The Northern Light: January 20-26, 2022 by Point Roberts Press

January 20-26, 2022

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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer

IN THIS

ISSUE

Federal government offering free Covid-19 tests, page 3

DNA tests show 2020 and 2021 hornet nests were related

Girls basketball beats Mount Baker, page 7

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

Buttermint company creates inclusive work, page 15

Sunset brightens Blaine skies ...

By Grace McCarthy

(See Hornet, page 6)

s A fiery sunset painted Blaine skies above the United Church of Christ on Fourth Street January 12. Photo by Keith Lindsey

Local business owner pays for ‘uncensored’ newspaper distribution By Ian Haupt Many Blaine and Birch Bay residents received a newspaper called “The Flame” in the mail last week without a mailing label that left them with questions as to why they had received it and if its delivery was legal. The Flame CEO and co-founder Anna Kane said a Blaine business owner paid nearly $1,900 for copies of The Flame to be mailed to residences in the Blaine and Birch Bay area. This was done legally

through U.S. Postal Service’s Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) service, Blaine postmaster Val Pikalov said. Through EDDM, anyone can mail anything they want – that is legal – to a specific area or route. “It’s targeted mail,” he said. “We take it on the side and put it in every mailbox.” Pikalov estimated that mailing The Flame using EDDM could’ve cost anywhere from $1.20 to $2.45 per copy. There’s no set fee, he said. The cost is based on the weight and size of the mailed material and

Port denies Blaine Harbor lease modification request consistent with city zoning By Grace McCarthy (Ed note: In the interest of transparency, Pat Grubb and Louise Mugar own The Northern Light building at 225 Marine Drive and are co-publishers of Point Roberts Press Inc.) Port of Bellingham commissioners voted 3-0 to deny a lease modification request for a Blaine Harbor property that would expand its residential units and make it consistent

with the city of Blaine’s zoning policy. Commissioners argued expanding residences could set a precedent to gentrify the port’s working waterfront. During their January 4 meeting, port commissioners denied the request of Pat Grubb, owner of The Northern Light building at 225 Marine Drive and publisher of Point Roberts Press Inc., to modify the lease to allow for residential units in up to 30 percent of the building. The residential units would

have only been allowed on the three-story building’s second and third floors, while the ground floor would remain designated for commercial, retail and office uses. Grubb had first requested commissioners consider the lease modification during the public comment portion of the November 16, 2021 port meeting. Grubb told commissioners that a buyer was interested in pur(See Port, page 3)

the size of the coverage area. The Northern Light uses a similar mailing system through the post office that mails copies to all residences in area code 98230. Kane said this was The Flame’s first issue and that they have plans to distribute a new issue every month. Based in Snohomish County and printed in Mount Vernon, the publication is crowdfunded and hopes to distribute across the country, she said. Co-founder and editor-in-chief Nicole (See The Flame, page 2)

Coming Up . . . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . . . . . 11 Letters . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tides . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

INSIDE

The Washington State Department of Agriculture (WSDA) has confirmed all of the Asian giant hornet nests found in 2021 were connected to nest ‘zero,’ the first nest found and eradicated in east Blaine. Scientists believe the hornets likely mated and left nest zero before it was destroyed in October 2020. State entomologists eradicated three of the invasive hornet nests in August and September of 2021, less than one mile from where the first nest was discovered. After the eradication of the nests on August 9, September 8 and September 23, scientists conducted DNA sequencing on the hornets. “It’s the best outcome that we could have had from the DNA testing,” WSDA spokesperson Karla Salp said. But, she warned, this doesn’t mean there aren’t other hornets in Washington that are genetically unrelated that the agency doesn’t know about. There were 14 confirmed detections in 2021: Six reported by the public, four caught in WSDA traps and six that scientists caught, according to the WSDA. Through DNA testing, scientists also discovered the U.S. hornets and the nest eradicated on Vancouver Island in fall 2019 were not genetically connected and likely from separate introductions, Salp said. Salp said the agency believes the hornet found in Snohomish County in June 2021 is from a third introduction. “We’ve had what appears to be three separate introductions in a short period of time when there were no known introductions,” Salp said. This could be because people are more aware of the hornets and are reporting them, or because there are more introductions, she said. Canadian scientists will consider the hornet fully eradicated in Vancouver Island this spring after three years of trapping in Nanaimo and the Cowichan Valley have yielded no sightings, according to the

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The Flame ... From page 1

Orozco said she and Kane are a grandma and a mom of six from Mountlake Terrace who want people to have a variety of uncensored information and views available to make decisions. In print, The Flame says its solution to mainstream media censorship and multi-billion dollar corporations’ narratives is “with an old school idea – a newspaper!” and that it “might be the most important thing you will ever see.” Around 9,700 copies were distributed in Whatcom County, Orozco said. The Flame printed 50,000 copies of its first issue to be distributed in Washington, Ohio and Missouri. Orozco said most were recently distributed through organizations and events, like the ReAwaken America Tour in Phoenix, Seattle March for Freedom and Informed Choice Washington. Orozco said business owners have also bought copies to distribute. The Flame is partnered with RiseUp Washington, a 501(c)(4) organization. Orozco said The Flame is a nonpartisan newspaper and that she believes the U.S. political system is corrupt to its core. Some article titles in the first issue include, “The role of critical thinking and collaboration in combating tyranny,” “Mandating malfeasance,” “Effective legal action against workplace ‘vaccine’ mandates,” and “Outpatient treatments for Covid-19 reviewed.” Many of the articles lack bylines while anti-mandate organization founders, doctors for alternative Covid-19 treatment, and directors for grass roots constitutional rights organizations write others. Founders Kane and Orozco

s The Flame was distributed to about 1,900 Blaine and Birch Bay residents January 14. Courtesy photo said stories are also sourced to concerned citizens and readers. It’s unclear who organized the distribution in the area and how far it reached. Kane and Orozco said around 1,900 copies were delivered to Blaine and Birch Bay residences, which was their first resident-donated distribution. They would not reveal the business owner who paid for the deliveries but said they would notify him that The Northern Light reached out for comment. The Northern Light has not yet heard from the individual. “The resident wants to make a difference in his community,” Kane said. “He contacted us and wanted everyone in the community to get a copy.” Kane said the business owner was inspired by Druthers News, an alternative Canadian newspaper, and since he couldn’t get it delivered to the area, he chose The Flame. Kane believes this will be the only issue sent to Blaine and Birch Bay residents, as she suspects the business owner will not pay for it to be distributed again. Those wishing to receive upcoming issues will have to subscribe, which she said they have already had quite a few people from the

