Topic: Around Here

Island Senior: Family Traditions Old and New

Written on December 15, 2018 at 4:22 pm, by

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae… Family traditions are something we value especially at the holidays. I’ve been thinking about how family traditions evolve and change over time. Three of my four sisters will be visiting me next week for a Pre-Christmas gift exchange party.  Continue Reading

Drone View of Wasp Passage

Written on December 10, 2018 at 5:50 am, by

Local photographer John Miller shares this view from 300 feet elevation of Wasp Passage, taken with a DJI Phantom adv. Great shot – Thanks John!

Island Senior: Shop Local and Save on Holiday Shopping

Written on December 5, 2018 at 5:47 am, by

Island Senior is a regular column on the SJ Update, written by Peggy Sue McRae… I set out this week to do some initial holiday shopping. Thanksgiving is over and I’m ready to decorate. With my dog-eared Island a’ la’ Carte Coupon Book from the Mullis Center I saved 15% at Ace Hardware on a promising  Continue Reading

Third Annual Thanks “Living” Celebration at Island Haven Animal Sanctuary

Written on November 9, 2018 at 5:48 am, by

Join Island Haven Animal Sanctuary for our 3rd Annual Thanks”Living” celebration, featuring our feathered friends.  Enjoy guided tours of the sanctuary, plant-based snacks and drinks, pick up menu suggestions and recipes for a compassionate Thanksgiving meal, and get your 2019 Island Haven calendar, hot off the presses!  Also, thanks to Ally and Bailee, our high  Continue Reading

News from San Juan Island NHP

Written on November 9, 2018 at 5:47 am, by

Environmental Assessment for the American Camp Visitor Center Replacement Project Available for Public Review and Comment The National Park Service is proposing to improve the facilities at the American Camp visitor center site within San Juan Island National Historical Park. The proposed project entails the replacement of the 39 year-old “temporary” visitor center with a  Continue Reading

National Adoption Month

Written on November 9, 2018 at 5:44 am, by

San Juan County Superior Court and Juvenile Court Services Invites You To Celebrate National Adoption Month San Juan County Superior Court and Juvenile Court Services will host an adoption celebration on Friday, November 30, 2018, in celebration of National Adoption Month. The public and media are welcome to join the celebration. The event begins at  Continue Reading

Firefighters Rescue Cowboy

Written on November 8, 2018 at 5:49 am, by

By Carolyn Hudson… When Cowboy toppled down a 30-foot cliff Monday night, San Juan Island Fire & Rescue Firefighters were there to save him in the dark of night. Gretchen Bailey said her hearing and vision-impaired 14-year-old golden retriever got confused and ended up falling down the cliff on the island’s west side before she  Continue Reading

Lumi Verdugo – Clay speaks to me

Written on November 1, 2018 at 5:50 am, by

The body of work of almost 56 years expresses Lumi’s joy in experimenting with glazes, firing and Raku pottery. At the exhibition Lumi Verdugo: Of My Hands 1962-2018 now at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) visitors can discover the varied faces of clay works, including the use of local island clay. When  Continue Reading

Orca Protection & Rescue “Open Boat Event” – October 27th

Written on October 20, 2018 at 9:16 am, by

Meet the crew of Orca Protection & Rescue and learn more about this timely organization on Saturday, October 27, 12:00-3:00 p.m., at Spring Street Landing. Enjoy wine and cheese as you tour OPR’s vessels and learn more about the organization’s mission. Orca Protection & Rescue is dedicated to protecting our local whales and marine wildlife  Continue Reading

Island Senior: Fun Friday Bingo at the Mullis Center

Written on October 16, 2018 at 5:51 am, by

Island Senior is a regular column on the SJ Update written by Peggy Sue McRae… On the second Friday of the month the Mullis Center hosts Fun Friday Bingo. For ten dollars you get a delicious seasonally themed lunch and 15 cards of Bingo. On Friday I enlisted my friend Therese Finn and we joined  Continue Reading

Oktoberfest and More Accolades at SJI Brewing

Written on October 8, 2018 at 10:44 am, by

San Juan Island Brewing will be holding their Oktoberfest celebration this weekend on Saturday. Check out the poster at right (click on it to make it larger) to see what all fun events they have planned. Also, they’ve just won another award for their Bull Kelp ESB. This time it’s a national award: San Juan  Continue Reading

