The Northern Light: April 16-22, 2020

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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay

April 16 - 22, 2020

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IN THIS

ISSUE

Food available for Blaine families in need, page 10

BHS seniors missing out on key life experiences, page 13

Q&A with Rep. Luanne Van Werven, page 15

PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230

County model suggests that COVID-19 infections may have peaked, for now

By Oliver Lazenby

(See COVID-19, page 3)

s On April 8 at 4:11 p.m., North Whatcom Fire and Rescue’s Engine 63 arrived to the 8100 block of Birch Bay Drive to extinguish a car fire. “The owner had been working on the vehicle for the last several months, and as he was driving down the road, he noticed a loss of power and smoke coming from underneath the vehicle,” said NWFR division chief and fire marshal Herschel Rostov. There were no injuries, and the exact cause of the fire is undetermined, he said.

Photo by Chuck Kinzer/CKimageart.com

B.C. implements new COVID-19 border checkpoints

By Jami Makan New, secondary checkpoints have been established on the Canadian side of the northern border in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The provincial checkpoints, which are mandatory for all motorists entering B.C., are located just after the standard Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) border control facilities. Provincial checkpoints

were set up in Surrey for those entering B.C. from Blaine, and in Tsawwassen for those entering B.C. from Point Roberts.

After entering Surrey from Blaine, motorists will see a sign that states: “COVID-19 Provincial Checkpoint Ahead: Prepare to Stop.” An additional sign states: “COVID-19: All motorists must stop. Welcome to B.C. Working together to keep our communities safe. All people entering Canada must self-isolate for 14 days – it’s the

Face masks being distributed locally to the public

By Jami Makan A limited quantity of surgical face masks is being distributed locally as a free resource for at-risk individuals and others who wish to wear masks as protection against the new coronavirus.

The initiative is being spearheaded by retired Blaine physician Dr. Marta Kazymyra, with support from an anonymous donor, community volunteer Joe Zaccaria and two local churches.

FIND OUT

“Someone very generously made these masks available,” said Dr. Kazymyra.

“There are no guarantees that the masks will stop you from getting infected, but something is better than nothing. We are doing what we can.”

According to Dr. Kazymyra, the anonymous donor has business connections in China and recently ordered thousands of surgical masks, including 2,500 for Blaine and Birch Bay residents. The individual spent thousands of dollars to have the

WHAT’S OPEN

masks shipped by air freight. They arrived around April 10.

To ensure that 2,500 of the masks reach locals in need, Dr. Kazymyra and Zaccaria partnered with two local churches where the masks were being distributed this week. Masks were being made available in the parking lot of Blaine Christian Fellowship, 902 Adelia Street on Wednesday, April 15 from 10:30 to 11:30 (See Masks, page 3)

law. Complete your self-isolation plan at www.gov.bc.ca/returningtravellers. Please follow the instructions of the Checkpoint Agent. Thank you for your patience while we gather information to ensure your safety and that of all British Columbians.”

Individuals who staff the new checkpoints have identified themselves as “conservation officers,” ask motorists about COVID-19 (See Checkpoints, page 3)

INSIDE

What’s happening in Whatcom County to slow the spread of the new coronavirus seems to be working, according to a simulation model created by the Whatcom County Health Department in partnership with Western Washington University (WWU).

Health department director Erika Lautenbach said during an April 14 online press briefing that the model shows signs that the county could be on the downslope of an initial wave of COVID-19 infections.

That’s the good news. The harsher news from the press briefing is that any change to the social distancing restrictions in place will likely increase the spread; if the state’s current stay-at-home order, which expires on May 4, is lifted, the rate of new infections could increase and another wave of the virus could peak later this summer.

“It shows us that returning to life will have to be done gradually,” Lautenbach said. “The way I like to think about it is, it’s more of a dial we’re turning than a switch.

We will turn the dial in different ways, and if we see additional spikes we may turn it back.”

The health department and WWU began developing the model before Whatcom County had any confirmed cases and have refined it over time with new data, Lautenbach said. The model, which is a tool for

Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Crossword . . . . . . 14 Police/Sheriff . . . 14 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14

TheNorthernLight.com

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Businesses, sign-up for FREE at: northernlight.whatsopenhere.com (see details on page 15)

SEE WHAT’S OPEN AT: thenorthernlight.com

The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

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April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

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“All international travelers returning to B.C. are also required by law to complete a self-isolation plan, regardless of where and when they cross the border,” said the spokesperson. “The self-isolation plan must outline where and how an incoming traveler will safely and effectively self-isolate for 14 days in B.C.” The JIC spokesperson said that as of April 10, “provincial government officials are on hand 24 hours a day/seven days a week to check these plans and support travelers at the Vancouver International Airport and four major land border crossings – Douglas (Peace Arch), Pacific, Osoyoos and Boundary Bay.” According to the spokesper-

son, Service BC staff will be conducting follow-up phone calls “to make sure people are following their self-isolation plan and have the support they need to continue isolating safely and effectively.” In addition, RCMP officers will play a role in conducting “physical verification” of B.C. residents’ compliance with the Quarantine Act. On April 14, Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau said that Canada-U.S. border restrictions won’t be relaxed in the near term.

He said Canada was still in the “control-and-contain” phase of the pandemic and would not consider “even a partial return to normality for several more weeks,” including re-opening the northern border to non-essential travel.

Masks ...

helping to facilitate distribution.

The distribution will be repeated next week at the same days, times and locations if supplies are still available.

People desiring masks are encouraged to stay in their vehicles and wear a mask if available, so that the masks can be brought out to their car by volunteers wearing masks and gloves. Re-

cipients were being given five masks per person.

The masks were being made available to people at their own risk. “We hold no liability. If you don’t feel comfortable taking these, please do not take them,” Dr. Kazymyra said. She said that surgical masks are only meant to be worn once; however, it is suggested that individuals wipe

the insides down with rubbing alcohol and reuse them as long as possible if they otherwise lack protective equipment.

On April 13, Dr. Kazymyra donated 500 of the masks to Point Roberts via fire chief Christopher Carleton. Any leftover masks will be handed out locally. A couple of weeks ago, Dr. Kazymyra donated about 150 N95 masks to

Whatcom Unified Command and about 30 N95 masks and 200 surgical masks to Good Samaritan Society – Stafholt in Blaine.

She has also handed out masks at grocery stores, at the post office and to people walking around in public. “People are extremely grateful to get them,” she said.

“They were jumping and yelling and full of thanks.”

COVID-19 ...

sends us a bunch of results back one day, and none the next.”

Test swabs from Whatcom County are processed at multiple labs including a state lab in Shoreline and a private lab in Bellingham.

Currently, Washington has 10,694 confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the state department of health. The U.S. has more than 579,000 cases and more than 22,000 deaths. British Columbia has 1,517 confirmed cases and 72 deaths as of April 14 and there are about two million cases globally, according to Johns Hopkins University’s online tracking dashboard.

Health department recommends canceling summer events A day after showing its forecast that COVID-19 may increase once people ease up on social distancing, the county health department recommended that all summer events in Whatcom County, including parades, community festivals and fireworks displays, be canceled.

“I recognize that this recommendation creates considerable disappointment,” Lautenbach said in a press release. “However, the long-term health of our community and our economy could be further damaged if we move too quickly to resume the activities that we know will put us at risk.”

PeaceHealth well below capacity throughout first wave If a first surge of infections peaked, it didn’t stress Whatcom County’s hospital capacity, officials said. PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center’s director of communications and marketing, Beverly Mayhew, said the hospital has had considerably fewer patients than normal in the emergency department, ICU and main nursing units since the outbreak began. PeaceHealth had eight patients positive with COVID-19 on April 14, and five were awaiting test results. The hospital has “ample capacity to handle an influx of COVID patients, should they arrive,” Mayhew said.

In response to a question

about whether the situation at PeaceHealth supports the county health department’s suggestion that the rate of new infections may have peaked for now, Mayhew emailed a statement from PeaceHealth chief medical officer Sudhakar Karlapudi.

The statement said, in part: “Here’s what we are keeping in mind: All mathematical models are just that, they are models.

Every day we carefully review all available information to understand our readiness to take care of all COVID-19 patients and our other patients who have other serious medical problems. Our number one priority is to provide a safe environment for all patients and caregivers, and our strategy is to be nimble and adapt rapidly to the constantly changing needs of the community.”

Planning documents from Whatcom Unified Command suggest that the curve in the rate of hospital admissions could be 10 to 14 days behind the curve of new infections.

One additional case at Stafholt In the past week, one additional resident at Good Samaritan Society – Stafholt in Blaine tested positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson for the North Dakota-based Good Samaritan Society said on April 14. In total, 13 residents at the Blaine skilled nursing facility have tested positive.

No additional staff members have tested positive, said Shawn Neisteadt, spokesperson for the Good Samaritan Society. Three employees and two contracted medical providers who previously tested positive have recovered

and are now healthy, he said.

Community PPE donations Community members and local organizations have donated more than 50,000 gloves, 50,000 masks and respirators and more than 17,000 isolation gowns to Whatcom Unified Command since COVID-19 arrived in Whatcom County, according to a press release from the organization.

A variety of other personal protective equipment (PPE) such as face shields, respirator cartridges, shoe covers and touchless thermometers have also been donated to unified command. Unified command has distributed donations to more than 85 organizations serving Whatcom County residents, including first responders, nursing homes, hospitals, public transportation, doctors, inhome care providers and shelters.

Unified command’s procedure for receiving donations is strict. Learn how to donate at whatcomcovid. com/donations.

Unified command working to open isolation facilities Whatcom Unified Command has secured a former motel building in Bellingham for isolating and quarantining COVID-19 patients, and it is working on securing other facilities throughout Whatcom County for the same purpose.

The facilities would be for those who have symptoms but do not require hospitalization and can’t safely isolate at home.

“The intent is to have location options at population centers around the county,” said John Wolpers, unified command incident commander.

