December 2 - 8, 2021
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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Final November election results, page 3
Birch Bay library to appear on February ballots
May to run for state legislature, page 5
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Lt. Leslee Smith honored for NWFR service, page 7
‘Tis the season in Semiahmoo
By Grace McCarthy
(See Library, page 2)
s Semiahmoo Resort rang in the holiday season with its annual tree lighting ceremony November 24. Community members and resort guests enjoyed hot beverages and caroling to start the resort’s Winterfest activities. Photo by Ruth Lauman
County continues to address flooding events By Grace McCarthy Whatcom County officials continue to address severe flooding that occurred in mid-November, offering more assistance to impacted residents as more heavy rainfall came over Thanksgiving weekend. At their November 23 meeting, Whatcom County council members unanimously voted to allocate $500,000 in emergency flood aid, in addition to $250,000 of emergency aid they approved in a special November 17 meeting. County councilmembers planned to allocate more aid in coming county council meetings. County public works director Jon Hutchings said during the council’s No-
vember 23 committee of the whole meeting that snow could impact the timeline of repairing county roads this winter. “Some of these road repairs could very easily last until next summer and some of the less important ones are probably over a year or two out. But those are things that are less critical,” Hutchings said. The public works department is defining critical infrastructure repairs, in order, as those where damage obstructs emergency vehicle access to homes; damage that could cause serious injury to drivers; and damage that causes a delay to emergency services and drivers on bridges and roads; and damage that could worsen by another storm, according to a post-flooding dam-
State data shows most unvaccinated school employees obtained religious exemptions By Ian Haupt Data submitted to the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) shows nearly 10 percent of public school employees received a religious Covid-19 vaccine exemption while less than 1 percent were granted a medical exemption. The data was collected October 19-25, after governor Jay Inslee’s vaccine mandate went into effect on October 18.
According to the OSPI data, 89.1 percent of Washington’s K-12 workforce is fully vaccinated. Of the remaining 10.9 percent, 9.7 received a religious exemption and 0.7 received a medical exemption. Half of one percent of school employees had initiated vaccination but were not yet fully vaccinated, and 0.3 percent were unvaccinated and hadn’t received an exemption. The Blaine school district and Whatcom County as a whole came in slightly ahead
of the state numbers, both with 90 percent of employees fully vaccinated, according to the data. In Whatcom County, that put Blaine with a higher vaccination rate than most districts. Only the Bellingham school district had a higher vaccination rate, with 96 percent fully vaccinated. Both Blaine and Meridian school districts staff were 90 percent (See School, page 15)
age assessment report present to county council. Public works estimates it will be at least two months before it’s able to work on non-critical infrastructure repairs. “We do our best to make these impacts predictable by defining where we intend for water to go, but at this scale of flood, no matter of flood control will protect us as a flood-control engineering solution all by itself,” Hutchings said. John Gargett, deputy director of the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Division of Emergency Management, told council the county identified 17 homes at The Glen At Maple Falls RV park as being too (See County, page 6)
INSIDE
A narrow vote against the Birch Bay library in the November 2 election brought supporters back to the drawing board, this time placing the ballot measure in a special election on February 8, 2022. Proposition 2021-14, intended to fund construction of the future Birch Bay Vogt Community Library through a Birch Bay library capital facility area tax (LCFA), didn’t receive enough votes in the November election. To pass, the LCFA needed to be voted on by 40 percent of voters from the November 2020 election and needed a 60-percent supermajority; it received 59.3 percent in support. The library only needed 26 more votes to pass, according to a Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) statement. It reached the 40 percent threshold of November 2020 voters. For the February election, it will need 40 percent of voters in this year’s November election as well as a supermajority in favor. The capital facility area would raise taxes by 11 cents per $1,000 of assessed property value. Property owners of a $350,000 home would pay $38 annually, according to WCLS. If the ballot measure isn’t passed in February, WCLS says it’s at risk of losing a $2 million state appropriation it received in 2019 for the expected $6.5 million building. WCLS received an extension through the state’s 2021-23 budget after the appropriation was slated to expire last June. In the weeks leading up to the election, Friends of Birch Bay Library (FOBBL), a grassroots group supporting construction of the Birch Bay Drive property, waved signs in support of Proposition 14 along busy Birch Bay and Blaine streets. “This is a huge thing for our community,” FOBBL president Dianne Marrs-Smith said. “We’re super close. We need everyone who’s supporting the library to show up in February and vote.” FOBBL is planning upcoming events to encourage community support from a book
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The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
Christmas
home & garden
Open House 2021 December 6 TH - 11 TH
Join us as we celebrate the season! We have everything you need to add some sparkle inside and out. • Poinsettias in every imaginable size and color! • Our Christmas shop is full of gifts and decor sure to delight. • Wreaths, greens and garland too!
Library ... From page 1
and bake sale on December 11 and December 15, providing information to people at the Ring of Fire and Polar Bear Plunge, and canvassing and sign-waving starting mid-January. Marrs-Smith will also be outside of the Birch Bay bookmobile 3-6 p.m. every Wednesday to answer questions. FOBBL volunteers are asking anyone who would like to get involved in supporting the library to
contact friendsofbirchbaylibrary. org and email Marrs-Smith at fobblpresident@gmail.com. WCLS is looking for voters to prepare ‘for’ and ‘against’ statements on the ballot measure for the voters’ pamphlet. Those interested should contact Ruth Nail at ruth.nail@wcls.org or 360/3053641 by Friday, December 3. The Birch Bay library is the first LCFA that WCLS has pursued to fund a library, WCLS executive director Christine Perkins previously told The Northern Light. Property taxes would fund the library
construction, but WCLS would still need to pay for staffing and library material expenses. If passed in the February 2022 election, WCLS expects the Birch Bay library could open as soon as 2023. “Community members tell us they believe the measure can pass, and they want to push forward,” Perkins said in a statement. “With the support of voters, we can build a modern library for Birch Bay that provides services the community wants and needs, but everyone must turn out to vote.”
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CELEBRATE WINTERFEST Stay and play in your own backyard by joining us for our first annual Winterfest. Now through January 15, enjoy festive holiday lights and nightly bonfires, themed scavenger hunts, cozy holiday movies, and more. View the full list of Winterfest activities and events at Semiahmoo.com
9565 Semiahmoo Parkway, Blaine, WA
December 2 - 8 , 2021 • thenorthernlight.com
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Final results are in for Whatcom County’s November election By Grace McCarthy The Whatcom County auditor’s office certified final results from the November 2 election on November 23. The ballot measure to fund the Birch Bay library didn’t meet its supermajority requirement and voters rejected the proposed North Whatcom Fire and Rescue levy lid lift. Proposition 2021-14 to fund construction of the future Birch Bay Vogt Library needed to be voted on by at least 40 percent of people who voted in the November 2020 election and receive a supermajority. While the library received 59.3 percent voter support, it needed 26 more yes votes to reach its supermajority. The measure will be on a special February 8 election ballot. North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, or Fire Protection District 21, had its Proposition 2021-9 ballot measure fail with 60.2 percent voting against the levy lid lift. The ballot measure would have increased the current levy of 30 cents per $1,000 to $1.45 per $1,000 to fund new equipment and firefighting personnel. Slightly less than half of the
157,063 registered voters in Whatcom County voted in the November election, with 76,876 people returning their ballots. Here are the final election results: • Blaine City Council Ward 1, Position 2: Kerena Higgins received 1,141 votes (59 percent), defeating J. Calvin Armerding, who received 790 votes (41 percent). • Blaine City Council Ward 2, Position 4: Rhyan Lopez received 1,266 votes (63.4 percent), defeating Colin Hawkins, who received 722 votes (36.2 percent). • Blaine City Council Ward 3, Position 6: Eric Davidson received 1,018 votes (52 percent), defeating Barbara Sturdivant, who received 932 votes (47.7 percent). • Blaine City Council, At-Large Position 7: Mike Hill received 1,305 votes (64.4 percent), defeating Sukhwant Gill, who received 716 votes (35.4 percent). • Blaine school board, District 3: Erika Creydt received 3,146 votes (50.9 percent), narrowly beating Bob Feaster, who received 3,016 votes (48.8 percent).
