The Northern Light: February 4-10, 2021 by Point Roberts Press

February 4 - 10, 2021

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ISSUE

Landowner seeks H Street annexation, page 2

Gill appointed to city council, page 5

Utility moratorium prevents shutoffs, page 6

PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230

City marks completion of Gateway stormwater pond Vaccine supply still not meeting demand By Grace McCarthy

(See Vaccine, page 3)

s Mayor Bonnie Onyon cuts the ribbon on the Gateway stormwater pond, located between Boblett Court and Pipeline Road. Courtesy photo

By Grace McCarthy The city of Blaine held a ribbon-cutting dedication for the Gateway stormwater pond project on January 13, officially putting the project into operation. City-contracted Stremler Gravel finished construction of the project in the fall and the state department of ecology certified the dam in December, mayor Bonnie Onyon said in her dedication speech. The city first discussed creating a large pond on the Gateway parcel after Blaine Municipal Airport was decommissioned in 2008, but the project was delayed due to the dearth of buyers of the property. The department of ecology requires stormwater management when developing municipal land for industrial use. Construction began in mid-2019 but in October 2019 was halted until May because of inclement weather, then completed in the fall, said Greg Burg, city public

works’ maintenance and operations manager. The project is designed as a controlled-flow pond, meaning it accumulates water and discharges it at the same rate as a natural forest. Through this process, the pond will treat and control runoff that collects pollution like oil and pesticides before flowing into larger bodies of water. Burg said the pond limits discharge into a tributary that leads to Cain Creek. The pond functions to improve water quality, reduce pollution and prevent flooding. Wetland plants were also added to the pond to pull metal and other pollutants from water, Burg said. “It’s totally awesome from an engineering point of view,” he said. “The pond functions exactly as designed, but when you look at it, it’s just a pond.” Expected completion was extended from May until September because of permitting and funding, Burg said.

Blaine border patrol detects human smuggling The U.S. Border Patrol caught three people after they allegedly illegally crossed the border into Blaine. On the morning of January 31, agents detected three people attempting to cross without inspection, CBP spokesperson Ja-

son Givens said in an email to The Northern Light. The three people were then picked up in a vehicle with a driver who was waiting on the U.S. side of the border. After a vehicle stop, a border patrol agent detained the individuals, all of whom were

Romanian citizens without U.S. citizenship, Givens reported. The driver was arrested for alleged human smuggling, Givens said. The vehicle was seized and the people caught were in the process of being deported, Givens said.

“It greatly allows you flexibility for the properties being served by it, it allows you a lot more usage types like industrial uses and parking lots,” Burg said. “This gives you a tremendous amount of [development] flexibility.” Burg said the one-third-mile path that surrounds the pond has added a community aspect to the project, located between Boblett Court and Pipeline Road. “We hadn’t even had acceptance of the project and people were already using the trail,” he said. “You can’t go out there and not find people on the trail.” During the dedication, Onyon thanked public works staff, former interim public works director Bob Hammond and city manager Michael Jones for their help making the project feasible.

INSIDE

The gap between Covid-19 vaccine supply and demand still exist, Whatcom County health officials said during a January 27 press conference. As of last Thursday, the number of vaccines delivered to Whatcom County is only enough to vaccinate 23 percent of the estimated 59,000 people currently eligible in the county, said Amy Hockenberry, Whatcom County Health Department’s vaccine planning lead. Vaccines are being administered statewide to people in Phase 1a, healthcare workers, and Phase 1b Tier 1, people who are 65 years or older and those 50 years old who live in multigenerational households. Hockenberry acknowledged difficulty in estimating people who qualify as living in multigenerational households, such as people who live with their grandparents. Hockenberry said she predicts the county will be administering the vaccine to the groups currently eligible until at least March. It’s been over a month since the first vaccines arrived in mid-December and county health department officials said they are still unable to predict the number of vaccines it will receive each week. “Vaccine allocations into the county are fluctuating from week to week, which makes planning quite difficult for everyone,” Hockenberry said. “As vaccine allocations are fluctuating in the county, they are also fluctuating in the state.” The health department doesn’t expect the state to help with mass vaccination clinics in Whatcom County, but is working with PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, Family Care Network, Sea Mar Community Health Center and Unity Care NW to create a mass vaccination clinic when the county has a vaccine supply enough to do so. “Even if we have all our plans in place and a location set up, that will still be dependent on supply,” Hockenberry said. “We’re looking at having plans in place in the next couple of weeks and be running by the end of February or early March. It could be sooner, or it could be later, based on supply.” Health department director Erika Laut-

Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

Landowner seeks annexation of H Street plot in east Blaine By Grace McCarthy Blaine city councilmembers are considering annexing an east Blaine property, which would be the first time the city has annexed land in east Blaine since 1996. During a January 25 workstudy session, city community development director Stacie Pratschner told council that a landowner had submitted an annexation application to the community development services department. The 3.2-acre residential property is at 4455 H Street Road, just south of city limits on H Street Road. Landowner Patrick Rooney filed his annexation request on July 1, 2019, then submitted the application November 9, 2020. The annexation would fall under city and county jurisdiction, Pratschner said, meaning Blaine would require agreement with Whatcom County on land-use goals and policies in the city’s comprehensive plan. Blaine hasn’t adopted an annexation ordinance

so the annexation will be considered a land-use decision since the city doesn’t have a procedure for annexing land, Pratschner said. Rooney filed the annexation proposal through the “Sixty Percent Petition” method, which allows an annexation application to be filed with the city if at least 60 percent of the property owners in the proposed annexation agree. The land is legally eligible to be annexed but the public works department will not know sewer availability and capacity until late February, Pratschner said. If city council moves the annexation petition forward, the city can also annex the 1.6-acre piece of unincorporated land west of the currently proposed annexed land, at 2221 Cedarwood Lane. The city gave the Cedarwood Lane property municipal services in 2002 with an outside utility agreement that said when the city received an annexation request, the city could also decide to annex the property. However, the landowners contacted the city

in 2018 and 2019 and said they didn’t want to be annexed. “They made their deal when they took the city services,” city attorney Jon Sitkin said during the meeting. “It’s a standard process as it is in most cities. You don’t want to extend your utilities into an urban growth area where someone gets the benefit of city services but then says, ‘I don’t want to participate and become part of the city.’” Between the two properties, 4.8 acres would be annexed to the city. City council will accept, deny or modify the annexation petition and the property adjacent to it in a future meeting. If accepted, city council would hold a public hearing. Whatcom County’s boundary review board then has 120 days after the request to review the annexation petition, but Pratschner hopes that could be sooner. “Possibly we could be looking at an effective date for annexation by May or June this year,” Pratschner said.

s The yellow plot in the Whatcom County zoning map is the land proposed to be annexed. The pink land to the left, representing urban growth area, could also be annexed. Image courtesy Whatom County Planning and Development Services

C E L E B R AT E

Valentine’sD ay!

Rules of the Road: Front license plates By Doug Dahl

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Q: Has the Washington state law changed about vehicles displaying front license plates? In our area I have noticed a substantial number of vehicles without front plates. Some will have the plate lying on the dashboard and many seem to be newer, expensive models. Has the law changed or is it simply not being enforced? A: Have you ever committed a minor traffic violation, like maybe you forgot to signal when you made a right turn, and then realized that there was a police officer right behind you? And maybe, if you’re lucky, you experienced this: the red and blue lights come on behind you, but when you pull over, the patrol car zooms past. If so, you just got a glimpse of one enforcement demand taking priority over another. Officers have to prioritize their response all the time, so just because something is a violation of the law doesn’t mean it’ll get addressed every time it’s observed. Case in point: front license plates. Yes, in nearly every situation Washington state law requires a vehicle to have a front license plate. But unlike many traffic laws, lack of a front license plate doesn’t increase your risk of a crash. Compared with impairment, speeding and distraction (the top three factors in fatal crashes in Washington) enforcement of front plates is pretty low. The number one goal of traffic enforcement is to reduce traffic crashes, so officers focus on the behaviors that contribute to crashes. Enforcement of front

plates still happens; just at a lower frequency. That doesn’t mean a front plate isn’t important. It’s just important for different reasons. A front plate makes it easier for law enforcement to spot stolen vehicles, or a suspect vehicle fleeing from a crash or the scene of a crime, and it helps witnesses and victims report such a vehicle. So why doesn’t everyone just put a front plate on their car? Your observation that many of the vehicles without front license plates include newer, expensive models likely has something to do with it. If you have a shiny, new and expensive car, you might not like what a license plate does to the look of your vehicle. Even more, you probably can’t stomach the thought of drilling holes through that pristine bumper to mount your license plate. But regardless of how you feel about that plate on your bumper, the law is clear: you have to have it. Except ... There are actually a few exceptions to the front license plate requirement in Washington. Of course, it makes sense that campers and trailers only have a rear plate, as a front one would be pointless. Other vehicles that don’t need a front plate include mopeds, motorcycles and collector vehicles. Outside of Washington, 19 states don’t require front license plates. And for the outlier vehicles, the law has a provision that allows a driver to appeal the requirement for a front license plate. The Washington State Patrol may grant exceptions “if the body (See License, page 10)

February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

Covid-19 in Whatcom County, by school district boundaries: Recent two-week case rates and cumulative counts Last updated: 02/02/2021

Blaine Rate: 324 Count: 330

Lynden Rate: 805 Count: 917 Ferndale Rate: 466 Count: 1060

Nooksack Valley Rate: 632 Count: 541

Meridian Rate: 325 Count: 311

Mt. Baker Rate: 177 Count: 308

Bellingham Rate: 222 Count: 2055 s The rate is the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks, from January 17 to January 30. The state goal is fewer than 25 cases per 100,000 people, which Whatcom County is not meeting. The count is the cumulative cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic.

