From the beginning to the end… always Momo. Momo was a unique kitty.

Momo was born wearing a tuxedo, raised on San Juan Island, and was lucky enough to be loved by multiple families. Although a little aloof and arrogant some adjectives to describe him would include dapper, confident, and well-dressed.

His first owners, Rina Sue Wilson and Chelsey Tappan gave him his perfect name and were the first people Momo ever let hold him and wear him like a scarf.

After some years Momo had the opportunity to live in town where he had many roommates, kitties and human alike, and was everyone’s favorite laundry-room window napper.

After a few more years, Momo found the family he would spend his remaining years with. Kimmy and Scott Bell welcomed Momo to their home, conveniently located next-door to Duck Soup Inn, which would turn out to be the perfect employment opportunity for Momo.

One random day, Momo walked into Duck Soup like he owned the place … and the restaurant staff believed him.

If you have dined at Duck Soup restaurant within the last 12 years, you have likely been graced with the presence of Momo, or perhaps tried the signature ‘Momo’ cocktail from the menu.

Momo made up his own job at the restaurant, boldly sauntering through customers and tables to rub ankles and greet customers and staff.

The staff of Duck Soup welcomed Momo like it was their idea to hire him and treated him like an essential member of their crew.

The Tappan Wilson Espinoza Bell Duck Soup family will never forget Momo.
We are all so lucky to have had him for 23 years.
He is greatly missed.

FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. — PeaceHealth hospitals, clinics, doctors and nurses in Northwest Washington need the community’s help to make sure they can continue to safely provide care – not only to those suffering from severe illness from COVID-19 but to those requiring care for the full range of illness and injuries that its doctors and nurses typically treat.

“We can’t do this alone,” said Sudhakar Karlapudi, MD, chief medical officer and patient safety officer for PeaceHealth Northwest. “We are dependent on our community members to do what is right, which is to help protect each other from getting the virus and by doing that, help the hospital and clinics care for people in need of our services.”

Karlapudi noted that while one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines is the BEST way to avoid serious illness and hospitalization, simple precautions can go a long way to keep you and your family healthy:

• Avoid any event or gathering that may attract a large number of people and where you cannot maintain a safe distance.
• For any social gathering – keeping it small and outdoors is always the safer choice.
• Wearing a mask over your mouth and nose whenever you are in a group of people helps to protect others and yourself.
• Wash or sanitize your hands regularly – avoid touching your face, eyes or mouth

“Let’s work together to end the pandemic and keep everyone safe,” Karlapudi said.

Removing a large boulder from the beach – Contributed photo

Local shoreline habitat restoration actions support marine food webs

It was an exciting week for local forage fish and out-migrating juvenile salmon as Friends of the San Juans and the Salmon Point Community have successfully restored priority shoreline habitat along their local beach.

At the south end of Lopez Island, two areas of failed rock armoring and rock fill were covering portions of a documented surf smelt spawning beach, negatively impacting the habitat available for forage fish to lay their eggs on. The beach is also in a priority area for out-migrating juvenile salmon, which feed on forage fish along with many other critters such as insects that benefit from a natural shoreline. Our endangered orca, of course, rely on healthy salmon populations. Continue Reading

Construction will begin on Monday, September 20, 2021.

Construction for the First Street Pocket Park at the corner of Court and First Streets (near the San Juan Island Grange and American Legion) is about to begin. Work will include demolition of existing sidewalk, upgrade of existing sewer service line, installation of a new fire hydrant and expanded ADA accessible sidewalk improvements.

The Contractor is authorized to proceed with the work starting Monday, September 20, 2021. Work is anticipated to last 40-60 days depending on weather conditions. Vehicular traffic and local access should not be impacted. However, pedestrian access will be closed through the project area and the abutting parking stalls may be closed or restricted during working hours.

Businesses and residents should expect reasonable noise during daytime working hours. No evening or weekend work is authorized. During this period, the public is asked to be patient and exercise caution near the work area.

Do not hesitate to contact Town Hall at (360) 378-2810 with questions or comments. In addition, the contractor, Gull Wing Construction, will have a supervisor on-site at all times.

