tanks. Soon after, at age 21, he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard and served for three years in WWII. He attended boot camp for two months in New York, then placed 13 out of a class of 450 in advanced seamanship school. After that, he was assigned to an icebreaker ship in New York Harbor. The ship would break the frozen water near the harbor, making a safe passage for other ships with wooden hulls. Finn said this was the beginning of his boating career and love for the sea. Finn was later assigned to FS268, an army freight supply ship
Birch Bay resident and WWII veteran John Finn at home the week before his 100th birthday. Photo by Kyra Planetz
stationed in the South Pacific, and was responsible for transporting supplies to all branches of service. It was a small ship, an “island hopper” so small the en-
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTORY
What Will Your Legacy Be? “Someone’s sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.” - Warren Buffett Lets Plan for Tomorrow, Today. 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
emies didn’t want to waste a torpedo on it, Finn said. He worked his way through different positions, the highest being duty officer, making him in charge of the safety of the ship and crew. “I was just a kid from a little town of 14,000 people going around the world,” Finn said of his travels. When the war ended, Finn enrolled at the University of Michigan just 24 days after his return. He studied engineering and business administration, earning a degree in the latter. Finn then went into a lifelong career at Pittsburgh Corning, a company that manufactured insulation. He worked in sales pro-
Bread business expands to Birch Bay By Grace McCarthy
2011 Large Business of the Year
Louis’
Louis Auto Glass Family Owned and Operated Since 1929! The Only Validated Auto Glass Company in Whatcom & Skagit Counties.
ouis’Auto & Residential Glass We Guarantee Your Safety
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To Our Canadian Friends
Proud supporters of the Blaine Community! www.louisautoglass.com
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motion and marketing management, working with distributors that ordered products from the plant. Like in the military, Finn worked his way up the chain of command and was at one time the marketing manager for all of Canada. Throughout his life, Finn said he has lived in 28 different places, one of which was Vancouver, where he moved after retirement. He lost his first wife to cancer and met his current wife, Barbara, while living in Vancouver in 1993. Finn also bought a sailboat after his retirement and moored it in Blaine, until he and Barbara moved to Birch Bay Village. The
two took many sailing trips along the San Juans and into some Canadian islands. “I was not a sailor when I met John, but I soon learned to be one,” Barbara said. “Of course I was so comfortable with John because he was a water man.” Finn said Barbara picked their lot in Birch Bay Village while he drew the plans and built about a third of the house himself, completely customized for retirement. With a view of the ocean, the two said they have been comfortable staying inside during the pandemic. Neighbors supply them with groceries each week, Barbara gardens and cooks and Finn exercises every day on a rowing machine. To celebrate his 100th birthday, Finn had one party in March at the couple’s condo in Palm Springs, complete with a cake depicting his beloved FS-268. He planned to go golfing on his actual birthday and celebrate again with family in Canada once the border re-opens. “Well it’s another day but it’s kind of exciting because a lot of people are making something of it,” Finn said. “So I’m pretty well partied out.” Finn, whose mother lived to be 105, had some advice for the younger generation and seniors alike: Be focused, have energy and a good attitude, do the right thing, help others and educate yourself all throughout life. “Don’t concern yourself with the things that you can’t do, but enjoy the things that you can do,” Finn concluded.
Anna’s @BreadinBlaine, a Blaine micro bakery that started selling sourdough bread last November, has partnered with Birch Bay farm stand Home Farm to offer fresh bread to Birch Bay residents. Every Thursday at 2 p.m., co-owner Anna Johnson brings 30 loaves of sourdough, half rosemary and half original flavors, to Home Farm’s farm stand at 8020 Kickerville Road. Johnson said the $7 bread has sold out every Thursday since the partnership started mid-July. Home Farm will also offer the sourdough bread every Tuesday now, too. “We are thankful to be part of the community and offer more bread out in Birch Bay,” she said. Johnson’s husband Mark Johnson, head chef at the Vault Wine Bar & Bistro, makes the European-style no-knead bread while Johnson organizes pickup and
delivery for the bread Tuesdays through Fridays. The couple hoped to transition the home bakery to a brick-andmortar business on Peace Portal Drive once their children started school in the fall, but Covid-19 has delayed the opening. To make the bread more accessible for the community, Johnson said she has been brainstorming other places where she can sell the bread so customers don’t need to do pre-orders. The couple doesn’t offer deliveries to Birch Bay so the farm stand is the first time residents can get the bread without driving to Blaine. “People love it,” said Bridgette DiMonda, who is the co-owner of Home Farm with her husband, Daniel Burdick. “A lot of people don’t know about her bread so they’re getting introduced to it here.” DiMonda asks that people who
visit the farm wear masks when they are at the farm stand and physically distance. In addition to carrying Johnson’s bread, Home Farm will host its fourth pop-up market on Saturday, August 29. The farm started the pop-up market this year after canceling its yearly sunflower festival due to Covid-19 and physical distancing guidelines. Find more details about the market at homefarm.farm. The farm stand, which sells other local items like cheese, honey and vegetables, has an honor-system cash box that allows customers to purchase their items from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. The stand accepts U.S. cash, local checks and Venmo, a money transaction app. For more information on Anna’s @BreadinBlaine, read a previous The Northern Light article at bit.ly/3kspm8h.