• Blaine school board, District 5: Laura McKinney received 4,975 votes (81.2 percent), defeating Rocky Butler, who received 1,140 votes (18.6 percent). • Whatcom County Council AtLarge Position A: Barry Buchanan received 39,877 votes (54.1 percent), defeating Kamal Bhachu, who received 33,413 votes (45.4 percent). • Whatcom County Council, District 1: Kaylee Galloway received 7,062 votes (55.8 percent), defeating Eddy Ury, who received 5,419 votes (42.8 percent). • Whatcom County Council, District 2: Todd Donovan received 10,655 votes (77.5 percent), defeating Kelley O’Connor, who received 1,243 votes (9 percent). Nancy Hill ran as a write-in candidate; write-ins received 1,849 votes (13.5 percent). • Whatcom County Council. District 3: Tyler Byrd received 8,138 votes (53.1 percent), defeating Rebecca Lewis, who received 7,125 votes (46.5 percent). • Port of Bellingham, District 1: Michael Shepard received 40,832 votes (56.5 percent), defeating John Huntley, who received
More flooding impacts restoration efforts By Grace McCarthy Heavy rain continued to fall through the Thanksgiving weekend in Whatcom County with even more on the way. Birch Bay Birch Bay Leisure Park began flooding again the morning of November 28 after the 718-unit park flooded in the first flood during the November 14-17 storm system. Park manager Lisa Fisher said on Monday, November 29 that flooding had reached about 2.5 feet in low-lying levels of the park. Before the most recent flooding, Fisher said the park was looking at $500,000 in damage to park building and infrastructure, not including individual damage to the vacation homes, which she said residents are estimating to be $5,000 to $10,000 per home. “It’s going to be a lot,” she said. The main lift system that pumps water into the wastewater treatment plant stopped functioning after water fried it, Fisher said. Without a working sewer system and a supply chain delay for the needed part, Fisher said it could be a month until park residents are able to move back into their vacation homes. The park flooded up to 4.5 feet earlier this month because of broken tide gates and wetlands on both sides of the park that overflowed with water, Fisher said. Whatcom County has been working on fixing the tide gates and replacing culverts with an open ditch system for at least two years, Fisher said. “Anything having to do with state or county government is extremely slow, which is frustrating. We’re looking unfortunately probably two years out in the per-
mitting process, maybe longer,” Fisher said, adding the county was doing the best it could. “When we get that done, there will still be some flooding but it should never be like this.” With about 90 percent of park residents being Canadian, Fisher said many were waiting until November 30 to assess the damage to their properties, when the Canadian government was set to drop the Covid-19 test requirement for trips into the U.S. under 72 hours. “Not being able to get down here is bad because it means more time for the mold to grow,” Fisher said. In the meantime, park maintenance lead Mario Miranda has been escorting people to their homes and taking photos of damage for those who don’t have proper PPE to wade through water. “It’s been a lot of de-clogging and planning for the future, but it’s been hard to plan for the future due to the weather,” said Miranda, who went door-to-door evacuating people in his work truck November 15. Fisher said older residents will likely need volunteer help to look at the insulation under their homes when the water recedes. Blaine Bernie Ziemianek, director of the city of Blaine public works department, said public works briefly closed part of Pipeline Road by Yew Avenue on November 27 but no other roads closed. Yew Avenue between Pipeline Road and Hughes Avenue will remain closed until the city hires a consulting engineer to fix where the side of the road eroded, Ziemianek said. “We can’t allow the chance of someone driving too close to the edge,” he said.
Heavy rainfall also caused more waste discharge outside of the Lighthouse Point Water Reclamation Facility around 11 a.m. November 27. An effluent pipe, outflowing treated wastewater to Drayton Harbor, broke in Semiahmoo November 28. Public works crews worked all day to vacuum the water and create a temporary repair, Ziemianek said, but a full repair probably can’t happen until spring when the city is able to shut down the wastewater treatment plant for a few hours. “This heavy rain has touched about every drain and manhole. It’s all over the place so it’s keeping us busy,” Ziemianek said. “We’re doing our best to ensure the storm drains are open and cleared.” Blaine school district delayed school for two hours Monday, November 29 because of heavy rainfall. Birch Bay Water and Sewer District recorded 4.4 inches of precipitation between November 22-28, with nearly half of that rainfall recorded November 27 and 28. Whatcom County Feed supply for dairy cows in Whatcom County is transitioning to normal operations after a large Sumas feed plant was flooded, causing a disrupted supply chain and an emergency for dairy farmers needing to feed their cattle. Sumas’ EPL Feed, which provides 60 percent of grain to Whatcom County farmers, was flooded in the November 14-17 storm system, knocking out electrical units and damaging grain. But EPL Feed is back to full operations as of earlier this week, which is weeks earlier than anticipated, said Fred Likkel, executive director of Whatcom Family
Northwest Fusion Cuisine Right Here in Blaine!
(See Flood, page 7)
31,346 votes (43.3 percent). • Port of Bellingham, District 2: Ken Bell received 39,141 votes (53.8 percent), defeating Kelly Krieger, who received 32,820 votes (45.1 percent). • Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2, Position 1: Jesse Creydt received 4,119 votes (73.5 percent), defeating David Halme, who received 1,466 votes (26.2 percent). • Birch Bay Water and Sewer Dis-
trict, Position 1: Jeff Benner received 2,077 votes (75 percent), defeating Pedro Nieto, who received 670 votes (24.2 percent). Sheli Moore and Billy Brown retained their seats on BlaineBirch Bay Park and Recreation District after running unopposed. John Crawford and Kimberly Calman-McMurray ran unopposed for North Whatcom Fire and Rescue commissioner positions.
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December Fun at The Vault Thursday, Dec. 2 • 7 pm • Star Trek Trivia Friday, Dec. 3 • 7 pm • Live Music with Camden Carroll Trio Saturday, Dec. 4 • 11 am-5:30 pm • Holiday Bazaar Bistro Open 11:30 am-2 pm, limited lunch menu and holiday beverages Thursday, Dec. 9 • 7 pm • General Knowledge Trivia Friday, Dec. 10 • 7 pm • Live Music with Trio Sueño Sunday, December 12 • 5 pm Winemaker’s Dinner with Kerri Shiels of Cote Bonneville $120 pp. Reservations Required Wednesday, Dec. 15 • 6:30 pm • Sip and Paint $75 pp includes instruction, supplies & $30 food/beverage credit. Reservations required.
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The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 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.
Tulalip Tribal police boat sinks in Blaine Harbor
s A Tulalip Tribal Police Department boat partially sunk at gate 2 in Blaine Harbor around 1:45 a.m. November 21. Blaine harbormaster Andy Peterson said he doesn’t know what caused the aluminum boat to sink but said it has since been hauled out of the water and no oil contamination was found. Photo by Alan Maxwell
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 Melissa Santos / Crosscut.com
The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVII, No 25 Circulation: 10,500 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
Next issue: Dec. 9 Ads due: Dec. 3
Letters The Editor: For 18 years I have had the privilege of working for the Thanksgiving Basket Program. This program would not be possible without the support of the following community members: • The Northern Light has kept people’s attention by getting the word out each year and highlighting the importance of what we do for the community. • All of the incredible donors, with their overwhelming generosity, is what keeps our program going strong. • Edaleen Dairy is always willing to donate the milk we need – 230 gallons this year. • Bedlington Farms has donated all the potatoes since I’ve been with the program – 1,200 pounds this year. • Cost Cutter of Blaine including Mitch, Cindy, Stephen and Lance, ordered all needed groceries and had everything ready on time for pick up. • My deepest thanks to Blaine Food Bank for picking up and delivering all 250 boxes and groceries as well. I don’t know how we would do it without their generous support. • North Whatcom Fire and Rescue, under the direction of Mike Nelson, are instrumental in making this event possible. They pick up the milk at Edaleen’s and potatoes from Bedlington Farms and the crew does an amazing job of managing the carline on
event day. Henry Hollander, a retired firefighter, still comes out each year and picks up turkeys at Costco and brings them to us on event day and personally delivers baskets to families who are unable to pickup. I am extremely grateful for all they do. • Lastly, but most important, are my volunteers, the best in Whatcom County, generously giving their time to the event: Stuffing envelopes, bagging groceries, assembling and filling boxes, assisting with box distribution and all the organization and clean up involved. I must add a deeply heartfelt and special thank you to Jeff and Linda Johnston. Without their unending support, I could not get the job done. This small group of individuals has helped give 1,239 adults and children in our community a very happy Thanksgiving this year. Shirley Tobian Thanksgiving Basket Program director Blaine The Editor: My concern regarding the upcoming redistricting of the Blaine school district’s board of directors revolves around the laws, both state and federal, which govern the process. The laws have been knowingly and deliberately ignored by the district for the last 20 years. It’s time for the Blaine school
district and the board of directors to become law abiding citizens again. The U.S. Supreme Court in Shaw v. Reno, 509 U.S. 630 (1993) was a landmark case in the area of redistricting and racial gerrymandering. Among other things, the court ruled 5-4 that bodies doing redistricting must be conscious to the extent that they must ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The redistricting after the 2000 census is required to reflect population changes. Redistricting must include the following: 1. Compactness 2. Contiguity 3. Equal population – based on the City of Blaine (CDP 2020 pop. 5,884) and the Birch Bay (CDP 2020 pop. 10,115); CDP is Census Designated Place 4. Preservation of existing political communities 5. Partisan fairness 6. Racial fairness Washington state law RCW 29A.76.010(4) is very similar. Kathy Berg Blaine Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
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.
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 City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info and virtual meeting login: ci.blaine.wa.us.
Blaine Park and Cemetery Board: Second Thursday, 9 a.m., virtual meeting. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330.
Blaine Planning Commission: Second and fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m. Info: blainepc@cityofblaine.com. Info for joining Zoom meetings: bit.ly/2CiMKnk.
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.
December 2 - 8 , 2021 • thenorthernlight.com
May to run for state representative By Grace McCarthy Blaine councilmember Richard May has announced he is running as a Democrat for the state’s 42nd Legislative District Position 2 seat. May is vying for the seat currently held by representative Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham), who announced last week she will be running for state Senate. May has served on Blaine City Council since 2020 after serving on the city’s planning commission for 10 years where he worked on rezoning to increase economic development in downtown Blaine. He was also the former president of the Everson Nooksack Chamber of Commerce and owned two restaurants in Whatcom
County. Through working with the city, May said he’s overlapped state work for things like advocating in Olympia for state funds for the Bell Road and Peace Portal Drive intersection. May said he’s running because he would like to create policy for roads and education, a smart route for job recovery, and basic respect for people and the environment without barriers to reasonable work conditions, housing, health and childcare. He would also like to address the state’s business and occupation tax, which he says is unfair to small businesses. May said he is fully committed to serving city council as he runs for the state position in 2022. May’s term on city council ends in 2023. s Richard May.