A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the November 2, General election is scheduled for September 28, at 11:00 am. The test works by tallying the results of a prepared set of test ballots to see if the results match the votes cast. The test will take place in the Elections Office located at 55 Second Street, Suite A, in Friday Harbor.

A representative of the Secretary of State’s Elections Division will be present for the test. The test is performed before every local, state, or federal election to ensure that tabulation hardware and software equipment are compliant with Washington State rules and will accurately count the votes.

All interested members of the public are invited to observe, either in person or in the safety of your own homes.  The Elections Office will livestream the Logic and Accuracy test on our YouTube channel San Juan County Elections (https://tinyurl.com/y4pzq86p). 

The Madrona Institute has awarded $22,500 in grants to local nonprofit organizations in its first year of grant making based on revenues received from sales of the San Juan Islands Special License Plate.

This year’s grantees include:

• San Juan Islands Conservation District for their San Juan Islands Youth Conservation Corps ($6,000),
• Friends of the San Juans for their Youth Environmental Mentoring Program ($5,000)
• Alchemy Art Center for their Young Environmentalists Art Intensive & Exhibit Program ($5,000)
• Coast Salish Youth Stewardship Corps operated by The Madrona Institute ($4,000)
• Indigenous Education Institute for their Indigenous Speaker Series – A Sense of Place in the Pacific Northwest: Indigenous Perspectives on Land, Water, and Sky ($2,500).

Awards are made on an annual basis for local projects and programs that support the conservation and stewardship of agricultural, cultural, historic, and natural resources in the islands, with emphasis on youth engagement.  It is expected that grant making will increase each year as plate sales increase across the county, region, and state.

Taking Mom to the Beach – photo Peggy Sue McRae

Caring for our loved ones when the need arises is a challenge in the best of times. During a pandemic the challenges only increase. Caregivers face increased isolation while also facing the increasing challenge of keep their charge safe.

Starting on September 30, Gail Leschine-Seitz, Aging and Family Case Coordinator, and Debbie Haagensen, Senior Services Specialist, will be teaching a free course, Taking Care of You: Powerful Tools for Caregivers. The class will be available ONLINE via Zoom. Sessions will be on Thursdays from 1:30 – 3:00pm, (Sept 30, Oct 14, Oct 21, Oct 28, and Nov 4). 

The Course will help caregivers develop self-care tools like; reducing stress, changing negative self-talk, communicating your needs, dealing with challenges, making tough decisions, and setting goals. Plus, if you are an unpaid family caregiver there may be additional resources available to you.

We all know someone who is taking care of a loved one. My friend Adrienne Adams who recently lost her beloved partner had some practical advise for friends offering support. She says, “Take, for example, the ubiquitous “Call me if you need anything!” offer: it’s intended to show support, but it’s much too vague to be of much help.

When you’re in the thick of it—especially if it’s a chronic illness or terminal diagnosis—the caregiver is usually overwhelmed and really can’t take the time to manage offers of help.”

 Adrienne recommends taking stock of what you really are able to give and being specific regarding WHAT and WHEN you will give it. For example… Continue Reading

Hoot, meow, hoot, hooooo?!  Don’t look so surprised.  Haven’t you ever seen an OwlCat?  Well, we hadn’t either, not until Shakira flew into the shelter late one evening and graced us with her rare presence! 

This marvelous hybrid is a sight to behold and will likely have you bowing down to her in submission as she sits perfectly perched from her favorite fluffy throne.  Once thought to be a wild and mythical creature, Shakira has allowed us to learn more about what it takes to care for this rare breed…and it really isn’t as much as you might think. 

She loves her regular meals, freshly laundered bedding, massage therapy, live classical music, a trickling waterfall, organic catnip, mint-condition stuffed mice, dim lighting, and a nightly bedtime story. 

If you do all these things, then the mysterious OwlCat will be satisfied, and you will both live long, happy lives.