By Grace McCarthy Confirmed Covid-19 cases continue to grow in Whatcom County, but not at the rate they had been previously. “We’re cautiously optimistic in the last week we’ve seen our rates start to come down a bit,” Whatcom County Health Department director Erika Lautenbach

Vaccine ... From page 1

enbach said mass vaccination works well when few vaccine providers exist in an area but counties like Whatcom County, which has 26 enrolled providers,

said in a January 27 press conference. “We are very grateful to the community for really taking our warnings and urgent asks seriously and we’re starting to see the results of that.” As of February 1, Whatcom County has had a total 5,630 confirmed cases of Covid-19 since the start of the pandemic and 65 deaths, according to Washing-

ton State Department of Health (DOH) data. Five people have died in the past week and the percent of deaths per total cases is 1.1 percent. All school districts saw a drop in case rates. Lynden school district had the highest rate of new cases in the past two weeks, with 805 confirmed cases per 100,000 people. Blaine had a rate of 324

per 100,000 in that period, which is the third lowest in the county. In total, 260 people have been hospitalized with the virus in Whatcom County. Whatcom County had a rate of 431.9 newly diagnosed and probable cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. In the county, 17.6 percent of adult ICU beds were occupied by Covid-19

isn’t waiting on a large site to start vaccinations. “The capacity to do more, right out of the gate, far exceeds the supply we have,” Lautenbach said. “There’s a tool that could be a centralized place but there are also so many providers that have more capacity than supply that

we could ramp up very quickly even without a mass vaccination site.” The state’s four mass vaccination sites that began last week in Spokane, Ridgefield, Wenatchee and Kennewick are expected to affect Whatcom County’s vaccination supply, Hockenberry said.

The health department hosts weekly meetings with the county’s Covid-19 vaccine providers on vaccinating capacity. People who have received the first dose don’t need to worry about there not being enough vaccines for a second dose because those are already allocated

patients. About 15,764 vaccine doses have been administered in the county, which is an increase of 3,968 doses since last week. Statewide, there have been 728,636 vaccine doses administered, an increase of 228,531 doses in the past week, according to state data. CDC data shows slightly different figures for Washington, with 741,769 vaccine doses administered in the state. CDC data shows 1,129,025 doses have been distributed to Washington. About 130,908 people in Washington have received two doses of the vaccine and 599,313 have received only one dose, according to CDC data. Washington state has had 300,018 total confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic and 14,674 probable cases (probable cases come from an antigen test but not a molecular test). About 4,316 people in Washington with the virus have died as of February 1 and 17,892 have been hospitalized. For Whatcom County information, visit whatcomcounty.us/ covidvaccine and whatcomcounty.us/coviddata. State information is available at bit.ly/3r2URJj. Vaccine locations can be found at bit. ly/3nZiMqr. For CDC data, visit bit.ly/39Kt4qh. to providers who received their first dose, Hockenberry said. The health department asks people with inquiries on when they’ll get vaccinated not to call healthcare providers and to wait for their healthcare provider to contact them.

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

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. 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.

Birch Bay old settlers picnic in 1896

Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com Co-publisher & Advertising Director Louise Mugar lmugar@pointrobertspress.com

s First Old Settlers picnic, held at Birch Bay, in 1896.

Letters

Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com Reporter Ian Haupt ian@pointrobertspress.com Reporting Intern Conor Wilson 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 Contributors In This Issue Doug Dahl, Tara Nelson The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVI, No 33 Circulation: 10,500 copies

Circulation Independently verified by:

Next issue: Feb. 11 Ads due: Feb. 5

Photo by Henry W. Brown/courtesy Whatcom Museum

The Editor: During the opening of the Washington State Legislature session in early January, I watched the speech on TVW by Doug Ericksen, our 42nd District state senator. Ericksen ridiculed the Covid-19 restricted legislative opening by comparing it to a group of farm animals in George Orwell’s book, Animal Farm, a satirical anti-communism tale, where animals rebel against their human farmer but end up under the dictatorship of a pig. After the November general election, Ericksen continued the unproven “rigged election” conspiracy theory suggesting that our vote-by-mail system was unsafe. Since then, our Republican Secretary of State Kim Wyman and her family had to go into hiding due to death threats against them. The January 21 edition of The Northern Light contained letters to the editor complaining about the tone of several letters from the previous January 14 edition. These writers complained that the previous letters carried a vitriolic tone, and that by printing these letters, The Northern Light was being unfair to conservatives and their free speech rights. After reading the January 14 letters, I would be hard pressed to classify them as being vitriolic, defined in the dictionary as “savagely hostile comments or criticism.” Those letters were mostly sharing observations many of us saw live on national TV, on the January 6 storming of the U.S. Congress. Conspiracy theories and paranoid thinking have resulted in serious damage to our society. We need to stop using the term “fake news” that was turned into a weapon for attacking the legitimacy of the

press. Recent research from the journalism nonprofit Knight Foundation and Gallup, which conducts public opinion polls, shows the majority of Americans agree that misinformation on tech platforms is a problem. We need to restore a sense of shared reality and responsibility and reduce the underlying fear that drives “us versus them,” restore basic norms and decency, such as honoring facts and communicating with compassion. We need to stop pointing fingers, blaming others, and work together to find common ground to solve problems, like the Covid pandemic, Covid-related impacts to our economy and opening up our schools. D. Brady Green Blaine The Editor: I read Don Starr’s “obituary” (letter to the editor) in The Northern Light of January 28 issue with true dismay. He is obviously a true liberal, most of whom have extreme difficulty determining right from wrong. He cites Donald Trump’s lies, which I will not deny; however, collectively, all of them were “white.” A far cry from those intentional lies the liberals (Sleepy Joe included) relate with exasperating impunity relentlessly. Mr. Starr – all politicians lie. It’s up to us to determine who tells the fewest and vote for the one that will tell the fewest. Donald Trump was a true believer in our democratic republic and the Constitution for which he worked throughout his administration. The sore loser leftists began attacking him without valid evidence on his first day in office and relentlessly thereafter. The left has no interest in a democracy

wherein it’s all for one and one for all, and freedom of speech and religion prevail. The leftists want socialism wherein all are equal, i.e. equal under the hammer and the hammer will come down hard on the proletariat that chooses not to prevail. Socialism has been tried in many countries and most have given it up in favor of capitalism. They eventually realize that the social masses really want a government that they control, which is the way the founding fathers meant it to be. I have many friends and relations who identify themselves as liberals in spite of the fact I’m essentially conservative. Bearing that in mind, we should all go along to get along. I would portend that all of humanity should adopt this attitude. Mike Myers Blaine The Editor: I realize this is trivial but I would like to point out an error in the reporting found in the police reports for January 21-27, bit. (See Letters, page 15)

Correction In an article titled “Cougar sightings continue in Blaine area,” in the January 28 issue of The Northern Light, a cougar spotting was reported on H Street and Peace Portal Drive. This information came from a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife map that pinned the east Blaine goat killings to that location. No cougars have been spotted roaming downtown Blaine. We regret the error.

February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

City council appoints Gill as new at-large councilmember By Grace McCarthy Blaine City Council unanimously appointed Sukhwant Singh Gill as the newest council member during their February 1 special council meeting. “We must find the best ways to function during the pandemic,” Gill said during his interview. “We need to support the promotion of tourism including highlighting places and focusing on better lodging and businesses that will draw tourism, which will increase city revenue.” Gill takes the at-large seat of former councilmember Alicia Rule, who resigned following her election as 42nd legislative district state representative. Gill has been a Blaine business owner for over 25 years and owns the Shell gas station on D Street, where he gave away milk and bread to families in need at the

beginning of the pandemic. Gill is also on the Blaine Tourism Advisory Committee and has been president of Guru Nanak Guru Sikh Temple for three years. Gill said he moved to the U.S. in 1993 from India, where he worked as a paymaster for his city’s electrical department. From 1995 to 2001, he owned a gas station across the street from his current Shell station. Gill then owned a dollar store in the Cost Cutter shopping mall, and another in Lynden, but in 2018 he jumped back into the gas business and bought Shell and an Exxon station. In 2018, Gill bought Big Al’s Diner and plans to open the Blaine Mart on 2nd Street in the coming weeks, he said. Gill said he is semi-retired so he will have time for council responsibilities and has no conflicts of interest while serving as a councilmember.

When mayor Bonnie Onyon, on behalf of council, asked his approach for handling controversial or complicated issues, Gill said he would listen to stakeholders on all sides and to discuss with councilmembers and experts to find a beneficial solution that would cause the least amount of harm to Blaine residents. Thirteen people applied to the position but only five – Sharon Somers-Hill, Sheli Moore, Kerena Higgins, John ‘Calvin’ Armerding and Gill – were selected to be interviewed during the February 1 public session. After public session, council convened in executive session to discuss applicants’ qualifications. When councilmembers returned, they were given three options: To appoint a candidate, interview more candidates for the vacant position or take no action and pass on the appointment re-

sponsibility 90 days after Rule resigned to Whatcom County Council. “This was a very difficult choice to make,” councilmember Eric Davidson said. “These people were phenomenal. I’d be happy to serve with any one of them on city council.” Councilmember Charlie Hawkins said he hasn’t seen a double-digit number of applications in over the decade since he’s been involved with council. “This means to me a great opportunity to serve my city and my community,” Gill said.

