Letters to the Editor

The Editor:
What an amazing community! This weekend we had the privilege of seeing first hand, the kindness and generosity of this town we call home.
The Blaine Fine Arts Association held our Mega Car Wash to benefit the BHS band. It was remarkable to note the willingness of everyone to work together to teach life lessons in dependability, the value of work, and personal responsibility to a large group of young adults.
We would like to thank the Blaine School District, the maintenance department, The Northern Light, Blaine Marine Services, Pizza Factory, Mr. Gray, Mr. Kenagy, the parents and students, who came to school on a Saturday, and all those who donated to our cause.
It is great to live in Blaine.
Tami Kramme and Lauri Waslohn
Blaine

The Editor:
Apparently Mr. Armerding had trouble finding the entry for Islam in my letter of two weeks ago in which I delineated the 13 various religious and philosophical versions of the Golden Rule that I am aware of and their obvious similarities. I would have never withheld the Islamic version for any reason. And I sincerely hope that my letter helped readers recognize the common ground we actually have to work with against fear, towards peace.
Therefore, I am repeating the Islamic version as follows: ISLAM; “No one of you is a believer until you desire for another that which you desire for yourself.” - The Sunnah (from the Hadith), publ. 1975.
I believe we must work towards a greater understanding of the cultures, religions, and philosophies of the people with whom we share this very small planet and treat one another with the respect we all desire. That was the point of my original letter. Again, peace to all.
Dottie Barnicoat
Birch Bay

The Editor:
If you had a choice between a government employee, that’s been part of a problem identified in several state audits, or a qualified citizen who’s service never contained audit deficiencies, who would you choose?
That’s the choice we have in the county treasurer campaign. Joe Elenbaas comes to us with a stellar reputation in banking and finance activities. His opponent is the management in the office that State Auditor Brian Sonntag’s report indicates, “...does not have adequate internal controls, monitoring and oversight over cash-receipting.” The audit classifies this as an on-going problem.
In real terms, this means that cash is not properly receipted, money is transferred from person to person with no record of how much was transferred, and those without authority have the ability to get into the computer and make unauthorized account adjustments. When these accounts contain hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars, disastrous things can happen!
Joe Elenbaas knows what fiduciary responsibility means, and has practiced it successfully. That’s why he’s got my vote for county treasurer.
Scott Thiele
Bellingham

The Editor:
Why did someone cut down the tree on Birch Bay Drive and Evergreen Lane right by Trendwest on September 11? That has been an eagle perch for many years! I couldn’t believe my eyes. The tree didn’t seem to pose a danger to anyone. What’s more important, a nice view or preserving the natural habitat of our nations most important symbol!
Carol and John Hamilton
Birch Bay

The Editor: 
As the public policy coordinator of Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood, I work for an organization that serves predominantly low-income women and their health care needs. The majority of the women (and men) who come through our doors are of limited means and rely on the discounted prices Planned Parenthood gets for contraceptives.
Unfortunately, Congress has passed legislation – the Deficit Reduction Act – that will limit the ability of safety-net providers, like many Planned Parenthood affiliates and university clinics like Western Washington University’s Health Center, to offer birth control to women and families at affordable prices.
Birth control is essential to helping women and couples plan healthy families. Access to affordable birth control depends on three factors – like a three-legged stool. The first leg consists of providers like Planned Parenthood and university health centers that offer a safety net for high-quality, affordable family planning. The second leg consists of the responsible drug companies that provide cost-effective birth control to safety net providers. And the third and equally vital leg is Congress, when it prioritizes pro-family planning laws and policies and makes women’s reproductive health a public health priority.
Please join me in urging Senators Murray and Cantwell to make restoration of affordable birth control a priority. Congress needs to hold up its leg of the stool.
Christina M. Carr
Blaine

The Editor:
It was good to read the letter from the Blaine council emphasizing the contribution made by Bruce Wolf. There is no question that he will be deeply missed. However, while no one can replace Bruce, we do have a candidate who can take over his responsibilities.
Harry Robinson has served, admirably, on the Blaine Planning Commission for the last seven years. He is deeply involved with the planning staff and members of the city staff. He understands the importance of gradual and controlled growth and business development. Harry is now willing to take on the duties of a council member.
Harry and his wife Joanne have been Blaine residents for 14 years and they have seven children and 13 grandchildren. He cares deeply about the future of Blaine. He is patient; a good listener and can contribute the necessary time to perform his duties, to the benefit of everyone.
As Blaine continues to grow, it will be faced with many difficult decisions. Revising the comprehensive plan; redeveloping the downtown area; revising the master plan for Semiahmoo and updating the shoreline master plan will be just some of the challenges.
Harry Robinson has the background, experience, time, skills and commitment. He is a team player and will work well with other city council members and city staff to deal with these important issues.
In addition, he firmly believes it is essential to have public input into the process. He will listen and take into consideration our concerns and comments.
Some Blaine residents appear to be confused about the voting process. It is my understanding that, while the candidate must live in the ward for which he is running, residents may vote for any councilman, irrespective of his ward, or where they live. They must, of course, be registered voters. Qualified persons have until October 6 to register.
I am “wild about Harry!” andI know residents will agree that he is the ideal choice to succeed Bruce Wolf on Blaine City Council.
Trevor Hoskins
Blaine

The Editor:
They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, and I have discovered the truth of it! After being mostly away from Blaine during the past two years I have returned and it is good to be home. The peacefulness and quiet, the beauty of Marine Park and our ever-improving downtown, the courage and tenacity of business owners, the excitement of new growth and new ideas.
Mostly, though, it’s the sense of community we have here that makes me glad to be back. Several months ago, I began to think about forming a club here in Blaine for lovers of the game of Scrabble. I approached Debby Farmer, manager of Blaine Public Library to ask about ideas for where we might meet.
To my delight, Debby embraced the idea and offered the use of the community room for our group to meet each Saturday. Her enthusiasm and effort helped me enormously, and our group is now meeting happily at the library each week to sharpen wits and vocabularies. Thanks, Debby!
The park behind my home has gotten a wonderful face-lift and I’ve spent many happy hours with my grandson enjoying the fantastic new play structure there. Thanks, city of Blaine, for this upgrade which makes the park a great place for families with young children to spend time together.
Sunday’s rain postponed it, but I look forward to enjoying neighbors old and new at next Sunday’s neighborhood picnic. What a great idea! Thanks, Salishan Neighborhood Association! I’m glad to be home. Thanks, Blaine.
Erika Werdal
Blaine

Send us your border stories!

With long line-ups, testy drivers, NEXUS cards being confiscated or not renewed, road construction, it seems the problems of crossing the border is one of the main topics of conversation for residents and visitors in these parts.
We’re interested in learning about your experiences with the border, good, bad or indifferent.
As well, let us know what solutions you might offer to improve the situation. What do you think about the plans to shut lanes down during construction of the new Peace Arch port? Should there be a statute of limitations on prior misdeeds preventing NEXUS membership? Should there be an appeals board for NEXUS? Have you had difficulty in renewing your NEXUS card? Should there be a border ombudsman?
Please send us your stories and suggestions to: publisher@thenorthernlight.com. Requests for confidentiality will be strictly observed.

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