By David S. Gow, Executive Director, San Juan Community Home Trust The housing market in San Juan County is broken. The geographic isolation that makes our archipelago highly prized for its quality of life, and as a tourist destination, also restricts the movement of people, goods, and capital. So while the internet, mail and parcel  Continue Reading

Greetings Students, Parents and Community Members: One of the many aspects that I love about being an educator is the fact that we get to have a new start each academic year. Perhaps one of my favorite events is joining Team SJISD at our convocation on Monday, August 28 at 7:45 am, Friday Harbor High  Continue Reading

This story by Kyle Loring is reprinted with permission from FRIENDS of the San Juans… Supporting multiple forms of transportation improves our community for everyone Envisioning Complete Streets to improve health, our economy, and quality of life A cyclist, a pedestrian, and a car meet on a street… This setup is no joke if the  Continue Reading

This is a first for our series – “Limbo”, a film made almost two decades ago. It is not a “classic” in the normal sense, rather, one that was underappreciated upon release. Written and directed by John Sayles (“The Secret of Roan Inish”), Limbo tells the story of people trying to reinvent themselves in the  Continue Reading

Skagit Valley College San Juan Center is now open after the summer break. Regular hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 am – 5:00 pm. Fall Quarter starts September 18th and there is still time to register! It’s not too late. Interested students can call or stop by the Center for more information and for  Continue Reading

This was the third year that Bike ’n Build has come to help the Home Trust project and neighborhoods. Bike ‘n Build is an organization of young professionals – some of them out in the work world and some still working on their degrees, or advanced degrees. They give up their vacation time to do  Continue Reading

Researcher Dominic Sivitilli from the University of Washington, has been studying a rare Giant Pacific Octopus that he found in the waters just off San Juan County Park on July 2nd. Her name is Gaia, and Dominic transported her to Friday Harbor Labs to study for the last month and a half. With degrees in  Continue Reading

San Juan Island School District Superintendent Danna Diaz will hold her Second Annual Open House on Monday August 28, 2017 from 5:30 pm to 7:00 pm at the Friday Harbor Middle School Commons. Dr. Diaz’s guest this year is renowned motivational speaker Carlos Ojeda Jr. Mr. Ojeda’s enthusiastic message is about empowering students to succeed.  Continue Reading

A rare opportunity to take a workshop with the talented and incomparable Joe Miller is being offered by the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA). Four Forests: Walking and Drawing will be offered in four sessions on Tuesdays: September 12 – October 3, from 1p.m. – 4p.m. The students may use any medium or  Continue Reading

Two San Juan Island firefighters, Captain Tad Lean and firefighter Ben Ware, as part of the NW Washington Strike Team, are enroute in 5 wildland engines (including one of ours) to Salem, OR to assist in firefighting efforts in southern Oregon. The severity of Oregon’s fire season has prompted a larger recruitment then normal. The  Continue Reading