Contributed Photo/Blaz Erzetic on Unsplash.

Class Intended to Create Jobs

From the San Juan County Economic Development Council

Islanders seeking new careers are invited to learn woodworking basics in a free class offered by the San Juan County Economic Development Council.

This course is intended to help people gain job skills and obtain economic stability.

Jean Shearer and Nicholas Coldren, cabinetmakers, will be teaching an introduction to woodworking, 5-9 p.m., Wednesdays, July 7-28, at their makerspace the Fellow Shop on San Juan Island.

This course will teach tool use and safety, among other woodworking skills. These skills are foundational for those seeking to enter many trades, from construction to furniture making.

This program will be free except for a refundable registration fee and is open to San Juan County residents who plan to use woodworking skills for paying work.

Preference will be given to applicants who demonstrate that the course will help them enter a new career or seek employment. Enrollment is capped at seven students. Applicants must be 18 or over.

Instructors Jean Shearer and Nicholas Coldren have BFAs in Woodworking and Furniture Design from Rochester University, and extensive professional experience as cabinetmakers, boat builders, and finishers.

To learn more, contact the EDC at mickey@sanjuansedc.org. To register, visit the EDC website: www.sanjuansedc.org/trades/#upcoming.

This course is made possible by the San Juan Island Community Foundation, San Juan County, the Harvest Foundation, and other funders of the EDC’s Trades Training Initiative, including the United Way of San Juan County, the Port of Friday Harbor, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Washington State Dept. of Commerce, and other donors. To support EDC trades programs, please visit www.sanjuansedc.org/donate.

From San Juan County Land Bank

We celebrated National Trails Day by clearing invasive Himalayan blackberry along the trails at Westside Preserve.

Thank you to everyone that volunteered and helped celebrate with us!

We’re going to keep the party going and have scheduled more opportunities to remove noxious weeds before they get established on the preserves. Please join us for any or all. We’ll work from 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

• Tuesday, June 15, Mount Grant Preserve
• Thursday, June 17, Limekiln Preserve
• Saturday, June 19, Zylstra Lake Preserve
• Tuesday, June 22, Beaverton Marsh Preserve
• Thursday, June 24, Mount Grant Preserve

Please dress for the weather. Long pants and sturdy boots are recommended and bring gloves and water. A light snack will be provided.

RSVP to Tanja Williamson at 360-370-7655 or tanjaw@sjclandbank.org.

From OPALCO

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee is expected to lift the moratorium on all utility disconnects July 31.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, OPALCO has worked with its members to offer bill-pay assistance and long-term payment options for those who have fallen behind on their bills.

Members who have payment plans in place will not be disconnected.

OPALCO staff are available from 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. to help members to create a payment plan so no one gets left behind. Call 360-376-3500 today if you are behind on your OPALCO bill.

There are resources available to help those who are struggling with bills due to COVID-19 impacts. Contact your island family or community resource center to learn more or visit wa211.org to access information.

After the moratorium is lifted, OPALCO will return to the normal cycle of billing and collections, including disconnects, and normal penalty fees will begin again after Oct. 27.

Payment Options

OPALCO has a variety of options for members to pay their bills including autopay, online billing, budget billing and traditional paper billing. Read More »

From the San Juan County Economic Development Council

Tradespeople seeking a second career are invited to an online seminar called Work as a Construction Trainer offered by the Economic Development Council.

Rich Jones, co-owner and training director of South Sound Residential LLC, and Al Audette, education and workforce development director at the BIAW, will speak with attendees about how to get started and thrive training workers in the construction and building trades. The seminar is 5 p.m., Tuesday, June 22.

Trainers are needed to support businesses’ workforce development needs in the construction industry. Attendees will learn about the market for construction trainers, opportunities for employment or entrepreneurship, and requirements to be a trainer. Attendees are encouraged to come with questions.

This event is free, but registration is required. To learn more, contact mickey@sanjuansedc.org. To register, visit www.sanjuansedc.org/trades/#upcoming.

These events are made possible by the Washington State Department of Commerce, San Juan County, and other funders of the EDC’s Trades Training Initiative, including the Harvest Foundation, United Way of San Juan County, the Port of Friday Harbor, the Town of Friday Harbor, and other donors. To support EDC trades programs, visit www.sanjuansedc.org/donate.

Unemployment Could Cover Worker Retraining

From Skagit Valley College

Did you know you can register now for summer and fall quarters at Skagit Valley College?

