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The Northern Light • October 28 - November 3, 2021
The Northern L ght The Northern Light is published weekly by Point Roberts Press Inc. Locally owned and managed, the company also publishes the All Point Bulletin, covering Point Roberts, Mount Baker Experience, covering the Mt. Baker foothills area, Pacific Coast Weddings annual guide, and the summer recreation guide Waterside as well as maps and other publications. Point Roberts Press Inc. is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Chambers of Commerce of Bellingham/ Whatcom County, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts and the Bellingham/ Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau. The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors. Letters Policy The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters are limited to 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Consumer complaints should be submitted directly to the business in question or the local chamber of commerce. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com. Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com Co-publisher & Advertising Director Louise Mugar lmugar@pointrobertspress.com Editor Grace McCarthy grace@pointrobertspress.com Reporter Ian Haupt ian@pointrobertspress.com Creative Services Ruth Lauman, Doug De Visser production@pointrobertspress.com Office Manager Jeanie Luna info@pointrobertspress.com Advertising Sales Molly Ernst, Gary Lee sales@pointrobertspress.com General Editorial Inquiries editor@pointrobertspress.com Contributors In This Issue Doug Dahl The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVII, No 20 Circulation: 10,500 copies
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Letters The Editor: As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, we have much for which to be thankful. Just a few short months ago, we were shocked to discover that our venerable sanctuary at Trinity Community Lutheran Church in Point Roberts was at risk of collapse, due to settling and bowing of the west wall. With little notice, it was deemed unsafe and closed to the public. The structural engineers and contractors laid out a two-phase plan to save the historic landmark, with a total estimate cost of $200,000. Phase 1, at $100,000, could not wait if we were to save the structure from collapse. Under the circumstances, the Trinity Church Board took a leap of
faith in the community and told the contractor to commence work while we started our fundraising campaign. The local community and other friends far and wide with ties and affection for the church justified our faith. We have almost reached our phase 1 goal of $100,000 – enough to pay for the current work. We give sincere thanks to the 112 donors who so far have responded to our appeal – contributing $20, $100, $1,000, even $10,000 to the cause. Now we must appeal for still more support to finish the job. Phase 2, at cost of another $100,000 will retrofit the foundation and protect the structure in the event of a major earthquake. We are fortunate that the
Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
School district has funding for future school property in Birch Bay, says finance director By Ian Haupt Blaine school district finance director Amber Porter told district board members during the October 25 regular school board meeting the district has the funds to purchase a property in Birch Bay that would be used for a future school. In October 2014, the school board passed a resolution for property acquisition, 14/15-04, that recognized the growing Birch Bay population would be well served with an elementary school and set a goal to acquire a site when the district had the funding in place to do so. “I do feel confident we can get something,” Porter said during the meeting, adding with a slight laugh, “as long as it’s
not a water property.” She said the district would ideally purchase a 10-acre site or larger that is in close proximity to the large population areas in Birch Bay. Porter said this may be difficult because the site has to be within the Blaine school district area, which is tight along the bay. The border with the Ferndale district lies halfway between Blaine and Kickerville roads. Should properties become available, Porter said the board will need to enter into negotiations with the property owners to evaluate whether the property meets the board’s criteria and then authorize the superintendent to make the purchase. “I just wanted to put that on your radar,” she
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said, as the finances could become available by mid-November.
Don’t forget to vote by Tuesday, November 2 By Grace McCarthy Election Day is just around the corner as the deadline to submit ballots to vote on countywide positions is 8 p.m. Tuesday, November 2. Positions up for election include seats on Blaine City Council, Blaine school board, Port of Bellingham, Whatcom County Council, Birch Bay Water and Sew-
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B.C. companies that want to create the most environmentally friendly steel mill in the world at the now-idled smelter. Steel mills in the U.S. mostly use fossil fuels and ship their scrap to Asia to be made with coal plants, before being shipped back to the U.S., Goldberg explained. In-
er District and Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2. Ballot measures to increase North Whatcom Fire and Rescue’s property tax levy and to fund construction of the Birch Bay Vogt Community Library will also be voted on in this election. Whatcom County has 21 ballot drop boxes, including ones at Blaine Library, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue and Custer Elementary.
The Whatcom County Auditor’s Office will be open until 8 p.m. on Election Day for people to register to vote, update voter registration and replace their ballot. The office will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Monday, November 1 and then will have extended hours on November 2. For more information, visit the Whatcom County Auditor’s Office at whatcomcounty.us/1732/current-election.
stead, this company would make steel by using scrap in the U.S. and using a modern electric furnace and green hydrogen power. The steel mill would come in three phases: Phase 1 would have a micro steel mill with about 100 six-figure jobs; phase 2 would be a $1 billion investment that would expand the plant to create 600-700 jobs; and phase 3 would be a $3 billion investment to create over 1,000 jobs, sim-
ilar to a project the potential buyers are building on the East Coast. Phase one would mostly make rebar steel, while phase two would add more steel products and phase three would add aluminum. “I’m opening up about the inside conversations that have been done but we’re light-years away from an actual translation or something coming to the commission,” Goldberg said.
Civic Meetings Birch Bay Water & Sewer District: Second and fourth Thursdays, 4 p.m., district offices, 7096 Point Whitehorn Road, Birch Bay. Info and Zoom meeting link: bbwsd.com. The November meetings have been rescheduled to Tuesday, November 9 and Tuesday, November 23. Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info and virtual meeting login: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Next issue: Nov. 4 Ads due: Oct. 29
structure has survived its first 100 years of service to the community – a role that goes beyond spiritual, to include community concerts, kids summer music camp, food bank, and support for the American Red Cross if ever needed as a shelter. Our goal, in seeking phase 2 funding is to assure Trinity's continued service for the next 100 years. Please join us in giving thanks, and please help us complete the job. Andrew Mar Point Roberts
Blaine Planning Commission: Second and fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m. Info: blainepc@cityofblaine.com. Info for joining Zoom meetings: bit.ly/2CiMKnk.
Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Second Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., location varies. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Virtual meeting info: bbbparkandrec.org/board-meetings. Blaine Park and Cemetery Board: Second Thursday, 9 a.m., virtual meeting. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330. Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district offices. Info and virtual meeting link: blainesd.org. North Whatcom Fire & Rescue: Rescheduled to Tuesday, October 19 at 11 a.m. via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
