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October 22 - 28, 2020
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Cause of recent Blaine outages is unknown, page 3
Car tab initiative ruled unconstitutional, page 6
Blaine Farmers Market to continue indoors, page 10
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
A new group of kindergarteners return to school City plans to keep employees, cut operating expenses for 2021 budget By Oliver Lazenby
(See Budget, page 6)
s A new cohort of Blaine kindergarteners came to school on October 12. The first group of kindergarteners returned to school in-person on October 12 in a hybrid learning model, and the second of two groups arrived on October 19.
Photo courtesy of Lisa Moeller
Election 2020: Show us the money B y P a t G r u bb If money talks, then there’s a whole lot of yakking going on in the 42nd district. As of October 19, the four candidates running for state representative district 42 seats have reported receiving $1,298,000 in donations in the hotly contested races. Leading the contributor pack is Democratic incumbent Sharon Shewmake with $390,875, followed by her Republican challenger Jennifer Sefzik with $330,672 in contributions. The two are running for the Position 2 seat. Republican incumbent Luanne Van Werven has raised $290,557 while her challenger Alicia Rule has pulled in $286,146. Figures shown are current as of October 19. Reported expenditures tell a slightly different story. Shewmake has spent $316,677 versus Sefzik’s $231,200,
Wildbird Charity and the Blaine Chamber of Commerce Present
while Rule has spent $254,697 compared to Van Werven’s $224,379. Much of the money received by the candidates comes from party sources. For example, Shewmake has received over $204,000 from state and county Democratic campaign funds. She has also received money from a number of tribes as well as various union locals. She has spent the most money on mailers ($47,000) followed by Comcast TV ads ($41,570) and digital and radio ads with Cascade Radio and Praise 106.5 ($24,000). Polling has cost $8,250. The Washington state Public Disclosure Commission lists political donations by date, organization and amount of money given. Often, an organization will give more than one contribution. For example, the House Democratic Campaign Committee made two donations, one for
$80,000 and another for $8,250. Of Shewmake’s top 25 donations, 12 came from just four state and county Democratic or(See Campaigns, page 3)
Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 First Responders . 8 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Coming Up . . . . . 14 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Crossword . . . . . . 14
INSIDE
The grass could be longer at city parks next year and emerging issues could take longer to fix. The city of Blaine is struggling through the process of drafting a 2021 general fund budget with a roughly 7.6 percent reduction in spending from the city’s amended 2020 budget and about 10 percent from the original 2020 budget before the city cut costs due to Covid-19 and the border closure. The general fund pays for staff salaries, supplies and some other city expenses. City council directed staff to plan a reduced budget at a September 14 meeting, after city staff presented three options for budget planning: A worst-case scenario, a same-case scenario and a scenario that envisioned the city going back to preCovid-19 revenue. Council directed staff to plan for a 1 percent reduction from the same-case scenario. City manager Michael Jones brought a draft general fund budget to city council at an October 12 study session that accomplished the bulk of spending cuts to the $6.7 million budget but still fell about $81,000 short of the goal. “Under this budget we will have less capacity to respond to emerging issues. There will be more reductions in service levels,� Jones told council. “This budget is not a budget I’d choose, it’s not a budget that I think you’d choose. It is a circumstance of the times. We can’t do this year over year and run the kind of government, the kind of city, you’d be proud of. We can do it for a year, maybe two, beyond that you’ll see a wearing down of people, resources, facilities.� Much of the cost saving in the draft budget comes from a reduction in travel and training expenses and a reduction in operating supplies. All city departments cut their budgets for travel and training would be done only to keep necessary certifications, Jones said. “In some areas we will be consuming our inventory and coming to the end of
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The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
s The Port of Bellingham discovered an oil sheen near the Sea K Fish cleanup site in 2016, where Starfish Inc. currently operates. Preliminary investigations showed the contamination came from an underground petroleum storage tank and hydraulic fluids from former fish oil processing equipment. Photo courtesy Department of Ecology
Public comment needed on harbor cleanup By Grace McCarthy The Department of Ecology is asking for public comment on a legal agreement surrounding petroleum cleanup in the Blaine Harbor. Public review on this agreement, which started October 12 and is open until Tuesday, November 10, will help begin the formal cleanup process at the Sea K Fish cleanup site. The agreed order, which is the legal agreement between the Port of Bellingham and Department of Ecology, requires the port to conduct a remedial investigation that will characterize the site, evaluate
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clean up options in a feasibility study and create a draft cleanup action plan, according to Department of Ecology documents. The Port manages the cleanup site, where seafood wholesaler Starfish Inc. currently operates, in an agreement with the Department of Natural Resources. The Port discovered an oil sheen on rip rap in 2016, and reported it to the Department of Ecology’s Environmental Report Tracking System. The Port then placed a boom in the water to temporarily control the oil sheen while it conducted preliminary investigations that concluded in 2019.
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Investigations revealed contamination from old underground petroleum storage tanks and hydraulic fluids from former fish oil processing equipment. The Port approached the Department of Ecology this March to start the formal clean up under Model Toxics Control Act, Washington’s cleanup law for potentially harmful contamination. The cleanup is expected to begin in 2022 but the timeline can fluctuate, said Ian Fawley, outreach specialist for the Department of Ecology’s Bellingham office. The level of environmental
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impact will not be known until the site hazard assessment is complete, Fawley said. The Port’s 2019 investigation showed contamination in the soil and groundwater. After the 30-day comment period, the Department of Ecology will finalize the drafted legal documents. Landau Associates, contracted by the Port, will also begin a remedial study and investigation. The consulting firm has also worked on other Blaine Harbor cleanup sites, including Westman Marine Inc. and Blaine Marina Inc., Fawley said. Between 2021 and 2022, Department of Ecology will finalize the remedial investigation and feasibility study, create a draft cleanup action plan and enter the consent decree, a legal agreement for the final cleanup. “Above and beyond, it’s to help revitalize the Blaine industrial waterfront,” said Ben Howard, Port of Bellingham environmental project manager. “Doing cleanup will allow tenants to expand or put infrastructure underground.” The Department of Ecology and Port of Bellingham partnered with RE Sources, a Bellingham-based environmental advocacy nonprofit, to create a virtual tour instead of the tour that would normally occur at the cleanup site. To view the virtual clean up, visit re-sources.org/2020/10/ seakfish. Submit a comment at bit.ly/2FwCmKs.
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County budget proposes big drop in spending By Oliver Lazenby Whatcom County executive Satpal Sidhu released a proposed $451.6 million budget for 20212022 with a roughly 17 percent decrease in total expenditures from the county’s amended 2020 budget. Due to a hiring freeze in March 2020 and other cost-saving measures, along with federal CARES Act funds, the county does not expect to make layoffs, Sidhu said in a message about the budget. The general fund, which funds most general government services, including law enforcement, public defense, health, parks, land use planning and building inspections, would get a 5.3 percent cut for 2021. The biggest cut in expenditures from the 2020 amended budget is in the “All Other Funds” category and much of that is due to a drop in the “Covid-19 Emergency Response” fund, which was funded by $13.1 million in CARES Act funds from the federal government for 2020. The budget would also cut about $10 million from the county road fund. The budget is based on the county’s financial forecast, which predicts a decline in revenue driven mostly by a decline in sales tax collections. The budget does include several new expenses, such as $300,000 for child and family services, $500,000 for water settlement negotiations and $130,000 to establish a racial justice commission. The county council’s finance committee will discuss the recommended budget at a meeting on Tuesday, October 27. After public hearings, which are not yet scheduled, council will adopt a final 2021-2022 budget on Tuesday, November 24. Find more details on the county’s proposed budget and planning process at bit.ly/3m37voj.
Get a $15 Gift Card to The Market or Bob’s When you spend $150 at Birch Bay Square Redeem at The Market or Bob’s. Simply show your receipts from participating retailers totaling $150 or more to The Market or Bob’s Burgers and get your gift card. While supplies last. Only receipts dated October 15th onward will be honored. $150 pre-tax amount is required to be eligible; One gift card per person through promotion period.