Summer classes begin July 6 and fall classes begin Sept. 21, offering online, hybrid and in-person options.

Applied Bachelors

Earn a bachelor of applied science in environmental conservation, and applied bachelor in applied management with tracks in general management and health care management.

Academic Transfer

Start your college transfer degree and save money on tuition, compared to a four-year college. Highly trained faculty with advanced degrees, many with PhDs who are both experts in their fields and dedicated to teaching students rather than research. There are small class sizes and individual attention and no teaching assistants.

Our job training programs are designed to keep your degree on track.

Unemployed?

Continue receiving unemployment benefits while you’re attending SVC. Worker retraining covers tuition, books, and school-related fees.

Running Start

High School juniors and Seniors can earn tuition-free college credit at SVC while you’re in high school. Support for online learning technology is available.

Drop-in Students

If you’ve been attending a four-year university, but taking a break, Skagit welcomes you to take a few classes and then have them transferred.

Basic Education for Adults

We are committed to your success with programs for high school completion, GED prep, and English language acquisition. There are laptop loans, funding and advising support.

Complete the Degree You Started Read More »

Contributed Photo/WSF

By Patty Rubstello, Assistant Secretary, Washington State Department of Transportation Ferries Division

The 144-vehicle capacity Yakima replaced the 124-vehicle capacity Cathlamet on the Anacortes and San Juan Islands route Friday, June 11.

Systemwide, we’re working to build back service to pre-pandemic levels.

However, this will continue to be a gradual process as we deal with a shortage of working vessels following April’s fire aboard Wenatchee and long overdue preservation needs on many of our aging ferries.

We’re still operating a one-boat service on our Port Townsend and Coupeville route, at least through June 27, and will operate smaller vessels than normal on three more runs Seattle/Bainbridge, Mukilteo/Clinton and Anacortes/San Juan Islands through the summer.

With reduced vessel capacities on multiple routes, be prepared for the possibility of long waits if coming aboard by vehicle, especially during peak travel times.

If walking on, be aware that we will enforce reduced occupancy in terminals and on sailings to comply with the state’s directive on physical distance standards for public transportation.

Crew Shortage

In addition to vessel availability challenges, we’re also experiencing crewing issues related to the pandemic.

While many of our employees have been vaccinated, we’re still seeing occasional COVID cases among vessel crews.

Following health department guidelines, anyone in contact with them must quarantine, shrinking our pool of available crewmembers, particularly those who work in the confined quarters of our vessel engine rooms. We also have employees out for a day or two to receive or deal with side effects from the vaccine.

Knowing we would face these constraints, we worked to hire additional engine room crew this spring. Unfortunately, our first hiring event only yielded two new oilers.

We just completed a second round of interviews and hope to bring on eight more oilers by mid-June. We’re always looking for new employees, not just for our fleet. If you’re interested in working for us or know someone who may be, check out our employment page.

Click to enlarge

By Deb Langhans, holistic life coach, Journeys to Healing

Journeys to Healings presents “Processing the Pandemic” Inner Journey Collage© Workshop from 10 a.m.-noon and 3-5 p.m. Sunday, June 27 online for $50. 

The scourge of COVID-19 has upended our lives as the most horrific pandemic since 1918.

While vaccines provide hope for eventually defeating the virus, parts of our world community continue to experience catastrophic losses and despair.

The suffering endured (and still being endured) from this coronavirus, whether in our families, communities, across our country or planet, has reached the deepest levels of loss.

Yet, amidst all that pain, blessings have also amazingly surfaced; the best in humanity has revealed itself, as have opportunities that otherwise wouldn’t have been envisioned or realized.

How do we process all this ongoing loss and simultaneously celebrate the blessings? What can be learned from all of what this pandemic has presented? Read More »

From the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor

Lori Haugen is the Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor volunteer of the month for June 2021.

Lori started volunteering for the shelter in February 2021 as a Treasure Hounds retail associate.

Lori also volunteers her time helping at the shelter, in the APS-FH Low-Cost Spay and Neuter Clinic, where she assists with the recovery of surgical patients.

In her spare time, Lori also walks dogs the shelter dogs, sometimes taking them on field trips to the beach or on hikes. Even though Lori is a relatively new volunteer, she has quickly become indispensable to APS-FH.

Thanks so much, Lori, for making a difference in the lives of shelter animals. Your dedication and hard work are deeply appreciated.