From San Juan Island Library

The San Juan Island Library presents the next Know Your Islanders event at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 5 over Zoom.

Join Pearl Schuman as she shares her personal health journey, which began on her small family farm on San Juan Island.

She will define “food as medicine” and discuss why it’s important for us to shift our health mindset from seeing foods as “good” or “bad,” to viewing foods for the value they provide us.

Email Genevieve Iverson for a Zoom meeting invitation at [email protected].

From San Juan County

San Juan County will conduct a public hearing at 9:15 a.m. Tuesday, May 4, to consider projects proposed for funding under the Community Development Block Grant.

The council will hear comments on proposals presented, and consider choosing a project for submittal for the 2021 grant round.

Members of the public are invited to speak or provide written comments regarding any proposal submitted or the grant process.

Up to $30,000 for planning and $900,000 for construction may be available to San Juan County on a statewide competitive basis to fund public facility, community facility, planning and affordable housing projects that principally benefit low- and moderate-income persons.

For 2021, one proposed project is under consideration: Eastsound Sewer and Water District Wastewater Treatment Plant Expansion.

An outline of the proposed project can be found here.

Handouts for the public hearing explaining grant eligibility, grant objectives and citizen participation requirements can be found here.

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update

Contributed Photo/Gary Tarleton, National Parks Service. The Lummi reef net canoe XWLEMI at rest ashore during the Lummi Nation’s visit to English Camp in summer 2014.

A Lummi Nation totem pole is conducting a cross-country trip to bring awareness to protecting Indigenous people’s land and waters, reports the Associated Press. 

The journey, called the Red Road to DC, starts in Bellingham in May and will end in Washington D.C. in June.

According to a press release from organizers, Lummi tribal member Jewell Praying Wolf James and others will make three stops with the totem pole in the San Juan Islands. 

From 2:30-4:30 p.m., Monday, May 10, leaders will be at English Camp on San Juan Island.

From 1-3 p.m., Tuesday, May 11, they will be at Madrona Point on Orcas Island. 

From 4-5 p.m., Tuesday, they will be at Odlin County Park on Lopez Island.

The pole was carved from a 400-year-old red cedar and will be featured in the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian this fall, reports the Associated Press. 

According to the National Parks Service, “the Lummi are one of the Coast Salish peoples whose ancestors lived in the San Juan Islands.”

For more information, contact San Juan Islands Stopover Coordinator Stephanie Buffum at 360-472-0404 or visit the Facebook event pages for the San Juan Island and Orcas Island stops. 

From San Juan County

Contributed Photo. Dental Van.

The Medical Teams International Mobile Dental Van is returning to the San Juan Islands. 

San Juan

The van in partnership with Fish for Teeth and San Juan County Health and Community Services is back in Friday Harbor May 5-8.

The van team will be providing teeth cleaning in addition to oral health exams, X-rays, fillings and tooth extractions.

The van serves those who are on Medicaid (Apple Health) or lack dental insurance. The van will be parked at the Mullis Community Senior Center 589 Nash St in Friday Harbor.

To access dental van services, call the San Juan County Health Department at 360-378-4474, or contact the Joyce L Sobel Family Resource Center at 360-378-5246 or Senior Center at 360-370-7526 to get more information and an application.

And we want to offer a special thanks to the Mullis Community Senior Center and Friday Harbor Electric who installed a power hook up for the mobile dental van and donated the labor and material costs! Thank you for your generosity in support of our community accessing dental care.

Orcas

The Medical Teams International Dental Van for adults on Medicaid or uninsured is back on Orcas May 10-13 and will be able to offer Dental Hygiene (teeth cleaning) services all four days.

Contact the San Juan County Health Department at 360-378-4474, or the Orcas Community Resource Center at 360-376-3184 or Senior Center at 360-376-2677 to get more information and an application.

The van will be parked at the Orcas Island Community Church, 176 Madrona St.

From the Mullis Center

Contributed Photo/Peggy Sue McRae. The Mullis Center.