Participating Retailers: Anytime Fitness • Betty Be Good • Birch Bay Budz • Bow Wow & Woofs • Capstone Physical Therapy • Farmers Insurance • GH Bass & Co. • Jack in the Box L’eggs Hanes Bali Playtex • Mike’s Dollar Plus • Nail Masters • Northwest Veterinary Clinic • Subway • Van Heusen • Windermere Real Estate • Woods Coffee
October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
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Cause of recent outages unknown, electrical system in need of update By Ian Haupt Recent power outages in the eastern side of Blaine, surrounding Lincoln Park and the truck route, have left residents with questions and concerns about the city’s electrical system. While the city doesn’t know the cause of some recent outages, it expects there could be more. After the power went out on September 23 and 26 for several hours, Kerry Clausen, who lives on 8th Street, wrote a letter to the city asking for an explanation. Clausen said on September 23 the power went out around 6:37 p.m. and lasted until 4:23 a.m. the next day. The next outage, on the 26th, Clausen said lasted about two hours and only affected the east side of 8th Street. “I’m worried with all these
Campaigns ... From page 1
ganizations. With the exception of two donations from the Whatcom County Democrats, the rest of the top 25 donations were made by groups, unions or individuals from outside district 42. The figures don’t necessarily reflect the local appeal of the candidates, of course. Not including the smallest contributions, the majority of contributions in numerical terms come from voters within district 42 for Shewmake and Sefzik alike. It helps to have friends, especially when you’ve got enemies. The Democratic group New Direction PAC has spent $114,011 in support of Shewmake’s campaign while the Republican third-party organization Evergreen Progress has spent $116,270 against it. Sefzik has also benefited from state and county Republican party sources, receiving $167,083 as of October 19. Sefzik has accused her opponent of being dependent upon donations from outside district 42; in her case, 92 percent of the top 25 donations came from outside the district for a total of $162,457 out of $176,083. Like Shewmake, Sefzik has spent the most money on TV
breaks in service, and the impending bad winter coming, people using more electricity because they are staying home with Covid, and daylight saving time ending, there will be additional taxing on the system,” Clausen wrote. Interim public works director Bob Hammond said he’s not certain what caused these outages. He thinks the outages were likely due to what is sometimes called “an underground storm,” which happens when it rains or storms for the first time after a dry season. The vulnerable areas within the system – old or faulty cables – will fail, he said. “I want to send a clear message that there could be more of these,” Hammond said in a September 28 city council meeting. “I’m hopeful that there isn’t.
We’ll try to figure out anything we can about the vulnerabilities.” Hammond said he is planning to recommend the city to budget for updates on the current electrical system. He said the city will likely begin work on a $1 million project to update the circuit in spring 2021. Hammond said some components of the electrical system have been there since its inception, which was in 1890, according to the city of Blaine website. While not a sure cause of the outages, Hammond said a main switch to one of the system’s two substations was destroyed in a vehicular collision a couple of months ago and that could have made the system more vulnerable. The $30,000 switch has since been replaced.
and video streaming ($78,668) followed by mailers and postage ($43,555). Top independent expenditures for and against Sefzik include the Democratic New Direction PAC, which has spent $147,935 against her while Evergreen Progress, the 42nd Legislative District Committee (GOP) and the NRA Political Victory Fund have spent $8,275 in support of her candidacy. Running third in the list of money getters is Republican incumbent Luanne Van Werven, who has received a total of $300,432 and has spent $256,559 so far. She has received $51,526 from state and county Republican party sources. With the exception of two individual donations from Bellingham and an in-kind contribution made by herself, the rest of the donors in the top 25 list have been made by corporations or business associations such as BP, Chevron, BNSF Railway, Puget Sound Energy and Amazon. Van Werven’s expenses mirror the other candidates in the district. She has spent $155,954 on TV, radio and cable advertis-
ing and $49,825 on printing and mailing election pieces. Outside groups have spent $93,099 against her (New Direction PAC) while friendly groups have spent $22,891 in support of her candidacy (Evergreen Progress, GOP and the NRA Political Victory Fund). Bringing up the rear in the money sweepstakes is Blaine’s Alicia Rule, who has raised $286,148 and spent $254,697. State and county Democratic groups have given Rule $141,524, or 49.4 percent of total contributions. Five of her top 25 contributors are from district 42 including herself, county executive Satpal Sidhu, IAFF Local 191, Lummi Business Council and the local Democratic committee. Rule has spent big on broadcast media with $100,000 alone going to Comcast for spots running October 7 through November 3. In all, $155,008 has been dedicated to advertising. The New Direction PAC has thrown $218,135 in support of Rule’s candidacy while Evergreen Progress has spent just $15,192 against her.
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High winds damaging aboveground cables caused an outage on October 13 that affected an area south of Salishan Park, Hammond said. That outage was not related to the September outages. “The great news, in our system, is that we have a lot of underground cable and that helps us in a windstorm because of the overhead,” Hammond said in the September 28 meeting. “The bad news is it’s really difficult to find where these faults are.” Hammond said this is the reason for the 12-hour outage on September 23. As part of the update project in the spring, Hammond said he hopes to install more fault indicators to the system – devices that help crews identify and diagnose the vulnerable areas within the current sys-
tem that need updating. Crews will also install a mile of 600-amp primary circuit around the same substation that recently had the switch replaced. This will allow for the system to flow more smoothly and be less susceptible to faults, Hammond said. In 2015, a study of the city’s electrical system found three vulnerable areas that, Hammond said, if fixed at the time, could’ve helped to prevent the recent outages. “If we would’ve acted on those comments back in time appropriately, in my opinion, I can’t say for sure these outages would be avoided, but certainly the probability would be better,” he said in the meeting. Hammond said the project set for spring would address those vulnerable areas.
Inmates caught after fleeing work crew By Grace McCarthy Two minimum-security inmates escaped a Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office work crew in north Bellingham around 12 p.m. on October 19. One man was found early the morning of October 21 and the other was apprehended at 11:30 a.m. on October 21, according to a Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. Christopher J. McCracken, a 24-year-old from Blaine, and Jonathan E. Pickett, a 25-year-old from Ferndale, ignored orders to stop after fleeing near Northwest and West Smith roads, according to a sheriff’s office press release. On October 20, deputies received a report from a hiker who believed to have seen the suspects around the Gold Mine Trail in
Everson. McCracken was found in the 4200 block of South Pass Road in Everson and booked in Whatcom County Jail at 4:45 a.m. for probable first-degree escape. The sheriff’s office didn’t provide additional info on how Pickett was taken into custody by press time. McCracken was booked in the work center August 10 and was serving a 266-day sentence for second-degree burglary of a storage unit and possession of controlled substances, according to jail booking data. Pickett was booked into jail October 3 for violating a no-contact order and was scheduled to be released October 31. Deputies searched north Bellingham with a K9, a Bellingham Police Department K9 unit and a U.S. Customs and Border Protection helicopter flew over the area.
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The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
Letters
The Northern L ght The Northern Light is published weekly by Point Roberts Press Inc. Locally owned and managed, the company also publishes the All Point Bulletin, covering Point Roberts, Mount Baker Experience, covering the Mt. Baker foothills area, Pacific Coast Weddings annual guide, and the summer recreation guide Waterside as well as maps and other publications. Point Roberts Press Inc. is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Chambers of Commerce of Bellingham/ Whatcom County, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts and the Bellingham/ Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors. Letters Policy The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters are limited to 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Consumer complaints should be submitted directly to the business in question or the local chamber of commerce. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com.
Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com Co-publisher & Advertising Director Louise Mugar lmugar@pointrobertspress.com Editor Oliver Lazenby oliver@pointrobertspress.com Reporter & Copy Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com Reporting Intern Ian Haupt prpintern@pointrobertspress.com Creative Services Ruth Lauman, Doug De Visser, production@pointrobertspress.com Office Manager Jeanie Luna info@pointrobertspress.com Advertising Sales Molly Ernst sales@pointrobertspress.com General Editorial Inquiries editor@pointrobertspress.com The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVI, No 19 Circulation: 10,500 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
Next issue: Oct. 29 Ads due: Oct. 23
Editor’s note: This week’s issue is the last one in which The Northern Light will accept political letters for this election cycle. We will continue to publish political letters online. The Editor: It’s a go. Thanks to the overwhelming positive response from our community, the Blaine Food Bank is proud to host our first ever ‘Spooktacular’ on Saturday, October 31 from 4 to 7:30 p.m. at the Blaine Food Bank, 500 C Street in Blaine. Please join our volunteers for a fun family evening of ghosts and ghouls, pirates and witches, pumpkins and scarecrows, and of course treats. We ask that you enter the Northwood Alliance Church parking lot by driving east on Cherry Street. You will be greeted and directed by parking lot attendants and take your spot within the car queue. We are so happy to be doing something fun for the children, and for our wonderful community that has given so much to us. We hope you and your trick or treaters can join us. Please note this is a family event for children accompanied by an adult. If you don’t have a vehicle and want to participate, please call 360/332-6350 to schedule a walk-through time. Don’t forget to bring your cameras along as there will be several opportunities for photos. We look forward to seeing you. Sally Church on behalf of Blaine Food Bank volunteers Blaine The Editor: Please make an apples-to-apples comparison if you look into who is supporting and paying for election mailers. A letter last week in The Northern Light suggested that for one candidate she did not support, you should just look up who paid for an independent outside mailer that was not authorized by that candidate, but for the candidate she did support, you should look up their actual direct contributors. That’s apples to oranges. All the four women running for legislature have individual donations by regular citizens, and all four of them also have independent organizations that are sending unauthorized separate mailers, by which those groups are forbidden by law to ask permission and consult with the candidates. Some of those outside special interest groups are hardworking union people who want legislators to support good pay and benefits and protections for working families. Other mailers are paid by profitable companies that want legislators to take away restrictions and protections, so that they can make more profit. Whatever you do, compare the personal donations of one candidate to the personal donations of their opponent. Or check independent spending about one versus the other, keeping in mind that the candidates have zero control on outside spending, or from whom it originates, or what it says. Richard May Blaine The Editor: Eight years ago, I was on a plane chatting with a Greek woman bringing her daughter to London for university. I asked if she had considered any schools in the U.S. She chuckled and said, “America for us is like a dream world – you can do anything there. But it is too far away.” Today, my friends abroad that I met during my time as a Peace Corps volunteer and as a graduate student ask gently if my family is okay. They ask about the virus, they ask about the civil unrest. They fear for my
safety in America. Their questions have made me feel something I never associated with my national identity: Pitiful. It is unsettling to think my country is an object of pity in the world. In our history, we have been, by turns, praised and scorned by other countries, but I don’t know that we have ever been pitied. The attacks of 9/11 spurred expressions of solidarity, and much of the world mourned with us. But it was not pity we received in that darkest of moments. Our situation is pitiful because we brought it on ourselves. We have chosen to demonize one another, ignoring the validity of one another’s experiences and right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. We have chosen to trust talking heads and social media, amoral and accountable to no one, to tell us what reality is and what we ought to value. We have chosen to believe a person cannot hold that both Black lives matter and that police are essential to our community. Half of eligible voters don’t even vote. That indispensable democratic right for which American soldiers and activists have fought and died. Our friends in developed democratic nations abroad pity average Americans because they recognize the president, uniquely unsuited to the task of governing, exacerbates our challenges for his own benefit. While I see the flaws with Mr. Biden, I believe his leadership will take us a little closer to where we ought to be – a place of decency and rule by consensus. You know, a dream world. Dylan Blake Blaine The Editor: As an independent voter, resident and property owner in the Blaine area for years, I have voted for Democratic, Republican and independent candidates. I have agreed to disagree with my neighbors in a friendly, neighborly way. I don’t hate anyone with an opposing political view. As citizens of Blaine, Birch Bay, Semiahmoo and all surrounding communities, we learn from each other. We share our concerns about our schools, businesses, employment and infrastructure. We cry out for a train bypass, a crime-free and safe community and good-paying jobs to live and raise our families peacefully among each other. This election, I support the following candidates. I have met and support Jeffrey Beeler for our 1st Congressional District. He is aware of our need for a train bypass as part of our local infrastructure. He will work and coordinate with representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers who accomplished getting funding for a similar multimillion dollar train project in the Spokane area. I also support Representative Luanne Van Werven. Her experience and unyielding support for the needs of all of our students at all academic levels is worthy of her reelection. I also join many of our neighbors who also support Jennifer Sefzik. She is a strong advocate for good-paying jobs needed to raise our families. She supports and will speak for our environment and law enforcement. As my neighbors, I ask all of you to join our community in supporting these well-qualified candidates. Stan Magryta Blaine The Editor: A letter to the editor in the October 15 issue of The Northern Light said that Trump had built a great economy. Prior to the pandemic, Trump’s giant tax giveaway to the wealthiest 1 percent might have
stimulated the stock market but it did not improve the economy, which is not the same as the stock market. Republican presidential candidates consistently claim they can vastly improve the economy, a claim long disproved by actual history. First, Ronald Reagan passed the biggest tax reduction in history but spent even more money on the military and other pet projects resulting in tanking the economy in his second term. It was so bad that both Reagan and George H. W. Bush, who was a decent man, after him had to raise taxes, contributing to Clinton’s defeat of Bush in 1992. Courtesy of the Supreme Court, G. W. Bush with his former Reagan administration minions gave another huge tax cut to the top 1 percent. Add to this his endless unnecessary Middle East wars and the economy tanked again, reaching a low point in 2008. The Fed had to then bail out large banks and other large businesses mismanaged by Republican free-market orthodoxy. Enter Barrack Obama, who had to clean up that mess. This required doing things such as bailing out General Motors. Obama did a smart and necessary job reviving the economy until, term-limited, he had to give way to Trump. Trump again repeated the mistake of massive tax reductions favoring the top 1 percent, which boosted the stock market but not the economy. Add to this abysmal failure with the coronavirus pandemic and we have but a trashed economy again. Trump’s claim of creating the world’s greatest economy is his biggest, and one of his most often told, lies. So, history shows that Republican economic orthodoxy is much more effective at trashing the economy than stimulating it. To quote the line from Forrest Gump: “Stupid is as stupid does.” Michael Tomlinson Blaine The Editor: In response to Mr. Berry’s letter last week attempting to contrast Trump supporters’ beliefs with fascism, I don’t believe all Trump supporters are the same. But since Mr. Berry discussed Trump supporters as a unified group, so will I, modeling my subject lines on his. Mr. Berry states that fascists: • Believe in powerful, centralized government that’s responsible for all outcomes. Trump supporters believe he alone defines what makes our country great, and that state governments are subservient; • Are militaristic. They don’t mind sending troops to gas protesters (making no distinction between protesters and rioters) or sending troops to states where governors don’t want them; • Suppress opposition. Rather than individual free speech, Trump supporters seem to appreciate being told what to chant in unison, demand allegiance to a single individual and don’t seem to know where lying, bullying, grabbing women at will and denigrating fellow citizens and a free press will lead; • Disarm civilians. They support the right to bear arms regardless of weapon or outcome, while Trump won’t disavow terrorists who want to storm elected state houses to kidnap and execute governors; • Erase and spin history. They glorify statues of “losers” from a war to break up our union and continue slavery and oppression. Mr. Berry says Trump supporters believe in meritocracy, where individuals rise on merit, though Trump got millions from his father to start businesses, and Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
The Editor: When Donald Trump announced his 2016 run for presidency, I thought he was joking. All I knew of him was what I’d heard on media and a couple of episodes of his TV show. I wasn’t so impressed. But then I heard a little of what he was saying – he, himself, speaking and I started listening. The more I heard, the more I liked him. And agreed with him – strongly. I must stress that I was listening to him – to what he said (not what the media was telling me he stood for, which I found was distorted beyond all recognition). I’ve always been an informed voter but Mr. Trump was the first candidate I was truly excited about. He is a compassionate and gracious human being and I am proud to call him my president. People may not always agree with, or even like, him but as evidenced by his words and actions, there is no (truthfully) denying that President Trump loves this great nation we are so blessed to live in. And he loves the people – all our people – who comprise it. He has, and will continue to, work tirelessly to do what makes America and its people stronger,
better and more empowered. President Trump has accomplished extraordinary things, especially considering the fullon opposition he has relentlessly faced from Democrats, media and others. President Trump is a warrior who defends our Constitution and our personal freedoms. I want us to keep America: Keep the strong Christian values that have served us so well throughout history. Values of expression, faith, family, equality, justice, liberty, life … (we must offer protection to the unborn). We have become a strange people – paralyzed by fear of Covid-19, yet think nothing of the 623,471 helpless lives intentionally ended in 2016, according to the CDC. Thank you for letting me share what is on my heart and mind. I respectfully ask that you listen to what President Trump himself says – directly – without his words being misinterpreted for you by those who think they are smarter. They are not. Look up a speech he has given or tune into one of his rallies. Listen for yourself. And vote. Prayerfully and wisely, vote. Christena Miller Blaine The Editor: I spent my life living in California under the rulings of governors Browns and Davis. The Democrats have always had a huge voting majority and only acted properly when they recalled Gray Davis in 2004 when he announced that the new state budget (starts the same as the federal government on October 1) would have a shortfall of $5 billion and after the re-election corrected it to be $35 billion and then he was recalled and the state is now closer to recovery 15 years later. So that is how Democrats operate despite rantings of Starr and Kemp in their letters. I spent much time working in the Young Republicans and met many legislators of both parties and got to admire them. The problem is the larger picture of both parties is what rules our country and not the local legislators. As to the other party, I refer you to the recent California wildfires and resulting deaths. Democrats blamed the federal government for this tragedy since they
own 58 percent of the land there. Until recently, forests were maintained through controlled burning that ceased about five years ago and apparently that was the prime cause for this disaster and the Democrats would not accept any responsibility. I also had a direct experience of being involved with an earlier wildfire in the Sierras while fishing and it was and is a scary moment. Starr and Kemp tend to attack with their own version of their opposing party’s qualifications. So, I urge you to ignore their rantings and make your own vote based on your research or commitment to either party’s platforms. Democrats push for illegal immigrants to be treated and paid like us legal residents and Nancy Pelosi, I read, wants to pay them and protect them in the next round of payments. Why does this party want to do so much for illegal immigrants and not you and me? The simple
Let’s Keep Judge David Freeman on The Whatcom County Superior Court • Currently seated on the Whatcom County Superior Court • Winner of the Primary Election with 59.7% of vote • Supported by the full Whatcom Superior Court bench • Rated “Exceptionally-Well Qualified” by the Whatcom Bar Association • Endorsed by Whatcom County Democratic Party • Endorsed by Whatcom County Republican Party Endorsed by people you trust: Go to www.electjudgefreeman.com Judicial races are at the end of a long ballot, Please look for David E. Freeman and vote to retain him. Thanks. Paid for by the Committee to Elect Judge David E. Freeman, P. O. Box 6095, Bellingham, WA 98227
Blaine United Church of Christ
(See Letters, page 15)
"Where friendly people gather and become family"
CITY OF BLAINE Due to COVID-19 and the Governor’s Proclamation, meetings are now only open to the public telephonically. Information on how to listen to the meeting live will be on the City Council agenda which is located on the City’s website homepage under Your Government, City Council, City Council Agenda. Please check the agenda prior to each meeting as the call in number or location may change.
