Leslie Allen Dean, Nov. 25, 1943 – Oct. 10, 2020

Leslie Allen Dean, age 76, died at St. Mary’s Hospital in Walla Walla, Washington on October 10th, 2020.

He was born in Bismarck, North Dakota on November 25th, 1943 to Ronald and Frieda Dean.  He moved to College Place, Washington with his wife Leora Dean and two daughters, Shannon and Marnie Dean in 1972.

Les was a bricklayer by profession and was very proud of the work he did with his company Tri-State Masonry based in Walla Walla.  His passion was tinkering and repairing wrecked vehicles of which he had many. Les moved to Friday Harbor to be near his daughter Shannon and her husband Tim from 2015 until the Life Care Center closed in 2018 when he moved back to Regency at the Park in his hometown of Walla Walla.

He is buried with his folks at Mount Hope Cemetery, in College Place.

In his memory eat some chocolate,  have a chocolate shake or a Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich.

By San Juan Community Theatre

“Friday Harbor Happenings” is a new, digital satirical sketch comedy show with an ensemble cast, created by San Juan Community Theatre for our beloved local community.

The writers hope the episodes will bring a smile and some laughter to everyone in these uncertain times.

“Friday Harbor Happenings” centers on a new (but fictional) social media page and the (also fictional) island inhabitants that join the page.

View the show below, or at https://sjctheatre.org/2020-21-snapshot-season-videos/friday-harbor-happenings-webseries. 

By Travis Ayers, Friday Harbor High School Grad Night Committee Chair

Wreaths and pies purchased from the Friday Harbor High School Grad Night Committee will be available for pickup from 9 a.m.-3 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 25 at the Mullis Center.  

If delivery was requested, students will begin deliveries on Wednesday. 

Same-day sales are also an option!  

Get a beautiful, aromatic, long-lasting, 24-inch Northwest Noble Fir wreath with pinecones, berries and a handmade bow in one of three colors for only $25. These wreaths make great gifts for friends, family, neighbors and business associates.

Homemade pies (pecan or pumpkin) are also available for $20.

This is the largest fundraiser for the class of 2021. Proceeds will be used to pay for Grad Night, a memorable, safe, sober and sane graduation celebration.

Orders or donations may be placed by visiting www.FHHSGradNight.com. At checkout, send an optional message with a senior student’s name to help them in the fundraising competition.

Any questions can be sent to [email protected]. Thank you for your support!

San Juan Island on the Public Lands Inventory app. Contributed Image

By State of Washington Recreation and Conservation Office

Recreation and conservation lands managed by local, state and federal governments in Washington state can now be viewed easily online in a new mapping application.

The Public Lands Inventory web app displays more than 18.8 million acres of public lands used for recreation or wildlife habitat in Washington. Information also is displayed about the type of use, owner, legislative district, year of acquisition, purchase price and acreage.

“This map goes a long way to taking the mystery out of what land is owned by the public,” said Kaleen Cottingham, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office. “The app should make it easier for land managers to plan their purchases, partner with neighboring landowners and improve efficiency in land transactions.”

The online mapping app, for example, shows that more than 12 million acres of Washington’s 45.6 million acres are owned by the federal government, the majority aligned with mountain ranges. Recreation and conservation areas in cities and counties account for more than 257,000 acres.

The Legislature requested and funded this update to the Public Lands Inventory, which previously was a written report.

Data for the map came from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Department of Natural Resources, State Parks and Recreation Commission, and the Washington Hometown Project, which is a private company that collects information from all the major public recreation agencies as well as from county, city, utility and private assets. The Recreation and Conservation Office contracted with ESRI to collate the data and create the web application.

Contributed Photo

By Alchemy Art Center

This summer and fall, Alchemy Art Center had the pleasure of participating in the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center’s mentorship program.

Thanks to this partnership, as well as support from the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s fair fundraiser and our 2019 fall fundraiser, Alchemy was able to provide free arts programming to our next generation of artists and creative thinkers.

