EDC offers workshop on mindfulness for business The San Juan County Economic Development Council will present a FREE workshop on the topic of mindfulness in business, on Monday, October 17th from 1-2:00 p.m. on San Juan Island. Advance registration is required. Mindfulness was once considered a fringe movement in the Western world, but is now being  Continue Reading

Islanders Bank is pleased to offer a FREE Community Seminar on Cyber Security. Date & Time: October 28th, 2016 from 1:00 to 2:00 pm. Location: Gubelman Room, SJI Community Theatre Topics covered will include: Cyber Threats Cyber Security Computer & Mobile Device security Safe internet browsing and social media use Tips for parents & kids This  Continue Reading

Bring your family out to relish autumn with naturalist Shona Aitken. Shona will lead an exploration into the woods in search of wild creatures. Your child will use their senses to find clues about which animals live there and where they would go to stay dry and warm when the weather becomes cold and wet.  Continue Reading

Beachwatchers and Birders Wanted For Coastal Observation And Seabird Survey Team The Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) will deliver two free trainings, one in Friday Harbor on Saturday, October 15 and one on Lopez Island on Sunday, October 16. Additionally, Julia Parrish, Executive Director of COASST, will give a presentation entitled Seabirds, Citizen Science  Continue Reading

Liz Varvaro shares this announcment… I am happy to announce our first Community Dinner of the 2016-17 School Year will be October 12th from 5:30 to 7:30 in the High School Commons! We will be presenting a Fall Harvest Menu featuring local produce. We have increased the Suggested Donations to $15 for Adults and $7 for Children under 12 years old to offset rising  Continue Reading

The San Juan Public Schools Foundation is holding its annual Phone-A-Thon to raise money for our local public schools, on Monday and Tuesday, October 17th and 18th, from 4-8pm. “Our children deserve better than what the state offers in school funding,” says Rich Meenan, President of the San Juan Public Schools Foundation. The annual Phone-A-Thon,  Continue Reading

2017 marks the 13th year of the Leadership San Juan Islands (LSJI) program, a local leadership training course that helps introduce islanders to the interconnecting “systems” that make up daily life throughout the county. During the sessions, participants meet with current leaders and professionals, discuss and interact over local issues, visit key locations throughout the  Continue Reading

Right of Way Driving School is for sale. Owner Sam Leigh says it’s time for the school to “take it to the next level”, and that’s not something she is able to do. Sam opened the business in 2011 and has been training young San Juan Island drivers ever since, and has even spent a  Continue Reading

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and SAFE San Juans (formerly DVSAS) has created several great opportunities to come together as a community, actively create conversation, honor those who have suffered from such violence, and become empowered to take action in fostering an island environment characterized by respect for others, equal access to resources, and  Continue Reading

Greetings Teachers, Staff, Parents, Students and Community Members The fall season is here. School has been in session for a month and we are realizing the district’s new mission: To promote excellence, engaging every student, every day, through superior instruction, high expectations and academic content that is both challenging and individually relevant. I would like  Continue Reading

by Shannon Dean I signed up for a Clay Therapy session with local artist Lauren Jawer at her Belle Terre Ceramics Studio, and before it started I met with her to ask more about it so I could share it with you. I had seen her flyer in town and it seemed like a good  Continue Reading

Skagit Valley College receives National Science Foundation grant for composites recycling education and training Skagit Valley College (SVC) has been awarded a $194,076 grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop technician training under the Composite Technician Education Program (CRTEP). Through the grant, SVC will team up with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB),  Continue Reading

Fundraising Music Tour The DAYA Foundation and Benares Academy of Indian Classical Music present the venerable Deobrat Mishra for an evening of sacred music and sangha. Deobrat Mishra is a world touring Indian Classical sitarist in the traditional style of Benares Gharana. He is also the director of the non-profit organization Academy of Indian Classical  Continue Reading

Take a community education course “Energy and Society” at Skagit Valley College’s San Juan Center. Fall weather is upon us and an excellent time take a class. Join our “Energy and Society” course, starting this week, and learn and discuss the scientific basis for our conventional and renewable/sustainable energy sources. We will cover the political, socio-economic, philosophical  Continue Reading

Four-Week Class on Anonymous Women in the Bible A four-week class on “Harlots, Widows, and Barren Women” explores some of the nameless women whom biblical history has forgotten. Led by Dr. Rebecca Moore, the course will look at the ways in which narratives about these unnamed women contribute to the theologies that appear in the  Continue Reading

Fall weather is here . . . A perfect time to take a personal enrichment class at the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College. Most classes begin the week of Sept. 19th, so sign up now. Call 378-3220 for more infomation. Energy and Society Join Dr. Michael Balise for an exploration of the scientific  Continue Reading

Fall Quarter at the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College begins Monday, September 19th. The San Juan Center is pleased to welcome new faculty member, Jill McCabe Johnson. Jill will be teaching English Composition and writing courses. She is the author of two poetry collections, Diary of the One Swelling Sea, winner of a  Continue Reading

All gardeners are invited to this year’s 2016 Annual Gardening Workshop: Secrets of Gardening, presented by the San Juan County Master Gardeners at Friday Harbor Middle School on Saturday, October 1st, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. This year’s keynote speaker will be author and biologist Thor Hanson (thorhanson.net), speaking about seeds, based on his  Continue Reading

EDC offers FREE workshop on business planning and financing The San Juan County Economic Development Council will present a FREE workshop for small businesses and entrepreneurs on San Juan Island, on Monday, September 19th from 11 a.m. -2:30 p.m. Advance registration is required. The business and financing workshop course material will be presented by Tony  Continue Reading

Let’s see what’s in the mailbag today… Here’s a good one: a San Juan Update reader from California, Paul Denikin, shares this set of tips on Ecologically Friendly remodeling tips for your home. Check them out below and be sure to visit his website… The Best Eco-Friendly Remodeling Tips Going green is an important part of  Continue Reading

Join the National Park Service and Island Rec to honor the 50th Anniversary of San Juan Island National Historical Park. 7:00pm Bat Talk ‘n Walk 8:00pm Cake 8:30pm Owl Prowl ‘n Star Walk. Large telescopes will be available for viewing. Rochelle Kelly, (a PhD candidate at the University of Washington studying our local bats), will  Continue Reading

Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers will visit September 8-10 The traveling trainers are back and they’re bringing Big Foot along to share their message of sustainable minimum impact practices to enjoy the outdoors responsibly. Click here for more information about Leave No Trace and be sure to check out the flyer at right to see what’s  Continue Reading