DINING GUIDE
Fill your bottles - Easy RV access
2163 Nature’s Path Way • Blaine
DRAYTON HARBOR OYSTERS
This space can be yours for only $37 per week.
Farm Fresh Oysters
13 week commitment. Call 332-1777 to reserve. 277 G Street • Downtown Blaine
360-392-0955
TheVaultWine.com
TheVaultWine
Great Authentic Mexican Food 758 Peace Portal • Blaine 360-332-4045
Served Raw, Grilled, Fried, Stewed & other delicious Seafood Specialities
Local Craft Beers & Wine
360-656-5958 DraytonHarborOysters.com 685 Peace Portal Dr. • Downtown Blaine
August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Testing ... From page 1
al barriers to testing, whether it’s access to insurance or a primary care provider, reasonable wait times, or distance from home,” said Erika Lautenbach, director of the Whatcom County Health Department. “We’re providing this additional long-term testing option to address those barriers and augment the testing options already offered by Northwest Laboratory and healthcare providers in our community.” According to data on the health department website, the Blaine school district area has the second lowest rate of new Covid-19 cases in the county with 23 confirmed cases per 100,000 people for the past two weeks, meeting the state goal of fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 people. The area has a total of 58 confirmed cases as of August 17. The current testing site, at 211 E. Champion Street in Bellingham, will have the capacity to serve up to 240 people each day by next week as staff and volunteers work to fine-tune systems this week. Altogether, the health department expects to be able to test up to 480 people per day with the additional sites. In a news briefing August 18, McCreery announced the county’s six additional drive-thru testing locations: • Birch Bay Bible Community Church parking lot, 4460 Bay Road. • Ferndale Events Center parking lot, 5715 Barrett Road. • Bender Fields parking lot, 8770 Bender Road, in Lynden. • Guru Nanak Gursikh Gurudwara temple parking lot, 176 E. Pole Road, in the Meridian School District. • Old Nooksack River Casino parking lot, 5048 Mount Baker Highway. • Christ Fellowship church, 1208 E. Main Street, Everson. People who provide an email address when they register for an appointment online or by phone will receive their results within 24 hours of being tested, otherwise they will be notified by phone by the department within 72 hours. The health department says it will call anyone who tests positive to notify them and provide information about how to safely isolate from others. Individuals with insurance must provide their information when scheduling their appointment for billing purposes, or they may be responsible for the cost of a test. According to the press release, the cost of free tests for those without insurance will be taken care of by a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services program, funded by the CARES Act and other coronavirus relief funds, that will reimburse the health department for all costs associated with the test. The mobile system, which includes the online registration and scheduling system, is provided by TestDirectly, while Northwest Laboratory processes all specimens collected. TestDirectly is a Los Angeles-based software company that provides a direct-to-consumer portal for lab-
oratory testing, according to its website. The program is designed to use drive-through testing sites, but accommodations can be made for anyone without access to a vehicle by calling 360/778-6075. In July, the county’s pilot project at Bellingham’s Civic Field Stadium tested about 1,800 people in four days of drive-through and walk-up testing. The program cost about $126,000 and required more than 50 volunteers a day, which McCreery said is unsustainable for WUC and the health department. “Lessons learned from the
previous testing pilot program helped to inform the process and make it more convenient for those seeking testing,” McCreery said. “We’re excited about the increased testing capacity, ease of use and convenience brought about by our collaboration with Northwest Laboratory and TestDirectly. This is definitely a stepchange for the community.” The health department encourages people who can get tested by their healthcare providers to do so. For more information on the testing program, visit whatcomcounty.us/covidtesting.