Courtesy photo

Tax Planning & Preparation U.S. & Canadian Individual & Business Michèle-Marie Cloutier, CPA, CGA 372 H St. • Blaine, WA 98230

Representatives to host virtual town hall The 42nd legislative district representatives Alicia Rule and Sharon Shewmake will hold a virtual town hall at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, February 9. During the town hall, the two Democratic representatives will give an update on the state’s legislative session and answer participants’ questions.

To sign up for the town hall, dial 877/229-8493 (PIN:118322) or to be called, sign up at bit. ly/2MwnTBs. To contact Shewmake, email her at Sharon.shewmake@leg.wa.gov or call her office at 360/786-7854. To contact Rule, email her at Alicia.rule@ leg.wa.gov or call 360/746-3744.

Parks and Rec seeking to fill commissioner role The Blaine Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 has an opening for a commissioner position. The applications for the commissioner position are due no later than 4:30 p.m. on Friday, February 19. Applications will remain open until filled. The district is seeking to fill former commissioner Richard Sturgill’s seat following his resignation. District meetings are monthly on the second Tuesday of each month. Commissioners are also required to participate in occasional study sessions and special district meetings. Applicants must be legal Washington citizens, registered to vote

before filing and have lived within the boundaries of the parks and recreation district for at least one year. The district boundaries are the same as the Blaine school district’s boundaries, with the exception of Point Roberts. Anyone living within the district is eligible to apply for the commissioner position. Applications can be found online at bbbprd2.com and emailed to info@bbbprd2.com. Interviews with commissioners will be scheduled for March. For additional information, contact the district office by email at info@bbbprd2.com or calling 360/656-6416.

Blaine Boys and Girls club offers afterschool care The Blaine Boys and Girls clubhouse has begun offering afterschool care to Blaine school district families whose children are doing in-person schooling. On February 1, the program began offering afterschool programs Monday through Thursday, the days that students on the hybrid schedule are in school buildings. Families can only register for afterschool care during the weeks their student is in school in order to keep the two hybrid cohorts separate.

Registration is currently only open for the month of February. The program will serve two cohorts of 12 students in 1st through 6th grades due to social distancing guidelines. Club staff will do health screenings before picking up the primary and elementary school students. To register, visit parentportal. whatcomclubs.org or call the clubhouse at 360/332-3008. Although the program is free, those who register need to be a club member.

s Sukhwant Singh Gill.

360-332-4971

Just minutes from the U.S./Canadian Border Crossing - Exit 276 (Blaine City Center)

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CITY OF BLAINE

VISION TAX*

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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Monday, February 8 6:00pm – City Council Meeting Public Hearing: LID #36

Tuesday, February 9 8:00am – Blaine Tourism Advisory

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Committee

Thursday, February 11 9:00am – Park and Cemetery

*denotes Professional Corporation

Board Meeting 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting

We're bulging at the seams with library materials!

Monday, February 15

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City Offices Closed – President’s Day

Monday, February 22 6:00pm – City Council Meeting

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

Bills build up for some as utility moratorium prevents shutoffs By Ian Haupt Over 200 residents in Blaine and Birch Bay have fallen further behind on their utility bills, and financial assistance programs need funds to help them. The number of customers in arrears has leveled off since October 2020. Both the city of Blaine and Birch Bay Water and Sewer District have had some customers pay outstanding balances but say still others have increased balances to confront. Although governor Jay Inslee extended the utility shutoff moratorium to April 30, keeping the water running and lights on for these residents, the bills will need to be paid eventually. The city and water district have payment plan programs available for residents behind on their bills but do not provide any financial assistance. Residents are encouraged to seek out assistance from community resources like the Community Assistance Program (CAP) and the Opportunity Council. CAP executive director Dan

DeMent said the community has answered their call for help but more donations will be needed to keep all residents receiving water service on come May. “We are encouraged that people did respond, and we don’t have the ability to help all,” DeMent said. “But I think the tsunami is nearing, and we hope we can help as many as possible.” Right now, between Blaine and Birch Bay, the total balance of arrears is nearly $175,000. City finance director Jeff Lazenby said in an email that the city of Blaine has a total of 116 accounts with outstanding balances, and the sum owed to the city is $136,147, an average of $1,174. Lazenby said the city of Blain has about 3,500 accounts, which means the delinquent accounts make up just over 3 percent. The majority of these accounts are residential, he added. Birch Bay water and sewer district finance director Sandi McMillan said that 98 Birch Bay Water and Sewer District customers who were paying their bills before Covid-19 are two or more

bills behind and in aggregate owe $38,553 to the district or $394 on average per account. With nearly 8,000 connections, those in arrears comprise just over 1 percent of their customer base. One-third of those accounts are rentals, McMillan said. In November, the assistance program began asking community members to donate if they could, DeMent said. So far, they have about $15,000 in donations. “We can at least chew off a bite of what we’re expecting,” he said. The assistance program only offers help with utility bills if a shut-off is impending. Since the moratorium, the program has not provided any utility assistance, DeMent said. Those expecting to face a cut off once the moratorium ends should contact CAP in advance. Before the pandemic, the program provided assistance to about 10 residents per month, totaling from $800 to $1,100, depending on that month’s donations, he said. DeMent said he hopes less people are actually in need of assis-

tance than the totals may suggest. Hopefully, some people with arrears have the ability to pay but have been taking advantage of the moratorium, he said. The city of Blaine and the water district offer payment plan programs for customers behind on their bills to pay the outstanding balances off over time. Blaine residents behind on their bills are asked to fill out an application and enter an agreement to pay off their outstanding balance in equal installments due on the 20th of each month for up to a year. The deadline has been extended indefinitely, but Lazenby encourages customers to get their applications in. The district asks customers to pay their outstanding balances within 60 days after the moratorium on shut-offs expires or enter into a one-year payment plan, according to its website. To enter into the payment plan, customers must contact the district office and verbally agree to the terms. The district also sent out a letter January 29 to all customers who are two or more bills behind

notifying them of the April 30 expiration date and that its board of commissioners will decide at that time whether the district will return to shut-offs for nonpayment. The letter also directs those customers to CAP and Opportunity Council as resources. The Opportunity Council offers bill assistance for home heating and energy bills, community services manager Lorena Shah said, but is putting together a water assistance program. To provide assistance, individuals do not need to be in crisis or arrears to be eligible for the programs. Vetted individuals can receive partial assistance for energy bills each month with the amount depending on need, Shah said. CAP also vets residents for the city of Blaine and the water district, and provides funds if the residents meet the requirements, or the city or water district uses their war chest of donated funds. DeMent said the easiest way for individuals to help is by using the donation option on their utility bill. Whether it’s $5 or $100, he said any donation will help.

Plans being set to get teachers vaccinated once eligible By Ian Haupt School staff will not move ahead in the Covid-19 vaccination queue despite the Washington Education Association (WEA) having asked the state to give teachers higher priority. But the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) and Kaiser Permanente Washington, are putting together a plan to get all teachers vaccinated as soon as they become eligible under Washington state’s current vaccination plan. On January 29, state superintendent Chris Reykdal and Kaiser Permanente Washington presi-

dent Susan Mullaney announced the development of the Get Ready plan and its goal to get state educators and school staff vaccinated equitably and safely, according to an OSPI press release. The plan would use 14 to 20 Kaiser locations to vaccinate teachers and school staff. “Keeping our educators and school staff safe is very important to me,” said governor Jay Inslee in the January 29 press release. “This announcement does not allow educators to move ahead in the current prioritization, it means when it is their turn, we are ready to move ahead. I’m excited about today’s announce-

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ment and look forward to working with superintendent Reykdal, Kaiser Permanente, and our labor partners as we continue our efforts to make sure our educators and school staff have rapid and equitable access to the Covid-19 vaccine as soon as they are eligible.” OSPI encourages school districts to continue their own vaccination plans already in development. The statewide plan, rather, provides access to teachers and school staff who work in districts without a plan. Blaine school district superintendent Christopher Granger said Blaine is not waiting for the state to provide vaccines for staff. He said the district is currently working with local health care providers to make Covid-19 vaccines available for teachers

and staff when they become eligible under the state’s vaccination plan. All people over the age of 65 are currently eligible to get a vaccine, according to the vaccination plan. Teachers and staff over the age of 50 are eligible in the next phase, Phase 1b Tier 2, while all other school employees in K-12 schools are expected to be eligible after half of the current eligible population is vaccinated, according to the press release. Granger could not provide information as to whether any staff had already been vaccinated. He also said the school district will not require teachers and staff to get vaccinated. “If we get a provider to work with, it will be available for those who choose to get [the vaccine],” Granger said.

In mid-January, the WEA board of directors passed a resolution that all educators working in schools or higher education facilities should have priority access to both doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to a January 12 WEA blog post. The board rejected the state department of health’s recommendation that age should be a determining factor for when educators receive the vaccine. WEA president Larry Delaney reiterated in a January 27 letter to Inslee the need to prioritize educators working in buildings, and those soon to return, to be offered the vaccine immediately. However, the governor has not changed his position, and teachers under the age of 50 will have to wait to be eligible.