Thursday, October 22
6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting
Sunday Services 10:30 am esus
didn’t turn people away
J
millions more to bail out multiple bankruptcies. Furthermore, meritocracy thrives when racial disparity is replaced by a level playing field. Please don’t support Trump. He simply continued Obama’s economic trajectory, won’t support additional training for law enforcement, is removing troops in areas against military leaders’ and allies’ advice, bungled a pandemic response, began trade wars that hurt American farmers and consumers, appoints cabinet members who he says are “the world’s most overrated general,” “dumb as a rock,” “ill prepared,” “not mentally qualified,” and promotes a rest-ofthe-world-be-damned attitude. America is great and I don’t want a Trump-Pence-McConnell coalition to change it. I don’t think Trump supporters are fascists. I think they’re good people, possibly uninformed or hoodwinked by a self-aggrandizing, impeached, reality TV buffoon. Chuck Kinzer Blaine
5
Neither do we.
Monday, October 26
4:30pm – Study Session – Public Works 2021 Budgets 6:00pm – City Council Meeting Public Hearing – Proposed Property Tax Levy
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The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
Budget ... From page 1
the year with less,” Jones said. “In some areas that’s not a big deal. In others, we will have to be more careful.” The budget doesn’t call for layoffs, but the city wouldn’t fill some vacant positions left open by people retiring or resigning, and people working half time would fill some positions. It also cuts some long-standing contracts, such as a contract with a landscaping company, in favor of doing a reduced amount of that contracted work with city employees. The proposed budget does include replacing or rehiring key positions. “Reduced travel and training and reduced operating supplies is a theme through out the entire budget,” Jones said. At times, he added, maintenance requests won’t be fulfilled unless necessary. “There will be times when we have to do that and we will probably have to do that more than we want to.” The draft budget also cuts $60,000 in funding for the Blaine
Senior Center and $30,000 for the Boys and Girls Club, though city council allocated $30,000 from its federal CARES Act funds to each of those organizations. At the October 12 study session, Jones asked council for direction on where to make further cuts, saying that he’d be speaking with the unions that represent city employees to negotiate some reduction in wages unless council had other ideas. Most of council wanted to take a closer look at its budget for lobbyists. The city has contracted with Gordon Thomas Honeywell – Government Affairs since 2017. The city spent an average of $46,000 per year for the company’s lobbying services from 2017 to 2019, and has so far spent $17,901 this year. For 2021, the city’s draft budget included $35,000 for the company. The company has focused on lobbying the legislature to secure funding to extend utility infrastructure to east Blaine for housing projects, the exit 274 transportation project, grade separation for the VACIS system/ BNSF tracks, and coordinating with WSDOT, the governor’s of-
fice and legislature to continue to advance the Bell Road Grade Separation project. In that time, state legislature has appropriated $1.7 million in funding for the east Blaine infrastructure project and $1.55 million for the Bell Road project, for a total of $3.25 million, the city noted in a memo to council. Though the city received $3.25 million in state funds for its transportation project over the past three years, some council members argued that getting funding would be more difficult in the next session. While the state is expected to cut its operating budget, the capital budget is anticipated to allocate $2.5 to $3.5 billion in funding throughout the state, according to a memo from city staff for an October 19 special meeting on the general fund budget. In that memo, city staff recommended that council keep the proposed full-year contract without changes. Under the contract, the lobbying firm would provide a constant presence in Olympia while working with legislators, the governor’s office and state agencies to further the city’s
goals, according to the memo. The other options laid out in the memo are having no professional lobbying services or hiring the company for just the fivemonth legislative session, from January 1 through May 2021. After the October 19 meeting, most councilmembers were in favor of pursuing a five-month contract with the lobbying firm. Councilmember Alicia Rule argued for cutting the lobbyists’ contract. “My thought about this is, we’re talking about cutting jobs. That’s what this is coming down to – do we cut the lobbyists or we do cut someone on staff? And I’m feeling more protective of our staff members,” Rule said. After the discussion, Jones said he would try to negotiate some cuts with employee unions and depending on how that goes, he would keep the full-year contract with the lobbyists or cut it to a five-month contract. “What I need to do is have some meetings with the employee unions to see what we might be able to do to find the relief from the $80,000 or so that we have in deficit,” Jones said.
He said later in a phone interview that options for reducing expenses include reducing raises for cost-of-living adjustments, or asking for more voluntary unpaid furloughs. If revenues to the city next year turn out to be higher than expected, the city can amend the budget. The city’s general fund is funded mostly through property taxes, sales taxes, a business and occupation tax, utility taxes paid by public and private utility companies, and charges for services. For 2020, the city is on track to collect $324,430 fewer in sales taxes than it originally budgeted. City council will discuss 2021 budgets at several upcoming meetings: a Monday, October 26 study session on the public works budgets and a public hearing on revenue and property taxes, November 9 discussions on lodging taxes and capital improvements, and a public hearing on the budget that opens on November 9 and continues on November 23. City council plans to adopt a 2021 budget at a meeting on Monday, December 14.
Washington state supreme court rules car tab initiative unconstitutional By Grace McCarthy The Washington State Supreme Court ruled on October 15 that Initiative 976, which would have reduced car-tab taxes to a maximum $30, was unconstitutional due to too many subjects and misleading titles, a violation of the state constitution.
“We hold that the initiative violates the subject-in-title rule because it is deceptive and misleading since the average informed lay voter would conclude voter approved taxes – such as those used to fund local and regional transportation projects across our state – would remain,” wrote justice Steve Gon-
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zalez in his opinion, which seven justices signed. Justice Barbara Madsen wrote a concurring statement, agreeing the initiative was unconstitutional but disagreed that Initiative 976 violated the state constitution’s subject-in-title requirement. State voters approved the contested tax reduction last November with a 53-47 percent vote. It was then brought to the state supreme court by Garfield County Transportation Authority, along with other city, county and state agencies.
Tim Eyman, an anti-tax advocate who has been at the helm of Initiative 976, told The Seattle Times in an October 15 article that the court was ignoring the voting majority. Car tab prices depend on location and type of vehicle. The standard fee is $43.25, plus additional fees associated with the vehicle’s weight, location and taxes. Cutting the tax would have impacted transportation projects across the state. Blaine City Council denounced the car-tab initiative in a resolution during its October 28,
2019 meeting. Car tab fees will fund multiple projects in the city of Blaine’s six-year Transportation Improvement Plan, The Northern Light previously reported. This includes extending the trail on Peace Portal Drive near Bell Road and adding sidewalks from F Street to Clark Street on Peace Portal Drive. Whatcom Transportation Authority was also projected to lose $1 million in 2020, which would have affected transportation services for the elderly and those with disabilities.
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s As of October 19, Whatcom County had a total of 1,524 confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic and 49 deaths, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Fifty of those cases were diagnosed in the past week, a decline from the week before, when 68 new cases were diagnosed. The Ferndale School Distrct area had the highest rate of new cases in the past two weeks, with 78 per 100,000 people. Blaine had a rate of 57 per 100,000. In total, 105 people have been hospitalized with the virus in Whatcom County. Washington state has had 99,150 total confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic, with 4,375 of those coming in the past week, and 2,283 with the virus have died as of October 19. Learn more at the Washington State Department of Health’s Covid-19 data dashboard at bit.ly/37uiCT2.
Image courtesy of the Whatcom County Health Department
October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Trudeau says no to border re-opening B y P a t G r u bb and Grace McCarthy The U.S./Canada border entered its seventh border closure extension on October 19, which is set to expire November 21. “We are extending non-essential travel restrictions with the United States until November 21st, 2020. Our decisions will continue to be based on the best public health advice available to keep Canadians safe,” wrote Bill Blair, Canada’s minister of public safety, in an October 19 tweet. The border was first closed March 21 to control the spread of
Covid-19. In an October 14 interview on Global News Radio, Trudeau said he does not intend to open the border until the U.S. gets Covid-19 under control. Trudeau said the Canadian government believes “the United States is not in a place where we would feel comfortable reopening those borders.” Although both countries are experiencing a resurgence in cases, the situation in the U.S. is more dire as it surpasses 8 million known cases. On October 18, the U.S. reported 47,035 new cases with a weekly daily aver-
age of 55,370 cases, up 22 percent from two weeks prior. There have been 218,986 confirmed Covid-19 fatalities to date and the country can expect another 177,000 deaths by the end of January 2021, according to projections made by the University of Washington’s Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation. Canada, with a population roughly 11 percent of the U.S.’s, has had 198,148 cases and 9,760 deaths. Considered on cases per 100,000 population, Canada has had 527 cases versus 2,456 for the U.S.
