JULY 2021
IN THIS
ISSUE
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A Man with a Plan, cont’d, page 4
Open letter to Prime Minister’s Mom, page 6
Westwind Marine changes hands, page 7
ECRWSS PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 14 Point Roberts, WA 98281 Postal Patron Local
After 460 days, How nice to be out and see everybody still no word on when border will reopen Marketplace owner Ali Hayton warns of July 15 store closing B y P a t G r u bb Despite unofficial reports that the U.S. intended to open its land borders with Canada and Mexico on June 22, that day came and went with no change to the status quo, the 458th day since the borders were closed on March 21, 2020. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officially posted its intention to extend the closure until July 21, approximately nine hours before the restriction was due to expire at midnight on June 21. The notice was subsequently published in the Federal Register on June 23. In doing so, DHS followed the lead of Canada which had announced its decision to extend the closure to non-essential traffic on June 18 with a tweet from Canadian public safety minister Bill Blair saying the prohibition against non-essential travel into Canada was being extended until July 21. In a June 20 tweet, the DHS noted positive developments in recent weeks and wrote it was “participating with other U.S. agencies in the White House’s expert working groups with Canada and Mexico to identify the conditions under which restrictions may be eased safely and sustainably.” Blaine immigration attorney Len Saunders pointed out that the Americans who were held during the Iranian hostage crisis were released on their 454th day of imprisonment, meaning the border closure is now longer than one of America’s most fraught and emotional international crises. “How ironic is that,” Saunders asked. “I’d be shocked if the border doesn’t open on June 22. Shocked,” Saunders had said on June 15 when asked for an update on the border. Saunders was the source of the May 25 story in All Point Bulletin that broke the news nationwide that the U.S. was preparing to open the border on June 22 on a unilateral basis, if necessary. (See Border, page 3)
s June started off on a happy note with a Circle of Care-sponsored Village Fair held on Saturday, June 6. From l., Galen Wood, Jacqui Kinsey and Vicki Robertson. More photos at allpointbulletin.com Photo by Louise Mugar
County executive Sidhu goes 2 for 4 By Meg Olson At a special outdoor town hall meeting the Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee (PRCAC) considered four proposed requests for county action. County executive Satpal Sidhu attended the meeting and gave his enthusiastic support for two out of four. The June 8 meeting was held at the Reef Tavern with a good-sized group in attendance. First on the list was funding for a bus service that the Point Roberts Chamber of Commerce had taken to the executive who had forwarded it to PRCAC to gather public input and make a recommendation. “We have received lots of comments
and emails,” said PRCAC president Allison Calder, with only one in support of the proposal. “The others were all asking questions.” Calder said the chamber requested $30,000-$40,000 for emergency funding to rent the Breakwaters van and hire a driver to operate a bus service on the Point seven days a week for 7-10 hours a day to meet the ferry and allow mobility for tourists who can’t come to the Point with a vehicle. Comments from the public questioned the frequency and duration of service hours being proposed, given that the ferry only runs twice a week, and the cost of funding the proposed four-month program. (See PRCAC, page 7)
HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY
Ca nada Day a nd Happy 4th of July!
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Inside
Church ............................................. 15 Classifieds ......................................... 12 Coming Up ....................................... 11 Garden............................................... 10 Obituaries ......................................... 14 Opinion ............................................... 4 Library, Sheriffs ............................... 15 Tides ................................................. 13
