Letters to the Editor

Let's change our name
The Editor:
I cannot begin to tell you how excited I am with the idea of changing the name of our city. As a duplex owner in Blaine, I have long been frustrated with the slim prospects for growth in this town. Especially because as property values are booming in Birch Bay and in Bellingham, we in Blaine resemble a ghost town! What kind of local economy does it take for a Radio Shack to close down? Desperate times call for desperate measures (which, by the way, aren�t desperate measures, they are reasonable measures).
I am a traveling sales manager for a company based in New York City and I routinely witness thousands of local economies in all aspects throughout the United States. I can honestly say that it�s not just the name Blaine that is hurting our local economy, although a new name for the city is a step in the right direction. One fault of this city is the 25 mile per hour streets we are plagued with no matter which route you travel east to west through Blaine. D Street is a perfect example of a ridiculously slow speed limit. Here it is, an extremely wide road with plenty of visibility for both the drivers as well as the pedestrians. In any town even mildly serious about growth and their economy a road such as D Street would have at least a 35 mile an hour speed limit, if not a 45 mile an hour speed limit.
I will not accept the residential argument. Throughout our state and every other state exceptions are made and speed limits are increased. H Street could very well become a major east/west travel route especially since our neighbor Sumas is experiencing a recovery in their local economy. H Street runs a considerable distance east of Blaine and could even allow options in border crossing locations! Surely our friends in Lynden would not mind if we made it easier for folks to travel east from Blaine.
I read an article in this paper several months ago that said, �Blaine City Council bullish on growth.� Show me an increase in speed limits, show me the allowance of east/west travel and I�ll believe that our city council is really bullish on growth.
As far as changing the name of the town? My suggestion is, �as soon as possible!� I�ve also decided to keep the duplex which I�d been intending on selling simply because I feel the name change is a genius idea! If that�s not reason enough, then what is? Blaine is beautiful! It�s time to give it a name that matches its beauty and majesty.
I�ll write the letter to Rand McNally! Maybe we should change the name of Drayton Harbor also. How many hundreds of houses are going up in Birch Bay this year? Why not Blaine!
Jason Dixon
Blaine

This is Blaine, Washington
The Editor:
Excuse me Mr. Douglas � where are you from? How dare you suggest that our city name is not good enough? We who live here now and were raised here love our hometown and her name. Why don�t you go back to where you are from and change your names there. I grew up in Blaine and am proud of it! So quit trying to make our hometown into some piece of California or Texas or wherever. This is Blaine, Washington! Love it or leave it period. Sorry, but this is one of the dumbest things I have ever heard.
Blaine has a lot of history � look it up. Talk to the people who live here. Even those who were raised here. They should be the ones who decide or have already decided. Now back off and let it be!
I love my hometown and am glad to be back home. After being gone for some time there truly is no place like home! Home. That is Blaine, Washington, thank you very much! So please get the spelling right and of course remember that the people of Blaine already decided on this issue!
So let�s let it stay that way. Thank you.
Polly Mason
Blaine

Run is for everyone
The Editor:
Hi! I just wanted to say that my family and I participated in the Run for the Border this year and we had a blast.
I am not a runner and neither is my five-year-old. My 13-year-old was not too crazy about missing his extra sleep or watching cartoons Saturday morning. After bribing him and convincing my daughter that this was going to be big fun I have to say that I was really amazed how great the event was.
There was something for everyone. There was a clown, balloon animals, face painting and lots of really great prizes to be had by almost everyone who participated! My five-year-old and I managed to make it across the finish line, my son finished up at the front of the pack and we all had a great afternoon! I want to thank Dan Persse again for putting together a truly amazing day of fun for my family! I hope to see lots more people out there next year.
Karen Kean
Birch Bay

Search for them now
The Editor:
I would like to offer some advice to all of you who have reached your 50s and 60s. Don�t postpone! Don�t postpone calling or contacting old friends and relatives. We tend to say I�ll do it this weekend and then the weekend never comes.
I have been practicing what I preach these past few months. I decided to search out a cousin in Minnesota who is a month younger than I. Talking to his wife I learned that he was in a nursing home now. She said she would tell him I called but didn�t think that he would understand who I was. I could have called him a year ago. Don�t postpone!
Trav Skallman
Blaine

Denny's closed, good luck
The Editor:
How sad, another business has closed in our town. Denny�s has been an important fixture in Blaine for a long time. A great place for Sunday brunches, hearty meals, delicious desserts and chatting with friends over pie and coffee.
And what a way to close, imagine coming into work in the morning and finding your place of business boarded up without a word or warning that you were out of a job and to add insult to injury to hear that the reason they didn�t tell the employees was that they were afraid they would steal the inventory if they knew. Shame on them!
We counted many of the employees at Denny�s as friends and it really angered us at the implied insult. Good hard-working people worked there and deserved much better consideration. We hope the employees find better jobs with honorable employers. They will be missed.
Toni and Gene Peller
Blaine