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Blaine students picked up Chromebooks at the district’s campus last week to prepare for the online start to classes.
Photo by Grace McCarthy
OBITUARIES Renie B. Hill
January 14, 1924-July 30, 2020 Renie B. Hill, age 96, passed away from lung cancer on Thursday, July 30, 2020, at the Whatcom Hospice House. She is to be remembered by her family and friends as caring, giving, generous, and being young-spirited. In all her years, she never acted like a senior! Renie loved life and loved her twin-sister. She was beautiful inside and out and saw beauty in everything and everyone. Her mother, Edith Rattenberry, born in London, England, and father, William Becker, born in Sheybogan, Wisconsin, and a World War I veteran, welcomed their twin girls (Joyce and Irene, who later legally changed her name to Renie) on January 14, 1924 in Kirkland, Washington. Renie graduated from Kirkland High School in 1942 and later moved to Bellingham where her husband Bud had been promoted by the Chevron Company to a dealer salesmanship position. Renie had a variety of jobs, but the offices which had special meaning for her were the Bellingham Shipyard, the Uniflite Boat Building Company, and the Bellingham mayor's office. Renie was married to Bud Larson, who died from a heart attack, and then later to Al Hill, who died from cancer. Renie enjoyed playing tennis, shooting pool, and riding a bicycle. She attended Unity Church and The Center for Spiritual Awareness, all of Bellingham. She donated much of her retirement time to the Bellingham Senior Center. Renie is survived by her twin sister Joyce Vanderpol of Blaine, a niece, several nephews, and numerous cousins. She will be greatly missed by her special friends: Stacey Touriel, Mauriay Manning, LaVerne Lindell, Chris Romine, and Martha Millar. Renie was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, her sister Doris Lundvall, by a brother Bill Becker who was a triplet, and his two triplet brothers. Memorials are suggested to Whatcom Hospice House, 2800 Douglas Avenue, Bellingham, WA 98225. The family wishes to thank hospice for their attentive care to Renie's needs, with special thanks to nurse Allison James and social worker Christine. A favorite saying of Renie's was "NAMASTE: The light within me honors the light within you." Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Gillies Funeral Home and Cremation Services.
Lawnie Marie Collard
December 11, 1956–August 8, 2020 Lawnie Marie Collard was born in New Westminster, BC on December 11, 1956 to Garry and Lillian Bueckert. She became enchanted with Point Roberts in the late 80s and worked as a waitress at the Boondocks. She met the love her life while working there and moved permanently to the Point. She was known for her kind soul, amazing cooking, and beautiful artwork. Her painted rocks and signs can be found all over Point Roberts and in the homes of loved ones far away. She is preceded in death by her parents and her husband Michael. She leaves behind her loving brother Peter (Sandy); her beloved niece Kaela; her nephews Mike, James, Saylem, and Jeremy; her stepchildren Thora (Michael) and Jayson; and her three adoring grandchildren Aidan, Graeme, and Charlotte. She passed away suddenly and quickly with family by her side. She leaves behind endless happy memories and a world blessed to have felt her love. A celebration of life and potluck will be held at the family home 1480 Churchill Dr. on Saturday, August 29 at 1 p.m.
