Rock Solid is the youth prevention team with the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition, helping promote health and wellness in our community.

Three years ago, Rock Solid reached out to then school principal, Fred Woods, and asked if they could get valuable free resources for Suicide Prevention and Escape the Vape printed on the back of all the Friday Harbor Middle and High School students IDs cards. Thankfully, everyone could see the benefit of this prevention project.

Luke Fincher, Rock Solid’s leader, came up with the idea when they started to hand out the wallet-size Suicide Prevention pamphlets on the student’s lockers each December in their hallways as a mental health promotion campaign. Luke said, “If we print these resources on the back of our Student ID cards, our peers will have the important resources when they need them, in the palm of their hand!”
Continue Reading

Friday, October 1, 11-1:30 is your opportunity to enjoy a legendary Fish Taco from Fish for Teeth. They’re actually burritos, and they’re delicious—made with flakey white rockfish sustainably harvested off the Washington coast, Pablito’s salsa, Tillamook cheese, fresh greens, and a squeeze of lime, all assembled with love from a Fish for Teeth volunteer (which is very likely a Kiwanis member, because Kiwanis helps out soooooooo much!). An $8.00 suggested donation will land you one of these totally satisfying deep-sea flavor-bombs.

NEW LOCATION!!!  We’ll be set up on the lawn in front of the Technology Center, on the corner of Market and Mullis Streets. Change is a good thing, so we’re mixing things up a bit!

Fish for Teeth’s mission is to provide dental care to those who cannot afford it. There are no income restrictions for people receiving care—it is expensive to live on our islands, and dental care often gets pushed to the back, leaving people living with dental pain or unhealthy teeth and gums. Proper oral hygiene is essential to overall whole-body health, and it is very important for everyone to have healthy teeth. Fish for Teeth gives everyone an opportunity to make sure they’re in the best health as possible. Continue Reading

COVID-19 updates from San Juan County around subjects on the minds of islanders

FAQ on Booster Doses 

The CDC and FDA recently granted approval for the delivery of booster doses of the Pfizer vaccine to certain fully vaccinated individuals. This Hot Topic will attempt to answer some of the most common questions about this new development.

Q: Why are booster doses necessary?
A: Global case data suggests that there may be some reduction in vaccine effectiveness over time. The size of that decrease and the risk of serious illness that could result are largest in older and high-risk individuals. It is important to note that, even after six months, the vaccine is still considered very effective and does a very good job of protecting against serious illness and hospitalization. Offering boosters is a strategy to ensure the highest level of protection for higher-risk individuals and is not a sign of an inadequate or malfunctioning vaccine.

Q: Who is Eligible?
A: The following individuals are being told that they should receive a booster of the Pfizer vaccine:

Anyone who received their second dose of the Pfizer vaccine more than six months ago, and meets one or more of the following criteria: Continue Reading

M/V Yakima at dock – SJ Update file photo

The EDC invites island business owners, workers and residents to participate in a survey regarding Washington State Ferries service disruptions this past summer.  Islanders are invited to participate in the survey here:  https://forms.gle/uzXU6vy3tujUyuSR9

Anecdotal information and data derived from the survey will be used to better understand economic and other impacts from ferry service disruptions, and will allow us to advocate for our most important transportation link.

For more information, please visit https://sanjuansedc.org/ferry-survey-2021, or contact the EDC at[email protected] or 360-378-2906.

Our mission:  The San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) strives to support small rural enterprises, and conduct projects to stimulate new job creation, strengthen the economic base for working families, and support overall quality of life for islanders.   

Coverage without cost-sharing available for eligible people with Medicare, Medicaid, CHIP, and Most Commercial Health Insurance Coverage

Following the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent action that authorized a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for certain high-risk populations and a recommendation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will continue to provide coverage for this critical protection from the virus, including booster doses, without cost sharing.

