From Friday Harbor Film Festival

The Friday Harbor Film Festival Director Series will present a varied selection of not-to-be-missed documentaries to brighten your life during the winter of 2021.

All can be accessed online at fhff.org at extremely low prices.  Here is the lineup for January and February:

Jan. 7-17: The importance of public lands

“A Plea for Refuge,” directed by Dan Holmes of KAVU, follows two adventurous friends who hike and fly paragliders across the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the eastern Brooks Range of Alaska, north of the Arctic Circle, learning the importance of fiercely protecting its nature. A livestream Q&A with the director is planned.

Jan. 18-31: Farming innovations

“Growing Solutions” looks at real-life solutions to challenges plaguing farmers, such as water scarcity, soil degradation and the ravages of climate change. Regenerative agriculture allows farmers to be more resilient in the face of mounting challenges

“Vertical: The Future of Farming” follows a new generation of urban, indoor farmers, whose approach to food production offers the potential to combat climate change while feeding hundreds of millions by utilizing vertical space in cities, rather than expansive rural fields.

A livestream panel discussion with the directors and local farming experts will also be featured.

Feb. 1-17:  A heart-warming and exciting musical trilogy                       

“Shining Night: A Portrait of Composer Morten Lauridsen,” offers a glimpse in Continue Reading

From Gov. Inslee’s Office

On Jan. 5, Gov. Jay Inslee announced “Healthy Washington — Roadmap to Recovery,” a COVID-19 phased recovery plan.

Beginning on Jan. 11, the state will follow a regional recovery approach with every region beginning in Phase 1.

“No one was untouched by the effects of the pandemic in 2020; many have and continue to suffer through no fault of their own,” Inslee said during a press conference Tuesday. “We aren’t out of this yet, but we are close to turning the corner on COVID-19 and this third wave of infection.”

Washington has avoided overwhelming the state’s health care systems throughout this pandemic so far through rigorous safety measures, such as physical distancing and masking, as well as social and economic restrictions.

This new recovery system aims to safely ease some restrictions while also maintaining crucial hospital capacity, ensuring care for Washingtonians that need it and paving the way for economic recovery.

Regions

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From Town Of Friday Harbor

The Town of Friday Harbor will be flushing fire hydrants from Thursday, Jan. 7 through Friday, Jan. 8.

Homes and businesses nearby may be affected with brief water discoloration, cloudiness or slight pressure fluctuations.

The town crew will do everything in their power to keep these conditions to a minimum.

This testing part of the Town of Friday Harbor’s Water Comprehensive Plan and is essential to assure that hydrants are operating efficiently for fire protection purposes.

Along with maintaining fire ratings, testing monitors the health and quality of the town’s water system, identifies weak areas in the system and removes minerals and sediment that accumulate in distribution lines and hydrants.

There are no known health concerns associated with the minerals that get stirred up as a result of line flushing.

Customer Tips: Continue Reading

Contributed Photo/Matt’s Fresh Fish

By Matt Marinkovich, Owner, Matt’s Fresh Fish

Local fisherman and fish-seller, Matt Marinkovich, is offering a pound-to-pound match of fish to the food bank.

Marinkovich sells fish directly to customers on occasion at the Bakery San Juan parking lot through his business, Matt’s Fresh Fish.

“I’ve been trying to figure out a way to involve the community in donating a bunch of fish to the food bank,” Marinkovich said, “and a pound-for-pound match is the way to go!”

On Friday, Jan. 8, Marinkovich will be selling widow rockfish, Sebastes entomelas, for $6 per pound. The fish is frozen and vacuum-packed, with all bones removed.

If anyone chooses to donate any amount of this fish to the food bank, Matt’s Fresh Fish will match the donation pound-for-pound. Continue Reading

By Diane Martindale, ArtsWA Commissioner From San Juan County 

The CARES Act funding brings much-needed assistance to the state’s cultural sector and San Juan County organizations.

Nearly 390 nonprofit arts and culture organizations serving 32 Washington counties received funding in recent rounds of CARES Act funding in Washington state.

The state’s creative economy supports more than 17,600 arts and culture-related businesses and more than 305,000 jobs.