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area do. “We’ve had people subscribe and donate,” Kane said. “And a little bit of hate mail.” She said it sounded like the hate mail came from a few neighbors who despised the contents of the paper. Kane said she didn’t understand the hate since residents can easily throw it away. Ferndale resident Elizabeth Hanson said she was surprised to find The Flame in the mail without a label and questioned the legality of it. But after skimming the articles, she said she found she completely agreed with the views represented and that the information was not new to her. “The majority of people have not questioned what they hear in the news and from their doctors,” Hanson said. “I think in history we will see that we’ve made the wrong choice. And I think those views should be expressed.” A retired ESL professor at Shoreline Community College, Hanson said she was not vaccinated and was opposed to state mask and vaccine mandates. She said she researches Covid-19 treatment and protective measures daily and believes alternative approaches should be considered. She also said that she could understand why people would think The Flame was subversive. “I felt very – no pun intended – inflamed and outraged,” said Birch Bay Village resident Lorraine Day. She said the newspaper was full of conspiracy theories and distortions of truth based on extreme paranoia of government control. “It was so over the top that I found it just pretty silly,” Day said. “I find it offensive and worrisome that there are people who liked it.”

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January 20-26, 2022 • thenorthernlight.com

Covid-19 in Whatcom County, by school district boundaries: Recent one-week case rates, cumulative counts and vaccinations Blaine Lynden Nooksack Valley Vaccination: 74% Vaccination: 58% Vaccination: 54% Case rate: 982 Case rate: 1,367 Case rate: 1,395 New cases: 185 New cases: 294 New cases: 160 Ferndale Meridian Vaccination: 70% Vaccination: 66% Case rate: 1,490 Case rate: 1,096 New cases: 531 New cases: 123

Mount Baker Vaccination: 49% Case rate: 809 New cases: 130

Bellingham Vaccination: 81% Case rate: 1,139 New cases: 1,288 s The case rate is the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases per 100,000 people over the past week. 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 January 15.

By Grace McCarthy (Ed note: The Whatcom County health department’s Covid-19 data dashboard was missing data and not fully complete by press time.

A health department spokesperson told The Northern Light it was likely the missing data caused the Covid-19 case rate decreases seen in some county areas.) Some areas in Whatcom Coun-

ty are seeing declining Covid-19 case rates from last week, while others are still trending upward as the omicron variant spreads across the county. There have been 5,929 con-

Covid-19 vaccination status by age group

firmed and probable Covid-19 cases in Whatcom County in the past week, which is 21.6 percent of the county’s total Covid-19 cases since the start of the pandemic, according to Whatcom County Health Department data. (Probable cases come from a positive antigen test). Blaine school district has had 185 people test positive for Covid-19 in the past week. Nooksack Valley and Lynden were the two school district areas that increased in case rates from last week, according to the county’s Covid-19 dashboard. The Ferndale school district area had the highest Covid-19 cases in the county, with 1,490 cases per 100,000 people. Blaine school district had the second lowest case rate with 982 cases per 100,000. Mount Baker school district had the lowest case rate at 809 cases per 100,000. Seven county residents died from Covid-19 in the past week, bringing the virus’ death toll now up to 218 people. The number of deaths in Whatcom County accounts for .8 percent of total cases. PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center beat another record on the number of patients the Bellingham hospital had infected

with Covid-19. On January 18, 79 PeaceHealth patients had either been admitted for Covid-19 or tested positive for Covid-19 after being admitted for another reason. Covid-19 case rates began to decrease among all age groups in the past week. Children 5-17 years old have the highest Covid-19 transmissions in the county, with 2,111 cases per 100,000 people. People 18-24 years old followed with 1,843 cases per 100,000. The Whatcom County health department released a weekly Covid-19 report for January 2 through January 8. Sixteen vaccinated people and 29 unvaccinated people were hospitalized that week for Covid-19. Of the 3,169 cases, 1,227 were from people fully vaccinated and 1,942 were from people not vaccinated. Six people died that week: An unvaccinated woman in her 30s, two unvaccinated men in their 70s, a vaccinated man in his 60s and a vaccinated man in his 70s. For more Whatcom County information, visit whatcomcounty.us/covidvaccine and whatcomcounty.us/coviddata. State information is available at bit. ly/3r2URJj. For CDC data, visit bit.ly/39Kt4qh.

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s The Covid-19 vaccination status by age groups in Whatcom County. Light gray represents the percentage of people in each age group who have had at least one shot of a Covid-19 vaccine and dark gray represents those fully vaccinated. Graph courtesy Whatcom County Health Department

Federal government starts free Covid-19 test delivery to homes Households can now order up to four free at-home Covid-19 tests through covidtests.gov. The Biden administration announced January 14 it was buying one billion at-home, rapid Covid-19 tests to give to U.S. residents for free. The announcement

Port ... From page 1

chasing the building but wanted the ability to include residential use above the ground floor. The unnamed buyer intended to invest millions of dollars to build out the building and add a restaurant on the ground floor, he said. Grubb and Louise Mugar purchased Jim Jorgensen’s salmon fishing charter building next to the Blaine Harbor office in 1995 and spent $1.6 million to con-

said a half-billion tests would be available for order starting January 19 via the government website, Covidtests.gov. The website was quietly launched January 18. People can input their name and mailing address on the website and four tests will be delivered struct an adjacent three-story building in 2006. Bellingham resident Doug Karlberg spoke during the January 4 public comment about his concern of residential units gentrifying the harbor. “If the Port of Bellingham decided to rent out all of their property to condominiums and that kind of thing, are you still a port? That’s a fundamental issue you have to struggle with,” he said. “Ports are a very special thing. It’s a small amount of land that has incredible value.”

