From the Washington State Department of Commerce

ArtsFund, in partnership with the Washington State Department of Commerce, will begin distributing $10.78 million in recovery grants to 702 nonprofits in 34 counties throughout the state this week.

In San Juan County, the following organizations were awarded:

• Friday Harbor Film Festival, San Juan, $22,500
• Orcas Center, San Juan, $22,500
• Salish Sea Sciences, San Juan, $20,000
• San Juan Community Theatre, San Juan, $22,500

Grants are being awarded to every eligible organization that applied, covering over 91% of the total funds requested.

Applicants were invited to request between $2,500 and $25,000.

Over 70% of the awardees reported pre-pandemic budgets under $500,000.

The Nonprofit Community Relief grant program was designed to provide critical funding to nonprofit arts, cultural, science, and heritage organizations; neighborhood associations; sports and recreation nonprofit groups; and veterans service organizations impacted by the pandemic.

“At their core, nonprofits are driven by people serving people, and their dedication throughout the pandemic has sustained countless communities by providing their constituents with needed relief and recovery services,” said Michael Greer, ArtsFund President & CEO.

Nearly 90% of all recipients expect their post-pandemic earned revenue to be reduced by more than 30%.

Grant funds may be used to cover expenses that were incurred between March 1, 2020, and June 30, 2021, due to financial hardship caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Grant recipients cite the top uses for funding include staff salaries, programming, rent or mortgage, and reopening education and awareness communications.

“These funds provide critical financial resources to keep people employed and active in strengthening communities and their local economies,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “As we all reimagine our futures together, the positive economic impact of these community-focused grants will help to keep the momentum going into the next stages of recovery.”

From The Whale Museum

We’ve been training marine naturalists since 1994.

Our marine naturalist training course is an intensive six-day overview of the natural history of the San Juan Islands and the marine waters of Washington and Southern British Columbia, known as the Salish Sea.

Summer’s session will be online July 19-24.

This course includes an in-depth treatment of the ecology and conservation of local marine species, presented by highly trained local naturalists, environmental educators and scientists.

The upcoming summer session will be a dynamic, high-quality virtual experience that leaves graduates qualified as regional professionals or volunteer naturalists.

You can still earn a Whale Museum naturalist certification by completing an extra 10-hour practicum, which can be arranged during this course. Completion of this course also entitles you to become a member of the Salish Sea Association of Marine Naturalists.

More information on our website here and please email Tracie with any questions.

Spring Street Landing, Contributed.

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update

The Port of Friday Harbor made two recent deals to generate revenue.

Lease for Hotel

The port is leasing about 1.4 acres of the vacant, forested land between Webber Way and Franklin Drive for a developer to create lodging for travelers.

Port Executive Director Todd Nicholson said the developer will operate “small homes” as a “hotel/motel in according with the town.” Jayson Schmidt finalized the agreement May 13, Nicholson said.

The roughly 60,000 square feet of vacant land is zoned commercial. The port leased the land to generate revenue for the airport and other “economic development purposes,” Nicholson said.

Kiosks

May 26 the port also OKed the sale of two kiosks used during the construction of Spring Street Landing. Spring Street Landing is owned by the port and businesses like Downriggers Restaurant and Riptide Cafe lease space.

The San Juan Island Agricultural Guild purchased both kiosks for $5,000 each to locate at Brickworks, Nicholson said. 

He said the remaining kiosk will be “auctioned to the public” because staff hasn’t found “a good use for” it.

From Washington State Ferries

Washington State Ferries is currently upgrading our phone systems and some callers may experience connection issues attempting to reach an agent.

The upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of the week.

If you’re unable to reach an agent, please hang up and try again.

Customers can also ask questions or provide feedback online by visiting our website.

Thank you for your patience.

From the San Juan Island Library

Read and Discuss “The Perfume Collector” by Kathleen Tessaro 1:15 p.m. July 12 over Zoom with the San Juan Island Library as part of the Mullis Center’s book club.

Contact Beth Helstien at [email protected] for the Zoom meeting link.

Newlywed Grace Monroe doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations of a successful 1950s London socialite. When she receives an unexpected inheritance from a complete stranger, Grace is drawn to uncover the identity of her mysterious benefactor.

