February 2023
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The case for an adult home, page 4
School board appoints director, page 6
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PRCAC to seek Pop! Maple Beach seawall funding By Erin Kelly Following receipt of a letter from the Maple Beach Association (MBA) about flooding problems, Point Roberts Community Advisory Committee board chair Allison Calder believes it’s time to take action. During storms and high water, the existing seawall is typically breached by water and debris subjecting low lying streets and homes to flooding. Some residents have suggested adding a topper to the wall which would deflect incoming waves backwards as seen on the seawall north of the border. Any such work would require county and state shoreline permitting that is difficult and time-consuming. “I’m not saying it’s impossible,” Calder said at the PRCAC meeting on January 19, “but it triggered me into looking for grants.” Calder said there are federal and state grants available that could provide funding to replace existing vertical bulkheads with soft shoreline protection. Bulkheads and seawalls can be detrimental for the health of the shoreline and concerns about their negative impact have inspired Washington state to push for soft shoreline development. Soft shoreline development, also known as green shorelines or living shorelines, uses techniques that generally include some combination of native plantings, anchored drift logs, gravel berms, sand replenishment and site recontouring in areas that suffer from erosion or high wave energy. Soft shorelines look and feel natural and are constructed in a way that helps to prevent erosion. “Because it (soft shoreline development) is what Washington state wants, the process of going through the U.S. Corp of Engineers, and departments of ecology and fish and wildlife is a lot easier and a lot smoother,” said Calder. A similar project, the Birch Bay Drive and Pedestrian Facility Project, was completed in March 2021 after being first proposed by geologist Wolf Bauer in 1975. It took the county approximately 20 years of planning and permitting before work started in January 2020. The almost $16 (See Maple Beach, page 3)
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s Children librarian Rose Momsen anticipating a popped balloon during a New Year’s Eve day party at the Point Roberts Library on Gulf Road. Children and their families watched the balloons drop at noon on December 31. Photo by Erin Kelly
Primary school likely to lose third grade B y P a t G r u bb The Point Roberts Primary School will most likely lose its third grade class this fall, according to Blaine school district superintendent Christopher Granger. He announced the district’s plan to harmonize the Point Roberts school with the Blaine primary school during a Supper with the Superintendent event January 17 at the school. Granger said it made sense to have Point Roberts students transition into elementary school at the same time as the rest of the student body instead of delaying for a year. In addition, the state rules governing remote and necessary schools such as
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the Point Roberts Primary School require schools to offer the same grades as similar schools operated by the district. Approximately 20 people attended the supper including Granger, his wife and two daughters who brought pizza for the assembled parents. One bone of contention was raised by parents who believd a transitional kindergarten would be offered in January. Granger apologized for the mixed signals, saying he took responsibility for the miscommunication. He pointed out that while the state had changed the rules on the fly, the district never intended to offer the program anywhere other than the main campus.
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Inside
Church ............................................... 9 Classifieds ......................................... 12 Coming Up ....................................... 11 Crossings .......................................... 10 Opinion ............................................... 4 Sheriffs ............................................. 14 Tides ................................................. 14