New York Times features Blaine in pandemic story

The New York Times featured Blaine in a July 18 story about the border closure’s effects on the town, titled “This Border Town Was on the Rise. Then the Pandemic Hit,” written by Rachel Abrams.

The article calls the border closures’ economic impact on Blaine “crippling,” and focuses on the lack of Canadians crossing the border to buy gas and pick up packages.

When the U.S./Canada border closed on March 21, southbound traffic into Blaine all but stopped. In June, 12,600 people entered the U.S. from British Columbia, down from 479,000 in June 2019, the article notes. 

The article quotes local immigration attorney Len Saunders, Blaine Chamber of Commerce president Michael Ebert, Mark and Steve Seymour of Drayton Harbor Oyster Company and Brant Baron of Mail Boxes International. Mike Hill, owner of the Chevron on Portal Drive, Skye Hill Station and several other Blaine properties, is also featured in the article.

In the meantime, freelance journalist Rachel C. Hu has been interviewing residents in Point Roberts for a story in an upcoming issue of High Country News (HCN). HCN is an independent, non-profit media organization based in Colorado which reports on the western United States.