October 6, 2007
Whale killers indicted & whale harassers ticketed.....
Yeah, we care about stuff like this...those folks from the Makah tribe that killed the grey whale last month have been indicted. Here's the story, from the Orca Network:
A federal grand jury returned indictments today against all five men arrested in the killing of a gray whale in early September. The charges are all misdemeanors.
The five men have been summoned to appear in federal court in Tacoma Oct. 12.
The federal prosecution does not take the place of tribal action against the whalers, said an attorney for the tribe, John Arum. "The tribe has promised prosecution to the fullest extent of the law, and it intends to do that," Arum said.
If convicted under federal law, the whalers could face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to $100,000. Under tribal law, the whalers could do up to a year in jail, pay up to a $5,000 fine and face suspension of their treaty right to fish for up to three years.
Meanwhile, the San Juan Islander reports the first person has been ticketed under our County's law that one can be fined for getting too close to the orcas...here's more on their front page (scroll down to the story titled "First orca ordinance violator cited.")
waterworks opening tonight.....
Ruth at waterworks gallery tells me she has a new show by David Smith-Harrison (paintings & intaglios) and Kevin Pettelle (bronze sculpture - that's his to the right) running from today till October 28th, with an artists' reception tonight at 5:30pm- 8pm.
Saturday happenings: The FHHS football team (4-1) goes to Lynden Christian to deal with the Lyncs at 4pm, while the preview for Andrew McLaglen's Over the River & Through the Woods is at the Community Theatre for 7:30pm.
And Artstock is everywhere. Click here for more.
Sports update: Our young but game volleyball team found out what it's like on Thursday night as probable state champs LaConner show why they're probable. They're off to Concrete on Tuesday, with the next home match vs. Shoreline Christian next Thursday.
October 5, 2007
Born at the right time....
That's my friend Brendan at left - hard to believe he was born in late summer last year, already. Papa Ivan & Mama Jacquelyn Reiff are pretty proud of him, for sure.
New mom, new manager.....
It appears that Jessica Johnson at Wells Fargo Bank has a couple of new jobs - she and her husband Andy (he works there, too - he's one of the smiling tellers you see when you step into the bank) just had baby boy Tristan on August 5th, and he tells me she'll be coming back to work on the 15th from maternity leave. Jessica has taken Michele Morton's spot as general manager of the branch, which is her second job.
Off to Nashville...
Keri Talbott tells me she won a free trip for a private concert with Rascal Flatts in Nashville, scheduled for mid-month. In Nashville!
She won it on a radio station giveaway that Tiar Black told her about, so she's taking Tiar with her. Pretty cool, y'all.
100 years old & rededicated....
Thursday night at the Coldwell Banker office, owner Steve Buck, founder Sam Buck, Jr. and realtor Sam Buck III re-dedicated the 100-year-old building which houses the real estate office as The Buck Building.
Sam (Jr.) and Barbara Buck (pictured, left) started San Juan Properties, Inc. in 1960, then moved their company into the old San Juan County Bank Building in 1980 before acquiring a Coldwell Banker franchise four years later.
Steve (right, at the bottom of the stairs) came to work at the family business in 1981, then became vice-president of the company in 1986. He recruited brother Sam (top of the stairs), who joined him in the office in 1988.
Sam's dad, Sam "the first," was the county's prosecuting attorney back in 1920...read more of the history of the family on the island here, and of the building here.
Good movie....
I've heard good things from folks about Outsourced which opened last night at the Palace Theater, including this note from Victoria, who used to live here:
Hi everyone! My sister was the production coordinator of this film (here's a review; watch for Elisabeth Compton in the credits). Ya gotta go see it - it's absolutely charming. Also, tell your friends!!
Victoria
Soccer girls get back on track.....
Freshman Clara Brand (left, in white) on the breakaway in the first half; her shot was just wide.
Two weeks ago, the Wolverines wrestled with Mount Vernon Christian at their place, nipping the Hurricanes in a shootout after tying them 2-2 in regulation and failing to score in OT. The struggle seemed to continue last night, as the girls set up camp in front of the 'Canes goal and shot away for the whole first half, but couldn't find the mark for a 0-0 draw at halftime.
Senior Beth Ware hits the half-volley in the first half for an undefended shot which skimmed over the bar, as junior Whitney Porter waits for a rebound.
Then, fifteen minutes into the second half, FHHS was ahead 4-0 as Whitney scored twice, and Shelby Ness & Elle Guard each knocked one in. Hannah Eshelman added one in the last ten minutes for a 5-0 victory that didn't look anything like the previous match, or the previous half.
The girls are away next Tuesday before finishing the season with five straight home games, beginning next Thursday.
Getting connected.....
