From Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor

Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor and the Joyce Sobel Family Resource Center are collecting household items to assist community members during these difficult times.

Collection cans will be set near the entrances of Browne’s Home Center, Friday Harbor Drug and the San Juan Island Food Co-op through March 14.

Items needed include:

1. Paper towels
2. Laundry detergent
3. Dish soap
4. Women hygiene products (pads, tampons)
5. Deodorant (men and women’s)
6. Toilet paper
7. Cleaning supplies
8. Baby diapers (sizes 2,3 and 4)
9. Baby wipes
10. Bath soap
11. Shampoo
12. Conditioner
13. Razors
14. Floss
15. Toothpaste
16. Covid-19 masks

These items can usually be found at the stores where the collecting cans are located. Thank you for caring. Continue Reading

Contributed Image. Fritillaria affinis

From San Juan County Land Bank

The San Juan County Land Bank is offering a rare opportunity to purchase locally grown wildflowers native to San Juan County. Reserve plants online at sjclandbank.org, March 5-12, and pick them up on Saturday, March 20 at locations on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan islands.

All plants are produced locally by the Salish Seeds Project. The sale begins online at 8 a.m. on Friday, March 5.

Local wildflowers offer beauty, attract pollinators, and are perfectly adapted to our island habitats. The following 10 species will be available, all in 4” pots: chocolate lily, common camas, death camas, great camas, Henderson’s shooting star, Hooker’s onion, Indian celery, prairie saxifrage, purple sanicle, and spring gold. Packets of a limited-edition deer-resistant wildflower seed mix will also be offered.

Quantities are very limited! The Land Bank hopes to offer more species and larger quantities in the future. The price per plant offsets the cost of production, allowing for this community service.

The Salish Seeds Project is dedicated to restoring native wildflowers and grasses in the San Juan Islands. Plants and seeds for habitat restoration are produced at a nursery located at Red Mill Farm in San Juan Valley. In a fruitful partnership, The San Juan Preservation Trust owns the property and the Land Bank runs the nursery. For more information contact Outreach/Volunteer Coordinator, Tanja Williamson at 360-370-7655 or email  [email protected].

From Washington State Department of Commerce

The Washington State Department of Commerce Thursday, Feb. 26 announced $3.7 million in grants for nine solar energy projects across the state. The projects will result in a total $6.1 million reduction in the energy burden of low-income households and nonprofits serving low-income communities over 25 years.

The Low-Income Solar Deployment Program is part of Washington’s Clean Energy Fund, established in 2013. These grants will result in 2.8 megawatts of nameplate generation from new solar installations — enough solar power to serve about 322 average households per year or over 12 million electric vehicle miles.

Washington state map shows project locations. Text describes that the nine projects will generate 2.8 megawatts of energy and save $6.1 million over 25 years.

“Low-income households pay a disproportionately higher portion of income for energy bills, and often are also in locations more likely to be impacted by the effects of harmful carbon emissions and climate change, such as poor air quality,” said Commerce Director Lisa Brown. “These projects will lower the energy burden of low-income communities while increasing renewable energy generation on the electric grid, both important steps toward achieving energy equity across Washington state.”

From a pool of 12 applicants requesting a total of $4.8 million, the projects awarded funding are:

Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) — $1 million to build a 1.2 MW community solar array on San Juan Island. OPALCO will use benefits from the array to offset the annual energy bills of Low-Income Service Providers on the three main islands, and to increase the credits provided to offset low- and moderate-income households’ monthly energy bills.

“OPALCO is honored to be awarded funds from the CEF3 Low-Income Solar Deployment Program,” said Foster Hildreth OPALCO’s General Manager. “This grant will give us an opportunity to address equity in our island communities by dedicating a substantial amount of the solar production to benefit households of low- and medium-income through OPALCO’s energy assistance programs and support low-income service providers that offer a safety net for our most vulnerable co-op members.” Continue Reading

Contributed photo/Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board. Daphne laureola

By Jason A. Ontjes, program coordinator, San Juan County Noxious Weed Control 

Daphne laureola, or spurge laurel, has been on the state’s noxious weed list since 2007.

This evergreen ornamental shrub, which is native to Europe and northern Africa, was once sold by plant nurseries in the Pacific Northwest, but it is now on the state’s “prohibited plants list” (cannot be sold or traded), since it has escaped cultivation and has become an invader of forests and clearings.

