Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
A recent letter to the editor revealed a concern for dining in our local restaurants—a matter I understand, and one that raises the question of proper eating in America.
Ever since the Thimble Theater introduced Popeye to the world in 1929, we have seen graphic examples of fatty foods and foolishness in America. Popeye suffered from malformed bone structure, quite noticeable in his upper arms and jaw. Excessive amounts of iron, caused by an extreme addiction to spinach, practically poisoned his body due to the dysfunctional interaction of calcium overdosed with iron. Too, he lived in the bowels of ships, sheltered from sunshine and its precious D vitamin, so necessary for healthy bones.
I imagine that the tattoo on his arm was administered without due respect for sterilization and sanitation; he may have unwittingly inherited undesirable microbes as a consequence. His ubiquitous corncob pipe worries me, and even more so, when I realize “spinach” was, at that time, a slang expression for marijuana. His unhealthy habits may have disposed him toward occasional violence.
Skinny Olive Oyl, Popeye’s girlfriend, obviously suffered from anorexia nervosa, or severe undernourishment and starvation due to a psychological problem.
J. Wellington Wimpy, on the other hand, was obese and suffering the consequences of bulimia, anorexia’s exact opposite, a condition also of psychological causation and, in his case, an addiction to hamburgers. Wimpy’s overeating was accompanied by inactivity, an unhealthy combination.
His lazy lifestyle reminds us that exercise, like the healthy diet, also stands in need of recognition. In spite of several doctorates, Wimpy belonged to the lower socio-economic class. Puzzles me. Everybody but Wimpy knows what it means to be “healthy, wealthy and wise.”
I doubt many Americans will suffer health problems traceable to overdoses of spinach; in fact, it seems the entire society too easily avoids green vegetables. But in the case of Miss Oyl and Mr. Wimpy, further examples prevail in the USA, with obesity becoming a number one concern.
The old adage, “We are what we eat,” needs serious reconsideration, even while you’re in a restaurant.
Richard Clark
Blaine

The Editor:
In our quaint town of Blaine there is a tight-knit community between the residents and the officials of the city. You cannot drive too far without seeing a police officer or patrol man making his/her rounds. Although they are primarily securing the genuine tranquility that Blaine best operates under, lately I have had to question their authority. In the past few weeks, I have seen several instances where my friends have been unnecessarily harassed and persecuted by our local police. It is not that our police are intentionally inutile, yet I cannot help noticing their unnecessary meretricious behavior targets juveniles. Just because we are juveniles does not mean we are juvenile delinquents.
Now, because their pessimistic attitudes are often the first impression that juveniles receive, it is not hard to understand why teenagers have such resistance towards the police. I think they have all forgotten the golden rule – “Treat others the way you would want to be treated yourself” and could be reminded that we are innocent until proven guilty, thus our individual rights should remain intact and unviolated.
Naomi Shucard
Point Roberts

The Editor:
The most recent Family Fun Night at the primary school was a huge success. Nearly 250 primary students, their siblings and parents participated in a great evening of bingo fun.
The kids lined up to take turns reading off the bingo balls and the traditional “bingo dance” brought smiles to all in attendance. The Hawaiian theme and silly hats brought sunshine to a chilly winter evening. Thank you to the students, parents and community that help support our primary students! A tremendous job done on the fall fundraiser made this evening possible!
Looking ahead to our next family fun night the primary school will join with the elementary school as we put on the sock hop! We are excited about the changes that will be made to this year’s sock hop – watch for more details!
Angee Bolick
Blaine Primary School P.T.O.
Blaine

The Editor:
I present to you a poem that I read at the No Borders get together last week.
I have taken some poetic license to retain a western or cowboy cadence.
“Snake eye” Dan
was one hell of a man
He stood ‘bout six foot four
He carried a blade
That for Bowie was made
Along with a big forty-four

He could swim rivers
Rushing full flood
Or hand catch a rattler
To drink of its blood
He’d stare down a tornado
And make it a breeze
And button his vest
When others would freeze

Of quadratic equations
The kind that we dread
He’d count on his fingers
Or do in his head
A fight he could stop
With only one glance
Then he’d bow to the ladies
And ask them to dance
He would glide cross the floor
With the greatest of ease
And when he went to the bar
He’d always say “please”

Many’s the time
He’d rescued fair maid
And there’s some bodies
He put in a grave
With his confident manner
He hardly knew fear
But when he was home
It was always, “Yes, Dear.”
George Tranberg
Blaine

