February 1 - 7, 2024
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Blaine man pleads guilty in superior court, page 3
Whatcom County Council roundup, page 3
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Outdoor obstacle course grant, page 7
Birch Bay Boys basketball faces Sehome on senior night Beach Park to be priority under county park plan B y P a t G r u bb
s Blaine junior forward Abdul-Fattah Kanagie pulls up for a jump shot against Sehome on January 30. The Borderites honored six departing seniors, and will play one more home game against Mount Baker in the Northwest Conference 1A District playoffs on Monday, February 5.
Photo by Nolan Baker
Two new officers join Blaine police force By Nolan Baker The Blaine Police Department (BPD) announced the hiring of two new officers who are set to join in the fall after they finish training. The new BPD officers, Travis Campbell and Reagan Ritzer, along with a third candidate yet to be named, will bring the police force to a total of 13 officers. Campbell and Ritzer have yet to complete their required police academy training; Campbell is slated to attend academy in March, and Ritzer will attend in April. Officers spend 720 hours – roughly six months – at police academy in Burien, which is a requirement for all new officer candidates with no police experience, according to BPD lieutenant Tim Richardson. Campbell is originally from Pueblo, Colorado, and recently retired after 24 years of service with the U.S. Navy where he was a chief hospital corpsman. Campbell specialized in pulmonary medicine, critical care and emergency medicine, and did three tours in Washington during his time in the Navy, according to a January 16 BPD social media post. Ritzer hails from Olympia, and moved to Whatcom County four years ago to attend Western Washington University. Ritzer graduated in 2023 with a degree in economics before changing career paths to
pursue law enforcement. “I’m looking forward to serving the community and meeting you all soon,” Ritzer wrote in the BPD post. “I’m happy to be a part of the city of Blaine team.” BPD hopes to continue adding officers to its staff, with a goal of five more hires in the next few years as the city bounces back from the pandemic, Richardson said. Richardson told The Northern Light the addition of two new officers will allow for more police presence on the streets of Blaine, while also allowing more scheduling flexibility for the current officers. “Once we are caught up and fully staffed, officers will have more time and opportunities to be proactive in our community,” Richardson said. “When we are short staffed, it really puts a strain on a small department like ours.” Richardson said 13 officers is an improvement, but still not where the department would like to be. “There is more overtime, more stress and less time to interact with our community,” Richardson said. “We want a fully staffed department so we can better serve our citizens and keep Blaine safe.” For context, the city of Blaine, with a census-designated population of 5,884 and 13 patrol officers, would equate to a ratio of 452 citizens for every patrol officer. In Ferndale, the ratio is 681 citizens to one
officer, according to city data. In Lynden, 19 officers policing 15,749 people equates to an 828 to one citizen-to-officer ratio. The city of Bellingham has 68 patrol officers according to its 2024 adopted budget, policing a population of roughly 91,000 people. The citizen-to-officer ratio is 1,338 to one. Blaine also is home to multiple federal authorities such as Customs and Border Protection, due to the city’s proximity to the international border. “We want our officers to engage with (See Police, page 2)
INSIDE
Birch Bay is expected to get a hefty chunk of money spent on county park facilities that will be worked on in the next few years, with most of the funding going to the Birch Bay Beach Park. Every six years, Whatcom County updates its park, recreation and open space plan in order to be considered for grants from the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. The plan sets out the Whatcom County Parks and Recreation District’s plans and goals for the next six years. Last updated in 2016 and delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Whatcom County Council adopted the plan January 23. County parks director Bennett Knox said the state’s recreation and conservation office approved the comprehensive plan January 29. The parks comprehensive plan includes the district’s six-year capital improvement plan, which county council adopted last June, that details the department’s planned expenditures of about $30.3 million through 2028. The department is planning to spend nearly $5.86 million developing the first phase of the Birch Bay Beach Park ($5.37 million) and demolishing the Bay Hostel at Bay Horizon Park ($493,000). Those two items alone will eat up 19 percent of the department’s infrastructure budget. The Birch Bay Beach Park is a 4.1-acre property at 7930 Birch Bay Drive, near the future Birch Bay Vogt Library Express. Design of the park’s first phase is anticipated to start in 2025, and would include a restroom, shelter and parking, Knox said. Construction would ideally begin in 2026. “It was moved up in the plan because of the community support,” he said of the Birch Bay park. “It’s been something the community has been looking forward to for a while.” Next on the list is Lake Whatcom, which will receive $3.8 million for a trailhead and nearly $1.1 million for trail development for a total of $4.9, or 16.3 percent of the budget. Silver Lake is up for $4.67 million that will be spent on shower and restroom facilities ($4.2 million), roofing ($231,000), cabin renovations ($183,700) and demolition work ($61,800). All in all, these expenses represent 15 percent of the six-year plan. Hovander Park can expect to haul in $147,400 for roofing, $55,500 for demolition work, $440,750 for picnic shelters, $262,000 for flood mitigation, $2,400,000 for access improvements, $130,000 for the maintenance shop and $275,000 for a master plan. Total expenditures? $3.71 million, or 12.2 percent of the plan. Blaine can expect to see $50,000 in investment on a new sewage pump at Semiahmoo Park. Blaine’s share represents 0.16 percent of the budget. Grace McCarthy contributed to the reporting of this article.
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
VOTE YES TO KEEP
February bird of the month: Surf scoter
OUR PARK AND RECREATION
IN BLAINE AND BIRCH BAY
Police ... From page 1
citizens and business owners to build up those relationships,” Richardson said. “We take pride in the level of service that we give the people of Blaine. We want to continue growing with the city and providing more services for everyone’s safety.”
“Whenever I ask folks ‘why’ they keep coming back to the Birch Bay Activity Center, I hear stories (some emotional) about friendship, social connection, health and well-being, learning, fitness, and fun. I’m thinking that’s a pretty good package of benefits!” – Coach Mark Livingston, Pickleball Teaching Pro at BBAC since 2020
Check the back side of your ballot to vote YES! bbbprd2_pac@yahoo.com • Paid for by: Blaine-Birch Bay Park & Recreation District 2 PAC 978 Harrison Ave., Blaine, WA 98230
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s Travis Campbell. Photo courtesy Blaine Police Department
s In winter, surf scoters are found in abundance in Birch Bay and Drayton Harbor, where they come from Alaska to feed and mate. The male's black body, white head patches and yellow-orange bill makes it easily identifiable, while the female's brown coloring allows camouflage in wooded nesting areas. Watching them "surf" while landing, diving for food, and seeing the male stretching its neck and bowing to the female in its mating ritual, makes these birds fun to watch. You'll likely see surf scoters during field trips at the Wings Over Water Birding Festival, March 15-17. Photos by Chuck Kinzer / CKimageart.com, taken from Drayton Harbor Road
s Reagan Ritzer. Photo courtesy Blaine Police Department
February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
Blaine man pleads guilty to child rape By Grace McCarthy A Blaine man has pleaded guilty in Whatcom County Superior Court to raping a child between the ages of 12 and 14 years old over the course of two years. Adam Joshua Mather, 41, pled guilty on January 16 to two counts of second-degree child rape. Court records show Mather’s plea deal amended down two additional charges of second-degree child rape and two charges of third-degree child rape. Mather faces a standard sentencing range of 8.5 to 11.3 years in prison, though he could serve up to life in prison, according to court records. On May 4, 2021, the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office (WCSO) responded to Birch Bay man who called 911 to report his 17-yearold daughter had been raped from the ages of 12 to 15, according to the affidavit of probable cause (APC). The daughter told
the responding WCSO deputy that Mather, who was a family friend, had sexually abused her about a hundred times. The girl told WCSO about incidents where Mather assaulted her. In one incident, the girl told Mather to stop, but he didn’t, and then Mather told the girl not to tell anyone because he would get in trouble. The girl said she gave up fighting Mather after she turned 13. The girl said Mather appeared at her window around 4:30 a.m. January 22, 2019 and began telling her what to wear, according to court records. The girl told Mather to never come back and that she would tell her parents what he had done if he returned. She never saw or heard from him after, according to the APC. When the girl’s parents told Mather that they no longer wanted him around, he told them he would wait until she was 18 to see her, according to court records. The girl was approaching her 18th birthday when she report-
ed the assaults, and told law enforcement she was having sleep, appetite and anxiety issues because she was afraid Mather would hurt her. WCSO arrested Mather a day after the report, on May 5, 2021, according to Whatcom County Jail booking data. He was released on a $15,000 bond the next day. Mather is scheduled to be sentenced in Whatcom County Superior Court on March 14. If you or someone you know is affected by domestic or sexual violence, the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) 24-hour hotline is available at 360/715-1563 or 877/715-1563. Brigid Collins Family Support Center, a Bellingham-based nonprofit working to end child abuse, can be reached at 360/734-4616 and brigidcollins.org. Lummi Victims of Crime has a 24-hour helpline at 360/312-2015. The National Domestic Violence Helpline operates a chat line at thehotline.org/help.
