Join The Animal Protection Society for Yappy Hour at The Rumor Mill! Wednesday, December 16, from 5:00-6:30 pm. Enjoy delicious “Yappetizers” and Libations! Win Raffle Prizes! Support The Animal Shelter! Wear your ugliest holiday sweater and win a prize!

For some of us, this holiday season is synonymous with joyful anticipation, wonder and magic. For others, this time of year heralds a period of palpable depression, even dread. Why might this be? One possible explanation is unresolved grief. Grief is the normal and natural reaction to significant loss of any kind. It represents the  Continue Reading

Make your own holiday cards using the simple linoleum relief print making method. Learn the step by step process of creating your own design, carving the soft block and transferring your design onto attractive card paper. Share finished blocks with each other in the class to create a variety of cards. Take your cards home  Continue Reading

The semester is soon coming to an end and students have been working diligently all semester to complete their projects. On Wednesday January 13th, 2016 (5:30 – 7:00 P.M.), students will be giving presentations demonstrating all that they have accomplished and learned this term. We need community members to come and give valuable feedback to our  Continue Reading

San Juan Island Fitness is holding an intra-squad meet on Saturday, December 12 from Noon until 2pm. Come watch our swimmers, aged 7-18, race each other and compete for best times. For this meet we will have some relays to up the excitement so stop by and cheer on our local swimmers. Due to the meet, Family Swim  Continue Reading

One of the biggest holiday parties every year is the annual fundraiser at San Juan Community Theatre and this year was no exception. Everyone came dressed their best and had a wonderful time. Click below to see all of the fun in an image gallery of 74 photos captured by Update photographer Tamara Weaver:

Laurie Paul discovered San Juan Island in 1990, spending a summer break from college working in island restaurants and falling in love with Pacific Northwest beauty and the small town community a world apart from her hometown of Miami. Meanwhile, Tim Barrette was finishing up his sociology degree at the University of New Hampshire, followed  Continue Reading

San Juan Islands Museum of Art (IMA) is pleased to present a “Figure Drawing Studio” on Monday evenings from 5:30pm – 8:30pm for eight weeks beginning January 4, 2016. This unique workshop will be facilitated by instructor, Annie Howell-Adams. Annie is a member of Arts Student League of New York and is an artist and  Continue Reading

San Juan County Council did not take action on a proposed contract with Cascadia Consulting Group, Inc. in its regular session on Monday, Dec. 7th. Cascadia Consulting was chosen through the County’s formal request for proposal (RFP) process as the most responsive consultant to update the County’s Parks Trails and Natural Areas Plan (Plan). The 2015  Continue Reading

Here’s the latest good news from the Center for Whale Research… New calf in L pod confirmed on Friday December 4th, 2015. Welcome L123 – Calf number 7 in the last 12 months! The seventh calf born into the endangered Southern Resident killer whale population in the last 12 months was confirmed on Friday. Photographs taken  Continue Reading

It’s good to know we have such a supportive community for education here on the island. Debbi Fincher shares this good news… We are thrilled with the outpouring of support for funding experiences and needs, not just having students out selling more stuff to help raise funds for our school community at FHES. #GivingTuesday was our  Continue Reading

Town and customers donate $2664 to local food bank Town residents demonstrated their generous spirit again this year by contributing $1664 to the Friday Harbor Food Bank through donations made on their utility bills. Town matching funds brought the total donation up to $2664. Each month Town utility customers are encouraged to donate what they  Continue Reading

Hey, here’s a riddle: Who has six toes on each front paw and is dressed in his very best tuxedo? Me! Paul E. Dactil, that’s who! I’m pretty much the George Clooney of cats… handsome, suave and a real hit with the ladies. I’d love to curl up in your lap in front of a  Continue Reading

It was a beautiful night for the caroling and tree lighting ceremony. The stars were shining after a blustery, rainy start to the day earlier. And the trees at the bottom of Spring Street, all lit up for the holidays… What a beautiful sight.

Friday Harbor High School Students, Jillian Urbach and Wilson Loucks chose The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor as the recipient of their community project this year. After a great deal of deliberation, they decided to make cat scratching posts; something the shelter was desperately in need of. To raise funds for the project Jillian  Continue Reading

Shop local and support our library! The Friends of the Library Book Sale is December 12, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, in the San Juan Island Library conference room and main salon. There will be a selection of specialty books, individually priced and suitable for gifts. Also available are fiction and nonfiction books sold for  Continue Reading