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February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

Rick Larsen strives to protect migratory birds

s U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (D-WA) takes a look through binoculars at Wiser Lake during a migratory bird viewing trip with the North Cascades Audubon Society. Larsen, who said he enjoys birding in his spare time, is co-sponsor of a bill that will strengthen the Migratory Bird Species Act, which protects more than 350 migratory bird species that use the Pacific Northwest as their flyway. Photo by Tara Nelson

By Tara Nelson U.S. resentative-More than 350 species of migratory birds that fly through Blaine, Birch Bay and northern Whatcom County will be better protected from industrial threats if a bill being co-sponsored by U.S. Representative Rick Larsen passes in Congress. Larsen visited Wiser Lake January 15 along with North Cascades Audubon Society president Steven Harper, and Robert Kaye, who is a member of the chapter’s conservation board. The visit was part of a round of talks with Whatcom, Skagit and Snohomish county Audubon Society chapters to discuss a Trump administration rule change that weakened the act and the importance of protecting birds to the environment and the local economy in Whatcom County. The bill, which was originally sponsored by U.S. Representative Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) has not yet been formally introduced in Congress but reverses the Trump administration rollback and strengthens protections for birds. Larsen is one of the bill’s original co-sponsors. Joseph Tutino, communications director for Rick Larsen, said the Migratory Bird Treaty Act has been around since the early 1900s, and creates a uniform system of protection for more than 1,000 migratory bird species that migrate between the U.S. and Canada – about 350 of which use the Pacific Northwest as their flyway, cutting directly across Whatcom County. The act is important to protect and conserve migratory birds that fly long distances and cross many international borders with varying environmental policies and conservation measures. It is also important to local economies that rely on birding tourism such as Blaine, Birch Bay and Lynden. The U.S. also has similar international conventions with Mexi-

co, Japan and Russia. “It’s part of the economy here,” Tutino said. “It’s a great outdoor activity and people come to the Northwest to go birding. If we start losing more protected areas, that is going to trickle down to everything else.” While birding in one day alone, Tutino said they saw 10 separate bird species including a 2-yearold bald eagle, a pied-billed grebe, cackling goose, American wigeon, common and hooded mergansers and snow geese. In December 2017, however, the Trump administration announced a rule change that would no longer protect birds from incidental killing as a result of industrial practices. That means that under Trump’s re-interpretation of the rule, the federal government cannot pursue penalties on companies that, through negligence or bad practices, kill a significant number of birds. On August 11, 2020, a federal court struck down the Trump administration’s interpretation, ruling that is “contrary to the plain meaning of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act” and “runs counter to the purpose of the act to protect migratory bird populations.” However, on November 23, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) published an environmental impact statement on the proposed rule and found that although changes to the act would increase the legal certainty for companies, companies would be less inclined to implement best practices to reduce incidental bird takes, resulting in “increased bird mortality.” Nevertheless, the USFWS upheld the Trump administration’s rule change. “Really, it kind of takes responsibility away from companies so they can kind of skirt around some of these protections that have been in place for decades,” Tutino said. Tutino said Larsen sent a letter to Deb Haaland, the incom-

ing secretary of the interior, in December to let her know that Larsen opposes the Trump administration’s rule. Tutino said he thinks Haaland, who is one of the first Native American women to serve in a presidential cabinet, will be more friendly to measures that will strengthen the act instead of weaken it. “We fully expect with a Democratic majority in the Senate and with a Democrat as secretary of the interior, that we will be able to pass this and make sure the MBTA will be strong for years so we can minimize bird deaths,” Tutino said.

• In January, representative Rick Larsen sent a letter to the interior secretary designate opposingTrump administration’s rule, encouraging her to rescind the Trump administration rule and support the bipartisan Migratory Bird Protection Act. • Last Congress, Larsen co-sponsored the Migratory Bird Protection Act, to prohibit the incidental taking of migratory birds by commercial activity unless authorized by a permit. The bill also establishes a permit program to allow entities using approved best practices and technologies to minimize bird deaths, except in cases of gross negligence. The

bill also calls for research on the impacts of commercial activities on birds and effectiveness of best management practices and technologies to address this issue. Larsen plans to support a similar bill in the 117th Congress. • In September 2020, Larsen joined a letter to the interior secretary urging the department to withdraw its proposed rule that undermines the MBTA. • In March 2020, Larsen joined a letter to the interior secretary expressing concerns about the administration’s proposed rule, which eliminates prohibitions on incidental take of migratory birds.

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

Health & Wellness

Local choices in fitness + nutrition + wellness

Blaine store produces zero plastic waste, in waste filled pandemic By Conor Wilson At a time when many people have been dependent upon single-use plastics to prevent the spread of Covid-19, Blaine’s Living Pantry has continued to provide groceries with only reusable, glass and metal containers. After opening last September, owners Shawna and Seppi Morris said their zero-waste grocery store, which sells everything from food to cleaning supplies, has enjoyed steady business. The increased use of single-use plastics for PPE, bags and takeout containers has caused alarming impacts to waste management systems, according to a National Center for Biotechnology Information study. Increased plastic usage has put extra pressure on these systems, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, leading to poor disposal strategies such as reduced recycling and improper burning. These poor disposal efforts could escalate the global health crisis, contributing to worsening air quality and the possibility of secondary transmission of the virus,

the World Health Organization reports. The FDA reports no evidence exists that food, containers or packaging are associated with the transmission of Covid-19, although it is possible the virus can spread over surfaces or objects. Seppi said since the Living Pantry opened during the pandemic, they have continued to find ways to safely handle food and prevent the need for such plastics. All products are sold in reusable glass and metal containers, and customers can bring in their own reusable containers as well. The store sells a wide variety of products, including seasonal produce, spices and herbs and personal hygiene items, in both bulk and small quantities. The store has also offered other protections due to the pandemic, including curbside pick-up and shopping by appointment. They also hope to unveil an online store soon to give customers more access to their products. In addition to eliminating single-use plastic containers, Living Pantry’s merchandise is almost entirely local to Washington, and

a good portion of it is from Whatcom County. Seppi said they want to shrink their store’s product circle in the future. Seppi said he hopes more people will come visit the store and not be intimidated by zero-waste or the products they sell. “It’s not your typical store. Peo-

ple come in here and go, ‘I don’t even know what this is,’” he said. “We want people to want more information about their food, to be conscious about their habits.” Seppi emphasized the reality of going completely zero waste is nearly impossible and it’s more important to make individual choices

s Merchandise at Living Pantry, a zero-waste store located in Blaine.

while continuing to learn. Even as the owner of a zero-waste store, he said he is constantly learning better practices from his customers. “We don’t want people to feel bad or that they’re making a mistake,” he said. “We’re all on the same path. It’s a one choice at a time process.”

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s Owners Shawna and Seppi Morris behind the counter of their store, Living Pantry, located at 684 Peace Portal Drive in Blaine. Photo by Conor Wilson

February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

Health & Wellness Local choices in health, healing & fitness. continued

s Living Pantry’s downtown location offers a view of Drayton Harbor. Photo by Conor Wilson

Q: Are you ready to make the changes to achieve your New Year’s resolutions?

A: Accessing the quiet mind helps us make changes in

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Keep your heart happy this month It’s February – American Heart Month – a time when the nation spotlights heart disease, the No. 1 killer of Americans. President Lyndon B. Johnson, among the millions of people in the country who’d had heart attacks, issued the first proclamation in 1964. Since then, U.S. presidents have annually declared February American Heart Month. Throughout the month, the American Heart Association’s “Heart to Heart: Why Losing One Woman Is Too Many” campaign will raise awareness about how 1 in 3 women are diagnosed with heart disease annually. The first Friday of American Heart Month, Feb. 5, is also National Wear Red Day as part of the AHA’s Go Red for Women initiative. Coast to coast, landmarks, news anchors and neighborhoods go red to raise awareness and support for the fight against heart disease. For more information on the event and other activities during the month, visit goredforwomen.org. This year, the federally designated event is even more important due to the impact of the coronavirus on the public’s heart health, including potential harmful effects on the heart and vascular system, according to recent research. Also, during the Covid-19 pandemic, many people have delayed or avoided going to hospitals for heart attacks and strokes – netting poorer outcomes and prompting the AHA to create “Don’t Die of Doubt,” a national awareness campaign that reminds people that hospitals are the safest place to go when you have symptoms. And while in lockdown, more people have engaged in unhealthy lifestyle behaviors, such

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as eating poorly, drinking more alcohol and limiting physical activity, that can contribute to heart disease. Meanwhile, heart disease continues to be the greatest health threat to Americans and is still the leading cause of death worldwide, according to the AHA’s Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics – 2021 Update. The update, published in the association’s flagship journal Circulation, reports that nearly 18.6 million people across the globe died of cardiovascular disease in 2019, the latest year for which worldwide statistics are calculated. That’s a 17.1% increase over the past decade. And 523.2 million cases of cardiovascular disease were reported in 2019, a 26.6 percent increase over 2010. During American Heart Month, the AHA and other organizations reinforce the importance of heart health, the need for more research and efforts to ensure that millions of people live longer and healthier. In most cases, heart disease is preventable when people adopt a healthy lifestyle, which includes

not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure, getting at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week and getting regular checkups.

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

BERM TIMELINE A brief history of the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project 10,000 YEARS AGO

1950-52

Coast Salish people begin visiting summer villages at Birch Bay for clamming, crabbing, fishing, foraging and hunting.

Phase 1 of a feasibility study for the berm is completed.

JUNE 6, 2015 Open house #2

1986

2007

DEC. 2012

The combination of a storm and a high tide flood Birch Bay Drive and damage Via Birch Bay Cafe and Bistro.

