Topic: Safety

Vehicle Fire Spreads to Home, Displaces Residents Saturday in Friday Harbor

Written on July 11, 2021 at 8:25 am, by

By San Juan Update staff A Saturday vehicle fire in Friday Harbor spread to a nearby residence, damaging the home and displacing the occupants. No one was injured. Around 2:10 a.m. Saturday, July 10, San Juan Island Fire and Rescue responded to a report of a vehicle fire that was extending to a nearby home  Continue Reading

Fire Danger is High in San Juan County

Written on July 7, 2021 at 7:19 am, by

From the San Juan County Fire Marshal’s Office Fire danger is high in San Juan County. Refrain from burning campfires. If you must have a fire, have water on site, do not leave the fire unattended,and put it. Soak the fire with water, stir, soak again. Commercial burn permits All commercial burn permits require online  Continue Reading

No New COVID Cases in San Juans for 30 Days

Written on July 3, 2021 at 9:47 am, by

From San Juan County Since the last update on Friday, June 25, total cases in San Juan County have not increased, and remain at 191. There are no close contacts of positive cases currently in active quarantine in San Juan County, and no confirmed positive cases in San Juan County at this time. There have  Continue Reading

Island Senior: Under the Heat Dome

Written on July 1, 2021 at 5:30 am, by

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae.  There is no denying summer is here and it has arrived with a vengeance! A heat dome has been hovering over the Pacific Northwest giving us delicate Northwesterners temperatures up in the 100s. We are not used to this and need  Continue Reading

Friday Harbor Requests Residents Conserve Water with Shorter Showers, Limited Garden Watering

Written on June 28, 2021 at 8:40 am, by

From the Town of Friday Harbor The Town of Friday Harbor is requesting its residents and businesses to curtail their water usage over the next several weeks as the weather reports predict continued hot weather ahead. The town’s water comes from Trout Lake on the western portion of the island and high usage has been  Continue Reading

Weather Service Places Excessive Heat Warning in San Juans through Monday Night

Written on June 27, 2021 at 12:57 pm, by

San Juan Islands Sunrise – Aaron Shepard photo By Hayley Day, San Juan Update The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning for the San Juan Islands through 9 p.m. Monday. Meteorologists call for “dangerously hot conditions with high temperatures in the 90s, especially areas inland and away from the water.” The weather service  Continue Reading

County Mask Mandate Lifts Sunday, but State Rules for the Unvaccinated Remain

Written on June 26, 2021 at 12:08 pm, by

From San Juan County As of June 27, the San Juan County Health Officer Order requiring all customers — regardless of vaccination status — to wear masks inside businesses will end. However, the state requires all unvaccinated individuals to wear masks inside businesses and other public spaces. There are some exceptions for children under 5  Continue Reading

Zero New COVID Cases this Week and Last Week in San Juans

Written on June 26, 2021 at 11:53 am, by

From San Juan County Since the last update on Friday, June 18, total cases in San Juan County have not increased, and remain at 191. The last update reported an increase of one case; however, after further investigation, it was discovered to be a misreported diagnosis. There are no close contacts of positive cases currently  Continue Reading

High Turnout for San Juan County COVID Vaccinations

Written on June 25, 2021 at 7:24 am, by

From San Juan County Health & Community Services The vaccination rates per island for those age 16 and older are above. There has been a tremendous turnout across San Juan County.

Former Elementary School Principal Pleads Guilty to Indecent Exposure

Written on June 22, 2021 at 5:00 am, by

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update The former Friday Harbor Elementary School principal pleaded guilty to indecent exposure nearly a month after resigning from his job. Caspar van Haalen, 58, of Auburn, Washington pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor of indecent exposure June 16 in San Juan County District Court. He was ordered to pay $1,328  Continue Reading

Island Senior: Watch Out For Scams!

Written on June 20, 2021 at 5:30 am, by

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae. WC Fields once said, “Never give a sucker an even break” and there are legions of scoundrels out there operating on that very premise. Just this morning in my email I had a puzzling notice regarding an $800 gift  Continue Reading

One New COVID Case on San Juan Island This Week

Written on June 19, 2021 at 8:06 am, by

From San Juan County Since the last update on Friday, June 11, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 191 to 192. There is one new case on San Juan Island since the last update. The exposure is unknown. The best remaining opportunities for COVID vaccination will be next week. The final clinics  Continue Reading

San Juan County Mask Requirement Ends June 27

Written on June 18, 2021 at 7:09 am, by

From San Juan County The San Juan County Health Officer Order requiring the wearing of masks by customers indoors in businesses and other public spaces will end on June 27. “Thanks to the high vaccination rates in the islands, including in island kids 12 and older, I feel comfortable with lifting the masking order on  Continue Reading

Zero New COVID-19 Cases in San Juan Islands this Week

Written on June 11, 2021 at 10:49 am, by

From San Juan County Since the last update on Friday, June 4, total cases in San Juan County have not increased, and remain at 191. There are no close contacts of positive cases currently in active quarantine in San Juan County, and no confirmed positive cases in San Juan County at this time. The best  Continue Reading

League of Women Voters Hosts Online Emergency Preparedness Lecture June 14

Written on June 9, 2021 at 5:30 am, by

From the League of Women Voters Join us for the League of Women Voters’ Zoom meeting, noon-2 p.m. June 14 on emergency preparedness and response. Natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanic eruptions can occur any time. The massive wildfires that affected the Pacific Northwest in 2020 are a sharp reminder of how quickly  Continue Reading

San Juan County Outlines COVID-19 Outlook in Months Ahead

Written on June 8, 2021 at 5:30 am, by

From San Juan County As we move into a new phase of the pandemic, now is a good time to look at the current COVID situation, and where things are likely headed. While there is no confirmation of the governor’s plans, it is anticipated that a near full reopening will be announced by the end  Continue Reading