County businesses no longer eligible to apply for state grants The Washington State Department of Commerce is no longer accepting applications from Whatcom and 18 other counties for its Working Washington Small Business Emergency Grant program due to an “overwhelming volume” of applications.

The program is funded by up to $5 million from the governor’s Strategic Reserve Fund and is administered by the state department of commerce. It will provide a limited number of businesses with up to $10,000.

A spokesperson from the department of commerce wasn’t immediately available to discuss how many businesses will receive the grants.

Checkpoints ...

From page 1

symptoms and distribute informational flyers. The individuals staffing the checkpoints are not affiliated with CBSA, said a CBSA spokesperson on April 13.

A spokesperson for B.C.’s Joint Information Centre (JIC) said that unless you are exempt, everyone now entering Canada is legally obligated to self-isolate under Canada’s federal Quarantine Act. Exempt individuals include air and transportation crews; armed forces personnel; asymptomatic people who provide essential services such as trucking and health care; and others.

From page 1 a.m. and at The Bridge Community Hope Center, 4815 Alderson Road on Thursday, April 16 from 1 to 2 p.m.

Blaine Christian Fellowship pastor Justin Long and The Bridge chaplain Lee Connors are

From page 1

planning, is similar to other models and is informed by King County data, but it takes into account Whatcom County’s population, the date of the first infection here and other local specifics. Models for the state and King County also suggest that the rate of infections may have peaked for now.

Information on the model from Whatcom Unified Command, the multi-government agency responding to the local outbreak, notes that clusters of cases at skilled nursing homes and other places where people live together in big groups create “lumpy” lurches in the rate of new infections that aren’t simulated in the model. Clusters of cases, and larger transmission events here, can have a bigger impact than in King County and other more populated communities, health officials said at the briefing.

“If we have any instances of large community meetings or family gatherings that can turn into spots of spread, they’re going to dramatically impact transmission and infection rates within Whatcom County,” said Steve Bennet, WWU associate professor of health and human development, during the briefing.

As of April 14, 265 people had tested positive for COVID-19 in Whatcom County and 25 had died of the respiratory illness.

The county health department announced 27 new infections between April 7 and 14. That’s less than a third of the number reported during the previous seven-day period, from March 31 to April 7, when the health department reported 99 new cases.

Claudia Murphy, a spokesperson for Whatcom Unified Command, cautioned against drawing conclusions from that data.

“There are so many variables that go into the testing and go into the numbers,” she said.

“Sometimes it’s as simple as a lab

s A sign for B.C.’s new, secondary COVID-19 checkpoint in Surrey, just beyond the Peace Arch border crossing.

Photo by Louise Mugar

CITY OF BLAINE Due to COVID-19 and the Governor’s Proclamation, meetings are now only open to the public telephonically. Information on how to listen to the meeting live will be on the City Council agenda which is located on the City’s website homepage under Your Government, City Council, City Council Agenda.

Wednesday, April 22 8:00am – Blaine Tourism Advisory Committee Meeting Instructions on how to listen live to the meeting will be on the BTAC agenda.

Monday, April 27 6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting

Monday, May 11 6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting

Hello Blaine Residents!

It’s spring cleaning time and we need your help!

Common complaints we receive this time of year relate to: • Overgrown grass • Plants growing over sidewalks • Windfall debris • Dumping of household items on sidewalks

Overgrown vegetation and illegal dumping can lead to fines.

Please do your part to control vegetation and clean responsibly this spring and summer.

Tuesday, May 26 (Monday the 25th is Memorial Day) 6:00pm – Regular City Council Meeting All City offices are currently closed to the public. Contact information for staff and Councilmembers can be found on the City’s website.

Call (360) 332-8311 or visit our website.

www.cityofblaine.com

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The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

The Northern L ght Historical photo of the week The Northern Light is published weekly

by Point Roberts Press Inc. Locally owned and managed, the company also publishes the All Point Bulletin, covering Point Roberts, Mount Baker Experience, covering the Mt. Baker foothills area, Pacific Coast Weddings annual guide, and the summer recreation guide Waterside as well as maps and other publications. Point Roberts Press Inc. is a member of the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association, Chambers of Commerce of Bellingham/ Whatcom County, Birch Bay, Blaine and Point Roberts and the Bellingham/Whatcom County Convention and Visitors Bureau.

The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors.

Letters Policy The Northern Light welcomes letters to the editor. Please include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters are limited to 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. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis. Consumer complaints should be submitted directly to the business in question or the local chamber of commerce. Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published. Email letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com.

Publisher & Managing Editor Patrick Grubb publisher@pointrobertspress.com Co-publisher & Advertising Director Louise Mugar lmugar@pointrobertspress.com Editor Jami Makan jami@pointrobertspress.com Copy Editor Aly Siemion aly@pointrobertspress.com Reporter Oliver Lazenby oliver@pointrobertspress.com Reporting Intern Grace McCarthy prpintern@pointrobertspress.com Creative Services Ruth Lauman, Doug De Visser production@pointrobertspress.com Office Manager Jeanie Luna info@pointrobertspress.com Advertising Sales Molly Ernst, Kristin Siemion sales@pointrobertspress.com General Editorial Inquiries editor@pointrobertspress.com

The Northern Light 225 Marine Drive, Suite 200 Blaine, WA 98230 Tel: 360/332-1777 Vol XXV, No 43 Circulation: 10,500 copies

Circulation Independently Verified by:

Next issue: April 23 Ads due: April 17

s Camping at Birch Bay State Park, 1956.

Photo by Jack Carver/courtesy Whatcom Museum

Letters The Editor: I would like to make a request to appeal to the public and businesses. I would love to see all of us flying our U.S. flags at halfmast for all of the victims who have died from the COVID-19 virus, those who are ill and the hospitals, caregivers and volunteer service providers who are putting their lives in danger by serving us. This would be a wonderful display to show the world we appreciate medical staff and the mourners who have lost someone dear.

Joan E. Kempinsky Blaine The Editor: As we go forward as survivors, we are called to excel as human beings to bring our America back. We must hold to codes of justice, truth and fair play. We must temper our passions so that we can understand our opposition. We must remember that others whom we may oppose have the same rights as we do. And we must be able to admit when we are wrong to then make necessary, good, long-term adjustments.

We can do all these things if we offer each other a safer and just world.

With these qualities, we might stop jumping to conclusions and finding foes where there might have been friends. We might stop pouncing on every error to bring loss to others for our gain. How much better to match one person’s weakness with another’s strength to keep the whole ship afloat. By withholding our torpedoes, we might regain confidence in each other to bring about more effective decisions and more righteous commitments. We could avoid the pitfalls of haste and prejudice with their toll of false witness, manipulated slander, unproven accusation, outrage and general uproar that make our world so nasty. Trust and tolerance could again be reasonable options.

If we do not rise above where we have been, then people will continue to hide away their faults and errors, take defensive actions, cover up bad behaviors (whether their own or of others like them) or recklessly use violence, all on the basis of illusions rather than on a basis for warfare.

The innocent will be harmed, the guilty left free and social problems left unsolved.

This destroys public trust and safety and never justifies it.

It may be time to reassess who we are and

who we do not want to be, as this plague recedes and Easter renews. We can emerge as honest Americans with enough courage to behave like one without needing to be heroes, saints, martyrs or mavericks.

Sharon L. Robinson Blaine The Editor: N95 masks are made from polypropylene fabric. Most people probably have some polypropylene fabric at home but wouldn’t recognize it.

The non-woven tote bags often given away as freebies and as promotional bags are made from polypropylene fabric.

They don’t feel like paper or fabric and have a micro-waffle texture. They rarely have any tags on them other than “Made in China” and laundry instructions. Out of the five I found in my garage, only one had the recycling tag – the triangle with “5” inside and “PP” underneath. I looked this up and found it to be polypropylene fabric.

It may not be the “weapons grade” polypropylene fabric used in medical N95 masks, but a couple of layers of this fabric used as an insert or lining inside a homemade mask would surely increase the level of protection over two layers of cotton. I made up a few masks using a couple of layers of tote fabric and a couple of layers of cotton and could breathe quite easily.

The tote fabric needs to be cut one inch smaller from each sewn seam because the thickness becomes too great to sew through the folds on the sides. Deconstruct the bag and straps. Smaller pieces can be stitched together by overlapping to make a larger piece. Arrange two thicknesses of tote fabric so any needle holes punched in the fabric do not align.

Launder the totes first. It is okay to dry in the dryer. Do not iron – it will melt.

Masks can be microwaved for two to three minutes to disinfect under close supervision as long as all metal parts are removed.

Existing fabric masks can be retrofitted by opening up the top or bottom seam and inserting one or two layers of tote fabric cut smaller than the finished mask. If you tuck the tote fabric inside the fold made by the seam there is no need to stitch it back up.

The only recommendations I have found for “filtration materials” have been paper towels, vacuum bags and coffee filters! We

can do better.

Fact check: • Google “what N95 masks are made from.”

• Google “what are the five common uses of polypropylene fabric” – that is how I found the totes.

• Google “recycling symbols.”

Dani Fisk Blaine Please send letters to letters@thenorthernlight.com no later than noon on Monday.

Young Reporters Attention all kids of Blaine, Birch Bay and Semiahmoo! The Northern Light is looking for young reporters and photographers. For the next several weeks, we will be offering newsroom assignments for any interested students. Each newsroom assignment will come out in the paper on Thursday and young reporters can submit their work by 5 p.m. the following Thursday.

Submissions should be emailed by a parent or legal guardian to kristin@pointrobertspress.com and should include the parent’s contact number as well as the young reporter’s name and age.

Following each assignment, one winning submission will be chosen for each of three age groups: 6 to 9 years, 10 to 13 years and 14 to 18 years. Prior to publication, parent permission slips will be required. Winning submissions will be published in The Northern Light, and their authors will receive a certificate and three-day YMCA youth pass.