The Editor:
Two objects came out of the ground last week – the groundhog and Lincoln Rutter. I will compare his fictional statements with the factual ones.
Fiction #1: Blaine is going broke; nearly all of its funds are projected into deficit in the coming months. Fact #1: He cited three funds out of Blaine’s 43 funds, excluding agency funds. The deficits may occur in about two years not in coming months.
Fiction #2: The problem stems from the general fund’s projected balance at the end of 2008 (three years away). He implies that a cure for the general fund is new “impact fees.”
Fact #2: According to RCE 82.02.020 et. sec., impact fees can be assessed by cities that are planning under the GMA. These fees can be assessed for fire protection facilities, schools, parks, open space, recreation facilities and for street purposes.
More importantly, these fees may be set at a level that recovers all direct and indirect costs associated with the activity. If fees more than recover costs, then cities need specific statutory authority to levy fees as they then become more like taxes.
The bottom line is that impact fees do not solve any potential general fund problem. Meredith Riley did make note that revenues for certain funds are to be reviewed.
To the astute reader, this Blaine issue is just a smoke screen to Mr. Rutter’s real target and goal. He and my new county councilman advocate controlling growth via taxes rather than managing growth with wisdom and understanding. That is why the Bellingham Herald did not endorse Mr. Weimer.
Recent articles over the past months show that cities are working with developers and obtaining viable concessions from them. Impact fees will affect the affordability of homes to buyers.
He states that Blaine also needs a building moratorium until “our” financial house is in order. That is an odd statement since he does not live in Blaine but in unincorporated county.
It seems a pity that he insinuates that the people and groups he mentioned would in any way create unfunded liabilities on the part of Blaine.
Mickey Masdeo
Birch Bay

The Editor:
We are a class of 4th grade students from Stanwood elementary school in Stanwood, Washington. In social studies we are studying about the five regions of our state: the coast, the western lowlands, the Cascade Mountains, the Columbia plateau and the Okanogan highlands.
We would like your help in creating a pictorial portrait of our beautiful state. We know that people live in other parts of our state that can be very different from where we live in Washington.
We would greatly appreciate it if the readers of your newspaper. The Northern Light, could send us postcards illustrating key features and points of interest in your city.
You can send postcards to: Stanwood Elementary School, 10227 273rd Place, NW, Stanwood, WA, 98292, Mrs. Bradley’s class, room 10.
Thank you for your time and efforts in helping us to create a ‘postcard profile’ of our beautiful state of Washington.
Noelle Morgenstern
Mrs. Bradley’s class, room 10
Stanwood, WA

The Editor:
In August of 2004, Blaine issued itself a clearing permit for removal of about 500 trees at the south end of the airport. The permit required new plantings in the wetlands and buffer areas. This plan has not been implemented. An inquiry to director Terry Galvin as to why the required mitigation hasn’t been done has been unanswered. Had a private developer undertaken this project, they would have had to post a performance bond with the city.
I understand it would be unpopular for the city to have to loan the airport more money to cover the costs of the required mitigation, but this double standard demonstrates a lack of accountability by the city administration.
The December 5, 2003 issue of The Northern Light, documents how I offered to sell the city the property with the trees they sought to condemn for $310,000. Instead the city spent just about double that amount including legal fees and other related expenses.
They also spent about $100,000 to condemn an aviation easement on the Klein property, which Blaine has now abandoned. This represents about $400,000 of wasted Blaine taxpayer’s money.
In light of this, it is troubling that city council members Ely, Hawkins, Wolf and mayor Myers prefer a hands off or weak council approach to the administrator style of city government.
This rubber stamp approach doesn’t serve the citizens as has been demonstrated.
I view the airport studies as nothing more than to give pro airport council members cover to advance their agenda contrary to the citizen advisory vote.
Using the city attorney and council picking the members of the committee is not independent, it’s dithering and not creditable.
Robert Carruthers
Blaine

The Editor:
I live on Oertel Drive on the Birch Point Peninsula, and am a volunteer with the Watershed Masters/Beach Watchers program via WSU Extension.
I also serve on the Birch Bay storm water subcommittee, part of the effort to guide the development of the area through citizen participation.
I am seeking information from residents of “Boundary Reach” – those living between Semiahmoo Lane and Hogan Drive, (including Birch Point Road, Semiahmoo Drive, Charel Terrace, and Oertel Drive) with respect to storm water runoff in their areas.
For those willing to participate, I will contact you by phone with a brief series of questions, in a 10-15 minute interview.
I will compile the information from these interviews, and submit it to Whatcom County Department of Planning and Development, which, with the help of the engineering firm CH2Mhill, is now developing a storm water management plan for the Birch Bay watershed. We are part of that watershed.
Through your participation in the interviews, you will be able to influence the planning effort as it affects our area.
To participate, please contact me at 371-3554 with your phone number and best times to reach you.
Thanks for your interest.
Keats Garman
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