Semiahmoo golfers donate to food bank

The Northern Light is published weekly by Point Roberts Press Inc.

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The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVIII, No 12

Circulation: 10,500 copies Circulation Independently verified by:

Next issue: Sept. 8 Ads due: Sept. 2 Good Ol’ Boys donate $18,500 to food bank

s Blaine Food Bank operations manager Sally Church, l., and Thomas Yang of the Good Ol’ Boys golf group hold an $18,500 check to the food bank alongside members of the golf group. The Semiahmoo golf group raised the money during its third annual golf tournament at Semiahmoo Golf and Country Club on August 19. The donation surpassed the past two donations, which were $14,000 in 2020 and $16,000 in 2021. Photo by Grace McCarthy

Letters

The Editor:

After reading your article about revising downtown zoning, I heard that little girl from Poltergeist warning, “They’re back…”

With new members of city council including a developer and an interim city manager, the developers once again are pouncing to close in downtown with tall buildings. Did that new construction at the corner of 3rd and H streets encourage them too? Many of us are hoping the roof of that behemoth is actually wings, and that it’ll fly away to White Rock, B.C. to join the other high rises there.

It was just a recent four years ago, that this community resoundingly said, “No!” to tall buildings along Peace Portal Drive. What was not understood about that? If developers can’t build with the current zoning, then sell the land that has gone way up in value in the past year. A nice profit can be made in just doing that.

Blaine would benefit, and could be an even better place to live in being developed more. In going with developed instead of developer, perhaps city officials might consider working with gas and grocery businesses to give Blaine residents a discount. More business will surely come to them with that. Filling vacant storefronts by maybe helping elsewhere established small businesses in coming here to expand. (Any other Edaleen’s out there?) Open the rail station. Buy up the open spaces along the water. With any building along Peace Portal Drive, insist on keeping some water views, and do control heights. Taller and bigger aren’t better. Better is better.

We in Blaine live an island kind of quality of life. Located in the middle of so much we are more as an eye is in the surrounding storm. A town that is safe, quiet, not crowded and still with scenic open water views. A potpourri, yet a place where many residents know each other, and without those who are demanding. Before any decision to go with quantity is made, consider the cost in doing such to our quality of life.

Ray Leone

Blaine

The Editor:

He stopped by the Jansen Art Center the other day. He didn’t tell me his name, but said he lived alone in a trailer park, was retired and on a fixed income. He recently had a stroke. His faith and a kind neighbor pulled him through. He has a son he is so proud of – a Marine.

He visits the Jansen often to admire the art. His favorite exhibit is the high school show in the spring. The work of the young artists is amazing. He always buys something to support them. He would love to make purchases from the other exhibits, but just can’t afford it.

I cannot get him out of my mind. This is what the Jansen is all about – a place for everyone to appreciate, enjoy and love.

Diana Warner, Jansen Art Center volunteer

Blaine

The Editor:

It has been two months since the U.S. Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, but we cannot allow the importance of this decision to be buried under the onslaught of news we receive every day. Our laws here in Washington state still protect the right to an abortion, but we cannot take these rights for granted. We had to fight for these rights, piece by piece. An anti-choice Republican majority in Olympia could repeal these laws just the same way pro-choice legislators, largely Democrats, enacted them! Bills to protect

(See Letters, next page)

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 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 Planning Commission: Second and fourth Thursdays, 6 p.m. Info: blainepc@cityofblaine.com. Info for joining Zoom meetings: bit.ly/2CiMKnk. Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Second Tuesday, 5:30 p.m., location varies. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Virtual meeting info: bbbparkandrec.org/board-meetings. Blaine Park and Cemetery Board: Second Thursday, 9 a.m., virtual meeting. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330. Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district offices. Info and virtual meeting link: blainesd.org. North Whatcom Fire & Rescue: Third Thursday, 11 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.