“The Perfume Collector” explores the complex and obsessive love between muse and artist, and the tremendous power of memory and scent.

Beaverton Marsh Preserve

From San Juan County Land Bank

If you frequent Roche Harbor Road, passing by the Land Bank’s Beaverton Marsh Preserve, you’ve probably noticed some different agricultural activities happening in the roadside fields lately.

That’s because these pastures are transitioning from annual hay harvest to a seasonal grazing operation.

San Juan Island rancher Mike Sundstrom has decided he doesn’t need the extra hay anymore, and the Shephard family has been selected for a two-year farm lease for seasonal grazing.

The Shephard’s will bring in a flock of sheep to rotate through the pastures using portable electric fencing. In preparation, the pastures have been trimmed to extend the grass growing season.

Research

In addition, you may see flagging and odd mowing patterns mid-field. These areas are Washington State University Extension research plots.

Research is focused on soil amendment applications and no-till seeding trials, with the goal of providing useful pasture management information and recommendations to San Juan County farmers and landowners.

Looking for Long-term Leasee

During this lease period, the Land Bank intends to develop a Request for Proposals for a long-term farm lease(s). Continue Reading

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update

San Juan Update File Photo. Caspar van Haalen.

The former Friday Harbor Elementary School principal pleaded guilty to indecent exposure nearly a month after resigning from his job.

Caspar van Haalen, 58, of Auburn, Washington pleaded guilty to the misdemeanor of indecent exposure June 16 in San Juan County District Court.

He was ordered to pay $1,328 in fines and attend six therapy sessions about the incident, according to court documents. 

He resigned as the Friday Harbor Elementary School principal May 26. 

According to the probable cause statement, two women saw van Haalen masturbating in his car aboard a Washington State Ferry to Friday Harbor May 23. They said he continued the act for about 15 minutes after he noticed the women could see him and they feared for their safety, stated the report.

He served as the elementary school’s principal for about two years. He previously worked for schools in Tukwila and Forks. 

Lifelong San Juan islander Holly Wehner was hired as the new principal June 16.

From San Juan Island Library

Learn English as a Second Language 7 p.m. Tuesday through July on Zoom. 

San Juan Island Library offers this intermediate-level class for free.

Contact Beth Helstien to get the zoom meeting invitation at [email protected] or 360-378-2798 ext 1003.

Contributed Photo. Stephanie Goudelock celebrates successful reunification with her family in March 2017.

June is Family Reunification Month

By Linnea Anderson, San Juan County Juvenile Court Administrator

During the month of June, San Juan County joins Washington state in celebrating Family Reunification Month, which honors the many families who have successfully reunified after having a child removed due to a child welfare action.

San Juan County Council issued a proclamation June 15 in honor of Family Reunification Month.

The goal of Washington state’s child dependency system is to safely reunify children with their families. Most children in our state are reunified with their parents after the parents receive support and services to alleviate the reasons the child became dependent.

The month celebrates the parents who have put in the hard work and effort required to reunify with their children.

We also honor the efforts of relatives, social workers, treatment providers, foster families, court staff, attorneys, educators, volunteer guardians ad litem, and community partners, who help create a safe environment for dependent children to return to their families of origin.

“Family Reunification Month celebrates the successes of the dependency system — the safe support of children remaining with their parents while parents seek necessary skills and support, and the return of children temporarily removed from homes when necessary to allow parents to get the help they need,” said Superior Court Judge Kathryn Loring. “Reunification is possible only due to the dedication and hard work of all involved — starting with the parents,” 

New Program

Stephanie Goudelock is the coordinator for the Parent for Parent program which supports parents as a new partner through the San Juan County Juvenile Court Services.

The Parent for Parent Program, based at Brigid Collins in Mt. Vernon, provides training to help parents navigate the dependency system. Parent for Parent also provides mentoring to help parents reunify with their children. 

Stephanie successfully navigated the dependency system, herself, and was reunified with her children on March 23, 2017. She wants other parents to know “reunification is possible.” Continue Reading

The winners of the San Juan Island Library annual bookmark contest are in.

Children from Kindergarten through 5^th grade were invited to celebrate books, reading and art by participating in the contest.

In conjunction with the 2021 Summer Reading Program theme, our young artists created illustrations representing “Tails and Tales,” or chose the overarching theme the “Love of Reading.”

