LUMMI ISLAND NEWSLETTER
Apri1 1969
Local Church services will be held throughout the summer with a come-as-you-are invitation extended to all. Dr. Lawrence Brewster and Dr. Lynn Engdahl will alternate in the pulpit.
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Now that you all have donated your available resources towards maintaining this rather questionable way of life and your square footage owned therein via the annual tax bite you probably are impoverished enough to curtail all other activities other than “thinking.” Fret not tho! At some time or other this form of mental calisthenics is bound to occur in everyone ‑ even ever so slightly. Consequently this writer will herein attempt to come up with some irritative thinkin’ stuff as sort of an incentive to this most unusual pastime.
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The planning group has been reactivated under the request and leadership of the County Planner, Harry Fulton and he is hoping to make it a pilot project for a community action study group since it is, apparently, the only previously organized and indoctrinated planning committee in the County. He has and will be leading the discussions which will be held every two weeks or so for the next month or two. The object is to try and arrive at an agreeable concept of a comprehensive plan that everyone can live with and above all support through the implementation of a minimal zoning ordinance. At the present time the trend of thought sponsored by the planner is as follows ‑ (in condensed form) ‑ Through the establishment of stringent laws governing the selling or subdividing of property less than 5 acres in extent it is hoped that it will force all new developments to build on the fringes of the Urban areas only and eliminate the spot community developments that are prevalent in the County now and which cause utility and service problems. Apparently a major issue is the responsibility of the County to provide these services as opposed to the individual’s selling requirements. The concept does not seem to be two realistic if one takes into consideration the basic desires of practically everyone for a semirural home. The key to any development or sale of property is the availability of water and proper sewage and if the County wants to move forward these should be given priority over any stop gap planning.
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The club was involved in joining the general protest, via a letter to the proper authorities, about the proposal to dump the dredging refuse containing toxic wastes from the pulp mill in the water areas surrounding the local Islands. This proposal aroused such a storm of protest from the Maritime Community that most of it has been abound in favor of a land fill.
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Having had business on the water front in Seattle recently, this writer was astounded to behold a considerable area of the adjacent water surface covered with human wastes and other debris that obviously could only come from a raw sewage outfall. How by anything, that is good can the pollution control experts completely ignore this utter disregard for clean waters while at the same time foisting their bewildering and oft times asinine regulations on the small communities and rural residents throughout the surrounding area. It’s about time that we call it by its right name, – “Political Immunity and Industrial Favoritism”. Any control whatsoever should start with them and them alone. Recent news releases have again pointed this up when the City of Seattle blithely announced that they are planning to confound the problem by building an atomic energy plant on an Island near Hope Island and close to Deception Pass. Concerned Biologists have repeatedly warned of the probable large scale heat pollution of the surrounding waters as a result of their studies in areas where other plants have been installed. Their concern is most real but their voices fall on barren ground.
Wonder why someone don’t start a religion with their emblem the “dollar bill”. After all it is the most dominant God in our Civilization. Guess the churches would have to be stadium sizes, however.
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Now for all you sugar and spices type ‑ It’s operation – “Find the Coffee Pot”. So which one of you caffeine guzzlers has absconded with the church coffee urns ‑ (Darn! They lose that thing more times) Maybe if they charged rent by the day it might show up a bit sooner.
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The new officers of the ladies Civic Club are Mesdames Ray McFarland, President; Wm. Peel , Vice president; Mac Granger, Secretary and Leo Gilfilen, Treasurer ‑ so now who says we haint got culture ‑ This notice has been did just Iike the society brass editor does it in those other (?) tabloids. Incidentally their annual rummage sale is to be held June 21st. And they wish to let it be known that they will take choice items to sell on consignment. The proceeds of this merchandising extravaganza always go toward some local improvement project ‑ So! ‑ could be you might pick up a real rabbit type mink stole or something real economical like.
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Understand that the local grade school is going to have a new teacher next year. That’s a jolt to us inspectors of pulchritude as we were most pleased with the present import ‑ guess she was a capable teacher, too, judging from the comments made by the kids and their parents and we all thank her for a job well done.
The new teacher is a Mrs. Patty Gregory, formerly of Edmonds, and she and her husband plan on living on the Island. Mrs. Gregory taught the grades 2‑3 and 4 at Kent and Hi‑Line from 1958 to ‘65. So all you kids ‑ take care now!