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Donations needed for Thanksgiving baskets By Grace McCarthy The Community Assistance Program is preparing its annual Thanksgiving dinner baskets for local families experiencing financial instability. The program will gift 230 baskets to families and $50 Cost Cutter vouchers to individuals and couples in the Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer areas. Drivethrough distribution will take place in the Cost Cutter parking lot between 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. on November 24. Baskets are scaled to family size with ingredients like turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, bread rolls and green beans. Bedlington Farms in Lynden donated
potatoes and Edaleen Dairy donated milk, said Shirley Tobian, Thanksgiving basket co-director. “I believe in helping people. I think it’s a worthy cause,” she said. “It brings a smile to your face seeing how much people appreciate it.” Community members are unable to donate homemade pies due to Covid-19 health precautions, so all basket recipients will get a certificate for a Cost Cutter pie, said Tobian, who anticipates $2,600 in additional expenses to pay for the pies. Baskets and vouchers will cost close to $20,000, Tobian estimates, whose non-profit program relies on contributions from community members
and businesses. If space fills up, people can sign up for a waitlist if there are additional baskets on November 24. Leftover baskets will be firstcome, first-serve until they run out and then will be sent to the Blaine Food Bank. People receiving baskets should stay in their vehicle and wear a mask. Firefighters and about 15 volunteers will assist with handing out baskets. Volunteers will also wear masks and gloves, and keep 6 feet of distance while packing the boxes, Tobian said. People can reserve a basket until Friday, November 13 by visiting blainecap.org or calling 360/383-8444.
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8
The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
A SALUTE TO OUR
First Respond
Brought to you
North Whatcom Fire and Rescue ODELL STATION 61
Lieutenants
Tony Esser, Jeff Hofstad, Kevin Biery, Keith Zylstra, D.J. Riehl, Burr McPhail, Blake Scott, Kris Jorgensen
Firefighters
Cody Bowen, David Comp, Sean Roberts, Zach Scott, Jason Donnelly, Aaron Ebner, Wayne Sanders, David Hancock, Darren Bruya, John Geleynse, Mike Lyshol, Troy Freeman, Steve Latham, Scott Brown, Hayley Urling-Ehinger, Alden Roberts, Chris Lubenow, Phillip Jackson
s Fire Chief Jason Van der Veen s A Shift 61 - FF Rob Mulrooney, Lt. Joel Nielsen, FF Chris Lubenow
s B Shift 61- Lt. Mike Nelsen (no permanent crew)
Volunteers
Shawn Atwood, Brian Botta Pillo, Stephen Bowerman, Brian Carlson, Kim Gates, Robert King, Shane Madsen, Brandon Millsap, Mel Mulligan, Sabrina Ooms, Mike Peetom, Gary Quintrall, Lane Renskers, Chet Renskers, Dale Rutgers, Noah Silverman, Melissa Van Cleve, Paul VanDyken, David Varivoda, Scott Wood
Fire Commissioners Bruce Ansell Rich Bosman John Crawford Scott Fisher Kimberly Calman-McMurray
Mechanics
Elliot Courage, John Lovatt
Admin Staff s C Shift 61 - FF Gary DeJager, Lt. Chuck Shipp, FF Delanie Warne
Jennie Sand, Benita Williams, Kelly Freeman
s D Shift 61 - Lt. Leslee Smith (no permanent crew)
BIRCH BAY STATION 63
Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office
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October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
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The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
Blaine Farmers Market going indoors for the rest of the year By Oliver Lazenby For the first time, the Blaine Farmers Market will continue into the fall, using the old Wolten and Montfort grocery space
at 648 Peace Portal Drive to host some vendors out of the weather. Starting Saturday, October 24, about 10 market vendors will be open in that building, which is
next to the Black Forest Steak House. Depending on weather, some vendors will also set up at the G and H Street plazas, said Donna Raimey, Blaine Chamber of Commerce program and events coordinator. The market will continue to be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., she said. The space could potentially host more vendors once its overhead sprinkler system is installed, as city code would allow vendors to get farther from the door. Mike Mulder, who owns
the property through Nimbus Properties, said he’d allow the market to use the space through the end of the year for free. The Blaine Farmers Market has grown this year through the chamber of commerce’s effort. Raimey said the chamber put a lot of effort into the market because there’s little else going on in town. “It’s such a positive thing for our community to have and it’s a sign of life downtown that we desperately need,” she said. “I
think everyone was just really excited to be a part of something at a time when nothing is really going on.” Nimbus bought the property in January 2019 from the Jacaranda Land Corporation and the company is nearly finished renovating. Mulder said the interior is like a Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. With the Covid-19 pandemic and border closure, Mulder is waiting for the right tenant or opportunity, he said.
s Starting Saturday, October 24, about 10 Blaine Farmers Market vendors will operate out of the old Wolten and Montfort grocery space at 648 Peace Portal Drive. Mike Mulder, who owns the property through Nimbus Properties, said he’d allow the market to use the space through the end of the year for free. Photo by Oliver Lazenby
Re-elect
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October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
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12
Real Estate
The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
BLAINE, BIRCH BAY & SEMIAHMOO
Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom Inc. 360.371.5100 8105 Birch Bay Square St. I-5 Exit 270, Blaine
OPEN HOUSE - BIRCH BAY OPEN
SUN
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.
F E A T U R E D L I S T I N G S - B I R C H B AY
12-2
7714 Birch Bay Dr #105 MLS #1673860 $435,000
Enjoy unobstructed front & center VIEW of Birch Bay from this ground floor oceanfront condo. This sunny west facing residence features 9ft 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 heat 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
7714 Birch Bay Drive #402 8239 Cedar Avenue 7714 Birch Bay Dr Unit #405 6885 Holeman Avenue 4751 Birch Bay Lynden Rd #113 $429,000 MLS #1597528 $295,000 MLS #1671430 $619,900 MLS #1664824 MLS #1645390 $280,0000 MLS #1636879 Enjoy sunsets from this deluxe top floor Fantastic Birch Bay & Island views, super Spectacular sunsets, deluxe top floor wa$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.
Matt Berry 360-389-0104
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
waterfront condo. This sunny west facing residence features 9ft ceilings, custom cabinets, slab granite counters, tile & wood flooring & open concept living area. Exceptional quality throughout this 2 bedroom, 2 bath condo with elevator access. Luxurious bathrooms include radiant heat tile flooring & jetted tub. A beautiful extra deck for entertaining & 1 assigned covered parking. Deeded beach access. Amazing ocean view...start living the dream!
Randy Weg 360-305-5704
F E AT U R E D L I S T I N G S - S E M I A H M O O
cute upgrades & finishes, deeded beach access & community garden adjacent to property. Big sundeck, vinyl windows, new paint, flooring & more. The moment you step inside you realize how special & incredibly well cared for this home is. Ideal Snowbird getaway & very affordable primary address w/views in heart of booming Birch Bay. Dreamt of escaping to relax at the bay? The best priced & coolest retreat on the market. Furnishings negotiable.
Mike Kent 360-815-3898
terfront condo. Sunny west facing, fully furnished home features 9 ft ceilings, 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, custom cabinets, slab granite counters, tile & wood flooring. Exceptional quality throughout, recent remodeling. Lower level has its own entrance for use as an office or artist studio. Luxurious baths include radiant heat, tile flooring & jetted tubs. 2 decks for entertaining, 2 assigned covered parking spots, deeded beach access & Promenade. Amazing ocean views.
Billy Brown 360-220-7175
F E AT U R E D L I S T I N G S - B L A I N E
PEN DING
9540 Semiahmoo Pkwy #D28 8980 Snowy Owl Lane 8804 Osprey Road 5883 Normar Place $38,000 MLS#1532325 $629,000 MLS #1664401 $729,000 MLS #1641328 $989,000 MLS #1672650
Semiahmoo Marina! History, majesty, mystery...what a great place to moor your boat! Semiahmoo’s historic water tower stands sentinel. To the East, majestic Mt. Baker... and mystery, why are all those cars cruising Marine Drive in White Rock?! Semiahmoo Marina is only 16 nautical miles from the legendary, mystical San Juan Islands. Canada’s Gulf Islands and the Inside Passage are favorite nearby destinations. Golf, tennis, and swimming are available for a fee @ Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club.
Linda Kiens 360-815-6638
Exceptional floor plan in this 3 bedroom/3 bath single story home with sunny southern exposure. Wrap around deck with lots of landscaping creates a private oasis. Circular driveway on corner lot sets the warm & welcoming tone for this charming property. Just the right size for just about anyone--no wasted space. New roof & recently painted inside & out--just a few benefits of a well cared for home. Sliding doors off dining room, kitchen and master make the desk a most use-able space. A must see!
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
Great sunsets & unobstructed views over Semiahmoo Bay with private beach access serve as the backyard of this well built home on private drive. 2020 remodel showcases a stunning great room & kitchen. All the work has been done offering the latest in interior finishes. Exceptional craftsmanship with fine attention to detail. Every window captures the view which, like this home, is “one of a kind”. Level driveway-tons of storage. Fully fenced-pet friendly yard. Offering the best of the PNW views!
