The Editor:
The Washington State Growth Management Act (GMA) is a law that requires state and local governments to manage Washington’s growth by identifying and protecting critical areas and natural resource lands, designating urban growth areas, preparing comprehensive plans and implementing them through capital investments and development regulations.
The GMA was adopted because the Washington state legislature found that uncoordinated and unplanned growth posed a threat to the environment, sustainable economic development and the quality of life in Washington. The GMA establishes state goals, sets deadlines for compliance, offers direction on how to prepare local comprehensive plans and regulations, and sets forth requirements for early and continuous public participation.
GMA requires “early, continuous, and inclusive public involvement throughout the planning process.” Every eight to ten years, depending on how quickly a community grows, comprehensive plans and development regulations are reviewed, and if needed, revised to comply with GMA and changing community needs.
In a time of unprecedented growth in Blaine, the city has not held one educational workshop to involve the citizens of Blaine in planning its future. Public hearings where we are allowed to comment on a proposal already negotiated between city hall and developers is not the same thing.
Jay Taber
Blaine
The Editor:
The United States Naval Sea Cadet Corps (USNSCC) was founded in 1958 by the Navy League Of the United States. This program is a nonprofit youth organization that teaches kids about jobs in the U.S. Navy and all branches of the Military.
The USNSCC has two programs, the Navy League Cadet Corps (USNLCC), which is for cadets ages 10-13, and the senior program USNSCC, which is for cadets ages 13-18. All cadets have to abide by the USNSCC core values: Honor, respect, commitment and service.
If you enlist you can be eligible for advanced pay. Joining the USNSCC does not commit cadets to future service.
The USNSCC has been building leaders of character since its inception with 78 cadets to currently having 9,131 cadets and 396 units around the U.S., Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and one in our hometown, Blaine.
Blaine’s USNSCC Raymond J Evans Division will open up a world of exciting opportunities for you like, valuable training in leadership, teamwork, culinary arts, scuba, photojournalism and music classes. You’ll have the chance to explore your interests while discovering new ones.
The Raymond J Evans Division was named after Raymond Joseph Evans Jr. born February 22, 1921 in Bellingham. Evans was a U.S. Coast Guardsman who received the Navy Cross post-WWII for showing extraordinary heroism in battle. In 1942 shuttled Marines whose position had been taken over by Japanese forces. He kept evacuating the Marines off the island even though his best friend, Douglas Munro died in battle. He used one hand to steer his boat and the other to fire his gun, drawing enemy gunfire toward himself and away from the Marines. He was decommissioned in 1962 and died May 30, 2013. Now Raymond J Evans has a vessel named after him, the USCGC Raymond Evans and he has an award named after him, the Ray Evans Medal.
Raymond J Evans Division meets every other Saturday at 0745 (starting 1/06/24) at Blaine American Legion Post 86. 4580 Legion Dr, Blaine, WA 98230. Email Jsteenmeyer@seacadets.org or call 360-220-9012 or visit seacadets.org/join
Landon Kehm
Blaine
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