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to their residence. The program limits four tests per household. Tests will be shipped within seven to 12 days after ordering, according to the website. A call line is also expected to become available for those unable to access the website. Working Waterfront Coalition government relations chair Jim Kyle said he too was concerned about gentrification but Blaine harbor land is protected by a policy (Resolution 1396) adopted November 3, 2021 that would preserve most port water-adjacent property for marine businesses and trades and prohibit other uses. The policy reserves all of Blaine harbor for marine trades except for the land occupied by The Northern Light and Kam-Way (See Port, page 6)

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The Northern Light • January 20-26, 2022

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.

Got Bitcoin?

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

s A new ATM at the Speedway gas station on D Street now allows the purchase of Bitcoins. Photo by Pat Grubb

Letters

Reporter Ian Haupt ian@pointrobertspress.com Reporting Intern Georgia Costa prpintern@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

The Editor: Martin Luther King Jr. famously said, “The time is always right, to do what is right.” On this, nearly all of us agree. Where we tend to drift apart, is what we think is “right.” It should be no surprise, that what most concerns the League of Women Voters (LWV), is the right to vote, as that is the cornerstone of our democracy. In the U.S., over the past 233 years, we have seen more access to voting for more of our citizens. But it has been a tough road with many potholes. The members of the LWV recognize that the source of our power, compassion, conviction, brilliance and resilience, as a country, lies not only in our representative democracy but in the diversity of our citizens. As we begin a new year, it is essential

that we guarantee the right and access to vote to all through the Freedom to Vote Act (S.2747), and restore and strengthen the bipartisan Voting Rights Act of 1965 by passing the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act (VRAA). King said, “No one is free until we are all free.” LWV has been fighting for the right to vote for over 100 years and voting is the foundation of a strong democracy where all can enjoy the richness of an engaged, diverse society. I urge you to raise your voice and be a voter. Joy Monjure, League of Women Voters branch president Bellingham The Editor: My husband and I are Texas transplants

who visited Birch Bay for the first time in 2015. We were on summer vacation and never expected to fall head-over-heels for a community, but that’s exactly what happened. We loved walking to the beach, restaurants, the corner market, hearing live music and forming new friendships. At one of several festivals, we learned that a community library was in the works. That clinched the deal for us. We made plans to leave the Lone Star State and to make Birch Bay our home. That dream came true in 2018, but today, the commu(See Letters, next page) Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.

Contributors In This Issue Doug Dahl, Melissa Santos / Crosscut.com The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVII, No 30 Circulation: 10,500 copies

Circulation Independently verified by:

Next issue: Jan. 27 Ads due: Jan. 21

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: Third Thursday, 11 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.

January 20-26, 2022 • thenorthernlight.com

Letters ... From previous page

nity library is still in the planning stage. As a retired educator, I’ve witnessed the difference a vigorous library can make to a small community. True, it provides invaluable services to citizens of all ages, but a library is more than a building with books. It also makes a statement about what a community deems to be important. On February 8, our residents will have a chance to vote for a library in the heart of Birch Bay. Please don’t miss this opportunity. Vote yes! The phrase, “Meet me at the library” has a nice ring to it, eh? Su Kelley Birch Bay The Editor: We get to choose: Yes to our historical heritage and identity, yes to a safe gathering place and neighborhood value, and yes to saving the $2 million, which lessens our assessed tax. Please vote “yes” for proposition 2 in the February 8 special election for the Birch Bay Vogt Community Library. We need 26 “yes” votes plus the “yes” votes received in November. Thank you, Birch Bay, for your “yes” vote and support. Harieklia Bryant Birch Bay The Editor: Our Canadian family has owned property in Birch Bay for 45 years. We have seen this wonderful ocean community grow significantly over time. Having a library in Birch Bay would be very convenient and beneficial to all, as it would enhance one’s enjoyment of reading, love of learning and growth of knowledge. For an area that currently has no central hub, the Birch Bay Vogt Community Library will be where neighbors gather. Even though we can’t vote, we are excited to give back and invest in

the community we have loved for so many years. We sincerely hope Birch Bay will vote yes on February 8, in order to bring a much needed community resource to our growing area. Bob and Carol Ogilvy Birch Bay The Editor: First let me say how much I appreciate The Northern Light as a community newspaper. Your communication is clear, straightforward and interesting. I like reading the paper. Thank you for your work. So, the other day I stuck my hand into my mailbox and felt a newspaper. Expecting it to be The Northern Light, I withdrew it eagerly. Instead it was a paper called The Flame. I was disappointed. I read some of the articles and began looking for indication of who is responsible for this content being placed, unwanted, into my mailbox. There is no place in the paper that states who publishes and who is responsible. I went to the website, theflameusa.com, and found a few names. One of the names of a writer was Jeff Jared, a candidate for Washington State Assembly in the 48th District. He represents the Libertarian party. But none of the writers listed on the website actually wrote anything in the paper. I am relatively sure that you have seen a copy of The Flame. I found myself thinking that I would love to see what a good reporter would be able to discover about the sources and the people involved. Would The Northern Light possibly be interested in writing about this? I’m interested. Thank you for your good work. Sandy Brown Birch Bay The Editor: We purchased a house out here in 2013 with a view to relocating from Illinois. Our town there opened the Gail Borden Public Library 20 years ago, demolishing the old one that was generally seen as and designed to

costs for a library building in Birch Bay are not a wise use of taxpayer funds. At the purchase price that the Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) paid the Vogt family, the site was a gift, and a state support grant was offered. However, that was then and this is now. Although housed in some of the finest architecture in the world, the importance of libraries is not the building. The WCLS is a treasure of efficient management, and provision of information services. Their collections could use more funding support. There are folks in the Birch Bay area that say the limited access to the bookmobile and the inconvenience of driving to Blaine and Ferndale is justifiable reason for a costly building. Both of these concerns can be solved by the location of two semi permanent portables. Not as attractive, absolutely, but affordable and flexible for the future when, and if, all activity becomes easier to manage and predict. The current climate of unpredictable supply, staffing and public works support within all the industries related to construction, makes it unimaginable that the budget of a large project such as this could be managed and controlled successfully. In fewer words, it is bound to go way over budget. The county and state are facing some tough times to help many citizens who are struggling to pay their bills, feed their kids, rebuild their homes and farms, and trying to stay healthy while earning a living. The county and the state cannot meet this basic responsibility with just federal government aid and institutional borrowing. Think Sumas, Everson, Ferndale … and spring run-off is just around the corner. Not the right time for the design and construction of an unneeded library building. I urge your readers that cannot afford

