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

COVID-19 updates from San Juan County around subjects on the minds of islanders Surging Cases: The Islands’ New Reality Fourteen new COVID cases were reported in San Juan County on August 10th. While 11 of these cases were tied to two household clusters, this is still an alarming number. The number of hospital beds devoted  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 an islander who appreciates Friday Harbor’s history and historic sites, values Friday Harbor’s unique sense of place, has experience and skills related to preservation, and who enjoys public service. Five citizen  Continue Reading

County Auditor Milene Henley is warning San Juan County residents about letters incorrectly generated on August 4 by the Washington State Department of Licensing.  The letters tell vehicle owners that their personalized plates have been cancelled.  The Department of Licensing sent out “thousands” of these letters in error.  They went only to vehicle owners who  Continue Reading