Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
We had so much fun as an entry in the 4th of July parade that we asked our owners, the board members of grateful Dogs of Leash of Blaine to write a letter sending our thanks to all who made our participation in Blaine’s Old Fashioned 4th of July parade possible.
Special thanks to the owner of our favorite store, Bow Wow and Woofs. Heather Campbell helped us by promoting our parade entry to her customers and including information on it in her The Northern Light ad. She also provided four prize bags full of toys, treats, and dog-fashion accessories.
The winners of the three of these prizes were Juliet (owner Debbie Einfield), the most patriotic costume, oldest dog Jackson (owner Don and Linda Griffiths) and the winner of the drawing Spot the Dot (owner Kathi Gilbert).
The fourth prize for the most look alike goes to the pug and its owner, who dressed alike in ladybug costumes (please call us for your prize).
We also want to thank the following: The Northern Light for publishing information on our parade plans, Georgia Donovan for painting our banners, and John Flannery for our Camaro convertible lead car. Our owners were delighted with the turnout and encouraged by the community support. They are now working on raising funds and volunteer support to complete the construction of a fenced, off-leash play area for us at Skallman Park. To learn more about these plans and to get involved, contact Diane at 332-2077.
Terry Johnston
Blaine

The Editor:
The Blaine School District has completed a very successful year, graduating over 150 seniors, the highest number ever in our collective communities of Blaine, Point Roberts and Birch Bay.
A key issue in our work of providing for the highest possible level of academic success for all students is that of assuring for alternative learning options. It is not unique to Blaine that we have students enrolled at Timber Ridge alternative high school. Timber Ridge is a resource shared with five other school districts in Whatcom County.
The students that attend Timber Ridge are part of a unique, high quality learning environment geared to their own individual learning needs, as well as their personal schedules. Many students enrolled at Timber Ridge alternative high school attend class each day, while others experience individual contract based learning, set up to provide for one to one instructional support.
I want to take this opportunity to thank the staff at Timber Ridge for the outstanding program that they are providing to students. Congratulations to each of the graduates of Timber Ridge alternative high school.
The diploma that you have worked so very hard to earn will make an invaluable difference to your future. We wish you and all of our graduates the very best in pursuit of your interests beyond high school!
Ron Spanjer,
Superintendent, Blaine school district

The Editor:
Pugwash celebrated its 50th anniversary of promoting world peace last week. Delegates gathered from worldwide to strategize toward carrying the proliferation of peace into the next half-century. The first Pugwash conference, sponsored by Cyrus Eaton, was held July 7, 1952, with 22 delegates having arrived from 10 countries.
It may be recalled that the original conference spawned the Pugwash conferences on science and world affairs with centers in London, Geneva, Rome and Washington, D.C. (It was the “political” role of the conferences that scared our city council into squelching an invitation toward Pugwash becoming the Peace Arch City’s sister.)
The Pugwash Peace Exchange sponsored the conference this time. It’s the town’s own dynamic powerhouse designed to keep the movement moving. Romeo Dallaire opened the celebratory conference July 2, and, according to journalist James Keller, the liberal senator said, “Canada has a unique position as a middle power to encourage its allies – particularly the United States –to rid the world of nuclear warheads.”
Over 400 attendees were present at Saturday evening’s banquet. Hiroshima mayor Tadatoshi Akiba presented the keynote address.
“He expressed what I had been feeling,” reported Green Party representative Elizabeth May. “In the mood of celebration of 50 years was a terrible sense of frustration that we should still meet to discuss the threat of nuclear proliferation after half a century of knowing nuclear weapons, the ultimate weapons of mass destruction, should be entirely eliminated.”
I made a superhuman effort to convince “CBC Nightly News” and “As it Happens” to cover the event. But on Sunday night it was more important for the CBC to run a half-hour story on bull fighting in Calgary. “As it Happens,” on the other hand, ran a six-minute interview with Bostonian Paul Doty, an 87-year-old scientist who attended the 1957 conference.
Atomic bombs? “I think we probably will lose a city or two in the next 10 or 20 years,” said Doty. If one should explode in Vancouver, I imagine the Peace Arch City might become more interested in asking Pugwash to become its sister city.
Richard Clark
Blaine