MARCH 2014

LATE 2013

Discussions with Reid Middleton break down and the county terminates its contract and hires Environmental Science Associates to replace Reid Middleton as lead engineer.

Whatcom County and Environmental Associates holds the first of a series of three open houses on the project to gather public feedback on the berm and walkway design. More than 100 people attend.

Reid Middleton begins preliminary engineering.

The county once again announces that construction on the berm will not start in the fall, citing easement negotiations and permitting issues.

SEPT. 2017

Whatcom County announces, for the second time, that the project will be postponed due to difficulties with easement negotiations and permitting issues.

JULY 2016

Planned date to have needed right of way negotiations complete, according to schedule presented at the third open house.

NOV. 2016

Property easement negotiations stall due to third-party property value appraisals taking longer than expected. Easements about one-third complete in November 2016.

DEC. 2018

Whatcom County budget cuts – to prepare for an expected revenue shortfall due to the coronavirus – do not affect project construction.

MAY 2020

Granite Construction finishes the first of two rounds of construction.

JAN. 2020

Granite Construction starts adding sediment to the beach. Project scheduled to finish in spring 2021. Granite Construction agree to not work between Memorial Day and Labor Day as to not disrupt Birch Bay’s summer tourism season.

AUG. 2020

Construction restarts in phase 2.

SEPT. 2020

County officials confirm that construction will be delayed another year. Construction was previously planned to begin in September 2016.

The Lummi Indian Business Council signs off on the cultural resources section of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permit, at the time called the biggest remaining hurdle for the project. The county also still needed to complete one easement negotiation, but the property owner’s approval hinged on the NEPA permit.

NOV. 2019

Whatcom County public works awards an $8.7 million contract to Granite Construction to build the berm.

Public works request additional $500,000 for the project’s budget. Public works staff says extra funding will serve as insurance in the case of any issues that arise causing a possible change or delay in construction.

Sources: Whatcom County planning documents, permits and staff.

SEPT. 2016

JAN. 2019

A windstorm and tidal surge ripped up asphalt and damaged several waterfront businesses along Birch Bay Drive. The storm did $2 million in damage throughout the county, mostly in Birch Bay, Point Roberts, Kendall and Maple Falls. One lane of Birch Bay Drive remained closed for six months after the storm.

APR. 2020

Whatcom County selects Reid Middleton as the project’s lead engineer. Whatcom County staffers hope the project will start in fall 2014.

A letter from Whatcom County to Birch Bay Drive property owners says burying utility lines along the length of the berm will be part of the project. Later in 2013, Reid Middleton estimates that burying the lines would cost $25 to $30 million, far more than the cost of the berm project itself, and the county drops that from the plan.

Whatcom County and Environmental Science Associates hold the third of three open houses and present a 90 percent level design for the project that includes a schedule for construction.

60 percent level surveying and engineering plans complete.

JAN. 2013

MARCH 2013

FEB. 1, 2016

SEPT. 24, 2015

JUNE 2018

A flood spurs community and governmental review of the infrastructure at Birch Bay Drive.

Whatcom County establishes a fund for the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project.

Planning for the project gets underway and county officials estimate that it will be finished by about 2020.

NOV. 8, 2014

1982

Whatcom County commissions a preliminary engineering study that estimates the project, including burying utilities, will cost roughly $2.3 million.

OCT. 2012

JULY 2012

Phase 2A of feasibility study, which included a preliminary cost estimate, is completed.

The Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project is included in Whatcom County’s Birch Bay Comprehensive Plan.

1984

A test section of berm just north of the mouth of Terrell Creek is completed and is effective with ongoing maintenance.

The beach is “renourished” with sand and gravel eight times during this period, according to a 2006 study by Coastal Geologic Services and others.

A request for the berm project is made in the 2004 Birch Bay Subarea Plan, which is adopted by the Whatcom County Council as a part of the Whatcom County Comprehensive Plan in September 2004.

1977

A report by hydrologist Wolf Bauer recommends a sand and gravel berm to replace ineffective seawalls and groins and restore the beach at Birch Bay. The current design is adapted from Bauer’s work.

1989-1998

2004

2006

1975

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers excavates between 200,000 and 300,000 cubic yards of gravel and sediment from Birch Bay for the Blaine Air Force Station and other facilities, creating a “sediment deficit” in Birch Bay.

APRIL 2019

Whatcom County hearing examiner Michael Bobbink approves the shoreline substantial development permit, clearing the way for construction to begin.

NOV. 2020

Limestone path completed on the south end of the berm.

JAN. 2021

Public works says the berm performed well – protected Birch Bay Drive – during a storm with high tides and strong winds. The storm caused flooding in areas not protected by the berm and threw some debris onto the roadway. Timeline graphic by Doug De Visser

Birch Bay stormwater project works around berm construction By Ian Haupt Whatcom County Public Works has finished the first phase of the two-phase Harborview Road and Birch Bay Drive stormwater project last month. Interwest Construction, Inc., the county’s contractor, installed a new outfall pipe and catch basin on the water side of Birch Bay Drive at the intersection of Harborview Road. Phase 2 of the $855,000 project will be completed in the fall. Project manager Kevin Thompson said phase 1 of construction and work during berm construction went smoothly. “We were able to coordinate with Granite Construction, and the other sub-contractors, so that there were no issues,” he said. Thompson said the county was pushing to get the first phase of the project complete before Granite Construction finished the cement work on the Birch Bay berm project. This way, crews would not have to dig up new concrete to place the outfall pipe and catch basin that cuts directly through the berm. According to the project website, in phase 2 of construction – September 8 through October 25 – Interwest Construction crews will install a new 30-inch diameter stormwater pipe that extends to the Birch Bay-Lynden Road intersection and catch basins on Harborview Road and Birch Bay Drive. The project will add approximately 2,000 feet of storm pipe and 22 catch basins. These upgraded drainage systems will eliminate backwater flooding of nearshore drainage systems during high tide and reduce tidal and stormwater flooding on Birch Bay Drive and properties along it, according to the website.

License ... From page 2

construction of the vehicle makes compliance ... impossible.” Using the word “impossible” sounds like a nearly insurmountable barrier. However, the law defines “impossible” in this context as “there was nothing made by the manufacturer ... which would allow the license plate to be affixed to the vehicle ...” Nearly every car on the lot has a bracket available to mount a license plate, but if you have some exotic exception you can get a pass on the front plate. It’s not automatic, though; you’ll have to send an exemption request to the Washington State Patrol. Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.

February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

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NOTICE OF DISSOLUTION OF CORPORATION The Washington State Corporation Pop and Roast, Inc. has been dissolved. Any person having a claim against Pop and Roast, Inc. must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present a written notice in the manner as provided in RCW 23B.14 by serving on or mailing to the Registered Agent at the address stated below a copy of the claim against Pop and Roast, Inc. Information included in the claim must contain the following: a) a general description of the known facts relating to a matured and legally assertible claim or liability, or b) an identification of the executory contract with respect to which unmatured, conditional, or contingent claims or liabilities are sought to be disposed of. The written notice of such claim must be delivered to Pop and Roast, Inc.’s Registered Agent no fewer than 120 days of the publication date of this Notice. Any claim or any executory contract on which the claim is based may be rejected by the dissolved corporation, in which case the holder of the known claim will have a limited period of 90 days from the effective date of the rejection notice in which to commence a proceeding in Court to enforce the claim. The claim may be delivered to Pop and Roast, Inc.’s Registered Agent. Any claim against the Corporation may be barred in accordance with RCW 23B.14 if not timely asserted. Registered Agent: Debra Sasken-Duff 255 Marine Drive, #300, Blaine, WA 98230

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM IN RE THE ESTATE OF: CLARENCE R. MCCLUNG, Deceased. NO. 21-4-00032-37. NONPROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS RCW 11.40.030. JUDGE: EVAN JONES. THE NOTICE AGENT NAMED BELOW has elected to give notice to creditors of the above-named decedent. As of the date of the filing of a copy of this notice with the court, the notice agent has no knowledge of any other person acting as notice agent or of the appointment of a personal representative of the decedent’s estate in the state of Washington. According to the records of the court as are available on the date of the filing of this notice with the court, a cause number regarding the decedent has not been issued to any other notice agent, and a personal representative of the decedent’s estate has not been appointed. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.42.070 by serving on or mailing to the notice agent or the notice agent’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the notice agent’s declaration and oath were filed. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the notice agent served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.42.020(2)(c); or (2) Four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.42.050 and 11.42.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets. Date of First Publication: Jan. 21, 2021 The notice agent declares under penalty of perjury under the laws of the state of Washington on January 19, 2021, at Bellingham, Washington, that the foregoing is true and correct. Notice Agent: PENNY A. SHERWOOD 466 W. Lake Samish Dr, Bellingham, WA 98227 Attorney for Notice Agent: KATTI ESP, 301 Prospect Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 Address for Mailing or Service: KATTI ESP, 301 Prospect Street, Bellingham, WA 98225 Court of notice agent’s Declaration and Oath: Superior Court of Whatcom County Cause No. 21-4-00032-37

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of: Grant W. Nelson, Deceased. NO. 21-4-00035-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Evan Jones. The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets. Date of First Publication: January 28, 2021 Personal Representative: David A. Nelson 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Attorney for the Personal Representative: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Address for Mailing or Service: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 21-4-00035-37

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of: Fay Stockton, Deceased. NO. 21-400059-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Evan P. Jones The personal representative named below has been appointed as personal representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the personal representative or the personal representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the personal representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)(c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets. Date of First Publication: February 4, 2021 Personal Representative: Jeffrey Stockton 3832 Kansas Street Bellingham, WA 98229 Attorney for the Personal Representative: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Address for Mailing or Service: Katti Esp 301 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225 Court of Probate Proceedings Superior Court of Whatcom County and Cause Number: Cause No. 21 4 00059 37

Find it in the Classifieds!