ANNUAL LISTING OF VACANCIES AND ANTICIPATED VACANCIES THE CITY OF BLAINE IS CURRENTLY SEEKING MEMBERS FOR THE FOLLOWING COMMISSION, BOARD, AND COMMITTEE:
BLAINE TOURISM ADVISORY COMMITTEE REGULARLY MEETS ONE TUESDAY MORNING PER MONTH FOR ABOUT TWO HOURS ONE POSITION TO FILL A PARTIAL TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2023 ONE POSITION TO FILL A TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2025
PARK AND CEMETERY BOARD
REGULARLY MEETS AT 9:00 AM ON THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF ONE POSITION TO FILL A PARTIAL TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2022 TWO POSITIONS TO FILL A FULL TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2025
PUBLIC WORKS ADVISORY COMMITTEE
REGULARLY MEETS AT 2:00 PM ON THE SECOND THURSDAY OF EVERY MONTH FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF TWO POSITIONS TO FILL A FULL TERM ENDING DECEMBER 31, 2025 File photo
City council gives the city manager a raise Blaine City Council unanimously voted to give city manager Michael Jones a 5 percent increase to his salary, which is currently under the state’s salary average for city managers. Jones will now make $143,280 per year. City council reviewed Jones’ performance in November and determined the city manager was performing well enough to re-
ceive a raise. After looking over the salaries of city managers who ran cities of similar size and tax base, council found Jones’ salary was 6 to 9 percent below the state average. City budget constraints from Covid-19 and the U.S./Canada border closure limited Jones’ increase, keeping him under state average minimum by 1 percent.
IPAA fundraising for Peace Arch holiday lights By Grace McCarthy The International Peace Arch Association (IPAA) is fundraising for holiday lights to decorate the U.S. and Canada sides of Peace Arch Park. The nonprofit hopes the winter lights will become a new annual tradition in celebration of easing cross-border travel restrictions between Canada and the U.S., IPAA founder Christina Alexander said. The Blaine-based nonprofit has received $1,260 of its $4,500 goal for LED lights for the six hedges around the base of the Peace Arch, Alexander said. The lights will hang December through January. “Americans and Canadians have endured the pandemic together and found great solace in their peace park. So let’s come together to celebrate the re-opening of our borders,” Alexander wrote
in a statement. If the park receives more donations, it will expand past its first goal for lights. IPAA hopes to eventually reach a second phase for an additional $7,000 that would add two U.S. and Canadian 8-by-6-foot commercial LED flags. A third phase for an additional $8,000 would add lights to wrap two giant trees in U.S. side of Peace Arch State Park. Total funding for the three phases would be $19,500. The Gill family, owners of Blaine Mart and the D Street Shell gas station, donated $700 to the winter lights, Alexander said. People who would like to donate may do so by donating online at bit.ly/3G1mjO3 or by writing a check to IPAA. Those who would like to write a check should contact Alexander at 360/3327165.
Smoking server forces BPD evacuation, no injuries By Ian Haupt The Blaine police department (BPD) was evacuated just after noon November 29 due to smoke billowing out from the department’s server room, according to a BPD Facebook post. BPD records supervisor Amy Ebenal said an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) failed and
began to smoke, which set off the department’s alarm system. North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR) crews arrived on scene but did not locate a fire. “But boy was there a lot of smoke,” she said. IT personnel repaired the UPS, and NWFR crews ventilated the building, which Ebenal said took about 20 minutes.
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Jones’ salary will increase in December and be included in the city’s 2022 budget.
Members of boards, committees and commissions receive no financial compensation, but the payoff is great. Members meet other residents with similar interests, they learn about the City, and they help shape the future of Blaine! Being on a board, committee or commission does require a significant personal commitment, so applicants should consider their ability to commit their time and personal energy before applying. If you are interested in serving on a board or commission, applications and descriptions of duties are available in City Clerk’s Office at Blaine City Hall, 435 Martin St., Suite 3000, or online at www. cityofblaine.com. Please submit your application by 4:30 PM on Friday, December 3, 2021. The City will continue to accept applications until vacancies are filled. Per Blaine Municipal Code (BMC) 2.08.028, concurrent service on more than one board or commission is precluded.
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CITY OF BLAINE Due to Governor Inslee’s proclamation in response to COVID-19, this City Council meeting will be conducted remotely. Information on how to watch 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 location may change.
360-332-7100 360-332-7100
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Thursday, December 9 9:00am – Park and Cemetery Board Meeting 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting
Monday, December 13 6:00pm – City Council Meeting Tuesday, December 14 8:00am – Blaine Tourism
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MON-FRI 8AM TO 5PM
Thursday, December 23 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting
Friday, December 24 City Offices Closed – Christmas Day Observed
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The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
Covid-19 in Whatcom County, by school district boundaries:
County ... From page 1
Recent two-week case rates, cumulative counts and vaccinations Blaine Lynden Nooksack Valley Vaccination: 70% Vaccination: 55% Vaccination: 51% Case rate: 175 Case rate: 270 Case rate: 192 New cases: 33 New cases: 58 New cases: 22 Ferndale Meridian Vaccination: 66% Vaccination: 64% Case rate: 84 Case rate: 107 New cases: 30 New cases: 12
Mount Baker Vaccination: 47% Case rate: 100 New cases: 16
Bellingham Vaccination: 78% Case rate: 93 New cases: 105
s The case rate is the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past two weeks. New cases are the total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in the last week. Vaccination is the percentage of the population that has had at least one vaccine shot. Rates were updated November 27. Covid-19 case rates decreased in all Whatcom County school district areas except for Nooksack Valley. The Blaine school district area decreased from 196 cases per 100,000 people to 175 cases per 100,000 this week. Blaine school district has 33 new cases since last week and has the third highest case rates in the county, behind Lynden and Nooksack Valley.
Blaine school district has a 70-percent vaccination rate, making it the second highest vaccination rate area in the county following Bellingham with a 78-percent vaccination rate. To date, Whatcom County has had 175 confirmed deaths since the pandemic started. The number of deaths make up 1 percent of total confirmed Covid-19 cases in the county.
On December 1, 29 people at St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham had either been admitted for Covid-19 or tested positive for Covid-19 after being admitted for another reason. For more Whatcom County information, visit whatcomcounty. us/covidvaccine and whatcomcounty.us/coviddata. State information is available at bit.ly/3r2URJj.
dangerous for residents to enter and four homes are in danger of collapsing into the river. Gargett said the water in Sumas City Hall was twice as deep as 1990, damaging all of their computer and phone equipment. The city of Sumas estimates it’s lost 40-50 percent of its road network, which is similar to Everson, but Nooksack roads fared better, Gargett said. The county found damage to about 60 areas of county roads, bridges and levees, according to public works. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is doing emergency repairs to three levees, but the county’s bridges didn’t have structural damage. “There’s a lot of damage out there, no question about it, but the amount of major infrastructure damage is pretty modest considering the extent of this flooding,” Hutchings said of the levee and river systems. “It’s pretty amazing it withstood that amount of water for as long as it did.” Whatcom County public works encouraged east county residents to prepare for the flooding November 24 as residual water was still left behind from the first flood, increasing the likelihood of more flooding and landslides. On November 24, Whatcom County officials held a community meeting at Nooksack Valley High School to answer the public’s questions on the first flood.
Among those in attendance were U.S. Congresswoman Suzan DelBene, county executive Satpal Sidhu, Washington state Emergency Management Division director Robert Ezelle, Gargett, Hutchings, east county mayors, county health department director Erika Lautenbach, sheriff Bill Elfo and 42nd district representatives Alicia Rule and Sharon Shewmake. During the 3-hour meeting, county residents voiced concern on the county’s emergency response to the flooding and asked the county to resume dredging the Nooksack River. Sidhu waived permit fees for emergency building repairs on November 24 and the county said it would refund those who paid for the permit fee before Sidhu’s executive order. Following the meeting, on November 26, the Washington state National Guard deployed along with county emergency workers to help with more heavy rainfall that was expected after Thanksgiving. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) began distributing disaster cash assistance on November 30 in Everson. The aid ranged from just over $400 for one person to $1,290 for a family of eight or more people, according to a sheriff’s office media release. For more information on the county’s flood response, visit bit. ly/3d7EHIX.
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Farmers. A Ferndale feed producer and eastern Washington farmers helped while the Sumas feed mill was down, he said. “It was neat to see farmers and truck drivers hauling feed,” Likkel said. “It was neat to see the community come together.” BNSF Railway train tracks used to transport the feed were restored around November 24 after being damaged during the first flood, Likkel said. BNSF Railway has been able to get product that was waiting in Everett while the tracks were broken up to Sumas, he said. “It was pretty nerve-wracking in the beginning but we were able to get through it with minimal damages,” Likkel said. Farmers are now carefully watching cattle to observe what sort of stress the flooding may have caused, like standing in water for several days, which can make them more susceptible to diseases. Crop damage will be-
s Birch Bay Leisure Park began flooding for a second time November 28, with waters reaching up to 2.5 feet. Photograph taken November 29. Photo by Grace McCarthy
come more evident later, Likkel said, adding that raspberry and blueberry fields don’t do well in standing water. Farmworkers are facing these challenges requiring them to work overtime to keep farms going all while many have had their homes destroyed during the floods, Likkel said. “Our farmers are a resilient group and they’ve had a really ‘pick each other up’ attitude,” he said. “I’m really proud of them.”
How to report damages Whatcom County residents with any flood-related damages to homes or businesses need to call 360/788-5311 or report damages at whatcomcounty.us/ damageform by December 6.