be a book depot. The new library was quickly embraced by all as a crowning community asset with expansive reading areas looking out over the river. When school was not in session evenings or breaks, the library was teeming with young people continuing their learning in a safe space with supports. Many families lack the hardware or internet access or familiarity with technology to help their children do their schoolwork, the library stepped up. Seniors also went there to get help with all kinds of tech challenges. Additionally, here was always a room available for any community organization to meet. When we heard that a similar space was planned here in Birch Bay, we were thrilled. Birch Bay would be the fourth largest town in Whatcom County if it were incorporated. There are dedicated library buildings at Point Roberts, Lummi Island, Sumas, Everson, Blaine, Deming, Ferndale, Lynden, Maple Falls and two locations in Bellingham. Birch Bay residents contributed over $600,000 to the library system in 2018 yet we don’t have a library. The proposed new library will be located centrally at the Vogt property, accessible to most of the community on foot or via a short, safe bike ride. The location is spectacular and if the library fails to get the nod in the upcoming ballot, there is every chance that this site will become another high-rise condo development benefitting nobody but the owners. There is a lot of confusion about what we will be getting, please go here to see for yourself: bit.ly/3fwZNBx. Please, oh please get out your special ballot being mailed to you this week and vote “yes” for our community library. We all deserve it. Ciaran and Glynis Roe Blaine

the K-9 unit. Other topics covered include patrol procedures, SWAT, the drug and gang task force, traffic enforcement, crime scene investigations, marine patrol and jail operations, according to the WCSO website. The citizen’s academy will run 6-9 p.m. every Wednesday from March 2 to May 18. The program will be held virtually and is free to the public. Applicants must be at

Blaine residents make SNHU honor roll Blaine residents Christine Dickinson and Jeffrey Marchell made South New Hampshire University’s President’s List for fall 2021. President’s List recipients must have been a full-time student with a 3.7 GPA or higher.

Blaine resident Tina Lane made South New Hampshire University’s Dean’s List for fall 2021. Dean’s List recipients must have maintained at least a 3.5 GPA while being a full-time student.

this project as proposed, to vote “no.” If those who think it is a wise way to spend your money, they will vote “yes.” If they outnumber you, get your checkbook out and keep it handy for several years. Projects like this reach in your pocket indefinitely, and can be never-ending. Neil McLeod Birch Bay

CITY OF BLAINE Due to COVID-19 and the Governor’s Proclamation, meetings are now only open to the public telephonically. Information on how to listen to the meeting live will be on the City Council agenda which is located on the City’s website homepage under Your Government, City Council, City Council Agenda. Please check the agenda prior to each meeting as the call-in number or location may change.

Monday, January 24 5:00pm – Study Session – City Council Priorities

6:00pm – City Council Meeting Thursday, January 27 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting

Thursday, February 10 6:00pm – Planning Commission Meeting

Monday, February 14 6:00pm – City Council Meeting Monday, February 21 City Offices Closed – Presidents’ Day

Tuesday, February 22 3:00pm – Civil Service Commission Meeting Contact information for staff and Councilmembers can be found on the City’s website. Call (360) 332-8311 or visit our website.

www.cityofblaine.com

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The Editor: Architecture and construction

Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Citizen’s Academy returns for a virtual program Have you always wanted to learn the ins and outs of your local sheriff’s office? Now’s the chance – the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) has opened enrollment for its annual citizen’s academy. The citizen’s academy will offer residents the opportunity to see first-hand how the WCSO serves its community in a 12-week crash course that covers everything from criminal investigations to

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least 16 years old. For more information and to apply, visit the WCSO website at bit.ly/3FGmn5B.

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The Northern Light • January 20-26, 2022

Port ... From page 3

Transportation buildings. Kyle said commissioners could also add a policy preventing additional residential units on port property. In 2007, the city of Blaine and the Port of Bellingham adopted the Blaine Wharf District Master Plan, a mutually developed longterm plan that establishes public policy and development for the harbor area and remains the official policy of both the city and the port. The Northern Light building is located in the Mariner Village zone, the area east of the harbor office. The master plan allows for residential use above the ground floor in that zoning area. “I don’t understand why you say you don’t have to follow Blaine zoning when your agency was one of the agencies that came up with this,” Grubb said during the November 16 meeting. Port of Bellingham executive director Rob Fix said an allowed use

doesn’t mean the commission has to make a change in its property leases. During the vote, commissioners said their decision didn’t come lightly and explained their reasoning for voting against the lease amendments. Commissioners Bobby Briscoe and Michael Shepard voiced concern about potential gentrification of the harbor, while commissioner Ken Bell said his decision was based on the integrity of the lease contract. “I don’t believe residences belong on our working waterfront areas. The port of Bellingham does not have enough commercial property. We’re outgrowing what we have rapidly,” Briscoe said. “Once the door is cracked, it gets pushed open further and further and further. And that’s not what I’ve been entrusted to do.” Blaine city manager Michael Jones voiced concern over the port’s decision during the January 10 city council meeting. Neither Jones nor city planning director

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November 2021 flood updates: Sumas Library recovery fund, business recovery center opens Whatcom County residents and business owners continue to address the November 2021 flooding impacts, as infrastructure still needs to be repaired and federal disaster assistance applications continue to be submitted. $1.5 million given statewide for flooding Within the first week of FEMA applications opening, FEMA and the Washington Military Department’s Emergency Management Division gave $1.5 million in federal grants to Washington residents impacted by the November floods. The funding became available after President Joe Biden declared the November 2021 flooding a major disaster in Washington state on January 5. FEMA assistance helps uninsured residents pay for flooding expenses. People can apply for assistance at disasterassistance. gov or by calling 800/621-3362. Business recovery center opens in Everson The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Washington Small Business Development Center opened a business recovery center in Everson to help businesses impacted by the November floods.

