Interested in using native plants in your landscape?

There are many wonderful reasons to use PNW natives: they are often long-lived and don’t need maintenance, they provide year-round color and garden interest, they can be used to stabilize hillsides and prevent erosion, and some are drought and heat tolerant, helpful in a warming climate. And they’re a “welcome mat” for wildlife, providing food and homes for beneficial insects, amphibians, birds and mammals.

Join botanist, native plant enthusiast, and Master Gardener Jane Wentworth for an introduction to native plants. Jane will discuss how to plant bare rootstock and care for your new garden additions in their important first year, and will provide an in-depth review of plants offered in the 2019 Master Gardener Native Plant Sale.

Pre-order plants early at the Workshop 
Online pre-ordering opens after the Workshop on January 13^th, at the Master Gardeners Foundation website, where there are full descriptions of each plant.

Order early for the best selection. Quantities are limited and many will sell out by the order deadline, March 1.

• Native Plant Workshop
• Saturday, January 12^th
• 9:00 to 11:00 am

San Juan Island Grange
152 First St.
Friday Harbor, San Juan Island

Presented by the Master Gardener Foundation of San Juan County in Cooperation with San Juan County Washington State University Extension.

The WSU Master Gardener Program is a nationally recognized program that trains volunteers to serve their communities through horticultural education and outreach. Once volunteers receive training, they provide research-based, educational information to the public on vegetable and fruit gardening, native plants, composting, plant problem diagnosis, pest control, and many other concerns. For more information about San Juan County Master Gardeners visit http://sanjuan.wsu.edu or call 360-378-4414.

Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and special needs who contact the WSU San Juan County Extension office at 360-370- 7663 or [email protected] prior to the event.

Celebrate an evening of collaboration, community & charity at the San Juan Acoustic Music Festival!

Join Stephen Dyer, of The Rocky Bay Band, along with other local musicians on Saturday, January 26^th from 6:30-9:30pm in the Fairgrounds Marie Boe Building. 

Enjoy performances by the Rocky Bay Band, Scott Spadafora, Teddy Deane, Kirk Fuhrmeister, Bruce Harvie, Jerry Cohen, James H Taylor, Nickie Davis & Nomi Ross. 

Suggested donation is $20 (or, pay what you can).  This event is fundraising for the  Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor Cancer Transportation Fund.  For more information visit www.sjcfair.org.

Rosie is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo

Hello. I am Roosevelt, but my friends call me, “Rosie”.  Does anyone out there know if you can put catnip in a humidifier? I’m asking for a friend.

Happy New Year, everyone! I’m here at the animal shelter waiting to meet you!

Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
994 Cattle Point Road
(360) 378-2158

On Wednesday January 9, the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors will hold a special School Board Meeting at 5:00 pm in the high school library.  This is an open public meeting and is a Community meeting/Public Hearing format.  The discussion topic is “Characteristics and Attributes for a Successor Superintendent.

All public comment, with the exception of public hearings on policy, budget or other specific items, will be heard during the “Public Comment” section of the Call to Order. Anyone wishing to address the board on any topic will be scheduled to speak by the Administrative Assistant present at the board meeting.  Check-in to be scheduled to speak will occur during the 15 minutes before the start of the meeting.     

Please see the agenda at https://www.boarddocs.com/wa/sjisd/Board.nsf/Public

This is a quick look at the board agenda for your convenience.  Please be aware that the agenda could change prior to the board meeting.

Starting its 34th year, WaterWorks Gallery located in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island is a contemporary light filled gallery space that continues to evolve as a gallery dedicated to showing artists from the Islands, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia.

The represented artists, painters, sculptors and jewelers reflect the areas beauty, both conventional and unusual. That is the flavor of the Northwest, making WaterWorks Gallery the unique place it is.

This winter, the gallery is open selected weekends as follows:

Friday, January 18th & Saturday January 19th
Friday, February 1st & Saturday, February 2nd
Friday, February 22nd & Saturday, February 23rd
Friday, March 8th & Saturday, March 9th
Friday, March 22nd & Saturday, March 23rd
Friday, April 5th & Saturday, April 6th

Hours 10-5

If interested in visiting the gallery on other days please contact gallery assistant, Jennifer Smith at [email protected] or (360) 952-2880

Skagit Valley College’s Automotive Technology program selected as the number one training program in Washington

Skagit Valley College is pleased to announce that SVC’s Automotive Technology program has been recognized by Auto Mechanics School, an organization that serves as a resource for aspiring and existing automotive professionals https://www.automechanicschooledu.org/washington/

Part of Auto Mechanics School’s mission is to help students identify high quality programs that are available in their area.

