Theo's got the dogs...

Everybody’s got a summer job around here (even retired people), and some people have the fun ones. Whitman College soph Theo Pratt (FHHS ’08) is hawkin’ hot dogs at San Juan Marine Center, just below Downriggers. He tells me these are the finest dogs you ever did see (or eat), and you just need to get down there & get one. Now.

Jan Sears

Wendy Picinich serves as the Town of Friday Harbor Treasurer and is also the Past President of the Washington Municipal Treasurers’ Association. She dropped me a note to tell you & me about how her counterpart at the County, Jan Sears, is getting recognized for her investment policay approach…here’s more:

San Juan County Treasurer Jan Sears has received a Certification of Investment Policy Award from the Washington Municipal Treasurers’ Association (WMTA). The investment policy submitted must meet the standards established by the Association. The goal of the investment policy is to establish guidelines that allow the entity to invest public funds in a manner which will provide maximum security with the highest investment return while meeting the daily cash flow demands of the entity and conforming to all state and local statutes governing the investment of public funds.

WMTA established its Investment Policy Certification Program in 1998, a program that has since been adopted by the Association of Public treasurers’ of the United States and Canada. The importance of this program is that a investment policy protects the investment officers and the entity and gives the brokers/dealers a clear direction of the entity’s investment goals. This certification is a commitment to a quality investment program and the safety of your entity’s funds.

You know, I know you were inside watching the USA/Brazil game, or doing something cool like hiking or kayaking or mowing your yard for next weekend’s BBQ, but one of the great things you could have done yesterday was go out on the Adventuress.

At full sail....

Built in 1913, this tall ship has been used for the past few decades to educate folks – including kids’ groups – about how to care for the water, the Sound, and the planet, and while we’re at it, each other.

Although the three hour boat ride didn’t go terribly far, we got to see how the great sails were unfurled (and later furled), learned a shanty or two, and made a few friends along the way. The crew was energetic & friendly, the cookies were good, and the sky was blue like it’s suppposed to be when you’re out on a beautiful boat. It made for a great day – they’ll be back for a bit in July & most of August – so you’ll have your chance. Here’s more about the boat, the folks & what they do from their website.

Here’s what they say their mission is:

The Mission of Sound Experience

Sound Experience sails the historic schooner Adventuress to help people discover Puget Sound and learn from its majesty and vulnerability.

We use the ship as a metaphor for our planet: a closed system that requires understanding and care, and sails best when all aboard are working together.

Our focus is educational because we believe that people will protect what they learn to value.  As they voyage through the Puget Sound basin, Sound Experience participants are encouraged to realize that their daily actions make a difference. And they respond with a growing spirit of cooperation, community, stewardship and responsibility.

View from the bow of the Adventuress....

While everyone’s happy he’s heading down to be with his kids, we’re going to be missing superintendent Michael Soltman around here. He put the district on a sound financial footing when he arrived with sound accounting practices, got alternative school practices set up, passed levies, and helped guide the district through the last couple of years as we get hammered by shrinking state support. He’s moving to Vashon, and he’ll be missed. -oo-

Fans were split between admiring the Brazilians & rooting for the US....

Like I’m sure you are, I’m trying to figure out where to watch the World Cup next year (don’t have a TV at home….). So, yesterday, I went to watch the Confederation Cup final at Haley’s, and I just want to tell you, they do a pretty good job. There are TVs all over the place AND you can watch the Mariners at the same time AND they have good food, if you can eat with all that much excitement going on.

And, oh yeah – the USA was ahead 2-0 at the half, but surrendered three in the second half as Brazil showed why they remain as one of the favorites to hoist the 2010 Cup.

Colin got his wish....

The Make-A-Wish folks set it up so that a kid named Colin got his wish – to see whales in the San Juans. The trip was set up by Pete & Erin at San Juan Excursions, and, according to their company blog, the boy & everyone had a great time on Friday.

Here’s more from their blog.

Superstition is less painful than gazing at complexity with the naked mind.
Kim Goldberg 

Gotta wake each day with a song (don’t you?!?) – here’s the one I had running around my head this weekend, so I looked it up to share with you.

Seems so many folks I run into this year are spooked & scared by the stuff going on around them & in the world…and at times, there’s much to be concerned about. But I love the idea in this song of “Don’t wear fear….”

Let your feelings roll on by….it’s Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens) with “Don’t Be Shy” from Harold & Maude.

Pretty cool – Friday Harbor High’s WSU-bound pitcher Richie Ochoa & catcher Ryan Aylward were named to the 1A All-State team – wahoo! Here’s the posting, in the Yakima paper. -oo-

Pretty cool – Friday Harbor High’s WSU-bound pitcher Richie Ochoa & catcher Ryan Aylward were named to the 1A All-State team – wahoo! Here’s the posting, in the Yakima paper. -oo-

Rhiana

Hey, I just heard that FHHS’ Rhiana Franklin has been asked to play for the Fourth of July at Tacoma’s Freedom Fair…wahoo! Only fourteen years old, she is simply awesome with her vocals & her songwriting…

She’ll be backed up by everybody’s favorite bassplayer Cecil Demeerleer (from Radio Shack, the Solar Siblings, and a zillion other gigs here on the island) & her guitar teacher & virtuoso Bob Leytze. Here’s more about her & the gig.

