Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
My mother, my family and I want to give thanks for the valiant efforts of everyone who tried to save my dad’s life on July 14. In the early morning sunshine, dad and mom were on their boat in Blaine Harbor Marina and had just started underway. My dad collapsed and was unresponsive.
My mom had to maneuver their powerboat over to the dock while shouting to Dad and calling for help.
A wonderful person called 911 from his cell phone and stayed on until help was directed right to the boat. A lady named Becky offered help and ran for the defibrillator at the marina and called her husband at their boat who came over immediately and started CPR.
The Blaine firefighters Kevin Biery, Jim Bleecker, Ray Davidson, Doug Kreider, Leslee Smith, John Swobody, Tim VanderMey and NWFRS assistant chief Henry Hollander. The Bellingham paramedics Shawn Linville and Matt Flemming.
The Blaine police officers Jon Landis and Doug Balmer. The support officer Ted Swinburne. The marina manager Kevin Smith. These people were courteous and respectful of us through this traumatic experience; all the awful details were looked after quickly and smoothly.
Our apologies if we missed anyone’s name. We are going to miss our husband, father, papa, Larry Samuel Colby.
Sincere thanks to all who assisted from: Bar-Jean Colby, Wes & Nancy Colby, Brooke & Roxanne Colby, Larissa & Asiff Dhanani, Doug & Cheryl Colby, Spencer & Connie Colby and the grandchildren, Alex, Amanda, Chantal, Kaitlind, Kyle, Khalil, Dustin, Taylor, Paige, Mackenzie and Benjamin.
Larissa Dhanani
Blaine

The Editor:
Peace Portal Drive reverberates and G and H street plazas will forever hold fond memories for those of us who briefly dwelled among the merry makers on the Fourth of July and soon thereafter for multiple concerts included in the Blaine Jazz Festival.
Thanks residents of Blaine and you thousands of tourists who joined us for the festivities. And thanks to the city of Blaine and the BTAC committee for believing in the value of our endeavor.
Over 90 teens see themselves differently now; each stands a little taller after making magical music. Thanks to a multitude of key individuals who brought the jazz festival to fruition.Without bus driver Bruce, or clever Crystal, or talented Ted, or gregarious George, or bountiful Bob, or foxy Roxy, or jolly Joe, or merry Mary Kay, or the generous donors of $12,000 scholarship dollars and 12,000 talents we’d have failed. I am honored to be part of such a splendid team.
Sandy Wolf, producer,
Blaine Jazz Festival
Blaine

The Editor:
I congratulate The Northern Light and reporter Tara Nelson on its July 20 story about my campaign for the Washington State Court of Appeals.
Ms. Nelson did her best to be fair and professional. However, three small but important corrections are needed: First, the article indicated that I had answered “no” to the question of whether I considered myself an environmentalist, followed by the comment that, “I have usually litigated on behalf of business.” That ordering of statements could incorrectly suggest that I have usually represented business interests because I do not care about the environment. That was not my meaning or intent.
Ms. Nelson also accurately quoted me as saying that I consider myself a “conservationist” rather than an “environmentalist.” I make that distinction because the term “environmentalist” is associated with the idea of shutting down industries and ending the use of our natural resources.
While I believe that we should constantly work to improve our grazing, mining, logging, farming and fishing practices to ensure responsible and sustainable use, I reject the unsustainable idea that we simply stop utilizing the resources.
The most important point to be clarified is that my personal views about environmental policy and other political issues are of little importance. It is my intention to faithfully apply the law that the legislature gives me, and not re-write it to fit my own policy references.
Second, my clients did not challenge the Taylor Grazing Act in the Supreme Court case of Public Lands Council v. Babbitt. They challenged the Secretary of the Interior’s interpretation of the act.
The Taylor Grazing Act is an important law that has governed livestock grazing on America’s public rangelands since congress enacted it in 1936. The act was designed to remedy the problem of overgrazing on public rangelands by issuing grazing permits and placing limits on the amount of grazing permitted.
While my clients disagreed with the secretary’s interpretation of the act, they did not want the act to be repealed.
Third, my judicial clerkship for the Chief Justice of American Samoa began the September after I graduated from law school and not two years later.
I reiterate that Ms. Nelson is a fair and professional journalist. I think that she did her best to be fair to me while asking the tough questions and did a good job on the story overall.
Jeffrey T. Teichert, candidate for the court of appeals
Bellingham

