Friday Harbor’s July 4th Parade – Mark Gardner photo

From San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce

The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce is excited to bring back our beloved Fourth of July celebration!

Our chamber and community are working behind the scenes, getting ready for the big day. The parade entries are trickling in, more bunting is going up every day, the fireworks company is ready and we hope you are too!

Due to the past year and the short notice of this year’s parade, it will be smaller⁠ — small but mighty!

With the area church schedules, the parade will be at a later time and will start at 11:30 a.m. Not only is it at a later time, but it will be a shorter parade route and will start at the top of Spring Street and Caines Street.

Grand Marshall and Honored Citizen

This year, the chamber is honoring volunteerism and is proud to announce Parin Columna as our Grand Marshal and Lori Stokes as our Honored Citizen. Both exemplify volunteerism and community. Their countless hours with various groups, the San Juan Community Theatre, the Whale Museum, Peace Island Hospital, Soroptimists, the Center for Whale Research, St. Francis Church, Great Island Clean up, PADs, Friday Harbor Arts Commission, Orca Network and so much more. Think about it, where would our community be without volunteers?

After a day of activities, there will be music at Brickworks at 6 p.m., family BBQs, and a breathtaking fireworks display over the Port of Friday Harbor starting at 10:10 p.m. We hope to see you on the Fourth!

Sign made from plastic found on San Juan County beaches. Transition San Juan Island, Contributed.

From Transition San Juan Island 

Join Transition San Juan Island, Plastic Free Salish Sea and millions of other people worldwide in reducing your plastic waste in July.

Plastic Free July is a global movement that helps millions of people be part of the solution to plastic pollution – so we can have cleaner streets, oceans and beautiful communities.

Whether it’s committing to bring your own coffee cup to your favorite cafe, saying no thanks to a plastic straw and plastic bag or stepping it up and committing to plastic-free purchasing during the month of July – everything makes a difference. Most importantly, have fun and share your ideas with others.

Where does San Juan Garbage Go?

If you want to learn more about where our San Juan County garbage ends up and waste reduction solutions in the islands, join a virtual conversation with Ela and Linnea, recent graduates from Spring Street International School, at 6:30 p.m., July 1.

They conducted in-depth research as part of their environmental systems class and will chronicle their waste and recycling journey on the three biggest of the San Juan Islands. Register at sanjuans.org/upcoming-events.

Resources Continue Reading

From the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor

Age: Approximately 10+ years old
Sex: Female
Breed: Domestic Medium air, Gray Tabby
Application: www.apsfh.com/adoption-program/feline-application

Gracie is a gorgeous, senior feline in search of a purrfect retirement home.

As you may have noticed, she is stunningly beautiful with all the grace and composure to match.

Gracie is a quiet, gentle soul that would love to find her human companion. She is affectionate and loving — always up for pets and cheek rubs.

Gracie is currently sharing a room with a few other cats, but definitely prefers the company of people over other animals.

A quiet, gentle, and caring home is what this regal, senior girl needs to continue to live a long happy life. Until then, she will be waiting at the shelter for her special day to come.

About

Continue Reading

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 forecasts the high in Friday Harbor to be 90 degrees Sunday and 92 degrees Monday. Low temperatures will be in the 60s.

There is a high risk for heat-related illnesses for those outside, without air conditioning and the elderly, according to the weather service. 

San Juan County Department of Emergency Management Director Brendan Cowan reported that even though island temperatures are lower than on the mainland, local rising temperatures can still be dangerous. 

“There are a number of common-sense precautions … to minimize the impact, but if you or someone you know is in crisis due to the temperatures, call 911,” he said. 

Those in need can receive medical attention or simply find a place to cool down, he said. 

The department lists the following ways to stay cool:

1. Stay hydrated.
2. Stay indoors.
3. Keep your shades and curtains down and windows closed.
4. Fans will make a big difference.
5. Put buckets of ice in front of your fan.
6. Moisten your skin or your sheets at night.
7. Open your house windows at night.
8. Don’t cook indoors.

Contributed Photo/WSF

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update

Sailing cancelations aboard Washington State Ferries vessels in the San Juan Islands reached a boiling point over the weekend.

The interisland ferry was canceled Sunday until 11:35 a.m. due to a lack of staffing. Originally the route was canceled until 2:25 p.m. but was later updated.

The No. 1 vessel the Chelan also went out of service for “mechanical repairs,” reported the state, canceling eight sailings from 9:35 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Sunday. The Suquamish was later brought in and able to run two sailings on the Chelan route starting at 4:45 p.m.

Saturday, two sailings between Anacortes and Lopez Island were canceled due to a crew shortage. 

From Friday Harbor Film Festival

Friday Harbor Film Festival is grateful for receiving one of the ArtsFund’s Nonprofit Community Relief Grants.

In connection with the Washington State Department of Commerce, this program provides critical funding to a variety of organizations impacted by the pandemic.

The film festival will hold a hybrid festival in mid-October, meaning the event will occur online and in-person over 11 days, Oct.14-24.

