In collaboration with Griffin Bay Bookstore and the San Juan Island Trails Committee, Tami Oldham Ashcraft will talk about her book (written with Susea McGearhart) – and the movie made from it – ADRIFT: A True Story of Love, Loss, and Survival at Sea.   Refreshments are courtesy of the Friends of the Library and  Continue Reading

Steve Brandli shares this announcement of his candidacy with you… Steve Brandli is running in the November 6th election for San Juan County’s next District Court judge. Judge Stewart Andrew, the current District Court judge, announced that he will retire at the end of his current term. District Court hears misdemeanors, small claims, protection orders,  Continue Reading

Come celebrate the publication of “The Way We Stay: A Memoir of Recovery” by Cere Demuth Cere Demuth’s just-published book, The Way We Stay: A Memoir of Recovery, couldn’t be more timely. As untold numbers of Americans struggle with drug and alcohol addiction, there is great need for help in the form of recovery stories.  Continue Reading

Ruth Fothergill, MD, has joined PeaceHealth Medical Group Family Medicine at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center. She provides clinical care to patients of all ages, as well as care to patients who are hospitalized. Dr. Fothergill comes to Friday Harbor from Minneapolis, Minnesota, where she concurrently provided care for residents in five long-term care facilities  Continue Reading

The Town is pleased to announce the appointment of Peter Lane to the Friday Harbor Arts Commission (FHAC). Lane owns an art consultation and logistics company and brings 20 years of experience in the visual arts. He is a board member and volunteer at San Juan Island Museum of Art and participated in an artist  Continue Reading

Ruth at Waterworks Gallery shares this invitation with you… Please join me in welcoming Pete Kuentzel to the gallery on Saturday, June 23rd from 11 to 1pm. Pete will chat informally about what inspires his work and how he creates his ceramic sculptures. Pete is a retired professor of ceramics, and has a studio on  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update Mailbag today we find this letter to you from Steve Ulvi… Friends, Now that the County Council has adopted in principle the draft Housing Plan, approved by resolution that plan’s all-important Financial and Administrative appendices and placed the housing initiative real estate excise tax on the ballot for the November elections  Continue Reading

Merri Ann Simonson checks in again with another San Juan Island Lifestyle video. This one offers Tips on Crabbing, Shrimping and Fishing…

Ruth at WaterWorks Gallery shares this announcment with you… This gallery show brings together painter David Ridgway and ceramicist Pete Kuentzel. While both artists use seemingly simple forms–a rectangle, a triangle or a circle– they create lush, complex compositions on canvas or clay. David has a unique approach with landscapes: he initially removes any signs  Continue Reading

San Juan EMS previously recognized one EMT each month as an “EMT of the month.”  The lieutenants who help mentor and manage our volunteers felt it was important to honor an EMT from each team that has been organized to help fill a 24/7 schedule.  There are three teams of about 11 EMTs that rotate  Continue Reading

In the mailbag today we find this letter from Nick Power… Dear Editor: There has been a lot of ink spilled regarding the sign ordinance and the fact that the County has unquestionably been violating the First Amendment rights of all citizens since the day it was enacted in 1998. Most distressingly, the County has  Continue Reading

All of the San Juan Islands are invited to the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College 2018 Commencement celebrating our island’s graduating students.  The Commencement is being held Wednesday June 13th at 1:00 PM at the Brickworks in Friday Harbor.  Joining in the celebration of our graduates will be the President of Skagit Valley  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag today we find this letter from Tom Evans in Olga… The Art Of The Steal Good government is priceless. But it’s being stolen from us. I have 44 years of experience practicing law. Prosecutor. Assistant DA. Assistant AG. Attorney for three different police departments. City Attorney for 27 years. State  Continue Reading

SJISD Interim Superintendent and new School Board Director Announced The San Juan Island School District Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Ms. Kari McVeigh has accepted our offer of employment as interim superintendent.  Ms. McVeigh has extensive experience as an educator starting with eleven years in the classroom followed by work as a  Continue Reading

Those who have been reading the SJ Update for a while may recall a story from 4 years ago this month, “Before the Bulldozer“, describing how Friday Harbor resident Chinmayo saved a cherry tree that was growing on some land that was about to be bulldozed and developed for new construction. Well, she is at  Continue Reading

Here’s a letter to you from Dr. Danna Diaz… (This reflects a correction to what was posted earlier) June 8, 2018 Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Community Members: I am proud of my time in San Juan Island and there’s no one single accomplishment I can point to, because there are so many. Our student  Continue Reading

Considered to be the most important African-American cultural contribution to the history of art in the US, the Quilts of Gee’s Bend are described as “Moving, Powerful and Abstract Masterpieces.”  Greg Kucera will discuss the quilts of Gee’s Bend, their artists, history, culture and their art on June 13 at the San Juan Islands Museum of  Continue Reading

On Friday June 1st, a pretty good sized crowd showed up to help celebrate the grand opening of the new facility for Sound Maintenance, LLC, an aircraft maintenance company. Wielding a huge pair of scissors, owner Dean Riley cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the location at 774 Franklin Drive. Dean and his  Continue Reading

Island Senior is a regular column on the SJ Update written by Peggy Sue McRae… There is a new face at the Mullis Center. Anna Coffelt-Kuetzing was hired in May to be the Mullis Center’s new facilitiy manager. Anna, who hails from a pioneer island family, grew up on Lopez and has called San Juan  Continue Reading

Tami Oldham Ashcraft was there at the Palace Theatre tonight to say a few words at the premiere of the movie Adrift, which is a major motion picture opening nationwide. The movie is based on her book “Red Sky in Mourning”, which tells the incredible and heartbreaking true story of her survival alone at sea  Continue Reading

Nicholas (Nick) Power is pleased to announce his candidacy for the position of San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney. Nick hopes to provide voters with an opportunity to elect someone who is committed to honesty, transparency and accountability. Nick sees the position of Prosecuting Attorney as ultimately the citizens’ attorney – not simply the attorney for  Continue Reading

Dear Fellow Islanders, I was elected Sheriff of San Juan County three years ago and I am excited to announce that I’ll be running for re-election this November. As Sheriff, I’ve worked hard to promote and encourage a safer community. I’ve implemented the core beliefs of protect and serve, set higher standards of achievement throughout  Continue Reading