Contributed Photo

Under the mentorship of Delphina Lyles, kids learned about nutrition, movement and self-care.

Alchemy provided materials and instruction for creating personalized bowls, plates and cups to round out this learning. We were so impressed by the dedication and imagination shown by the students in creating and decorating their very own functional wares, and we know these objects will hold special value for them as they continue to learn and grow.

Special thanks to the late and beloved Thrinley DiMarco for supporting Alchemy with invaluable donations from her ceramics studio. We think she would be happy to know that her beautiful bisque bowls and plates were a part of this program! Her spirit of generosity continues to give to our community.

Merri Ann Simonson – Contributed photo

Higher Tax Assessments Don’t Always Lead To Paying More Taxes

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

All of us island property owners received our tax assessment notices from San Juan County recently.

As real estate agents, we have been fielding many questions about the statements and new assessments.

As you may recall, the state has mandated that our county assessor’s office convert to an annual assessment update cycle versus the cyclical system we were on for years. The current values are for a one-year period only and will be adjusted the next year. The current process is much more stable and refined and is a more accurate system than we have had in the past.

For the last 20 years, the majority of the properties sell above their tax assessments with the exception of 2008-2013 which was the recession.

For example, during the recession, properties were selling at or below the assessor’s values. However, back in 2006, many of the same type properties sold in an average range of 125-150% over their tax assessments.

These average percentages varied based on the type of property but generally, that was the trend. Since 2014, due to market recovery, most homes are again selling above their tax assessment.

Reviewing the tax assessment as compared to the actual sales price for high-end homes is not reliable as they are very difficult to appraise due to custom features. The assessor relies on indications of value from market sales, and when there are not enough sales to determine the value of custom features, it is difficult to find an accurate standard of value for assessment purposes.

I do have to admit, as an agent, that processing an opinion of value for a home in excess of $2.5 million can be challenging; the owner typically builds a very custom home with an elaborate description of materials. Even licensed appraisers find it a challenge and some contact agents for more details.

Again, there are fewer sales of similar homes in that segment of our market so there are not as many comparable properties to review.

As always, it is much easier to be accurate when you have ample data to use.

The Purpose of the Assessments:

Continue Reading

By Fred Woods, Superintendent, San Juan Island School District

It is with sadness and frustration that I must announce the return to teleschool for all grades in the San Juan Island School District.

As a community, San Juan Island is beginning to experience increased levels of the COVID-19 virus, and though we have maintained a safe and healthy environment on our campuses, we are returning to district-wide teleschool out of an abundance of caution.

Special education services on campus will continue as well as other limited in-person support for students.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 30, after the Thanksgiving holiday, all grade levels will attend classes in the teleschool model until after winter break. We will review this plan in the first week of the new year.

The earliest we will return to in-person instruction is Jan. 19, 2021, which corresponds to a two-week quarantine period after winter break. Continue Reading

Contributed Image

By San Juan Community Theatre

In many homes across the world, the holidays are marked by candlelight.

Menorahs, Kinaras, Advent wreaths, and the classic holiday decoration of window candles spill the warmth and light of home into the darkness of our world.

As night falls earlier, and we enter a holiday period in which we may be separated from friends and family, San Juan Community Theatre invites all of San Juan Island to keep the light aglow with us this season.

Here’s how you can participate: Continue Reading

By Skagit Valley College

What’s next in your life?

Considering attending Skagit Valley College in the winter quarter, but need financial assistance?

Great news: Guaranteed college funding for all eligible residents in Washington is available through the Washington College Grant, www.skagit.edu/wa-college-grant .

Classes at SVC begin on Jan. 4. Our team is ready to help you reach your potential and help you every step of the way. Laptop, hotspot, and webcam loans are also available.

Check out our guide to the winter quarter at www.skagit.edu/winter-2021 . Questions? Chat with us at www.skagit.edu/uchat .

