The Editor:
On the morning of Wednesday, June 12, I collided with a deer while driving through Blaine. My SUV was heavily damaged and inoperable following the collision. Blaine Police Department had multiple units respond immediately. Subsequently, North Whatcom Fire and Rescue showed up on scene.
The Washington State Patrol showed up and assessed the nature of the collision. All agencies showed a high degree of professionalism and care. I especially want to commend the officers of the Blaine Police Department for going above and beyond in their diligence in clearing the road of both deer and my disabled SUV in the most expeditious manner with the utmost patience.
Steven Colson
Birch Bay
The Editor:
You can consider the city’s parking code changes an experiment. If the experiment fails or needs improvement, the council has the power to repeal or change the code. The city can be commended for trying something new, a bolder vision for more offsite, public parking and less onsite, private parking. If more homes get built downtown, the developer can choose to pay for public parking, with a pricey fee paid to the community.
Only time will tell if Blaine gets more homes downtown. Gotta ask – Will the homes be affordable for people who want to work and live in Whatcom County? Or will high-priced condos be sold to absentee owners and investors looking for profitability and capital gains? Maybe it can be some of both. Maybe we can aim for 50:50? Half of the homes can be permanently affordable for working class homebuyers and the other half can be affordable for investors with other motivations.
Aiming for a 50:50 mix in building permits per year almost gets us to the affordability ratios that Blaine must insert into its comprehensive plan housing element as now required by RCW 36.70A.070(2), the result of the state House Bill 1220 in 2021.
Blaine might be one of the best places to prove that redevelopment doesn’t always have to be so expensive that it shuts out the working class who have always paid the bills in Blaine.
Paul Schissler
Bellingham
The Editor:
I miss sleeping in, sprawled out next to you,
Our bodies warm and fast asleep,
Unaware of time, as purple curtains drew.
I miss the scent of you, lingering in our room,
Mixed with the faint aroma of stale beer,
As we played cards with “How I Met Your Mother” on.
I miss the irresistible urge I got every time I looked at you.
I miss the morning pancakes, our French-pressed brew,
Afternoon Diet Coke, Pamplemousse La Croix,
Our vegetarian dinners, just us two.
I miss the hammock by the water’s gentle sway,
Picnics with you, love’s serene display
Do you remember the carefree summer days of our early twenties?
The stress-free, warm days that we spent together?
Your laughter, spontaneous and sweet,
Echoed through those sunny days.
Now it’s summer again, and I’m wondering how you’re doing,
Thinking of those moments, my heart pursuing.
Your laughter, a melody I can’t replace,
In those memories, I still see your face.
The warmth of your laughter, the joy it brought,
In every memory, it’s you I’ve sought.
Though time has passed, and seasons change,
The mark you left remains.
So here’s to the summers and the days we knew,
To the laughter and love, and everything true.
Bryson Fico
Mount Vernon
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