The Editor:
Birch Bay, July 4th, 2007 – a veritable spectacle of explosions, followed by oohs and ahhs, as fireworks lit up the sky. I had to stop and ponder; what if the sounds were caused by mortars, roadside bombers or incoming missiles and this was daily life?
I thought about all of the lives on the planet that are affected daily by this reality. Whether it is a native of the country, military personnel or peacekeepers each time they hear these sounds it represents terror and death. Think about it … PEACE ON EARTH.
Vikki Farrell
Birch Bay

The Editor:
The family of Lillian Paul would like to thank those who attended her 100th birthday party on July 3. Lili is truly blessed to have wonderful friends and family who love her and she appreciated all the cards and gifts she received on this joyous occasion. 
Special thanks to those who helped plan and served refreshments: Sharon Neem, Mari Berry, and Judy Ploghoft. Also, thanks to Cam and Turtle at the Blaine Senior Center for helping set up and decorate. Kudos to Trish Loop for taking pictures and James Knight and Warren Wood for the music. 
Peggy Armijo
Blaine

The Editor (Tara):
Number one I would like to thank you very much from the bottom of my heart for (printing photos of) the two kids at Timber Ridge, without you they wouldn’t have been recognized, so again I thank you.
I would also like to thank Monica Kerr from Arizona that still reads The Northern Light. Isn’t it funny how we can’t get Blaine out of our system?
But you are right about the robotic molds that Blaine schools try and make. They would be better off to know that each kid is an individual, and yes, we do have to prepare them for the real world that is not so nice.
I would also like to thank everyone who came up to me and thanked me for the awesome letter I wrote. I didn’t think it would get that much attention, but it did, and I also hope that this caught the attention of the school boards and superintendent of Blaine school district. And last but not least the high school.
I hope that at some point the high school will recognize the future of Timber Ridge students and start treating them as humans and the future leaders. These are good kids, some maybe challenging, but that’s okay. Maybe if they were given credit for the positives that they do then maybe they will continue to give positive to their communities and contribute to the future.
Another issue, give some positive feedback and accomplishment to the Timber Ridge staff, they work hard everyday with these students and they have so much patience and are good people.
In conclusion to my letter, I want to congratulate the two Timber Ridge students who did an awesome job and to the staff at Timber Ridge for working hard with our kids and giving them a memorable graduation ceremony. You are all great leaders and staff. We will miss Joe (principal) very much and our family wishes him the best.
I also want to say that my daughter applied for the Gates Scholarship and she made it to the second phase and almost had the scholarship but not having her correct transcripts, she didn’t get to the third phase. But that’s okay, were very proud of her for trying.
It was a long application and there were a few times that she wanted to give up but she didn’t and the only people that helped her through and encouraged her was us her family, teachers from Timber Ridge and staff at Northwest Indian College and to everyone who stuck by her side thank you.
Jessica L. Martinez 
Blaine

The Editor:
Judging by the copious amount of fireworks debris around the bay on Thursday morning, a fine July 4th was had by all at Birch Bay.
Thank you to the following for helping to put everything back to rights by mid-Thursday afternoon: around 30 or so volunteer litter picker-uppers including some from Bellingham; the Pats at the C-Shop for a place to meet and refreshments; Doug, Mike and the outdoor crew from county parks for putting on the finishing touches and hauling the full bags to the dumpster; Whatcom County Solid Waste for paying for the dumpster and to Blaine Bay Refuse for providing the dumpster. 
The fall community cleanup will be Saturday, September 15 as we continue to work together to keep Birch Bay a clean, pleasant place to live, work and play.
Kathy Berg
Birch Bay

The Editor:
I would personally like to thank all of the businesses and individuals that donated for the 2007 Fourth of July car show including those who donated to the goody bags and trophies. 
The car show would not have been a success without all of your help. We had a total of 162 cars this year, which was more than last year. We’re hoping to keep making this a success.
Cheryl Fischer
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