This week’s assignment: What is life like for kids these days? While stuck at home, how do kids connect with friends, play sports and entertain themselves? This week, we would like young reporters to take a photo representing “Life for Kids Right Now.” Please submit a one- or two-sentence caption to accompany your photo. Good luck!

April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

Our Thanks and Gratitude to our Donors and Advertisers Week 4 All of us at The Northern Light are continuing to work hard to bring the latest news to you, our readers and friends. Just like you, none of us has ever experienced a pandemic before and we’re learning as we go. We’re learning to work remotely, we’re learning new technology and we’re learning to handle vast amounts of data and information and to synthesize it into something that is readable and true. We can honestly say we are working harder than we have ever worked before to produce a newspaper that is useful to and reflects our community.

Just like you, we are working through a time of global tragedy where we don’t know how or when life will return to normal. The fact that so many of you have chosen to support us when so many others need help as well is humbling and motivating. We encourage each of you to practice selfisolation and to remain safe and healthy.

Here is what some people have told us: “Thank you for your work and thank you for reaching out to let us know what you needed. Keep us posted. Blaine needs you!”

Margot Hackney Worthy

“Thank you! Thank you! We LOVE The Northern Light!”

Richard & Rita Sukola “Thanks for persevering with this important publication.”

Michele & Michael Tomlinson

“Thanks for all you do to support this community.”

Sunny Brown, APA Museum “A great little paper!”

Jim & Barbara Pirak

“We live in the county – so no delivery. However, it is important to us to find The Northern Light on Thursdays.

A valuable service to rely on!”

Graham & Donna Hunter

“Thank you. Be safe and well.”

Paty Williams

“Thank you for your paper!”

Steve Lloyd & Christy Schroeder-Lloyd

“Thank you all and God bless.”

Johanna Gervol

“Thank you so much for the great reporting you do and for being such an inspiration for connection. Knowing what’s happening in our community is so important, especially now. Thanks for highlighting what is hopeful, beautiful, informative, and for providing a forum for expression.”

Leah & Sherman Wang

“Free journalism is of paramount importance. Thank you for doing your part.”

Pat Zuidmeer “Thank you! Stay safe, be well, and hang in there. We appreciate you!”

Cynthia Lindsay

Richard Abrams Rita Aguilar Alaska Packer Museum John & Dolores Andro Yevgeniy Androshchuk Gerrit Anker Ken Arnold Kathleen Bahr Kathy & Ryan Barnes Merwyn Bay Dale & Judy Bedlington Deborah & Brian Berg Larry & Jody Bogues Sylvia Boudreau Patrick & Susan Bouma Sandi & Larry Brant Hugh Brawford Maggi & Bill Breckenridge Chris Callow Aleta Jane Dodd Robert & Judith Eagan Justin Edwards Ed Einarson Thomas Erickson Edward Etherington Warner Fosberg Shelley Fralic Tim & Sue Freeman

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Christy Schroeder Lloyd Steve Lloyd Murray Marple Darrin & Esther Matter Kevin McIntosh John & Sarah Melstrand Bern Miller Gail & Art Oldow Mark & Jeanne Overgaard John Palan Bruce & Donna Rae Pederson Kent Phillips Jim & Barbara Pirak Amie Poole Chuck & Kay Robinson

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The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

Blaine Police Department organizes salute to medical first responders

By Jami Makan On April 8, Whatcom County law enforcement and fire service agencies performed a “Salute to Medical First Responders.” Organized by the Blaine Police Department (BPD), the agencies drove in formation from a staging area in Bellingham to the PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center.

All the emergency vehicles came to a stop in the hospital parking lot, where they remained for a short time with their emergency lights activated as a tribute to medical staff working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis.

Standing in front of the main hospital entrance, health care workers clapped and held up large signs with letters that spelled the words “thank you.”

Police chief Donnell Tanksley initiated the effort. Officer Skylar

Blaine United Church of Christ Sunday Services Now Online!

Join Us Livestreaming via Zoom Meetings (see Facebook for details) u Jes

rn s didn’t tu people away Neither do we.

(360) 332-6906 885 4th St. • Blaine, WA 98230 Pastor Sandy Wisecarver

Deffinbaugh coordinated agency notifications, lieutenant Ryan King conducted the follow-up notifications and event briefing, sergeant Michael Munden served as public information officer, and office specialist Tami Bhachu handled photography and videography.

The agencies that participated included the Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol, U.S. Customs, the Department of Corrections, Washington State Patrol, the Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire Districts 1, 7 and 21, the South Whatcom Fire Authority, Cascade Ambulance and the police departments of Bellingham, Lummi Nation, Nooksack, Ferndale, Lynden, Everson and Western Washington University.

A video of the salute can be viewed on BPD’s Facebook page, facebook.com/BlainePoliceDepartmentWA.

s Health care workers at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center in Bellingham on April 8, where police and fire personnel saluted them in a brief ceremony organized by the Blaine Police Department.

Photo by Tami Bhachu

Washington State Supreme Court to decide $30 car tabs

By Jami Makan The fate of Initiative 976, which would limit motor vehicle license fees (car tab fees) to $30 per year and was approved by the state’s voters in November, will now be decided by the Washington State Supreme Court.

In the months after voters approved the ballot measure by 53 percent to 47 percent, it has been tied up in King County Superior Court, where Judge Marshall Ferguson had to rule on constitutional challenges brought by the Garfield County Transportation Authority, King County, the city of Seattle, the Washington State Transit Association, the Association of Washington Cities and others.

Initiative 976, which was put on hold pending Judge Ferguson’s review, survived largely intact in his courtroom. On February 12, the honorable judge rejected and dismissed all but two of the plaintiffs’

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constitutional claims, but he left the “preliminary injunction” on Initiative 976 in place until those two remaining claims were resolved.

On March 12, the first of the remaining two challenges succeeded: Judge Ferguson ruled that provisions of the initiative requiring vehicle values to be based on the Kelley Blue Book violated the “privileges and immunities” clause of the state constitution.

That clause prohibits singling out certain citizens or corporations for special privileges that do not equally belong to all citizens or corporations. But Judge Ferguson determined that the unconstitutional provisions favoring Kelley Blue Book were “severable” from the rest of Initiative 976, which was preserved.

The second remaining constitutional challenge was specific to the city of Burien, which issued bonds years ago to finance street improvements. To service its

bond debt, the city had imposed an extra $10 vehicle license fee on its residents and pledged to give some of that revenue to its bondholders. Burien is now arguing that Initiative 976 unconstitutionally impairs its legal contracts with its bondholders.

While the city of Burien’s claim is still being litigated, Judge Ferguson planned to let Initiative 976 go into effect for the whole state except Burien. “The injunction against implementation of I-976 is lifted, except as to the severed” sections, he wrote in a March 12 order.

But on March 27, Judge Ferguson granted the plaintiffs’ emergency motion to delay Initiative 976 for everybody until the Washington State Supreme Court rules on the issue. “The date to lift the preliminary injunction … is continued from March 27, 2020 until such date when the Washington Supreme Court rules

on plaintiffs’ emergency motion for stay pending review,” he wrote in a March 27 order.

According to a March 30 ruling in the Washington State Supreme Court, the next step will take place on April 28, when the state’s high court will consider whether Judge Ferguson’s order lifting the preliminary injunction for everyone except Burien should go into effect, or whether it should be “stayed” pending the appeal. The high court will also decide whether to retain the appeal for direct review.

Initiative 976 was sponsored by Tim Eyman, who is now running for governor of Washington state as a Republican. Various cities in the state, including Blaine, have said that the initiative, if it goes into effect, threatens to significantly reduce state funding for local road projects. In October last year, Blaine city council passed a resolution opposing Initiative 976.

CBP using new vehicle X-ray machine at Peace Arch border crossing

By Jami Makan U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been using a vehicle X-ray machine at the Peace Arch border crossing since October.

Motorists, including U.S. citizens and NEXUS passholders, have been required to drive through the machine, known as a Z Portal, on a case-by-case basis, said a CBP spokesperson.

The Z Portal is a “multi-view, multi-technology, cargo and vehicle screening system,” according to its manufacturer, American Science and Engineering, Inc. (AS&E).

According to the AS&E website, the machine generates multiple images of vehicles at different angles simultaneously, highlighting “metallic and organic threats and contraband, such as weapons, stowaways, explosives, drugs and alcohol.”

“CBP has been using the Z Portal technology for several years; however, the Z Portal is new to the Peace Arch port of entry,” said CBP press officer Jason Givens.

“Non-intrusive imaging systems such as the Z Portal are valuable tools that assist CBP in its mission to safeguard America’s borders thereby protecting the public from dangerous people and materials while enhancing the nation’s global economic competitiveness by enabling legitimate trade and travel.”

Givens said that the machines have been used elsewhere by CBP for several years, and that the machines do not present a radiation or cancer risk to those who cross the border frequently. “The Z Portal is safe,” he said in an April 13 email. “The exposure level is miniscule and is well below limits established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).”

Separately, Givens said that

there have not been any layoffs or reassignments of frontline CBP officers due to the drastic reduction in cross-border travel. In an email, a CBSA spokesperson said that no frontline CBSA officers have lost their jobs either, although some officers may be reassigned to help with COVID-19 entry screening.

s Two examples of how vehicle imaging can detect contraband.

DHS photos

April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

7

Local captain rescues fully grounded boat in Semiahmoo

By Jami Makan A local captain recently came to the aid of a large sailboat stuck high and dry next to the Semiahmoo Spit, helping to set the boat upright, free its keel from the mud and get it back safely into deeper waters.

On the afternoon of April 12, Randall Parten, owner of The Dream Boat Company in Blaine, heard that a boat was aground on the north side of the Semiahmoo Spit near the Alaska Packers Association (APA) Museum.

From his office next to Blaine Harbor, Parten took his 32-foot, 700-horsepower towing vessel to the area, navigating around and observing the stuck boat.