Beneficiaries with Medicare pay nothing for COVID-19 vaccines or their administration, and there is no applicable copayment, coinsurance or deductible. In addition, thanks to the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARP), nearly all Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries must receive coverage of COVID-19 vaccines and their administration, without cost-sharing.

COVID-19 vaccines and their administration, including boosters, will also be covered without cost-sharing for eligible consumers of most issuers of health insurance in the commercial market. People can visit vaccines.gov (English) or vacunas.gov (Spanish) to search for vaccines nearby.

Since the last update on Friday September 17th, there have been eight new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 300.

Of these eight new cases, initial investigations indicate that three appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals.

There are approximately nine unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases who are currently in two-week quarantine.

• Lopez Island: There are four new cases on Lopez Island since the last update. There are four positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island.
• Orcas Island: There is one new case on Orcas Island since the last update. There are three positive cases under active monitoring on Orcas Island.
• San Juan Island: There are three new cases on San Juan Island since the last update. There are six positive cases under active monitoring on San Juan Island.
• Shaw Island: There are no new cases on Shaw Island since the last update. There are no positive cases under active monitoring on Shaw Island.
• Outer Islands: There are no new cases in the outer islands since the last update. There are no positive cases under active monitoring in the outer islands.

IF YOU NEED TO GET VACCINATED: Those wanting a first or second shot of Pfizer or a first (and only) dose of Johnson and Johnson should sign up for clinics happening on San Juan (OCT 5^th), Orcas (OCT 6^th), and Lopez (OCT 7^th) by going HERE to register. Pfizer for ages 12 and up, Johnson and Johnson for ages 18 and older.

THIRD DOSE BOOSTERS: Final CDC approval of third dose Pfizer boosters for some higher risk members of the community is expected shortly. Once approved, the County and other local healthcare providers will be making boosters available. Stay tuned for more detailed info. Please do NOT sign up for the clinics linked above to get a booster shot.

Follow OPALCO’s EV Road Trip in October:

Starting October 6^th, an exclusive team from OPALCO (Communication Specialist Krista Bouchey and the “Switch it up pup” Pepper) will be driving the Co-op’s Kia Niro 100% electric vehicle (EV) to Eastern Washington and back, making stops to visit wind and hydro projects, innovative public power projects and – of course – EV charging stations along the way.

The purpose of the EV Road Trip is to demonstrate the power and range of electric vehicles and talk with people along the way about EVs and public power. Follow the journey in videos, photos and (COVID safe) parking-lot interviews on FaceBook at @orcaspower, and also on OPALCO’s This Electric Life Blog at www.opalco.com.

Pepper the Switch It Up! Pup

“This is a big learning curve for me,” said Krista, who still drives a gas-powered car at home. “We’ve got it all mapped out, but Pepper and I have to be ready for anything – I’ve never even charged at a public charging station before! Hopefully, we’ll meet some good people along the way to help us out. It’s going to be a fun adventure!”

To prepare for this carbon-free journey, Krista used the ABRP (a better road trip planner) and Plug Share apps on her phone to find EV chargers and chart a course that works with the range of the Kia, which is about 230 miles per charge. This was challenging when trying to get to hydro projects in remote areas!

The trip begins – as all island adventures do – with a ferry ride to Anacortes and the itinerary includes: Continue Reading

One physician described the “beautiful formation” of the human body as inspiration for art.  Go Figure!  celebrating the human form, has just opened at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) in Friday Harbor. Visitors and residents are invited to experience art of the human body as it tells stories, expresses emotion and celebrates what it means to be human.

Rebecca Albiani, art history expert – Contributed photo

As part of the expanded exhibition program, SJIMA presents A Brief History of Figurative Art by the exceedingly popular Rebecca Albiani. The presentation takes place on Sunday, October 3, at the San Juan Grange Hall in Friday Harbor at 4-5:30 pm.