Joy at San Juan Wireless says they're improving the signal:
Announcements from both Verizonwireless and Sprint Nextel: Verizonwireless updated their San Juan Islands network to EVDO. That translates to a faster network for data, internet, and music plus improved reception. Sprint Nextel has activated a tower on Lopez Island. This means that Lopez and eastern San Juan Island's reception will be greatly improved! See the latest cell phones for both carriers at San Juan Wireless.
Quote
Poetry is an echo, asking a shadow to dance.
Carl Sandburg
October 4, 2007
Visiting Tracy.....
When I look at the server logs to see who is reading the Update, I always see that there is one web visitor from Paris, every day. Tracy has told me she reads this every day, and I can verify that she does! I just got this note from Nancy Fusare, along with the picture:
Hi Ian! Eric and I just got back from Paris & Tuscany where we spent 10 days celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary. We visited with Tracy James, who is a wonderful tour guide and interpreter and contributed to our belief that Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world! I'd recommend it to anyone!
Nancy Fusare
Another person who passed through here....
According to an article in the Seattle P-I, Washington Huskies' quarterback Jake Locker's granddad Hugh met his wife Barbara here in the '50s when he'd pend the summer fishing in the San Juans...cool. Here's more.
County going green....
I love it that the County is putting measures in place to reduce waste, increase recycling, and reduce our carbon footprint....here's more from our friends at the San Juan Islander.
Quote
It would be curious to discover who it is to whom one writes in a diary. Possibly to some mysterious personification of one's own identity.
Beatrice Webb
October 3, 2007
Welcome to Joe & Becce.....
Next week on the 14th (that's Sunday) Dr. Joe Bettridge will be installed as the permanent pastor of Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church on the 14th, at 4pm. The installation service at the church will be conducted by the North Puget Sound Presbytery. It will also be led by former colleagues of Joe’s and elders from Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church. All members and friends of FHPC are invited to attend. FHPC's Jill Urbach has more about Joe & his wife, Becce:
With the dark and damp winter months on the horizon, the warmth and sunshine of Arizona might sound appealing to many islanders. Not so for Dr. Joe Bettridge, the new permanent pastor at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church. “I’m a Pacific Northwest boy at heart. I grew up in Tacoma where my family has deep roots, and my brother even had a home near Smuggler’s Cove. I don’t miss the heat of the desert.”
Joe comes to FHPC from St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Tucson, AZ where he served for 17 years as senior pastor and head of staff. With 1400 members, St. Andrews is one of the larger Presbyterian churches in the country. Joe enjoyed leading a dynamic leadership team and formed many strong relationships with his parishioners, and, yet, he is happy to be at a smaller church where he looks forward to getting to know everyone who walks in the door.
Joe’s experience is not limited to large congregations. Joe was the pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Wasilla, Alaska during the tumultuous years of the Alaska Pipeline construction. Joe also served Hoonah Presbyterian Church, in Hoonah, Alaska where he experienced cross-cultural ministry in an isolated Tlingit Indian village in Southeast Alaska. Joe’s time with the Tlingit Indians developed both a love for the culture and a deep spirituality that continues to permeate his ministry.
Joe’s undergraduate studies were completed at the University of Washington, and he remains an avid Huskies fan. Joe adds, “Since I’m a Husky I have plenty of purple to wear to the Wolverine games.”
Joe followed up his Bachelor of Arts degree with a Master of Divinity, Master of Theology and a Doctorate of Missiology, all from Fuller Theological Seminary.
Locally, Joe is a member of the Rotary Club, and has already enjoyed several high school sporting events. He and his wife, Becce (pronounced Becky), are enjoying exploring the island, discovering new places and rediscovering places they visited when Joe’s brother lived here. “Much has changed in the eight years since we last visited here, but the essence of the island—the good things—are still the same,” Joe says. “This is still a vibrant community of people who love this island and care about each other. We feel fortunate to be here.”
The store's still open....
Richard & Angel tell me the States Inn & Ranch Store will still be open this fall - it's not just a summer thing! Starting October 1st, the Ranch Store will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Hours: Wednesday through Sunday will be 11 to 6 pm. Featuring fresh meat pies, and fresh fruit pies including a Apple and Peach - call 378-6240 to order or reserve pies now! Here's more.
I think they've done a super job with the store - if you haven't gone by & checked it out, this is a great week to do it!
So's the Spa at Roche......
Troy Casey (right) tells me now's the time to drop by & see her and the crew at the Afterglow Spa. Her fall hours are 9:30-6:30, and they'll be closed on Tuesdays & Wednesdays. She says:
During the month of October we are offering complimentary Jane Iredale mineral makeup application with any facial. Spa menu is available online at www.rocheharbor.com. Afterglow Spa is located in the new Quarryman Hall building in Roche Harbor. 360.378.9888
The Backdoor reopens next week....