All parts of the plant (including the sap) are highly toxic to people and pets.

Commonly mistaken for rhododendron, spurge laurel has narrowly oval leaves that are often dark green and shiny, 1 to 5 inches long, and clustered at the branch tips.

Its yellow-green flowers appear in winter or early spring, resulting in small, fleshy fruits that are initially green, turning to black by early summer. Rodents and birds are adept at spreading these seed-laden fruits (drupes) to new locations. Spurge laurel is required to be controlled in our county (RCW 17.10, WAC 16-750).

If you find spurge laurel on your property, dig or pull plants out of the ground with gloved hands or with the aid of a weed wrench, getting most of the roots out. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo/The San Juan Historical Society and Museum. Elsie Hope Scott in 1924. Photo and nursing cap in the San Juan Historical Society & Museum collections.

From the San Juan Historical Society and Museum

It’s Women’s History Month and the tradition of this history column is to feature a person or organization in keeping with the topic. This year, in recognition of International Women’s Day on March 8, the United Nations has chosen the theme of “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world.”

Locally, conversations once centering on ferry reservations have largely been replaced by those about vaccination clinics. This, no doubt, will be a local history topic itself in the faraway future. But today, there is an obvious choice for this month’s column. It is Elsie Scott, San Juan County public health nurse from 1938 to the 1960s, remembered fondly today by many who knew her. She is pictured above as a graduate of Seattle’s Minor Hospital Nursing School in 1924.

Elsie’s story is a long and noteworthy one, covered expertly in a HistoryLink.org essay by Lynn Weber/Roochvarg. We invite you to think of this month’s history column as a short introduction to nurse Scott and our way to honor her and those in the public health field in general. If you find this column interesting, just wait until you read Lynn’s HistoryLink essay!

Elsie Hope Scott was born on November 6, 1898 in Goodnight, Texas. She was one of four daughters, all born in Texas, to John and Annie Millie Scott, immigrants from Ireland. The family relocated to Wenatchee, Washington in 1908, after a lengthy return to Ireland in order to settle Mrs. Scott’s estate. It was also a time for Elsie’s older sisters to advance their musical studies in Europe. Elsie’s father returned to Wenatchee ahead of his family to purchase a ranch just outside of town.

From the Wenatchee Daily World, Dec. 26, 1908:

Continue Reading

By Randall Gaylord, San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney

On Thursday, Feb. 25, a narrow majority of the Washington Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional a state statute making it unlawful to possess controlled substances upending a 50-year-old statute and tens of thousands of criminal convictions in Washington state.

“I don’t expect to see meth and heroin users openly flouting the law,” said San Juan County Prosecuting Attorney Randall Gaylord, “until the law is changed, law enforcement officers will be unable to take action to respond to cases of simple possession.”

Two state senators acted swiftly and by Friday afternoon Senate Bill 5468 was introduced in Olympia that would fix the problem identified by the court by adding the word “knowingly” to the statute.

Gaylord urged that the legislature act quickly and adopt the new measure.

“Illicit drug use is a real problem for drug users as well as the rest of the community,” he said. “I would not like to see any community in the state suddenly deal with people flaunting the possession and use of drugs that are dangerous or not prescribed to that person.”

Gaylord explained that adding the term “knowingly” would eliminate the ambiguity in the statutes and require the prosecutor to prove that the offender “knew” that he or she possessed the drugs and would guard against “unwitting possession.”

“The statute needs to be amended as soon as possible. This statute is one of the primary ways we help families and the community get a handle on offenders whether through punishment or rehabilitation,” said Gaylord.

Continue Reading

From San Juan Islands Community Network

San Juan Islands Community Network invites you to watch its second virtual forum that explored how the islands’ schools are responding to the health and educational challenges posed by COVID-19.

The response so far has been very positive and we believe many more islanders will benefit from the rich conversation. Those who did not attend the forum can view the recording, at their leisure, here. 

A short survey is also linked in the video description on YouTube. We would greatly appreciate if people complete the survey after viewing the forum recording. This feedback will help us improve our forums in the future. Here’s a direct link to a survey.