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Breaking down the door for female firefighters, lieutenant Leslee Smith retires from North Whatcom Fire and Rescue By Grace McCarthy Lieutenant Leslee Smith retired from North Whatcom Fire and Rescue in October after 26 years of service, leaving behind a trailblazing career where she helped women see themselves in bunker gear and a red hat. Smith, a B.C. native, spent the beginning of her career as a child care counselor in B.C. and a behavioral specialist at Blaine Primary School. While working with Blaine Fire Department at the primary school, Smith was encouraged to become a volunteer firefighter. Whatcom County Fire District 13 merged with the Blaine Fire Department in 1999 and, at 46 years old, Smith switched fields and became the first female firefighter the department hired. “It wasn’t something I got into so I could become chief one day,” Smith said. “My goal was to serve my community and become part of the community.” Smith was later promoted to lieutenant in 2006 when the department merged with east county’s Whatcom County Fire District 3 to form North Whatcom Fire and Rescue (NWFR). The department expanded four years later to encompass part of Whatcom County Fire District 4. NWFR chief Jason Van der Veen has known Smith since they volunteered at Blaine Fire District in the mid-90s, and started working with her at NWFR in 2007. “She was really ahead of her time for women in the fire department, especially for a small department like us,” he said. “The fire service is starting to realize its lack of diversity. Former chief Fields promoting her as an officer changed the culture.” Van der Veen said Smith paved the way as the district’s only female lieutenant. “Traditional firefighting has
been a male-oriented occupation and North Whatcom grew so much after Leslee was promoted to lieutenant. You had 50 young firefighters who came in and the norm was to be led by a female,” said Van der Veen, who has daughters of his own. “That’s not groundbreaking to them because Lieutenant Smith was there and she happened to be a woman.” During her career, Smith said the highest number of women in the 50-person district was five career firefighters. Strength is the biggest concern Smith said she’s heard from women apprehensive about joining. “You always have to figure things out in the fire service,” Smith said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a woman who is 5’2” or you’re a guy who is 6’4.” If there’s a problem, the whole task of being a team is solving problems whether it’s someone’s medical emergency or a motor-vehicle accident.” Smith said at times 911 callers have treated her differently. Although she said she’s had a great experience with her male colleagues, she has been questioned on her ability to do things while on duty like drive a fire engine. “People say funny things when you go on calls like, ‘You brought the girl’ or ‘Great, you’ll have to call more people because she’s not going to be able to lift me,’” Smith said. “It’s funny how people perceive your capability as a female.” To show young girls they could be firefighters, Smith said she was always eager to attend school fairs and encourage other female firefighters to join. “Women and men need to see that representation in front of them because if they don’t see it, then it doesn’t exist,” Smith said. “It makes it harder to make those inroads to let them know they have those choices for careers. I never knew it was a choice when
I was a girl.” Many things stand out in Smith’s 26-year career including a scholarship foundation she helped start in 1998. Other memories that stand out to her are completing the annual Columbia Tower Firefighter Stair Climb twice in under 30 minutes, encouraging girls to get involved in firefighting camps
training and helping deliver babies on the job. Smith retired after nearly a decade-long battle with lung cancer. After being diagnosed and having surgery in 2012, Smith was cancer-free until the cancer came back in August 2020 and she started chemotherapy, requiring her to leave work. A surgery this September removed
the cancer, but required Smith to retire early. “I want to thank Leslee for her years of service to the community,” Van der Veen said. “I think the citizens of Blaine and north Whatcom are going to miss her without knowing they’re going to miss her. She has some really big shoes to fill.”
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We’re reducing emissions from our electric supply to net zero by 2030. TOGETHER, we can go beyond net zero carbon. Learn more at pse.com/TOGETHER s Lieutenant Leslee Smith, c., retired from North Whatcom Fire and Rescue after leading a trailblazing career in fire service. Courtesy photo
8
The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
Health & Wellness Local choices in health, healing & fitness. Nature’s Path volunteers prepare care packages for families
s Nature’s Path volunteers pack 1,500 organic pantry care packages for local families and kids in need at the Blaine facility November 19. The event was part of the organic food company’s Eat Well, Do Good program. Photos by Ian Haupt
Op-Ed: Eligible for Medicare? The clock is ticking to choose your 2022 coverage
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Making a list and checking it twice isn’t just for the holidays this year. If you’re 65 or over or eligible for Medicare due to disability, developing a detailed list of what you have spent on your health care this past year – including hospital expenses and prescriptions – and what you need to have in your health plan next year, is an important step. The 1.3 million Medicareeligible individuals in Washington have until Tuesday, December 7 to select their Medicare Advantage or Prescription Drug Plan coverage for 2022. Whether you’re new to Medicare or are evaluating plan options
for 2022, I encourage anyone who is eligible to take the time now to ensure you have adequate coverage, since the plan you select by the deadline is the plan you’ll have for all of next year, with few exceptions. I know many people with Medicare are already thinking about what matters most in selecting coverage, which is great. A new national poll from Humana found that when it comes to choosing a health plan, 69 percent of seniors indicated that their top concern is ensuring a plan has adequate coverage for all their healthcare needs. In addition, 67 percent of seniors said that having access to all of their healthcare providers will be key in choosing a plan and 64 percent stated that
low, out-of-pocket costs will be a factor in choosing their plan. While I recognize that everyone’s health needs are unique, other key considerations may be if the plan includes vision, hearing and dental coverage, if telehealth services will be covered, if transportation to medical appointments are included, or even if a gym membership is offered as a benefit. Regardless of what’s most important to you, eligible beneficiaries in Blaine and Birch Bay should be aware of available options and utilize trusted sources that can help you with this major decision before the December 7 deadline. (See Medicare, next page)
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Health & Wellness Local choices in health, healing & fitness. Durable foods to stock for emergencies Public health emergencies or inclement weather can spiral out of control rather quickly. Emergency situations have the potential to derail shipping or delivery schedules or impede shoppers’ ability to get to the store for necessary supplies. Individuals should keep a stock of emergency provisions just in case weather or another adverse situation compromises their ability to get the items they need to survive. Different types of foods spoil at different rates depending on how they are stored. While there is no such thing as an entirely nonperishable food, packaging foods in air-tight containers can increase their life expectancy. Here’s a look at which nonperishable foods to keep on hand for emergencies. Protein sources Protein can provide sustained nutrition and energy, but many protein sources in raw forms require refrigeration to prevent spoilage. However, canned and freeze-dried meats, seafood and poultry have extended shelf life. Freeze-drying, also known as lyophilization, is a water-removal process typically used to preserve
perishable materials, according to Millrock Technology, a company that produces freeze dryers. Canned or freeze-dried chicken, tuna, salmon and beans are durable protein sources. Vegetarians will find that navy beans are high in protein. Freeze-dried items are more common in pre-packaged, bulk emergency food supply kits sold at popular retailers, including Costco. However, they also can be purchased at camping retailers or Army/Navy stores. Fruits and vegetables Fruits and vegetables are necessary to ensure your body gets essential vitamins and minerals. Fresh items will spoil in a matter of days, so canned varieties are better for stocking up. Canned vegetables and fruits come in many varieties. The healthiest canned fruit options are those packed in their own juices rather than heavy syrups. Root vegetables like potatoes, turnips and parsnips can endure in cool areas of a home, but canned equivalents may be more practical. Whole grains and other carbohydrates A balanced diet consists of a
healthy mix of proteins, fruits and vegetables, and carbohydrates. According to Kelly Jones, MS, RD, a board-certified sports dietitian, whole grains are vital sources of carbohydrates and fiber, and most come in dried, non-perishable forms. Oats, rice, quinoa, barley and whole-grain dried pastas can
be used in emergency food kits. Packaged granola or trail mix bars also are good to have on hand. FEMA and the American Red Cross advise keeping food in a dry, cool, dark spot. Carefully open re-sealable containers so they can be closed tightly after each use. Nuts, dried fruits and sugar pack-
ets can be put into air-tight canisters for protection from pests. Inspect cans for bulging, denting or corrosion before use. During a disaster, it is wise to eat at least one well-balanced meal every day. Remember to also stock bottled water with emergency food supplies.
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Medicare ... From previous page
For example, the Medicare Plan Finder on Medicare.gov can help you compare plans, benefits and get an estimated cost for each plan based on an average member. If you are interested in Medicare Part D, which helps cover the cost of prescription medications, you can also enter the names of your prescription medications to ensure those medications are covered by the plan you are considering. Licensed sales agents are also available for one-on-one meetings, whether in-person in the
Blaine and Birch Bay area or by phone or video chat, on behalf of an insurance company. I encourage these meetings so individuals can get answers to questions and better understand plan options that can help meet your needs, both financially and medically. These conversations will help ensure you have the right Medicare plan for you in place come January 1 of next year. Medicare eligible individuals can visit Medicare.gov or call 800/ MEDICARE (800/633-4227), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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10
The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
A look at last-minute deal-making in WA redistricting negotiations By Melissa Santos /Crosscut.com After missing their deadline to redraw the state’s congressional and legislative districts, Washington’s redistricting commissioners have released maps they say reflect their last-minute agreements and negotiations. The state Supreme Court, which now has control of the
state’s redistricting process, is under no obligation to give these proposed maps any weight but the commissioners have asked the court to consider adopting them anyway. Keeping in mind that none of this may end up in the court’s final redistricting plan, here are some of the highlights of the commission’s last-minute deal-making.