The boat was fully grounded and leaning to one side. It was just 100 yards offshore – “which is dang, dang, dang close to shore,” Parten said.

Parten also noticed that the anchor had not been deployed properly, creating a dangerous risk. “I could tell by what they had done with the anchor, and also the way it works when the tide comes in when you’re grounded like that, that the boat was going to end up on the rocks all the way aground on shore without help,” he said.

“If I didn’t get involved, it was going to get worse.”

At about 4 p.m., Parten docked in the Semiahmoo Marina, put some black plastic bags over his shoes and walked out to the stranded boat, where he made contact with the sole occupant of the boat, a young sailor who initially declined Parten’s help. “I said, ‘You need help to get out of this situation,’” Parten responded.

First, Parten helped the sailor “put out some scope.” They put out additional length to enable the anchor to be oriented to the

boat at an angle, enabling the anchor to be effective. It’s not the weight of an anchor that makes it work; it’s the hooking effect, Parten explained.

“We carried [the anchor] further out so it would be at an angle to the boat and hold the boat in place when the water did come,” Parten said.

Parten then went home, changed out of his soiled clothes and ate dinner. At about 7:30 p.m., he returned to the site with local residents Al Kennedy and Lee Finley. Together, operating in about four feet of water (“which is nothing,” Parten said), they tied a line from Parten’s towing vessel to the stranded boat.

For about an hour, they kept steady seaward pressure on the disabled vessel as the tide came in. “You put pressure on it at a 45-degree angle to help right the boat and also to keep a steady

seaward pressure so it doesn’t travel to shore with the tide,” Parten explained.

At about 8:30 p.m., the keel finally came free. (“There was seven feet of keel buried in the sand when he was high and dry,” Parten said.) The team escorted the sailor and his boat to Blaine Harbor.

Parten’s deckhands helped the young man get onto the dock, and the three of them

helped moor the rescued boat.

Parten said that the rescued boat was too big of a vessel for a single person to handle, even with experience. He didn’t ask the young man what he’d been doing or how he got stuck. Parten didn’t want to embarrass or aggravate the sailor. “He was just kind of being a young single adventurer guy, who went in a little over his head,” he said.

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s On April 12, a large boat was stuck high and dry next to the Semiahmoo Spit.

Woods sentenced to 27 months Shaquille Tyrique Woods, the Blaine High School alumnus who pled guilty to third-degree rape and first-degree burglary in January, has been sentenced to 27 months of confinement.

A sentencing hearing was held in Whatcom County Superior Court on April 3. At the hearing, which was attended by Woods’ lawyer Damon Burk and deputy prosecuting attorney Evan Jones, a judge sentenced Woods to 27 months in the custody of the Department of Corrections. Woods will get credit for time served, plus an additional 15 days’ credit due to extra time spent pending sentencing, according to court documents.

Photo courtesy of Randall Parten

Rector’s

Peace Arch Real Estate Office is closed, but agents are working remotely to list and purchase homes. Virtual tours, e-signings, and wire transfers are available. Showings are possible by appointment only and with only 1 person and agent. www.peacearchrealestate.com

VACUUM SHOP SHOP since 1943

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WE ALSO CARRY: Parts, Belts, Vacuum Bags, Extensive line of brand name cleaning tools & accessories!

Blaine Bouquets Our storefront is closed. We are taking orders on our website and phone in. “No contact” deliveries or pick up curbside. You can order ‘’curbside”-speak through our front door. Open Mon-Fri 10 am to 2 ish or later depending upon business. www.blainebouquets.net

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Silver Reef Casino Resort We have temporarily suspended all operations. When the time is right to reopen, we will adhere to our stringent cleaning & disinfection efforts for everyone’s safety. We are accepting virtual appts for meetings/weddings booking for future dates. www.silverreefcasino.com

8

The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

Horseshoe Coins and Antiques marks its 25th anniversary

By Grace McCarthy When Bill Becht began hunting for a location for an antique shop 25 years ago, he already had an idea for the shop’s name. It needed to include “horseshoe,” a word that reminded him of the Old West. Within the first 30 minutes of acquiring the space at 810 Peace Portal Drive, Becht discovered the word “horseshoe” written on wood in the backroom. It was meant to be.

This month marks the 25th anniversary of Horseshoe Coins and Antiques. On April 15, the specialty shop that has sold quirky, historical items to Blaine residents and visitors since 1995 celebrated its silver jubilee, despite a temporary halt to business.

Becht has hundreds of items ranging from railroad express stamps to a 1946 Mt. Baker ski patrol pass. Many of the relics were

purchased from the public, while others have been sourced from Becht’s own finds.

“There’s so many historical items that are lost or buried,” Becht said. “We mine it out of the ground into coins, ingots, bullion and jewelry and then we lose it or bury it back into the ground.”

Becht received his first metal detector at age 10 and started digging for bottles and coins. Later, he even went on diving expeditions for underwater antiques. Bottles, dolls, plates and other oddities thrown away decades ago are commonly found during Becht’s escapades. Advertising items are Becht’s favorite because they represent the merchant’s dream of starting a business in America.

“Everything’s got a story and it’s all part of history,” Becht said. “In a way, I’m preserving stuff for future generations. We don’t really own stuff, we’re just caretakers of it.”

The Museum might be closed, but our heART is open!

Visit us online for virtual exhibits, kids’ activities, and teacher resources.

We can’t wait to see you again soon! www.whatcommuseum.org

S Bill Becht is the owner of Blaine’s Horseshoe Coins and Antiques which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this month.

The shop will be donating 50 percent of its profits from the first Saturday it’s open after current business closures are lifted.

Photos by Grace McCarthy

Pharmacy bottles A mini museum commemorating Blaine and Whatcom County history is displayed in a protected case near the front of the store. Dozens of not-for-sale items line the shelves, including a collection of glass pharmacy bottles from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These include embossed bottles from W.L. Fox and Barnes. The two stores were leading pharmacies at the turn of the 20th century. Work crews occasionally find the bottles that were once garbage while digging, Becht said. The bottles are now worth up to $50 or more.

Boat propeller Becht was diving in south Lake Whatcom in 1989 when he found a 500-pound boat propeller while searching for bottles. The four-bladed bronze propeller came from the Charlotte, a tugboat from the 1880s that hauled logs between Blue Canyon and the Bloedel-Donovan Lumber Mills, Becht said. When Becht found the propeller, part of it was buried in the mud, while another part was exposed to the water. He enlisted the help of one other person and used a 1,000-pound lift bag to bring the propeller to the surface, where he noticed it was marked with the maker’s name: Seattle Propeller Co.

Class ring A class ring from the 1931 graduating class of Blaine High School sits in Becht’s museum, decorated with the Peace Arch that was constructed 10 years earlier. The 10-carat gold ring was given to Becht by a Blaine resident whose mother once owned it, along with a 1957 letterman sweater from the high school.

Becht said it’s not often that he sees class rings come into his shop.

Trade tokens Blaine advertising tokens take up a row on the museum’s shelf. One of the tokens comes from Jensen & Son, an old Blaine pool hall that operated during the early 20th century. People who bought pool games and drinks and were owed change could receive a token as a substitute for the change. The merchants made money because it only cost them about three cents for a token and the tokens served as a way to keep customers returning.

We’re looking forward to Beer Week 2020 but

LOCAL BREWERIES ARE WORKING HARD TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE PLENTY OF AMAZING CRAFT BEER RIGHT NOW! visit: BELLINGHAMBEERWEEK.COM For an up to date listing of breweries offering pickup and delivery options!

April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

ADVICE FROM THE PROS

Q:

Q: Can I still buy or sell real

real estate loans?

estate despite the shutdown?

A: Yes, housing is essential. Our office is closed

A: One big myth is that it’s become more difficult to Loren Adkins Senior Real Estate Loan Officer NMLS# 643779

Office: (360) 647-4425 Cell: (360) 303-8599 loren.adkins@peoplesbank-wa.com

published monthly on the 3rd Thursday of the month

A:

Q: What’s the biggest myth about borrow money, particularly for self-employed borrowers, since the market crash in 2008. In truth, the process simply became more documented. The requirements vary but are still minimal for the average borrower.

We review tax forms, W2s, monthly pay stubs, and bank statements. If self-employed, we’ll look deeper into business tax returns because they represent the borrower’s paycheck. It’s not more difficult to borrow money, but in every mortgage request, verified income determines a borrower’s qualification limits.

A Special Section of

Julia Mullenix 978 Peace Portal Drive Blaine, WA 98230

(360) 922-0102

to the public, but agents are available by appointment. We are all being careful by using PPE and remote technologies. Showings are one client at a time, no groups or open houses. Most clients are using electronic signings and wire transfers instead of in-person signings and deposits. We are following instructions from the state to keep working for you while being as safe as possible. If you are thinking of listing, this is a perfect time to prepare. Please call us for a price estimate, marketing plan, and help with finding contractors to make repairs.

julia@peacearchrealestate.com

www.peacearchrealestate.com

Bellingham Real Estate Loan Center • 3100 Woburn St. • Bellingham WA, 98226

Q: What is telehealth and how can you do

this in physical therapy?

A: Telehealth is a method of providing health care Jeannett Penner, DPT,OCS, GCS Director of Rehabilitation Capstone Physical Therapy

1733 H Street, Suite 400 Blaine, WA 98230 360-332-5111 www.capstonept.com

services remotely. Visits are conducted remotely through our secure portal via video call. Telehealth visits with your physical or occupational therapist provide the opportunity to receive initial care and ongoing therapy from the comfort of your home. Most therapy services can be offered through telehealth. This is especially appropriate during the COVID situation. Most insurances cover telehealth services.Telehealth is a service provided at Capstone. If you are interested in telehealth physical or occupational therapy please contact your local Capstone office. www.capstonept.com

Q: Can small businesses still apply for the

CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program?

A: Yes, businesses can still apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) if

you are a qualifying business. Qualifying businesses are small businesses with less than 500 employees, sole proprietors, independent contractors, and self-employed individuals.