Here are some of the comments we received: Continue Reading

Many Moons – Artwork Peggy Sue McRae

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

My birthday is in early March and last year’s girlfriend lunch, themed “Cheeseburger in Paradise” is remembered now as the last “normal” social event a few of us had before things started getting weird. I remember that month well because I was working for Tim on the San Juan Island Update.

It started with cancellations. Musicians and entertainers from other places started letting us know they would not be coming here. From there it snowballed into a flood of cancellations accompanied by a rapid-fire of public service announcements. By the end of that month, the library and the schools were closed and we were “staying home and staying safe.”

Washington state is now in “phase two” meaning OK for limited restaurant dining. Some of us have had our first vaccine if not both. The light at the end of this long tunnel is getting brighter. At the same time, worrisome new strains of the virus are emerging. We are warned not to let up just yet on our safety measures. Keep wearing masks, keep social distancing, wash your hands, and stay home.

Having paid work I can do at home has been a blessing not just because I need the income but looking back over the past year having some kind of schedule, responsibilities and contact with others, has kept me from slipping into a Netflix-induced coma.

Thanks to Zoom, I’ve kept in touch with college friends, yoga classes, my counselor and my book club. Saturday morning email check-ins with my sisters offer solid ground and perspective. I taught myself how to make really good banana bread. Continue Reading

From OPALCO

As a cooperative, OPALCO holds elections for its board positions on an annual basis.

The 2021 election is the first year of the staggered election process. ALL OPALCO members vote in every election regardless of their home district.

The following are running for OPALCO board positions this year:

• District 2 (two positions open): Rick Christmas, Joseph Cohen, Rick Fant and Jeffrey Struthers
• District 3 (one position open): Eric Beckman, Peter Garlock, Tom Osterman

Find out more about this year’s candidates at our candidate forum at 5 p.m. March 17 via Zoom. Email [email protected] to get registration information.

Ballots and voting materials will be sent to members on March 22, the day the election opens, and also will be posted online at www.opalco.com. Members will receive their ballots by email or via USPS, depending on each member’s stated preference. Ballots are due online or by mail no later than 10 a.m. on April 21. Continue Reading

The Town of Friday Harbor Council adopted Resolution No. 2618 declaring town support for approval of Proposition 1 by the San Juan Island Parks and Recreation District, also known as Island Rec, in the April 27 special election.

Continue Reading

From San Juan Island Library

The San Juan Island Library will present a virtual Know Your Islanders event on Oak Knoll Farm and the Pope and Greene Family at 7 p.m., Wednesday, March 17.

Sarah Pope returned home to San Juan Island in 2017 with her partner, Adam Greene, to raise their children and take over stewardship of a historic sheep farm.

Embarking on a steep but joyous learning curve to acquire skills like fence building and sheep midwifery along with knowledge of soil science, ruminant nutrition, and botanical dyeing, the family has also found nourishment in community connections.

Adam is a firefighter/EMT, Sarah manages the new San Juan Islands Food Hub, and the whole family helps coordinate firewood donations through the Family Resource Center. Bring your questions about sheep, wool, local food, and opportunities for service to island neighbors.

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

By Karen Meenan, San Juan Island

I was asked to be on the Island Rec Levy Committee and I gladly said yes.  Let me tell you why. 

I love Island Rec.  What a gem for our community; such a robust set of programs for a little community like ours.  Most of us use or support at least something offered by Island Rec.  Personally, as a “dog-mom” I use the gravel pit regularly. 

I love music in the park during the summer months.  My daughters have thrived in the high school sports program.  And I’m happy to know that the younger members of our community have a safe and fun place to go after school in the STAR program.  And if you don’t find something you like, ask them to offer it—if they can, they will.  Just ask the Pickleball players on the island who now play twice a week through Island Rec. 

It’s important to note that Island Rec is not asking for any new money; this is simply a renewal of the existing levy that expires this year.  The amount is the same: 38.5 cents per $1,000 property assessed value.  Most households pay less than $200 a year.

 I know Island Rec is popular in this community.  Please let me stress that it is important to actually vote rather than “leaving it to somebody else” to do so.  This levy requires at least 2,600 votes, with 60% or more being in the affirmative.  I hope you will join me and vote yes on April 27!

Contributed Photo/Dave Ellifrit, Center For Whale Research. L86 and L125 Photos taken under Federal Permits NMFS PERMIT: 21238/ DFO SARA 388

From the Center for Whale Research

The Center for Whale Research is thrilled to confirm that a new calf, L125, has been born into the Southern Resident killer whale community.