Another cat issue
The Editor:
In response to Cheryl Fisher�s letter in the April 24 � 30 issue of The Northern Light, there is another cat issue that she refuses to accept. I too am a pet owner and have one cat left out of three. But my cat(s) do not disturb my neighbors. Just as my dogs do not disturb my neighbors, I detest my neighbor�s pets annoying me.
I enjoy feeding the songbirds and my cat watching them (from inside her safe home). I do not feed the birds to feed my neighbor�s cats. I wonder if Cheryl would like my dog chasing her cat? What would happen if my dog caught her cat? Would she chalk it up to nature? I give fair warning for my neighbors to keep their pets away from my yard. I realize pets do get out occasionally. But not on a regular basis. My dogs are fenced.
They do not need other dogs or cats teasing them and making them bark. I do not need to clean up after other people�s pets just as I do not expect people to clean up after mine. Other people�s cats are given to the pound. If they do not learn from that then let them worry about what happens next.
Kay Warner
Blaine

Think differently
The Editor:
A just plain incorrect suggestion about changing the name of Blaine was printed in last week�s The Northern Light. It said that changing the name of Blaine would cost too much money for the police department, fire department, city hall, etc.
People, this level of thinking does not work! To an extreme level, the exact opposite is true. These governmental organizations should be the leaders in turning around Blaine�s commercial emergency! Let me say that again, city hall, the police department, the post office, the mayor, and every city council member has the duty to enact every reasonable measure to stimulate the local economy. To not do everything they possibly can to provide the platform for a growing vibrant economy is not only the wishes of the people they represent and serve. It is also their duty as handed down to them by the chief executive officer of the United States, George W. Bush.
Many agree that changing the name of Blaine is the big step needed to turn this ghost town around. Ironically in the same letter genius shined through as Sparkling Waters was mentioned as a description of Blaine. It is a wonderful and glorious new name for Blaine.
I strongly feel that there is no coincidence; Sparkling Waters, Washington. So since it�s time for some serious action during a serious emergency, I will be taking petition signatures in front of city hall on H Street, Saturday, May 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. One will be a petition to change the name of Blaine to Sparkling Waters. The other petition will be to increase the speed limits of H and D streets.
Citizens of Blaine, I�m proud to announce it�s time to unite for the rebirth of a city! All anti-growth anti-economy followers beware, people are going hungry! It�s time to take action toward the rebirth of this town. Please show up to sign the petition, which will enhance and improve the lives of all Blaine citizens. It is also proposed that the author of last week�s letter receive the prize money for the name.
Kara Hollenbeck
Blaine

Thank you coaches
The Editor:
Craig Foster and Scott Dodd deserve to be recognized for all of their outstanding work as Blaine Barracuda coaches. Their love of wrestling and knowledge of the sport are apparent at every practice and they are sharing that with the future wrestlers of Blaine.
Craig and Scott�s commitment to the young men on their team is seen in all that they do. Not only do both coaches give their time, they also make sure that all members of the team can attend tournaments by finding them rides if needed.
That usually means that both Craig and Scott are at the Ken Waters gym by 6 a.m. every Saturday loading up their cars and heading off to tournaments. Which is no small feat, considering that the Barracudas travel to every match and have traveled as far as the other end of Washington to compete!
All of their dedication and hard work is visible in the wrestlers on their team. These young men look up to their coaches and give 100 percent in every practice and each match. The Barracudas are impressive to watch; they often show up at a match with a team of 20 plus wrestlers. They are a study of sportsmanship, respect, honor and hard work; both the wrestlers and the coaches.
Another testament to Craig and Scott�s coaching abilities is seen in all of the middle school, high school and former Blaine wrestlers who show up at each practice to help coach the younger wrestlers. Elias Zupancic, Richie Tewey, Derik Stremler, Niko Rehon and many more (my apologies for being unable to list all of you), take the time to show wrestling moves to the kids before a match and share their experience with the team.
These young coaches may not realize what that means to the kids on the team and how much they look up to them. Just by showing up at practice and cheering them on at matches they make a huge impact on the lives of these young wrestlers!
The Blaine Barracuda Wrestling Club is fortunate to have Craig Foster and Scott Dodd as coaches and we would like to thank them for all of their hard work.
Brett and Tricia Johnson, and Ken and Janice Belding
Blaine

Birch Bay bingo
The Editor:
There�s a warm and friendly atmosphere at the legion bingo that�s so very good. How lucky to find such a great bingo in your Birch Bay neighborhood.
David Pierce is a very popular bingo manager with smiles he cannot hide. He also has a super staff that do their work with pride.
He takes a turn calling bingo and his voice is loud and clear. And when those bingo balls dance around, you know he�s in high gear.
When you step in the bingo hall you feel a certain excitement in the air. You hurry to find a seat and buy your bingo cards, you have no time to spare.
The two ladies in the kitchen are warm and friendly, and serve food you like to eat. And they put on a bit more speed during intermission to get you back to your seat.
You�ll see friendly waves and greetings to friends as they walk in through the front door. So many new friendships are formed which bring people back once more.
Sunday bingo starts at 11:30 a.m., and Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday have start times of 11:30 a.m., 3 p.m., and 6:30 p.m.
Burl Radtke
New West, B.C.

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