But, first, a behind-the-scenes note. Some people may be wondering: How did the commissioners determine what is a Republican- or Democratic-leaning district? After much debate, they based their assumption on the results of the 2020 treasurer’s race. That decision was one of several the commissioners made at the very end of their process, outside of public view. Here are some of the others. Swing districts: In the final moments before the commission’s midnight deadline on Nov. 15, the four commissioners were privately debating the fate of three legislative swing districts: the 44th Legislative District in Snohomish County, the 28th Legislative District in Pierce County and the 47th Legislative District in south King County. The deal they reached was that the 44th and the 28th districts would get slightly better for Democrats, while the 47th would stay about the same in terms of partisan performance. Additionally, all the other legislative swing districts in the state were to remain as they are, without a substantive shift that would make them better for one party or the other. But there’s a wrinkle when it comes to the 42nd
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Legislative District in Whatcom County. Read on to learn more. Honoring tribal requests: In Whatcom County, the commissioners were also working to honor the Nooksack tribe’s request that its lands be placed entirely in the 42nd Legislative District, as opposed to being split across multiple districts. The Nooksack also asked that its lands be placed in the same district as those of the Lummi tribe, said two members of the redistricting commission, April Sims and Paul Graves. The commissioners went back and forth trying to find a way to respect the Nooksack’s request without substantially altering the partisan makeup of the 42nd District, a swing district where neither party wanted to lose ground. The final map proposed by the commission would accommodate the Nooksack’s request. But in doing so, it would also make the competitive swing district about 0.1 percent better for Democrats. That may not sound like a lot. But in 2018, the district’s current state senator, Republican Doug Ericksen, won reelection by a slimmer margin – just 46 votes out of more than 72,000 ballots cast. “It’s very small, but it could matter in that district,” said Graves, one of the GOP members of the Redistricting Commission. Yakima Valley compromise: A major source of disagreement was over creating a legislative district in the Yakima Valley that would comply with the federal Voting Rights Act. The commissioners ultimately settled on creating a district that is majority Latino by citizen voting age pop-
ulation, something Democrats had pushed for. But in a nod to GOP interests, the proposed district would lean slightly Republican. While an analysis from the UCLA Voting Rights Project questions whether such a district would pass legal muster, Graves criticized that analysis on Twitter and insisted the proposed district complies with the law. Certain majority-minority districts: Sims, one of the two Democratic appointees to the commission, said she wanted to redraw the 47th, 44th and 28th legislative districts so that the majority of the voting age population there would be people of color. But that was something she had to let go of, she said, as negotiations over those hotly contested swing districts went down to the wire. Right now, those districts have sizable minority populations, but remain majority white by voting age population. Still, Graves, the GOP commissioner, noted that the number of districts that are majority people of color would increase under the commission’s proposed maps. Right now, four of the state’s 49 legislative districts have voting-age populations that are mostly people of color, Graves said. Under the commission’s proposed map, that number would increase to seven, he said. Messing with Aberdeen: The proposed legislative map from the redistricting commission ends up somewhat awkwardly splitting the coastal city of Aberdeen. The commissioners made this split for two reasons. One (See Redistricting, page 13)
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IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR WHATCOM COUNTY In re the Estate of: VALERIE HARDING, Deceased. No. 21-4-00971-37. NOTICE TO CREDITORS Judge Lee Grochmal The Administrator named below has been appointed and has qualified as Administrator 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 Administrator or the Administrator’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 probated proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Administrator 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 Filing of Notice to Creditors: November 29, 2021 with Clerk of Court: Date of First Publication: December 2, 2021 Name of Administrator: CINDY MAXWELL Attorney for Administrators: Steven D. Avery, WSBA #35262 Address for Mailing or Service: Avery Elder Law, P.S. 801 Samish Way, Ste. 202 Bellingham WA 98229 Telephone: (360) 325-2550 Email: steve@averyelderlaw.com DATED: November 29, 2021 AVERY ELDER LAW, P.S. STEVEN D. AVERY, WSBA #35262 Attorney for Administrator CINDY MAXWELL www.averyelderlaw.com
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In the matter of the Estate of DARYL WILLIAM COCKLE, Deceased. No. 21-4-00946-37 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) The Personal Representative named below has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above estate. Any person having a claim against the deceased DARYL WILLIAM COCKLE must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner provided by 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 probated proceedings have commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Personal Representative 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 this notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim will be forever barred except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 or 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the probate and nonprobate assets of the Decedent. DATE OF FILING NOTICE TO CREDITORS WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT: November 12, 2021 DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: November 18, 2021 PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: KRISTINA COCKLE ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA #16655 ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR SERVICE: Mark W. Stowe, Attorney Stowe Law PLLC 276 Boundary Bay Rd, P.O. Box 129, Point Roberts, WA 98281 Phone: (360) 945-0337 Email: stowelawpllc@outlook.com DATED this 12th day of November 2021. STOWE LAW PLLC: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA# 16655, Attorney for Personal Representative
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Clarence J. Reed, Deceased. NO. 21 4 00895 37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Robert E. Olson 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: November 25, 2021 Personal Representative: Beverly Reed 2285 Rusty Lane 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 00895 37
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In the matter of the Estate of JOHN PETER BLAIR, Deceased. No. 21-4-00751-37 PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) The Personal Representative named below has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above estate. Any person having a claim against the deceased JOHN PETER BLAIR must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner provided by 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 probated proceedings have commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) thirty days after the Personal Representative 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 this notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim will be forever barred except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 or 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the probate and nonprobate assets of the Decedent. DATE OF FILING NOTICE TO CREDITORS WITH THE CLERK OF THE COURT: November 22, 2021 DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: December 2, 2021 PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: MICHAEL PHILLIP MAYNARD ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA #16655 ADDRESS FOR MAILING OR SERVICE: Mark W. Stowe, Attorney Stowe Law PLLC 276 Boundary Bay Rd, P.O. Box 129, Point Roberts, WA 98281 Phone: (360) 945-0337 Email: stowelawpllc@outlook.com DATED this 22th day of November 2021. STOWE LAW PLLC: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA# 16655, Attorney for Personal Representative
FIND IT IN THE CLASSIFIEDS
12
The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
Real Estate 7458 Leeside Drive, Birch Bay $470,000
Bay Properties Semiahmoo homeS, inc.
N W L U X U RY R E A L E S TAT E AT A H I G H E R L E V E L 5273 Drayton Harbor Rd. Blaine $1,695,000
WATERFRONT, WATER VIEW & DEVELOPMENT ON 3 PARCELS! DEVELOPER Amazing opportunity! 22.71 +/INVESTOR ALERT! acres of WATERFRONT,WATER VIEW & DEVELOPMENT on 3 properties located near Semiahmoo. Privacy abounds on all 3 parcels. PARCEL A includes 3 BR home with views of Mt. Baker & Drayton Harbor & situated on 5 acres. PARCEL B has 120+/- feet of salt waterfront on Drayton Harbor, with private beach. PARCEL C is 17 acres covered with trees and could possibly be developed with 3 homes on the acreage under the current zoning. Easy access to I-5 and your gateway to Vancouver and Seattle.
Carl W. R. Dufton • (360) 815-6637
This 600 SF 2 BD, 1 BA cottage is within two blocks of the beach. Large partially fenced yard to host summer BBQ’s with friends & family! With ample sunlight and recent remodel this is the perfect home for the first time buyer, someone looking to downsize or as a recreational get away. Come enjoy all that Birch Bay has to offer: beachcombing, crabbing, clamming, swimming, restaurants and strolls along the recently completed Birch Bay Berm and Pedestrian Walkway.
MINUTES TO THE BEACH!
Terry Conway • (360) 410-0503
CeCelia Breivik • (360) 303-8161
4751 Birch Bay Lynden Road #93, Blaine $235,000
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! Looking to downsize, well look no LATITUDE 49! further. Great 621 SF 1 bedroom 1 bath single wide manufactured home on a desirable 365 day corner lot. Home is well maintained & ready for new owners. Refrigerator & stove replaced in 2019. This unit has lots of natural light which makes it quite cozy. Latitude 49 community amenities include; pool, exercise room, hot tub, tennis court & much more. This gated community provides extra security for frequent travelers. Close to Birch Bay restaurants, cafes, Kayaking, crabbing & waterslides. Don’t miss this opportunity to come home to this gem of a home.
5835 Semiahmoo Dr. Birch Point $1,050,000
11.33 ACRE ESTATE theridgeatsemiahmoo.com PROPERTY WITH A VIEW! Rare west facing marine view estate property encompassing 11.33 acres overlooking bays, mountains, & islands, located on Birch Point plateau high above pristine NW waters. Your future home will take in spectacular sunsets, a view that will always be yours. Beautifully forested, relatively level with slight slope eastward and ready for you to build your dream home offering privacy & exclusivity. Located an hour south of Vancouver, BC and under two hours to Seattle. Just a mile from Semiahmoo with its Inn, golf course, & 300 slip marina. The property could potentially be divided - Choices, choices!
Ruth Skeete • (360) 358-5075
Julie Ward • (760) 522-2564
8045 BIRCH BAY DRIVE, BLAINE, WA • 360-371-7252 • BAYPROPERTIESNW.COM Thinking of
H
Listing your property?
H
0 Koehn Rd., Blaine • $1,495,000 MLS # 1597410 • Vacant Land • 16.85 Acres
456 feet +/- of Waterfront property on 16.85 acres, with either
estate or subdivide opportunities. Can be expanded buy adding parcel # 3951111614530000, 13.38 acres. Potential for up to six home sites with the addition of this parcel. Combined parcel available with combined listing #1589151 with over 30 acres +/- and over 814 feet +/- of waterfront footage. Water available through Birch Bay Water. Be the benificiary of terrific sun exposure, & an incredibly private & quiet location.
PEN
UPDATED AND FULLY REMODELED!
WELCOME TO BAY CREST!