The center opened January 18 in the Everson Mercantile Building, at 128 West Main Street. The center will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; no appointment necessary. Advisors will be available to explain the SBA disaster loan program and options for business owners. Businesses have a deadline of March 7 to apply for property damage and an October 5 deadline to apply for economic injury. Business owners may apply for disaster loan assistance at the center or online at disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/ela/s. Sumas Library recovery fund The Whatcom County Library System (WCLS) has stated a fund to pay for flooding damages the Sumas library sustained that won’t be covered by insurance. The WCLS estimated in a January 18 news release that the Sumas Library Recovery Fund will need $50,000 to help the Sumas library that had its books, equipment and furniture destroyed. The library building is still closed, but the WCLS is providing curbside pickup of library materials. The Friends of the Blaine Li-

brary donated $1,000 to the fund, according to the WCLS. “We are extremely grateful that insurance will cover the majority of the flood-related expenses,” WCLS executive director Christine Perkins said in a statement. “We believe re-establishing full library services will be an important step in helping the community recover.” To donate to the Sumas library, visit wcls.org/donation-form-sumas. Road damage Whatcom County Public Works said in a January 14 news release it expects to finish emergency repairs to Birch Bay-Lynden Road by the end of January. Permanent repairs will be made in the future. A section of the heavily-trafficked road has been closed near Ham Road since the November floods, when a 40-foot section of the road fell into California Creek after a culvert failed. Heavy rainfall and recent King tides have continued to erode Drayton Harbor Road near Shintaffer Road. Public works employees are monitoring the road every day.

Hornet ... From page 1

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Stacie Pratschner were aware of the port’s new land-use policy before it became official on November 3. The city, in fact, had written the port commissioners expressing its support for the proposed change in use clause in The Northern Light’s lease. Councilmember Richard May said he fought for the zoning policy for a decade on the planning commission. “This is troubling because that is inconsistent with the city’s Wharf District Master Plan and our zoning,” Jones told council. “We have concerns, myself and the planning director, that the port commissioners are taking action inconsistent with our mutually-adopted plan and that is something that will definitely require conversations and coordination with the port in the coming months.”

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WSDA. No other nests have been discovered in Canada. B.C. officials only caught one hornet in its 2021 trapping survey that stretched across the Fraser Valley. In late October, a deceased hornet was found in a Japanese beetle trap only 0.1 miles from the U.S./Canada border. Trapping efforts will continue along the U.S./Canada border between White Rock and Aldergrove, according to WSDA. WSDA will likely continue monitoring for hornets in Washington, even if the species are declared eradicated after not being detected in Washington for three years, Salp said. The first hornet in the U.S. was found in Blaine in December

s An Asian giant hornet in the east Blaine nest eradicated September Photo courtesy WSDA 23, 2021. 2019. No live hornets in the U.S. were found outside of Whatcom County in 2020 and 2021. The hornet is an invasive species from Asia and is the largest hornet in the world, measuring up to 2 inches. The orange-andblack apex predator is known to attack honeybee hives in a mat-

ter of hours and feeds on paper wasps and native species. “Public reports are important. Many of the detections came from public reports, directly or indirectly,” Salp said. “The fact that people are looking for them is what’s giving us the upper hand.”

January 20-26, 2022 • thenorthernlight.com

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By Ian Haupt The Lady Borderites took down Mount Baker 44-31 Tuesday night in a game that began as a tight battle. Throughout the first and second quarter Blaine and Mount Baker traded baskets and stops, keeping it a tight, low scoring game. Both teams worked hard on defense. The Borderites nabbed a few steals and forced multiple turnovers while the Mountaineers high press disrupted Blaine’s offense. “We got a lot of good looks in the first half that we weren’t able to finish,” head coach Ryan Pike said. “But in the second half, we got those same looks and were able to finish them.” At halftime, Blaine led 16-15. Alia Ball had seven points, Deja Dube had 5 and Hailey Pike had 4. Into the third quarter, the girls widened the gap. Hailey led the scoring as the Blaine caught Baker out on multiple fast breaks. After a big play from Krystin Kamrath, stuffing a Mount Baker forward, carrying the length of the court and dishing to Hailey, the girls had the momentum needed to secure the win. Hailey finished with 22 points, Dube finished with 11, Ball had 7 and Kamrath had 3. Hailey also led in rebounds with 10 and Kamrath had 7. On the defensive side, Blaine had 12 deflections and 16 steals. The girls came into the game on the back of their third win in 10 games so far this season. Blaine beat Sedro-Woolley 53-19 at home January 13. Ryan said the girls had a slow start getting back into their rhythm after winter break but have now found some momentum he hopes they can carry to the end of the season. They go onto play Meridian on the road Saturday, January 22, at

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s Junior Pereira Mayako takes down her opponent in Blaine’s multi-school wrestling tournament Saturday in the Blaine High School gymnasium. Photo by Janell Kortlever 7:15 p.m. Then the girls travel to Squalicum Wednesday, January 26, at 7:35 p.m. Blaine is 4-7. Sports roundup Boys basketball After a tough home loss to undefeated Lynden Christian, the Borderites traveled to Sedro-Woolley Saturday where they beat the Cubs 60-38. Then the boys hosted La Conner Monday and won 72-29. They were scheduled to travel to Mount Baker Wednesday night. Carrying some momentum into the end of the season, the Borderites play at home this Friday, January 21, against Meridian. Next week, they host Squalicum Wednesday, January 26. Both games are at 7:15 p.m. The boys are 7-5 so far this season. Wrestling Girls varsity wrestling hosted a multi-school invitation in the high school gymnasium this Saturday, January 15. The girls are scheduled to trav-

el to Meridian for a conference tournament Tuesday, January 18, with competitions starting at 6 p.m. Their final tournament of the season is Saturday, January 29, at Kamiak High School in Mukilteo. Boys varsity wrestling will compete next at Lynden in a conference matchup Thursday, January 20, according to the schedule. Their final tournament on the schedule this season is Saturday, January 22, at Quincy High School. Both teams have had multiple competitions canceled recently as a surge in Covid-19 cases has been linked to past high school wrestling meets.