The Mullis Center is looking to hire a part-time building and grounds maintenance worker.

The position will be about 10 hours per week. 

The organization requires 10 years of experience for the position.

The Mullis Community Senior Center is designated as the Senior Services Center for San Juan Island.

The organization runs a senior meal program, monthly pancake breakfast, annual artisan craft fair and annual parking lot sale.

For more information on the position, email [email protected].

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update

Preliminary voting results in the 2021 April Special Election for San Juan Island show the Town of Friday Harbor will join the island’s fire district and Island Rec will continue to receive local funds.

The vote will be certified May 7.

Fire District

According to the San Juan County Elections Office, about 77% of town voters and 87% of fire district voters chose to annex the Town of Friday Harbor into San Juan County Fire Protection District No. 3, also known as San Juan Island Fire & Rescue.

A majority of each group of voters was needed for the merger to take place. 

Previously, the town contracted for fire services with the district, but now town property owners will be included in the district’s property tax levy. 

The district includes San Juan, Brown and Pearl islands, as well as other nearby islands, states the county election voters’ pamphlet.

According to the pamphlet’s statement in favor of the proposition, the fire district’s levy will cost about $156 for a home assessed at $350,000.

The pro statement — written by Tom Eades, Becki Day and Charles Dalldorf — says the town’s contract would increase at the end of 2021. The town will now use the extra funds on local infrastructure. 

Island Rec

About 80% of voters chose to renew Island Rec’s property tax levy of $0.39 per $1,000 of assessed valuation for each year from 2022-27.

According to the county’s voter election pamphlet, about $0.17 will fund Island Rec programs, $0.10 will support the island’s public school district’s athletics and $0.12 will fund the operation and maintenance of Island Rec parks.

Please help spread the word! There will be a walk-up COVID vaccine clinic on San Juan Island for those 18 or older on Wednesday April 28th from 1:00pm – 6:00pm.

Location is the old InterIsland Medical Center in Friday Harbor (550 Spring Street).

This clinic will be for the single shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This vaccine has recently been thoroughly reviewed and determined to be safe. Detailed info on the very, very rare potential side-effects will be available at the clinic.

If possible, please register before arriving at this link, but feel free to come without registering as well. Bring ID if possible.

Thanks islanders!

Contributed Photo – Fish for Teeth Provides Dental Care

Dental Vans will no Longer use Generators Thanks to Free Installation

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

The Mullis Center, the mobile dental clinics and their patients, plus the entire neighborhood around the Mullis Center can breathe a big sigh of relief.

Thanks to Friday Harbor Electric for installing, at no charge, the new Shore Power Supply at the Mullis Center the dental vans will no longer have to rely on stinky, noisy, generators to serve the dental needs of community members. 

“Fish for Teeth” gets its name from the Fish Taco fundraisers.

If you have not tried these delicious fish tacos you owe yourself this treat. The “Smile” Mobile dental team sees babies, children, teens and pregnant/postpartum women on Apple Health or uninsured. Fish for Teeth does not require specific guidelines.

If you need dental care and cannot afford it pick up an application at the Family Resource Center, the County Health Department or online at fishforteeth.com.

Contributed Photo – Fish for Teeth Dental Van

When the Fish for Teeth and Smile Mobile dental vans, both of which visit our island several times a year, expressed interest in switching to an electric power source, the Mullis Center and Fish for Teeth set to work figuring out how to fund the switch. Continue Reading

By Marie D., San Juan Island

Contributed Photo. Yvonne Bowman.

San Juan Island is such a wonderful, generous community. A need arises and most people step up to help fellow Islanders.

On Christmas Eve 2020, Yvonne Bowman suddenly lost her beloved husband Gary. This tremendous loss also caused a huge financial burden for her. And so a fundraiser was born.

Posters appeared in Friday Harbor businesses, a Benefit for Yvonne website was created and advertising was donated to promote the Gary Bowman Memorial Fund at Banner Bank.