Just a short distance from PENDING! the beach, restaurants and the state park! This 4 bedroom 2.5 bath, 2 story home features a formal living room, plus family room, nice covered porch, fruit trees including Apple, Pear, Plum and Cherry, and a fully fenced back yard with garden space! Master bedroom includes walk-in closet, soaker tub, double vanity and separate shower. Enjoy the gas fireplace, large utility room, patio, great landscaping and great appearance! Well located at the end of the cul-de-sac and surrounded on two sides by greenbelt!
! G N DI
8153 Harborview Rd. Birch Bay $339,000
Call Lisa for a
FREE
5488 Puffin Place, Blaine • $300,000 MLS # 1698438 • Vacant Land • 0.55 Acres Home site #20. Over 1/2 acre 23958 sq. ft. Water and Mountain view
home site in Drayton Hillside on Puffin Place a gated community. Bring your plans and ambition and enjoy this most peaceful setting, and all the amenities the Semiahmoo community has to offer. Marina, Golf and Country Club, Heath Club, Spa, 200 room Inn at Semiahmoo, restaurants, tennis, pools, pickle ball and so much more.
Market Analysis CALL ME...
Lisa Sprague Owner/Agent
Location, Location!
360.815.6638
briansouthwick@gmail.com
360-961-0838
see more pictures at www.briansouthwick.com
Classifieds are online at thenorthernlight.com/classifieds
40’ Semiahmoo Marina Boat Slip Slip C-23
8655 Valley View Rd.
3BR, 2-full -BA, Ductless heat pump. LR opens to large kitchen & eating area w/ new cabinets & floors. Home offers lots of nice upgrades!
$400,000
$59,000
Call Hugh : 360.371.5800 Your Local Expert For All Real Estate, Residential Or Commercial Services! Hugh Brawford, Managing Broker
www.CallHugh.com
Gerry’s 30-Day Stats 3 2 Sold 3 2 Pending 3 2 Listed “Like my 1930 Ford, I offer old fashioned service!”
Gerry Allen 360-920-0563
GerryAllen@windermere.com
“Old FashiOned service”
Check out My Active Listings:
www.GerryAllen.org
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.
Rentals - Rooms FURNISHED ROOMS in historic home, incl. amenities, NS, pet friendly starts at $600/ mo. + deposit, references required. 360-332-3449.
ADVERTISE YOUR GARAGE SALE!
Rentals - Commercial
NELSON BUILDING
Newly Available!
925 Ludwick Ave., Blaine
LEASE SPACES FOR:
Warehousing-Distribution Manufacturing or Retail Vehicle Storage Yards
380 s.f.
2nd floor office space in The Northern Light Cannery-style building on Blaine Harbor. Views of marina. Fiber optic internet. Utilities included.
Near Truck Route & Shopping Mall
For leasing info, contact Pat Grubb at 360/332-1777 or email pgrubb@mac.com
Email or Call Don Nelson For Availability & Rates
Call: 360-305-0286 Email nelsbldg@msn.com
Advertise in The Northern Light!
80.7%
IT WORKS!
of readers
frequently purchase products or services from ads seen in Community Newspaper of Blaine, Birch Bay & Semiahmoo
Call or email to advertise: 360-332-1777 or sales@thenorthernlight.com
Statistics audited by the
Call or email one of our Marketing Specialists today!
CALL 360-332-1777 sales@thenorthernlight.com
December 2 - 8 , 2021 • thenorthernlight.com
OBITUARIES
Redistricting ... From page 10
was to avoid making the 24th Legislative District more Democratic since, as part of another deal, they had agreed to keep most districts unchanged in terms of their partisan leaning. The decision to split Aberdeen was also influenced by wanting to keep state Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, in his current district, said Graves, one of the GOP commissioners. Graves said that while protecting incumbents wasn’t a primary consideration for the commission, it sometimes came into play at the very end of the process, when the commissioners fine-tuned the edges of certain districts. “You don’t want to draw someone out of their district if you don’t have to,” said Sims, one of the Democratic commissioners. All told, seven out of 147 sitting legislators would be drawn out of their districts under the commission’s proposal. But three of those lawmakers are already planning to resign or retire, meaning only four incumbents would actually be displaced if the commission’s plan is adopted. Those incumbents would be: Sen. Bob Hasegawa, D-Seattle; Rep. Shelley Kloba, D-Kirkland; Rep. Jeremie Dufault, R-Selah, and Rep. Vicki Kraft, R-Vancouver. Congressional districts: The commissioners’ agreed-upon proposal would have the 8th Congressional District remain a swing district. That district is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Kim Schrier. The state’s nine other congressional districts, meanwhile, would remain mostly as they are, with little potential for any of them to flip from one party to another. Under the commission’s proposal, no current members of Congress would be drawn out of their districts. Joe Fain, one of the Republican-appointed commissioners, said one notable change under the commission’s proposed map would be that the 1st Congressional District would no longer stretch up to the Canadian border. Instead, the commission’s proposed map would draw a smaller, more compact 1st Congressional District that runs from Medina and Bellevue in the south to Arlington in the north. Fain said that configuration makes more sense, since it would no longer group rural areas of the North Cascades with Kirkland, Bothell and other suburbs that make up the tech corridor through King and Snohomish counties. Under this arrangement, the 1st Congressional District, which is now represented by Democratic Rep. Suzan DelBene, would get safer for Democrats. The 10th Congressional District, which spans Pierce and Thurston counties, also would get slightly better for Democrats under the commission’s proposed map, while the 3rd Congressional District in southwest Washington (See Redistricting, page 15)
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Carolyn Ann Jones
August 30, 1933 – November 14, 2021 Carolyn Ann (Elbie) Jones passed away peacefully at the age of 88 and went home to be with our Heavenly Father on November 14, 2021. She was born to Fred and Cleo Elbie in Kirkland on August 30, 1933. After losing her parents at a young age, Carol spoke fondly of her Aunt Dehlia Sartor, of Port Orchard, who helped raise her. She graduated from Bellevue High School in 1951 and attended Western Washington State College (WWU) for a short time until meeting Jim Jones from Point Roberts, on a blind date. Jim and Carol were married on February 27, 1953 at the United Church of Christ (Congregational) in Blaine. They were married 46 years until his passing in 1999. She lived at the same address in Blaine for 58 years. Carolyn will be remembered for her generous gift of volunteerism and devotion to her family as well as her involvement in the Blaine community. She was a member of Blaine United Church of Christ (Congregational) where she taught Sunday school for many years. She was also a member of the Women’s Fellowship at the church. Carol was a Cub Scout den mother, a Girl Scout leader, and a Blue Bird Camp Fire Girls leader. She also helped found the Blaine Food Bank. Carol was a wonderful homemaker and had many hobbies. She loved canning fruits and vegetables grown in her garden and baking delicious pies. She also loved crocheting afghans, baby clothes, and baby blankets. She always looked forward to her weekly painting group at the Blaine Senior Center. She was well known for her crocheted scrubbies and her Grinch light bulb Christmas ornaments. She is survived by her son Steven (Linda) Jones of Custer; daughters Lori (Jon) Rothenbuhler of Bellingham, and Julie Burdick of Mount Vernon; five granddaughters, two step-grandchildren, five great-grandchildren (with another on the way), three stepgreatgrandchildren; and one sister, Mary Schnoor of Burlington, along with numerous nieces and nephews. Carolyn was preceded in death by her husband Jim, twin brother Robert Elbie, sister Virginia Vansteenkiste, brothers Henry (Hank) and Stan Elbie. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Hospice of the Northwest or to your favorite charity. There will be a private graveside service at Greenacres Memorial Park in Ferndale. Time and date to be determined. To share your memories of Carolyn, please visit her online guestbook at www.molesfarewelltributes.com.
