LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

The Editor:
Regarding the need for a telephone tower. We own a cottage at Maple Beach. Our day sailboat is anchored just a little way out all summer. Each year, early summer, we launch the sailboat at the marina and sail or motor it, depending on the weather, to Maple Beach. Usually with a grandchild or two. Each fall my husband sails or motors the sailboat back to the marina, where we haul it up and trailer it back to our cottage at Maple Beach.
This past September was no exception except my husband did not arrive at the marina at the scheduled time. He was to arrive at 10:15. I waited on the shore of the marina and in my car until 11:15, at which time I was a bit concerned, checked my cell phone for a message from him, and walked out to the spit to see how far out he was or if he was in trouble. My husband, Neil Griggs, always takes his cell phone, wears a life jacket, carries paddles and flares.
When I did not see him out on the water or coming in past the breakwater, I tried to phone him a couple of times. The phone rang but the call was dropped as I was in an intermittent roaming area. By now I was very concerned and went into the marina to borrow their binoculars and told the woman and gentleman behind the counter that Neil was due back by 10:15. It was by now 11:30 or so. I was told that boaters are often late.
I returned the binoculars and told the woman and gentleman, who worked there, that I was going home to Maple Beach, to see if Neil returned for some unknown reason or he had forgotten his cell phone. I also asked them to tell Neil, if/when he arrived, to wait, as I would be right back.
Neil was not at home.
By now I was really worried. I drove back to the marina, stopped off in the office, to let them know that I was going back out to the spit again to see with my own binoculars, (the marina was concerned about me using theirs) if I could spot Neil somewhere out on the ocean. Nothing! On my way back to the marina, around 12:15 or so, at last I saw Neil motoring in to the harbor.
So what happened?
Neil’s motor had stopped at around 10 a.m. due to ocean debris getting into the cooling system. He ended up paddling to shore and then walking the boat along the rocky shore with barnacles and debris, getting his feet and ankles cut up in the process.
Neil had left a message on my cell, and called the marina office at 10:15 to let them know that he was having trouble and for them to tell me, if they saw a blonde woman (me) waiting in the harbor looking concerned.
I went in to the marina office three times. No one said anything about a call or message from Neil. I did not receive Neil’s message on my cell phone due to poor cell reception. With Neil’s boating episode and the jogger (hit by a car) incident, I strongly feel that for everyone’s safety at the Point, we should consider having a stronger cell phone reception so that we can contact the appropriate people in emergencies on the water or shore.
Enda Bardell
Point Roberts

The Editor:
I look forward each month to your paper and find it very entertaining, reading the letters to the editor, where people use copious words to snipe at each other, the “bomb” mishmash of two months ago and last month’s fiasco with the Blaine sheriff’s response to an accident before our own. (Thankfully we don’t know about these things until a month later.)
Living here is not easy. The challenges are many – building a house with an inept builder who hires unqualified workers and never finishes the job, a roofer whose workmanship had 38 shingles blow off my roof last November, and still has not corrected the situation, the dance over the water situation, the resident who puts all his refuse on his neighbor’s vacant lot, and the disbarred real estate saleswoman whose signs plaster the community, to name a few.
Add to this, we must pass through the U.S. border where we are either greeted with surly men grudgingly granting us access to our home, or chatty women who encroach on everyone’s time making silly conversation when we still just want to get home. I liken it to living under the Taliban, never knowing what is banned and being accused of having an attitude when you are numb and fear and trembling because your Nexus card is threatened. To visit me, my family and friends must suffer invasive, inane questions, like, “How long have you guys been married,” “What did you have for dinner,” and being told when you enter the U.S. “Nothing is personal.”
Certainly living here is never dull, and you need a great deal of patience, grace and humor – which brings me to the reason I am writing. I saw a bumper sticker on the back of a VW van which sums it up for me: “Point Roberts – the only circus that doesn’t travel.”
Bev Richmond
Point Roberts

