October 20 - 26, 2022
FREE
Community Newspaper of Blaine and Birch Bay HHHECRWSSHHH Postal Customer
IN THIS
ISSUE
Q&A with new county parks director, page 3
State representative candidates, page 6
Borderites win first game of season, page 7
PRSRT STD U. S. Postage PAID Permit NO. 87 Blaine, WA 98230
Live performances return with ‘Wyrd Sisters’
2022
WINNER OF
45 AWARDS The Northern Light
(See page 15)
General election voting opens, ballots mailed By Ian Haupt
(See Ballots, page 6)
s Blaine Community Theater actors Dale Ross, l., and Michelle Parker rehearse on October 4 for their upcoming play, “Wyrd Sisters,” at Grace Lutheran Church. The play, an adaption of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld fantasy series, will be performed Friday, October 21 through Photo by Grace McCarthy Sunday, October 30 at Blaine High School.
Blaine Community Theater returns for first full performance since pandemic By Grace McCarthy Blaine Community Theater (BCT) is returning for its first full performance since the pandemic with an adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s “Wyrd Sisters.” The show will run weekends from Friday, October 21 through Sunday, October 30 at Blaine High School’s Orange and Black Box Theater. The “Wyrd Sisters” is English author Terry Pratchett’s sixth novel in his 41-volume fantasy series Discworld and pulls inspiration from Shakespeare’s
“MacBeth.” The play, which is told from the witches’ point of view, pokes fun at politics, theater and fairy tales. The play chronicles the three witches and other characters who triumph over an evil duke after the King of Lancre is murdered and his heir vanishes. BCT artistic director Nick McDonald directs the play, which British writer Stephen Briggs adapted for stage. Since the pandemic, BCT has put on a Christmas show as well as “Pirates of Penzance” during Pirate Daze, but this will be the first
State senate candidates answer questions on priorities, qualifications ahead of general election By Grace McCarthy The Northern Light asked the candidates running for the 42nd Legislative District Senate seat about their top priorities, if elected, and why they believe they are the best candidate for north Whatcom County residents. The candidates provided written responses to the questions. Sharon Shewmake What are your top three priorities for Blaine, Birch Bay, Custer and Point
Roberts if elected? How will you work to ensure those priorities are met? I enjoy spending time in northwest Whatcom County, making sure you are heard and have what you need from Olympia. Regional priorities are housing affordability, lowering taxes on working people, jobs, lowering the price of healthcare, safe neighborhoods, keeping schools and childcare open, protecting a woman’s right to choose, and better policy to help reduce the risk of flooding and
improve recovery. We have more work to do on the intersection at Bell Road and you need fewer potholes on Bruce Road in Custer. I want to make sure we build the Birch Bay library. Blaine and Point Roberts have been devastated by border closures. Many of the issues were federal or Canadian policies, but I’m committed to keep working with border communities to build a more (See Senate, page 16)
large-scale performance for the group. Mikael McDonald is the BCT president and plays the duchess Felmet, a Pratchett version of Lady Macbeth. She said her favorite part of rehearsals is being with the actors, which includes someone who was in BCT’s first play in 1999 to new members who will debut in “Wyrd Sisters.” “It’s been a while since we’ve been able to do a full production after the whole Covid shutdown,” she said. “All of these very different people and different (See Theater, page 2)
INSIDE
Whatcom County residents should be receiving their November 8 general election ballots any day, now that Whatcom County Auditor’s Office mailed ballots October 19. A wide range of measures and offices are up for a vote, including Proposition 5, state 42nd Legislative District positions and U.S. Congress representatives. Below are the measures and positions up for a vote: • Statewide Advisory Vote No. 39 – Tax on aircraft fuel increased from 11 cents to 18 cents per gallon, costing $14 million in its first 10 years, for government spending. • Statewide Advisory Vote No. 40 – Premiums on “transportation network companies” to provide workers compensation to their drivers. • Whatcom County Proposition 5; Children’s Initiative Levy Lid Lift – Authorize county to increase property taxes by 19 cents per $1,000 of assessed valuation for ten consecutive years to fund early learning programs, childcare, and support homeless or otherwise vulnerable children. • Whatcom County Proposition 6; Regular Property Tax Levy for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) – Authorize county to continue to impose a regular property tax levy of 29.5 cents or less per $1,000 of assessed valuation for each of the six consecutive years. • U.S. Senator – Incumbent Patty Murray running against Tiffany Smiley. • U.S. Representative – Incumbent Rick
Coming Up . . . . . 14 Classifieds . . . . . 11 Letters . . . . . . . . . 4 Police . . . . . . . . . 14 Sports . . . . . . . . . . 7 Tides . . . . . . . . . . 14
TheNorthernLight.com
ThisFLYERS Week’s
Rite Aid