Earl M. Erickson
November 6, 1931- November 12, 2021 Earl M. Erickson, age 90 passed away peacefully into the arms of Jesus on Friday November 12, 2021. Earl was born November 6, 1931, in Pelican Rapids, MN to Elmer and Minnie (Evjen) Erickson on the family farm in Lida Township. He graduated from Pelican Rapids High School in 1950 from a one room schoolhouse and was the president of the Future Farmers of America (4H). In September 1952, Earl enlisted in the United Stated Air Force. Earl was rushed through a 12-week training at Parks Air Force Base near Oakland, CA due to the Korean Conflict. Earl transferred to Nellis Air Force Base north of Las Vegas where he performed maintenance work on the F86, F80, T33, F84, F100 model jet fighter planes, and trained combat ready pilots on biological and chemical warfare. Earl attained Airman 1st class ranking and was honored by receiving the Airman of the Month Award (twice) for his leadership in safety and maintenance. Earl had the privilege to cross paths multiple times with Howard Hughes. After his service in the United States Air Force, he accepted a career at Boeing in Seattle in a position focused on quality control. While at Boeing, he met his beautiful wife, Nancy. After traveling for their careers, they resided in Bellingham to raise their four children. During this time Earl owned and sold two gas stations and opened Earl’s Auto Tech and Tire. Earl was one of six certified auto mechanics in Whatcom County. Earl and Nancy then moved to Blaine to enjoy their 59 years of marriage, retirement, the ocean, and their five grandchildren. Earl enjoyed classic cars, sport of all kinds, writing for Northwest Retirement Magazine, Norwegian/Swedish cooking, participating in Maritime Ministries and Veterans Memorial Services. He was most famous for his Bible studies and “Dad Notes.” Earl was preceded in death by his sister Mary Lou, and his parents Elmer and Minnie Erickson. Earl was survived by his wife Nancy Erickson; four children Darla Erickson-Knudsen (Jerry Fennen), Sheila Erickson-Self, Glen Erickson, Erica Swanger (Mitch); and five grandchildren Rob Knudsen (Zahireen), Kristian Self, Karlee Self, Joey Swanger, Levi Swanger, and many loving nieces, nephews, and friends. A celebration of life will be held this spring 2022 to share stories and our love for Earl. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to Paralyzed Veterans of America, or Wounded Warriors. You may share memories with family at westfordfuneralhome.com
Ruth Gordon
December 23, 1936 – November 17, 2021 Ruth Gordon, age 84 of Prosser, entered into rest on November 17, 2021, at Regency at the Park in College Place, WA. She was born on December 23, 1936, to Nickly and Katherine (Barkman) Willens in Reedley, California where she spent the first 14 years of her life. The family then moved to Blaine, where she lived for a few years. After graduation she moved to Seattle for 11 years where she met Orville Raymond Gordon Jr. and were married on February 15, 1965. They returned to Blaine where she resided for a total of 44 years. After retiring, she and her husband moved and settled in Prosser for the last 15 years of their lives. After graduating from high school, Ruth attended a year of business college. Over the years she worked as a secretary, tax preparer, and a bookkeeper in Alaska, retiring in 2001. Most of all she enjoyed being a homemaker, wife and mother. Ruth enjoyed playing assorted card and board games with her husband, figuring puzzles, creating treasures with needlework, and Tri Chem paints. She served as secretary-treasurer at her church, was an Awana leader, for which she received the Awana Certificate and was a member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary. She also worked and served at the Blaine Senior Center when called upon. Ruth is survived by her sister, Dorothy Joan Dirksen of Surrey, B.C.; brother, William Robert Willems of Forest Grove, Oregon; daughter, Cynthia J. Poisel of Prosser; stepchildren, Joseph Gordon of California, Steven Gordon of Oregon, and Janis Sorenson of Washington; and numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Orville Raymond Gordon Jr.; and stepson, Stanley Gordon. Visitation will be held from 4 – 6 p.m. on Thursday, December 2 at Prosser Funeral Home. The Funeral Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, December 3, at the Immanuel Lutheran Church in Grandview followed by a light luncheon. Memorial donations may be made to the VFW Ladies Auxiliary in Sunnyside. You may leave a message for the family at www.prosserfuneralhome.com.
Cathy Jeanne Littrell
March 20, 1955 – October 29, 2021 Cathy Jeanne Littrell went to be with her Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ on October 29, 2021 at the age of 66. She was born on March 20, 1955 to Donald and Ramona Littrell, the first of six children. Cathy was blessed in this life to be a beloved daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, aunt and friend. She enjoyed recipe books, canning, gardening, cooking, baking, decorating cakes, the Northwest Washington Fair, and camping. Cathy left a legacy of love. People remember the way she made them feel when she walked into a room. Loved, seen, and valued. Cathy dedicated her life to spending time with her family and friends. She cared lovingly for her mama, children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Cathy always had time for the people she loved, and her presence will be dearly missed. Cathy will live on through the legacy of love she shared with each person she came into contact with. Cathy’s love for Jesus Christ and her ability to show His love will be remembered. Two of Cathy’s favorite scriptures to share were Matthew 6:34 and Joshua 1:9. She is survived by her father, Donald R Littrell; sisters Darla (Mike) Valdez, Linda (Tony) Thompson; brothers Howard (Keren) Littrell, Kenneth Littrell, Russ (Suzanne) Littrell; children Rachel Delano, William “Doug” Turberville, Rebekah (Nathan) Balcom; daughter-in-law Maria Turberville; and 14 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and over 50 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother, Ramona Littrell. A Celebration of Life will be held on August 6, 2022. If you would like to share a photo or a memory about what Cathy meant to you, please email CathyLittrellMemorial@yahoo.com or share online at www.sigsfuneralservices.com. Donations in Cathy’s memory can be made to the Northwest Washington Fair Association, 1775 Front Street, Lynden, WA 98264.
14
The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
Coming up
Sheriff’s Reports Nov. 17, 5:07 a.m.: Traffic stop on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Suspect arrested. Nov. 17, 10:08 a.m.: Trespass on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. Nov. 17, 11:50 a.m.: Behavioral health on Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Nov. 17, 12:14 p.m.: Welfare check on Richmond Park Road. Nov. 17, 1:07 p.m.: Burglary on Tsawwassen Loop. Nov. 17, 4:06 p.m.: Juvenile problem on Blaine Road. Nov. 17, 8:22 p.m.: Trespass on Holeman Avenue. Nov. 18, 5:03 a.m.: Assist agency on Portal Way. Nov. 18, 5:09 a.m.: Follow up on Loomis Trail Road, Custer. Nov. 18, 8:44 a.m.: Traffic hazard on Haynie Road, Custer. Nov. 18, 11:31 p.m.: Behavioral health on Harborview Road. Nov. 19, 1:17 a.m.: Domestic physical on Harborview Road. Nov. 19, 4:39 a.m.: Domestic physical on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. Nov. 19, 5:47 a.m.: Follow up on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. Nov. 19, 7:31 a.m.: Alarm audible on Glendale Road, Custer. Nov. 19, 7:52 a.m.: Parking problem on Harborview Road. Nov. 19, 7:54 a.m.: Behavioral health on Surf Place.
Nov. 19, 8:23 a.m.: Behavioral health on Harborview Road. Nov. 19, 9:58 a.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Custer School Road, Custer. Nov. 19, 10:21 a.m.: Civil problem on Salish Road. Nov. 19, 12:14 p.m.: Theft on Harborview Road. Nov. 19, 2:13 p.m.: Assault simple on Anderson Road. Nov. 19, 6:59 p.m.: Welfare check on Cottonwood Court. Nov. 19, 7:18 p.m.: Theft on Birch Bay Drive. Nov. 19, 9:33 p.m.: Shots on McGee Road. Nov. 20, 1:35 a.m.: Motor vehicle accident on Bay Road. Suspect arrested for DUI.
Police Reports Nov. 14, 9:22 p.m.: Assist citizen on Lincoln Road. Nov. 15, 4:33 a.m.: Child abuse on H Street. Nov. 15, 8:19 a.m.: Security check on Peace Portal Drive. Nov. 15, 11:30 a.m.: Collision on C Street. Nov. 15, 11:52 a.m.: Recovered stolen vehicle on Runge Avenue. Nov. 16, 7:41 a.m.: Death investigation on Marine Drive.
Crossword ACROSS 1. Struck firmly 6. Shirt part 12. Nevertheless 16. Article 17. Adornment 18. Educator’s helper 19. Healthcare pro 20. Atomic number 28 21. Extinct flightless bird 22. Mystic syllable 23. College sports decision maker (abbr.) 24. Edible mushrooms 26. Venerable English monk 28. Surrounded by 30. Forming fractional numbers from 4 onwards 31. Eastern France river 32. Short cry or yelp 34. Brew 35. Ornamental box 37. In a way, surfaced 39. Attired 40. Peculation 41. Netted 43. It shows you paid (abbr.) 44. Payroll firm 45. Antidiuretic hormone
Nov. 20, 4:33 a.m.: Assist citizen on Birch Terrace Court, Custer. Nov. 20, 7:50 a.m.: Behavioral health on Surf Place. Nov. 20, 1:41 a.m.: Assist citizen on Carstan Loop. Nov. 20, 7:21 p.m.: Civil problem on Masterson Road. Nov. 21, 12:19 a.m.: Traffic hazard on Grandview and Karber roads. Nov. 21, 4:37 a.m.: Traffic hazard on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer. Nov. 21, 11:48 a.m.: Traffic signal on Drayton Harbor Road. Nov. 21, 1:49 p.m.: Behavioral health on Surf Place. Nov. 21, 2:40 p.m.: Sex offender registration on Sweet Road.
47. Japanese classical theater 48. The first two 50. Ancient burial chamber 52. Type of card 54. Expression of sorrow or pity 56. Hectoliter 57. Morning 59. NYC subway dweller 60. Law enforcement 61. Sodium 62. Elevated subway 63. Facility where wild animals are kept 66. Integrated circuit 67. Seaman’s tool 70. Drink to 71. Small group DOWN 1. Poem 2. Everest is one (abbr.) 3. Olympic legend Jesse 4. Portable tent 5. When you hope to get there 6. Unwavering 7. Back muscle 8. Within 9. Excessive fluid ac-
cumulation in tissues 10. Six 11. Involved as a necessary part 12. 2002 Liotta, Patric film 13. Living thing 14. Type of gin 15. Moved around in pursuit of fun 25. Makes light bulbs 26. Story of one’s life 27. Small island in a river 29. A type of bliss 31. Genus of large herons 33. A way to make dry 36. One’s grandmother 38. Vocal style 39. Pronunciation mark 41. American Indian chief or leader 42. Insecticide 43. Go bad 46. Capital of Zimbabwe 47. Polish river 49. Cast out 51. People of India and Sri Lanka 53. Cleaning fabrics 54. Very skilled
Nov. 17, 12:52 p.m.: Order violation on D Street. Nov. 18, 1:05 a.m.: Warrant arrest on 2nd Street. Nov. 18, 1:52 p.m.: Parking problem on B Street. Nov. 18, 6:38 p.m.: Narcotics investigation on 2nd Street. Nov. 19, 4:43 a.m.: Agency assist on Harborview Road. Nov. 19, 1:35 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Boblett Street. Report by Blaine Police Department.