Kathy Stauffer 360-815-4718
9464 Odell Road 307 Whitetail Loop MLS #1604802 $675,000 MLS #1651777 You’ve driven past & admired it for years: $489,000 Welcome to 307 Whitetail Loop one of 16 in the circle with paved roads and walking sidewalks. Looking for brand new then look no further, get inside & take a look at this 4-bedroom, 2.5 bath home, excellent floor plan with the master on the main floor. Large open floor plan vaulted ceiling with very large rooms and natural sunlight, fully landscaped yard, all stainless high-end appliances. Quartz counter tops. Get in and take a look you will love it. Close to school, border & I-5.
Christy Imperio 360-201-4100
“THE” 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 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!
GRAND LIVING SPACE
NEW LISTING!
5520 Canvasback Road, Semiahmoo, on 17th Fairway, 3490 SF of Grand Living Space, 3 en-suite bedrooms, 3.5 baths, 3 car garage, formal dining, bay window. Living room large enough for grand piano.
CALL HUGH TO VIEW 360.371.5800
$739,000
www.CallHugh.com Rentals - Residential GATED BIRCH BAY VILLAGE 3-BR, 2-BA home in secure, gated Birch Bay Village. Plus 2-car garage, gas, forced heat, like brand new. No pets, no smokers. $1,950/mo. Call 360371-5800. HOUSE NEEDED Responsible ARTress/Healer needs 3 BD house/finished barn in rural Whatcom. Guaranteed rent to $1450. Uncarpeted, mold/wififree. Katannya 360-809-3333 All real estate/rentals advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968 as amended, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertisement for real estate which is in violation of the law. Our readers are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll-free at 1-800-877-0246.
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • Vacation Properties WE DO • Residential Properties ! IT ALL • Commercial Properties
80.7% of readers
Call Phill Esau Today!
Nimbus Property Management
360-594-8600 225 G Street, Suite 102
Downtown Blaine (Across from Hill’s Chevron)
www.NimbusRealEstate.com
Rentals - Commercial
NELSON BUILDING 925 Ludwick Ave., Blaine
Near Truck Route & Shopping Mall
LEASE SPACES FOR:
Warehousing & Distribution Manufacturing or Retail Yard Storage for Vehicles Please Call Don Nelson For Availability & Rates
360-332-2743
Email nelsbldg@msn.com
frequently purchase products or services from ads seen in
FOR LEASE
Retail/Office Space With Waterfront Views of Blaine Marina
800 - 1600 s.f. Prime ground floor office and retail space in The Northern Light Cannery-style building.
For lease information, call 360/332-1777
Community Newspaper of Blaine, Birch Bay & Semiahmoo
Call or email to advertise: 360-332-1777 or sales@thenorthernlight.com
Statistics audited by the
October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Connect with seniors through pen pal project By Oliver Lazenby To reach residents of assisted living centers and others who are especially isolated during the Covid-19 pandemic, Aging Well Whatcom launched a letter writing campaign called the Dear Friend Pen Pal Project. Aging Well Whatcom, a community initiative sponsored by the Chuckanut Health Foundation, plans to deliver cards and letters from the community to older adults at assisted living centers, senior centers and to clients of the Whatcom Council on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program. “We want to promote safe ways to connect in this time when connection is really hard, especially for seniors,” said Heather Flaherty, Chuckanut Health Foundation executive director. “It’s also just a way to bring some good into the world at a time when we really need that.” Aging Well Whatcom is looking for more places to distribute letters and doesn’t yet have a Blaine or Birch Bay location, she said. To participate, groups and individuals can write cards and letters and send them to the Chuckanut Health Foundation or drop them off at a community partner site, which includes all WECU location night drops (write “Dear Friend Pen Pal Project” on the envelope), as well as the Whatcom Family YMCA, Allied Arts of Whatcom County and Art and Happiness in Bellingham. Flaherty has some tips for writing to someone you don’t know: “Picture you’re writing to a friend. Tell us about your day, tell us about how the pandemic is going for you, a favorite memory from summer.” Find more prompts and information on how to participate at agingwellwhatcom.org. The project is starting with general letters, not written to a specific person, but it may evolve into facilitating one-to-one pen pal relationships, according to Aging Well Whatcom’s website. Studies show that finding ways to stay connected directly impacts mental health and improves well-being, Aging Well Whatcom said in its press release. Tonja Myers, administrator for Christian Health Care Center in Lynden, stressed the impacts of getting mail for residents at the skilled nursing facility. “Receiving a card, letter or drawing has a very positive impact on their day, even when it’s from someone they don’t know,” she said. “We are social creatures, so when a resident receives a note from someone, it reminds them that they are an important part of our community, and someone is thinking of them. Often, they will read and re-read a card or letter, remembering the joy of that connection. It seems a small thing, but it’s so very important, especially now.” Learn more at agingwellwhatcom.org.
O B I T U A RY
13
RECENT HOUSE & LOT PRICES
Blaine, Birch Bay & Point Roberts SEPTEMBER 2020
Jean Thomas December 25, 1938–September 2, 2020 It is with heavy heart we announce the passing of our beloved mother Jean Elizabeth of Blaine. She was born on December 25, 1938 alongside her twin sister in Chemainus, B.C. to Leslie and Betty Coles. Jean grew up on Vancouver Island and later would reside in Cloverdale where she would learn her love of cooking in the family business. Jean and her sister came down to Blaine one day and stopped at the Pastime where she met and fell in love with the love of her life. Russel Thomas asked her to dance and the rest is history. Five children, a couple of restaurants and a catering business later, Jean made a name for herself and her family. She was a loving and generous woman who always made sure you didn’t go hungry. She was known as the diva of canning, winning 10 years at the Lynden Fair. She was not a fan of garlic or spicy food but made the best salsa using her homegrown tomatoes. She would go hunting and fishing with her husband and made a beautiful rose garden after his passing in his memory. You always would find her watching Wheel of Fortune Monday through Friday, her favorite show. Jean is preceded in death by her husband Russel Thomas; sons Dan and Don Thomas; parents Betty and Leslie Coles; and sister Joan Donn. Jean is survived by her daughters Debbie (Clyde) Strickland, Diane (Dave) Conrad, Darlene (Kirk) Hunt; sister Leslie (Dennis) Charlton; grandchildren Brigitte (Cleigh), Matthew (Tiffany), Sheenah (Rob), Michelle, Mark (Lillian), Ashley (Mario), Chrissy, Alex (Mike), Michael (Kristin), Jordan; and numerous great-grandchildren and friends who she loved and adored. Due to COVID-19, a celebration of life will be announced later in The Northern Light. Feel free to contact the family at 360-306-1608.
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTORY
LOCATION
SALE PRICE
HIGHER END HOUSES $500,000 AND ABOVE: 2-story house with 2,155 SF, 3 BD, 3 BA, 288 SF built-in garage, 401 SF balcony, 401 SF patio, 356 SF deck, built in 1992, .31 acres land; marine view.
7448 Birch Bay Drive, Blaine
$515,000
2-story house with 2,825 SF, 3 BD, 4 BA, 760 SF attached garage, 426 SF deck, built in 2014, 1.01 acres land.
5111 Heronswood Drive, Blaine
$760,000
1-story house with 1,685 SF, 2 BD, 3 BA, 784 SF attached garage, 506 and 424 SF patios, 370 SF deck, built in 2008; marine view, .24 acres land.
5639 Whitehorn Way, Blaine
$625,000
1-and a half story house with 2,069 SF, 3 BD, 2 BA, 576 SF attached garage, 864 SF storage, 216 SF deck, built in 2003, remodeled in 2004, 1.04 acres land.
8989 Salmon Creek Lane, Blaine
$579,900
1-story house with 2,000 SF, 3 BD, 2 BA, 659 SF attached garage, 213 SF patio, built in 2000, .35 acres land.
8650 Great Horned Owl Lane, Blaine
$650,000
1-story house with 2,221 SF, 2 BD, 2 BA, 624 SF attached garage, built in 2000, .38 acres land.
8693 Great Horned Owl Lane, Blaine
$570,000
1.0 story house with 2,270 SF, 4 BD, 3 BA, 1,031 SF attached garage, 432 SF deck, 238 sSF deck, built in 2016, 1.01 acres land.
5161 Heronswood Drive, Blaine
$765,000
1-story house with 2,623 SF, 2,607 SF basement, 3 BD, 4 BA, 954 SF attached garage, 318 SF storage, 750 SF patio, 750 SF balcony, built in 2007, waterfront; marine view, 3.00 acres land.
8745 Oertel Drive, Blaine
$2,350,000
DESCRIPTION
Condo with 1,250 SF, 2 BD, 2 BA, built in 2013, waterfront; marine view.
#B306, Marin Condominiums, 9535 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine
$575,000
1-and a half story house with 2,708 SF, 3 BD, 3 BA, 572 SF attached garage, 256 SF patio, built in 1999, .38 acres land.