Following word that J, K, and L pod were in Haro Strait, CWR dispatched two boats with field researchers to photo-identify the new calf and as many other SRKWs as possible for our annual population census.

​CWR’s photo-ID expert, Dave Ellifrit, captured images that show L125 with fetal folds, indicating a relatively recent birth.

“It is nicely filled out and appears to be a perfectly normal little calf,” said Ellifrit.

L125’s size and shape are typical of a calf in good physical condition. The new calf’s mother is L86, her fourth offspring. Continue Reading

From Friday Harbor Film Festival

Friday Harbor Film Festival’s Director Series presents “Unbranded” and “The River and the Wall,” offering viewers adventure and discovery online from March 1-15 at fhff.org.

Screen each film for only $2.95. Since December this series has attracted film lovers from 16 countries including Europe, Canada, Australia, and the US.

“Unbranded,” directed by Phil Baribeau, is an in-between-college-and-real-life adventure, a message, and a wakeup call for better land and wild horse management. After adopting a group of wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management and then training them, four recent college grads travel 3,000 miles from the Arizona-Mexico border up the spine of former ‘wild west’ to the Canadian border.

Traveling through almost exclusively public lands they live out their dream of being 19th century frontiersmen while using a 21st century camera to document their rite of passage through the deepest backcountry of five states in the American West. Woven into this adventure is the ongoing debate about how to manage wild horses on public lands, where the BLM clashes with activists and ranchers when they capture wild horses and recruit people to adopt them. The filmmakers have created a powerful film following the journey of 4 men, 16 mustangs, and a changing American West. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo. Merri Ann Simonson.

By Merri Ann Simonson, Managing Broker, Coldwell Banker San Juan Islands Inc

As inventory is very low for existing single-family homes, more and more buyers are considering custom construction.

Building custom allows you to design and build the exact floor plan and exterior elevation that suits your needs, your budget and is well cited to the land.

Step One:

Determine your budget for the project. If you are not using cash on hand and plan to involve a lender, then you need to determine your maximum loan qualification. You need to be pre-qualified by a lender for your permanent take-out loan as that is the loan that pays off your construction costs or construction/land loan.

Funding Arrangements

Prior to finding the perfect parcel It is imperative that you plan your purchasing method. Cash always works but . . . . . .

Seller financing is a good option, they basically act as the bank and take a secured position on the property with a note and deed of trust. Seller financing is typically short-term in nature such as 1-3 years, the interest rate is at least 1-2% above a convention residential loan.

The down payment is around 20-30%, but typically, no appraisal, or junk, or loan fees. The seller will want to review your credit report and 2- year tax returns. Arrangements for seller financing is quicker than institutional loans and can be processed within 20 days or less from mutual acceptance of the contract.

Continue Reading

Contributed Image

From San Juan Island Prevention Coalition

We have some good news to share from the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition.

In these times of being “Zoomed Out” and still physically distancing, we have some local teens staying engaged in helping promote a healthier community! We thought we’d share a little backstory on our Peer 2 Peer progress.

Our San Juan Island Prevention Coalition’s youth team, Rock Solid, has been invited to help teach some of the wellness workshop material for this year’s Peer 2 Peer training.

Feb. 26, 2020, was the pilot for the Peer 2 Peer program, a regional youth leadership training created by Danika Troupe and Hailey Wright in Sedro Woolley with United General.

The state provided grants to cover the program. Rock Solid went last February for an all-day in-person training on the mainland; this was just before the fallout of COVID -19 hitting our communities hard. Our team included Luke Fincher, Ramona Flierl, and Clarence Harold. They were able to pivot and provide an interactive and engaging series of wellness workshops via Zoom for our 7th and 8th grade health and career classes last April and May!

The critical topics of media literacy, social norms, coping skills, and the science of marijuana and the developing brain, carry more weight when delivered by their peers.

Luke Fincher decided to make his “Community Project Class” project out of this model this school year, as he’s a junior. Luke continued to mentor two 8th grade students involved in the H.O.T.S. Jr. (Helping Out Teens Society) prevention club. Interestingly, years ago, the HOTS Jr. club was created by a Community Project’s Class member with a mentor, our executive coordinator Cynthia Stark-Wickman.

Continue Reading