The arts and cultural organizations funded in the San Juan County were Alchemy Art Center, Canoe Island French Camp, Lopez Community and Art Center, Orcas Center, Orcas Choral Society, Orcas Island Historical Society, Orcas Island Lit Fest, San Juan Community Theatre, San Juan Islands Historical Society/Museum and San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo. Eric Guth.

From Spring Street International School

Join Eric Guth for a look into the rebirth of Mount St. Helens in a virtual lecture called “Fire and Ice: The Birth of Crater Glacier” at 6 p.m., Jan. 21. Register for this online event here.

Forty years after the eruption, a glacier now fills the void left by this devastating event. Beneath the ice is a labyrinth of glacier caves, sculpted by the heat of an active volcano.

Eric has documented four expeditions into the heart of Crater Glacier, photographing climatologists, microbiologists, and NASA robots in action.

His efforts and photos were published online with National Geographic on May 18, 2020, to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the eruption. He now shares his story with you. Continue Reading

From Skagit Valley College

Skagit Valley College has been awarded $32,270 for a one-year pilot program designed to assist SVC’s Running Start students by the Washington Student Achievement Council.

The SVC Running Start Pilot Scholarship will support student success by covering the cost of books, course materials, and/or student fees for eligible students during the 2020-21 academic year.

If a student is enrolled in a workforce program, the scholarship can also cover the cost of tools, lab and course fees, and work clothes.

The program is designed to help low-income families and improve access to Running Start. Students who qualify for free or reduced lunch, and who have a GPA of 2.0 or higher, are eligible for the scholarship.

 SVC’s award is part of a WSAC Dual Enrollment Scholarship pilot program that encourages students to enroll in post-secondary education and helps reduce the time and cost needed to complete their degree. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo/Jeanne Hyde, Documentarian of The Whale Museum’s Orca Adoption Program

From Washinton Department of Fish and Wildlife

On Dec. 21, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced new rules for commercial viewing of Southern Resident killer whales to reduce the impacts of vessel noise and disturbance on the whales’ ability to forage, rest, and socialize while enabling sustainable whale watching.

Prompted by the Legislature through Senate Bill 5577, the rules are expected to take effect in early 2021. The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the rules during its Dec. 18 meeting. The rules only restrict commercial viewing of SRKW and do not further restrict the viewing of Bigg’s killer whales, humpbacks, or other species of whales and marine mammals beyond regulations already in place.

“This process has highlighted the extensive community invested in the recovery of Southern Resident killer whales,” said Kelly Susewind, WDFW Director. “The adopted rules are an important part of a broader suite of efforts that the Department is continuing to pursue to help prevent the extinction of these animals while preserving an appropriate opportunity to admire them.”

The rules include a three-month, July-September season when commercial viewing of SRKW by motorized commercial whale watching vessels may happen at closer than one-half nautical mile during two, two-hour periods daily (limit of three motorized commercial whale watching vessels per group of SRKW).

The rules formalize the currently voluntary ‘no-go’ zone along the west side of San Juan Island to commercial whale watching vessels year-round regardless of SRKW presence, allowing a 100-yard corridor for commercial kayak operations. Continue Reading

From San Juan Island Library

Join a virtual Open Mic for Writers at 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 9. The event is hosted by the San Juan Island Library.

Held on the second Saturday of the month, Open Mic Night is for anyone interested in writing.

Don’t be shy, come read your work or just listen. You’ll be inspired to write more.

To register for the online meeting, email [email protected] or [email protected].

Openings with Ag Resources, Libraries, Fair and More

From San Juan County

The San County Council is searching for San Juan County citizens to fill current and upcoming vacancies on various boards and commissions.

Additional information about each committee is available at http://sanjuanco.com/641/Board-Committee-Vacancies.

Persons interested in serving on a board or advisory committee should fill out an Advisory Committee Application or contact the council office at 360-378-2898 or [email protected]. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo/Loren Isaac. Snowy Alaska mountains.

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

Cold Weather and Fuzzy Thinking

Whenever I look into the rearview mirror of my life gone by in Alaska; feeling nostalgic, needing a laugh and reality check, I call up Archie.

