The Editor:
I encourage all registered voters to:
While not one to tell people how they should vote, it’s important to look at these local elections closely. They may not be as polarizing as the national issues splashed across the headlines, but they often have more of a direct impact on our day-to-day lives.
The fire levy lid lift is a perfect illustration. If approved by voters, the district will receive much needed funding to boost services and provide better emergency response times for the nearly 34,000 people (with continued rapid growth expected) under their umbrella. It will also assist with the replacement of Station 63 along Birch Bay-Lynden Road, where emergency crews currently deal with a myriad of obstacles in the way of effectively serving our community.
If rejected by voters, rest-assured the dedicated staff and leadership of North Whatcom Fire and Rescue will do what they can with what they have. However, we would need to prepare for the very real probability of emergency response times continuing to increase due to the reliance on mutual aid from neighboring districts.
As you research, please take note that NWFR operates under a balanced budget, has passed all audits by the state, and is debt-free … demonstrating a consistent, responsible pattern of the utilization of taxpayer funds.
The district has produced a video that gives a detailed explanation of their current challenges and the fire levy lid lift request. You can find it, along with a wealth of written information, on their website: nwfrs.net.
Sacha Sanguinetti
Birch Bay
The Editor:
I am writing to express my support for the North Whatcom Fire and Rescue levy lid lift. As a resident of the BayCrest development, I am acutely aware of the importance of fire safety in our densely populated neighborhood. In recent years, we have experienced two fires on Clamdigger Drive. Without the swift and effective response of our firefighters, these fires could have easily spread and not only caused substantial damage to our neighborhood, but also potentially resulted in serious injuries or loss of life.
The levy lid lift is a critical measure to ensure the continued safety of our community. By providing additional funding, we can ensure that our fire department has the resources it needs to respond to emergencies quickly and effectively. I urge you to vote in favor of this important issue.
Brittney L. Marrs-Smith
Birch Bay
The Editor:
As a delegate to the Washington State Republican Convention, meeting Semi Bird for the first time, I knew little about him, but was immediately impressed by his warmth and openness to me as I asked some pointed and difficult questions. His answers were thoughtful and clear. No pat, career-politician answers – just straight talk. I appreciate that.
Having heard him speak a couple of times prior, the first thing that struck me is his absolute dedication to our Constitution, and to our nation. Second, and most striking, is that he understands grace and forgiveness. He lives it.
I’ve met him a few times now and each time I am more convinced that Semi Bird is, by far, the best choice to lead Washington at the critical time.
Out beautiful state has become unaffordable due to citizens being overtaxed, underserved and under-represented. Semi Bird has a solution for this. He will have a third-party audit of every state-run department. He will require every office to have a five-year strategic plan which includes achievable, measurable, time-specific goals. This will identify and eliminate wasteful and fraudulent use of taxpayer funds. Those monies can then be redirected to pay for programs that better serve the people of Washington.
Semi Bird is a constitutional, Christian conservative who believes in America-first, Washington-first, citizens-first governing. He remembers, reflects on and honors our heritage.
Republicans are the party of abolition, women’s rights, civil rights, and we are now becoming the party of parental rights as well. Semi Bird understands that our children are not being protected, nor well-served. He understands that parents must be the decision makers for their children’s welfare, education and healthcare. He supports and will work for laws that protect parental rights.
This great country offers opportunities and freedoms which are uniquely American. Semi Bird wants to unify and lift up all people to their full potential.
For these reasons, and many others, I am enthusiastically voting for Semi Bird for Governor, and encouraging you, all my neighbors, to vote for him as well.
Christena Miller
Birch Bay
The Editor:
The North Whatcom Fire and Rescue levy is up for a vote on August 6. I want to encourage you to vote “Yes.”
NWFR is asking voters for a $0.34 lid lift on the August primary election ballot, which would reset the fire levy rate to $1.10 per $1,000 in assessed home value. The lid lift would cost the owner or a $500,000 home an additional $14.16 per month or $170 per year. For perspective, in 2006, voters approved bringing the rate up to $1.42.
The levy lid lift will ensure our community’s emergency needs and response times continue to be met in a timely manner. It ensures our emergency services are properly staffed, which is what we want when we are having a medical crisis or fire disaster. It will provide up-to-date equipment, as our older equipment must be replaced due to age and normal wear and tear. The levy lid lift ensures our fire and emergency staff have a building in our community that is safe, functional and close to us, because as we all know, living in Birch Bay means we do not have many services that are just minutes away.
Birch Bay is such a wonderful place to live. It would be harmful to our community and to the rest of the area North Whatcom Fire and Rescue serves if our services had to be cut over a few more dollars a year.
Thank you for considering,
Dianne Marrs-Smith
Birch Bay
The Editor:
In an article about dogs crossing the border (The Northern Light, July 25-31, 2024) it was stated “Given the fact that both Canada and the U.S. are free of rabies …” This is dangerous and completely incorrect. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) rates countries by their rabies virus and lyssavirus (a rabies-variant disease most common in bats) status and neither the United States nor Canada are rated rabies or lyssavirus free.
See bit.ly/4d6blIm for details from the CDC.
According to the CDC, approximately 4,000 cases of animal rabies are verified every year in the U.S., with more than 90 percent occurring in wildlife like bats, raccoons, skunks and foxes. However, not all rabies cases occur in wild animals. In Minnesota, for example, recent years have found cases in cows, calves, a llama, a dog and a kitten.
All mammals can get rabies, but in Washington state bats are currently the only known source of rabies. Any potential human exposure to a bat requires careful assessment because bat teeth are razor sharp and tiny, so a bite wound might not be noticed. Pets that have exposure to a bat should be evaluated by a veterinarian. There were two documented cases of rabies in bats in Washington state so far in 2024, 12 in 2023 and eight in 2022.
More importantly, there were five human deaths due to rabies in the United States in 2021 and three in 2022. If you are bitten by a domestic animal and cannot verify that they are rabies vaccinated, or bitten by any wild animal, please seek medical attention immediately. Rabies is almost 100 percent fatal and causes immense suffering prior to death.
Visit bit.ly/46v2RYQ for more information.
Jennifer Plombon
Blaine
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