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After some extensive questioning of those in the know and those who might be the most affected ‑ such as the top Forestry personnel of our National Forests and various producers of timber resources ‑ a rather “smelly” situation appears to be in the making sponsored by our Congressmen Meeds and May. Apparently a bit of’ conniving skullduggery in favor of the big pulp and timber combines has been instigated to attempt a rape of our National Forests so that they can go on selling their own timber on the export market at a terrific profit. During the course of our investigation we were referred several times to a Mr. Brock Evans of Seattle as a likely source of the truth in the whole conservation program. Upon contacting him we were pleased to learn that he would be willing to see that we had an informed representative from his office at our next general meeting in May or he will try and make it himself. It should be a very informative and interesting session.
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It seems Art Granger was a bit irritated recently when the Fire Department went to a brush fire late one night on his extensive estate and forgot to get him up to go along. He says that he isn’t going to invite them to his next conflagration and that he is just going to let ‘em beg to be included.
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They say great people die in groups and it would seem so judging from the Island’s losses recently. Several of the nicest ladies (and I do mean real lady’s) that this person has ever been fortunate enough to meet have passed away. The entire Island Community will miss them sorely as their replacements have not as yet been born. To the families of Mrs. George Bringholf, Aunt Jessica David and Mrs. Sadie Fox we all extend our heartfelt sympathy, and join them in the knowledge that a most meaningful era has passed.
It was also learned that a sister of Mrs. Eli Austin passed away as did the father of Jules Peterson. This writer never met either one but I’m sure that they must have belonged to the aforementioned group.
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Lest you forget ‑ the ferry will be off for its annual check up from June 16th through the 20th, and we assume that a pedestrian only ferry will operate as before.
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Also lest you forget the dues for the Community Club must be paid prior to the next news letter if you expect to continue receiving one. The Clubs fiscal year is the same as the calendar year and the dues amount to $2.00 per family regardless of the number in the household.
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Those on the ailing list with some having been on the critical side of the health ledger are as follows ‑ Art Erfert ‑ out of danger now and improving, John Christianson ‑ ambulatory and able to consume liquids ‑ too!, Mrs. Walt Fisher ‑ still feeling a bit miserable. The flu and minor colds still are a bit tenacious with a good many Islanders, however.
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A few women of the community imbued with the true community spirit (and possibly some choice gossip) decided to finish painting the ambulance building themselves after the last general work party, called, proved to be so disappointing in numbers present. Recently we were astounded to hear that some uninformed individuals were claiming that the local fire men were paid. Nothing could be further from the truth and comments of this kind can do the entire community a grave disservice. Actually the Island residents should be eternally grateful to the many Islanders who have unstintingly and consistently given of their time and efforts week after week ‑to establish and maintain such a superb and efficient department. The community most certainly does not need criticism of a purely volunteer public service ‑ So ‑lay off! dag nab it!
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The annual club’s pancake breakfast will be held at the Grange Hall on Sunday, July 6th anticipating that many mainlanders will be on the Island then. The Fire auxiliary expect to hold theirs in August. There is some question about the annual Grange sponsored salmon bake, however.
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The Ron Tripps have donated most of the dinner ware from Hawleys former restaurant to the Community Club. The kitchen equipment from Jerry Anderson’s defunct tavern in Bellingham was also purchased by the Club recently and stored on the Island for future use In the proposed Civic Center Building ‑ which is next on the agenda of projects.
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Jeanie Granger has offered to give the Island map and structure it’s housed in, presently located at the store, to the Community if they will move it to a new location, landscape and maintain it. No doubt its future location will be in the vicinity of the proposed Civic Center.
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The status of the military type Islanders is about the same. Mike Ellingboe and Jim Miller are still in Viet Nam, but Mike is slated for reassignment to stateside this month. The McFarland boys are still in the States and Ricky Granger is spending more and more time home from the Army Hospital at Fort Lewis. Understand that one or two of the June grads will be enlisting also.
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The local Post Office’s remodeling job has passed Uncles scrutiny and we all have to admit ‑ it looks real purty.
Post Master Anderson ‑ the only sockeye catchin’ postmaster in the U. S. ‑ apprised us of an upcoming National event called mail box improvement week which is May 19 ‑ 24th. I think it means in simple terms ‑ “Fix your gol ding dilapidated mail box” ‑ will yah?” ‑ So! Let’s all take a close look at our respective “Bill Box” and if it needs a bit of fixin ‑ get with it. Maybe a community contest for arty and unusual boxes might be in order.
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Apparently a few undesirables have moved on the Island recently and taken over vacant cabins etc. No immediate alarm is intended, but vigilance is recommended to protect your own property and that of your neighbors.
See you all May 28th at our pot luck dinner ‑
Gus Johnson ‑ Pres.