The goal was to raise at least $25,000. Well, fellow Islanders, we achieved our goal! The account will still be open but we are concluding advertising.

Yvonne is very, very grateful and sends a huge, heartfelt appreciation to everyone who contributed.

We are all so blessed to live here and to be a part of this truly special San Juan Island community.

From the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor

Age: Approximately 1.5 years
Sex: Female
Breed: Domestic Shorthair, Tuxedo
Application: www.apsfh.com/adoption-program/feline-application/

Annika is a total goofball! She may “technically” be an adult cat, but she acts like a playful kitten.

Not only is she a comedian by nature, but Annika is also extra adorable because she has a slight head tilt. She doesn’t seem to notice or mind, but it can affect her balance, therefore Annika will need to be an indoor-only kitty.

That shouldn’t be much of an issue for her, as she is sure to keep her family entertained with her endless joy and playful spirit!

Annika would like to find a family that will play with her, love her, and accepts her for her uniqueness and special ways. In the meantime, she will be waiting in the shelter’s kitten room with all her toys, jungle gym, and kitten TV.

ABOUT

Continue Reading

Home Trust has two houses for sale under $220K, is developing eight-unit affordable housing site

By Francie Rutherford and Jim Goetz, board members, San Juan Community Home Trust

We were saddened to read the recent article regarding the suspension of operations for Homes for Islanders.

Homes for Islanders and the San Juan Community Home Trust are two nonprofit organizations vital to providing low-income housing on San Juan Island.

Lack of low-income housing, both ownership and rentals, has long been a problem for people working on the island including teachers, nurses, retail workers, carpenters, grocery clerks and others who provide needed skills and services for our entire community.

Lack of housing has become particularly acute in this past year due to the pandemic and a significant influx of people moving to the island.

Many of us have friends, relatives, or acquaintances who have struggled, or are unable, to find a place to live. Business owners are also having trouble keeping or finding employees due to the lack of housing. On today’s date, there are only three single-family homes available for under $500,000 on San Juan Island.

While both Homes For Islanders and the Home Trust provide affordable housing, the models are different.

The Homes For Islanders model offers first-time homebuyers affordable homes through government grants and sweat equity; the buyer, in turn, is able to sell their home at market rates.

The Home Trust, on the other hand, provides permanently affordable housing via a resale formula that is agreed to at the time of purchase. The formula is designed to provide some growth on investment, but yet, keep the sale price affordable for the next low or moderate-income family.

We currently have two homes for sale; one at $190,000 and the second at $218,579. Continue Reading

135 Member Join Online Annual Meeting, more than 50 Join Q&A

From OPALCO

Jeff Struthers and Rick Chrismas of the Orcas district and Tom Osterman of Lopez district were elected to the OPALCO Board of Directors. 

The results were announced at the organization’s annual meeting April 24 held via Zoom.

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative, or OPALCO, is the member-owned cooperative electric utility, serving more than 11,400 members on 20 islands in San Juan County.

Election

In District 2 (Orcas et al), Struthers led with 871 votes, landing a three-year term.

Christmas was close with 664 votes to serve a two-year term.

The balance of the votes for District 2 were Rick Fant with 534 votes and Joseph Cohen with 490 votes.

In District 3 (Lopez, Decatur et al), Osterman won the position with 535 votes and will serve a three-year term.

The balance of the votes for District 3 were Eric Beckman with 485 votes and Peter Garlock with 325 votes.

A total of 1,425 ballots were cast, which equates to 12.6% of the membership. The majority of the membership voted online.

Doug Marshall encouraged OPALCO members to serve on the volunteer OPALCO Elections and Governance Committee. The committee is responsible for cultivating qualified candidates for each board election. There are currently open positions on the committee in every district.

Committee members work year-round on a casual basis to identify potential candidates, and meetings are concentrated from November through January during the election season.

Annual Meeting

About 135 people logged in to participate in the annual membership meeting on Zoom.