Thomas R. Rutherford
October 17, 1927–August 6, 2020 Tom was born in Bellingham to Thomas and Clara (Bruland) Rutherford. He attended Bellingham schools and grew up in the Alabama Hill neighborhood where he picked berries for his mother to make pies and helped his dad cut firewood. After high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps. He was assigned to the Marine Air Division and was a Captain/Crew Chief for a Corsair fighter plane aboard the USS Bairoko. After serving his country, Tom worked at Georgia Pacific as a Chlorine Plant Operator for 45 years before retiring. Once retired, he still felt the need to work and opened up Tom’s Sharp Shop in Blaine. He sharpened knives, scissors, etc. for many local businesses and families. Tom was loving, fun, generous, hardworking, loved his God and loved his family. He had a great voice and could always be heard humming a tune. Tom climbed a 140-foot tall tree to place an American flag on top while no one was around so he wouldn’t “worry us.” Dad loved his gardens and was constantly working outside, always growing enough vegetables to share with others. He also liked to include the kids when working in the shop, giving us a hammer, nails, and piece of wood so we felt like we were “helping.” We will miss his chocolate chip cookies and the ever present twinkle in his eye. Tom is predeceased by his wife, Dorothy G. Rutherford; wife, Margaret G. Rutherford; son-in-law, Robert E. Pratt; parents, Thomas and Clara Rutherford; and sisters, Eileen Johnson, Eloise Rutherford, and Phyllis (Don) Wilson. Survivors include his loving wife, Hazel E. Rutherford; daughters Delayne K. Pratt, Dori G. (Larry) Fridlund, Dorothy G. (Darryl) Pope, Laura (Steve) Nelson, Toni (Wade) Marlow, and Coleen (Dean) Anderson; sister, Patricia Clark; grandchildren, John (Rose) McCafferty, Thomas (Shandel) McCafferty, Taralyn (Andy) Owen, Apryl (Travis) Breitbach, Sara (Ty) McClellan, Jason Fridlund, Michael Fridlund, Connie Fridlund, Aaron Schwind, Adam (Audrey) Schwind, Andrea (Cody) Harms, Kourtney (Levi) Kough, and Stuart Niblock-Pope; and great-grandchildren, Emily, Luke, Justin McCafferty, Kaylyn Quatsoe, Lance Owen, Lauryn Breitbach, Darion Dyrland, Gage McClellan, Connor Harms, Eloise Schwind, Kyleah Fridlund, Adilyn Fridlund, Ryder Eggelston, and Bristol Keough. Tom will be laid to rest at Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale. Memorials in Tom’s name can be made to Grace Lutheran Church (702 G St. Blaine, WA 98230) or Hogar Irekani, an Orphanage in Morelia, Mexico that Tom and Hazel have a great love for (C/O PO Box 6, Custer, WA 98240). Please share your memories of Tom at www.molesfarewelltributes.com.
Ann Marie Spooner
October 5, 1941–August 13, 2020 Ann Marie Spooner, 78, left this world peacefully on August 13, 2020, at First Health Hospice House in Aberdeen, NC. Ann was born in Seattle, WA on October 5, 1941 to Roscoe and Ethel Duvall. Along with raising a family, Ann participated in the civil rights movement, and women’s rights. Ann was part of the congregation and choir at Christ Church in Blaine. Ann was proceeded in death by her parents, one sister, Janet Hines, and her husband, Clifford Spooner. She is survived by one sister, Joyce Charron in Waddell, AZ, six children, twelve grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. Mom’s loss will be felt deeply, and a celebration of life will be held at a later date.
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The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
Games and Puzzles
Coming up Vinyl Night and Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, August 20, The Vault Wine Bar and Bistro, 277 G Street. This week’s theme: California Dreaming. Music starts at 5 p.m., trivia at 7 p.m. Info: thevaultwine.com. Blaine Middle School Orientation: Thursday, August 20, 6–7 p.m. Zoom webinar format. Visit blainesd.org for link. American Graffiti Auto Show: Saturday, August 22, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 225 G Street. Vintage, classic, muscle and new cars and trucks, coloring contest for kids, prizes and giveaways. Info: 360/778-1219. Pop Up Wine Cocktail Event: Saturday, August 22, 4–9 p.m., The Vault Wine Bar and Bistro, 277 G Street. Mixologist Alexine Langdon mixes wine cocktails on the deck, weather permitting. Info: thevaultwine.com. Blaine High School Virtual New Student Orientation: Monday, August 24, 6–7 p.m. Visit blainesd.org for the link. Friends of Birch Bay Library Virtual Annual General Meeting: Monday, August 24, 7 p.m. Zoom meeting info friendsofbirchbaylibrary.org. Blaine Primary School Virtual Orientation: Tuesday, August 25, 5–6 p.m., Visit blainesd.org for link. Blaine Elementary School Virtual Orientation: Tuesday, August 25, 6–7 p.m., Visit blainesd.org for link. Birch Bay Drive-in Movie: Friday, August 28, gates open at 7:30 p.m., movie begins around 9 p.m., Birch Bay Waterslides parking lot, 4874 Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Featured movie: Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. $25 per car, $15 per golf cart. Info and tickets: birchbaychamber.com. Yard Sale Fundraiser: Saturday, August 29, 9 a.m.–3 p.m., The Bridge Community Hope Center, 4815 Alderson Road. Benefits The Bridge food distribution program. Donations welcome, call 360/366-8463.