Albiani, a frequent art history lecturer at the Frye Art Museum in Seattle summarizes, “The Human figure has been essential to Western art for millennia.”  Her talk will follow the development of figurative art from ancient Egypt to classical Greece and Rome.  She will examine the importance of the figure to the Renaissance, a rebirth of classical antiquity. Continue Reading

A big THANK YOU to the San Juan Island Community Foundation for the support they have shown to local non profits including the San Juan Community Home Trust, at the 2021 County Fair. 

We build San Juan Island’s only permanently affordable housing. By offering all local non profit organizations the opportunity to participate in their matching grant program at the Fair this year, they helped all of us reach our monetary goals. This helps to keep our doors open or the programs we offer moving forward.

Without the generosity of islanders, many of these non profits could not survive.  Thank you San Juan Island Community Foundation, and thank you to all our wonderful donors, who help us do the work that we do.

From the Board and Staff of the San Juan Community Home Trust.

Salmon swimming upstream to spawn – Richard Lawrence photo

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board today announced the award of $21 million in grants across the state to aid in salmon recovery.

The grants, given annually, went to 105 projects in 29 of the state’s 39 counties. The grants will pay for work to restore salmon habitat, including repairing degraded habitat in rivers, removing barriers blocking salmon from reaching the ocean, and conserving pristine habitat.

“Salmon are important to every Washingtonian, whether they spend time fishing, eat salmon, rely on salmon for their business or use salmon in their cultural celebrations,” said Gov. Jay Inslee. “It’s imperative that we improve the areas salmon need, and these grants help do that.”

Descriptions of Grants
Grants were awarded in the following counties. Click below for details on each project: Continue Reading

The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Library are sponsoring the 2^nd annual Scarecrow Contest for the month of October.

The scarecrows are to be registered with the Chamber and in place between October 8th and 15th. Please click here for the registration form.

The scarecrows will be displayed around Friday Harbor, with community judging, which will take place October 20th through 28th.

Be sure and stop by and see the Scarecrows and pick your favorite. The location list/voting ballots will be available at the Chamber Office, 165 First Street S. Or email the Scarecrow Hotline at [email protected].

We hope you will celebrate fall and participate in our second Scarecrow Contest.

Click here for Scarecrow FAQ’s!

At their September 21, 2021 meeting the San Juan County Council officially released a Request for Proposals (RFP) to purchase 5 acres of land on Lopez Island for the development of affordable housing. San Juan County seeks an experienced developer to purchase the parcel located on Fisherman Bay Road just outside of Lopez Village.

The County wishes to offer this site at low or no-cost to be utilized for public benefits purposes as defined by San Juan County Code Section 2.104.020, with restrictions to ensure affordability requirements are maintained for 99 years.

The official RFP can be downloaded on the County website at this link.

San Juan County will begin accepting proposals on October 1, 2021 and full responses to the RFP are due no later than 5:00pm on November 1, 2021.

For more information, contact: Ryan Page, San Juan County Housing Program Coordinator, [email protected], (360) 370-0590.

People who want to make a living working with trees or forests are invited to a free, hands-on, outdoor course offered by the Economic Development Council of San Juan County (EDC).  The course will be taught by Carson Sprenger, proprietor of Rain Shadow Consulting at their Orcas Island facilities, Saturdays Oct. 30^th – Nov. 20^th, from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The course is sponsored by a generous donation from the family of Walt Corbin and from the Kiwanis Club of Orcas Island.

Carson Sprenger has over 20 years of experience working in the forests of the San Juan Islands.  The hands-on curriculum has been designed for job-seekers and career changers interested in working in tree care/tree service, forestry, or landscaping.  These jobs remain in high demand in our rural communities.

