“Wind Erosion” by Dana Roberts

From San Juan Islands Museum of Art

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art will be open starting Feb. 19 following Gov. Jay Inslee’s announcement that our region can move to Phase 2 of the reopening plan.

After all these months of waiting, visiting an art museum is like a patch of blue sky in the gloom.

The Artists’ Registry Show features 70-plus county-wide artists exhibiting their best works of sculpture, painting, photography, printmaking, encaustic, pottery, glass, mixed media and more and will be showing through May 31.

“Voyager” by Steve Jensen is coming on March 5 and will also be shown until May 31. Jensen takes tragic events in his life and turns them into impressive and beautiful art pieces.

Also, fun and comfortable masks made by area quilters will be for sale at the museum. Pick from art by famous artists and fabulous fabrics.

Preview the exhibitions and galleries at sjima-online.org. On the site, visit “Second Helpings” for gallery talks and tours of previous exhibitions. Re-“join the art of discovery at SJIMA, where there is always something new.”

We continue to follow COVID guidelines and all visitors are required to wear masks. If you don’t have one, it will be provided.

Contributed photo/SJC Land Bank. Volunteers Jerry Weatherman and Michael Noonan “on set” at Cascade Creek filming fisheries biologist, Jenny De Groot, while she makes her way upstream during a monitoring visit.

From San Juan Land Bank

The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting from 8:30-11:30 a.m., Friday, Feb. 19 via Zoom. The public is invited to attend.

Click here to download the agenda, including the ZOOM link and meeting materials.

To learn more about your Conservation Land Bank, visit sjclandbank.org. If you’re interested in volunteering and/or joining our mailing list, contact [email protected]. We look forward to engaging with you!

The San Juan County Land Bank is a local land conservation program, created by voters in 1990, and funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property in San Juan County. Through conservation easements or outright purchases, the Land Bank protects special places in the Islands including coastlines, farmland, forests and wetlands

From Compass Health

Feb. 16, Compass Health announced that Washington State Governor Jay Inslee’s proposed 2021-22 capital budget includes $14 million in funding for phase two of the organization’s Broadway Campus Redevelopment Project.

Though the budget must still pass the Washington State House and Senate, the proposal is an important step toward creating a state-of-the-art regional center to support behavioral health needs across Northwest Washington. Continue Reading

Contributed Image/CDC

From San Juan County

Severe national weather postponed the COVID-19 vaccine clinic that was scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the Orcas Center on Orcas Island.

The vaccine clinic scheduled on Thursday, Feb. 18 at the county fairgrounds on San Juan Island is also postponed.

The clinic on Friday, Feb. 19 at the county fairgrounds on San Juan Island might be postponed. 

If you are receiving a vaccine at a clinic other than those listed above, your appointment is not impacted.

Severe winter weather across the United States has disrupted the overnight delivery of vaccine and vaccine supplies from manufacturers to local health districts across the United States, including San Juan County.

The recent snow in Washington is not the culprit of the disruption, but rather it is from the widespread ice and winter weather in the South and Midwest of the United States.

San Juan County was assigned 1,100 doses of vaccine to support the National Guard clinics on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday of this week. Those doses did not arrive as of Tuesday, as scheduled.

This disruption is impacting vaccine delivery efforts across Washington and beyond, including mass vaccination sites in other parts of the state. Continue Reading

Valentines Made by Spring Street School Students – Elena Porten photo

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

Islanders receiving delivered meals last Friday from our Meals on Wheels program received an extra message of Valentine’s Day love from the younger generation.

Two groups of young people, students from Friday Harbor’s Spring Street International School and members of YAAS, Young Adult Association of San Juan Island contributed valentines for Meals on Wheels. YAAS is a social and community service-oriented group for young adults with disabilities.

Besides lending their creativity to making Valentines for Meals on Wheels recipients, members of YAAS Have also been crossing the generational divide to attend the Mullis Center’s popular Chair Yoga Zoom class on Tuesdays at 1:00 pm and Wellness Happy Hour on Thursdays at 1 p.m. Wellness Happy Hour is described as “A joyful movement class to improve your quality of life! Get ready to brighten your mood, shrapen your mind, and lighten your heart.”

Both classes taught by Katerina Wen have welcomed our young friends. If interested please contact Anna Coffelt (360-370-7520 or [email protected]). The addition of youthful energy gives these classes even more of a bright spot for your day. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo. Tim Hoke.

The family would like to share the sad news that Tim Hoke needed to pass onto the next frontier.

We are still raw and feeling this loss so deeply, as the world will never be the same without him. He loved deeply, brilliantly taught so many, and made so many of us laugh. He had a profound presence and impact on so many when he was on top of his game.