Whatcom County Council sets state legislative priorities, highlights opioid epidemic and cost of living By Nolan Baker Whatcom County Council had a busy start to the year. From naming dozens of citizens to various advisory boards, to petitioning the state and federal government to declare a state of emergency in regards to the ongoing opioid crisis, to setting legislative priorities while the state government is in session, here’s a roundup of recent happenings at county council. Jail agreement In the first meeting of 2024, on January 9, council extended an interlocal agreement with the city of Blaine to extend the county jail use agreement through December 31, 2024. The contract allows suspects arrested by Blaine city police to be held in the county jail in Bellingham, with the city of Blaine held responsible for the cost of holding the inmate. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office holds these interlocal agreements with many other cities and tribes around Whatcom County. Opioid crisis In response to the opioid and fentanyl crisis that is tearing through communities in Whatcom County and across the U.S., council passed two resolutions, requesting both governor Jay Inslee and President Joe Biden declare official states of emergency in response to the opioid and fentanyl crisis. According to figures cited by the county, 132 Whatcom ounty residents died of opioid overdoses in 2023, compared to 91 in 2022. Those figures have increased every year since 2018. The Lummi Indian Business Council declared a state of emergency in September 2023, and implemented harsh restrictions
in tandem with the sheriff’s office to attempt to curb the number of overdose-related deaths. Funding for people with developmental disabilities County council also voted to approve an addition of more than $600,000 in funding to provide services for adults and children with developmental disabilities, bringing the total amount over $6 million. The funding comes in tandem with the state department of Social and Health Services, and provides funding for employment and community inclusion services for adults and child development services for children from birth to three, according to county documents. Birch Bay Beach Park funding Whatcom County updated its park, recreation and open space plan to be considered for state Recreation and Conservation Office (RCO) grants during the January 23 meeting. With the update, the parks department will prioritize developing the first phase of the Birch Bay Beach Park, costing about $5.86 million, or 19 percent of the county park budget through 2028. The park will be located at 7930 Birch Bay Drive, near to the future Birch Bay Vogt Library Express. Legislative priorities County council clarified its legislative priorities for the brief, but busy, 2024 Washington state Legislative session. State lawmakers began the legislative session on January 8, and will conclude on March 1, 2024. With just eight weeks to work, county council set a list of priorities for local representatives to focus on. Council requested an additional $360,000 from the state in
order to increase the number of families helped with the county’s motel shelter program. The program, which works in partnership with multiple private aid agencies, helps homeless families find temporary housing, usually in a motel, with a goal to move into permanent housing. Nearly 70 percent of families find permanent housing, and the program costs the county much less than traditional emergency shelters, according to county documents. The county requested $80,000 from the state legislature to support Point Roberts tourism recovery after, “the economic devastation of the pandemic.” The funds would go toward design and planning costs for a new boat ramp at the Point Roberts Marina. Council also highlighted a number of other “high priority issues” for local state representatives to focus on, including the skyrocketing cost of housing, climate action and salmon habitat recovery, watershed acquisition, and sustainable funding for law enforcement. During the January 23 county council meeting, council voted to enter into a contract with the state Department of Ecology to receive funding for technical assistance for the upcoming water adjudication of the Nooksack River, totaling $300,000. The funding will help the county increase public awareness about the upcoming water rights adjudication, which is set to begin the lengthy process of collecting and parsing out claims for water usage along the Nooksack. Ecology is set to begin the adjudication process this spring, which will affect thousands of surface, groundwater and well users across Whatcom County.
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
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. The letters to the editor column is primarily intended to allow readers to voice their opinions on local issues of general interest to local readers. A fresh viewpoint will increase the likelihood of publication. 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 Nolan Baker nolan@pointrobertspress.com Creative Services Doug De Visser, Ruth Lauman 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 Aspen Anderson, Doug Dahl, Jonathan Jakobitz, Ed Johnstone, Pete Nelson, Dianne Marrs-Smith
The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200, Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXVIV, No 33 Circulation: 10,500 copies
Circulation Independently verified by:
Letters Editor’s note: The Northern Light does not publish political support letters a week before an election. This week’s issue was the last week to have such letters published. The Editor: We can never let the chaos and injustice make us so blind with anger that we become part of the problem. Understanding, compassion and kindness are the only true revolutionary ideas. When we compromise those, we lose our humanity. Nancy Hamilton Blaine The Editor: I read, then re-read several times your reporting on January 25 of the Blaine City Council meeting of January 22. I wasn’t sure if I was reading a review of a TV sitcom. On what planet are recordings from anonymous “Professors” (who, in the age of AI, may not even be real people) allowed to be heard in a public hearing claiming city officials of malfeasance and in-person speakers claiming to be Star Wars characters allowed to make allegations? Questions to power are the rights of citizens, and should be applauded, but if this city council allows this to be a joke, the Save Blaine is right for the wrong issues. Jay Tyrrell Blaine The Editor: I would like to start a conversation with our community about the service challenges we are facing at North Whatcom Fire and Rescue. Our call volumes have almost doubled in the last 10 years. EMS calls have increased by 50 percent and now account for most of our calls. Multiple emergencies happening at the same time are also occurring more frequently. As a result, we are seeing longer response times. Revenue from our fire levy has not kept up with demand for services, inflation and costs to provide services. We are limited by state law to just a one percent revenue increase per year, which is no longer adequate to meet the emergency service needs of our community. We need additional emergency personnel to respond to higher call volumes and staff our fire stations adequately so we can reach you faster in an emergency. We also need to put into service an additional response unit for medical emergencies. Several apparatus have reached the end of their service lives and need to be replaced, all of which are crucial for better response. Our busiest station in Birch Bay needs to be replaced to add additional space for responding personnel and meet current health and safety standards. We are considering asking voters for a fire levy lid lift sometime this year to fund these service improvements. This will be a public process and the community will have an opportunity to provide feedback before a final decision is made by the Board of Fire Commissioners. Please learn more at www.nwfrs.com. Jason Van Der Veen Chief, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue
The Editor: Is Blaine school district’s February 13 proposed $70 million capital bond premature? From phone calls and emails to and from the school district, treasurer and Whatcom County Assessor’s Office, information I needed about the capital bond seems unavailable. I asked the school district to send me a line-item spreadsheet listing the various capital cost projects making up to $70 million and the timing and costs attributed to each item. That spreadsheet must exist. It was a reasonable request. Nothing was provided. I was told the district is replacing their finance director, but I do not know why or whether the district still stands by their numbers. I also asked whether the school district had considered applying for federal funds under any of the 2021 $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan stimulus bill, the $2.2 trillion Cares Act or the 2023 $550 billion Infrastructure, Investment and Jobs Act – apparently, there are pots of money that state and local agencies can still apply for to be used for specific projects such as upgrading school air quality and ventilation systems and other construction projects. I was told the school district would add the infrastructure bill to a list of items to discuss with leaders. $70 million is a substantial sum and I do not have the information necessary to appreciate the reasons or pricing for the projects or the probable increases in property taxes resulting from the bond. By February 13, we won’t have our 2024 property tax bills. Every year, we face increases in our property taxes and yet, by February 13, we will not have the information we need to assess our desire/ability to pay even more. As taxpayers, we are already paying for the federal infrastructure and relief bills, but it appears to me that no one here has attempted to apply for federal funds so that the local taxpayers do not have to pay twice. The school board needs to complete its research and investigation. I will be rejecting the $70 million capital bond proposition. Jack H. Grant Blaine (Editor’s note: It was reported in the January 25 issue of The Northern Light that Blaine school district finance director Amber Porter was leaving to take a position at the Oak Harbor school district.) The Editor: How many readers know that Whatcom County has no representation on the PeaceHealth Medical System Governing Board? How many know that health services decisions that affect you, your family, your neighbors, your doctors and our only hospital are made by people who do not live in our community? PeaceHealth has medical facilities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. St. Joseph Hospital is the sole hospital for over 230,000 people in Whatcom County. How can PeaceHealth justify the fact that
Comments from the website ... The Editor: The Blaine Partnership Project appreciates The Northern Light providing independent, accurate information to your readers. Speaking for the project, we appreciate the Blaine City Council encouraging the city administration to be a leading part of this team effort. Public agencies and nonprofit organizations can team up to create partnership projects that for-profit companies cannot afford to do on their own. Once the public and the nonprofits show what’s possible, wonderful things can happen, especially when the fourth sector, the grassroots, steps up to help. You can think of it as a recipe; it’s best when all four sectors are in the mix, and when there’s political will to attempt something new. To The Northern Light’s coverage [on revealed designs for Blaine library], I would like to add that if anyone has questions, concerns, suggestions or other comments, they can contact me by email at paulschissler@gmail.com or phone at 360/201-8900. Paul Schissler Blaine Partnership Project spokesperson Bellingham The Editor: Joyce [Vanderpol] is truly an amazing lady with vision, enthusiasm and energy. Happy Birthday, Joyce! May you have many more healthy, happy and productive years ahead. Bonnie Onyon 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.