Although the PPP only launched on April 3, some banks have already suspended accepting applications to catch up, while others have stopped due to reaching max capacity based on the bank’s liquidity. The good news is there are still banks and other eligible lenders accepting applications. Although some banks require a pre-existing relationship, not all do. You can inquire and apply online through most lenders. Options are still available, and more are coming soon. QuickBooks Intuit and Paypal just received approval by the SBA to administer this program and are currently preparing to launch their application processes. A full list of the eligible lenders is available at sba.gov/paycheckprotection/find.

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9

10

The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

CAP running new food distribution program in Blaine

By Jami Makan Blaine’s Community Assistance Program (CAP) started distributing food to families in need on March 31 at Blaine Christian Fellowship, 902 Adelia Street. The new program, called The Food Connection, has about 20 families registered so far. If the program grows beyond 30 families or individuals, CAP volunteers say that they will distribute food at additional sites on additional days of the week.

“We have three other churches in different neighborhoods that have agreed to be distribution sites for this program,” said CAP volunteer Laura Vogee. “Our goal is for people to be able to get food as close to their own homes as possible.”

Pre-registration is required to participate in the program. People can sign up for The Food Connection by emailing their name and phone number to info@blainecap. org. Those without email access can call 360/392-8484 and leave a message. One of CAP’s volunteers will get back to you to finish the registration process and let you know when and where you can pick up food. For those who are not able to pick up the food themselves, delivery may be available.

Additional information is available online at blainecap.org.

CAP’s program works with Ferndale’s Miracle Food Network (MFN) and Sustainable Connections (SC) of Bellingham to get access to surplus foods from restaurants and other food service

establishments that would otherwise be wasted, said Vogee. MFN and SC both have crews of volunteers that pick up surplus foods each day from businesses around Whatcom County. This program is able to accept prepared, perishable foods that food banks are not able to accept, and the foods are carefully handled according to health department guidelines.

Much of the food is taken to the MFN packaging kitchen at Good News Fellowship in east Ferndale, where it is repackaged into family and individual-sized portions.

Boxes are then packed with a variety of foods for each registered family and picked up by the organizations and individuals that will distribute them to families.

“This program accomplishes a

twofold purpose – keeping good food out of landfills and nourishing hungry families in our communities,” said Vogee. “Since it is all based on what surplus foods businesses have available, the types and quantities of foods can vary greatly from day to day and week to week.”

Several Blaine businesses have already been donating food to this program, said Vogee. “Our goal is to get more Blaine and Birch Bay businesses on board to help feed local families, especially during this time of crisis,” she said.

“With many restaurants being closed or operating on a limited basis, we understand that many will not have surplus foods right now. However, with so many people in our community experiencing job loss and financial crisis,

any foods donated will be a huge blessing to local families.”

Once the COVID-19 crisis passes, CAP hopes more local restaurants will choose to participate. If it starts getting more foods from local restaurants, CAP plans to start packaging the foods in Blaine so that local food will be feeding local families without having to leave the community for packaging. If any local businesses have surplus foods available, they can contact CAP at info@blainecap.org for more information.

For residents of Birch Bay, The Bridge Community Hope Center is operating a separate food distribution program. For more information about The Bridge’s program, visit thebridgehope.com.

Dustin Gleaves enters race for state representative position

By Jami Makan Dustin Gleaves, a fire commissioner, announced that he is running for state representative for the 42nd legislative district, seeking to fill the seat currently held

by Rep. Luanne Van Werven.

Gleaves, commissioner and chairman of Whatcom County Fire District 8, announced in a

press release dated April 6 that he is seeking to fill Washington’s district 42, position 1 seat. The seat has been held since January 2015 by Van Werven, who is also being challenged by Blaine city councilmember Alicia Rule. Rule and Gleaves are both Democrats, while Van Werven is affiliated with the Republican Party.

According to his press release,

Gleaves is co-owner of Woodhouse Laboratories, a microbiology laboratory in Whatcom County that “monitors medical devices and procedures to prevent healthcare-acquired infections.” He also currently works for the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and volunteers weekly with the Bellingham Food Bank’s distribution

events at Christ the King Church.

You can learn more about Gleaves and his campaign by visiting dustinforwhatcom.com.

Primary election day is August 4 and election day is November 3, concurrent with the 2020 presidential election. The top two finishers in the primary, regardless of party affiliation, will advance to the general election.

Pet Care

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When frisky kitties shred new sofas, the cats probably did not do it out of spite or even aggression. Cats do not claw at things because they are inherently bad pets. Rather, the urge to scratch is buried within their DNA. According to the pet adoption and animal welfare resource the Animal Care Centers of New York City, scratching is a normal part of cat behavior. Scratching is a good form of exercise for cats, enabling cats to stretch out their limbs and paws. Scratching also serves the purpose of removing the outer nail sheaths so they can be shed and the nails can be naturally maintained.

VetStreet.com says that cats also scratch to leave visual and olfactory markers to other animals.

Glands that are located between the pads of the paws leave odors wherever the cat has scratched.

Other cats know to investigate or avoid the area thanks to the scent and visual hint.

Unfortunately for cat owners, scratching can be problematic when the healthy behavior is not focused on objects that should be scratched. When furniture, walls, bedding or other objects are targeted by cats, the damage can be irreparable.

Presenting alternatives that are fun can focus cats’ attention on scratching elsewhere.

Experiment with store-bought or homemade scratching posts.

The back of a carpet square, some corrugated cardboard or a

rope-covered post may suffice, said the Humane Society of the United States.

Scratching where it is not desired can also be dissuaded by placing an appropriate scratching post next to the off-limits item.

Use food treats as rewards when the cat scratches responsibly.

Place double-sided tape or aluminum foil on items that shouldn’t be scratched, as those textures often keep cats away.

Share photos of your pet with us for a future issue of The Northern Light by emailing editor@thenorthernlight.com.

Please include the names of the pet and owner.

ADOPT A PET! We’re looking for good homes!

To adopt one of us please call our Adoptions department at (360) 733-2080

Or visit us at 2172 Division St., Bellingham, WA 98226 Hi, I’m Ellie!

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April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

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IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM In re the Matter and Estate of: JANET GILLIS HANSEN, Deceased. No. 20-4-0015437. AMENDED PROBATE NOTICE TO CREDITORS. RCW 11.40.030 THE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE NAMED BELOW has been appointed as Personal Representative of this estate. Any person having a claim against the decedent must, before the time the claim would be barred by any otherwise applicable statute of limitations, present the claim in the manner as provided in RCW 11.40.070 by serving on or mailing to the Personal Representative or the Personal Representative’s attorney at the address stated below a copy of the claim and filing the original of the claim with the court in which the probate proceedings were commenced. The claim must be presented within the later of: (1) Thirty days after the Personal Representative served or mailed the notice to the creditor as provided under RCW 11.40.020(1)( c); or (2) four months after the date of first publication of the notice. If the claim is not presented within this time frame, the claim is forever barred, except as otherwise provided in RCW 11.40.051 and 11.40.060. This bar is effective as to claims against both the decedent’s probate and nonprobate assets.

DATE OF FIRST PUBLICATION: April 9, 2020. PATRICIA ALESSE, Personal Representative PRESENTED BY: Law Offices of Roger L. Ellingson, P.S. by: Roger L. Ellingson, WSBA #19292. Attorney for Personal Representative. PO Box 1258 / 289 H Street. Blaine, WA 98231-1258 (360) 332-7000; Fax: (360) 332-6677 PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT Chapter 18.27.100 of the Revised Code of Washington requires that all advertisements for construction services include the contractor’s registration number in the advertisement. To verify a contractor’s license, call the Dept. of Labor and Industry’s contractors registration at 1-800-647-0982.

11

Legal IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WHATCOM No. 20-2-00464-37 SUMMONS BY PUBLICATION JAMES LAWRENCE CLARKE, in his individual capacity and as Co-Personal Representative of the ESTATES OF RICHARD BONIFACE CLARKE and ELLEN BERYL CLARKE, Deceased; GERARD JOSEPH CLARKE, in his individual capacity and as Co-Personal Representative of the ESTATES OF RICHARD BONIFACE CLARKE and ELLEN BERYL CLARKE, Deceased; RICHARD JAMES CLARKE, in his individual capacity; PAUL ANTHONY CLARKE, in his individual capacity; PATRICK JOHN CLARKE, in his individual capacity; JOHN TIMOTHY CLARKE, in his individual capacity; FRANCES ALVIN CLARKE, in his individual capacity; ANDREW THOMAS CLARKE, in his individual capacity; and ELLEN MARIE FAIRN, in her individual capacity, Plaintiffs v.

ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL; ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER; and ALSO ALL OTHER PERSONS OR PARTIES UNKNOWN CLAIMING ANY RIGHT, TITLE, INTEREST, ESTATE, OR LIEN IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN, Defendants.

TO THE DEFENDANTS: ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. TURNBULL and JOHN DOE TURNBULL; ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER, in their individual capacities and marital estate, if living, and if deceased the unknown heirs of ETHELWYN A. MERCER and ARTHUR F. MERCER; and ALSO ALL OTHER PERSONS OR PARTIES UNKNOWN CLAIMING ANY RIGHT, TITLE, INTEREST, ESTATE, OR LIEN IN THE REAL PROPERTY DESCRIBED IN THE COMPLAINT HEREIN. YOU, AND EACH OF YOU, ARE HEREBY SUMMONED to appear within sixty (60) days after the date of first publication of this summons, to wit; within sixty (60) days after the day of March 19, 2020, and defend the above-entitled action in the above-entitled court, and answer the Verified Complaint of the Plaintiffs JAMES LAWRENCE CLARKE, ESTATES OF RICHARD BONIFACE CLARKE and ELLEN BERYL CLARKE, Deceased, GERARD JOSEPH CLARKE, RICHARD JAMES CLARKE, PAUL ANTHONY CLARKE, PATRICK JOHN CLARKE, JOHN TIMOTHY CLARKE, FRANCES ALVIN CLARKE, ANDREW THOMAS CLARKE, and ELLEN MARIE FAIRN, and serve a copy of your answer upon the undersigned attorney for Plaintiffs, Mark W. Stowe of Stowe Law PLLC at their office stated below; and, in case of your failure to do so, judgment will be rendered against you according to the demand of the Verified Complaint in this action, which has been filed with the Clerk of said Court.