We will all miss his brilliance and direct, at times snarky, humor and badass, yet gentle spirit within him. He would want those close to him to know he hung in as long as he could, and he is now out of pain and at peace.

He leaves behind his daughter Angela, attending Western Washington University, son Alex, attending Ohio State University, his mother Deborah Williams, former spouse and life partner of 30 years, Pam and mother-in-law Donna Brockway.

He was born in Warren, MI, met Pam at Ohio State in Columbus, OH, lived and raised their kids in Stuart FL, until 2014 when the family became a part of the Friday Harbor community.

Tim was passionate about teaching and consulting in web and technology services, coaching wrestling and helping others, especially his fellow veterans, struggling with addiction.

Contributed Photo.

He served the U.S. Army as Psychological Operations Specialist, Airborne, ran a business branding consultancy with his Pam from 2001 through 2015, served as web design teacher and wrestling coach at South Fork High School in Stuart FL from 2006-10, and worked with several local Friday Harbor businesses: Cynthia’s Bistro, Island Home Finishes and Browne’s to name a few.

He was working towards a Chemical Dependency Professional Certification with Skagit Valley College until his health issues began to overcome him. He loved volunteering and assisting many non-profit organizations including Helping People Succeed, SaluteUS, Alzheimer’s Community Care, Loggerhead Marinelife Center, Soroptimist International of Stuart, Martin County Arts Council and so many more. Continue Reading

From Friday Harbor Film Festival

The Friday Harbor Film Festival presents the online premiere of Magnolia Pictures’ “Stray,” a captivating, award-winning film about a trio of canine outcasts who roam the streets of Istanbul.

Through their eyes and ears, we are shown an intimate portrait of the life of a city and its people. It is an ultimate love letter to dogs and a multifaceted moral inquiry into humanity.

Watch online Feb. 18-28 at fhff.org for only $3.95. Pre-order to secure your spot, as tickets are limited.

Director Elizabeth Lo will participate in a free livestream Q&A at 7 p.m., Feb. 21. Request a link to connect at fhff.org. If you miss the livestream, you can watch it for free online.

Through the eyes of three stray dogs wandering the streets of Istanbul, Stray explores what it means to live as a being without status or security.

As they search for food and shelter, Zeytin, Nazar and Kartal embark on inconspicuous journeys through Turkish society that allow us an unvarnished portrait of human life — and their own canine culture. Continue Reading

Contributed Image/CDC

From San Juan County

To those registered for the upcoming Orcas vaccine clinics: we’re working hard to ensure that everyone who isn’t able to come to town on Tuesday or Wednesday due to road conditions will still be able to get their vaccine at another time (hopefully on Friday). No one should put themselves at risk in order to make their appointment.

Please DO NOT cancel your appointment. We will be reaching out to any no shows.

Hopefully, the rain clears the roads. If you can make it safely to your appointment, please do so- we would love to give you your vaccine at your scheduled time.

Thanks for your patience and flexibility.

From Islands’ Oil Spill Association

Tony Parkin has been hired as the new executive director of the Islands’ Oil Spill Association.

Hailing from the UK, Tony used his degree in Geology and Oceanography to launch an international career in marine science, remote-sensing, and over the past 30 years, oil spill response and planning. Tony and his family moved to the islands from Alaska in January.

For Tony, coming south and working with the San Juan Islands community is the perfect fit.

“I’ve traveled around the world responding to and planning for spills,” he said. “I’ve worked with and for community advocacy groups, industry, science operations, Native communities, commercial fishermen and many more. For me, IOSA is the perfect blend of all of that, but in a grassroots, community spirit kind of way that is remarkably unique in the spill response world. My family and I are thrilled to be here.”

IOSA Board President and Lopez Islander J Havner highlights the challenges and opportunities ahead.

“IOSA has been in a rebuilding mode, and Tony represents a new stage in the evolution of the organization,” said Havner. “His breadth of spill response experience coupled with plenty of years living and working in communities far smaller and more remote than ours makes him a great fit for both IOSA and the islands.”

Continue Reading

From Skagit Valley College

Skagit Valley College Basic Education for Adults program is offering spring quarter classes for high school completion, GED Prep and English language acquisition

Skagit Valley College’s Basic Education for Adults office, www.skagit.edu/beda, is continuing to offer services via remote delivery, as well as some in-person support offered by SVC BEdA faculty.

Spring Quarter classes begin on Monday, April 5 for High School Completion, GED Prep and English Language Acquisition. It’s not too late to apply!

Appointments are being offered by phone or online Zoom appointments. To schedule an appointment to get registered, email [email protected] or call 360-416-7640.