8971 Bald Eagle Drive, Blaine
$717,000
2-story house with 3,235 SF, 4 BD, 4 BA, 635 SF attached garage, 701 SF deck, 332 SF deck, built in 1992, .49 acres land.
8385 Quail Run, Blaine
$675,000
1-story house with 2,300 SF, 1,192 SF basement, 5 BD, 4 BA, 851 SF attached garage, 732 SF deck, built in 1999, waterfront; marine and territorial view, .43 acres land.
5390 Night Heron Drive, Blaine
$1,518,800
1-story house 1,696 SF, 1,119 SF basement, 4 BD, 4 BA, 736 SF built-in garage, 184 SF balcony, 496 SF patio, built in 2003; territorial view, .26 acres land.
8217 Chehalis Road, Blaine
$680,000
2-story house with 4,912 SF, 3 BD, 4 BA, 545 SF built-in garage, 912 SF patio, built in 2015, waterfront; marine and territorial views, 2.16 acres land.
6155 Semiahmoo Lane, Blaine
$2,150,000
1-story house with 2,262 SF, 3 BD, 2 BA, 1,044 SF attached garage, 136 SF deck, built in 1993, .37 acres land.
8691 Great Horned Owl Lane, Blaine
$700,000
9079 Shipyard Lane, Blaine
$620,000
Proud supporters of the Blaine Community!
1-story house with 1,110 SF, 1,000 SF basement, 3 BD, 1 BA, 250 SF patio, built in 1951, waterfront; marine views, .79 acres land.
2011 Large Business Year of Whatcom County Formerlyof1stthePropane
1-and a half story house with 2,716 SF, 3 BD, 3 BA, 943 SF attached garage, 394 SF deck, built in 2018; territorial view, .37 acres land.
8757 Wood Duck Way, Blaine
$869,900
1-and a half story house with 3,060 SF, 4 BD, 3 BA, 592 SF built-in garage, 672 SF attached garage, 406 SF patio, built in 2005, .34 acres land.
5566 Peregrine Way, Blaine
$680,000
1-story house with 2,708 SF, 2,937 SF basement, 3 BD, 4 BA, 416 SF balcony, 794 SF attached garage, 469 SFpatio, built in 2007, waterfront; marine view, .92 acres land.
9049 Shearwater Road, Blaine
$1,850,000
2-story house with 2,028 SF, 4 BD, 3 BA, 308 SF detached garage, 260 SF deck, built in 2014; waterfront, marine view .19 acres land.
8256 Birch Bay Drive, Blaine
$639,900
Split level house with 2,240 SF, 3 BD, 2 BA, 535 SF attached garage, 424 SF deck, built in 1988; marine view, .38 acres land (3 lots).
670 Highland Drive, Point Roberts
$575,000
1-story with 1,349 SF, 2 BD, 1 BA, 320 SF detached garage, 280 SF carport, 308 SF shop, 360 SF patio, built in 1960, remodeled in 2019, waterfront; marine view, .30 acres land.
6923 Holeman Avenue, Blaine
$899,900
LAND: 6.50 acres residential land.
8305 Semiahmoo Drive, Blaine
$175,000
Haida Way, Blaine
$280,000
.36 acres residential lot.
5343 Canvasback Road, Blaine
$158,000
.30 acres residential lot.
56230 Sanderling Way, Blaine
$159,900
2134 Benson Road, Point Roberts
$265,000
Keep Full Service • Budget Payment Plan • Tank Installation & Rental and Operated Since 1929! Modern Equipment •Family SafetyOwned Checks • Locally Owned & Operated
Louis’332-3121
Louis Auto Glass
360
Fill your bottles - Easy RV access The Only Validated 2163 Nature’s Path Way • Blaine Auto Glass Company in Whatcom & Skagit Counties.
ouis’Auto & Residential Glass We Guarantee Your Safety
Spring Special!
Dinner on Us and90 a Can of Glass Cleaner Celebrating years!
with every windshield purchased and installed
Windshield Replacement
BELLINGHAMFree Pick up & Delivery Bellingham 1512 N. State St. • 360-734-3840
Rock Chip Repairs
LYNDEN
Free Loaner Cars
Lynden 407 19th
Vernon St. •Mt.360-354-3232
(360) 734-3840 (360) 354-3232 (360) 424-9759 www.LouisAutoGlass.com 1512 N. State St.
407 19th St.
1721 E. College Way
To Our Canadian Friends
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Enjoy Huge Savings with U.S. Prices
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Must present ad for special. Not valid with any other offers. Expires June 30, 2014.
.18 acres residential lot, waterfront; marine view.
Great Authentic Mexican Food 758 Peace Portal • Blaine 360-332-4045
DRAYTON HARBOR OYSTERS Farm Fresh Oysters
Served Raw, Grilled, Fried, Stewed & other delicious Seafood Specialities
277 G Street • Downtown Blaine
360-392-0955
TheVaultWine.com
TheVaultWine
Local Craft Beers & Wine
360-656-5958 DraytonHarborOysters.com 685 Peace Portal Dr. • Downtown Blaine
4.95 acres residential land.
MikeKent.com Sponsored by:
I-5 Exit 270 at Birch Bay Square 360-527-8901 • mike@mikekent.com
14
The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
Games and Puzzles
Coming up Please wear masks and follow physical distancing guidelines.
required by November 13. Info and registration visit the Thanksgiving Basket page on blainecap.org or call 360/383-8444. Sponsored by the Community Assistance Program
Winter Coat Distribution: Winter coats, hats, gloves and socks distributed throughout October. Preregistration required. Visit the coat Ongoing: page at blainecap.org for info, registration and appointment or call Blaine Farmers Market: Saturdays, 10 a.m.–2 p.m., new location 360-319-0269. Sponsored by the Community Assistance Program. inside 648 Peace Portal Drive. Local and fresh produce, crafts and Holiday Gift Assistance: Families living in the Blaine school district goodies. Info: blainechamber.com. who have limited financial resources can now register for the ComBlaine Food Bank: 500 C Street. Open Mondays 9 a.m.–noon, munity Assistance Program’s Community Toy Store. For more info and to register, visit blainecap.org or call 360-820-6631. Registration Wednesdays 5–7 p.m., and Fridays 9 a.m.–noon. Delivery options available. Info:360/332-6350 or blainefood@hotmail.com. deadline is November 29. The Bridge Food Distribution Program: Fridays 3:30–5 p.m., The Vinyl Night and Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, October 22, The Bridge Community Hope Center, 4815 Alderson Road. Registration Vault Wine Bar and Bistro, 277 G Street. This week’s trivia theme: Rocktober. Music starts at 5 p.m., trivia at 7 p.m. Info: thevaultwine. required at thebridgehope.com or call 360/366-8763. Volunteers welcome. com. National Friends of the Libraries Week: Through October 24, Whatcom County Library System. Celebrate with the Friends of the Blaine Library! Join today. Ask for an application from library staff. Info: 360/305-3637. Special Birch Bay Chamber Virtual Meeting: Tuesday, October 27, 5:30 p.m. Discussing an amendment to the chamber’s bylaws. Zoom meeting info on birchbaychamber.com. Vinyl Night and Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, October 29, The Vault Wine Bar and Bistro, 277 G Street. This week’s trivia theme: Spooky plus costume contest with prizes. Music starts at 5 p.m., trivia at 7 p.m. Info: thevaultwine.com.
Crossword Answers at thenorthernlight.com
ACROSS
princess
1. Engine additive
36. Obtains from
14. Upstate NY airport (abbr.)
37. Third Mughal Emperor 15. Type of lettuce 8. “__ your enthusiasm” 38. Shares the opinion of 17. Place to call a pint 39. Central European river 10. Well-known island 19. Backs 40. Feudal estates 11 Not saintly 20. Partner to 41. KU hoops coach Bill 12. Habitual cheese 13. Central parts of church 42. Spreads out for drying 23. Makes it there buildings 43. “The Partridge Family” 24. Value actress Susan 15. Trust 25. One’s convic16. Intestinal tions DOWN 17. Deep-bodied fish 26. Former CIA 4. Undemanding
18. Live up to expectations 1. Picturesque
27. Clashed
22. Partner to haw
2. South Pacific island country
23. General’s assistant (abbr.)
3. Shrub of the olive family
24. Sheep disease
4. Establish the truth of
25. Male term of endearment
5. Unfettered
26. United
7. Famed English park
33. Make less dense
27. Popular TV host
9. Sheep’s cry
34. Healthy food
34. Overnighters
10. Danced
36. Silly
35. Beloved British
12. More upstanding
21. Snag
6. Originations
28. Affirmative 29. Journalist Tarbell 30. Athletic shoes 31. Roof style 32. Make possible
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. Blaine Chamber of Commerce Virtual Meetings: First Wednesday, noon. Meeting ID on blainechamber.com. Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce Virtual Meetings: Third Thursdays, 1 p.m. Meeting ID on birchbaychamber.com. Coffee with the Contractor Virtual Meetings: Fourth Thursdays, 8 a.m. Learn the progress of the Birch Bay berm project with members of Granite Construction, Whatcom County Public Works and the Birch Bay Chamber of Commerce. Meeting ID on birchbaychamber.com.