Next issue: Feb. 8 Ads due: Feb. 2
we have no representation on the system governing board? Five of the seats are filled by three people from California, one from Denver and one from Chicago. What are we, chopped liver? When PeaceHealth administrators in Vancouver, Washington announced last May it was shutting down outpatient palliative care (OPPC) and other services, a letter-writing blitz and other protests led to corporate management’s decision to reinstate OPPC. (However, we still do not know the operational details of the reinstatement.) This untenable lack of representation on the system governing board can be easily rectified – as soon as PeaceHealth management exercises its will to make it happen. I encourage readers to contact Charles Prosper, head of PeaceHealth’s NW Network in Bellingham, to request, on behalf of the community where he works and lives, to relay our “ask” of representation to PeaceHealth’s top management in Vancouver. Sheri Lambert Laurel
Blaine City Council: Second and fourth Mondays, 6 p.m., Blaine City Council chambers, 435 Martin Street. Info: ci.blaine.wa.us. Blaine Planning Commission: Second Thursday, 6 p.m. Info: blainepc@ cityofblaine.com. Info for joining Zoom meetings: bit.ly/3EwWiZi. Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation: Meetings are second Tues-
day, 5:30 p.m., location varies. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Blaine Park and Cemetery Board: Second Thursday, 9 a.m., council chambers and virtual meeting. Info: 360/332-8311, ext. 3330. Blaine School Board: Fourth Monday, 7 p.m., Blaine school district offices. Info: blainesd.org. North Whatcom Fire & Rescue: Third Thursday, 11 a.m., Station 61 at 9408 Odell Road and via Zoom. Info: nwfrs.net.
February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
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Opinion Op-Ed: Billy Frank Jr. statue unveiled 50 years after Boldt decision
CITY OF BLAINE February 8, 2024 9:00 AM – Public Works and Parks Advisory Board February 12, 2024 6:00 PM – City Council Meeting February 19, 2024 City Offices Closed – Presidents Day February 26, 2024 6:00 PM – City Council Meeting February 27, 2024 3:30 PM – Civil Service Commission Meeting
s From l.; Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) chairman Ed Johnstone, Nisqually Tribal chairman Willie Frank III and NWIFC executive director Justin Parker stand next to the Billy Frank Jr. statue unveiled at the Washington state Capitol in Olympia January 10. Photo courtesy Washington State Archives
By Ed Johnstone, NWIFC chairman Family, friends and tribal and state leaders recently witnessed the unveiling of a model of the Billy Frank Jr. statue in a ceremony at the state Capitol. The four-foot model depicting Billy sitting on the banks of the Nisqually River beside salmon and a fishing net is now on display outside lieutenant governor Denny Heck’s office. It was an emotional moment for those of us who knew Billy, to see his likeness and spirit so beautifully captured in this sculpture of our longtime Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) chairman who always taught us, “Tell your story.” Sculptor Haiying Wu, wellknown for the Fallen Firefighters Memorial in Seattle’s Pioneer Square neighborhood, has been working closely with the Nisqually Tribe and the Frank family. Once the model is approved by the Architect of the U.S. Capitol, Wu will complete the 9-foot bronze statue destined for the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C., in 2025. Our state Legislature passed a bill in 2021 selecting this statue as one of two representing our state in the nation’s capital, recognizing Billy’s lifelong dedication to fighting for the rights of Indigenous people. Billy is on all of our minds as we approach February 12, the 50th anniversary of Judge George Boldt’s U.S. v. Washington decision, which reaffirmed tribal fishing rights and recognized the tribes as co-managers of the salmon resource. Billy was well known as the “getting arrested guy” during the Fish Wars leading up to the case, so it is hard to think of one without the other.
The treaty tribes are marking this 50-year milestone by telling our stories during a two-day event hosted by the Muckleshoot Tribe. From treaty times through the Fish Wars and Boldt decision, to the past few decades of combatting habitat loss and the effects of climate change, our goals have been the same: Exercise our treaty rights while taking care of the fish, shellfish and wildlife that have sustained our people for generations. The Boldt decision led to the framework for treaty tribes to build our natural resources departments and tribal governments to partner with the state as environmental stewards. The decision has been upheld in the U.S. Supreme Court and affirmed in subproceedings and additional court cases. The Rafeedie decision solidified tribal shellfish rights. The culvert case confirmed that it is a violation of treaty rights for state roads and bridges to block fish passage. And Hoh v. Baldrige determined that fisheries should be managed river by river to protect tribal fisheries in terminal areas. Another of Billy’s lessons is that it’s going to take all of us to recover salmon. Every year, fisheries co-management gets more difficult because salmon runs continue to decline and growing human populations continue to degrade habitat. The tribes have been saying for decades that reducing harvest alone will not restore salmon productivity and abundance. We need to work together to stop the ongoing destruction of habitat, contamination of our water, predation by seals and sea lions, and impacts of climate change. Natural resources managers must continue to fol-
low the latest science to address these environmental threats. As we reflect on the past 50 years, we are worried about the next 50 years. We are stewards of natural resources for the next seven generations, but we’re on the trajectory to having a treaty right to harvest a fish that has gone extinct. As we move forward, we must follow Billy’s example to set aside our differences and work together. In marking the anniversary of the Boldt decision, tribes carry on the work to inform everyone about the role treaty rights continue to play in fisheries management and protecting our environment. The statue of my mentor Billy Frank Jr. represents this commitment. It is an opportunity to educate people about where we came from while inspiring future generations of tribal leaders and reminding the entire country that
we’re still here. The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission (NWIFC) is an Olympia-based natural resources management support service organization for 20 treaty Indian tribes in western Washington.
Contact information for staff and Councilmembers can be found on the City’s website. Call (360) 332-8311 or visit our website.
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
s Junior Blaine guard Jacob Dohner attempts to dribble past a Sehome defender during the Borderites’ 74-59 loss on January 27. The Borderites have one game left in the regular season, at Ferndale on Thursday, February 1. The Borderites are locked into fourth place for the upcoming Northwest Conference 1A District playoff, and will face fifth-seed Mount Baker at home on Monday, February 5. Photo by Nolan Baker
Borderites prepare for winter district, state playoffs By Nolan Baker Boys Basketball The Blaine boys basketball (415, 2-12 NWC) team has had a tough year, made tougher by injuries and the knowledge, going into the final stretch of the regular season, that the Borderites are locked into the first round of district playoffs against Mount Baker. Despite knowing their postseason seeding is set, and a daunting stretch of opponents in its past week’s schedule, including NWC third-place Mount Vernon (16-2, 12-1) and fourth-place Anacortes (13-4, 9-3), the Borderites put up valiant efforts to close out the regular season. Due to snow cancellations, the Borderites were forced to play back-to-back road games, losing a close one to Burlington-Edison (10-11, 5-9), 70-62, on January 26. The Borderites were able to run their offense well, with good production from junior Abdul-Fattah Kanagie (13 points), senior Noah Tavis (15 points) and sophomore Landon Melton (14 points), but ultimately committed too many late turnovers to complete a comeback. The next day, the Borderites faced off against conference powerhouse Anacortes, but just weren’t able to stop one of the highest-scoring offenses in the conference, losing 86-47. On January 30, for the last home game of the regular season, the Borderites again tried to mount a late comeback against Sehome (9-10, 6-8), but just couldn’t keep up with the visitor’s 3-point shooting, losing 74-59. Seniors Uno Nevarez, Justin Minjarez, Riley Ihde, Conner
Dalry, Jesse Deming, and Noah Tavis were all honored pregame for their final home game at Blaine, but will play one more on Monday, February 5 when the Borderites face Mount Baker for the first round of the NWC 1A District playoffs. The winner of that game will play first-place Lynden Christian (18-1, 12-1) on Wednesday, February 7. The Borderites will travel to play Ferndale (6-12, 5-8) on Thursday, February 1 at 7:15 p.m. for its final regular season game. Stats provided by JWhatcomPreps.com Girls Basketball Blaine girls basketball (9-10, 5-9 NWC) has had an up-anddown year during the first season of head coach Vic Wolffis’ tenure. The Borderites started out the year with a three-game win streak, then lost seven of its next nine games, and now have won four of its last seven games. All told, the Borderites will play its final game of the regular season at home against Ferndale (9-9, 8-5) with a chance to finish the year with a .500 record. With seeding for 1A district playoffs basically decided, the Borderites are set at third place, and will face second-place Lynden Christian (14-5, 11-2) on the road on Wednesday, February 7 at 7 p.m. Lynden Christian is one of the highest-ranked teams in the state, scored the third-highest point totals in the conference, and shut down the Borderites offense in the only regular season meeting of the two teams, beating Blaine 66-24 on December 20. The Borderites have a hard
s Freshman Teia Dube looks around a Burlington-Edison defender during Blaine’s 62-24 loss on January 26. The Borderites will play their final regular season game on Thursday, February 1. Photo by Nolan Baker path ahead if state playoff hopes are in the crosshairs, but upsets can happen. The girls basketball team’s final home game will be against Ferndale on Thursday, February 1 at 7 p.m. Girls Wrestling Blaine girls wrestling had another outstanding team performance at the Lady Knights Invitational tournament on January 27 in Mukilteo, with the Borderites placing 4th overall out of a field of 22 teams. The Borderites were just 7.5 points shy of a third-place team finish, with five out of six Blaine wrestlers placing on the podium. Just like last week at the Lady Hawk Invitational on January 20, captains Lucy Dahl and Analicea Ordonez earned first place in their respective weight divisions.
s Senior Noah Tavis (l.) reaches out to block a pass during Blaine’s 7459 loss to Sehome on January 30. Tavis scored 10 points on the night. The Borderites play Ferndale on Thursday, February 1.