The Editor:
It is so sad to see that Blaine City Council is willing to bankrupt a developer in a fit of pique. I’m just wondering if the city ‘mislaid the plans’ in order to stop a building they had already agreed to.
In any case – the building is there. Do you want to tear it down? Do you want it to slide into disrepair? Or do you want a business to flourish and add income to the city coffers?
Little wonder that nothing much gets accomplished in Blaine. Who wants to fight the city every time they want to make an improvement or start a business?
I’m not excited about building more housing until the supporting services catch up, but I’m a whole lot less excited about seeing empty housing units.
Please solve this mess and get people into those units.
Linda L. Clark
Blaine

The Editor:
Regarding the article on the front page of The Northern Light, July 13 – 19 edition, “Birch Bay water district urges voluntary conservation,” Roger Brown, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District general manager, blamed warm weather and a long holiday weekend as the cause of using more water than is allocated under the contract with the city of Blaine.
As a lifetime resident of Birch Bay, I really feel it is time to put the blame of the overusage of water on what the real problem is. Too much new developments and residences. The water usage will not be extensive on the Fourth of July, but year ‘round if they don’t stop allowing more development from coming in.
Then in the July issue of the Northwest Business Monthly, Mr. Brown is quoted as saying, “The good news for developers is that there’s enough water to go around Birch Bay as the community’s population expands – for now, at any rate. Basically, we have adequate force supply for water and some room to grow, Brown says.
Word of a zoning conditional use permit hearing is in the process for the property, formally the Earl Vogt residence, 8082 Harborview Road, for a three story building with 22 residential condominium units, 14 hotel units and a spa has been submitted.
If this project is allowed, we will be on water restrictions, mandatory, year ‘round.
I ask the residents of Birch Bay to ask the water district to consider water permits wisely as they are asking us to use water wisely.
Bonni Harkleroad
Birch Bay

The Editor:
I just wanted to remind the people of Blaine that the Windmill store was also a pottery store run by the Madsen family, Michael, Patrick and Maryann from 1979 until 2001.
How quickly a town forgets. Maybe if there was more support for local small businesses in Blaine the pottery store and many many businesses like it might still be in business.
Jean Madsen
Blaine

The Editor:
As a normal well adjusted modest and unassuming drop dead gorgeous unattached female Yellow Labrador retriever I want to say how very much I appreciated the cute article that cute human, Jack Kintner, did on me. Jack is precious. For a human, he is divine. His writing and his story were wonderful.
I even liked the part he did on my human. My human tries hard.
Thank you Jack.
Butter
Blaine

The Editor:
We are nearing our goal on the Vigil sculpture project.
This Bob McDermott (of Dirty Dan Harris fame) masterpiece will be unveiled and dedicated on the H Street Plaza portion of our new boardwalk on October 14.
It is not to late to participate in this exciting project, but please act soon as we plan to complete our fund drive by mid August If you have planned to donate but just haven’t got around to it, go on line at www.pacificartsassoc.org and click on Vigil where you can purchase a wide array of bricks or pavers, or go to Northern Meadows Gift and Wine Shop at 684A Peace Portal Drive (across from the new H Street Plaza) where you may make your purchase.
(This is also a great place to purchase wines and specialty beer).
The support of the Blaine community has been amazing and now is the time to become a part of something that will make a difference in our hometown.
Bruce Wolf, chairman Vigil Committee
Blaine

Letters Policy
The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank-you letters should be limited to 10 names. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to:
225 Marine Drive, Blaine, WA 98230 or fax 360/332-2777.
E-mail:editor@thenorthernlight.com

Letters Policy

The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 350 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality, length and good taste. Thank you letters are limited to five individuals or groups. A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com