Crossword Answers at thenorthernlight.com
ACROSS 1. Slopes 7. Attacks 13. One who has left prison 14. Goes against 16. Atomic #37 17. Home of The Beatles 19. Mac alternative 20. A common boundary with 22. Fluid in a plant 23. Genus that includes scads 25. Longer of the forearm bones 26. Gradually disappears 28. AI risk assessor 29. Type of whale 30. Jaws of a voracious animal 31. Patriotic women (abbr.) 33. Ancient Egyptian God 34. Obsessed with one’s appearance 36. Erase 38. A type of smartie 40. Nostrils 41. Influential French thinker 43. Popular K-pop singer 44. One point south of due east 45. Payroll company 47. Moved quickly on foot
48. Bar bill 51. An idiot 53. Indicates silence 55. Protein-rich liquids 56. Rhythmic patterns 58. Scatter 59. Belongs to bottom layer 60. Impulsive part of the mind 61. Carousel 64. Type of degree 65. Ornamental molding 67. Locks in again 69. Sounds the same 70. Come into view DOWN 1. Speak rapidly 2. Trauma center 3. River in W. Africa 4. Ancient Greek district 5. Bulgaria’s monetary unit 6. Children’s ride 7. Absorbed liquid 8. Markets term 9. Retail term recording sales 10. Automaton 11. Spanish form of “be” 12. Divide 13. Malaysian sailing boat 15. Writers
18. Cool! 21. Popular tourist attraction studio 24. Sets free 26. An enthusiastic devotee of sports 27. Unhappy 30. Alternate term for Holy Scripture 32. Influential French scholar 35. What thespians do 37. Local area network 38. Free from contamination 39. Coastal region of Canada 42. Sun up in New York 43. High schoolers’ exam 46. Fathers 47. Call it a career 49. Suitable for growing crops 50. Rose-red variety of spinel 52. Orange-brown in color 54. Lowest point of a ridge
between two peaks 55. Late TNT sportscaster 57. A way to wedge 59. Cold, dry Swiss wind 62. Hockey players need it 63. Something highly prized 66. Atomic #45 68. Top lawyer
Ongoing: Blaine Farmers Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., Blaine’s G Street Plaza. Local and fresh produce, crafts and goodies. Flea market on the last Saturday of the month. Info: blainechamber.com. Blaine Food Bank: 500 C Street. Open Mondays 9 a.m.— noon, Wednesdays 5–7 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m.—noon. Delivery options available. Info:360/332-6350 or blainefood@ hotmail.com. The Bridge Food Distribution Program: Fridays 3:30–5 p.m., The Bridge Community Hope Center, 4815 Alderson Road. Registration required at thebridgehope.com or call 360/366-8763. Volunteers welcome. The Bridge Clothing Bank Boutique: Open Wednesdays 3–5 p.m. and Fridays 12–5 p.m., The Bridge Community Hope Center, 4815 Alderson Road. Donations by appointment, call 360/366-8763. Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Virtual Meetings: Thursdays, 1 p.m. Meeting ID on birchbaychamber.com. Blaine Chamber of Commerce Virtual Meetings: First Wednesday, noon. Meeting ID on blainechamber.com. Blaine Library: 610 3rd Street. Curbside holds and pick up and returns. Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Sunday 1–5 p.m. Info 360/305-3600. Meals on Wheels & More: Wednesdays 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Adults 60+ pick up one fresh and six frozen meals. Suggested donation $5 per meal. First come first serve basis. Info: 360/332-8040. Toastmasters Virtual Meetings: Tuesdays 6:30–7:45 p.m. Info: 360/933-1671. Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
Police Reports August 8, 1:11 a.m.: An officer on routine patrol observed a vehicle operating erratically. The officer made contact with the driver who smelled of alcoholic beverages. The driver submitted to field sobriety tests and was determined to be under the influence. The 18-year-old driver was arrested, processed and booked into Whatcom County Jail for DUI. August 8, 1:41 p.m.: Officers were called to collect possible drug paraphernalia found on top of a park bench. Officers arrived and located a broken spoon and an empty vape pipe. Officers disposed of the items at the police station. August 8, 11:29 p.m.: Dispatch requested a warrant confirmation. A Blaine officer confirmed the two warrants were valid and faxed them to the Whatcom County Jail. August 9, 9:45 a.m.: Blaine Police were dispatched to a vehicle prowl that occurred in the 800 block of Mitchell Avenue. The suspect stole several backpacks from a locked truck and an unloaded hunting rifle. The rifle will be entered into criminal justice databases as a stolen firearm. During the investigation, police determined a single male suspect on a bicycle was likely responsible for the theft. The investigation is ongoing. August 10, 6:40 a.m.: A woman called the police after discovering her mailbox had been stolen. An officer went to the location and found four mailboxes still on the post, however, the woman’s mailbox had been forcibly removed. The victim did not know anyone who would steal her mailbox. The theft is valued at $30.
