From SAFE San Juans SAFE San Juans is working with the San Juan County Land Bank’s Salish Seeds Project to sow seeds of hope during Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April. Throughout April, staff from SAFE San Juans will be handing out Salish seeds throughout the county in specially designed packets with art and messages  Continue Reading

From Washington State Parks Washington State Parks invites visitors to help celebrate the agency’s 108th birthday on Friday, March 19, by enjoying a state park for free that day. The state parks in the San Juans include Lime Kiln Point on San Juan Island, Moran on Orcas Island and Spencer Spit on Lopez Island. March  Continue Reading

From Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor One year ago, just a few days before the event, COVID-19 forced Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor to cancel its St. Patrick’s Day Extravaganza. This year, as people are being vaccinated, we were looking forward to celebrating in person with the island community. However, as vaccine distribution has a  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. My birthday is in early March and last year’s girlfriend lunch, themed “Cheeseburger in Paradise” is remembered now as the last “normal” social event a few of us had before things started getting weird. I remember that month well  Continue Reading

From San Juan County Parks and Fair After a flurry of flakes, it now feels as if spring is just around the corner. Crocus are sending up shoots, gardens are being planned, the sun is shining (sometimes) and birds are chirping! This year’s Fair theme “Lettuce Entertain Ewe” reminds us of the playful nature of  Continue Reading

From San Juan Island Library San Juan Island Library presents “Judy Newland: Exploring Textiles Through Time and Place” at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 27, via Zoom. Through textiles, we can explore art, society, politics, religion and more, making connections between cultures and through time. Join Judy on an adventure using natural dyes, material culture, landscape,  Continue Reading

By Yvonne Buijs-Mancuso Pacific Northwest artist, Yvonne Buijs-Mancuso, Friday Harbor, Washington, has been chosen for inclusion in the 2021 CVG Show in Bremerton’s Collective Visions Gallery. The annual CVG show is one of the largest and most prestigious art competitions in the Northwest. Two hundred and ninety-five artists from cities and towns throughout Washington State  Continue Reading

By Caitlin Blethen, WSU Master Gardener Program Coordinator  Join the San Juan County Washington State University Master Gardeners for two free community webinars exploring how to successfully grow your own food. Dr. Carol Miles and Dr. Linda Gilkeson will spend two hours each on two separate Tuesdays, reviewing the basics of food gardening. These events  Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. Happy New Year! As the old year comes to a close, whether you are in the habit of making resolutions or not, the Mullis Center offers several ways to gently improve your life. To bring joy and wellness into  Continue Reading

Shop Local; Reuse Gift Wrappings; Swap Decorations with Friends By Plastic Free Salish Sea What do fish sing during the holidays? Christmas corals! Have you resolved to be more eco-conscious this holiday season? Transition San Juan Island and Plastic Free Salish Sea can help. Check out the ideas below to reduce waste and lighten your  Continue Reading

By Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor is well-known known for its educational awards and scholarships available to local women and girls. They also supply ferry tickets to cancer patients and their caretakers traveling to the mainland for treatment, as well as a women’s emergency fund. These and other Soroptimist programs  Continue Reading

By San Juan Island Fire and Rescue According to sources close to Santa Claus, Santa really missed seeing the wonderful and always well-behaved children of San Juan Island. Some clever elves contacted San Juan Island Fire and Rescue requesting help while allowing the reindeer to rest before their annual trip around the globe to deliver  Continue Reading

Jeanine Earnhart is one of the masterminds behind Nana’s Holiday House in Friday Harbor. With the ongoing pandemic, Earnhart, along with her daughter Laura Earnhart Holden and friend Debbie Cutting, opted not to open the longstanding holiday store this year. Earnhart spoke with the Update about Nana’s Holiday House’s current socially distanced options; how the  Continue Reading

By Meat Machine Cycles Meat Machine Cycles — Friday Harbor’s only full-service bike repair and rental shop — is offering a new bicycle tour for photography enthusiasts. Meat Machine’s professional photographer will guide guests on a mild bike ride to the most scenic and also lesser-known San Juan Island locations to learn the basic tenets  Continue Reading

By San Juan Island Library Join the Mullis Center Book Club at 1:15 p.m., Dec. 14, online. This month, the club is reading “Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine” by Gail Honeyman Print, large print, audio CD, and downloadable ebook and e-audiobook copies are available through the San Juan Island Library. Email bhelstien@sjlib.org, for the Zoom meeting invitation  Continue Reading

Vehicle drivers may not be aware of a recent law that allows bicyclists to treat a stop sign as a yield sign in some instances – and may be cynically assuming that the cyclists they see are breaking the law. The so-called “Idaho stop” (also known as the “safety stop”) became law in Washington State  Continue Reading

By Friends of the Libray It’s that time of year! However, Friends of the San Juan Island Library will be hosting an online auction in place of their annual holiday fundraiser. The online auction “Seasons’ Readings” will be available from Dec. 5-12. There is a wide variety of items and experiences waiting for your bid.  Continue Reading

By Kevin Porter, Community Thanksgiving Dinner It is time for the 22nd San Juan Island Community Thanksgiving Dinner, on Thursday, Nov. 26.  One would think that after 21 years of having a community dinner there would be no more surprises. At least until 2020 and COVID-19.   Unfortunately, we will not be able to spend Thanksgiving Day  Continue Reading

Islanders collect them every year. Most years from artist Jennifer Rigg’s booth at the San Juan County Fair. This year with our Fair going virtual you may not have got yours yet. Not to worry. Jenn’s great designs for San Juan County’s Virtual Fair 2020, Moon Jumper, Major Tom, and Starman are still available from  Continue Reading

In those days parking was right there on the Fair Grounds.  The Ferris Wheel was a main attraction in 1954.

FREEZER BURNED: Tales of Interior Alaska is a new regular column on the San Juan Update written by Steve Ulvi… Nearly every molecule of water that now covers 70% of our planet was spewed in awesome volcanic eruptions or carried frozen in asteroids or comets that pummeled a lifeless earth for eons.   Any given water  Continue Reading

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Island Update written by Peggy Sue McRae… Its been a few months now of staying home and staying healthy, of wearing masks and gloves to the grocery store, of staying six feet apart from friends we’d really like to hug, of meetings on Zoom. How  Continue Reading