Backdoor Kitchen will be closed through Oct. 10th. They will re-open for dinner on Thursday, Oct. 11th. Their fall schedule has them serving dinner every night except Tuesday and Wednesday from 5pm till 9:00ish.
Playing at the Arctic Raven this weekend.....
Two time B.C. Country Music Nominee, the multi-talented Cree carver, Ed Peekeekoot (left), will play and sing at the Arctic Raven Gallery from 1 to 4pm on October 6, as part of the Artstock celebration. Ed's music often expresses the sounds of nature such as wild animals and howling wind. A virtual one-man band, Peekeekoot, is known for his foot-stopping fiddle, banjo, guitar and harmonica playing; you won't want to miss him. Here's more.
Did you know the Adventurous Wench does trips here?
She does! Here's more.
Quote
"Travel is fatal to bigotry, prejudice and narrow-mindedness. Broad, wholesome and charitable views cannot be acquired by vegetating in one tiny corner of the globe." - Mark Twain
October 2, 2007
Crowded beyond belief...a future much to be wished against....
As I wander around our little island, I'm grateful that San Juan is still small enough where we know our neighbors (and neighbours), that there are trees and woods, that there are oceans & beaches. Paul Theroux speaks to the memories of less crowded places, and the nightmare the world has become as nations pay no heed to their increasing numbers...here are his thoughts.
Films ahead...
There are a couple of films being shown in the community (and one released in Canada), which look like they're worth checking out. The Library is offering this one:
What a Way to Go: Life at the End of Empire, is a feature length documentary that “reveals an even more ‘Inconvenient Truth’” by taking a bold look at present day global issues such as climate change, species extinction, oil depletion, and population overshoot. [Saturday, October 13th]
Produced independently by Sally Erickson and Tim Bennett, this personal essay explores the cultural stories and assumptions that have brought us to this point, and provides a larger context for thinking about, and feeling our way through, our global situation. The film screening of "What a Way to Go: Life at the End of the Empire" will begin at 5:30 pm, and a discussion with the filmmakers will follow the screening. This documentary film is approximately 2 hours long. Here's more.
This event is co-sponsored by the Friends of the Library, Skagit Valley College and Spring Street International School.
Meanwhile, this week there will be a special screening at the Palace Theater....Birgit has more:
Orca Relief Citizens Alliance, a local non-profit organization dedicated to the conservation of the southern resident killer whale population, is hosting the Friday Harbor premiere of Outsourced on Thursday, October 4th, at 8:00 p.m. at the Palace Theatre in Friday Harbor. Here's more.
Finally, a film this coming weekend in Vancouver (and then it'll probably make its way here) that islanders will find interesting - a documentary about Luna, the killer whale who lived alone until his untimely death last year.
Saving Luna - All he wanted was friendship. Why was that so hard?
What happens when a wild orca tries to make friends with people – not for food, but for companionship? Should humans welcome him or turn away?
Saving Luna is a true story about one such killer whale, who was nicknamed Luna. In 2001, when Luna was just a baby, he found himself alone in Nootka Sound, on the West Coast of Vancouver Island, more than 200 miles away from his family. Orcas normally spend their entire lives together, but Luna was lost.
Without other whales, Luna tried to make contact with humans. But law and science told people to stay away. Yet the same social instincts that drove Luna to seek companionship also brought people to him, in spite of the law.
As Luna got close to people, he became both treasured and feared. To natives he was the spirit of a chief. To boaters he was a goofy friend. To conservationists he was a cause. To scientists he was trouble. To officials he was a danger. As conflict and tragedy stained the waters, Luna became a symbol of the world’s wildest beauty: easy to love, hard to save.
Saving Luna is the title of both a book and a film that tell this story. Here's more.
Artstock is coming...
It's kinda like the Artists' Tour in the spring, and it's kinda like a good idea so you can see how creative other islanders are - the first annual Artstock kicks into action this weekend at galleries and stores all over the island. Here's the scoop, on their website: www.artstocksanjuanisland.com.
San Juan County Bank being built in late 1906 (left in picture) when
Spring Street was a dirt road, sidewalks were made of boards, and,
apparently, sheep ran free. Click on the picture for a larger version; photo
courtesy of San Juan Historical Society.
Thursday's open house at Coldwell Banker....
You know that it says "1907" on the front of the building - the building that used to be a bank that is now Coldwell Banker (no relation) is having a 100th year anniversary celebration on Thursday from 3 - 6pm. Besides refreshments, there will be a rededication of the edifice as the Buck Building at 5pm. Here's more about the history of the place.
Speaking of opening....
I dropped by Sandy Montana & Ron Bates' little grocery store/gift shop at the top of the ferry lanes, next to the Mi Piace coffee place in the new building. They tell me they're hoping to open this week - drop by & say hey & check it out!
