Couple of weekends ago it was awesome & well-attended – the new version of Ace Hardware opened to great crowds, great reviews, and good weather to boot. The part I liked best (besides all the smiling people) was the guy doing chainsaw sculpting…that’s a bear he made, the first day. Wahoo!

Paul Hopkins reports the first one was a great one: Goodremont/Hoffman Take Inaugural Title Brian Goodremont and Meghan Hoffman took the male and female top spots at the San Juan Island Fitness inaugural Spring Sprint Triathlon held Saturday, April 17. The event included a 500 yard pool swim, 12.5 mile bike ride and 3 mile  Continue Reading

One of the truly cool things the Soroptimist Club does is raising money so they can offer folks tickets to ride the ferry to their cancer-related doctor appointments & treatments – here’s the next one, as detailed by the Club: Bunko Party Fiesta Fundraiser to support Soroptimist Ferry Tickets for Cancer Patients Project Join the  Continue Reading

You know, it was cozy & warm & friendly having the Market at the high school in the dining hall/commons there, but the weather’s good enough to get out now…market manager Rosa Blair tells me the outdoor markets for Saturdays (10am-1pm) begin this weekend and run till October. See you Saturday at the Courthouse parking  Continue Reading

He’s the best, and this is your best chance to catch him – here’s more: Bob Schwartzberg Presents Advanced Fund Raising Class Bob Schwartzberg is offering a follow-up class for nonprofit fund raisers entitled “Hands on Fund Raising in The Real World: Next Steps” on Tuesday April 27, 2010 8:30am – 4:30am at Skagit Valley  Continue Reading

Let’s see what’s going on… • Last week, proud papa Kenny sent you & me a nice phone pic of his son Wil Christison from Pacific Lutheran, where he & Kasey Rasmussen from FHMS both came within one correct answer of making the final round.  Wait till next year! • You know Duck Soup Inn  Continue Reading

Visited with Mari at Pazzo Vivo yesterday, and she tells me she’s planning to close up next Wednesday, the 21st…then Peggy & Oren Combs are taking over, with plans to renovate & re-open in June as The Rumor Mill. We’ll watch for that…but in the meantime, it’s gotta be said that Mari did an awesome  Continue Reading

This is cool: talking with experts about practical strategies for rehabbing to save energy, money, and the “character” of our fabulous historic buildings, including existing buildings built 40 or more years ago. Here’s more from Sandy (sign up now!): Rehab Green: Historic Preservation, Weatherization and Sustainable Rehabilitation This event is going to be great and  Continue Reading

You know how you use Microsoft Word every day (or everybody in your office does) and you could use a little brushup, or maybe even training from the very start? Same with Powerpoint & Excel… At Skagit Valley College (San Juan Center), I teach three-hour workshops that get you up to speed with the programs  Continue Reading