The object of this action is to quiet title in the Plaintiffs to real property located in Whatcom County, Washington, described as: LOT 7 AND THE EAST ONE-HALF OF LOT 8, BLOCK 6, MAPLE BEACH ADDITION, POINT ROBERTS, ACCORDING TO THE RECORDED PLAT THEREOF ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE COUNTY AUDITOR OF WHATCOM COUNTY, STATE OF WASHINGTON, RECORDED IN VOLUME 6 OF PLATS, PAGE 22.

SITUATE IN WHATCOM COUNTY, WASHINGTON. against any and all claims of the Defendants and any one of them, and as otherwise stated in said Verified Complaint.

DATED this 6th day of MARCH 2020.

Stowe Law PLLC By: Mark W. Stowe, WSBA# 16655 Attorney for Plaintiffs Stowe Law PLLC P.O. Box 129, 276 Boundary Bay Road Point Roberts, WA 98281 Phone (360) 945-0337 Email: stowelawpllc@outlook.com

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12

The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

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Blaine is booming, here’s your chance to be minutes from the action! Sought after 4 BD/3 BA home in fantastic walkable location to the schools, downtown & the waterfront + just steps to Kilmer Park! Hard to find almost 9K SF lot w/ RV parking, attached garage + the flexibility of living in a no HOA neighborhood. Bonus: City of Blaine previously permitted Home Occupation w/ exterior door for business access - case by case basis, buyer to verify details. Easy I-5 & US/CAN border access. MLS# 1576330

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April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

13

For 2020 seniors, high school ended without the chance to say goodbye

By Oliver Lazenby Blaine High School (BHS) seniors Ingrid and Marni Aosved were visiting their future college, Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, on March 13. Back at BHS, between fifth and sixth period, their friends all started texting them at once; Washington governor Jay Inslee had just announced that schools would be closed for at least six weeks to slow the spread of the new coronavirus.

Weeks later, Inslee extended the closure through the rest of the school year, making it official: aside from some schoolwork at home, high school was essentially over for Ingrid, Marni and the rest of their senior class. The class of 2020 had its last day on a Friday in March, and it happened without students, teachers or administrators even realizing it was the last day.

The pandemic and stay-athome order present a lot of challenges for seniors. They have to make sure they can still graduate and many are applying for scholarships that require official transcripts and letters of recommendation. They have to prepare for tests and do schoolwork at home, in an environment with more distractions. They won’t have prom or a typical graduation ceremony.

But the biggest hardship of all, some Blaine seniors said, is missing out on the chance to say goodbye to all those who helped shape them and to savor all the lasts: the last band concert, the last class with a favorite teacher, the last track meet.

“I have so many people who I don’t necessarily talk to or text but who I would want to say goodbye to,” Ingrid Aosved said.

“This was going to be my last tennis season – that was hard not even having a first tennis match.

There’s a lot of daily stuff that I wasn’t aware that I wouldn’t get to do again.”

Marni Aosved felt relieved that the state was taking the virus’ spread seriously – she and other seniors who talked to The Northern Light feel the closure is necessary – but she is also sad to miss out on saying goodbye to all the communities of which she was a part.

“I’m in wind ensemble. I wasn’t able to play with them one last time; I wasn’t able to play tennis one last time, clubs were ramping up to do their last big hurrahs, and now that’s all canceled,” she said.

Tobin Akre, who has attended Blaine schools since kindergarten, shared a similar feeling: “You know, a lot of these people, I’m

never going to see again. You get to know people for 13 years and it becomes like a second family.”

Akre was a starting pitcher and a leader on Blaine’s varsity baseball team, which had its season cut short before games even began. Blaine had an experienced team and Akre was looking forward to a winning season.

“We felt like we could lead a team deep in the playoffs and potentially to state. I just wasn’t ready for it to end like that,” he said.

Before schools closed, senior class president Emma Mulryan was planning for events that would never happen. In addition to prom and graduation, Blaine seniors will miss out on smaller rites of passage like senior skip day, senior pranks and the senior walk through the primary, elementary and middle schools.

“Since we’re such a small school our whole class is pretty close. From our first day of high school they said it would go by fast but we didn’t think it would end that fast. I wasn’t ready for it,” she said.

Dylan Burnett thought there was a strong possibility the initial closure would be extended until the end of the academic year, but he hoped to go back to school again.

“It’s unfortunate that I saw a lot of people for the last time on March 13,” he said. “I’m hoping there will be some sort of graduation-type ceremony. I’m really hoping that there’s something like that so that we can have some type of final goodbye.”

Burnett, who plans to attend the University of Washington next year, was already taking an online calculus course, so switching to more learning online hasn’t been too difficult, he said, though he misses being able to get more immediate answers to questions.

“I’m missing the teachers themselves because I think Blaine has one of the greatest selections of teachers I can imagine,” he said.

While all Blaine students have by now started coursework online, some have found they still have extra time on their hands.

To save for college, Leo Good took on more hours at Burger King – he’s now working fulltime, while studying at home and applying for scholarships. He plans to play football next year at University of Redlands in Southern California, and he’s doing body-weight workouts at home for the football program. Looking back on his last day of high school leaves him wanting more.

“Knowing that that was the last day feels wrong. It was just

a normal day of school,” he said.

“I didn’t get to say goodbye to my teachers. I didn’t get to say goodbye and thank you to all the people who made an impact in my life.”

After transferring to BHS as a sophomore, Charles Streeter was starting to feel like he knew everyone and school was becoming more fun, he said. Now, he’s filling his free time with schoolwork, yard work and he’s practicing piano more, he said.

He plays piano for his church, Northwest Corner Catholic Community in Ferndale, which is streaming its services live on Facebook. He just played at the church’s Easter Mass on Facebook.

“That was a good experience,” he said. “I get to get out of the house and set up a little recording area in an empty church.”

For this year’s senior class, the uncertainty isn’t over. Beyond graduation, students are wondering if they’ll be able to get together with friends before summer is over, if colleges will start next fall and what the job market will be like.

Some colleges are already preparing for the possibility of holding classes online next fall. If that happens at Willamette University, Ingrid Aosved said she would consider taking a year off and starting college in 2021.

“Part of the reason is there are a lot of freshman-year experiences that are important that I wouldn’t want to miss out on,” she said.

“And, I’m going to be paying a lot of money to go to a private school and I don’t want to pay that to go to school online, because it’s not the same.”

Parents are also missing out on the pomp and circumstance of senior year. Maryjo Vega saw her son Adam walk on stage and turn his tassel in 2019, but she might not get to see her son Mason do the same this June.

“It’s filled with all sorts of emotion. It’s one chapter closing and the next chapter opening. It’s the reward after all those years of work,” she said. “Being a parent of a student who graduated just last year and seeing all the joy that came along with it makes it really magnified, for me anyway, because I know what he’s missing out on.”

Blaine school district superintendent Christopher Granger, himself a parent of a senior, said the district will find a way to honor its seniors. Though the state has closed schools through the rest of the academic year, Inslee didn’t rule out the possibility of in-person gatherings for graduation or other events before the

end of the year, depending on what shape the state is in by then.

Granger said the district is looking at options and logistics, but will wait to see what restrictions on gatherings will be in place before making a decision or announcement.

Vega, Kim Covell and other class of 2020 parents are looking for ways to make graduation special for seniors. Covell was helping to plan grad night, the

traditional post-graduation night of activities and celebration.

Since that’s off, they’re looking into other possibilities including putting together goodie bags for all seniors, decorating doors or hanging banners in public places for the class of 2020.

To donate or help raise money for something to make the end of the year special for 2020 seniors, contact Covell at blainehssafesobergrad@gmail.com.

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The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

Games and Puzzles

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DOWN

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40. Jr.’s father

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30. Consciousnesses 32. Envision 33. When you aim to get there 35. Electronic data processing 36. Passports are some 39. Snakelike fish 41. Military flyers (abbr.)

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Sheriff’s Reports April 9, 2:03 a.m.: Extra patrol on Surf Place.

April 9, 2:18 a.m.: Suspicious circumstance on Quinault Road.

April 9, 12:21 p.m.: Refer to Washington State Patrol on SB I-5 and Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer.

April 9, 6:07 p.m.: Alarm audible on Loomis Trail Road.

April 9, 8:15 p.m.: Party on Gulf Road.

April 9, 10:38 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Beachcomber Drive.

April 9, 10:50 p.m.: Refer to other agency on Seashell Way. April 10, 2:07 a.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Holly Lane.

April 10, 3:14 a.m.: Mental on Holly Lane.

April 10, 11:44 a.m.: Prowler cold call on Alderson Road.

April 10, 1:05 p.m.: Security check on Alderson Road.

April 10, 3:13 p.m.: Watch for on Harborview and Birch Bay-Lynden roads.

April 10, 4:22 p.m.: Watch for on Skyvue and Selder roads.

April 10, 4:58 p.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay Drive and Harborview Road.

April 10, 8:16 p.m.: Custodial interference cold call on Halibut Drive.

April 10, 8:28 p.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay Drive.

April 10, 8:29 p.m.: Theft on Lora Lane and Birch Bay Drive.

April 11, 11:46 a.m.: Drugs on Creasey Road.

April 11, 8:42 p.m.: Alarm audible on Custer School Road, Custer.

April 11, 12:43 p.m.: Harassment cold call on Halibut Drive.

April 11, 1:52 p.m.: Watch for on Bay and Blaine roads.

