The Editor:
I’d like to thank everyone who was involved in the Crab Feed Fundraiser for the high school football team on October 22. It was a great event that raised a lot of money for our football program. Thank you to the over 200 people that attended, enjoying all-you-can-eat crab for 90 minutes.
I’d like to specifically thank Tricia Johnson for organizing the event. She does such an outstanding job organizing the night and helping our football program be the best it can be. She understands what it is to be a Borderite, so thank you very much.
I’d also like to thank Danielle Dickinson and everyone involved in all of our silent auction items. Some great items were up for bid and so many parents and community members had a part in donating for our silent auction.
I’d also like to thank my dad. He was always working behind the scenes and got the crab from a great local business, Boundary Fish. I’d also like to thank Bill Dodd and Rob Adams for their time and effort for the event. And a special thanks to my wife Joelle. Thank you for always being there and being so supportive. Again, thank you to the entire Blaine community for such a great event. Our program believes in teaching life lessons through sport. Events like this help us reach that goal.
Jay Dodd
Blaine
The Editor:
Blaine residents, visitors to the inn, bird watchers and tourists will be as saddened as I am when they see that a tree on Semiahmoo Spit, which has provided a perch for eagles and other birds to my knowledge for the last 15 years and I am sure much longer, has either been pushed or fallen over. This tree was very close to new homes presently being built on the spit and while there are some artificial trees near other homes, under construction, the eagles appear to be scarce.
At a recent Semiahmoo residents’ meeting, Blaine’s community development director said, “It was just a tree and of course it will not be replaced.” This gentleman was also involved in the process of approving the application to build these homes on the spit, at the same time the county was erecting Tsunami Evacuation Route signs on roads around the area.
With the current concern and publicity about earthquakes and tsunamis in the Pacific Northwest, is it unreasonable to question the logic of building homes in this vulnerable area, at the risk of exposing residents to danger and possibly further costs to the city of Blaine?
The realtor representing the builder of these homes has boasted that this is the most beautiful piece of land in the Pacific Northwest. So what do we do with it – we build on it and the birds lose or leave their home in paradise. God bless America!
Trevor Hoskins
Blaine
The Editor:
With a plethora of state initiatives and local tax measures on our November ballots, we appreciate the article by Pat Grubb in last week’s issue of The Northern Light. Your paper did an outstanding service for our voters by shedding light on the big contributors behind these ballot measures. It makes one wonder why the majority of media didn’t bother digging into these financial affairs.
Reading your “Follow the money” article was very enlightening. While we have no problem when local, current or former Washington state citizens like Steve Ballmer and Paul Allen throw their money at a cause, it irks us when out-of-state entities get involved in a big way, like California, New York and George Soros’ son. What’s in it for them?
Thank you for your great public service!
Ted Angell
Blaine
The Editor:
I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of my clients for your support in making my business a success.
So many of you have shared your life stories, as I have shared mine with you. I will truly miss our time together. Several have become like family to me.
Thirteen years is a long time. It was a dream come true to have a shop of my own and be part of this downtown community.
This decision was hard for me. I have decided to move down to New Mexico to be closer to my sisters.
The new building owner made it possible for me to pay it forward to the new barber, LaDena, who be taking over the shop. She brings to the shop her many years’ of barber experience.
I have lived here in this community a long time and will miss it and all the people who make it the great place it is.
Beth “The Barber” Lawrenson
Blaine
The Editor:
In 2015, Birch Bay Water and Sewer District had 587 incidents of water service shut-offs in Birch Bay. This number is steadily increasing every year.
There is a program in place that accepts donations called CAP (the “Community Assistance Program,” which name is currently changing to “Crisis Assistance Program”). CAP helps individuals and families in Birch Bay and Blaine who are facing financial hardship. This includes financial help paying their water and
sewer bill.
CAP receives three times the donations for Blaine residents in one month than they receive for Birch Bay Water and Sewer District (BBWSD) residents in three months. Any donations for Birch Bay are specifically ear-marked for Birch Bay residents only, who are facing impending shut-offs or already have had their water service shut off.
In 2015, out of the 587 shut-off incidents by BBWSD, only 54 received financial assistance from CAP. Because the BBWSD keeps only minimal records of the reason someone has their water shut off, they do not keep track of how many are due to financial hardship.
Each month the number of people using our local food bank increases. If so many people have fallen upon hard times struggling just to have enough food to eat, then one may assume they are probably also struggling to pay their bills.
Please give generously to CAP for Birch Bay residents who are currently facing financial hardship. There is a check box on the BBWSD bill to make CAP donations. If you have automatic payments set up with BBWSD, you can call them at 360/371-2400 and include an automatic monthly donation to CAP.
In these times of financial difficulties, more and more families are falling through the cracks. Water is a basic necessity of life. Financial hardship should never stand in the way of this basic need. Please give generously to the Birch Bay CAP. Besides utilities, CAP also helps with food, clothing, transportation and medication. If you are someone, or know of someone who is facing a financial crisis and needs assistance, please call or ask them to call CAP at 360/392-8484.
Cindy Kisska
Birch Bay
The Editor:
While the Lummi Nation succeeded in having their land treaties respected in the case of the GPT coal terminal at Cherry Point, we are now faced with another case, but this one does not seem to be getting the proper attention or help.
In North Dakota, the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) project is currently building their pipeline through Standing Rock territory. That land is Standing Rock Sioux Native American territory and they have treaty rights to the land. That land is where their burial grounds are located.
Standing Rock Sioux and many other people are now trying to protect the water that could be compromised by a rupture in
that pipeline.
Water is life and the Sioux are trying to make sure that water is safe for us and for future generations. Now those protectors are being arrested, assaulted and bitten by attack dogs.
The pipeline (Energy Transfer Partners) has destroyed burial grounds of the Standing Rock Sioux. Desecrating graves. That is so wrong. The pipeline company is disrespecting the people that have rights to that land.
Standing Rock Sioux are standing up for the land, the water, and the future of the planet. Please call the North Dakota governor, President Obama, Hillary Clinton, any representative in North Dakota and tell them to respect Standing Rock and stop the building. We stopped GPT. We can help stop DAPL.
Amy Glasser
Bellingham
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