The in-person portion will open with a gala party and awards event Thursday, Oct. 14, followed by theater-based film screenings Friday through Sunday, Oct. 15-17. Filmmaker Q&As will accompany the showings. This year’s venues will be The Palace Theatre and the San Juan Island Grange.

The virtual festival runs Oct. 18-24, featuring films accepted through FilmFreeway as well as films and Q&As from the in-person festival.

All will be available on-demand at www.fhff.org. The livestream festival finale will feature the audience choice awards presentations on Sunday, Oct. 24.

Filmmakers, both professionals and students, are encouraged to submit their features and short films for consideration at FilmFreeway. Full details are available at filmfreeway.com/FHFF.

San Juan Island Sculpture Park, Contributed

From San Juan Islands Sculpture Park

Rusty the crab is back!

Rusty the giant grab from Cattle Point Rock & Topsoil is back at the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park.

He is down by the bay trail at Wescott Bay. Come see him as well as all the new sculptures and activities at the Sculpture Park at Roche Harbor. Thanks to a generous loan from Cattle Point, Rusty will be with us until after Labor Day.

Also, every Sunday, Alchemy Arts Center will be at the Sculpture Park to help visitors create “Sammy, the Salmon,” a 15-foot tile mosaic as part of the Friendship Fish Community Art Project.

Please join us. The sculpture park is open every day from dawn to dusk and is a 501(c) non-profit. There is no admission, but donations are greatly appreciated.

Contributed photo/WSF

From Washington State Ferries

Face masks are now required only in indoor areas of our terminals and vessels for all riders and employees in compliance with the latest CDC guidelines.

All customers inside terminals or vessels should continue to wear face coverings.

However, passengers can remove their masks while outdoors on the sun deck, car deck areas of the vessel, outside waiting areas at terminals and other outdoor locations. Remember to mask up upon reentering interior areas of boats and terminals.

For additional travel information regarding COVID-19, visit the COVID-19 Travel Updates webpage.

WSF M/V Chelan – SJ Update file photo

From Washington State Ferries

The 6:45 p.m. sailing from Anacortes to Lopez and the 7:35 p.m. sailing from Lopez to Anacortes Saturday have been canceled due to a crewing shortage.

Passengers with reservations for those trips will be loaded onto one of the subsequent sailings to their destination and can check the Anacortes / San Juan Islands Schedule for specific departure times.

All existing reservation holders will be prioritized and loaded on a first-come, first-served basis, and new reservations on the route have been closed to ensure enough space is available to accommodate existing reservation holders.

However, customers who choose to postpone their travel for today will not incur a no-show fee. Please note that standby space will be extremely limited for the remainder of the day.

WSF will make every attempt to accommodate reservation holders on their reserved sailing and those affected by the canceled sailing, but customers may encounter extended waits. Customers who are able to postpone their travel this evening are encouraged to do so.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding while we work to navigate this challenging time.

Contributed Photo/Mika Baumeister on Unsplash

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 and those with some health conditions.

There are a few exceptions noted in the guidance, including while eating and drinking. Businesses are not required to actively investigate customer vaccine status.

Masks are not required outdoors, other than for unvaccinated individuals who are unable to maintain 6 feet of social distance.

There are distinct rules for businesses and their employees that are set by Washington State Labor & Industries. The main requirements are that unvaccinated employees are required to mask up and businesses are required to document the vaccination status of their staff. 

Questions

Q: Will the Governor lift all restrictions June 30? What are the details?

It is expected that a number of the Governor’s restrictions will be lifted at the end of June, but details have yet to be confirmed. The assumption is that most limits on business or event capacity will be removed, but those unvaccinated individuals will continue to be required to mask up in public spaces.

Q: Are there locations where state mask requirements will remain unchanged?

Everyone — regardless of vaccination status —will need to continue to mask up at schools, health care facilities, camps, and on public transit.

Q: How do I prove my vaccination status?

There may be situations where you may be asked to prove your vaccination status in order to unmask, like at work or at an event. You can prove this by showing your vaccine record card or a photo of it or a certificate of vaccination.

Q: What if I lost my vaccine record card? Continue Reading

From San Juan County

Contributed Image/CDC

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 in active quarantine in San Juan County. There are
no confirmed positive cases in San Juan County at this time.

San Juan County has no future clinics planned. There are other providers that are still administering
vaccines within the county. Visit www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info for more information.

Westside sunset, Contributed

Editor’s Note: According to the National Weather Service, the high temperature in Friday Harbor is expected to reach 86 degrees Saturday, 88 degrees Sunday and 91 degrees Monday. 

From the Washinton State Department of Health

The Washington State Department of Health is urging people to take precautions, stay cool, and protect themselves ahead of a record-breaking heat wave expected this weekend.

Fans and AC

Stay indoors and in an air-conditioned environment as much as possible. Visit friends, family or neighbors with air conditioning or spend time in air-conditioned public places. If you are not fully vaccinated against COVID-19, make sure to wear a mask whenever you’re indoors with people who don’t live with you.

If air conditioning is not available to you, pulling window shades closed throughout the day when the sun is on the windows will help keep the inside cooler.

Do not rely on a fan as your only cooling source. While fans might provide some comfort, they won’t prevent heat-related illness when temperatures are very hot. Use your stove and oven less to maintain a cooler temperature in your home.

Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids but avoid beverages that contain alcohol, caffeine or a lot of sugar. Carry water with you and don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink.

Check on Vulnerable Populations, Elderly Continue Reading

Rainshadow Consulting, Contributed. A San Juan County forest.

By R. Brent Lyles, Executive Director, Friends of the San Juans

Judging by construction activity and real estate transactions, the pressures and speed of development in San Juan County have never been greater.

Fortunately, the County’s Comprehensive Plan, or Comp Plan, can be a key tool for managing growth and protecting our county’s rural character.

Right now, citizen interest is growing in how this tool can best ensure that sensible, science-based planning and environmental stewardship guide the growth and development in our county.

Proposed Zoning Change

During the Comp Plan update process, the county can change the designation, or zoning, of land.

The county is currently considering opening up 127 acres of protected forest lands to allow for more intense development. The parcels in question are currently zoned as Forest Resource Lands, but the County’s Planning Commission recently voted to preliminarily recommend changing these parcels to the Rural Farm Forest designation.

This Rural Farm Forest zoning would allow more development on these currently forested lands, such as vacation rentals and non-forestry commercial uses, and it would triple the allowance for impervious surface on the properties.

In San Juan County, protecting our existing Natural Resource Lands, including both Forest Resource Lands and Agricultural Resource Lands, is critically important.

Natural Resource Lands support our local farmers and foresters, preserve our rural character, and have benefits like protecting air and water quality, aiding aquifer recharge, providing access to recreational activities, sequestering carbon, and improving wildlife habitat and connectivity. This protection can be achieved right now during the Comp Plan update process.

In response to this opening up of protected forest lands to development, citizens are mobilizing to oppose this decision through efforts like Friends of the San Juans’ Comp Plan Action Team. Both at the Planning Commission and county council meetings, our community has the opportunity to weigh in on whether opening up these Forest Resource Lands to more intense development makes the most sense for environmental stewardship, climate resilience, and preserving the rural character of our island communities.

Local Climate Change Response

In addition to the Comp Plan’s importance for guiding how and where development unfolds in the San Juan Islands over the next 20 years, it also lays the groundwork for the county’s response to the climate crisis. Continue Reading

From Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor

The Soroptimist high school scholarship program was able to award $7,000 to three graduating seniors this year. Soroptimists awarded two $2,000 awards and one $3,000 award.

The award winners are Felicitas (Magaly) Aguayo, Trinity Cullen and Ayla Ridwan.

Magaly is studying early childhood education at Whatcom Community College and will transfer to a four-year school to study to become an elementary school teacher. She has a passion to pursue her dreams and meet her goals in life.

Trinity will attend the University of Arizona in Tucson to earn a business degree with a focus on marketing. She owns her own online sticker business and is looking forward to expanding her design skills as well as pursuing a business career.

Ayla will study human biology and or environmental studies at Stanford University and either pursue a career in medicine or focus on climate change and its effects on our world. She wants her goals to focus on benefitting the lives of others.

These awards were made possible due to the generosity of community members and local businesses who support Soroptimist fundraising projects. Continue Reading

Contributed image/Washington State Department of Health

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.

Contributed Photo/Alex Block on Unsplash.

From San Juan Islands Community Network

San Juan Islands Community Network’s second forum on vacation rentals was held June 17 to a Zoom audience of about 45.

The forum, entitled “Common Ground” focused on areas of agreement and the best next steps to take. Watch it at sjicn.org/forums.

Common Ground brought back the same panelists as the first forum.

Doug Whittaker, from the consulting firm Confluent Research and Consulting whose suggestions and comments were offered via a 13 ½ minute video statement; San Juan County Councilman Jamie Stephens whose committee work has focused recently on vacation rentals; Jan Scilipoti, representing Hosting on the Rock, and Toby Cooper, representing the Vacation Rental Working Group.

The forum aimed to identify common ground among all parties. All panelists appeared to agree that more data and research is necessary but that the regulations adopted in 2018 have not been fully evaluated due to the Pandemic; that enforcement needs to be stepped up to deal with vacation rental owners who are not in compliance with current regulations.

Stephens noted that fines totaling $100,000 in fines had, in fact, been assessed. All agreed that a 24-hour hotline available to neighbors experiencing a problem with vacation rental renters is vitally important, with Cooper believing it should be independently staffed and not monitored by vacation rental owners; and all participants agreed that after a number of unaddressed infractions, the vacation rental owner should lose their license.

There was a discussion about monitoring vacation rental water meters to determine if a substantial amount of additional water is being used by the renters during peak tourism periods that coincide with critical drought times of the year. Ultimately the panelists zeroed in accountability, enforcement, and education as critical to resolving many of the vacation rental-related issues.

Next Forum

The June 24 forum was canceled.

The forum was to focus on the best, agreed-upon actions to take to deal with the concerns of islanders around vacation rentals, while at the same time respecting the rights of islanders to serve as hosts to vacationers.

All parties have instead chosen to meet in the next few days to clarify those actions they can commit to supporting, those they can’t, and those that they feel require more discussion with their constituents. Continue Reading