Photo by Nolan Baker
February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
BBBPRD2 receives grant for outdoor obstacle course, additional funding still needed
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s A rendering of the Greenfields Outdoor Fitness X-Treme Ninja Course 4, a possible obstacle course that could be built in Blaine. Greenfields awarded a $40,000 grant to the Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 for construction, but plans are still in the early phases as more funding will need to become available. Image courtesy Greenfields Outdoor Fitness
By Nolan Baker Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 (BBBPRD2) announced it was awarded a $40,000 grant to build an outdoor obstacle course based off of the hit T.V. show “American Ninja Warrior” but more funding is needed to make the course a reality. While construction and potential locations for the 1,800 to 2,300 square foot, “X-Treme Ninja” obstacle course are still up in the air, the $40,000 grant provides an opportunity for BBBPRD2 to add more recreation opportunities for older children and younger adults, groups not
often served by traditional playgrounds, district commissioner Sheli Moore said. Outdoor exercise equipment company Greenfields Outdoor Fitness awarded the grant to the parks district. “We didn’t really have any playground equipment that was handy for this age group in our community,” Moore said. “We do have the skate park and the disc golf course, but every other park equipment is pretty much geared toward younger kids.” Moore said that while official talks with the city of Blaine still need to take place, an easement on 7th Street, between F and G streets near the Grace Lutheran
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Church, has been earmarked as a potential location. Moore said the proximity to the schools, along with the ample parking provided by the church, means that location would be ideal for the park’s target demographic. The $40,000 grant will jumpstart the funding, but Moore expects construction and acquisition costs to start at roughly $180,000. Now that BBBPRD2 has received the grant, it has until the end of 2025 to purchase the equipment, and until July 2026 to begin construction. Funding sources are still unclear, and dependent on how the city’s 2025 operating budget shakes out, but will likely come from both the parks district and the city of Blaine. The fate of the new obstacle course depends on the outcome of the February 13 special election, when voters decide on BBBPRD2’s levy renewal, Moore said. Without the levy, Moore said, priorities will be forced to change.
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
Active S eniors
A senior perspective By Pete Nelson, executive
director
People ask me why I wanted to be a senior center director. I had choices and thought about working with kids; however, once I examined the issues senior centers within the U.S. were experiencing, I decided the role as the Blaine Senior Center executive director was right for me. I knew there would be a challenge, but I also knew there was a need within the community. Simply put, the senior population was rapidly growing and had never been as diversified as it was evolving to be. Senior centers were struggling, and change was needed. I also, for some of my claims, want to share that most senior centers accept members at the age of 50 and this was taken into consideration and was used in my fact finding for the job. Here is my senior perspective on why active centers for aging are so important: First, every study I read stated that seniors were rapidly outpacing children within the U.S. and I believe these trends are seen in Blaine. Our community also has a high percentage of seniors, compared to other areas of Whatcom County. Secondly, not only was the senior population growing
(thank you baby boomers!), but people were living longer. The U.S. Census shows that one in five Americans will be at least 65 years old by 2030, and 10 percent of the U.S. population will be 90 and over by 2050. Additionally, and this is one that everyone, including our local, state and federal governments, need to understand: When our population gets older, it becomes imperative to keep our older generations physically and emotionally healthy. Why? The U.S. Census shows there is a potential for our U.S. public health, social services and health care systems to become overburdened like never before (financially and supportively). Studies show that by keeping seniors self-reliant and in their homes, it helps to keep them out of the system and helps them live longer. This puts focus on services, like senior centers, to keep our older generations active. It also puts focus on the funds necessary to do so. My final learned perspective was this: We have the most diverse older generations ever. The Blaine Senior Center offers services to over 50 years of members (age 50 to 100-plus) and this population includes four generations: The “Greatest Generation” (born before 1928), the Interwar/
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11:30 am - 12:30 pm Thur, Feb. 1: Cabbage rolls, roasted sweet potato, mixed vegetables, chocolate chip cookie Fri, Feb. 2: Chef salad, wheat roll, fresh grapes Mon, Feb. 5: Denver and mushroom omelets, breakfast potatoes, fruit & yogurt parfait, orange juice s Blaine Senior Center executive director Pete Nelson. Photo by Grace McCarthy
Silent Generation (1929-1945), baby boomers (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980) and within seven years, millennials (Generation Y). This means that we have to appeal to multiple generations with everything from classes, programs, events, resources and even food. To put this into perspective, imagine a school system that had to focus on 50 years of generational differences. My youngest members at the center are closer in age to a high school senior than they are to my older members. These perspectives were all reasons I decided to help seniors. I also realize there is a need for advocacy for our aging population in Blaine, Washington state and nationally. Our Blaine center is growing and has made great strides in becoming a true “center for active living,” but we have a long way to go. Ageism, the act of denying an older person human rights, solely based on their age,
is a thing. And some of the ageism comes from our older population. Embracing our age and celebrating it is key. It is why we also implemented our number one rule at the center: Kindness. For me, understanding our older generations have a great number of wants and needs is imperative. For our older generations (age 50 and above), embracing emotional and physical health, education, community and more is conscious aging. The Blaine Senior Center is dedicated to growing and becoming the best center we can be. Your help and input is greatly appreciated as we embark on a new generation of aging and living as our best selves. Whether you are 50 or 100, this is how we embrace our aging population and show others and ourselves how much we can contribute to our community and today’s society. Pete Nelson is executive director of the Blaine Senior Center.
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February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
9
How empty nesters can repurpose bedrooms in their homes
File photo
It can be bittersweet when adult children decide the time has come to move out of the family home. Parents perhaps get their first trial run of this scenario when their children go off to college or enlist in the military. Rooms are left empty, if only for a certain period of time. Eventually, those rooms will remain empty as adult children move out of the house for good. Converting a child’s bedroom into an area for adults may take some planning. It can be exciting to regain space, but at the same time, it can be disheartening to
convert a child’s bedroom once and for all. When the time comes and homeowners are emotionally ready to tackle bedroom conversions, these tips can help the process go smoothly. • Repurpose the space for them. Give a childhood bedroom an adult spin without changing too much. If furniture is in good shape, replace the bedding, change the flooring, swap out artwork, and remove “youthful” items like toys, trophies and other collectibles. When the child comes home to visit, he or she will still feel com-
fortable in the space. • Create extra storage. The bedroom can be transformed into a walk-in closet or dressing space. According to the design experts at Houzz, many clients request this type of dressing room situation. There’s a bonus if the layout allows the space to connect to the owner’s suite or bathroom. This is a major overhaul, so homeowners should enlist a professional contractor. • Make a fitness center. A bedroom can be turned into a home gym to make working out more convenient. Homeowners should take inventory of equipment they may have and then figure out where existing and new equipment will go. They may need to consult a structural engineer to ensure that the flooring can bear the weight of additional equipment. • Create a work space. One of the best ways to transform adult children’s bedrooms is to convert the spaces into home offices. Those who have been setting up “desks” at dining room tables or elsewhere may be excited about the prospects of finally having a private, dedicated space to work from home. • Turn it into a craft room. The bedroom can be converted into a space to explore hobbies and various other interests. A dedicated craft space, a reading nook,
Moderate-intensity activities Exercise is an important component of a healthy lifestyle. The current Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services indicates adults need 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week. But what constitutes moderate-intensity physical activity? Moderate-intensity physical activity gets the heart pumping, but only around one in five adults and teens get enough exercise to maintain good health, according to the American Heart Association. It may be because people are having difficulty figuring out what constitutes moderate-intensity activity. Here is a more detailed explanation of the types of activities considered moderate-intensity. • Walking very briskly (roughly four miles per hour) • Heavy cleaning, like washing windows, vacuuming and mopping • Mowing the lawn with a power mower • Bicycling with light effort (10 to 12 miles per hour) • Playing recreational badminton • Playing doubles tennis • Slow dancing • Shooting a basketball • Water aerobics • Playing volleyball • Heavy gardening
• Painting and decorating Anything that doesn’t increase heart rate and breathing speed will not count as moderate-intensity activity towards the recommended
amount of activity. However, any exercise is better than no exercise at all. As long as an activity breaks up long periods of sitting still, doctors say it is still beneficial.
a place to store photography equipment, or another function can serve as a useful way to repurpose an empty bedroom.
Empty nesters have many possibilities when it comes to converting their children’s old bedrooms into adult spaces.