Weather Precipitation: During the period of August 10–16, no precipitation was recorded. The 2020 year-to-date precipitation is 23.3 inches. Temperature: High for the past week was 90°F on August 16 with a low of 51°F on August 13. Average high was 78°F and average low was 54°F. Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
Tides
DATE TIME HEIGHT TIME HEIGHT August 21–August 27 at Blaine. Not for navigation. 49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W Fr 21
1:49 am
4.1
7:05 am
8.3
August 10, 12:32 p.m.: Blaine police assisted Whatcom County sheriff’s deputies with a burglary suspect identification and arrest.
1:42 pm
-0.2
8:32 pm
9.8
Sa 22 2:37 am
3.2
8:09 am
8.0
August 11, 1:00 a.m.: Blaine police responded to the 700 block F Street for a report of a stolen scooter. Officers took a report and will have the vehicle entered into law enforcement databases as stolen.
2:26 pm
1.1
9:02 pm
9.7
Su 23 3:27 am
2.3
9:21 am
7.7
August 11, 8:30 a.m.: Blaine police received a report of a vehicle prowl in the 600 block of A Street. Officers are investigating the incident. August 12, 8:30 a.m.: A reporter from a local newspaper rode with an officer for several hours of their shift. August 12, 4:00 p.m.: An individual called to report an unknown person took an empty box out of their son’s arms at the Blaine Food Bank the day prior. They also wanted to report a theft from their home, which was later discovered to be out of the area. August 12, 7:30 p.m.: Officers responded to a report of a missing cell phone. An out of area individual advised police her husband left his cell phone at the park while visiting Blaine. She also advised officers she and her husband tracked the phone with GPS to a residence in Blaine. Officers responded to the address provided and recovered the cell phone from a man who advised he found it earlier in the park. Officers took possession of the cell phone to return to its owner. Officers cleared with no further incident.
3:12 pm
2.5
9:34 pm
9.5
Mo 24 4:21 am
1.4
10:41 am
7.5
4:02 pm
4.0
10:10 pm
9.3
Tu 25
5:19 am
0.7
12:13 pm
7.4
5:00 pm
5.4
10:48 pm
9.1
We 26 6:19 am
0.2
1:55 pm
7.8
6:12 pm
6.4
11:32 pm
8.8
Th 27 7:23 am
-0.3
3:23 pm
8.3
7:42 pm
7.0
August 12, 8:00 p.m.: A member of Sea Mar Community Health Center rode with a Blaine Police Department officer assigned to the crisis intervention team for the department. August 12, 9:25 p.m.: Officers responded to a neighbor dispute where a man accused another man of stealing wood from his yard. The reporting party did not know the person’s name or where they lived but thinks they live nearby. He was instructed to call back if the man returns. No further action was taken. August 13, 7:29 p.m.: Officers responded to a neighbor dispute over shrubbery on each other’s property. Officers spoke with both parties, advised them it was best to stay away from each other, and also provided information on obtaining an anti-harassment and no-contact order. Officers cleared without further law enforcement action.
Reports provided byBlaine Police Department
A family works on a sand sculpture at Birch Bay for the 2020 online Sand Sculpture Competition. Photo courtesy of Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce
August 20 - 26, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
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Birch Bay Sand Sculpture Competition winners The Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce held its annual Sand Sculpture Competition virtually this year. Some of the winners are below. Learn more at Birchbaychamber.com.
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Water Wisely Schedule
Even-Numbered Addresses
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Odd-Numbered Addresses
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Wednesday, Friday, Sunday
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday Saturday
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20
The Northern Light • August 20 - 26, 2020
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