Week of Oct. 2, 2024: School cell phones, Bham theater, flower power and BLI flights

Editor,

Congratulations to Ferndale School District for its recent decision to limit cell phone use in schools (CDN, Sept. 17. 2024). As a Family Medicine physician, I have regular conversations with families about cell phones and their impact on children’s health. Although research is still being done, growing evidence shows that social media use is harmful to the mental health of children and teens.

The concern is significant enough that last year the Surgeon General issued an advisory about the effects of social media use on youth mental health. Removing or limiting phones in schools substantially reduces youth exposure to social media, and removes a distraction from both learning in the classroom and the important social development that comes from youth interacting outside of instructional time.

Kudos to the Ferndale School District for limiting cell phone access in schools, and I encourage all school districts to do the same.

Andrew Stine-Rowe, MD, MPH

Bellingham

Editor,

It was enjoyable to read Cocoa Laney’s article in Cascadia Daily News (CDN, Sept. 20. 2024). I was surprised Doug Starcher made no mention of Monta Wagar’s “Bellingham Theatre Guild: The First Sixty Years, 1929-1989,” published by the Guild. 

Monta’s work was a labor of love by a Guild volunteer and required research and organization. Her book is a model I hope to replicate in Twisp for the Merc Playhouse archives. The book has history notes, photographs, a listing of board members throughout the years, and their productions. The Guild also had an awards ceremony for the best show, director and actors — those are listed as well.

Copies of this book are available at the Bellingham Public Library in open stacks and in the reference collection. I hope someone at the Guild will pick up where Monta left off to add the years following her book, possibly to chronicle their 100th anniversary in 2029. The Guild does provide excellent entertainment in Whatcom County.

Christine M. Kendall

Twisp, Okanogan County

Editor,

I just want to shout out a big “thank you” for the beautiful flowers planted all around the roundabout where State Street meets Boulevard. I assume that street maintenance did the work of planting and is maintaining the whole garden area. It brightens my day whenever I drive by. Again, THANK YOU. 

Mary Chaney

Bellingham

Editor,

Does the Donald Trump campaign still owe Whatcom County $100,000 the taxpayers spent when he flew in for the 2016 campaign? I think I recall former Republican Doug Erickson promising the Trump campaign would repay that in full. Did that happen? 

Lynne Findley

Bellingham

Editor,

Thanks to Senators Murray and Cantwell for passing the End Tuberculosis Now Act. This infectious killer took 1.6 million lives worldwide in 2021, even though it is preventable, treatable and curable. Once this legislation passes the House, American efforts will prioritize TB resources to countries most impacted, with the goal of putting an end to this disease by 2035. 

Working in coordination with the Stop TB Partnership and the Global Fund, and yearly reports to Congress, this legislation will bring new hope to end this disease that has plagued mankind since the dawn of time. So let’s thank our senators, and ask our representatives, (202) 224-3121, to pass it as well, putting this hope into action.

Willie Dickerson

Snohomish

Editor,

I enjoyed Mr. Frysztacki’s guest commentary (CDN, Sept. 16, 2024) about Bellingham International Airport (BLI) and his comparison to the Billings, Montana (BIL) airport (which I have also used), and agree that the passenger experience is far better with jetways. I’d like to add some thoughts and pose a question:

During my 20-plus years here, the BLI-SEA Alaska/Horizon service has used 38-passenger Q200 turboprops, then 76-seat Q400s, and more recently Embraer 175 regional jets of the same capacity. The turboprop aircraft were too low to the ground to use jetways, but the Embraer 175 can. However, in SEA those Embraer jets still use outdoor portable stairs (like at BLI) from ramp parking positions formally used by the turboprops.

What I do miss from those earlier days is that with the smaller Q200, there were six or seven daily roundtrips between BLI and SEA, allowing for convenient 60-90-minute connection times to onward flights at SEA throughout the day. Today there are only three daily roundtrips, often requiring a three-plus hour layover in SEA for connecting flights to/from Midwest and East Coast cities after boarding a 5:20 a.m. flight from BLI to connect to flights leaving SEA around 9 or 10 a.m.

Years ago, at the time BLI was building a new terminal, my recollection was hearing that the largest carrier by enplanements was a low-cost budget airline which, while using full-size jets suitable for jetways, didn’t want to incur higher landing fees which would result from the airport trying to recoup part of the investment, and thus did not support the inclusion of jetways. I don’t know if this was/is true.

While current and potential users of BLI would welcome more flights and the addition of jetways, it is not clear to me if there is support for this from the wider community and the Port of Bellingham. I would be interested to see a port response to the guest commentary.

For a glimpse at how another airport urges community participation to support existing air service and work to attract new service, see the link to part of the Helena, Montana (HLN) airport website: helenaairport.com/announcements.

Sam Nakamura

Bellingham

Editor,

We toured the new Lighthouse Mission’s building at their Open House on Sept. 28. Our tour was led by their director, Hans Erchinger-Davis, who did a fantastic job informing us on their impressive plans to provide additional services in this very large, full of light and beautiful facility.

Their increased capacity to serve our homeless neighbors is significant and includes services for men, and women with or without children. Our community has been well served by the Lighthouse Mission for decades and it is truly heartening to see their growth and expansion of services for our homeless neighbors in such inviting surroundings. We applaud you. 

Ann Bright, Martha Border

Bellingham

Editor,

The 2024 primary election for Public Lands Commissioner was the closest election in Washington state’s history. Of the seven candidates running, Dave Upthegrove was the only one NOT to take timber money. It came down to 49 votes between second and third place. It was razor close as Republicans ran two candidates and the four others, although Democrats, were more or less aligned with “cut now, grow later” policies.

This electoral configuration was done intentionally. The motive was to dilute the only not-in-timber’s-pocket candidate nullifying Upthegrove’s chances of being a candidate. Alas, it did not work.

The contrast between Jaime Herrera-Beutler and Dave Upthegrove could not be more stark. Herrera-Beutler was ranked by the League of Conservation Voters as one of the worst environmental candidates in the nation. Briefly, she accepted significant donations from Sierra Pacific, Weyerhaeuser, Western Forests Products, commercial real estate developers, investment firms as well as timber lobbyists. 

While in Congress she voted to gut the Endangered Species Act and weaken fresh water and clean air provisions. On the other hand, Upthegrove has a degree in environmental conservation and biology along with graduate work in energy policy. While in the state Legislature, he was part of the Puget Sound Partnership to restore its waters. He was instrumental in getting funding doubled for salmon habitat and worked hard to reduce the effects of pollution in Washington. His support is with unions, environmental groups and small donors. He will work for ALL of us.

Peter Stedman

Port Angeles

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