Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
I want to express my heartfelt thanks to my son Bill and his wife Nancy Campin; to Stafholt Good Samaritan staff; to my grandson Mike Campin, driving from Vancouver, Washington in a hurricane windstorm on February 4 to be present for my 90th surprise birthday party – and it truly was a surprise. Pastor Bob Rieke was the highlight of the party with his delightful words of wisdom and a meaningful special prayer.
Also thanks for the many supplying the bountiful trays of delicious food; the beautiful floral arrangements plus many best wishes and lovely cards.
It was a great pleasure for me to greet and welcome each one of you. For someone who did not want a party, I was in glory and you made it happen.
Thank you one and all for coming and may God bless each one of you.
Vivian Campin
Blaine

The Editor:
I just had to respond to the first two mindless letters in The Northern Light edition of January 25 – February 1. I can see why Jake Ross is spending his 18th year of his life in jail. Too bad it won’t be for longer, but I am sure he will re-offend when released and will end up back in there.
It is sad that our youth – tomorrow’s future – is so desensitized to brutality. Makes me wonder what he will end up doing later on! It is good Mike Mullen isn’t bragging about his crime of murdering two people. Wonder how Jake would feel if they had been his family or friends who were murdered? Would it matter then why they were killed? How does an awesome teddy bear end up murdering two people? Sorry, Jake, but a world without limits is anarchy.
There is right and wrong and wrong brings punishments. We all are created equal but you seem to think killing doesn’t deserve punishment. What made Mike more deserving to live than the two people he decided didn’t deserve to live?
Secondly, is the tiresome letter of Karl King. If you don’t want to be safe – fine. What makes you think the rest of us don’t want to be? Why not move somewhere else where you don’t have to cross the border. No one is making you live here.
Do you not know the terror and problems that have been caused by “just a man with mental problems?” How would you like to be the next person in line behind such a fellow who may have detonated a bomb or emptied a firearm on the innocent people around him? If you don’t want to be inconvenienced then don’t travel.
I have traveled with my precious grandchildren who didn’t like traveling too well. It is a fact of life. I was even detailed with one for an hour because I didn’t have documentation necessary. At least they were trying to avoid a kidnapping. I am sure there are grateful people out there who have had kidnapped children returned because of such vigilance.
Those guys who blew up the twin towers were innocent until proven guilty. Too bad that situation didn’t hit closer to home for all you not thinking people who can’t be inconvenienced. You need not live here. Try China or Russia and leave us alone.
Kay Warner
Blaine

The Editor:
Good things happen in Blaine.
The 9th annual Arts & Jazz was a great success raising over $10,000 in the evening’s auction while we celebrated our community and the arts.
To the fine arts students in Blaine, we respect the time and effort you put into your art. We are proud of you and believe that your time and effort is well spent.
To all of the businesses and individuals, your generous donations make this very special evening possible.
To the community, thank you for your support of the arts in the Blaine schools. While so many schools have lost or are losing the arts in their schools, we believe we are making a real investment in our future.
To Gary Tomsic for the wonderful job as our auctioneer and to Mike Kent for his great support, thank you both.
A very big note of thanks to the wonderful group of people who make this all happen. It is a lot of work, hopefully a lot of fun and you are all amazing people whom I respect.
To the students who worked so hard from set up to clean up – thank you all. The Blaine Fine Arts Association (BFAA) is proud of the work our students produce and the honors they receive and Arts & Jazz is a wonderful way to celebrate their efforts and share it with the community.
Thank you for attending Arts & Jazz and for helping us to honor our students as they challenge themselves and make our community a more artful place to live.
Thank you for your support.
See you all next year !
Dorita Gray
Blaine

The Editor:
I regret, now the date for the public hearing for the development of the spit has been changed, that I shall not be able to attend that meeting on February 23.
However, according to Pamela Andrew’s comments in The Northern Light, I understand the developer is to “unveil a conceptual plan for the whole build out of the spit,” that evening.
I was pleased to read this information is finally being made public. Many of us have previously requested both the city and the developer consider the spit as a whole, rather than piecemeal approve its development. Sadly, as indicated in the master plan, it now seems that development will cover most of the ground, with the exception of the county park at the beginning of the spit.
Some of us had hoped that it would be possible to purchase the land next to the park, so that it could be extended for public use. Perhaps, the news that the developer is seeking over $77 million for other land on the spit will indicate why we were unable to reach a satisfactory agreement.
While I have always understood, because of this 20-year-old master plan approved by the city of Blaine, that the developer has a right to build on the spit, I very much regret the extent of these developments.
I wonder if the fact that, “showing how the project would contribute its share to needed road improvements” is included in the city’s 21 conditions to prevent the development having a significant environmental impact, will mean a much wider highway be probably be necessary on both the spit and Lincoln Road, to handle the increase in traffic in this area?
I certainly hope that intelligent and unbiased discussions will continue in the appropriate months for construction to take place, which will, hopefully, limit the disturbance to all the wildlife on both the spit and in its surrounding waters. I also hope that what will eventually be built will somehow blend into that beautiful area without blocking too much of the views and that bird life will be able to adjust to what will be a very different habitat.
If only Blaine, years ago, had been able to persuade the developer to donated the small piece of Seagrass land to the city, its residents and its many visitors, we would not be in this predicament. It’s unfortunate, in my view, that the master plan did not provide for more open land in that area.
Trevor Hoskins
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