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
State legislature considers AI task force By Aspen Anderson, W a s h ing t o n S t a t e Journal Some fear Artificial Intelligence (AI) might open a dark chapter to a dystopian future. Others say the progress it promises is virtually unlimited. To find a balance among those concerns, Washington state is considering launching a task force to determine how it can best promote the most beneficial uses while mitigating potential challenges. State senator Joe Nguyen (D-White Center) has introduced a bill, SB 5838, that would establish the task force. The bill has 17 Democratic and 2 Republican cosponsors and the support of state attorney general Bob Ferguson. “The legislature is set up to solve yesterday’s problems tomorrow,” Nguyen said. “There’s probably over 150 AI bills across the nation.” The European Union’s 2023 AI law set the stage for global discourse on regulation and introduced a tiered approach to regulate AI based on risk levels. The law identifies “unacceptable risk” in AI systems and bans them, with some exceptions for law enforcement. It prohibits AI technology that engages in “social scoring,” which involves categorizing people based on behavior, socioeconomic status or personal characteristics. “High-risk” AI systems undergo assessments before market entry and throughout their lifecycle, while general-purpose and generative AI, like ChatGPT, must comply with transparency requirements that require people to disclose whenever they use ChatGPT. Drawbacks of the regulation include possible limits on innovation and the challenge of defining and categorizing AI systems accurately. AI legislation has been introduced in 25 U.S. states. Task forces or commissions have been launched by officials in Colorado, Illinois, Vermont and Virginia. SB 5838, if passed, would establish a task force this year as long as state budget writers allocate funds – roughly $1.5 million over the next four years, according to the bill’s fiscal note. The task force’s 42 members, spanning public and private sectors,
will be charged with providing insights on racial equity, regulatory proposals and innovation support. The task force would include one member each from the Senate and the House. “Oftentimes, it is difficult to fill workgroups, or task forces that the legislature passes,” Nguyen said. “This is not one of those cases. In fact, we have to trim it down a little bit.” Joyce Bruce, the attorney general’s legislative director, testified in support of the bill. “ChatGPT has become one of the fastest growing AI applications of all time. Washington has been on the cutting edge of innovation and technology,” Bruce said. Seattle ranks second nationally in AI talent concentration. Ferguson emphasized the need to embrace this technology thoughtfully. Some, however, worry too much regulation might hurt the ability of firms to develop new products. “We should not be in the practice of interrupting technology and innovation,” said Kelly Fukai, vice president of government community affairs at the Washington Technology Industry Association. Concerned citizen Eric Pratt echoed those thoughts. “We might impede on the public’s ability to utilize (the technology’s) full potential,” he said. “When you use words like ‘regulation’ and ‘task force,’ it starts to get my concerns elevated … You’re trying to take away powerful tools,” Pratt said. The task force would convene semiannually. It would provide its first report by December 1, 2025, and a final report by June 1, 2027. State senator Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island) said she hoped the task force would report more frequently. “One of the things that we’re missing is to have a trusted source providing us with information as a public about what is happening,” she said.” I would really like this group to be putting out more frequent reports.” If the bill passes, the task force would meet by December 31, 2024. The Washington State Journal is a nonprofit news website funded by the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation. Learn more at wastatejournal.org.
HOW TO CONTACT YOUR
ELECTED OFFICIALS PATTY MURRAY D-WA, US Senator
Web: www.murray.senate.gov Address: 154 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202/224-2621 Email: Submitted through website
MARIA CANTWELL D-WA, US Senator
Web: www.cantwell.senate.gov Address: 511 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202/224-3441 Email: Submitted through website
RICK LARSEN
D-WA, US Representative, District 2
Web: www.larsen.house.gov Address: 2163 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202/225-2605 Email: Submitted through website
SHARON SHEWMAKE
D-State Senator, District 42
Web: www.senatedemocrats.wa.gov/shewmake Address: 213 John A. Cherberg Building P.O. Box 40442 Olympia, WA 98504 Email: Sharon.shewmake@leg.wa.gov Phone: 360/305-0356
ALICIA RULE
D-State Representative, District 42
Web: www.housedemocrats.wa.gov/rule Address: 334 John L. O'Brien Building P.O. Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504 Email: Alicia.rule@leg.wa.gov Phone: 360/746-3744
JOE TIMMONS
D-State Representative, District 42
Web: www. https://housedemocrats.wa.gov/timmons Address: 419 John L. O'Brien Building P.O. Box 40600 Olympia, WA 98504 Email: Joe.timmons@leg.wa.gov Phone: 360/786-7854
s The Washington state Capitol in Olympia. Photo courtesy Washington State Journal
Visit www.usa.gov/elected-officials for a full list of federal, state and local officials.
February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
11
NEXT ISSUE: Feb. 8 AD DEADLINE: Feb. 5
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PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT Chapter 18.27.100 of the Revised Code of Washington requires that all advertisements for construction services include the contractor’s registration number in the advertisement. To verify a contractor’s license, call the Dept. of Labor and Industry’s contractors registration at 1-800-647-0982.
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Legal IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In re the Estate of: BRUCE LEROY HOLTROP, Deceased. Probate No. 24-4-00021-37. NOTICE TO CREDITORS. Assigned Judge: Evan P. Jones. The Personal Representatives 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 Clerk of this Court. 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 (twenty-four (24) months if notice is not published). 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 copy of Notice to Creditors: January 8, 2024. Date of first publication of Notice to Creditors: January 18, 2024 Personal Representative: CAROL PRINCE Attorney for the Estate: KEITH A. BODE, WSBA #7791 314 Fifth Street, P.O. Box 688 Lynden, WA 98264-0688 Tel. (360) 354-5021
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IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF Whatcom In Re the Estate of John Michael Kelberer, Deceased. NO. 23-4-00407-37. PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS (RCW 11.40.030) JUDGE: Lee P Grochmal. 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 18, 2024 Personal Representative: Dawn Moon 4915 Samish Way #93 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. 23-4-00407-37
STATE OF WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES The Department of Natural Resources intends to negotiate a commercial ground lease for vacant property identified as Kickerville West at the commonly known address of 4205 Aldergrove RD, Blaine, WA 98230, which legal description is: Section 17, Township 39 North, Range 1 East, W.M. NW NE, LESS RD; SW NE, LESS RD; NE NE-EXC STRIP FOR GREAT NORTHERN RR R/W DESC AF 965829-SUBJ TO ESMT TO USA-BPA REC AF 0132141-LESS RD; AND SE NE-EXC STRIP FOR GREAT NORTHERN RR R/W DESC AF 965829SUBJ TO ESMT TO USA-BPA REC AF 1032141-LESS RD. The property is zoned Industrial, and the subject property contains 160 acres more or less. In compliance with WAC 332-22-105, if interested, submit a written request of interest to negotiate a ground lease on or before 5 PM, PST, February 22, 2024 to Gary Martindale, Commercial Property Manager, DNR Product Sales & Leasing Division, 1111 Washington ST NE, Olympia, WA 98504-7014, (564) 201-0413
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
Real Estate
Windermere Real Estate/Whatcom Inc. 8105 Birch Bay Square Street, #101 Blaine, WA • 360-371-5100 I-5 Exit 270
BLAINE, BIRCH BAY & SEMIAHMOO OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY 12-2
8973 Bald Eagle Drive
MLS #2194605 $779,000 Nestled in a park-like setting off a private lane, Northwest classic craftsman charms with a cozy great room, efficient kitchen, and a primary suite featuring a private sitting room opening to a wrap-around deck. A floating loft adds versatile space, complemented by two spacious bedrooms and a guest bath. Additional finished space offers flexibility, and the two-car garage provides extra storage with built-in style cabinets. Quality Anderson Windows, Sub-Zero fridge.
Kathy Stauffer 360-815-4718
B I R C H B AY
SATURDAY 12-1:30
7714 Birch Bay Dr #108
MLS #2179608 $549,000 Discover coastal luxury in this 3-bed, 2-bath ground-floor condo. Newer stainless appliances, granite countertops, and hardwood floors adorn the open living and dining areas with vaulted ceilings. A stunning master suite and a bay-view patio await. Enjoy a large hot tub, storage room for bicycles, kayaks, paddle boards and access to a beautiful private beach. Whether it’s a permanent residence or a weekend escape, relish Birch Bay’s local amenities..
Lisa Sprague 360-961-0838
7545 Birch Bay Drive
MLS #2186144 $879,000 Birch Bay waterfront home, 1874 sq ft, low bank with beach rights. Walk out your back door to the best hard-packed sand flats in Washington State. The perfect westerly-facing, unobstructed water view! Enjoy beach fires, sunsets, crabbing, clamming, boating. This property is perfect for full-time living or Airbnb! High ceilings in an open great room with a featured front room fireplace, located within walking distance to area restaurants, hair salon, beach trail system, & state park.
Jeff Carrington 360-220-3224
7806 Birch Bay Dr #711
MLS #2140732 $285,000 Fresh off a stunning remodel, don’t miss this completely dialed in ground floor unit in sought after Jacob’s Landing! The open floor plan sets the tone, and you’ll love the brandnew windows, water heater, cabinets, LVP flooring, trim, fireplace, backsplash & bathroom/shower...all the things are done! Walk out the slider to direct garden/patio access and the sweet smell of saltwater. The ideal full or part time residence + Jacob’s Landing allows for short term vacation rentals.
Leah Crews 360-305-4747
Comox Loop
MLS #2191362 $110,000 Can’t find that perfect home in today’s real estate market? Now is your chance to build your dream home on this beautiful waterfront lot overlooking a lovely, natural pond in Birch Bay Village. This large 14,679 square foot lot borders Beaver Pond on 2 sides with great sun exposure and utilities in street. Unrivaled Birch Bay Village amenities include marina with new docks being installed, beaches, golf course, pool, pickle ball, clubhouse & 24 hour security gate.
Leah Crews 360-305-4747
B I R C H B AY
7530 Birch Bay Drive #104
MLS #2162814 $225,000 2-bedroom charming Cabana Club ground floor condo fresh off a complete remodel and ready for you to live that year-round vacation lifestyle! Overlooking the heated outdoor pool, this cheery & bright end unit features brand new LVP flooring, on-trend light cabinets, counters, stainless steel appliances and light fixtures. Fantastic walkable location to all that Birch Bay offers...the beach, the walking path along the bay, the State Park, dining + entertainment.