“We recently published an article which features your Automotive Technology degree and certificate programs as one of our top recommendations for 2018-2019,” said Trent Richardson, Outreach Assistant. “After looking at hundreds of programs available at accredited schools, we feel yours deserved to be recognized among the best of the best, so we’ve named it as our number one recommendation for students in Washington.”

The SVC Automotive Technology program includes an 18-bay repair shop, which is the largest in Skagit County. Students gain hands-on experience in a facility that includes a real-world automotive shop, using the latest technology on late model vehicles.

SVC’s Automotive program is nationally accredited by the National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation and the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence. www.skagit.edu/automotive

Organizers Ruth Fleming and Dan Paulson invite you to this event…

Sunday January 20th at the Grange at 7:00

Cillian, uilleann piper and low whistle player, and Kevin, flute and whistle player, are part of the hottest Celtic band on the planet, Lunasa who have performed at our theatre to a sold out performance in the past.  

We are thrilled to host these talented and fun musicians. Please contact me for more information if you need it. Tickets are first come first serve at $25.00.

Ruth 298-1374

Check out this praise in their media press release… Continue Reading

Jim Corenman, Chair, San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee shares this announcement of a Washington State Ferries Public Meeting, Wednesday January 9th in Friday Harbor…

Please join us for a public meeting with the Washington State Ferries Executive Team at 4pm Wednesday, January 9th at Brickworks in Friday Harbor.

WSF will first present a 30-minute overview of their just-released Long Range Plan, which charts a course for a more reliable and sustainable future for ferries over the next two decades. The remainder of the meeting will be devoted to questions and discussion on any ferry-related topic.

The meeting is co-hosted by WSF and the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC). We are especially honored that WSF will be represented by Amy Scarton, Assistant Secretary and head of ferries, and her entire executive team. The department heads will all be there including the directors for operations, terminals, vessel maintenance and construction, planning and communication, IT, and finance. This is a rare opportunity to have questions answered, and comments heard, by the folks who make the decisions.

The WSF Long Range Plan is available on the web at: https://wsflongrangeplan.com

• What: WSF Public Meeting
• When: 4 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 9
• Where: Brickworks, 150 Nichols Street, Friday Harbor

Jim Corenman, Chair, San Juan County FAC
[email protected]
360-378-5156

Odlin County Park, Lopez Flooding December 20, 2018. Photo by San Juan County Parks

This article was contributed by Friends of the San Juans…

As residents of a community of islands, we are no stranger to coastal storms like the one that hit northern Puget Sound just before Christmas. While winter storms themselves are not uncommon, the larger events that cause serious damage from erosion or flooding are actually quite rare here in the San Juans.

Unlike the open coast and other parts of the country where erosion is measured in feet not inches, long term annual erosion rates in the islands average an inch or less annually for most shorelines. Even the most rapidly eroding areas – the sediment supply or ‘feeder’ bluffs – erode at an average rate of under six inches per year here in the San Juans.

However, as many of you have likely experienced, shoreline erosion doesn’t happen in an orderly, per year, linear manner. Instead, larger events that cause impacts well beyond the average erosion rate will be followed by years or even decades of essentially no change. 

The weeks and months following these larger but rare storm event are when concerned property owners seek out new hard armoring of shorelines. Yet understanding long term erosion rates at a site can help property owners avoid expensive and potentially unnecessary shoreline armoring. Continue Reading

Here’s an invitation to you from local band Desolation Sound…

Darvis Taylor, Scott Sluis and Daniel Day of Desolation Sound – Contributed photo

Happy New Year!

2019 is going to be a fun year! Let’s try and make it better than 2018, ok? The band will do our part by playing a lot of shows and having an even more eventful year than we did last year.

2019 kicks off on Friday January 4th, when we play the San Juan Brewing Co. Music from 6-9. We hope to see you there!

Here’s to a happy and healthy New Year.

Love,
Daniel, Scott & Darvis.