Quote
If American women would increase their voting turnout by ten percent, I think we would see an end to all of the budget cuts in programs benefiting women and children.
Coretta Scott King
October 1, 2007
Homecoming was a blast....
There was a lot to like about Homecoming last Friday night, to wit:
• There was a predicted 200% chance of rain, and you can see by the picture to the left how close a call that was.
• The parade was awesome. All four classes outdid themselves, as you can see with Stephen Garfield at left and in this 53-picture portfolio in which the pictures tell the story.
• The football Wolverines made a lot of fans later that night, as they played the #2 team in the state, and came close to jumping them.
Meridian hasn't lost in 19 games, but after scoring in the first couple of minutes for an 8-0 lead, FHHS shut them down nearly the rest of the way, while mounting some nice (but non-scoring) drives of their own. The Trojans wouldn't score until six to go to put it away, but the Wolverines kept hammering at them on offense & defense. I like the way the defense swarms when they tackle folks (good for a couple of fumbles) and the offensive line was opening up some nice holes in the Trojan d-line.
The Wolverines drop to 4-1, but rose in most people's estimation with a class performance against a class team (Meridian's decision to take a knee with 25 seconds left from the one-foot line instead of trying to score was a class move.) If they're #2, we made the case for us being right behind.
Proof it's autumn: The pumpkins arrive at the Marketplace last week.
Sports update....
FHHS tennis was at Sedro-Wooley Saturday as they continue to inch their way toward districts in four weeks, which will be hosted here....the boys played well under threatening skies
The volleyball girls beat Mount Vernon Christian on Thursday, while the soccer girls were beating LaConner 2-1 at their place (they were to lose 7-0 at Meridian on Saturday, in a game the girls tell me was closer than the score suggests.)
We're Number 13!
According to Tam's blog, we're her 13th favorite place on the planet! Look!
Now playing at Fort Worden....
Normally I wouldn't mention that there's an art expo at Fort Worden this weekend, but the cool thing is that one of our favorite local sculptors is one of the featured artists. Bronze sculptor Jocelyn Russell (right) has shown her lifelike work in Oklahoma, Utah, Colorado, and several other western states, and now is showing this weekend. Here's a chance for you to see what this talented islander does (here's her homepage).
Mount Baker.....up close.....
I really like to see cool pictures of the islands, and pictures shot from the islands....Laura Lindsay posted some cool shots of Mount Baker - check 'em out.
A feel-good morning.....
Friday morning I got to sit in on the San Juan Island Community Foundation's awards breakfast, and let me tell ya, it feels great to know so many people are making great things happen in the community, with the help of grants from the Foundation. They awarded $56K to 20 organizations (I know these names aren't exactly correct, but I didn't want to say "San Juan" so many times):
The Whale Museum, San Juan Nature Institute, the Oil Spill Association, United Way, the Sailing Foundation, the Historical Society & Museum, the Emergency Generator Project, the Mullis Center Advisory Committee, Master Gardeners, the Family Resource Center, the Home Trust, the EMT Association, Hospice of San Juan, Lighthouse Pre-school, Island Rec, the Friday Harbor Labs K-12 Outreach Program, The Family Umbrella Group, the Westcott Bay Institute, the Benefit Players Theater, Island Stage Left, and Chamber Music San Juans.
The beat goes on....
Here's something I think is pretty exciting from Dick Hieronymus....
San Juan Island resident Dick Hieronymus has just received good news from Britain. Forty years after the original album, a newly re-mastered CD of GREY LIFE has been released by featuring musical arrangements he wrote in 1968 as an arranger-conductor at Dot Records in Hollywood, California.
The original recording, one of Hieronymus's first assignments at Dot, had
twelve songs by singer-songwriter Val Stoecklein. His orchestral
arrangements were written for Stoecklein's 12-string guitar, rhythm
instruments, a large string section and oboe. The album hit the Billboard Magazine charts and received an award as one of the ten best album cover designs for the year.
A reviewer at Dusty Groove America [www.dustygroove.com] called the new CD "a darkly beautiful, solo album from Val Stoecklein... stepping out here in a set of sweetly melancholic tunes! ...[T]here's also some fantastic support from light strings arranged by Dick Hieronymus, which gives the record a surprising amount of depth and complexity! The songs... [have] a personal up-close approach -- which comes off with even more of an edge when the strings are brought in....?"
When asked about the re-mastered CD, Hieronymus said, "It's nice to hear
that some people today still value music with good melody and meaningful
lyrics. My friend Val is long gone from this earth, but it is comforting
that his songs and my arrangements may linger on in hearts of a brand new audience."
Never one to stay idle for long, Hieronymus has just signed on with Academy Award nominated director Ron Satlof to score a feature film working title MISCONCEPTIONS scheduled to shoot in January 2008.
Stay tuned!
