Construction will begin on Monday, September 20, 2021. Construction for the First Street Pocket Park at the corner of Court and First Streets (near the San Juan Island Grange and American Legion) is about to begin. Work will include demolition of existing sidewalk, upgrade of existing sewer service line, installation of a new fire hydrant  Continue Reading

A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the November 2, General election is scheduled for September 28, at 11:00 am. The test works by tallying the results of a prepared set of test ballots to see if the results match the votes cast. The test will take  Continue Reading

Since the last update on Friday September 10th, there have been four new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 292. Of these four new cases, initial investigations indicate that two appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals. There are approximately three unvaccinated close contacts of positive  Continue Reading

The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on September 17, from 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The public is invited to attend. Click HERE to download the agenda (includes ZOOM link) and meeting materials. To learn more about your Conservation Land Bank, visit sjclandbank.org. If you’re interested in volunteering and/or joining our  Continue Reading

The Town of Friday Harbor’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) is accepting applications up until 4:30 pm Monday, September 27, 2021, for grants to fund tourism promotion of events and activities taking place within the town in 2022. Preference will be given to those operations and activities that encourage tourists to visit during the shoulder  Continue Reading

It’s that time again, Islanders! With the 2021 General Election just around the corner, and the heightened focus on our electoral process, your Elections Team wanted to take a moment to share some frequently asked questions: Q:  When will my ballot arrive? A:   Ballots are mailed about 20 days prior to the Election. If you  Continue Reading

Olympia – Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the appointment of Kaleen Cottingham, a life-long Washington resident, to serve on the Salmon Recovery Funding Board. Cottingham, of Olympia, recently retired as the director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, which provides support to the Governor-appointed Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Governor’s Salmon Recovery  Continue Reading

Greetings! I am writing to keep you informed about the accessibility planning process at San Juan Island National Historical Park. Our Self-Evaluation Transition Plan is still available for comment until the end of September 2021 at this link. We also will be hosting an open house to explain the planning process and answer questions from  Continue Reading

The EDC has resumed their weekly Business Resilience Call, as a means to bring legislators and business resilience experts together with local business owners, managers, and community leaders.  The first meeting this fall will be held online via Zoom, on Thursday, September 16th, 2021, from 9-10a.  Subsequent meetings will be held at the same time  Continue Reading

With changing weather conditions, as of Friday September 10, 2021, the San Juan County Fire Districts are allowing recreational fires including charcoal, wood burning, and recreational campfires. Permit Burning is still banned and not allowed until further notice. If you have a recreational fire, always remain present and have water available. When you are finished,  Continue Reading

Since the last update on Friday September 3rd, there have been twenty-two new confirmed cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 288. Of these twenty-two new cases, initial investigations indicate that eight appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals. The number continue to show clearly that being vaccinated reduces the  Continue Reading

Residents of San Juan Island have an incredible opportunity to create a unique package of choices for our parents, grandparents — and ourselves, as we age— by voting for the proposed levy lid lift for the Public Hospital District. The centerpiece of this package would be two-fold: greatly expanded care-at-home services, including chore services, assistance  Continue Reading

Change is inevitable. But some things are worth preserving because they tell a story. Our story. The Town of Friday Harbor is looking for islanders who appreciate Friday Harbor’s history and historic sites, who value Friday Harbor’s unique sense of place, and who enjoy architecture and public service. The Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB) currently  Continue Reading

Important Note: A total of 17 previous cases have been removed from the list of confirmed cases in San Juan County. These are cases that occurred after June 1, 2021 and were first identified by a positive over-the-counter COVID test result, but were not confirmed in a subsequent PCR lab test. This adjustment brings San  Continue Reading

Did you know that out of 39 counties in the state of Washington, only 7 have a Home Rule Charter including San Juan County? The County Charter is like our constitution and specifies how our county conducts its business. Every 10 years our county reviews our charter and suggests amendments. These amendments are put to  Continue Reading

Weekly Case Update – Friday, Aug 20, 2021 Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard. Since the last update on Friday August 8th, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 237 to 264. Of these twenty-seven new cases, initial investigations indicate that at least seven appear  Continue Reading

As COVID case numbers continue their dramatic increase in the islands and beyond, there is an upcoming easy no-cost opportunity for those not yet vaccinated to get their shots. San Juan County Health & Community Services will be hosting Pfizer vaccine clinics on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. Any unvaccinated individual age 12 or  Continue Reading

The Town is pleased to announce that Town Administrator Duncan Wilson was presented the 2021 Excellence Award from the Washington City Management Association (WCMA). This annual award recognizes the outstanding administrator or manager who has enhanced the effectiveness of local elected officials and consistently initiated creative and successful programs. The award was presented August 12,  Continue Reading

Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard. Since the last update on Thursday August 5th, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 213 to 237. Of these 24 new cases, nine appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals- a number that is expected given the  Continue Reading

Wildfire smoke from fires in British Columbia and Eastern Washington has settled over the County and is expected to be here through the weekend.   Limit your time and activity level outdoors to limit your exposure to harmful particulate matter.  Some air quality monitors in the County are currently detecting levels that are both unhealthy,  Continue Reading

This story is shared with you from the SJC Land Bank… Wednesday afternoon, August 11, 2021, San Juan Island Fire & Rescue responded to an isolated brush fire adjacent to the Land Bank’s Mount Grant Preserve. The fire charred approximately one quarter acre of grass and brush before being extinguished. After visiting the site, Land  Continue Reading

As per a recent Health Officer order, all customers entering businesses in San Juan County will be required to mask up beginning at 5pm on Friday August 13th. San Juan County Health Officer Dr. Frank James highlights his thinking, “First off, I want to say that I truly hoped that vaccination rates in our nation  Continue Reading