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM IN THE ESTATE OF HOWARD E. SHIEL, JR., Deceased. No. 20-4-00671-37.PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS RCW 11.40.030 The person named below has been appointed as Personal Representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Personal Representative or the Personal Representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the Personal Representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1) (c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets. DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: January 28, 2021 PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Carole H. Shiel ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Michael T. Kleps, WSBA #37144 ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR SERVICE: 1700 D Street (zip: 98225) P.O. Box 5226, Bellingham, WA 98227

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Find Real Estate Listings are on page 12

The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

Real Estate

BLAINE, BIRCH BAY & SEMIAHMOO

Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom Inc. 360.371.5100 8105 Birch Bay Square St. I-5 Exit 270, Blaine

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

7714 Birch Bay Drive #405 4619 Anderson Road 5622 Salish Road 5768 Salish Road 8299 Fawn Crescent Road 4559 California Trail MLS #1664824 $899,000 MLS #1713783 $699,900 MLS #1716748 $250,000 MLS #1683441 $359,000 MLS #1696092 $619,900 MLS #1693130 Spectacular sunsets, deluxe top floor wa- 19+ acre estate with large 3500 sq. ft. main Modern New Construction for today’s buyer Well maintained furnished home in Birch Charming Cottage completely updated $255,000

Rare find! Welcome to a fully remodeled 3 bed 2 bath home for under $300,000! In addition to the 3 bedrooms there is an office/ den! Enjoy a cozy wood burning fireplace through this winter or take a soak in the hot tub in the newly, large fully fenced back yard. Master bedroom hosts a walk-in closet and ensuite bathroom. Newer appliances in kitchen and washer and dryer are included. Shed for extra outdoor storage. Welcome home!

Aimee Slesk 425-681-8297

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 it’s 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

house needing remodel completion & additional 988 sq. ft. house for guest/caretaker or live in while finishing the main house. All sitting on a majestic park like parcel cleared from the home to the street & wooded to the back. Main home has been stripped to the studs for investor/owner to finish the project. Very unique opportunity to acquire beautiful estate parcel with a gated entry, driveway & main home in place along with a finished 2nd home. Large barn.

Mike Kent 360-815-3898

F E AT U R E D B L A I N E

along with premier construction & detail offered in most desirable gated community of Northwest. 4 bed, 2.5 bath home offers open concept living room features 18’ ceilings w/ floor to ceiling linear gas fireplace. High Quality Designer appointments throughout. Luxurious Master suite tiled shower and custom walk-in closet. Elegant white kitchen w/ Quartz & Master Island. Resort style views of Bay, golf course and Mountains from Balcony next to Rec Room for entertainment.

Sukhvir Khaira 360-727-8080

Gerry Allen 360-920-0563 or Matt Berry 360-389-0104

Lisa Kent 360-594-8034

within walking distance to the beach! Wind your way through an inviting neighborhood with views of the bay. You will love one floor living nestled at the end of a private cul-desac. Enjoy the peaceful ambiance on your beautiful deck over-looking the woods and the fragrant smell of the new cedar siding. You will also appreciate the new kitchen, paint, roof and flooring. Inviting entrance with 4 car parking plus room for an RV or boat. Delightful 3-bedroom, 1 bathroom.

Faith Ulate 360-220-8685

F E AT U R E D L I S T I N G S - S E M I A H M O O

Peace Portal Drive 9540 Semiahmoo Pkwy Unit #D43 8920 Bald Eagle Drive 5366 Night Heron Drive MLS #1601561 $525,000 MLS #1723102 $650,000 MLS #1722489 $335,000 MLS #1664909 $150,000

The location says it all. High visibility corner between Peace Portal Dr and Interstate 5 plus only minutes from the Canadian border. The sale includes two properties totaling just over 2 acres. The property has water, sewer and power available off street making for ease of hookup and development. Zoning is highway commercial, light industrial allowing for almost unlimited use. Buyer to verify zoning and land use with Blaine Planning & Development.

Bay Village gated beach & Marina community. Features updated appliances in spacious kitchen w/breakfast bar. Dining room built-ins w/lots of storage. Big living room w/wood burning stove + great room off kitchen w/cozy free-standing gas fireplace. Master & guest bedroom have ensuite bathrooms. Large covered front deck + covered area in back & Workshop/storage shed. RV/boat space + golf cart shelter. Fruit trees. Corner cul-de-sac entry lot.

Build your waterfront dream home on this one of a kind, 37,336 sq ft. homesite hugging 215 feet of peaceful, pebbly Semiahmoo shore of Drayton Harbor. Sunlight sparkles on gentle saltwater. Sea breezes carry the call of Eagles, Great Blue Herons and countless migratory shore birds. Ancient evergreens stand sentinel along the property perimeter. Snow-capped mountains, night lights of Blaine & White Rock BC. Welcoming neighbors & stately homes custom designed in concert w/Semiahmoo CCR’s.

Brian Southwick 360-815-6638

Starboard and Port Tie, Catamaran or multi boat slips. D 43 & D45, two 44 slips side by side with a 28’4” +/- Beam / Width! Slips make up 1400 sq. ft. +/- of slip space. History, majesty, mystery...what a great place to moor your boat! Semiahmoo’s historic water tower stands sentinel. To the East, majestic Mt. Baker! 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.

Brian Southwick 360-815-6638

Well cared for single story on the 17th fairway at Semiahmoo! The sprawling rambler that you have been looking for--this home offers all the space at an amazingly affordable price. Take full advantage of this ideal fairway location the large deck is built for entertainment, basking in the rays and enjoying a great view of the golf course. Classic finishes--select oak flooring, granite counters in kitchen, timeless cabinetry and stainless appliances. Sizeable guest rooms and large master suite make this home a great find. New A/C, new shake roof.

Kathy Stauffer 360-815-4718

5440 Wood Duck Loop 8842 Goldeneye Lane MLS #1720474 $775,000 MLS #1721166 $840,000

Classic craftsman in Semiahmoo--peeka-boo view! Main floor living with ample custom features. Stainless kitchen counters, hand-made cabinets, & live edge granite counter bar top. Red oak hardwood through main floor--plush carpet in the bedrooms. Enormous master bath with soaker tub & walk-in shower. 3rd garage bay is wired for 220, perfect shop space! Spacious bonus room makes for perfect office/flex space. Completely covered outdoor sun-room for outdoor entertaining.

Kathy Stauffer 360-815-4718

This is the home you’ve been waiting for: a single level 3 bedroom + den beauty on the 13th fairway, in the prestigious neighborhood of Turnberry Wood at Semiahmoo. The recent installation of the stunning accordion style Eclipse doors leads to a massive, covered deck, effectively creating an extra living space for a large portion of the year. Many big-ticket upgrades have already been completed: roof, furnace, two On Demand hot water tanks & exterior paint. You focus on cosmetic updates of your choosing.

Leah Crews 360-305-4747

SOLD!

www.windermere.com Semiahmoo Marina Boat slip, E-14, 50’ Slip for $110,000 First one this size on NWMLS in over a year! All offers will be reviewed in a week

PENDING!

20+ acres on Kickerville Road $179,000 2040 Ponderosa Ct, Bellingham, 3 bedrooms , 2 baths $419,000

Gerry’s 30-Day Stats

3 6 Listed 3 5 Pending 3 5 Sold

Wishing you a Happy 2021.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT • Vacation Properties WE DO • Residential Properties ! IT ALL • Commercial Properties

Gerry Allen

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Hugh Brawford, Managing Broker

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Rentals - Commercial

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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.

RENT IT

IN THE CLASSIFIEDS!

READ REAL NEWS online at thenorthernlight.com

February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

State lawmakers push competing economic Covid-19 relief packages By Patric Haerle, Washington State Journal Relief for renters, schools, public health agencies and small businesses is rushing through the state legislature, with the hope relief can reach people by the end of February. Two Covid-19 relief plans are competing for approval, one by Republicans and one by Democrats, and this time the Republican plan is the one proposing the most spending. The Democrat plan, called the Washington Step One proposal, allocates $2.2 billion in federal funds for rental assistance, public health, education, small businesses and education, among several other areas receiving smaller amounts. “For the legislature to move within two or three weeks on a $2.2 billion investment is itself historic,” said senator Marko Liias (D-Lynnwood). “We’re working as fast as we can to make sure that the public has a chance to weigh in that it isn’t just folks behind closed doors like we’ve seen Mitch McConnell and others do in D.C.” The Democrat plan includes $668 million for school districts to address learning loss, $618 million allocated for the department of health to use for vaccine distribution, contact tracing, and testing – with an emphasis on vaccinating individuals needed for school reopening – $325 million for rental assistance, $240 million for small business grants, $65 million for immigrants who were left out of previous stimulus packages and $50 million for childcare. The Republican counterpart is the REAL Recovery for Washington Act. The act is similar to

the Democrat plan but proposes a much larger number, around $4 billion, for Covid-19 relief. The Republican plan uses $2.1 billion of the rainy day fund, leaving approximately $240 million left in the fund. The Democrat’s package uses just under $200 million of the fund. “The need is high and the need is now in the communities that we represent,” said representative Drew Stokesbary (R-Auburn) primary sponsor of the Republican plan. “It is hard to imagine a day that could be rainier than the day we have right now, so if now is not the time to use the rainy day fund, when is?” The Republican plan includes $1.3 billion for school districts to address learning loss and reopening safely, $834 million for small business grants and tax relief, $600 million for rental assistance, $506 million for testing and vaccines and $200 million for a recovery rebate that would include direct aid to citizens. Democrats acknowledge more relief will be necessary in the months ahead. “This package [the Democrat plan] does not provide the relief that we’re going to need in the long term. This is just the next step. We need Congress to act,” Liias said. “I think we’re all excited that President Biden has put forward a $1.9 trillion package. The people in this country and the people of our state are going to need a lot more relief than what we have seen so far.” Other bills related to Covid-19 include unemployment insurance relief, exempting paycheck protection funds from the business and occupation tax and a waiver on the fees for liquor licenses. While Democrats do not op-

