Letters to the Editor

Local 3867 supports NWFRS
The Board of Directors, North Whatcom Fire & Rescue Services & the Editor:
The members of North Whatcom Professional Firefighters Local 3867 would like to convey their support of North Whatcom Fire & Rescue Services. As with any interlocal agreement there may be obstacles to overcome on the road to success. The board of directors has been faced with some difficult tasks; you have worked together to successfully correct, resolve and improve the services for our citizens, which is and should continue to be our number one priority.
One of the volunteers likened North Whatcom to the space shuttle Columbia. �We have had a disaster,� he stated. But the volunteer did not complete the statement. We have had to struggle with some difficult situations, but like NASA, NWFRS does not quit. We have learned from our past mistakes and continue to build a better and strong district � together.
In keeping with that, we support fire administrator Dave Crossen. The professional experience he has gained from working with departments that have faced similar situations has given him the knowledge and leadership skills to aid us in achieving our goal of a unified district.
Leading is never an easy job. Local 3867 would like to commend the board on its continuing effort to make positive decisions that affect our district. We stand behind the board of NWFRS today and will continue to do so in the future.
Ray Davidson,
president International Association of Firefighters
Bellingham

Stand behind pour troops
The Editor:
The day the World Trade Towers fell will be one we�ll never forget. Since that tragic September day, people have changed. For many, that day marked the start of a new view on life. The attack on America represented much more than two fallen landmarks; it was an attack on our freedom. The trade towers symbolized peace, unity, greatness, prosperity, dedication and so much more. Minoru Yamasaki, the architect, once said �The World Trade Center should, because of its importance, become a representation of man�s belief in humanity, his need for individual dignity, his belief in the cooperation of men, and through cooperation, his ability to find greatness.�
The trade center stood for three decades until the morning of September 11. We turned on our televisions to hear the morning news, and quickly fell silent over the horrible pictures of our beloved twin towers in flames. The ruthless terrorists meant for the attack to instill fear and hatred in the American people; however, it only brought us closer with renewed pride in being an American.
Now, more than a year later, life has somewhat returned to normal, and our freedom remains intact, but America will never be the same. Although things have settled down, we face the prospect of war. Many greatly oppose and even protest the idea of this. The reality is that on September 11 we as a nation were attacked, and thousands of lives were lost. Have we forgotten the horrid events of that day so soon? Currently, our men and women are gathering in the very heart of these terrorist nations, prepared to fight for our freedom and we must stand behind them with our prayers and support.
Julia Brady
Blaine

Youth baseball starting soon
The Editor:
The Blaine Youth Baseball Board would like to pass on some important information about our fast approaching 2003 season. Registration for baseball and softball will take place in the Blaine elementary school library on March 1 and 8 between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
We will also take registrations March 6, from 1 � 5 p.m. in the elementary school lobby. Be sure to bring your child�s Babe Ruth card or a copy of their official birth certificate. Registration cut-off is March 15, 2003.
Blaine Youth Baseball is a non-profit organization. We depend on team sponsors and monetary donations. Anyone interested in our team sponsorship program or who would like to make a monetary donation please call our board president Troy Olason at 371-3079.
We are very thankful to be part of such a supportive community. Hope to see you at the ball park!
Larissa Dhanani,
BYBB registrar
Blaine

Closer look at proposals
The Editor:
Through the coverage in your newspaper the community is beginning to learn more about the proposals for building on the Semiahmoo spit.
As has already been pointed out, these proposals are not new. They were included in the master plan submitted by the developer in 1984. However, a great deal has happened since then and we all need to take a closer look at exactly what these proposals now mean.
We understand the need for both the developer and the city of Blaine to make money � one requires profit and the other has to make progress. Certainly, homes on the spit would provide revenue for the developer and more taxes for the city.
But many of us believe this is a very shortsighted policy and that the development of the spit will, in the long term, hurt both the developer and the city of Blaine. As it presently exists, the spit not only provides home to almost every kind of seabird � bald eagles perch there too � but it is one of the features that attract tourists and potential homeowners to this area. Certainly, it played a role in convincing us that this was a tranquil place to live.
We believe all that will change when the spit is covered with condominiums � and this, we understand is the long-term plan � 62 homes are only the beginning. Unfortunately, when a land surface is covered with homes and parking areas, the adjoining water quality suffers. Rainwater flows faster across the ground and a one acre parking lot produces about 16 times the volume of run off that comes from a one acre meadow. In addition, pollutants enter the water and the water temperature changes. What opportunities will the birds and the oyster bed in Drayton Harbor have then and how might the tourist and hotel business be affected?
But it doesn�t have to be this way. The developer has plenty of other acreage on which homes can be built � Semiahmoo is only 45 percent occupied � so both he and the city could still obtain their revenues. In addition, corporations working with organizations like the Audobon Society and the Conservation Fund have reached appropriate agreements on similar land. It�s really unfortunate that, while many companies succeed in meeting required environmental standards � and some go beyond � very few become true conservation stewards.
We are invited to send comments on the spit development, by March 17, to the Blaine Department of Community (332-8311). We encourage everyone who is interested in the future of this wonderful area to do this � certainly, the minimum requests should be for an up to date ecological study of this area.
Judy & Trevor Hoskins
Blaine

Thanks to all who helped with trip
The Editor:
When we stepped on a plane bound for Japan on February 4, it seemed unreal. We did it! We actually raised $30,000 in less than five months and sent 37 students and six chaperones to �The Festival of One Thousand People� in Funabashi, Japan!
This was certainly not done without the support of many people, most of whom reside in this community! It would take many pages to thank all of the band alumni, supporters, family, friends and businesses who contributed to this trip either in donations of cash or �in kind� services. The best support of all was the positive thinking and �you can do it� attitude that came from almost everyone around us. There were few nay sayers, almost all yay sayers!
There are too many people to thank for this trip but there are some people who I need to mention as they went above and beyond helping us to get to Japan. Allie Ryser contributed almost $2,500 from the sale of her custom stained glass hearts and also sent one for each host family and each of the dignitaries in Japan; Neal and Dolores Holleman, who organized the Wind Ensemble Classic Golf Tournament which raised over $2,000 and special thanks to Dolores for also spearheading the candy cane sale and Krispy Kreme donut sales at the school; to Marcia Beckett, Eileen and Jim Clausen, Patricia and Patrick Alesse and Mike Boxx for their contributions of gifts for the host families; to Jim Agnello for designing the logo for the trip and to Dave at Rutledge Custom Embroidery (RECO) for printing all of our shirts and donating the T-shirts to us!
To the parents: 1) you should be very proud of your children! They were excellent ambassadors of our school and country as well as wonderful guests in the homes of the host families. I know that some of you will find it hard to believe but the host families stated the kids were pleasant, polite and said they enjoyed them so much they would have them back anytime! 2) Thank you for your support and for putting your trust in us by allowing us the privilege of having your children for 10 days!
To Dorita Gray, who tirelessly worked on fund raising and putting the beautiful keepsake program together. While in Japan Dorita was our photojournalist extraordinaire (she took over 900 photos). Thank you so much! To chaperons Anne Abrams and Dave Berry thank you for the help, guidance and support you gave to the students while on this journey.
To Bob Gray, Dan Newell, Gordon Dolman and the Blaine school board � thank you! Special thanks to Yumi Sudo and John Montgomery of North Vancouver for involving us in this project.
On behalf of all of the students in the Blaine High School Wind Ensemble thank you, you have helped open the door to a wonderful new relationship with students and music halfway around the world and made memories to last a lifetime!
Leslee Smith,
trip coordinator
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