Jen Freeman 360-815-0803
4550 Alderson Rd #A12
MLS #2178663 $178,500 Birch Bay Storage unit in the gated my garage development. Owner owns the unit right across the driveway B12 from this unit A12. Closing will be coordinated with the completion of a new mezzanine in B12s so seller only have to move once. A12. +/- A12 offers Commercial garage door opener with electronic lock & external entry key-pad, natural gas heater. $2000 in extra electrical outlets around entire interior. 4k Samsung TV installed. Advantage Car lift negotiable.
Brian Southwick 360-815-6638
7609 Birch Bay Drive #107
MLS #2163316 $995,000 Rare find in beautiful low-bank Birch Bay waterfront condo, paddleboard or kayak off your own private beach! A 2-story, 3 bdrm, 3 bthrm at the desired Coast Haven Condominiums in the heart of the bay. Remodeled and updated kitchen & bathrooms with high-end finishes, cabinets, flooring, all new windows and coverings, & newly painted exterior. Open floor plan with living room & kitchen boasting fabulous view plus deck & stunning view from upper primary bedroom.
Randy Weg 360-305-5704
4563 California Trail
MLS #2186685 $369,000 Freshly upgraded 3 bed/1.75 bath home with so many new updates: waterproof laminate flooring (no carpet anywhere!), tiled bathrooms & charming eat-in kitchen w/ on trend white cabinets, butcher block counters & stainless-steel appliances. Easy access to I-5, Blaine & Birch Bay + Sunday Harbor community BBQ/picnic area, boat launch, dock & playground. The low maintenance yard w/ shed + firepit is the ideal place to relax or entertain. Cash buyers only.
Jen Freeman 360-815-0803 SEMIAHMOO
Skeena Way - Lot 10
MLS #2067337 $115,000 Great Birch Bay Village building lot on creek & beaver pond w/lots of wildlife including Great Blue Herons, ducks, & more. Very affordable lot to gain access to “Village” amenities such as saltwater marina w/ brand new docks being installed, private golf course, tennis, pickleball, clubhouse etc. Better yet, build your dream home. 24/7 Guard Gated security & community patrols for added “Peace of Mind”. Numerous beachfront parks & miles of beaches.
Mike Kent 360-815-3898
8286 Cowichan Road
MLS #2186174 $519,000 Fabulous Birch Bay Village location on Kwann Lake. Single-level home w/large composite deck & partially fenced yard overlooking a beautiful lake. Room for RV and/or boat. Add a dock to launch your paddleboard, sailboat or kayak. Well-built w/ideal floorplan. 24/7 gated & manned security, beaches, tennis, pickleball, dog park, marina, clubhouse, parks & more. 2 hrs to Seattle & 15 minutes to U.S./Canada border. Terrific full or part time vacation property.
Mike Kent 360-815-3898
9540 Semiahmoo Pkwy #E22
MLS #2166020 $185,000 Marina slip that can accommodate a vessel up to 54 ft in the best marina in the Northwest. Port tie, stern in at the outside edge of the marina for easy docking of even the largest of vessels and stunning views of Mt Baker, City of Blaine, and Drayton Harbor. Excellent management and clean facilities. Unit includes 30 amp power hookup, WiFi and spacious dock box plus keyless access to the laundry room, mail room, restrooms, shower facilities, & reduced price fuel dock.
Matt Berry 360-389-0104
www.windermere.com
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All real real estate/rentals estate/rentals All advertisadvertising in this newsing newspaper is subject paperinisthis subject to the Federal Housing Act of Housing Act to theFairFederal Fair 1968 as amended, which ofmakes 1968 as amended, which makes it illegal it illegal to advertise any preference, or discrimination based on race, tolimitation advertise any preference, limitation or discolor, religion, sex, handicap familial status crimination based on race, color, religion, or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference,familial limitation status or discrimsex, handicap, or national oriination. This newspaper will not knowingly gin, anadvertisement intention to any such prefacceptorany for make real estate which is in violation of the law. readers erence, limitation or Our discrimination. This are hereby informed that all dwellings adnewspaper will notareknowingly vertised in this newspaper available on accept any an equal opportunity basis. To complain of advertisement for toll-free real estate discrimination, call HUD at 1-800-which is in vi877-0246.of the law. Our readers are hereby inolation formed that all dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination, PLACE YOUR call HUD toll-free at 1-800-877-0246.
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February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
Road Rules: Uncontrolled intersections By Doug Dahl Question: There are some intersections, usually in neighborhoods, that don’t have any traffic control: No stop signs or yield signs. How are you supposed to handle those? Who yields to whom? And how do the road engineers decide when to use stop signs, yield signs or no signs? Answer: What if, instead of limiting uncontrolled intersections (ones without signs or signals) to neighborhoods, we pulled out the signs and lights at intersections all over our cities? What would happen? Mayhem? Anarchy? You might be surprised. Hans Monderman is probably the most famous traffic engineer of our lifetime; the Taylor Swift of road design, if you will. And his celebrity status (to use the term in its loosest sense) came not from what he added to traffic design, but what he took away from it. In his work in the Netherlands, Monderman was the first person to reduce crashes by making roads less safe (or more accurately, the roads appear less safe). He addressed problem intersections by removing stop signs and signals, speed limit signs, speed bumps, railings, pavement markings; all the things we rely on to keep us safe as we drive. Contrary to what you might expect, it was enormously successful both in safety and efficiency. Crashes fell while the throughput of cars climbed. You might argue that Monderman’s ideas are fine in a country that ranks in the top five for happiness, but it would never work in the U.S. Of all places to prove you wrong, how about West Palm Beach, Florida? When the city applied Monderman’s methods to some intersections, they had less crashes and shorter commute times. The reason it works is hinted at in your question: Who yields to whom? When a bit of ambiguity hovers over an intersection, drivers tend to approach more cautiously. Remove traffic control devices and drivers have to take on more responsibility. We can’t just follow the signs
O B I T U A RY
BUSINESS & PROFESSIONAL
William (Bill) White
December 6, 1963 – December 20, 2023 William (Bill) White of Blaine, WA passed away on December 20, 2023, at the age of 60. He was born in Sunnyside, WA, grew up in Seattle, and resided in Blaine for the last 20 years. Bill was a 1982 graduate of Bishop Blanchet High School. He worked as a mechanic for Ford and U-Haul before making a career with The Boeing Company for over 24 years. Most recently he was a bus driver for the Blaine School District. Bill had a great smile, infectious laugh, and was a kind and genuine person. He had many hobbies and interests, and always had a project or two going. He will be remembered as a beloved husband, great dad, loving son and brother, a fun uncle, and a caring friend. He will be greatly missed. Bill was preceded in death by his father, William J. White, as well as grandparents, William, Mae and Margaret White, and Ralph and Helen Kauzlarich. He is survived by his wife Ginger, son William N (Nikki), and daughters Christina Baker (Mitchell) and Nicole Van Der Heide (David). He is also survived by his mother Donna, sister Melanie Adams (Kevin) and brother Gregory, as well as a niece, nephews and five grandsons. Family and friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life at the Blaine Middle School Cafeteria on Saturday, February 10, 2024, from 2–4 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in Bill’s honor to the Make-A-Wish Foundation or the Diamond Blackfan Anemia Foundation (DBAF). For Bill’s full obituary, visit obituaries.nationalcremation.com/ obituaries/oviedo-fl/william-white-11593339 and assume it’ll all work out. Speeds naturally decrease without the need of signs telling drivers to slow down, and drivers pay more attention because they’re unsure of what might happen. It turns out that slow, cautious drivers end up getting through intersections quicker. As the special ops folks are known to say, “slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.” Traffic control devices provide guidance and let us know the rules. But they can’t force drivers to obey. Build an intersection with long red lights and more drivers will race through on a yellow. Build a road with multiple 12-foot-wide lanes and generous shoulders, and then post a 25-mph speed limit, and compliance will be dismal. People tend to travel at speeds that feel comfortable, regardless of the posted speed limit, even if that comfort is misplaced. That’s a rather round-about way of getting to your question:
13
If you don’t know who should yield, it might be you, so approach cautiously. But you want a real answer. According to the Washington Driver Guide, at uncontrolled intersections “drivers must yield to vehicles in the intersection and to those coming from the right.” It works sort of like a four-way stop without the requirement to stop if there’s no one to yield to. As to how road engineers decide when to put up a stop or yield sign, or just leave them out, our state law gives them authority to “place and maintain official traffic control devices when and as required” and “as he/she may deem necessary.” Traffic signs go up when the law requires them, or an engineer does the math and decides it’s the right thing for that location. Doug Dahl is a manager with the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, Region 11 and publishes TheWiseDrive.com.