• Age: approx. 10+ years old
• Sex: Female
• Breed: Domestic Short Hair, Brown Tabby

Application:  https://www.apsfh.com/adoption-program/feline-application/

ABOUT

• Origin: Tacoma, WA
• Weight:  11 lbs
• Personality:  Affectionate, Selective, Watchful
• Energy Level: Low 
• Likes: Head Scratches, Deep Conversations, Soft Landings 
• Dislikes:  Belly Rubs, Loud Neighbors, Tall Counters

Since the last update on Friday September 10th, there have been four new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 292.

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

There are approximately three unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases who are currently in two-week quarantine. Note that vaccinated close contacts do NOT need to quarantine and this number would be far higher if not for the high vaccination rate in San Juan County.

• Lopez Island: There is one new case on Lopez Island since the last update. There are two positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island.
• Orcas Island: There are no new cases on Orcas Island since the last update. There are four 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 three 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. Note that specific outer island will not be named to help maintain patient privacy given the small resident population on the outer islands.  

Overall Situation:
It is far too early to think we’re past the hump, but for the first-time cases are showing signs of declining in the islands and case trends are also heading down across Washington and the United States. This is welcome news.

Remember though – overall case and hospitalization rates are as nearly as high as they have been since the beginning of the pandemic. For now, Washington hospitals remain stretched to capacity. If you are unvaccinated, your risk of becoming infected is as great as it has been at any time during this crisis.

The likely reality is that restrictions to limit disease spread will remain in place for some time. Vaccination requirements are becoming increasingly common in workplaces, entertainment events, restaurants, to travel, and other settings. Even though the islands boast a high vaccination rate, thousands of islanders have chosen to remain unvaccinated. And the situation is even more concerning in nearly all other jurisdictions. The reservoir of unvaccinated individuals is so large that spikes of disease that overwhelm our healthcare system will continue to be a concern for the foreseeable future.

This survey provides the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition (SJIPC) with some local information about community perceptions and to look at it as one point of data reference. We use this along with the Healthy Youth Survey, school intervention data that the Student Assistant Professional collects, and the program assessments for the programs that the SJIPC helps to fund:

• Community Based Mentoring and Strengthening Families provided by the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center, Second Step in the elementary school
• LifeSkills Training in Grade 6 at FHMS
• and the SAP (Student Assistance Professional, formerly the Prevention Intervention Specialist, a full-time position) that provides full-time prevention intervention support at the middle and high schools through support of the NWESD’s and the Coalition’s CPWI (Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative) partnership.

Most importantly, CPWI has helped the SJIPC to support the growth of youth leadership prevention clubs: Rock Solid, HOTS, and HOT, Jr. The SJIPC has a robust social media presence that links to national, regional, and state public awareness campaigns.

Please complete this survey to help the SJIPC gain continued support through the WA Health Care Authority’s Community Prevention and Wellness Initiative, which invests in our community by formalizing and supporting coordination of community-based decision making.

• Online Survey – English:
  https://www.research.net/r/SAJUSAJUEN2021 
• Online Survey – Spanish:
  https://es.research.net/r/SJSAJUSP2021

San Juan Island Prevention Coalition was founded in December 2003, and began receiving federal Drug-Free Communities funding in 2004, and had the benefit of that support for ten years. SJIPC has been able to sustain its work through CPWI funding, a mix of federal block grant funding (Substance Abuse Block Grant/SABG), and state Dedicated Marijuana Account (DMA) dollars. As a CPWI coalition, the SJIPC also have been able to receive federal Partnership for Success (PFS) supplemental funds that helped them to pilot the very successful Second Step program in grades K-5. Thank you for completing this short 5-minute survey.

Community Donated Nearly $119k During SJICF Virtual Fair Event

The San Juan Island Community Foundation is thrilled to announce an incredible $118,720 was donated during its annual County Fair Matching Grant campaign. 643 donations were made by generous community donors during the “virtual” fair days through SJICF’s online giving catalog.

The catalog featured 25 local nonprofits in a wide variety of interest areas, including education, visual and performing arts, transportation, animal welfare, and human services.

