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The Northern Light • March 10 - 16, 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. 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 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 Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVII, No 38 Circulation: 10,500 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
Next issue: March 17 Ads due: March 11
City of Blaine hires new employees
s The city of Blaine recently hired new employees. From l.; Gary McSpadden, public works maintenance and operations manager; Kevin O’Neill, police officer; Sandeep Sandhu, utility billing; and Naomi Soulard, promoted to deputy city clerk. Courtesy photos
Letters The Editor: A statement made regarding the library proposition in last week’s issue read, “We need to follow the will of the voters …” I agree with that statement and wish it were that simple. However, the majority of the voters did vote “yes.” The requirement was for a supermajority of 60 percent. We got 59 percent and 53 percent, known as simple majorities. We will continue to work to improve our community and look forward to hearing constructive suggestions in the future. Ruth Higgins FOBBL board member Birch Bay The Editor: I would like to add further information regarding the train noise issue in our area. On occasions while walking my dog in the very early morning, I have endured the echoing of the many trains that traverse the area. Often the horn blasts repeat up to a dozen times. Noise pollution has been proven to add to physical and mental stress. It is worsening with ever-expanding population and urban growth. The train noise around Blaine is further amplified by having the railroad adjacent to the water. We moved here recently from the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro area. For over a decade many suburbs of the Twin Cities have had noise ordinances passed to curtail the noise by trains in populated areas. The old railroad crossings were upgraded to ones that had improved visual warnings and signs stating they were “no horn” crossings. They are in effect 24 hours of the day. Safety was not compromised. The train noise ordinance rules were voted in by the cities and the railway crossing improvements were paid for by
the railroads. This is a lifestyle issue. I sincerely hope that the cities of Blaine, Ferndale and Bellingham will consider adopting the train noise ordinance rules that were successfully implemented when we lived in Minnesota. Gabriel Komjathy Blaine The Editor: Regarding Blaine’s old 1909 City Hall, it is rather sad to read in last week’s issue of The Northern Light that the city plans to tear down the building. There goes another piece of Blaine’s history! Too bad, since that building would have been great as a museum, it’s in the right location, plus it already has Blaine’s “turn of the century” theme. Or maybe that is gone too, judging by the new building design proposals for downtown. Just think: Not too many years ago that building housed not only city hall, the fire and police departments, but also a tiny library. Now the fire department is on Odell Road (on property that had to be annexed to the city), city hall is tucked away on the third floor of the Banner Bank building, and the police station is crammed into the former post office. Police chief Donnell Tanksley is right that a more centrally located police station between east Blaine and Semiahmoo would be ideal. Remember when the city had a chance to buy the old Geographic factory building (now “The Golden Nut Company”) on Odell Road for around $1.6 million, with enough room to house all three of the above city services, and with ample parking? Oh well, hindsight is great, and city hall decided to remain downtown. Signed by an old Blaine resident with a long memory, Elisabeth Angell Blaine
The Editor: It was so good to read the news of The Northern Light being awarded the Blaine Chamber of Commerce’s Business of the Year Award, as well as see the photograph of the hardworking staff and also read the publisher’s note, and Bette Bach Fineman’s letter about the value and need for a local newspaper. For over 20 years, I have looked forward every week to this newspaper, which provides details of all that is going on in the neighborhood. Pat Grubb and Louise Mugar do an outstanding job of professionally publishing our news and Grace McCarthy writes well and accurately, with a very small staff. With the demise of so many local newspapers we are very, very fortunate to have The Northern Light and I very much appreciate the dedication and hard work needed to produce it every week. It has been particularly valuable during Covid-19 when many of our activities have been limited. Congratulations and thank you all very much. Trevor Hoskins Blaine The Editor: Hearty congratulations on your honor as business of the year in Blaine! I would argue, regardless of the size of the press, they are not only the businesses of the year, but of every year. Particularly, the last several years would have been impossible without truth and clarity provided by the press. Well done! Georgia Donovan 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: Third Thursday, 11 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