Mary Martha Circle Annual Nut Sale

Written on October 7, 2018 at 6:10 am, by

Its time again for the Mary Martha Circle at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church’s  annual nut sale. They are, “high quality nuts and very popular!” says Nancy Fusare. Just in time for your holiday fare the nuts will be ready for delivery in early November. Please place your order by October 30th. Proceeds from the nut  Continue Reading

San Juan Island Library Offers New Digital Newspaper Collection

Written on October 6, 2018 at 6:08 am, by

The San Juan Island Library is excited to bring you a new digital newspaper collection!  Titled NewsBank, this collection is free to library patrons and is updated daily. NewsBank enables library patrons to easily search and browse current and archived news articles, editorials, reviews, birth and marriage announcements, obituaries and a variety of special sections. Patrons can use  Continue Reading

Noted Authors to Attend Master Gardeners Annual Gardening Workshop

Written on October 4, 2018 at 6:15 am, by

From the Master Gardeners… Did you know that most plant problems are not the result of disease or insects? But differentiating between a disease, a pest, or a disorder to correctly treat the problem can be a real challenge. Last year’s popular keynote speaker, Dr. Linda Gilkeson, returns to the Master Gardeners Annual Gardening Workshop  Continue Reading

First Air Mail from Friday Harbor

Written on October 3, 2018 at 10:52 am, by

SJI Historical Museum’s History Article for October… The date was May 19, 1938. Local pilot Kenneth McKenzie offered his Savoig-Marchetti amphibian plane, pictured here. His passenger was Friday Harbor Assistant Postmaster Melville Hemphill. Postmaster Walter Arend reported that 1,152 pieces of mail destined for Oak Harbor and Seattle were loaded for the noon departure from the harbor  Continue Reading

Food For Thought Serves Local Harvest Menu

Written on October 3, 2018 at 6:05 am, by

The First Community Dinner of the 2018-19 School Year will be served up next week. Here is what you have to look forward to… We have a new team of Chef.0 student interns that are excited to help at their first Community Dinner, and a new team of student bakers ready to make a delicious  Continue Reading

Test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System

Written on October 2, 2018 at 6:05 am, by

IMPORTANT: At approximately 11:20am PST on Wednesday October 3rd, FEMA will conduct the first ever NATIONWIDE test of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) and Emergency Alert System (EAS). This means that all cell phones that are turned on, within range of a tower, and whose carrier participates in WEA will make a loud buzz and  Continue Reading

An Open House at Lake Zylstra Preserve

Written on October 1, 2018 at 6:15 am, by

Thanks to Nancy DeVaux for sharing her visit to the Land Bank’s Lake Zylstra Preserve… (click on the photos for a larger image). “As the rain let up Sunday afternoon a steady flow of islanders showed up at the Open House to get an early look at Zylstra Lake, a new 60-acre acquisition by the  Continue Reading

Dollahite Studios Art Show Features New Paintings

Written on September 29, 2018 at 6:15 am, by

On Saturday and Sunday, October 6 and 7, Dollahite Studios will be showing new paintings in the Friday Harbor House Conference Room 130 West St. in Friday Harbor. Please come see Matt and BJ Dollahite’s new works in their first show in six years.

Know Your Islander: Author Dean Adams on Fishing in Alaska

Written on September 28, 2018 at 6:15 am, by

Griffin Bay Bookstore and the San Juan Island Library are hosting Dean Adams at the San Juan Island Library on Monday, October 1, 7:00 pm. This is your chance to hear first-hand about his memoir, Four Thousand Hooks: A True Story of Fishing and Coming of Age on the High Seas of Alaska, a fabulous  Continue Reading

Island Rec Adult Drop-In Programs Begin Next Week

Written on September 27, 2018 at 6:00 am, by

Island Rec’s evening drop-in programs begin next week at Turnbull Gym!!!  Now that it’s getting cooler outside, join us for some indoor fitness.   Beginning 10/1/2018 Monday & Wednesday 7:30-9:30pm – Badminton, Table Tennis, & Pickleball Tuesdays Only – 7:30-9:30pm – Basketball Thursdays Only – 7:30-9:30pm – Volleyball All participants must be 16 & Up, and  Continue Reading

Pressing Cider with Boy Scout Troop 4090

Written on September 23, 2018 at 10:31 am, by

Thanks to Kelley Balcomb-Bartok for this fun fall news… Boy Scout Troop 4090 had fun pressing cider out of apples from the orchard at the Center for Whale Research. The troop pressed twenty gallons of juice they are calling, Orca Survey Cider. Said Kelley, “Once it was me in the trees. Thankfully, I have passed that  Continue Reading