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Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay
September 15 - 21, 2022
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IN THIS
ISSUE
Covid-19 emergency orders to end, page 2
Amtrak to resume service to Vancouver, page 5
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Borderites have first home game, page 6
Blaine Arts Council looks to grow art scene By Grace McCarthy
(See Art, page 8)
s Brad Smith, Microsoft president and vice chair (l.), and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates discuss climate action at the 2022 Cascadia Innovation Corridor’s “Cascadia 2050 vision: Moving to climate action” conference at Semiahmoo Resort on September 12. Photo by Grace McCarthy
Cross-border leaders convene for climate action conference at Semiahmoo Resort By Grace McCarthy Wildfire smoke created an orange haze over Semiahmoo Resort as cross-border dignitaries, business leaders and researchers met at the 2022 Cascadia Innovation Corridor (CIC) conference September 1213. This year’s theme: Climate change. The initiative’s sixth annual conference, “Cascadia 2050 Vision: Moving to climate action,” was the first held outside of Seattle or Vancouver, B.C. Organizers said the decision to host the sold-out conference in Blaine was to belatedly celebrate the Peace Arch’s centennial on September 6, 2021 that was delayed because of the pandemic. Christine Gregoire, former Washington state governor who hosted the conference, said that the CIC initiative leaders decided in 2020 they wanted to become the first sustainable mega-region in the world. “Realizing this vision also requires us to address the climate crisis literally head on,” Gregoire said in her opening remarks. “Taking action to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while adapting to the effects of climate change.” Gregoire noted many people fought catastrophic flooding to attend last year’s conference in November. The CIC initiative is led by Business Council of B.C. and Challenge Seattle, a group of over 20 of the Seattle area’s largest
CEOs, focused on strengthening ties from Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, B.C., according to its website. Around a dozen Seattle demonstrators gathered outside of the resort as Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates arrived by helicopter before giving a keynote discussion with Microsoft president and vice chair Brad Smith. Gates told conference attendees he was feeling optimistic about climate action because of the pace of innovation, but noted Russia’s war in Ukraine derailed some short-term goals. “It needs to be a high priority for people. I have to say it does get immense attention,” Gates said of climate action. “I’m very impressed that, given the really bad effects are out in the future, every day we’re reading about, ‘Here’s where the weather is getting worse with floods and extreme heat conditions’ versus 10 years ago.” Gates also discussed the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act recently passed and how it could scale up green steel production. He said the U.S. needs to be innovative in order to show other countries how to create climate solutions in an economic way. “I’ve never seen a problem that’s completely unsolvable without the research entities, the government and the private sector coming together,” Gates said. “It’s a very complicated problem that’s a global problem.”
The first day of the two-day event was tightly scheduled with conversations on climate change’s economic impacts, public-private partnership’s roles in climate action, regional airports’ climate action and the importance of ultra-high-speed transportation. Leaders at the ports of Seattle and Portland, Vancouver Airport Authority and Alaska Airlines focused their conversation on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) as an alternative to traditional jet fuel to lower carbon emissions. (See Conference, page 3)
INSIDE
Excited murmurs filled the room as a group of about 30 Blaine and Birch Bay artists gathered in Northwood Chapel on September 8. It was Blaine Arts Council’s (BAC) second meeting, and artists came ready to collaborate and bring the arts to the city’s center stage. The group discussed the upcoming oyster festival in downtown Blaine, updates from the council’s committees and strategies to recruit new members. Christy Schroeder-Lloyd gave a presentation on calligraphy near the end of the meeting. “The Blaine Arts Council exists for the community,” a member read from the council’s mission statement. “The council promotes, cultivates and supports the arts in order to enrich the lives of the community through creativity with a variety of cultural events, education and shows.” Artists and supporters across the community showed up to the meeting – from Pacific Arts Association representatives to Blaine Library manager Jonathan Jakobitz. “It was great. There was a wonderful turnout,” Jakobitz said of the meeting. “It was really encouraging to see both artists and people who want to support the arts in our community come out.” The arts council was the brainchild of Joseph Kinnebrew, an artist who’s had his work displayed across the U.S. and saw the potential for an arts council during this year’s Blaine Art Studio Tour. He met with a small group of art supporters this spring where he encouraged them to start an arts council and he offered an initial council structure. “I have been through this process several times and suggest the energy and efforts thus far are exceptional. The results and reaction of the Blaine commission remains to be seen,” he said. “Arts councils can become vital contributors to communities but they do not happen by themselves.” Kinnebrew said he wants the city government and local organizations to recognize BAC’s importance in influencing things from city zoning policies, citizen participation and ability to attract new businesses. Through the council, he believes Blaine will become a more desirable place to live and a tourist destination. “I strongly believe the arts council should reflect local interests and tastes while always reaching further to become aware of an ever-increasing vision and creative offerings of others beyond our self-imposed local boundaries,” he said. Interim BAC president Kay Dee Powell, who helped start the Blaine Art Studio Tour, said the arts council was just getting started and hopes to grow as new members join. The first meeting, held August 11, just had painters, but Powell said she was encouraged to see a variety of artists
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