April 11, 2:36 p.m.: Alarm audible on Brown Road.

April 11, 2:44 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Arnie and Blaine roads.

April 11, 3:15 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Lillian Way. April 11, 3:36 p.m.: Shots on Blossomberry Lane.

April 11, 4:22 p.m.: Mental on Beachcomber Drive.

April 11, 4:21 p.m.: Mental on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.

April 11, 4:45 p.m.: Watch for on W. 95th Terrace.

April 11, 5:22 p.m.: Property found cold call on Birch Bay Drive.

April 11, 5:26 p.m.: Burglary cold call on Birch Bay Drive.

April 11, 6:25 p.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay-Lynden and Blaine roads.

April 11, 8:45 p.m.: Impound private on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.

April 11, 8:50 p.m.: Impound private on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.

April 11, 10:44 p.m.: Party on Lyn Court, Custer.

April 12, 10:19 a.m.: Alarm audible on Brown Road.

April 12, 10:42 a.m.: Boating problem at Semiahmoo Park.

April 12, 11:12 a.m.: Property fund on Birch Bay-Lynden Road.

April 12, 11:39 a.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer.

April 12, 2:46 p.m.: Domestic verbal on Parkland Drive.

April 12, 3:23 p.m.: Refer to Washington State Patrol on Bay and Blaine roads.

April 12, 3:56 p.m.: Security check on Maple Way. April 12, 4:06 p.m.: Watch for on Birch Bay Drive.

April 12, 5:37 p.m.: Burglary cold call on W. Badger Road, Custer.

April 12, 6:58 p.m.: Trespass cold call on Birch Bay-Lynden Road, Custer.

April 12, 7:46 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Boblett Street.

April 12, 7:51 p.m.: Suspicious circumstances on Boblett Street.

April 12, 9:06 p.m.: Whatcomm record on H Street Road.

April 12, 9:25 p.m.: Suspicious vehicle on Tracy Place.

April 12, 9:43 p.m.: Request for law enforcement on Boblett Road.

April 12, 10:28 p.m.: Suicidal subject on Petticote Lane.

Reports provided by WCSO

Police Reports April 4, 3:30 a.m.: A person reported they heard a male subject and a female subject arguing outside and then heard banging noises and a door being slammed. The police arrived and spoke with an intoxicated person standing outside a residence near the reporting person’s residence, but they denied seeing or hearing anything. The police were unable to locate the two people who had been arguing. The police cleared with no further incident.

April 4, 12:24 p.m.: A Blaine officer responded to a suspicious person on D Street. A juvenile reported that a male approached him on his walk and wanted to know his bank account information. The juvenile left the area and noticed the man following him, which made him uncomfortable. Blaine officers searched for the man and located him. Officers determined no crime occurred. Officers cleared the call.

April 5, 1:26 p.m.: Blaine police responded to a report of shoplifting at a business in the 1700 block of H Street when a man attempted to leave with a bag of oranges. The man, who was uncooperative with responding officers, was placed under arrest and transported to the Whatcom County Jail.

April 4, noon: A Blaine resident reported that a man was standing in her yard. When she confronted the individual he claimed to work for public works although he had no public works attire or tools with him at all. When confronted with calling the police the man left in a white van with California plates. It was later determined the individual is not a Blaine public works employee. Officers will be conducting extra patrols in the area.

April 7, 1:53 a.m.: Officers responded to a trespass complaint at a government building. Officers determined the female was refusing to leave and did not have a valid reason to be there. An officer gave the female a verbal trespass warning as well as a written copy. She left the area.

April 7, 10:30 a.m.: Officers responded to the 1000 block of Garfield Avenue for a report of an unknown man knocking on the complainant’s door for approximately 10 minutes. The complainant reported he thought the man was sent there by his ex to intimidate him. Officers arrived and contacted the individual and determined he was there to serve court documents. Officers also determined no crime had been committed. Officers cleared with no further incident.

April 7, 2 p.m.: A man called 911 to report his neighbor is gardening the apartment complex flowers against his liking. The man advised police that the apartment manager told him he does a better job, thus he should do the work to the flower bed. He also made a complaint that his neighbors are calling him a pervert. Officers determined no crime occurred and explained to the individual how to seek an anti-harassment order if he chooses to do so. Officers cleared with no further incident.

April 8, 11:08 a.m.: A Blaine officer responded by phone to a fraud.

The victim reported that he received an email that he thought was from a friend and asked for a $200 gift card for his niece on Amazon. He realized it was a scam the next day when he called his friend, asking about the gift card. The friend knew nothing about the gift card. There is no suspect at this time.

April 8, 5 p.m.: Officers responded to a report of a driver exhibiting signs of impairment. The driver was observed driving erratically and driving the wrong way on I-5. Officers located the driver who admitted to recently using methamphetamine. Washington State Patrol also arrived and assisted with the investigation. The suspect was placed under arrest for driving under the influence and his vehicle was placed into police impound on a related drug investigation.

April 8, 8:26 p.m.: U.S. Border Patrol agents advised Blaine police officers of a wrong-way driver exiting I-5 onto D Street. Officers arrived and contacted the female driver. The driver claimed to be lost from the Spokane area. The driver was released a short time later.

April 9, 11:20 p.m.: Blaine police were dispatched to a non-injury, single-vehicle collision on Pipeline Road. Officers arrived and found the collision had occurred outside of the city limits of Blaine. The Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office requested Blaine officers handle the collision. The incident was documented as a non-reportable collision.

Reports provided by Blaine Police Department

Weather Precipitation: During the period of April 6–12, .03 inches of precipitation were recorded. The 2020 yearto-date precipitation is 16.8 inches.

Temperature: High for the past week was 67°F on April 10 with a low of 34°F on April 16. Average high was 63°F and average low was 38°F. Courtesy Birch Bay Water & Sewer Dist.

Tides April 17–23 at Blaine.

Not for navigation.

49° 0’ 0”N - 122° 46’ 0”W

DATE TIME HEIGHT TIME HEIGHT Fr 17

3:27 am

1:58 pm

6.2

8:39 pm

1.6

Sa 18 4:01 am

8.8

10:26 am

4.3

8.8

9:54 am

5.0

3:18 pm

6.4

9:33 pm

2.0

Su 19 4:29 am

8.7

10:54 am

3.5

4:20 pm

6.8

10:19 pm

2.5

Mo 20 4:55 am

8.6

11:20 am

2.7

5:14 pm

7.2

11:01 pm

3.0

Tu 21

5:17 am

8.5

11:46 am

2.0

6:04 pm

7.7

11:41 pm

3.5

We 22 5:37 am

8.5

12:14 pm

1.3

6:48 pm

8.1

Th 23 12:19 am

4.1

5:59 am

8.4

0.7

7:32 pm

8.4

12:42 pm

s To celebrate Easter, community members brought flowers from their gardens to Grace Lutheran Church and Preschool and created a cross with an anchor representing hope. JSP Photography also donated a banner.

Photo courtesy of Kelley Zuch

April 16 - 22, 2020 • thenorthernlight.com

15

Q&A with Rep. Luanne Van Werven

By Grace McCarthy In this year’s elections, Rep. Luanne Van Werven (R-Lynden) is running for re-election to the District 42 – Position 1 seat in the state house of representatives, a position she has held since 2015.

Van Werven discussed with The Northern Light what she’s accomplished, the highest priorities on her political agenda and what she wants people to know about her re-election campaign.

This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.

Could you talk about your personal history and how that led to public service?

I have always been very active in my community. I was able to stay at home and raise my four children and that gave me opportunities to volunteer in my community. One of the things important to me was to volunteer on local campaigns and help like-minded individuals get elected to office. When there was an opening for this particular position, because of my work down in Olympia and here, I was encouraged to run. That was in 2014 and I’ve won three elections since.

Before being a state representative, what campaigns were you working on in the community?

The first campaign I was involved in was with senator Ann Anderson. She was someone I looked up to. She was a strong woman who had a very graceful demeanor but a rock-solid foundation. As a volunteer, I helped her get elected. The other thing that I was involved in was working with local organizations advancing pro-family policy. That’s how I became connected with people locally and in Olympia.

How do you believe that you can support the people of the 42nd legislative district?

I have worked really hard for my district and know that I have gained a good knowledge base.

Everything from our manufacturing industry to our agricultural industry, we have such a diverse

district. It runs the gamut, from our commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, to our Cherry Point industries to our organic farm industries. I have been able to be a support across all sectors to be able to go to Olympia and represent the best way possible.

Many of the issues we deal with in Olympia go past the partisan divide. It’s being open to the issues of my community and making sure that I’m representing all people in my district as best I can. I have been able to do that and it’s been a great honor to have made those connections across my district.

What does the 42nd district mean to you?

I’m a fifth-generation Whatcom County resident so my roots are deep here. I love this community. I’m the daughter of a milk truck driver, which means I grew up closely connected to the agriculture industry. I grew up and raised my children here and consider this district the most beautiful and diverse district in the state.

What do you want people to know about your re-election campaign?

I’m going to continue to invest in Whatcom County. The way I can do that is the citizens of Whatcom County send a lot of tax dollars to Olympia. I have the opportunity to help bring some of those tax dollars back to Whatcom County in the form of projects. We were able to bring $2 million back to Birch Bay for a library that they’re in the process of raising the rest of the funds for.

I was able to bring funding to extend infrastructure to the eastern side of Blaine that will provide critical housing.

I’ve been working closely with Blaine city leaders trying to find a way to take care of the busy intersection of Peace Portal Drive and Blaine Road. With the inspection sites for those trains, traffic can be backed up so far for people traveling between Birch Bay, Semiahmoo and Blaine. We’re getting the funding in order to take

the road above the train tracks.

That’s the joy of my job, bringing projects back to the district.