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Donated bicycles reach new owners in Rwanda By Ian Haupt Bike donations that were dropped off last April at the Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club have made it to Rwanda where they will be given to locals, donation coordinators said. Over 500 bikes from Washington and B.C. were loaded into a shipping container in Vancouver and shipped this summer. In September, the container arrived in Rwinkwavu, Rwanda on

September 28. The bikes were then unloaded and assembled, and the container was cleaned, painted and refurbished into a bike distribution and repair shop to be run by locals. “It was so successful that we plan on doing another one in the spring,” said Terry Mahoney, Washington state coordinator. The plan is to collect and ship another 500 bikes to Rwanda next year, but Mahoney said it takes months to prepare for an-

other fundraiser – buying the container, alerting people in the area and preparing the shipping logistics. The total project costs around $20,000, he said in the spring, and took almost a year to complete. Over $25,000 was raised last spring for the cost of shipping the container and leaving it to be used as a shop. Bicycles allow people who primarily walk to travel twice the distance, twice as fast and carry four times the load, ac-

cording to Mahoney. Rwanda Bookmobile, a non-governmental organization, allocated bikes to the Reading Riders program at libraries across Rwanda to empower librarians to visit their local communities, according to information Mahoney provided. Another batch of bikes were gifted to the Imbuto Foundation to empower its social workers to have more freedom to visit constituents served by its Early Childhood

Development Centers, nationwide. Most of the bikes have been gifted to various worthy causes throughout the Rwinkwavu community, especially the children’s bikes, according to information Mahoney provided. Mahoney said racing bikes were given to a local cycling team. For those looking to donate, more information will be released in the spring when dropoff locations open.

January 20-26, 2022 • thenorthernlight.com

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The Northern Light • January 20-26, 2022

Pets & Pet Care

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The perfect breed to select for an easier-to-train dog Training is one of the most effective ways to keep companion animals safe and secure. When prospective pet owners begin looking for a new dog, one of the first thoughts that may come to mind is trainability and whether certain breeds are more readily trainable than others. The pet food manufacturers at Honest Kitchen indicate that many factors can make a difference in how easily a dog can be trained, and breed is just one of them. Certain traits can suggest trainability, but how the animal is bred, raised and socialized affects how well a dog takes to training as well. The American Kennel Club reports that certain dogs are more willing to comply with owner requests, while others are bred to work independently and may be

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less likely to immediately respond to commands from their owners. Certain traits can make some dogs a little easier to train than others. For example, dogs that are food-motivated and enjoy being around people may be more easily trained than those without such traits. Though there’s no guarantee any dog will take to training, the following are some breeds that are generally considered training-friendly. • Border collies: Collies are bright and energetic dogs that like to herd with their agility and intelligence. • Australian shepherd: Another herding dog, Aussies have a natural focus on their owners and are bred to work with them in challenging environments. • Doberman pinchers: Dobermans are smart and attentive to their owners. They have traditionally been employed as guard dogs and require careful training and socialization to be tolerant of strangers. • German shepherds: These workhorses serve many different roles because of their affinity for learning tasks. Like Dobermans, look for a well-socialized German

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intelligent and amiable. They often will do anything to please their owners. Labrador retrievers also take to training well and are very affectionate. • Papillon: Smaller dogs are often dubbed “stubborn” or “independent.” But papillons are incredibly smart, trainable and naturally focused.

The pet advisement site K9 of Mine warns that some of the smartest, most easily trained dogs may not necessarily be the easiest to live with. They can get bored easily and destroy things around the house if they can’t keep their minds occupied. This is a factor to consider when selecting a breed as well.

Try positive reinforcement when addressing pets’ behavioral issues What can pet owners do when their pets exhibit unwanted behaviors, such as damaging furniture or jumping up on people? The first instinct may be to yell or punish the pet by being cross with him or her. However, many animal behaviorists believe that positive reinforcement training is the most effective way to address pets’ behavioral issues. Positive reinforcement training, according to The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), utilizes rewards for desired behaviors. The reward, whether it is a treat, praise, toys or anything the pet finds rewarding, will eventually get the pet to repeat the behavior that earned him or her that reward. Rather than punishing a bad behavior, pet owners who utilize positive reinforcement reward good behaviors. Positive reinforcement also is

known as operant conditioning. It is a similar concept studied by famed Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov. When the dinner bell rang, Pavlov’s dogs salivated. The American Kennel Club says that was classical conditioning because the dogs salivated involuntarily. However, operant training conditioning is when dogs learn to associate their behavior with certain results, all the while learning there are good and bad outcomes. The goal is to increase behaviors with pleasant consequences, such as receiving a reward. Experts say that by focusing on the positive, pet owners will see fewer side effects than negative punishment training, such as aggression, fear, anxiety and avoidance. Timing is the key to positive reinforcement training. The reward must occur immediately after the

desired behavior or the pet may not associate it with the proper action. So if the dog sits, then the reward has to come as soon as it gets on the floor. If the reward comes when he has stood back up, then the pooch may think the reward is for standing. When practicing positive reinforcement, keep commands short and training sessions brief so that dogs can understand before they get restless. Dogs don’t understand sentences, says HSUS, and they will lose interest if sessions are too long. Consistency also is essential. Each person interacting with the pet should use the same commands and cues to achieve the desired result, which is a well-behaved pet. It may take time for a pet to acclimate to commands and training. But with patience, positive reinforcement can be effective.

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Legals IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR WHATCOM COUNTY In re the Estate of: DAVID MICHAEL SIMS, JR., Deceased. No. 21-4-00786-37. NOTICE TO CREDITORS Judge Robert E. Olson. 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: December 29, 2021 with Clerk of Court: Date of First Publication: January 6, 2022 Name of Administrator: NICOLE MARIE SIMS 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: December 29, 2021 AVERY ELDER LAW, P.S. STEVEN D. AVERY, WSBA #35262 Attorney for Administrator: NICOLE MARIE SIMS www.averyelderlaw.com

IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of Edwin Barrett Jr, Deceased. NO. 214-00414-37. 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: January 6, 2022 Personal Representative: Mary Ullrich 808 NW 108th Street Seattle, WA 98177 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. 21-4-00414-37.