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Rental Property Management
833-378-3798 Office@LifelineRentals.com www.LifelineRentals.com
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14
The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
Sheriff’s Reports January 23, 12:29 a.m.: Mental health check on Birch Bay Lynden Road. January 23, 2:55 p.m.: Neighborhood dispute cold call on Harbor Court. January 24, 8:59 a.m.: Theft cold call on Birch Bay Drive. January 24, 1:57 p.m.: Forgery cold call on Skagit Way. January 24, 2:50 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Birch Bay Drive. January 24, 2:57 p.m.: Fraud cold call on Birch Bay Drive. January 24, 3:46 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Birch Bay Drive. January 24, 4:01 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Harborview Road. January 24, 5:18 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Harborview Road. January 24, 6:58 p.m.: DUI arrest on Alderson Road. January 25, 4:30 a.m.: Overdose on Seavue Road. January 25, 1:14 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Kickerville Road. January 25, 1:59 p.m.: Theft cold call on Birch Bay Drive. January 25, 6:06 p.m.: Sex offender registration on Creasey Road. January 26, 11:41 a.m.: Fraud
cold call on Carson Road. January 26, 3:17 p.m.: Disorderly conduct on Birch Bay Lynden Road. January 27, 11:06 a.m.: Shots on Titan Terrace. January 27, 12:34 p.m.: Civil problem cold call on Breeze Loop. January 28, 2:16 a.m.: DUI arrest on Iverson Lane.
January 28, 7:41 a.m.: Alarm audible on Loomis Trail Road. January 29, 12:01 a.m.: Harassment cold call on Lighthouse Drive. January 29, 1:27 a.m.: Shots cold call on Nakat Way. January 29, 1:21 p.m.: Littering cold call on Stein Road. January 29, 3:47 p.m.: Theft cold call on Salish Lane.
January 20, 8:58 p.m.: Domestic – physical on Baldwin Place. January 23, 8:11 a.m.: Simple assault on Natures Path Way. January 23, 10:33 a.m.: Security check on Peace Portal Drive. January 23, 11:38 a.m.: Property found on Leighton Street. January 23, 5:07 p.m.: Theft on E Street. January 24, 7:01 a.m.: Domestic – physical on Camas Drive. January 24, 9:00 a.m.: Theft on Kingsley Avenue. January 24, 10:32 a.m.: Shots on Canvasback Road. January 25, 9:06 a.m.: Sex crime
Irish Gaelic language 38. Eat 39. Marxist economics theory (abbr.) 40. Ceases to exist 41. Male Arabic name 44. Series of ridges on an organ wall 45. Places where bees are kept 48. One-time Yankees sensation Kevin 49. Church office 50. Single lens reflex 51. Pieces of fibrous tissue DOWN 1. Classify 2. Dismounted 3. Produced 4. Consumed 5. Director Howard 6. The products of human creativity 7. Thai monetary units 8. Away from wind
9. Builder’s trough 10. Relating to Islam 11. It can sometimes ache 12. Small quantities (Scot.) 14. Poisonous plant 17. Laugh at 18. Vogul 20. C. European river 23. Type of cat 24. Exclamation of disgust 25. Stephen King novel 26. Without armies 29. Expression of sympathy 30. Relative biological effectiveness (abbr.) 31. Previously 32. Illegal drug 35. Kiloelectronvolt 36. Large, flightless birds 38. For smoking 40. Binary
(no rape) on H Street. January 25, 7:32 p.m.: Domestic – physical on Garfield Avenue. January 25, 8:37 p.m.: Theft on Peace Portal Drive. January 26, 9:16 a.m.: Juvenile problem on Mitchell Avenue. January 26, 9:50 a.m.: Sex crime (no rape) on Boundary Court. January 26, 10:03 a.m.: Suicidal subject on Boblett Street. January 26, 10:25 a.m.: Theft on Peace Portal Drive. January 26, 6:51 p.m.: Domestic – physical on Baldwin Place. January 26, 7:04 p.m.: Domestic – physical on Runge Avenue.
41. Competition 42. Mark resembling an arrow 43. Containers 44. Root mean square (abbr.) 45. Commercials 46. I.M.__, architect 47. 007’s creator ANSWERS: THENORTHERNLIGHT.COM
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Trivia at The Vault: Thursday, February 1, 7 p.m., The Vault Wine Bar + Bistro, 277 G Street. Theme: general knowledge. Info: thevaultwine.com. Peace, Love and Joy Concert: Thursday, February 1, 7 p.m., Blaine Performing Arts Center. Peace Arch Community Chorale performs. Free, donations accepted.
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Live Music at The Vault: Friday, February 2, 7 p.m, The Vault Wine Bar + Bistro, 277 G Street. Featuring: Luke Francis. Info: thevaultwine.com. Mason Bees – Alternative Pollinators: Saturday, February 3, 9–11 a.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. The crisis in our bee population is very real. This workshop will present an overview of the problem and introduce you to native pollinators. It will discuss how to establish and maintain a healthy mason bee colony in your yard. Info: nwcore.org. Life in an Electric Car Saturday, February 3, 10 a.m.–noon, Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Learn about buying new or used, what it’s really like to have and electric car as a daily driver, real life info on range, performance, reliability and an analysis of the latest car offerings. Info: nwcore.org. Arts and Jazz Fundraiser: Saturday, February 3, 7 p.m., Blaine Middle School cafeteria. An evening of family fun, art, culinary, music and theater performances, live and silent auctions. Tickets at the door: $10 adults, $5 students, children under five free. All funds raised go toward scholarships and experiences beyond the curriculum for students in the Blaine School District arts departments. Storytime at the Library: Tuesday, February 6, 10:30–11 a.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. An open program for kids ages 2-6 that includes stories, rhymes, and songs with opportunities for movement and interactive participation. Info: wcls.org. Tech Help: Tuesday, February 6, 5–6 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Drop in for one-on-one assistance of your devices with library staff. Info: wcls.org. Write Here Write Now: Thursday, February 6, 6–8 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Join author Barbara Davis-Pyles monthly and get it done! This is an informal drop-in writing workshop where you can pull up a seat, work on your project, and talk with other writers. Info: wcls.org. Primary Family Science Night: Tuesday, February 6, 5–6:30 p.m., Blaine Primary School multipurpose room. For families of Blaine Primary School students. Participate in science experiments, make and fly paper airplanes, do chemistry, look at living things under a microscope, create and take home cool instruments and toys and raffles. Free. Movie Night: Wednesday, February 7, 4 p.m., Blaine Senior Center. 763 G Street. Watch “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” on the big 150” screen. Donations accepted. Info: blaineseniorcenter.org.
Adult Prom: Saturday, February 10, 7–9:30 p.m., Blaine Pavilion, 635 8th Street. Adults 21+ enjoy live music, dancing, sweet treats and mocktails, and of course, a prom king and queen crowning ceremony. $25. Registration required at bbbparkandrec.org.
49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W
Sa 3
Tech Help: Thursday, February 1, 1–2 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Drop in for one-on-one assistance of your devices with library staff. Info: wcls.org.
Tech Help: Thursday, February 8, 1–2 p.m., Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Drop in for one-on-one assistance of your devices with library staff. Info: wcls.org.
February 1-7 at Blaine. Not for navigation.
Fr 2
Blaine Chamber Breakfast Meeting: Thursday, February 1, 7:30–8:30 a.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Network and connect with the local businesses. Breakfast $15. Connect with fellow members and explore potential collaborations. RSVP: blainechamber.com.
Potluck at the Center: Friday, February 2, 5–7 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Sign up to bring a potluck item to eat and enjoy an evening of games to include pool, ping pong, bowling, cornhole, karaoke and more. Members only. Info: blaineseniorcenter.org.
Police Reports
Crossword ACROSS 1. Winged nut 7. __ Humbug! 10. One who sets apart 12. Circle above a saint’s head 13. Unpleasantly loud and harsh 14. Expressed pleasure 15. Feminine given name 16. Company of badgers 17. Popular Dodge pickup truck 18. Witty sayings 19. Leader 21. Autonomic nervous system 22. Premolar 27. Atomic #28 28. Holiday decorative item 33. Exclamation of surprise 34. Rusk or cracker 36. Returned material authorization (abbr.) 37. Scottish or
Coming up
1.9
Weather Precipitation: During the period of January 22 to 28, 3 inches of precipitation was recorded. The 2024 yearto-date precipitation is 6.49 inches. Temperature: High for the past week was 57.1°F on January 27 with a low of 38.2°F on January 23. Average high was 52.5°F and low was 42.8°F. Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.
Super Bowl Party at the Center: Sunday, February 11, 5:30 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. Watch the big game on the big screens with snacks, wings and more. $8 for members, $10 all others. Info: blaineseniorcenter.org. Blaine Chamber of Commerce Monthly Happy Hour: Thursday, February, 15, 4–5:30 p.m., Smuggler’s Tunnel Speak Easy (below Gateway1890 Taphouse), 429 Peace Portal Drive. An excellent opportunity to relax, share ideas and enjoy mixed drinks. The event is free to attend, so bring your colleagues and friends along. Info: blainechamber.com. Garden Design 101: Thursdays, February 15–March 7, 5–7 p.m., Blaine Senior Center, 763 G Street. This four-class session will discuss how to look at your yard as if you were a landscape designer. Especially important for placement of fruit-bearing trees, bushes and vines. Considerations for placement of vegetable gardens. The presentation will discuss overall yard including hardscape assessments, materials use, integration with home and/or views, sunlight observations, air-flow and other major landscaping decisions. Info: nwcore.org. Family Movie Night: Friday, February 16, 7:30 p.m., Birch Bay Activity Center, 7511 Gemini Street. Playing family friendly movies. Bring a blanket or lawn chair, grab some popcorn and watch the movie on the big screen. Free. Info: bbbparkandrec.org. Kombucha: Saturday, February 17, 10 a.m.–noon. Blaine Library, 610 3rd Street. Known as “The Elixir of Life,” Kombucha origins remain shrouded in mystery. Some drink it for health, some for flavor. Learn more about this elixir at this fun, informative presentation. Flavor samples, demonstrations on how to make your own, and receive culture (SCOBY) to start brewing. Info: nwcore.org. Kindergarten Information Night: Thursday, February 22, 5–6 p.m., Blaine Primary School. If you have a child who will be five years old by August 31, join the kindergarten team for an informational evening. Childcare available. Kindergarten registration opens February 20. Info: blainesd.org.