But like pickled herring piled on toast for breakfast, it is not something I want to do regularly.  

If laughter is the best medicine then hearing Archie’s take on things is a swig of cod liver oil. His earthy humor is not constrained to jokes with punch lines but spontaneous riffs on the human condition.

He does not suffer fools nor stupid statements (my apologies to adherents of “How to Make Friends and Influence People,” but our times are a veritable blizzard of stupid public statements).

But he does so in a way that has earned him many unlikely allies. He ought to be paid a stipend to attend contentious public meetings (remember those?) to deslime bureaucratic blather and serve as a grounding rod of local truth. All with friendly humor. 

He has dirt under his fingernails, his head in the sky. He attributes his “trust but verify” attitude about things to the part of his misspent youth in Vietnam, assigned to intelligence units and stateside reporters.

He always says that “if you have a moral compass and a backbone, it isn’t really possible to swallow bigger and bigger lies. Like eating a goat’s eyeball, the more you chew the bigger it gets!” Continue Reading

By Hayley Day, San Juan Update

The San Juan County Council will hold their virtual retreat at 9 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 5.

View the agenda and watch the live stream here.

According to the agenda, “the January retreat is intended to accomplish several tasks necessary to establish structure and function and to complete a high-level overview of issues and initiatives inherited by the new council.”

The new council consists of Christine Minney of District 1, Cindy Wolf of District 2 and Jamie Stephens of District 3. Minney and Wolf are the newest members and were elected last November.

At the retreat, councilmembers will discuss the 2021 budget, priority capital projects and the county’s COVID-19 response. 

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From San Juan Island Library

The San Juan Island Library will host a virtual class called “Intro to Online Zoom Meetings,” at 10 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Learn the Zoom video conference application features in a low-pressure environment.

During COVID-19, many of us have had to learn Zooming on the fly, or never had an opportunity to learn at all.

This class will address basic Zoom features at a pace where you can learn, and give you the confidence to attend or even lead a Zoom meeting on your own.

We’ll cover using the microphone and video camera, reactions, screen views, and more.

To register, email [email protected].

Mandala – Artwork by Katerina Wen

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

Happy New Year!

As the old year comes to a close, whether you are in the habit of making resolutions or not, the Mullis Center offers several ways to gently improve your life.

To bring joy and wellness into your life, Zoom yoga classes with Katerina Wen are now being offered to seniors at no cost.

Join the Mullis Center book club, also via Zoom, to stimulate your brain and broaden your horizons.

Finally, keep your feet happy and healthy by making an appointment for Foot Care at the Mullis Center.

Zoom Yoga with Katerina Wen – Peggy Sue McRae photo

Zoom Yoga with Katerina Wen: Sign up for either or both of two joyful yoga classes taught by Katerina Wen.

Chair Yoga, Tuesdays at 1-1:45 p.m., is a popular, easy-to-follow sequence improving your mobility and vitality including breathing practices to relieve stress and create calm.  Says Katerina, “It is a sweet gathering where we share a lighthearted practice to re-pattern our body’s ability to become resilient again!”

This class will be free for the first three months of 2021 to all Mullis Center members. Continue Reading

From San Juan Island Library

Receive “tech help” thanks to the San Juan Island Library, at 3 p.m., Mondays, Jan. 4, 11 and 25.

Get help with computers, tablets and smartphones via Zoom.

After determining your needs, you will work one-on-one with a volunteer.

This class is designed to help you learn to use your technology and troubleshoot minor problems.

Visit https://www.sjlib.org/event/tech-help-via-zoom/all/ to complete a registration form to attend.

Contributed Image/CDC

From San Juan County

Since the last update on Friday, Dec. 25, the total cases in San Juan County have increased from 78 to 79. The new case is on Orcas Island.

Current positive case numbers are available online at the San Juan County Case Count page. As indicated on that page, these numbers are only updated after case confirmation is complete, usually daily. It is possible that other information sources in the community may be quicker to report on new cases, but ensuring privacy and accuracy is critical for this official information source.

Orcas Island

The new case on Orcas has resulted in one case being actively monitored on Orcas at this time. Transmission for this case appears to be from a Christmas gathering.

Lopez Island

Continue Reading