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SUPERIOR COURT OF WASHINGTON FOR WHATCOM COUNTY in re the Estate of ALLAN CALVIN KOCH, Deceased. No. 21-4-01055-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030). PLEASE TAKE NOTICE The above Court has appointed me as their Personal Representative of Decedent’s estate. Any person having a claim against the Decedent must present the claim: (a) Before the time when the claim would be barred by any applicable statute of limitations, and (b) In the manner provided in RCW 11.40.070: (i) By filing the original of the claim with the foregoing Court, and (ii) By serving on or mailing to me at the address below a copy of the claim. The claim must be presented by the later of: (a) Thirty (30) days after I served or mailed this Notice as provided in RCW 11.40.020(1)(c), or (b) Four (4) months after the date of first publication of this Notice. If the claim is not presented within this time period, the claim will be forever barred except as provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective for claims against both the Decendent’s probate and non-probate assets. Date of First Publication of this Notice: January 6, 2022 Personal Representative: Kenneth Ray Koch 5513 Salish Rd. Blaine, WA 98230

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Poll says WA economy is top legislative concern for 2022 The initial Crosscut/Elway poll marks the first time since 2014 that voters named the economy as the state’s top issue By Melissa Santos / Crosscut.com For the first time in eight years, the economy tops the list of issues Washington voters want the Legislature to address in 2022, eclipsing homelessness and Covid-19 as the leading concerns statewide, according to a new Crosscut/Elway Poll. The new poll, released Thursday, asked 400 registered voters an open-ended question about what topics state legislators should focus on when they convene for a new session next week. Nearly a third of respondents – 32 percent – named economic issues as the most important for the Legislature to tackle. While the economy typically ranks high among voters’ list of priorities, in the past few Crosscut/Elway Polls, the coronavirus and homelessness have led as the top issues. Last January, 52 percent of poll respondents said the Legislature should focus most on responding to the novel coronavirus; that number dropped to 23 percent this year. This year, only 21 percent of those surveyed named homelessness as something the Legislature must try to solve, compared with nearly a third of poll respondents in 2020. Education, voters’ top issue from 2015 to 2018, was mentioned this year by only 8 percent of people surveyed.

Pollster Stuart Elway said the shift in voter priorities largely reflects how voter anxiety over the coronavirus is receding from levels seen a year ago. A similar number of voters last year said they were concerned about the economy, he said, but a far larger number at that time were deeply worried about Covid-19. “There’s an old saying in polling that the most important issue is either the economy, or it’s something else,” Elway said. “The economy has not been at the top of the list since 2014, but it’s back.” The Crosscut/Elway Poll has a 5 percent margin of error at the 95 percent confidence level, which means that if the survey had been conducted 100 times, the results would be within 5 percentage points of the results reported here at least 95 times. Those who named the economy as a top issue specifically mentioned inflation, employment rates and housing prices as concerns. Renee Townsend, who owns a small contracting company in Skagit County, said her business has slowed because of material shortages, as well as the increased cost of labor and materials to build houses. She said she has seen the price of some lumber packages increase fourfold from a year ago. “Where we used to build three houses on average a year, we are finishing one a year, if we are lucky,” said Townsend, 49, who

was one of the 400 people statewide who responded to the poll between December 26 and 28. “Even though I have people who would like to work, I can’t put them to work because I can’t get material for a job,” Townsend said. David Camp, a marketing consultant who lives in Spokane, said he doesn’t think the economy is doing terribly overall, but he is concerned about housing affordability. The 64-year-old Democrat thinks increasing housing density will help reduce the high costs of housing. To that end, he favors a proposal in the Legislature that would allow duplexes on all residential lots in cities of 10,000 or more. “I think housing affordability goes hand in hand with density. … The answer to affordable housing is largely more infill development,” said Camp, another poll respondent. He said he also favors denser buildings for environmental reasons. The Crosscut/Elway Poll found that voters were split on the housing density measure, which would eliminate single-family zoning in mid- to large-sized cities and open the door to building multifamily housing on all of those cities’ residential lots. A majority of poll respondents, 55 percent, said they opposed the plan, while only 37 percent said they support it. Townsend, who identifies as

politically independent but tends to vote for Republicans, said she’s not a fan. “I live out in the country and I want it to stay country,” she said. “Look at how crowded Seattle is – you can reach your neighbors’ house by putting your arm out the window. You can touch hands. I moved away from that.” In the 60-day legislative session, which starts Monday, lawmakers will also be discussing a proposal to ban high-capacity magazines for guns. That proposal garnered more support from poll respondents: 54 percent said they favored it, while 44 percent opposed it. Overall, the poll results suggest voters are less enthralled with Democratic leadership at the state level than they were two years ago. In January 2020, 52 percent of poll respondents said they were inclined to vote mostly for Democrats in that year’s state legislative races, while only 35 percent said they were likely to vote mostly Republican. This year, only 42 percent of those surveyed said they were likely to vote for mostly Democrats this fall, while 39 percent said they were likely to vote mostly for Republicans. That’s a big shift, Elway said, but it may not be as rosy news for Republicans as it may appear. In swing legislative districts, this year’s poll found that Democrats still have a substantial advantage,

he said. At the same time, Democratic governor Jay Inslee’s job approval ratings are the lowest they have been since he took office in January 2013. Only 39 percent of poll respondents this year rated Inslee’s performance as “excellent,” or “good,” while 60 percent said he was doing an “only fair” or “poor” job. Elway said Inslee’s current approval ratings “aren’t appreciably different” from the marks his predecessors, Democratic governors Chris Gregoire and Gary Locke, received at the end of their second and final terms in office. Inslee is now in his third term as governor. Elway said inflation rates and the ongoing pandemic aren’t helping Inslee win over voters right now. “People aren’t feeling so great about the economy. They’re tired of Covid, they’re tired of the mandates – and he’s been there through all of it,” Elway said. “So I think that’s a large part of it.” The Crosscut/Elway Poll surveyed voters around the state, with the number of respondents from each geographic region mirroring the state’s population distribution. Voters were contacted by text message and by calls to cellphones, in addition to calls made to landlines. Visit crosscut.com/donate to support nonprofit, freely distributed, local journalism.