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. The Bridge Food Bank: Fridays, 2 p.m.–4:30 p.m. The Bridge Community Hope Center, 7620 Birch Bay Drive. New registration required at thebridgehope.com or call 360/366-8763. Volunteers welcome. 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 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. Submissions to Coming Up should be sent to calendar@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.
February 1 - 7, 2024 • thenorthernlight.com
Blaine book club: ‘Love & Saffron’ by Kim Fay
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B y J o n a t h a n J a k o bi t z “Love & Saffron” is a heartfelt epistolary novel of long-distance friendship. Through beautifully crafted letter exchanges, Kim Fay develops a story of historical fiction in compelling and delightful ways, spanning an evolving 1960s America. The story begins when aspiring writer Joan sends a letter of appreciation to one of her favorite food columnists, Imogen. Along with her kind words, Joan includes a gift of saffron and a recipe for steamed mussels. This loving gift blossoms into years of correspondence as these two women develop a lifelong friendship of love and support which sees them through both times of joy and times of sorrow. Food remains a throughline for the novel, as both women share their culinary adventures and discoveries, continually inspiring each other to explore new cooking avenues, and finding enduring connections through a shared love of food. Yet food is merely a touchstone for the plot’s journey, as the heart of the story is about friendship and its strength when facing adversity. “Love & Saffron” explores many social issues that span the 1960s to today, including the role of women in the workforce, women’s health, interracial relationships, racial and cultural discrimination, and the traumas of war, to name but a few. In addition to the era, “Love & Saffron” is a novel of place: A firmly West Coast tale. Joan writes
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s Jonathan Jakobitz holds “Love and Saffron.” Courtesy photo of life in Southern California and travels to Mexico, while Imogen is a Camano Island resident who becomes active in Seattle’s civic preservation. Imogen’s letters should resonate particularly well with longtime Pacific Northwest residents, and those curious about life in Seattle some sixty years past. Fay writes with such craft that the setting almost becomes a third character at times, drawing the reader intimately into the times and places of “Love & Saffron.” “Love & Saffron” should appeal to readers of historical fiction, as well as foodies, and those interested in a story of loving friendship and support. Visit wcls.org to find “Love & Saffron” and other similarly themed stories. “Love & Saffron” is the February selection for the Books & Bites book group. Join Books & Bites 1 p.m. Friday, February 16 at the Blaine Public Library for a time of community and lively conversation. For more information, visit bit.ly/3SlzMs4. Jonathan Jakobitz is an avid reader and the branch manager of Blaine Public Library.
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Birch Bay book club review: ‘Small Great Things’ by Jodi Picoult At Mercy-West Haven Hospital, we meet Ruth, a labor and delivery nurse who loves her job. She experiences discrimination when a family decides they do not want her touching their newborn son. She has been doing her job for 20 years and loves caring for these small humans, so it is not a surprise when Ruth becomes angry after learning her employer has followed the family’s request and places a note in his file saying no African American should have contact with baby Davis. As fate would have it, during a moment when Ruth is the only nurse available to stay with the baby, he has a medical event. For a moment Ruth is torn. To help the baby, she will have to go against her supervisor and the baby’s family. Her next few steps will change her life and the lives of baby Davis’s family forever. This event starts the deeper dive into the characters’ pasts, all leading up to the dramatic courtroom battle. For this reader, the book was a page turner. “Small Great Things” explores how prejudice and racism, no matter how big or small, affect ev-
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eryone on various levels. A mix of emotions runs through this story as Picoult tackles difficult topics. The ending was something I did not expect. If you like legal dramas, this story might be for you. This book is available at wcls.org in a variety of formats. Friends of Birch Bay Library Book Club will discuss “Small Great Things” 4-5:30 p.m. Wednesday, February 21 at the Bookmobile stop. The book club is open to all. Dianne Marrs-Smith is the Lynden library manager and Friends of Birch Bay president. She reads and listens to a variety of different books, loves getting book recommendations and her favorite genre is horror.
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The Northern Light • February 1 - 7, 2024
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com booked into What A Blaine man was egree suspicion of first-d County Jail on er 4. murder on Octob was arrest76, Sr., r Maha Wayne Harold WhatOctober 4 after deped around 4 p.m. ff’s Office (WCSO) com County Sheri t (BPD) Police Departmen uties and Blaine of a shooting at calls to nded officers respo the Maple Leaf Moin #12 t Stree 4612 East ble bile Home Park. affidavit of proba According to the was ed his neighbor cause, Mahar claim sing him but Mahar haras threatening and tives. specifics to detec was unable to give ified by WCSO as The victim, ident pro67, of Blaine, was ties Vincent Reames, the scene after depu nounced dead on ful. but were unsuccess attempted CPR, porch his un from Mahar fired a shotg own his on was standing at Reames, who to court records. ng property, according called 911 after heari Another neighbor ding 29-28 and saw Mahar “stan O r., during Blaine’s the shotgun blast WCS ver Justin Minjarez, holding a gun,” a Photo by Nolan Baker with senior recei on his front porch victim lying the ed fourth-quarter score notic , c., celebrates a release stated. “She his respage 7. back Colby Shipp ground in front of er 6. Read more on s Junior running face down on the Meridian on Octob if he had shot r over Maha win g Mr. homecomin idence. She asked d ‘Yeah.’” Reames. He replie ation O public inform According to WCS ff deputies had re, sheri officer Deb Slater separate neighborfour least at to es sponded third en Mahar and Ream 2023-04 hope a hood disputes betwe . None of the four connents of Proposition 2021 r. charm to green light nt since November nal accrisis relief cente time could be the resulted in crimi the curre tion of a 23-hour ally in capital exprevious disputes a replacement of in-person $8-10 million annu and $8 million in struction on Slater said. ker an • a s, B fund arrest N a also or l d o told B y N tivity jail tax woul r had reportedly diversion, penses for the new health jail. The and y ioral cing facilit behav finan The day prior, Maha a of landses for al task behavioral health programs. he was upset at the For the monument jail in Whatcom one-time expenr. try his other neighbor threathousing and re-en town ent cente for a new rent, and said he located in down tments to fund He construction will be asked to consid- treatm lord for increasing n in capital inves The current jail, s landlord’s girlfriend. the county court from • $6 millio kill County, voter ened to shoot the rt services. gham adjacent to county sales tax modate going to shoot and d recov- Bellin rt re-entry suppo er increasing the expan in-pa in 1983 to accom and sing fund also said he was tain built to haras nt was main to perce house, Reames was to booking data a • $4 million ams. 8.8 percent to 9 least progr rding at ng be Acco seen Reames because to housi tes. never ates rtive inma e estim 148 suppo said she had ty Sheriff’s Offic what the county t, with ery and rejected similar Coun tmen twice him. The neighbor com rs. inves have What s Maha ime the by on one-t County voter or harass the the jail is houswith 51.4 percent tted $39.5 milli Reames threaten annual operas of October 9, ing, Mahar admi measures, in 2015 $21 million in ly in (WCSO), Following the shoot had more than investments ballot (See Jail, page 10) ure, and more vocal detectives that he . Major capital rejecting the meas nt voting no. When in an interview with and claimed Reames ating costs perce 58.6 with es pro- 2017 mber 7, propowanted to kill Ream ” Mahar didn’t pro- include: $3 million from filled out by Nove dead. ruc- ballots are • $12 million (with “deserved to be . 14 3) in funding for const Coming Up . . . . posed sales tax) (See Homicide, page
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affidavit , according to the Whatjail ing erratically (APC) filed in 10, according to of probable cause bail as of October Court. County Superior data. com ing pass the to Ashbook 7, pted attem on March By Grace The motorcycle then a Around 5:30 p.m. on two-lane road and 33, was driving has been arrested Mazda on the ming N. Woodward, A Ferndale man in con- leigh daughter, 13, in Mazda’s lane as onco ular homicide Mazda with her - moved into the the motorcycle, accord2007 head e was a charges of vehic Blain Mazd nd-run crash on passenger seat. The , near the inter- traffic approached ents cited in the APC. the nection to a hit-a ar-old ss statem e Road that killed a 33-ye right to ed south on Blain Harbor Road, when ing to witne Road in March lly moved to the Drayton The Mazda initia ed section of Blaine woman. attempted to Patrol (WSP) book ’s motorcycle 3) Washington State (See Crash, page What- Gunderson a. Witnesses told WSP inerson, 22, into er- pass the Mazd the motorcycle was drivColby Jon Gund Gund 6. ber on Octo vestigators that com County Jail in lieu of $250,000 son was being held
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