The course will prepare students for an entry level arborist position and is not intended for D.I.Y. home repairs.  The class will cover tools of the trades, including ropes; keeping trees and forests healthy; safety; and the ins-and-outs of working in the industry.  Students will not use chainsaws or fell trees in this class.  Applicants must be 18 years old or older, residents of San Juan County, and participating in the course to gain job skills.  The deadline to apply is October 15^th, and space is limited. Continue Reading

In the SJ Update Mailbag today we have this letter from the SJC Republican Party Chair, Daniel Schwartz…

Statement on Vaccine Mandates
San Juan County Republican PartyThe Republican Party is not anti-vaccine:  it is for the right of a free and informed citizenry to make its own health choices.Never in our 245-year history have federal, state, and local politicians imposed mandatory vaccine/personal medical procedure requirements that force citizens to comply or risk losing their jobs, their rented homes, participation in free commerce, and free travel within and between states.

Creators and enforcers of these mandates call themselves believers in “The Science”.  Their Science is not the scientific method, rather it is Scientism; favoring science that justifies a political agenda. Examples of Covid Scientism and its hypocrisy are all around us: Continue Reading

Matt Marinkovich – Contributed photo

Local fisherman and fish-seller, Matt Marinkovich, is once again offering a pound-to-pound match of fish to the food bank. On Saturday, September 25, 10am to 1pm, Marinkovich will be selling fish through his business, Matt’s Fresh Fish, at the Port property next to the Bakery San Juan parking lot.

“We did this last year and donated over 450 pounds of fish to the Food Bank. This year I expect to do more than that,” Marinkovich said. “A pound-for-pound match really puts a lot of fish in the freezer for the Food Bank.”

In addition to his regular offering of sockeye salmon and lingcod, Marinkovich will be selling widow rockfish, Sebastes entomelas, for $6.50 per pound. The fish is frozen and vacuum-packed, with all bones removed. If anyone chooses to donate any amount of this fish to the food bank, Matt’s Fresh Fish will match the donation pound-for-pound.

 “A ten-pound box of rockfish, which costs $65, will bring the food bank a 20-pound donation, which is worth $130!” said Marinkovich. People can donate as little or as much as they wish; “from one pound to a thousand pounds,” all of which will be matched by Matt’s Fresh Fish.

Widow rockfish (Brown Bomber) is caught off the Washington Coast by mid-water trawl fishing vessels. This rockfish species has fully recovered from previous years of overfishing, and is now certified as a sustainable resource by the Marine Stewardship Council. It has a mild flavor, firm flakey flesh, and is loaded with good-for-you Omega-3 oils.

Donations can be made by contacting Matt through the web site, mattsfreshfish.com. To be emailed directly for these donation opportunities, Fish for Teeth fish taco notifications, or when Matt will be offering fish for sale, click “sign up for the Fish List.” Payment can be taken through cash or check, and most payment-transfer apps, such as Venmo, Zelle, PayPal, or Cash-App.

Vandalism at American Camp – SJINHP photo

Friday Harbor, WA – On September 4, 2021 unknown individuals damaged public lands and destroyed public property at the American Camp Unit of San Juan Island National Historical Park. The park needs your help to identify and apprehend these lawbreakers. Any tips will be treated as confidential.

The damage to the park was extensive including the theft and destruction of interpretive signs, parking signs, and trail signs at the Redoubt. Split rail fencing was damaged and vehicular off-roading on and around the Redoubt damaged the surface of the structure and its surroundings. The Redoubt is the most intact example of a. pre-Civil war fortification of its type. It is a contributing resource to the cultural landscape within a National Historic Landmark, which means that preserving it and protecting it from adverse impacts is mandated by federal law.

The perpetrators used all-terrain vehicles whose tire width was 12 inches with a combined width of 53 inches Their vandalism disturbed a total of 97 feet of fence on the parking lot island and the east side of the parking lot. They also destroyed an interpretive kiosk and littered numerous cigarette butts on park property. Some park interpretive and wayfinding signs were stolen while others were cut from their bases using a chainsaw or electric saw and thrown into the prairie.

The park has conducted a thorough investigation and has reported these crimes to the San Juan County Sheriff’s Department. The perpetrators currently remain at large. If you have any leads, we would appreciate if you would contact the San Juan County Sheriff’s anonymous tip line at 360-370-7629 or their dispatch center at 360-378-4151.