Participants competed in categories by grade level for a chance to see their bookmark designs featured in print at the library.

Our 2021 Bookmark Contest winners are:

• Kindergarten: Bayu King
• First Grade: Griffin Beyers
• Second Grade: Kai Meehan
• Third Grade: Jodie Wehner
• Fourth Grade: Nadya Troutman
• Fifth Grade: Hazel Johnson

Stop by the library to pick up a winning bookmark, and to view all of the imaginative contest entries on display in the children’s area.

Winners will receive a gift certificate to Griffin Bay Bookstore. Funding was provided by the Friends of the San Juan Island Library.

For more information about library updates, programming, and events, visit www.sjlib.org.

From Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor

Age: 1.5 years old
Sex: Male
Breed: Pitbull and Lab mix
Application: www.apsfh.com/adoption-program/canine-application/

Vader is a crushingly adorable young boy looking for a new home to call his own.

He has big dreams of being a sled dog with his powerful muscles, stamina, and ability to mush, mush, mush!

However, we think it would be best if he became a well-mannered leash walker that doesn’t pull, pull, pull…sorry to crush your big dreams Vader!

Even though he looks like a distinguished gentleman in his tuxedo outfit, Vader is young and still learning the ropes (or should we say leash).

He has a lot of great skills already under his belt including; being friendly with people and kids, respectful of cats, and playing well with his dog friends.

Vader would love to find that special family that will continue to invest in his training and take him on all the fun adventures a big, bouncy boy like himself is certain to enjoy.

About

Continue Reading

San Juan Islands Sculpture Park, an independent 501 (c)(3) non-profit, will be accepting sculpture submissions this summer.

All sculptors are welcome to submit works using the guidelines below between June 6th and Aug 4th, 2021.

We do not require any biographical material with your submission. Sculptures will be selected on the merits of the art and how they will complement our park.

All submissions must be deemed safe by us and should be suitable for exhibition in an outdoor setting and be capable of withstanding occasional high winds, rain, and possible snow. Continue Reading

“Island Senior” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae.

WC Fields once said, “Never give a sucker an even break” and there are legions of scoundrels out there operating on that very premise. Just this morning in my email I had a puzzling notice regarding an $800 gift card supposedly purchased through my Pay Pal account.

Besides the fact that I have not purchased a gift card another fishy aspect of the email was that the grammar was slightly off, as if the author was not a native speaker of the English language. I deleted the email, checked my Pay Pal account to make sure there were no $800 gift card purchases, and changed my password.

This likely scam was pretty easy to spot and it was easy to take a few simple precautions. Avoid replying directly to suspicious or alarming news regarding your own accounts. If you receive something suspicious go directly to your account and check it out. It also never hurts to change your password. Unfortunately, scams are not always so easy to detect.

There is a common phone scam where you are told you owe back taxes and could be in trouble with the law if you do not pay up.  These scammers, according to the IRS, are “demanding and threatening – and do not reflect how the IRS handles enforcement matters.” (Please see link below for tips from the IRS)

Scammers target seniors and one of the most nefarious scams involves using grandchildren to extract money from caring grandparents. The scammer will get the grandchild’s name and then call with a fake emergency of some sort asking for money. If someone claims to be a close friend of your grandchild stay calm and ask questions.

The Senior Money Project, CENTS (Consumer Education and Training Services) has free resources created to help seniors avoid common scams. Once the Mullis Center reopens look for a presentation. Meanwhile, due to Covid the material is being offered in the form of a PowerPoint presentation or slide show and is available online.

Arming yourself with information is your best protection.

Links

• Senior Money Project Website
• Senior Money Project Presentation and Videos
• IRS Avoid Scams

“Freezer-Burned: Tales of Interior Alaska” is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Steve Ulvi.

The Allure of Gold, Part 1

A road-weary group of nine swayed in their bench seats down a narrow trail, leafy tree branches scraping the bulging, tarped roof rack and long rows of dirty windows.  The 165-mile Taylor Highway into Eagle, the last leg of a trying journey, had just about done them in with switchbacks, narrow bridges and no guardrails on cliffs. But they had seen the two-story, rock pelted bucket dredge beside the road resting for eternity and miners gouging gravels out of Jack Wade Creek for a water spewing wash plant by a muddy settling pond.  Gold Country!