There are a number of resources available for you, such as laptop loans, funding and advising support to help you navigate these challenging times. The SVC Libraries at the Mount Vernon and Whidbey Island campuses are loaning technology to help you succeed. For more information, visit https://tinyurl.com/zp60pnrp.

From Washington State Ferries

All routes, including the Anacortes/San Juan Island route, will remain on their severe weather schedules through the end of the sailing day on Monday, Feb. 15.

The Anacortes/San Juan Islands route will be running on its weekday severe weather schedule Monday. Travelers should continue to plan ahead and check the adjusted schedules online and give themselves plenty of extra time to arrive at the terminal before their desired departure.

Reservation rules remain relaxed, and customers will not be charged no-show fees should they choose not to travel. Customers can go online to cancel their reservations, but that is not required to avoid being assessed a no-show fee.

The safety of our customers and crews is our number one priority. We ask that customers please be patient should delays occur. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Contributed Image/CDC

From San Juan County

The Lopez Island vaccine clinic on Monday, Feb. 15 is currently scheduled to be open.

However, plans are being made so that those who cannot make it to the village on Monday will be able to receive their vaccination later in the week, likely on Thursday.

Bottom line: no one should put their safety in jeopardy. At the same time, if you can safely make it to your appointment, we’d love to see you.

Please monitor www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info for future updates.

From the Center for Whale Research

We asked Center for Whale Research members and supporters to share a short story about a special whale, encounter or friendship that developed from a shared passion for whales. We are very grateful to those who shared their stories. This is what they wrote (listing in the order that we received them).

Cindy:

The Whale. The Legend. J1 “Ruffles”. He was quite likely the most famous and well-known wild orca in the world, next to Keiko.

In front of thousands of adoring fans, he would slowly surface and then just as slowly disappear beneath the water again, as if he knew how impressive that wavy dorsal fin was. People from all over the world saw him and loved him, but one admirer, in particular, remains etched in my memory.

Danny (name changed for privacy) was a special needs man who was a passenger on our whale watch boat at least once a year. He loved us, and he loved Ruffles.

Each time he walked on the dock to start the trip, he would embrace all of us in a huge bear hug so strong we would have to hang on to each other to keep from falling in the water. We adored him. And we knew that whenever he was with us, we were going to have a fantastic day with J Pod. Because Danny had a special connection with Ruffles that was difficult to comprehend. Continue Reading

From OPALCO

Join OPALCO at noon, Feb. 24 on Zoom for a video tour of the energy co-op’s first community solar array on Decatur Island with a panel discussion and Q&A session.

OPALCO installed a one-megawatt battery storage project to couple with their first community solar array on Decatur Island.

This microgrid is the first of many planned as the co-op builds a local power supply and begins to decrease dependence on the mainland grid.

The microgrid gives OPALCO the ability to operate their electrical distribution system with more efficiencies, cost savings and load control. It’s an exciting step towards a healthy and reliable energy future in the San Juans, and a key project as the Co-op prepares for the transition away from carbon/fossil fuels.

Please join us to get a look at the project, and learn why it’s important and more about what the energy future looks like.

Register in advance for this webinar here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar. Continue Reading

From San Juan Island Library

The San Juan Island Library District helped the Washington Anytime Library surpass 1.7 million digital book checkouts in 2020 — an all-time record.

This milestone affirms that more people are choosing eBooks, eAudiobooks and the convenience of online lending, particularly at a time when numerous libraries had to close due to the pandemic.

The Washington Anytime Library, which comprises 46 smaller and mid-sized libraries around the state including San Juan Island Library, has been providing readers 24/7 access to eBooks and eAudiobooks for a decade, through OverDrive and its award-winning Libby reading app. Reader interest and usage has grown every year.

“eBooks and eAudiobooks offer new entrances into reading for all ages,” says Assistant Director, Rowan Buckton. “In a time where we can so easily feel isolated, Washington Anytime Library helps us remain connected through story and narrative.”

“Digital collections like the Washington Anytime Library have proved to be invaluable during the pandemic,” said Will Stuivenga, Cooperative Projects Manager at the Washington State Library, and manager of the Washington Anytime Library. “The Library Development Program at the Washington State Library is committed to ensuring these services are available at even the smallest libraries across the state so people can have easy access to the books they love to read, no matter where they are.”

The highest-circulating title Washington Anytime Library readers borrowed in 2020 was “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling. “Thrillers” was the top circulating genre in a vast catalog that includes romance, biographies, and children/young adult.

The top five eBook titles borrowed through the Washington Anytime Library’s digital collection in 2020: Continue Reading