The Editor:
On Saturday, November 17, Arts & Jazz is beginning it’s second decade as the community favorite, family fun celebration of the fine arts programs in the Blaine School District.
The evening is hosted by the Blaine Fine Arts Association (BFAA), a 501 (c)(3) non profit organization of volunteer parents, teachers, and community members who work to promote, encourage, and support the efforts of the Blaine art, band, choir, and drama students.
The BFAA is proud of the work our students produce, and the honors they receive. Arts & Jazz is a wonderful way to celebrate their efforts and share them with the greater community.
One hundred percent of the funds raised from live and silent auctions helps to offset expenses that enable our students to receive arts experiences beyond the Blaine school’s curriculum. The evening’s success now makes possible over $4,000 in annual arts scholarships as well as helping our arts programs purchase equipment, music, and instruments.
Annually, the Arts & Jazz auction features art, gourmet dinners, luxurious get-a-ways, and goods and services from many, many supporters and contributors. We print an auction catalog, make public announcements of our thanks, and provide table top promotional information for your business.
We hope the community will join us for the 11th Annual Arts & Jazz as we start a new decade supporting of our students. In return we will do our best to thank you for your support and use the funds raised to encourage our students to excel.
If you have any questions or would like to contribute an auction item, please contact our auction coordinators Dorita Gray at 380-1634 or Tami Kramme at 332-4218. Deadline for information for the auction catalog is Wednesday, November 7 and auctions items are due Friday, November 16.
Tami Kramme
Blaine

The Editor, Pete Kremen, Lois Garlick,
and Barbara Brenner:
Please find enclosed the October edition of the All Point Bulletin.
There is a feature on page 4 regarding the NEXUS program and the treatment of United States and Canadian citizens since the program went into effect.
Problems with NEXUS are a serious issue in Whatcom County and particularly border communities like Point Roberts.
I am a NEXUS member and have crossed the border approximately 10,000 times since moving to Point Roberts in 1992. Everyone who lives in Point Roberts has anecdotes regarding their treatment by U.S. and Canadian border guards. I will not burden you with mine. However, I can express my hope that you, as our current and aspiring elected officials, can take my concern from the local level to state and national government.
The message is this: There is a lack of fundamental due process with regard to the NEXUS program. Many have had their NEXUS privileges withdrawn for minor and inconsequential reasons. Read the accounts of abuse in the All Point Bulletin article. Then put yourself in the position of those who have no recourse when their NEXUS privileges are withdrawn.
We need to establish a system whereby a citizen can appear in a court of local jurisdiction and have their NEXUS status adjudicated quickly. None exists today.
Your leadership in this area would transcend any other local issues.
Thank you in advance for your attention to this matter. I hope to see all of you at candidate’s night on Wednesday.
John Lesow
Point Roberts

The Editor:
Each year the senior class at Blaine high school has an alcohol and drug free grad night event. The festivities involve various types of supervised activities.
The event takes place immediately after graduation ceremonies and students are transported via charter bus to a particular venue where there is an evening full of fun and activities. Fundraisers are the only way that this grad night event can happen as the cost runs approximately $150 per student.
We would like to make this event affordable for all students who would like to participate.
We are hoping through fundraisers and help from community members that this goal can be accomplished. Any parent who would be willing and able to donate cash or any community business or individual that would like to help sponsor a student, please contact Kevin or Melanie Haines 332-6717, or send your donations to the address below. Donations are fully tax-deductible!
A deadline of December 1 has been established so that the parent committee can then determine just how much cash needs to be raised through fundraisers.
Checks can be made payable to: BBC Class of 2008, 1182 Mitchell Avenue, Blaine, WA  98230
Melanie Haines, 2008 Senior Class
Parent Committee
Blaine

Letters Policy
The All Point Bulletin welcomes letters to the editor; however, the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor. Letters must include name, address and daytime telephone number for verification. Letters must not exceed 450 words and may be edited or rejected for reasons of legality and good taste.
A fresh viewpoint on matters of general interest to local readers will increase the likelihood of publication. Writers should avoid personal invective. Unsigned letters will not be accepted for publication. Requests for withholding names will be considered on an individual basis.
Thank You letters should be limited to ten names.
Only one letter per month from an individual correspondent will be published.

Please send your letter to: P.O. Box 1451, Point Roberts, WA 98281
or fax (360) 945-1613.
E-mail:editor@allpointbulletin.com

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