We have a unique district with one of the few counties in the state where we have a four-year college, a community college, a technical college, plus the Northwest Indian College. I serve as lead Republican for the higher-ed committee in the House. I’ve been able to focus my work on trying to make higher education more affordable for students after they graduate. Just the other day, the governor funded a bill that passed through the House unanimously that notifies students that low-cost textbooks are available at registration. I’m working on lowering the cost of textbooks and lowering the cost and access for trade schools or technical colleges, and then to be able to reduce tuition at our colleges.

Would you consider those the highest priorities on your political agenda?

Certainly higher education is very important but there are so many important issues for the 42nd district and affordable housing is something that’s so needed. I have been working on changes in policy to make affordable housing more available.

Our Cherry Point industries need all the support they can get because they provide very good family-wage jobs. Sadly, we just lost an opportunity with a green biodiesel fuel plant that was going to be built at Phillips 66 but the red tape and opposition in Whatcom County thwarted that effort. Here is a project that would have been environmentally friendly and the future, our green alternative fuel, and we couldn’t even get that across the line. It’s important to support all of our industries in the 42nd district but the Cherry Point industries are the foundation for our county, as well as we’ve got lots of manufacturing companies. If we want to have our children come back and live here, then we need to be able to provide them with

opportunities and careers.

How are you working to get these priorities accomplished?

Since I have been in Olympia for six years, I have gained quite a bit of influence, both in Olympia and locally. Whether it’s passing bills that promote good public policy or making those connections with the people locally, there are endless opportunities to influence the direction of Whatcom County.

What do you consider your biggest accomplishments in office so far?

A few days ago, the governor signed my bill, a consequential bill called Hailey’s Law and it would allow for, if a drunk driver is arrested, that the car could be impounded for 12 hours. A drunk driver who was able to access their car immediately after being arrested slammed into Hailey, who spent two years recovering. The state supreme court overturned the law last summer because they had problems with the constitutional aspect of seizing a vehicle, but they did not have a problem for the sake of public safety of impounding the car for 12 hours. I was able to draft a bill last year that would mitigate the concerns of the supreme court but reinstated the policy of law enforcement being able to impound the car for 12 hours so that the driver does not have access to the vehicle if they’re still under the influence.

I have been able to advocate for the greater good for the 42nd district in the form of important projects, construction projects and community projects in the district. Everything from the Kendall Trail to funding for east Blaine, the Birch Bay library and the trail extension in Lynden, for the toxic cleanup in Bellingham Bay, those are very important projects that I’ve been a part of.

What more do you hope to achieve?

There were several bills I introduced this year that did not make it all the way through.

One of these bills that was important to me was one that

s Rep. Luanne Van Werven.

File photo

would provide protection for juvenile crime victims. I serve on the Sunshine Committee, which is a legislative task force.

We carefully consider which public records should be exempt from access and which should be available. We have found out that juvenile crime victims, with advances in technology, aren’t as protected as we had hoped when it comes to their email addresses or online social media presence. I [also] had a bill that would make sure there were no limitations on lemonade stands for children.

That was a bill important to our youngest entrepreneurs.

Is there anything else that you would like to add or you think people should know?

I think it’s important for people to know that when I’m in Olympia, I am working to make the voice of the 42nd district heard.

I’m fighting hard for the 42nd district and that I do not buy into the partisan extremism that some might get caught up in. I’m going to focus on the work for the 42nd district without making it political or partisan. That’s been my hallmark in Olympia and that’s what I will continue to do.

Next week’s issue of The Northern Light will include an interview with Blaine city councilmember Alicia Rule, who is seeking to fill the seat currently held by Van Werven.

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16

The Northern Light • April 16 - 22, 2020

This letter is endorsed by the following local physicians and providers: Allison Robinson, MD Colorectal Surgery Amir Gharaei, MD Chair, Medicine Department

To our community: My heart is filled with despair as I watch division and distrust spread through our

Andrew Verneuil, MD Otolaryngology Barbara Bachman, MD General Surgery; Past Chief of Staff

Mara Kelley, MD Chair, Pediatrics Department; Service Line Director Pediatrics Marcus Dubrow, MD Emergency Medicine Mark Hoffman, MD Family Medicine Mary Lotfi, MD Nephrology

Barry Landau, MD Neurosurgery

Matthew Oswin, MD Orthopedic Surgery

As a MD and Chief of Staff at PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center, I am seeing

Beth Earthman, PNP Pediatric Nurse Practitioner

Megan Ellingsen, MD Hospice

firsthand the extraordinary amount of work my colleagues are doing to prepare our

Bradley D. Harris, MD Anesthesiology

Meghan Lelonek, MD Family Medicine

Brittany LeGarde, CPNP, ARNP Pediatrics

Melana Schimke, MD Family Medicine

I want to share with you some vital information that has not been reported by the media.

C. Shayne Mora, MD Executive Manager Pacific Rim Surgery Center

Michelle Sohn, MD Vascular Surgery

I want you to know about:

Carla Russo, MD Chair of OB/GYN

community in the wake of the negative publicity that has centered around our hospital.

hospital and clinics for COVID-19. And it’s heart-wrenching to watch our collective achievements become overshadowed by the opinions of a single physician.

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Our exceptional team of infectious disease specialists who are working around-the-clock to ensure that we are staying on the cutting-edge of COVID-19 testing and treatment; The doctors at Northwest Pathology, with the assistance of scientists from WWU, who have literally worked 20 out of 24 hours a day for days on end to increase our community’s testing capacity; Our expert team of Emergency Department physicians who have developed strategies for streamlining care and preventing exposure of patients and healthcare workers to COVID-19; Our critical care specialists who are closely collaborating with our hospital administrators to make sure we have all necessary equipment and space to care for those who become critically ill; All of the physicians – hospitalists, anesthesiologists, internists, pediatricians, family medicine – along with our fantastic nursing and ancillary staff, who have come forth and agreed to work in our hospital medicine and intensive care units when the need arises; The team in our Childbirth Center who has implemented measures to keep pregnant women, newborns and families safe; Our Medical Staff Office professionals who have provided emergency credentialing to hundreds of physicians; The engineers and facilities team who have transformed the hospital’s physical plant to accommodate the worst-case scenario; Our outpatient clinic staff who literally implemented telehealth capabilities overnight so that people can continue to receive care through our outpatient clinics without risking exposure by coming into a medical office; Our surgeons who willingly agreed to delay procedures that are clinically safe to delay; Our incredible Food & Nutrition and Environmental Services caregivers who keep us fed and keep the buildings clean and disinfected.

For many healthcare providers, the work we have done to prepare for COVID-19 will go

Chad Thomas, MD, PhD OB/GYN Charles Ariz, MD Chair Radiology Department Chee Tan, MD OB/GYN Christine Hancock, MD Family Medicine

Conor Sheehy, MD Neurology

Richard Binder, MD Family Medicine

Daniel Reznicek, MD Urology; Chair, Department of Surgery

Richard Krebs, MD Family Medicine

David Baker, MD Neurosurgery Deborah Hall, MD Family Medicine Dina Levin, MD OB/GYN Doug Madsen, MD OB/GYN Greg Wolgamot, MD Pathology Ione Adams, MD Family Medicine; Chair, Credentials Committee & Community Board Member James Blackburn, MD Plastic Surgery James Holstine, DO Medical Director Center for Joint Replacement and Fragility Fracture Program Jay Lonner, MD Anesthesiology Jeff Krusniak, DO Orthopedic Surgery Jen Rosquist, MD Pediatrician Jeremy Getz, MD Chair, Anesthesia Department Jim Hopper, MD CMO of Family Care Network Jimmy Yee, MD Cardiology

uncertainty hangs heavy in the air, and we all sense it. But I can say, beyond a shadow of

Jordana Hawkins, MD Pediatrics

a doubt, that PeaceHealth and our greater medical community are prepared. We have

Kathleen Weisenburger, MD Internal Medicine

Chief of Staff, PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center Obstetric Hospitalist, Section Lead, Childbirth Center

Peter Telfer, MD Anesthesiology

Rajesh Bhola, MD Cardiology

John Morrison, MD Bellingham Anesthesia Associates

Anna Dowling, MD, FACOG

Peter Billing, MD General Surgery

Connie Zastrow, MD Vascular Surgery

There’s no doubt that as a society we are in uncharted territory. The apprehension of

Anna Dowling, MD, FACOG

Penn Barnes, MD, PhD Infectious Disease

Raj Deol, MD Internal Medicine; ICU Medical Director

John Hoyt, MD Pathology

your loved ones.

Oleg Ravitsky, MD Emergency Medicine

Cindy Peers, ARNP Senior Health

down as one of the proudest moments of our careers.

risen to the occasion and formed a cohesive team ready as always to care for you and

Monika Mahal, MD Pediatrics

Kenneth Bachenberg, MD Interim VPMA Kevin Lee, MD Hospitalist Kevin Steel, DO Cardiology Lars Crabo, MD Radiology & Community Board Member Lindsay Emerick, MD OB/GYN

Robert Campbell, MD Anesthesiology Robert Mongue, MD Emergency Medicine Robert Oram, MD Surgery Robert Raish, MD Oncology Robert Rush, MD Medical Director of Trauma & Acute Care Surgery Sally Newbrough, MD Allergy & Immunology Sarah Bates, CNM Midwifery & Family Medicine Scott VanderLeest, MD President, Bellingham Anesthesia Associates Shannon Boustead, MD Family Medicine Shelby Hein, MD Family Medicine Spencer Hinds, MD Cardiology Starla Smit, PA Radiology Stephen Herdman, MD Family Practice Susan Holstine, DO Internal Medicine Tammy Starr, DO OB/GYN; Past Chief of Staff Thomas Stackhouse, MD Otolaryngology & Community Board Member Todd Hafner, MD Anesthesiology Tung Ha, MD Neurosurgery Tyson Hawkins, MD Internal Medicine Vincent Matteucci, MD Ophthalmology Ward Naviaux, MD Emergency Medicine; Vice Chief of Staff Warren Taranow, DO Orthopedic Surgery Worth Everett, MD Emergency Medicine; Chair ED Department