Subject: New Class in Town – Shamanic Style Qigong

Qigong is an ancient Chinese mind/body technique to enhance the body’s bio-energy system for greater health, vitality, and self-awareness. It is fast becoming a recognized effective method of self-healing and self-care.

Join Certified Qigong Instructor Stephanie Prima in a traditional Shamanic Style Qigong class, bringing you proven 5,000 year-old forms to tap into the spiritual aspect of healing as well as the physical.

This class includes 5 Elements and 5 Dragons, both seated and standing forms. These are excellent practices to reduce stress; build balance, strength, and stamina; increase vitality; and enhance the immune system and focused attention. The gentle, rhythmic movements are similar to Tai Chi, but done in place, making it an excellent home practice for winter months. Continue Reading

Skagit Valley College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management
priority application kick off

Skagit Valley College’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Applied Management (BASAM) is pleased to announce that the priority applications are now being accepted for the 2019-21 program, which begins in Fall 2019. The program has its own admissions process and applications are available by attending an information session. Information sessions will take place weekly in January and February and include opportunities to learn about the program and meet with program faculty. To register for a session, visit www.skagit.edu/basam

The inaugural BASAM class started in Fall 2018. This year’s class is comprised of a variety of professional/technical backgrounds including Aviation Maintenance, Business, Education, Computer Information Systems, General Studies, Human Services, Office Tech, Paralegal Studies, and Welding. The class has an average age of 35 and those who identify as female represent 66% of the members. Continue Reading

Click to enlarge and see who you recognize from this year’s run – Contributed photo

Lili Lyne, Recreation Specialist with Island Rec, shares this recap of this year’s Resolution Run, held on Tuesday morning, January 1st…

I’ve attached a press release below to advertise our annual Resolution Run of 2019 results! We had 43 participants including children.

Even better, about half of our runners and walkers braved the cold and participated in our Salish Splash in Jackson’s Beach! It was a rave success.

Thank you,
Lili

2019 Results (PDF)

Merri Ann Simonson – Contributed photo

Merri Ann Simonson shares another real estate article…

Cost of construction, selling and buying real estate in the islands has continued to increase based the requirements to meet the current regulations and overall material and service cost increases. One could say that it costs more and takes longer to comply with the various regulations that govern the real estate and related construction industries.

Continue reading… (PDF)

L-8 “Moclips” exhibit in 1981 and today. An orca whale last seen alive on July 23, 1977. Photos courtesy of The Whale Museum.

It’s time for this month’s history column from The San Juan Historical Society and Museum…

The big picture for a place’s history is more than its people, events, and institutions. The big picture includes the history of such things as its geology, weather, and wildlife — its natural history. The Whale Museum has been in the forefront of conservation, research, and education about the Salish Sea long before we all called it the Salish Sea. This year, The Whale Museum will celebrate its 40th year as a museum in that role.

This local iconic nonprofit was originally founded in 1976 as the Moclips Cetalogical Society by Ken Balcomb, Camille Goebel, and Rick Chandler. Later operating as The Whale Museum in the old Odd Fellows Hall, it first opened its doors to the public on July 8, 1979, with Mark Anderson as its first executive director. It was the first museum in the country devoted to a species living in the wild.

Virtually all carpentry work was done by volunteers, recruited by Ken Balcomb and others. Over 100 volunteers (some of whom reside on the island today) worked for seven months in 1978 on the creation of exhibits and to refurbish the second floor of the 1892 building. Owner Lee Bave charged $75 a month for rent. The first floor was retained for Mrs. Bave’s Island Gallery and her theatrical production, “San Juan Saga.” Quite a few islanders will remember being involved in those two, or at least attending shows and exhibits.

In 1989 The Whale Museum purchased the building from Mrs. Bave and in 1992 the name of the organization was legally changed to The Whale Museum. The 1980s and 1990s were especially active decades with the establishment of programs still going on today: Continue Reading

Mark and Cynthia Dearfield, Tour du Mont Blanc

Mark and Cynthia will talk about their 105 mile journey on one of Europe’s premiere hiking trails, circumnavigating the highest mountain in Europe, Mont Blanc, while crossing three culturally distinct countries.

Monday, January 7th at 7:00 pm at the San Juan Island Library; free.

Refreshments will be available courtesy of the Friends of the Library and the San Juan Island Trails Committee.