January 20-26, 2022 • thenorthernlight.com

Blaine schools sees surge in cases, some classes moved online By Ian Haupt The Blaine school district had 118 reported Covid-19 cases last week between all its schools, and with the influx of cases, some classes are temporarily being moved to remote learning. Twenty-nine primary school students, 28 elementary school students, 26 middle school students, 33 high school students and two staff members tested positive last week, according to the district dashboard. The week before, starting January 3, had a total of 64 cases. Twenty-seven cases were reported during winter break, from December 20 to January 2. In September, a total of 96 cases were reported, which had

been the district’s record for cases in a month. January has nearly doubled that; the district had 22 more cases than that reported last week. According to superintendent Christopher Granger’s January 14 message, the district had an “unprecedented number” of staff and students out last week. Because of this, some individual classrooms or cohorts of students were temporarily moved to remote learning. The school district is working to review and implement new guidance similar to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) new guidance, which recommends isolating for five days if asymptomatic or symptoms resolving followed by five days

O B I T U A RY

of wearing a mask. Granger said while the district’s new guidance will be more specific, for many students and staff it will allow them to return to school sooner than previously allowed. However, a negative PCR test is still needed to return to school. “We want to remind everyone that any student or staff member who has been symptomatic needs a negative PCR test to return to work or school,” Granger wrote. PCR testing is available for students and staff every school day 10:30-11 a.m. on the north side of the middle school gym, across H Street from the Boys and Girls Club, according to the message. Enter the lot from Mitchell Avenue and proceed north around the gym.

Road Rules: How much room to leave for other cars at the intersection By Doug Dahl Question: As a driver coming from a different state, one of the first things I noticed here is that the cars seem so spread out at stop lights. I was taught to pull up fairly close to the vehicle in front of you to make room for other vehicles on the road. I’ve seen people leave one, two and even three car lengths between their car and the one in front of them. Is this courtesy not taught in driver education around here? The “big space” people block others from getting to a turn lane, block cars from entering the roadway and sometimes use up a good portion of a green light to get through an intersection. Answer: Until I read your question, I hadn’t noticed this as a problem. And then, on my next drive, I saw someone leave what looked like three car lengths between themselves and the car in front of them at a traffic light. Had I been overlooking a wide-reaching issue that’s been right in front of me? Probably not. More likely, I just experienced a frequency illusion; when something you just discovered suddenly starts showing up everywhere. While mostly benign, frequency illusions can influence traffic safety, and not in a good way. But that’s a topic for another article. Getting back to the question, this is a Goldilocks scenario. You brought up the “big space” drivers, but there are also the “too close” drivers. Researchers at Virginia Tech tested distances ranging from 1.25 feet to 50 feet, and found that the time to get vehicles through an intersection remained the same up to 25 feet. (For reference, the average car is about 15 feet long.) They found that the closer together the cars got, the longer each car waited to accelerate after the light turned green. That’s because once you’re moving, you need enough room

to keep a safe following distance. You also wondered if the problem came from our driver training. Blaming driving instructors for the behavior of drivers is like blaming your deity of choice for the behavior of all its followers. I suspected that driver’s ed wasn’t the problem; it’s the drivers who ignore what they were taught or never had driver training before getting their license. I checked with a few driving instructors to see what’s being taught and here’s what they said: Tires on tar. You should stop at a distance from the car in front of you where you can still see where their rear tires touch the pavement. That’s what Mr. Kowalke taught in driving class back when I took it, so the training is consistent. To see how far apart the “tires on tar” approach would put you, I tested it out and found that in my data set of one, it’s 13 feet between bumpers.

Along with Virginia Tech showing that any closer doesn’t help, driving instructors will tell you that leaving more room reduces the odds of “having two collisions in one day” by getting pushed into the car in front of you in a rear-end collision, allows you to see more of the road ahead, and gives you an “escape option” by having enough room to get around the car in front of you without backing up. I might be guilty of another frequency illusion, but it seems that when drivers leave a big gap at an intersection, drive considerably slower than the rest of traffic or otherwise engage in inconsistent driving behavior, the culprit is often inattention. Driving is a complex task, and it demands our full focus to do it safely. Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.

Rein Neem

December 31, 1937 – January 13, 2022 Rein Neem of Blaine, died of congestive heart failure January 13, 2022, in Bellingham, with his wife and daughter by his side. He was 84 years old. Rein was born in Parnu, Estonia on December 31, 1937, to the late Arseni and Leida Velt Neem. During WWII they fled to Sweden on a small boat with other refugees. They lived there for five years when they immigrated to Toronto, Canada, and three years later they moved to North Vancouver, BC where he completed his schooling, eventually graduating from the University of British Columbia. He became a teacher and taught in Quesnel, Vancouver, and most of his career in White Rock, BC. He loved his students and had many good memories of those years. He married Adella Marieanna Neyedly, originally from Esterhazy, Saskatchewan in 1964, and they raised three children, Paul Raymond, Eric Karl, and Carmen Pamela. Sadly their son Eric died of a brain tumor 1985. His second marriage was to Sharon Rose Ferguson of Burlington in 1990. They resided in Blaine. Rein retired from teaching in 1994, and they spent many happy times traveling to places like Mexico, Hawaii, and exploring numerous places in British Columbia, and the United States. He loved hunting, fishing, traveling, working in the yard, and feeding the birds. He was a member of the Surrey Retired Teachers’ Assoc., Royal Canadian Legion, Blaine Senior Center, Whatcom Genealogical Society, and attended events of the Vancouver, BC Estonian Society. Rein is survived by wife, Sharon Neem, of Blaine; daughter Carmen Payne and her husband Timothy Payne, and children Sydney and Logan Payne of Maple Ridge, BC; stepson Greg Ferguson, wife Kari Ferguson, and their sons Cole and Keegan Ferguson of Stanwood; stepson Brian Ferguson, and wife Jennifer Ferguson of Camano Island, and Brian’s daughters Abigail and Natalie Ferguson of Mount Vernon. He requested no services. His ashes will be buried next to his deceased son and his mother near Young Lake in British Columbia. Donations may be made in his honor to the Canadian or American Heart Associations.

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