Friends and neighbors,
I hope you had a safe (and fun) Fourth of July weekend. Though we still have a long way to go before our communities recover from the pandemic, it’s great to see Whatcom County coming together once again to celebrate with family, friends and neighbors.
Still, it’s important to recognize that while many of us may be enjoying the return to normalcy, Point Robert residents are being left behind. I, along with other elected officials, have routinely urged the Canadian government to make it easier for people get from their homes in Point Roberts to other parts of Whatcom County, to no avail so far.
While we wait for yet another evaluation of border guidelines on July 21, Rep. Sharon Shewmake and I will be joining Gov. Jay Inslee this Friday, July 9, to visit Point Roberts. After the visit, Sharon and I will be hosting a town hall from 3:30-5 p.m. at Kiniski’s Reef Tavern to hear more from those directly affected by the border closure.
If you’re not able to make it on Friday, please fill out this survey so we can best understand how to support the Point Roberts community moving forward.
I was heartened to see that the governor was able to use the strategic reserve fund to help keep Point Robert’s only grocery store open on top of the funds that Rep. Shewmake and I secured through the Department of Commerce for them. It’s crucial we support a vital local business, its workers and the community. But we know much more must be done to help Point Roberts get back on its feet, and I’m committed to coming up with solutions together.
Supporting kids and our most vulnerable
Since the session ended in April, I’ve spent my some of my legislative time honing my policy development skills and working with groups to develop thoughtful solutions to issues facing our most vulnerable populations. In that vein, I’m honored to announce that I’ve been appointed to Project Education Impact, a legislative workgroup that’s pushing to address the needs of students who are in foster care or experiencing homelessness. As I talked about in my last email update, I’m focused on supporting kids and protecting the most vulnerable members of our community. This appointment is an opportunity to continue and further that work.
There’s certainly a lot of work to be done. From the lack of child care to the spike in suicide and self-harm by youth, we all need to work together to make sure our kids have every opportunity to succeed. I was proud to vote for the Fair Start for Kids Act to make childcare more affordable, grants and loans to help build more child care facilities, and more school counselors in high poverty schools to provide more students with healthy coping skills in trying times. What are your ideas for supporting our kids and most vulnerable?
A new loan program for small businesses
The state Department of Commerce launched a new loan program to help small businesses and non-profits affected by the pandemic recover. For more information about the Small Business Flex Fund and how to apply, visit this link. Applications are open!
Thanks for reading! Please don’t hesitate to reach out at 360-746-3744 or Alicia.Rule@leg.wa.gov. It’s an honor to serve the 42nd Legislative District.
Alicia Rule