O B I T U A RY

pose the ideas behind representative Stokesbary’s bill, heavy use of the rainy day fund leaves the state economically vulnerable in the future, Democrats say. “We’re trying to keep our nuts and berries safe for the difficult months,” said representative Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane) and chair of the Appropriations Committee. Republican leadership, on the other hand, encourages the more aggressive relief in the form of the REAL Act. “I think we’ve got big problems and it makes sense to attack a small number of issues with a large amount of spending,” said J.T Wilcox (R-Yelm) the ranking Republican of the House. The primary sponsors of both relief bills, Stokesbary and Ormsby, were both encouraged by the bipartisan work on the issue that has taken place over the previous weeks. “I think there’s a lot of similarities, and I’m heartened by those similarities,” Stokesbary said. “I think that both bills would agree on the principle that the recent federal money should get out the door as quickly as possible. Whatever gets sent to the governor’s desk we should do extremely quickly.” Ormsby also said he was happy with the bipartisan work of the legislature around Covid-19 relief. “We have all identified this as a huge, huge priority for the legislature, because it’s a huge priority for our constituents,” Ormsby said.

Washington drivers will pay an extra 18 cents per gallon in gas taxes if a new 16-year, $25.8 billion transportation package backed by House Democrats is approved. The gas tax includes a 3-cent tax increase on diesel as well as a 1 percent increase on sales tax for rental cars. The package, according to legislators and supporters, is focused on preservation and maintenance of existing state transportation systems. The Columbia River bridge connecting Portland to Washington, the US Highway 2 trestle and the removal of culverts to unblock fish passages are the key projects funded by the proposed plan. Representative Jake Fey (D-Tacoma) and other legislators on his committee conducted 90 meetings with stakeholders across the state, making a point to include

communities affected by the projects. House Republicans seem baffled that they weren’t included in those meetings. “The spirit of bipartisanship was set aside when my Republican colleagues and I weren’t asked to have a seat or a voice at the table,” representative Andrew Barkis (R-Olympia) said. Barkis is the ranking Republican on the House Transportation Committee. His largest concern was the timing of the taxes. Fey said imposing taxes is always difficult, but transportation projects need funding now. Without approval, the state will have to start cutting projects. Representative Bill Ramos (D-Issaquah) also discussed partnerships with the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises and the Washington State Department of Transportation to further bridge the equity gap within the transportation sector creating and certifying more contractors across the state.

Jerry Jerome King

September 9, 1938- January 1, 2021 Jerry was born in Owensboro, KY in 1938. He served in the Army from 1959-1965 and moved to Whatcom County in the early ‘70s. He was a well-known icon in Blaine for King’s Flea Market (1977-2001). If you needed anything, he could find you a 'good deal' through his salesmanship and kindness. He always wanted to help. Jerry loved people and always enjoyed a healthy discussion about sports, politics, and news. Daily he would talk about his love of his family, friends, and Alaska. After a long battle with a rare disease called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, Jerry passed away in Bellingham. He fought so hard and we are all so very proud of him. His family would like to thank all the care teams and especially our “family” at The Bellingham at Orchard. He is survived by his two daughters, Nina King and Patty Dunn; and his grandson Tyler Dunn. “You touched so many lives. We all will miss you so very much, and we are all blowing you kisses.” Memories can be shared at kingsfleamarket2021@gmail.com and/ or molesfarewelltributes.com. Celebration of life to be announced.

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The Washington State Journal is a non-profit news website managed by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org.

$25.8 billion transportation plan would hike gas tax by 18 cents a gallon By Joseph Claypoole, Washington State Journal

“These investments will create thousands of jobs, well paid jobs,” Fey said. Highlights of the package in-

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

Police Reports January 26, 12:01 p.m.: Earlier in the month, an officer tagged a vehicle abandoned in the 300 block of B Street. The weather prevented the windows from being marked with fluorescent ink. A week later the officer remarked the vehicle as abandoned with ink. The vehicle was eventually impounded as abandoned three weeks later. January 24, 12:30 p.m.: A person was trespassed from a business in the 1700 block of H Street. The person was issued a trespass letter. January 24, 4:36 p.m.: A police officer was on routine patrol when they stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. The police officer determined the driver did not have a valid driver’s license in the state of Washington and they did not have identification with them. The driver was arrested and given a criminal citation for driving while not having a valid driver’s license without any other identification with them, and then released. The driver left his vehicle in the driveway of the house they were staying at. January 25, 12 p.m.: An officer was dispatched to the US port of entry for a U.S./Canadian driver who was driving on a Washington state suspended driving status. A Blaine officer arrested,

cited and released the person a student was found on campus pending their mandatory court with illegal drugs. A police offiappearance. cer arrested the student for bein possession of illegal drugs January 25, 1:33 p.m.: A person ing and then released the student reported their email account to his parent. The police officer was compromised and someone referred the case to the juvenile emailed all their contacts to send prosecutors’ office. money orders for help. An officer suggested ways to prevent this in January 26, 10 a.m.: A mental the future. health worker reported a person stated they felt like driving their January 25, 1:45 p.m.: Blaine vehicle into the Blaine police depolice were contacted by a menpartment because he was upset tal health professional about an case was not being solved. American male who was going to his A police officer contacted the Canada and was committed to a who made the threat and mental health facility while there. person advised him his case was solved. A court order was provided to The person said he never intendthe police so that the man could ed to drive his vehicle into the be committed and treated at a station, but was just upset mental health facility in Whatcom police his case was not solved fast County when he was brought enough. The police determined back to the U.S. there was no substantial threat. January 25, 4:59 p.m.: A womJanuary 26, 1:45 p.m.: A police an called police reporting speedwas on routine patrol ing vehicles by her home. Officers officer when they stopped a vehicle will provide extra patrols in the for a traffic violation. The police area when they are available. officer determined the driver’s January 25, 11:04 p.m.: Blaine driving status in the state of police were requested to respond Washington was suspended in to a traffic stop made by a U.S. the 3rd degree. The driver was CBP officer. CBP had stopped arrested and given a criminal a man and had concerns about citation for driving while license his mental state. Officers spoke suspended in the 3rd degree, with the man and assisted him in and then released. The driver had checking into a hotel. a licensed driver come and pick up the vehicle. January 26, 8:15 a.m.: Blaine high school called to report that Report by Blaine Police Department.

Crossword ACROSS 1. Nuclear near reach weapon 5. Of she 8. Hyperbolic function 12. Rice dish 14. A team’s best pitcher 15. Strong and healthy 16. Induces 18. Popular manga series 19. From a distance 20. Split 21. Consumed 22. Cushions 23. All over 26. One who provides food 30. St. __ Girl, brand of beer 31. Walking slowly 32. Wood 33. Semitic gods 34. Bugle 39. 60-minute periods (abbr.) 42. Congressman 44. Plant of the heath family 46. Subdivision of an army 47. Having many

different forms 49. Shellfish 50. Latin for hail 51. Between sixth and seventh 56. Maori war dance 57. Precious or semiprecious stone 58. Teeter totter 59. Deity 60. A major division of geological time 61. Fishing net 62. Small Caribbean bird 63. Field force unit 64. Japanese beverage DOWN 1. Prevents oil spills 2. Monetary unit 3. The color of the sky 4. Dough used to make tortillas 5. Popular comic strip character 6. Distinct form of a plant 7. Replenishment 8. Has its own altar 9. Expedition to see animals 10. Group of related

organisms 11. His and __ 13. Frenetically 17. Small integer 24. Unit of energy 25. Studies of culture 26. Taxi 27. Doctors’ group 28. Don’t know when yet 29. Former measure of length 35. Popular CBS series 36. Skin condition 37. Christian creator and ruler of the universe 38. They __ 40. Caused severe damage 41. Work done under harsh conditions for no pay 42. One point east of due south 43. Sea eagles 44. Drenched 45. State capital 47. Italian city 48. Sweetheart (archaic) 49. Brief talk 52. Popular disco group: Bee __

Coming up Please wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines. Boys & Girls Club After School Care: Monday–Thursday until 5 p.m. Serving students in grades 1–6 at Blaine schools. Registration required weekly and is open for February. Info: https://parentportal.whatcomclubs. org or contact the Club at 360/332-3008. Native Plant Sale: Now through March 1. Order online at whatcomcd. org/plant-sale. Pre-scheduled drive through pick up March 13 and 14 at the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, 3057 E Bakerview Road, Bellingham. Sponsored by the Whatcom Conservation District. Origins and Evolutions: Five Generations Exhibit: Tuesday–Thursdays, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. and by appointment. A new exhibition featuring the art of four members o the Anderson/Syre family. Gallery Syre, 465 W. Stuart Road, Bellingham. Info: davidsyreart.com. Wings Over Water Virtual Northwest Birding Festival: March 19–21. Live webinars, video bird walks, kids’ activities and more to enhance your outdoor experience and love of birding. Info: wingsoverwaterbirdingfestival.com. Ongoing: 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: 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 Blaine Chamber of Commerce Virtual Meetings: First Wednesday, noon. Meeting ID on blainechamber.com.