SJICF matched the first $1,000 raised for each project and awarded bonus grants of $2,500 for virtual “games” during the fair. The winners of the bonus grants were APS Friday Harbor ($500), the SJI Library ($500), On Sacred Ground ($500), and Mt. Baker Planned Parenthood ($1,000).  After matching and bonus grants, 8 of the featured projects were fully funded!

Total funds awarded after matching totaled just over $152,000 to the following nonprofits (fully funded in bold): Continue Reading

Coastal Geological Services visit Upright Head Preserve to assess a small pocket beach adjacent to the ferry landing – Contributed photo

The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on September 17, from 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The public is invited to attend. Click HERE to download the agenda (includes ZOOM link) and meeting materials.

To learn more about your Conservation Land Bank, visit sjclandbank.org. If you’re interested in volunteering and/or joining our mailing list, contact [email protected]. We look forward to engaging with you!

About the San Juan County Land Bank
The San Juan County Land Bank is a local land conservation program, created by voters in 1990, and funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property in San Juan County. Through conservation easements or outright purchases, the Land Bank protects special places in the Islands including coastlines, farmland, forests and wetlands.

Solar Town Hall – September 20

This is your last chance to enter the raffle!

OPALCO’s series of Island Way workshops concludes with a Solar Town Hall via Zoom on September 20th at 5:00pm. The Solar Town Hall will give an update on the next community solar project – the Bailer Hill Microgrid on San Juan Island, discuss rooftop solar and battery storage options and get member feedback on the Board’s current discussion on adjusting solar rates.

Click here to Register

The Town of Friday Harbor’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) is accepting applications up until 4:30 pm Monday, September 27, 2021, for grants to fund tourism promotion of events and activities taking place within the town in 2022. Preference will be given to those operations and activities that encourage tourists to visit during the shoulder and winter seasons.  Summer activities are acceptable but should be scheduled to avoid what are recognized as high traffic weekends. 

LTAC grants are awarded annually by the Town Council and are funded with the state’s Hotel Motel Tax collected on all in-town lodging stays of less than 30 days in length. 

Interested parties should review the Request for Proposal (RFP) and complete the LTAC Grant Application available at Town Hall, 60 Second Street, Friday Harbor, WA, and at the Town web site:  www.fridayharbor.org.   Applications must be submitted to Town Hall no later than 4:30 pm Monday, September 27, 2021.  

It’s that time again, Islanders! With the 2021 General Election just around the corner, and the heightened focus on our electoral process, your Elections Team wanted to take a moment to share some frequently asked questions:

Q:  When will my ballot arrive?
A:   Ballots are mailed about 20 days prior to the Election. If you don’t have yours two weeks before the election (by Tuesday, October 19), give us a call at (360) 378-3357.

Q:  I forgot to sign my ballot! Can I come in and sign it?
A:   As soon as you mail or drop off your ballot, it is no longer accessible. However, once it has been received by the elections staff, we will mail you a signature form to sign in order for your vote to be counted.

Q:  I know I signed my ballot, but I received a letter saying my signature didn’t match. What does that mean?

Continue Reading

Kaleen Cottingham

Olympia – Gov. Jay Inslee today announced the appointment of Kaleen Cottingham, a life-long Washington resident, to serve on the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.

Cottingham, of Olympia, recently retired as the director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office, which provides support to the Governor-appointed Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office. She had served as director for 14 years.

“I’m happy to be able to appoint Kaleen to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board,” Inslee said. “She has a thorough knowledge of the challenges salmon face, she knows those working in salmon recovery and she is a big picture thinker. It takes people with vision to navigate these challenges and the complex world of salmon recovery.”

The Salmon Recovery Funding Board awards about $125 million biannually in grants to cities, counties, tribes, nonprofits, private landowners and regional salmon enhancement groups to do on-the-ground projects to restore salmon habitat. The Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office sets the statewide strategy for salmon recovery and monitors progress. Under Cottingham’s leadership, funding for salmon recovery increased significantly with the addition of funding targeted at Puget Sound recovery and preserving the healthy salmon runs along Washington’s coast. Continue Reading