Jim Barnhart

Remember I told you a couple of weeks ago that Jim Barnhart was coming to the island to help set up the new hospital? Here’s a bit more about that & about him, from EMS press officer Alan Roochvarg:

PeaceHealth has appointed Jim Barnhart to lead the planning and implementation phase of building and operating a new Integrated Medical Center at Friday Harbor.

Jim Barnhart has served for nearly two decades as the CEO and Chief Mission Officer of PeaceHealth’s Peace Harbor Hospital in Florence, Oregon. Under Barnhart’s leadership, this Critical Access Hospital and its PeaceHealth Medical Group physicians have consistently achieved excellent clinical and service outcomes for their patients and community. Continue Reading

The Kiwanis Club always puts on a great show…here’s more from Barry Jacobson:

Once again, Kiwanis of Friday Harbor is presenting the Fourth of July Pig War Picnic at the San Juan Historical Museum on Price Street, starting right after the parade ends.  This year’s celebration will be bigger than ever, in recognition of the 100 year anniversary of Friday Harbor.  Lunches are only $5 and there will be an abundance of food, including BBQ pulled pork sandwiches, hot dogs with all the trimmings, coleslaw, chips, drinks and hot fudge sundaes.

There will be a beer garden, too, featuring locally-brewed beers.  Musical entertainment will be non-stop, and includes performances by Anthemology, The Ottomatics, The One More Time Band, and Sugar on the Floor.  Kids and adults will have plenty to do, with activities including face painting, an egg toss contest, a three -legged race, the bucket brigade, and a cakewalk.

National Park Ranger Mike Vouri will re-tell the Pig War story.  Awards for entries in the Fourth of July Parade will be announced at 1:30 pm.  If families are looking for a way to spend a few hours relaxing and enjoying themselves without spending a lot of money, this is the place to be.  The fun begins when the parade ends and goes on until 4 pm.

Anthemology is scheduled to play again this year...

Dennis loves the west side....

As we continue our series about volunteers at Lime Kiln State Park, here’s more about Dennis Linden, as he answered some questions we asked him:

Tell us about yourself!

Number of years living in the San Juan archipelago: 10 years

Occupation in your real, or unreal, life: Food Writer, Fresh Blueberry broker

Furthest place in the world from LKPSP that you have visited: Sierpe River, Costa Rica

Major passions, besides the whales:
Cooking, writing about almost anything, my place in and with these islands.

1. What inspired you to volunteer at Lime Kiln Point State Park?
The Beach Watchers program provided the initial incentive to voluinteer at the Interpretive Center. I keep coming back each season because the whales have inspired me to tell their story in hopes that the knowledge will help save them and the Salish Sea.

2. What is it that you most enjoy about volunteering here?
Seeing the awe on a visitor’s face, who obviously didn’t even realise that there were whales here before walking into the Interpretive Center and is now bursting with questions. Discovery is a beautiful thing.

3. Any memorable park experience that sticks out since volunteering?
The not so coincidental appearance and swim by of all three pods at last year’s summer soltice celebration at the lighthouse. Would not have believed it if I had not been there.

4. If you were limited to only one sentence, how would you describe these islands to a visitor right off the ferry?
You are now “on island” which is a state of mind that you cannot possibly understand until you experience being “off island” again.

5. Something that you have learned since volunteering at the park?
That a little education,if presented in a friendly and entertaining way, can challenge even the most vacation-minded visitor to think about his or her impact on the planet [see the discovery thing]
6. If you were a kabillionaire and cost was no object, what would you buy & contribute to Lime Kiln Park?I would donate the building of an annex to the Interpretive Center that would serve the community as a marine educational center.

7.  Is there anything else you would like to share?
HOPE.

There is a lot to pick from....

The Sixth Annual Produce Sale has one last day Saturday, so it’s your last chance to stock up at Marketplace…see ya there!

Leesa Sklover is playing at the Whale Museum on Friday night at 7.

Yep, there’s a bunch going on – didja know about all this:

• Peggy Sue at the Whale Museum reports:
The Whale Museum is pleased to present Psychologist and Composer Leesa Sklover PhD on Friday at 7:0pm. Leesa is a pioneer in sound and music therapy, inter-species communication and ecopsychology and ecospirituality. Her research includes inter-species music and communication with whales. Come meet Leesa, hear her talk and perform. The event is free. Light refreshments will be served.

CD Baby says: “Chanting, world music and interspecies connection has never been quite like this. Beluga, bottlenose, orca, frog, bird and wolf sing along with this human songstress to bring all that matters together for deep peace, trance and healing.”

• The San Juan Jazz Quintet plays at Pazzo Vivo, starting at 6pm.

• Kate Schuman is joined by Tom & Tami Doenges at The Place at 8pm

• I’ll be playing from 7-9pm at the Naked Bean (you know, acoustic folk, the usue…)

• Chris Carter says there’s a Concert on the Lawn at Spring Street International Scool at 7pm:
hey ian,
chris here and i was just letting you know that if you could drop everyone a line that the concert on the lawn starts at 7 on friday the 26th. there will be a brief (30 min) open mic before ian cooper starts and then anthemology will play followed by a few other island folk and finish at about 10 with saucerful. come on by!