55. Pouches 58. Restaurant must-have 60. Native Americans from Arizona 64. Remaining after all deductions 65. Fleece 68. Dorm official 69. It cools your home ANSWERS: THENORTHERNLIGHT.COM
Tides DATE
TIME
Fr 3
5:13 am 9.6 10:06 am 6.5
3:08 pm 10.0 10:35 pm -2.6
HEIGHT
Sa 4 6:09 am 10.4 11:06 am 7.1
3:46 pm 9.9 11:21 pm -3.2
Su 5 7:03 am 10.9 12:04 pm 7.5
4:26 pm 9.7
Mo 6 12:07 am -3.4
7:57 am 11.1
1:04 pm 7.6
5:10 pm 9.3
Tu 7 12:55 am -3.1
8:49 am 11.0
2:10 pm 7.5
5:58 pm 8.7
We 8 1:43 am -2.4
9:41 am 10.8
6:52 pm 7.9
3:26 pm 7.0
Th 9 2:33 am -1.3 10:31 am 10.6
4:48 pm 6.3
Family Movie Nights: Fridays, December 3, 7 p.m., Birch Bay Activity Center, 7511 Gemini Street. Free. Bring a chair or blanket and watch a family-friendly holiday movie. Free popcorn. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Home Farm Holiday Open House: Saturday, December 4, 10 a.m.–3 p.m., Home Farm UPick and Events, 8020 Kickerville Road. Enjoy complimentary hot cider and goodies and holiday shopping. Info: homefarm. farm. Friends of Blaine Library Holiday Book Sale: Saturday, December 4, 10 a.m.–5 p.m., Blaine Community Pavilion, 635 8th Street. Something for everyone. Books, DVDs, audiobooks, and more. Benefits the Blaine Library Building Project. Holiday Bazaar: Saturday, December 4, 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m., The Vault Wine Bar Event Space, 277 G Street. Shop from more than 18 local vendors. Info: blainechamber.com. Big Bucks Bingo: Saturday, December 4, 1–3 p.m., Blaine Senior Center 635 G Street. $15 includes eight games, three cards per game. Early bird at 12:30 p.m. two games $1 each. Info: 360-332-8040. Holiday Lights Dash: Saturday, December 4, 2 p.m., Lincoln Park H Street entrance (across from Cost Cutter). Winter-inspired fun run with obstacles. Family friendly and holiday attire encouraged. Adults $10, kids 5-17 $5 and family up to 5 $30. Info and registration at bbbparkandrec.org or register day-of at 1 p.m. Shellebration: Saturday, December 4, 4:30-7 p.m., Blaine’s H Street Plaza. Free, fun event celebrating healthy waters. Holiday Harbor Lights: Saturday, December 4. Blaine’s G Street Plaza. Free holiday raffle from 4–5 p.m., tree lighting and Santa’s arrival at 4:45 p.m., visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus in the Blaine Welcome Center, 5-7 p.m., free horse-drawn carriage and mini train rides, 5-7 p.m. Info: blainechamber.com. Family Movie Nights: Fridays, December 10, 7 p.m., Birch Bay Activity Center, 7511 Gemini Street. Free. Bring a chair or blanket and watch a family-friendly holiday movie. Free popcorn. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Semiahmoo Women’s Club Luncheon: Thursday, December 9, 11:15 a.m., Palmer Room, Semiahmoo Golf & Country Club. Performance by the Blaine High School Choir. $25 buffet lunch. RSVP by 5 p.m. on December 4 to B.J. Windrum, 817-600-4192 or young.drum@hotmail.com. Women from all communities welcome. Info: semiahmoowomensclub.org. Blaine Community Theater Presents “LUX Radio Theater Miracle on 34th Street”: December 18, 4 p.m. and & 7 p.m. at the Blaine Boating Center, 235 Marine Drive. Admission by donation. Contact blainecommunitytheater@gmail.com with questions. 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.
CAP Clothing Bank: Mondays and Fridays, 9 a.m.–noon and Wednesdays, 5-7 p.m. 508 G Street. The Community Assistance Program clothing bank is now located in the basement of the CAP Center providing free clothing and linens. Donations accepted only during open hours or by special arrangement. Info: blainecap.org or 360/392-8484.
49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W TIME
Live Music at The Vault: Friday, December 3, 7 p.m., 277 G Street. Featuring: Mary Ellen Lykins and Craig Adams. Info: thevaultwine.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.
December 3-9 at Blaine. Not for navigation. HEIGHT
Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, December 2, 7 p.m., 277 G Street. This week’s theme: Star Trek. Info: thevaultwine.com.
8:02 pm 6.9
Weather
Precipitation: During the period of Nov. 22-28, 4.4 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2021 yearto-date precipitation is 39.5 inches. Temperature: High for the past week was 56°F on Nov. 27 and Nov. 28 with a low of 35°F on Nov. 22. Average high was 54°F and average low was 44°F. Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
The Bridge Clothing Bank Boutique: Open Wednesday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m, The Bridge Community Hope Center, 4815 Alderson Road. Donations by appointment, call 360/366-8763. Meals on Wheels: Thursdays 11:30 a.m.–12 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 email him at pcorcorran@gmail.com for the Zoom link. Parents of Addicted Loved Ones (PAL) Meetings: Mondays 6:30–8 p.m., CAP Center, 508 G Street, Blaine. A support group for parents of adult children dealing with addiction, but open to anyone (18 or older) seeking to learn a better way to help an addicted love one. Evidence-based, structured curriculum and offer peer support at no cost. Info: palgroup.org or email Bev and Dave at wamillards@comcast.net.
Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
December 2 - 8 , 2021 • thenorthernlight.com
Redistricting ... From page 13
would remain roughly as it is now in terms of partisanship, favoring the GOP, Fain said. Right now, Rep. Marilyn Strickland, a Democrat, represents the 10th District, while Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler, a Republican, represents the 3rd. Other congressional districts would have some change in boundaries under the commission’s proposed map, but for the most part they wouldn’t be as
15
dramatic. The 9th Congressional District, for instance, would still run north-south from Bellevue to south King County, but would stop at the King County border instead of continuing into Pierce County. The commission’s proposed 9th District would also include less of Bellevue and less of Seattle, while picking up new parts of Auburn and Kent. Democratic Rep. Adam Smith currently represents the 9th District. Visit crosscut.com/donate to support nonprofit, freely distributed, local journalism.
Happy Holidays from... s Washington State Redistricting Commission’s proposed map for the state’s 10 congressional districts. The commission didn’t finish its work on time, so these maps aren’t binding or final. The state Supreme Court will make the final decision and could draw entirely different district lines. Map courtesy Crosscut.com
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vaccinated. Lynden had the lowest vaccination rate, with 81 percent of staff fully vaccinated. The Lynden school district also had the highest percentage of staff receive religious exemptions in the county, with 18 percent given exemptions. Eight percent of Blaine school district’s staff obtained a religious exemption, which was the second lowest in the county behind Bellingham with 3 percent. Nooksack Valley had 15 percent, Mount Baker 12, Ferndale 11 and Meridian 9. Medical exemptions in the county ranged from 2 percent to less than 1 percent. Looking at the numbers statewide, Whatcom County’s range of data represents the better part of Washington as a whole. Most school districts range from 1-2 percent of staff getting religious exemptions to 20 percent, while most schools throughout the state only had a few staff members obtain medical exemptions. But there are outliers. Of the 315 public school districts in Washington, eight had over 40 percent of employees obtain a religious exemption, all of which reported that zero percent of staff members were unvaccinated and without an exemption. All Whatcom County school districts reported that less than 1 percent of staff members were unvaccinated and did not obtain an exemption, except for Mount Baker, which reported 3 percent in that category. There were also at least 20 school districts in the state with 20-40 percent of staff receiving religious exemptions. The Onion Creek school district in Colville had the highest percent of employees receive a religious exemption, with 59 percent. According to the district website, Onion Creek has 16 employees. Mansfield school district had 57 percent of staff receive medical exemptions, and according to its staff directory, the district has 27 people on staff. According to OSPI, Mansfield’s reported data was inconsistent with OSPI’s personnel records – number of employees on staff. Two other school districts also had inconsistent data: Okano-
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gan and Grand Coulee Dam. The South Bend school district did not comply with OSPI’s reporting requirement. Of those eight districts above with over 40 percent of staff obtaining a religious exemption, Starbuck had the lowest with 43 percent, but according to the National Center for Education Statistics, the district had seven people on staff. The Northern Light reached out to the county’s public school districts to see how they evaluated employees’ exemption applications. The Northern Light heard from all but Nooksack Valley. Most said they utilized OSPI’s guidance for reviewing medical and religious exemptions and reviewed staff members’ applications on a case-by-case basis, which was allowed under the guidance. Those who were granted exemptions were given an accommodation plan to mitigate possible spreading of Covid-19. “Employees on an accommodation from the vaccination mandate have an added layer of mitigation of weekly COVID testing, PPE and distancing,” Blaine school district superintendent Christopher Granger wrote in an email. Lynden school district interim superintendent Mike Stromme said in an email the district did not have a specific policy and reviewed all accommodation requests on an individual basis. Ferndale school district executive director of human resources John Fairbairn replied similarly and said that unvaccinated employees must undergo two rapid tests per week, wear a three-layer mask and leave their mask on while in a shared space. Mount Baker superintendent Mary Sewright said accommodations at the district were approved conditionally and that all approved would test twice a week, adding they would also continue to wear a mask when those vaccinated are allowed to remove theirs – if state guidance ever said it was safe to do so. Meridian superintendent James Everett said the district did not give blanket accommodations to exempted staff, but rather assigned them based on the individual’s duties and risk of spreading the virus. “[We] looked at what their roles were with the district
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The Northern Light • December 2 - 8 , 2021