Virtual Halloween Trivia: Thursday, October 29, 7 p.m. Test your Blaine Library: 610 3rd Street. Curbside holds and pick up and knowledge on Halloween facts, lore, music and more. Free. Individuals returns. Monday–Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Info or teams preregister by 6 p.m. on October 29 at bbbparkandrec.org. 360/305-3600. Whatcom County Trip-Or-Treat: Friday, October 30, 3–7 p.m. Meals on Wheels & More: Wednesdays 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Just like trick-or-treat, but in your car. Pull up to a location, stay in Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Adults 60+ pick up one fresh and your vehicle and a volunteer will hand you a goody bag through your six frozen meals. Suggested donation $5 per meal. First come first serve window. For more info and participating locations, visit basis. Info: 360/332-8040. whatcomtriportreat.com. Toastmasters Virtual Meetings: Tuesdays 6:30–7:45 p.m. Info: Spooktacular: Saturday, October 31, 4–7:30 p.m., Blaine Food 360/933-1671. Bank, 500 C Street. A fun family evening of ghosts and ghouls, pirates and witches, pumpkins and scarecrows, and of course, treats. Enter the Northwood Alliance Church parking lot by driving east on C Street, attendants will direct you to the car queue. If you don’t have a Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to vehicle, please call 360/332-6350 to schedule a walk-through time. Thanksgiving Baskets: Tuesday, November 24. Free, ready-to-cook turkey dinners available for pick-up for families in Blaine, Birch Bay and Custer who are experiencing financial difficulty. Pre-registration
Police Reports October 10, 1:40 a.m.: Officers responded to an alarm at a business. Officers found an open door, but it was not the same door as the alarm trip. Officers conducted a building search and nothing appeared disturbed. A false alarm report was sent to the business. October 12, 1:49 a.m.: Officers responded to a suspicious circumstance of four people running by a window. No crime was reported. Officers checked the area and did not find anyone. No further action was taken.
calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
October 16, 9:09 a.m.: Officers responded to the 5700 block range of Semiahmoo Drive for a report of a blocking collision involving a downed tree and powerlines in the road. Officers arrived and determined a tree fell onto the man’s work van while driving down the road. The tree caused apparent extensive damage to the van, which required it to be towed. Officers determined the man had no apparent injuries, and the debris was removed from the roadway. Puget Sound Energy arrived on the scene and determined the power lines had no electrical current flowing and were not a danger. Officers cleared with no further incident.
Weather
October 12m 8:48 a.m.: While on routine patrol, an officer located a window broken on an abandoned building. While checking the area three hypodermic syringes were found on the ground. The hypodermic syringes were disposed of in a sharps container. The building was found undisturbed. Code enforcement was notified.
Precipitation: During the period of October 12–18, 1.47 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2020 year-to-date precipitation is 28.8 inches. Temperature: High for the past week was 65°F on October 14 with a low of 45°F on October 15. Average high was 60°F and average low was 48°F.
October 12, 5:52 p.m.: Blaine police were dispatched to a report of a subject fleeing after being caught prowling packages at a private condo complex on Boblett Street. Officers contacted the individual and detained him while the initial report was investigated. Officers learned the man had several outstanding warrants, had a suspended license and had numerous violations on the vehicle he was driving. The suspect was arrested and booked into Whatcom County Jail. October 12, 5:45 p.m.: A Blaine police officer responded to the skate park for a report of a possible intoxicated man causing issues. An officer arrived and located a man matching the description as he was leaving the park. The man left without issue. October 12, 6:05 p.m.: Blaine police responded to the 1000 block of H Street for a report of multiple bursts of gunshots in the area. An officer was driving through the area at the time did not hear any gunshots. Another officer interviewed a few people who were outside in the area at the time and told police they did not hear anything remotely close to this. No other calls from any other Blaine resident were made on the alleged complaint, so the officer cleared. October 13, 2:40 p.m.: Officers on a traffic stop were approached by a man who started filming the interaction while driving by in his vehicle. The man continued to film, while driving, and yell at officers as he drove up to the vehicle that was pulled over. The officers were forced to divide their attention from the original traffic stop and instructed him to pull his vehicle to the side of the roadway for using electronic devices while driving. Officers cited the man for using an electronic device while driving and are referring charges to the prosecutor for obstructing a police officer. October 14, 2:23 p.m.: Officers responded to the D Street alleyway’s 500 block range for a report of a verbal argument between two neighbors. Officers arrived and determined one party was yelling and threatening the other party over her dogs defecating in his yard. During the argument, the suspect made threats towards two separate female neighbors by making a throat-cutting gesture with his finger toward them. He also threatened to kill their animals. The suspect had previously left the area before officers arriving. Officers have probable cause to arrest the man for three counts of harassment.
Reports provided by Blaine Police Department
Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
Tides
October 23–October 29 at Blaine. Not for navigation. 49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W
DATE TIME HEIGHT TIME
HEIGHT
Fr 23
5:01 am -0.4
7:22 pm 6.6 10:16 pm 6.9
Sa 24 6:05 am 0.4
2:11 pm 9.4
8:50 pm 5.8 11:54 pm 6.3
Su 25 7:09 am 1.1
1:11 pm 9.5
2:57 pm 9.3
9:36 pm 4.9
Mo 26 1:40 am 6.1
8:13 am 1.7
3:35 pm 9.2 10:10 pm 4.0
Tu 27
3:06 am 6.4
4:03 pm 9.1 10:38 pm 3.2
We 28 4:12 am 6.8
9:09 am 2.3 9:57 am 2.9
4:29 pm 9.0 11:06 pm 2.4
Th 29 5:08 am 7.3 10:41 am 3.4
4:51 pm 8.9 11:32 pm 1.7
October 22 - 28, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com
Letters ... From page 5
reason is they want their votes. Do your homework and ignore letters entirely and vote for your own choice. Mickey Masdeo Birch Bay The Editor: History shows that after countries adopt left wing, progressive policies, it doesn’t take long for citizens to realize that what sounded like a good idea at the time, turns out to crush the freedoms they once took for granted. Remember, people can vote their government into socialism but have to fight their government to get themselves out. People around the world don’t flee capitalist countries to socialism. They flee socialist countries to get to capitalist countries. So, be careful of what you wish for. It’s your future and freedom at stake. Gordon Bennett Custer The Editor: As the final days of campaigning wind down, much of it adverse to our better human qualities, I would like the residents of Blaine, Birch Bay and greater Whatcom County, all those represented in the 42nd Legislative District in Washington state house, to take a look with a magnifying glass at the positive attributes Alicia Rule brings to the table. Over and over again, I am hearing from people who voted for her opponent in the last election but are now crossing party lines and voting for Alicia because she seems genuine. There are any number of adjectives that describe Ms. Rule, including genuine, caring, honest, maternal, tenacious, curious and smart as a whip. A local girl who graduated from Meridian High School and went on to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Washington and later a master’s degree from Cal State San Diego, Alicia came full circle, returning home to Whatcom County with her charming three sons to give back to the community around her. Over the past several years, Alicia has excelled as a job creator, and has a balanced, non-partisan approach while serving on the Blaine City Council. With her values-driven leadership and her ability as an excellent listener (a good quality for a mental health professional), Ms. Rule will be a strong advocate for all local people. As a sixth grade teacher, I tell my students, “If you can dream it, you can do it.” Alicia is doing just that, and she models it for her sons every day. Michelle Vinall Blaine The Editor: The Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2) is in the process of applying for a WSDOT Consolidated Grants Program planning grant. This will help our district prioritize the portions of county roads and state roads within our park
district boundaries to make improvements to the shoulders (right-of-way) to increase the safety of our non-motorized traffic traveling between and around the Blaine and Birch Bay area. A lot of our planned trail route has our non-motorized traffic traveling alongside vehicles. This planning grant will help us determine which county or state road right-of-ways’ should be improved to benefit the most users immediately and also increase the safety of the most dangerous sections. The goal is completion of improvements to all right-ofways’ enabling constituents to safely travel to area transit stops, friends, neighbors and between communities. We are planning on making improvements only to the rightof-way property that is currently owned by the county or state along the planned trail route and arterials. If you would like to send a letter of support, letter of need, letter of any close calls while traveling along these roads, such as Blaine, Harborview and Drayton Harbor roads, as a driver, pedestrian or bicyclist, we would appreciate you sharing. Please send emails to smoore@ bbbprd2.com and info@bbbprd2.com. Letters can be mailed to 7511 Gemini Street, Blaine, Washington 98230. Please submit so we can receive by October 28, 2020. We will be highlighting the WTA stops that travel through our park district in the grant and have a five-question survey that
is available at bbbparkandrec. org. If you are a current WTA user in our coverage area or have never been one, we would appreciate a few moments of your time to take the survey by October 28, 2020. Simple bus stop improvement suggestions may also be sent to the above email or postal address. We appreciate your time and the ability to fully represent our community. Sheli Moore, BBBPRD2 commissioner Blaine
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The Northern Light • October 22 - 28, 2020
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