OPALCO is required by the Rural Utilities Services to hold an annual meeting each year. Members who missed the meeting can read the 2020 annual report and view the recording at www.opalco.com.

OPALCO Board President Vince Dauciunas and General Manager Foster Hildreth acknowledged the co-op staff and board members who provided the “safety, reliability” power during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dauciunas relayed the big picture concerns for how our energy landscape is changing. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo/Erika Fletcher on Unsplash.

From the Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families

The Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families is pleased to announce upcoming opportunities for licensed child care providers.

The Spring 2021 Child Care COVID-19 Grant is scheduled to open in late April and will be available for four weeks. All licensed child care providers who are serving children are eligible to apply.

The School-Age Incentive will offer a one-time payment to licensed school-age providers serving school-age children accessing subsidies in the months of February, March and April 2021.

The Spring Family, Friends and Neighbor Incentive will offer a one-time payment to FFN providers who have provided care to children receiving subsidy during the COVID-19 pandemic and claim a subsidy payment for both January and February 2021.

For more information, visit www.dcyf.wa.gov.

Contributed File Photo/Jenny Atkinson. Orcas pass by Lime Kiln.

In 2019 Congress designated the area, which includes the San Juan Islands

By Caroline C. Grauman-Boss, executive director, Salish Sea Sciences

Let the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation know what being part of the new Maritime Washington National Heritage Area means for you here in San Juan County. 

The Maritime Washington National Heritage Area was designated in 2019 and encompasses 3,000 miles of western Washington’s saltwater coastline from Grays Harbor County to the Canadian border, including the San Juan Islands.

Register for the San Juan and Island counties virtual public workshop at 5 p.m., May 6, and help shape the area’s master plan.

Learn more and register at www.preservewa.org/mwnha-island-sj. 

Survey

Take a short survey about the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area as another way to assert why you love our islands and the Salish Sea that surrounds us. This survey is an opportunity to make an impact that will have lasting value for our islands and for the state.

Salish Sea Sciences

The Salish Sea Sciences in Friday Harbor is located at the heart of the San Juan archipelago in the Salish Sea.

Salish Sea Sciences brings high school students from all backgrounds together with scientists and other professionals to learn from and protect the Salish Sea, its creatures, and people.

We believe that by shaping the Maritime Washington National Heritage Area with many and diverse San Juan County voices present, we can advance a sustainable future for islanders and the Salish Sea with a common purpose.

Learn more at salishseasciences.org.

From San Juan County Parks & Fair

Calling all vendors for the new Fair Market Series at the San Juan County Fairgrounds. The markets will be held on Saturdays throughout the summer. 

As part of the 2021 Virtual San Juan County Fair “Lettuce Entertain Ewe,” the fairgrounds staff will be producing a Fair Market Series.

The first two will be held on Saturday, May 8 and 22. 

We are looking for vendors of all types including food vendors, farmers, crafters, artists, community organizations looking to fundraise, and family and friends cleaning house. 

These fun community events will be full of new surprises.

Applications are available at www.sjcfair.org or via email [email protected] 

From San Juan Community Theatre

June 25, 7 p.m.: Desolation Sound in concert

July 1-3, 7 p.m.: Broadway revue concert

July 9, 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.: “Could You Hug a Cactus?” summer camp performances

July 17, 5 p.m.: San Juan Community Theatre’s Summer Gala Broadway & BBQ

July 18, 7 p.m.: Ben Jeffrey in concert

July 23, 2 p.m., July 24, noon and 2 p.m.: “The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet” camp performances

July 25, 7 p.m.: The Talbott Brothers in concert

July 31 and Aug. 1, 7 p.m.: Sway Wild

Aug. 6, 2 p.m. and Aug. 7, noon and 2 p.m.: Disney’s “101 Dalmatians” kids summer camp performances

Aug. 7, 7 p.m. and Aug. 8, 2 p.m.: San Juan Sings Again

Aug. 27 and 28, 7 p.m.: 2021 San Juan Community Theatre Playwrights Festival of Monologues