The two-track they followed after finally arriving in Eagle, was a suggestion by a person they engaged in the busy government campground where they felt like the oddity they were.  They crossed the grass airstrip past the old FAA house to drop down to end abruptly at the riverbank at the old town boat landing.  The small man at the big steering wheel eased the bus forward in granny gear like he owned the place.  He sighed deeply, relaxed his shoulders, then turned the key off to a welcome silence. 

They all stepped out to the riverbank and stared as if the huge roiling river might be a mirage.   Hitch-hiking brothers, Barney and Jake, wasted little time gathering up their tent and sleeping gear to find a flat spot.  They rolled smokes and nipped at a flask looking out over the river.  Neither one of them had ever found any use for children.  No more long days cooped up with five of ‘em!  After a few minutes, the Scoggins family clambered back into the bus swatting bugs, hugged a bit longer than usual praising the Lord, then shuffled to their bunks to sleep easily, embraced by the Big Quiet.   The only noise was the periodic sound of bladders released into a plastic bucket up near the driver’s seat.

When they awoke early on their first Eagle morning, sun already high, they could hardly believe the expanse of the famous Yukon River lapping a few feet away.  It was a dream come true heralded by boisterous robins and other bird trills they didn’t know.  Large woody debris, even entire trees sailed by with urgency.  They were surprised to see big white gulls so far from the seashore.  A place imagined, each in their own way, so many, many times. 

They scrounged up a campfire, arranged folding chairs and began heating water.  The large white wooden cross that stood high above them on Eagle Bluff just had to be a confirmation from the Lord.  A slight upriver breeze riffled the nearby river eddy and thinned the voracious mosquitos.  Their full-sized school bus with muddy Idaho plates was parked to provide some shelter, some familiarity of scale, given the vast, overwhelming scene.  The five look-alike kids took turns backing away, rubbing their reddened eyes as the pungent smoke swirled among them.

Continue Reading

From the town of Friday Harbor

Farhad Ghatan

Mayor Farhad Ghatan recently received a Certificate of Municipal Leadership from the Association of Washington Cities.

The certificate recognizes city and town elected officials for accomplishing training in four core areas:

• Roles, responsibilities and legal requirements
• Public sector resource management
• Community planning and development
• Effective local leadership

“Cities and towns around the state are continually transforming in light of changing laws and the need to meet new challenges and opportunities,” said AWC Chief Executive Officer Peter B. King.

“Our Certificate of Municipal Leadership program helps mayors and councilmembers sharpen the tools they need today to understand the legal landscape, plan for the future, manage their resources, and foster strong relationships. The elected officials who earn this certificate demonstrate a commitment to continuous learning and a desire to bring new ideas back to their community.”

Mayor Ghatan completed more than 30 hours of training credits to earn this distinction, with another 16 toward advanced accreditation.

Farhad began his service to the Town in 1996 when he was appointed to the Planning Commission. After serving six years as chair, he took a break from town service to donate his time to multiple local nonprofits. Continue Reading

Here we are with Lilja, one of the Guardians of the Seeds – Tim Dustrude photo

Hello Friday Harbor and San Juan Island! As many of you know, Shannon and I have been traveling in our homemade camper van, exploring the United States. The San Juan Update has been mostly in the capable hands of Hayley Day who has been doing the heavy lifting daily maintenance in our absence. (Thank you Hayley!)

We’ve been enjoying adventures all over the country and many times I’ve thought of sharing some of them here on the Update, but I always tell myself, “well that’s not really related to island life” so I’ve held back on those impulses.

But today, we’re on the coast of Maine, in the little town of Camden, and the whole area is so much like home – the bays, the marine views, the boats anchored in the harbors – that we’re really looking forward to being home this fall.

And though it’s not related to island life, I thought I would just this once go ahead and share something with you from our travels east side of the continent. We’ve just visited the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens just south of here in Boothbay. And we saw a wonderful troll art installation by Danish artist Thomas Danbo – the Guardians of the Seeds. 

I won’t go into it too much right here, but if you’re interested, we just published a summary about it including 40 photos of the park and the trolls. Click here to see it. 

And we’ll see you this fall!