53. First Chinese dynasty 54. Military vehicle 55. Chinese Moslem

Blaine Library: 610 3rd Street. Closed in-branch visits. Curbside holds and pick up, Monday–Thursday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Friday 10 a.m.–6 p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Info 360/305-3637.

ANSWERS: THENORTHERNLIGHT.COM

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Meals on Wheels: New dates, beginning week of February 1, Thursdays 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Adults 60+ pick up one hot and six frozen meals. Suggested donation $5 per meal or whatever is affordable. First come, first serve basis. Info: 360/332-8040. Toastmasters Virtual Meetings: Tuesdays 6:30–7:45 p.m. Entertaining and educational. Have fun speaking, learn to overcome fears. Info: Call Pete 360/933-1671 or visit https://590628.toastmastersclubs.org.

February 5 - 10 at Blaine. Not for navigation. 49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W DATE

TIME

HEIGHT

TIME

HEIGHT

Fr 5 12:04 am 7.00 4:21 am 5.64

10:31 am 9.66 6:12 pm 0.44

Sa 6 1:56 am 7.68 5:37 am 6.87

11:13 am 9.51 7:14 pm -0.40

Su 7 3:22 am 8.56 7:13 am 7.60

12:03 pm 9.32 8:12 pm -1.07

Mo 8 4:20 am 9.28 8:43 am 7.74

1:05 pm 9.14 9:06 pm -1.53

Tu 9 5:06 am 9.77 9:55 am 7.47

2:09 pm 8.97 9:56 pm -1.72

We 10 5:44 am 10.02 10:51 am 6.98

3:09 pm 8.80 10:42 pm -1.65

Th 11 6:18 am 10.10 11:39 am 6.38

4:07 pm 8.58 11:24 pm -1.29

Weather

Precipitation: During the period of January 25 to 31, 0.8 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2021 year-to-date precipitation 5.9 inches. Temperature: High for the past week was 50.1°F on January 31 with a low of 33°F on January 26. Average high was 44°F and average low was 38°F. Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.

Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.

Sheriff’s Reports January 25, 10:49 a.m.: Theft cold call on Kickerville Road. January 25, 3:43 p.m.: Domestic verbal on Birch Bay Road. January 25, 6:06 p.m.: Assist citizen on Rob-Lee Drive. January 25, 7:32 p.m.: Assist citizen cold call on Anderson Road. January 26, 12:14 a.m.: Sex offender registration on Boone Road. January 26, 4:34 a.m.: Traffic stop on Birch Bay Square Street. January 26, 7:17 a.m.: Vehicle prowl cold call on Ramona Lane, Custer. January 26, 10:32 a.m.: Threat cold call on Selder Road. January 26, 10:45 a.m.: Assist agency on Forsberg Road. January 26, 10:54 a.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Valley View Road, Custer. January 26, 11:43 a.m.: Follow-up on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. January 26, 12:41 p.m.: Alarm audible on Alderson Road. January 26, 12:43 p.m.: Welfare check on Alderson Road. January 26, 4:28 p.m.: Theft cold call on Birch Bay Square Street. January 26, 5:56 p.m.: Traffic problem on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. January 26, 6:28 p.m.: Boating problem on Semiahmoo Park. January 26, 6:53 p.m.: Domestic verbal on Bay Circle. January 26, 7:23 p.m.: Traffic problem on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. January 26, 8:37 p.m.: Sex offender registration on Lincoln Road. January 26, 8:49 p.m.: Alarm audible on Birch Bay Square Street. January 27, 6:15 a.m.: Assist citizen cold call on Portal Way, Custer. January 27, 12:32 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Birch Bay Drive. January 27, 12:37 p.m.: Theft cold call on Kickerville Road. January 27, 1:25 p.m.: Assist citizen on Birch Bay Drive. January 27, 2:07 p.m.: Vehicle prowl cold call on Birch Bay Drive. January 27, 2:48 p.m.: Sex offender registration on Sunburst Drive. January 27, 4:43 p.m.: Missing person cold call on Harborview Road. January 27, 5:13 p.m.: Sex offender registration on Bayvue Road. January 27, 6:07 p.m.: Prowler on Portal Way. January 28, 1:05 p.m.: Suspicious person cold call on Semiahmoo Drive. January 29, 11:20 a.m.: Vehicle abandoned cold call on 4th and Main streets.

February 4 - 10, 2021 • thenorthernlight.com

Letters ... From page 4

ly/3oy12lY. To clarify, I believe that the writer intended to convey that the suspect slammed on his brakes, not breaks. Jason Crossley Blaine The Editor: Concerned, worried – legitimate feelings relative to the federal policies being established these past weeks – especially relative to energy and fossil fuel issues. Most individuals are not well versed (nor should they necessarily need to be) in the inter-related technical aspects. Fossil fuel usage, like most all ‘useful’ commodities, is accompanied by both negative and positive trade-offs. One side effect of fossil fuel usage, for transportation and electric-power generation, is the creation of carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide increases the reflective characteristic of the atmosphere, contributing to a warming effect in the atmosphere – arguably a negative trade-off. Carbon dioxide also induces a fertilization element into the environment – a definite positive trade-off. Studies have shown that the reflective contribution of carbon dioxide has near-leveled off. Studies have also determined that its fertilization contribution is not only ‘of value’ but a necessity. The present concentration of about 400 ppm (parts per million) is well below the recommended fertilization level of 800 to 1000 ppm, and the saturation level of 1300 ppm. As well, the present growth rate of carbon dioxide is only about 0.6 ppm per year. Therefore, many experts contend that the positive ‘fertilization’ component of a carbon dioxide enhanced atmosphere far outweighs the negative, very moderately increasing, ‘reflective’ characteristic. Worldwide, human-mass, over the past 100 years, has selectively migrated toward year-round increased temperatures, at a significantly greater rate than the overall increase in atmospheric temperature(s). Human beings, as opposed to polar bears and penguins, are a naturally tropical species that, without the direct and indirect support of fossil fuels, would not likely survive unprotected, much above the 23rd parallel. Humans inherently flourish in warmer climates. As well, fossil fuels, particularly petroleum products, are required raw material for thousands of products that support our lives. The above issues are not of my expertise – simply information that is factual. Conversion and control of both power and energy (each quite different), and electric vehicles, are areas of my career knowledge and experience; however, time/space here is limited. Suffice to say: Concern, worry and fear are justifiable. Not relative to the disciplines themselves, but for; that our political class is directing the ‘solutions,’ not our technical communities. Not yet sure why that is. Peter Werner Blaine

The Editor: I am a bit weary of people who use terms without understanding that they are painting with a broad brush. There are those who believe that affordable health care for all is socialism. There are those who believe that health care for only those who can afford it is democracy. (Now, that’s painting with a broad brush.) My view is that if the nation has affordable health care for all, the result would be a healthier workforce with fewer production days lost to sickness or ill health. Not only that, the 1 percent who control the workforce would thus make even more money and increase the employment rate. If only. Richard Mollette Custer The Editor: As we bear witness to the aggressive removal of houseless people from the encampment at Bellingham City Hall, we should remember this sort of combative response to people power is not new in Bellingham. The begin-

ning of the U.S. Army occupation in this region was marked by the forced removal of people from their homes in order to construct a watchtower and prison. Bellingham is no stranger to militaristic actions disguised as public safety measures. My question is: If safety for all is a priority of mayor Seth Fleetwood (as it should be), why did he deploy SWAT officers, paramilitary units, CBP officers, rooftop spotters, weapons, bulldozers, vehicles and police from both Bellingham and out of town against his own constituents? No city is safe when occupied by agents of state terror. Far from advocating for the houseless people of Bellingham, Seth Fleetwood has waged war against them. One of the main authorities of the mayor is the ability to expropriate unused properties – and in the middle of a pandemic, there have never been more unused properties in Bellingham. This should mean that it has never been easier for city government to create safe and dignified housing for its community.

Existing shelters in town, including Lighthouse Mission and Base Camp, have faced serious criticism from those seeking support. Issues include: Discrimination based on mental health status and addiction, sexual assault allegations, forced religious views, and the myth of meritocracy – the idea that only people who work hard deserve housing. These are some of the many ways existing shelters in Bellingham have denied people’s humanity and dignity. I am calling on mayor Seth Fleetwood to make reparations

for the damage he has done in terrorizing the community, both housed and houseless. He must secure safe housing for every individual in Bellingham, and publicly apologize to the entire community for waging war on our streets. Marii Herlinger Bellingham

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The Northern Light • February 4 - 10, 2021

Birch Bay berm coming along, gets closer to completion

Granite Construction crews planting vegetation on the newly constructed Birch Bay berm at the intersection of Birch Bay Drive and Harborview Road on February 3. Photo by Ian Haupt

A man walks north along the berm on February 3. The berm is still under construction but open for the community. Photo by Ian Haupt

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