The San Juan Update appreciates the opportunity to reprint this story about Hospice Northwest, written by Hayley Day for the Salish Current. We also refer you to a recent story about Hospice San Juan at this link in the San Juan Update. These two Hospice groups frequently collaborate in serving the needs of their patients…

Contributed Photo – Hospice of the Northwest

By Hayley Day
— Kathryn Clary’s father died of cancer 18 years ago on San Juan Island without hospice services.

A month later, she enrolled in nursing school to provide others the care her father didn’t receive.

“No one ever talked to us about end-of-life care,” she said. “I didn’t know hospice was available then. [My father’s death] was horrible to witness, as his daughter. I felt helpless.”

At the end of their lives, patients may choose to enter hospice and stop treatments to cure illnesses. They may take pain-relieving medication and prepare to die in the comfort of their homes.

Clary, who now works as a registered nurse (RN) for the nonprofit Hospice of the Northwest, said her father’s symptoms could have been managed better — if someone had offered hospice services.

Continue Reading at Salish Current…

By EDC

This year, more than ever, business owners and community leaders and legislators need data and information to make knowledgeable decisions.

Join the Economic Development Council for our fifth annual “Datapalooza!” event from 11-12:30 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2020, via Zoom.

Participants can learn more about how the pandemic affected area industries and employment while sharing in compelling bring-your-own lunch conversation with the group. Continue Reading

Rep. Rick Larsen. Contributed Photo

By Rep. Larsen’s Office

Rep. Rick Larsen, Chair of the House Aviation Subcommittee, released the below statement on the Federal Aviation Administration’s decision to unground the Boeing 737 MAX:

“The FAA’s decision to unground the 737 MAX is good news for us in the Pacific Northwest. The decision provides some certainty to the aerospace jobs in Northwest Washington, despite the downturn in aviation travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The United States is the leader in global aviation, and the FAA’s actions in the U.S. have profound implications for air travel around the world. I am confident safety was the guiding principle in the FAA’s review and decision to unground the Boeing 737 MAX. At my first opportunity, I will fly in a MAX airplane.

Continue Reading

Contributed Image/CDC

By San Juan County

Since the last update on Monday, Nov. 16, the total cases in San Juan County have increased from 56 to 59.

Two of these new cases are on Orcas Island and the other is on San Juan Island.

Orcas Island

There are a total of three positive cases being actively monitored on Orcas Island at this time. Actively monitored cases are those cases involving confirmed positive individuals who are still in the infectious period of their illness, are required to remain in isolation and are being carefully monitored by San Juan County public health staff. An individual can have ongoing long-term symptoms of COVID and no longer be infectious.

One of the new cases on Orcas Island does not appear to be directly related to previous cases. The investigation is ongoing. Continue Reading

By The Friday Harbor Atelier 

The studio artists at The Friday Harbor Atelier are hosting a creative way to share art during the unique challenges of the 2020 holiday season with a Holiday Art Sale and Exhibit from Friday, Nov. 27 through Jan. 1, 2021, at the Friday Harbor Atelier, 313 Spring Street. 

Friday Harbor Atelier is a group of independent artists who work collaboratively to share the artistic processes and products with their local community of the San Juan Islands in Washington state and beyond. The facility consists of a large exhibit and workshop space and nine artist studios.

In light of keeping spirits up in the community and sharing their local handcrafted works for holiday gift-giving, this artist group decided to create virtual gift opportunities, and host select private studios and exhibit hours for individuals to visit, or options for private appointments, with masks required, in order to stay in compliance with recent state safety guidelines. Continue Reading

By EDC

San Juan County, the Washington State Department of Commerce, and the Economic Development Council have awarded over $300,000 in COVID-19 relief grant funds directly to locally-owned and -operated small businesses, community nonprofit organizations and childcare facilities in San Juan County.

These funds will help business owners pay expenses such as rent, utilities, safety improvements, PPE, and pivoting to online sales.

A portion of this funding was also designated by San Juan County Council and the Department of Commerce, for local food banks, family resource centers, childcare facilities, farmers’ markets, business support organizations such as the chambers and Agricultural Guild, and to senior centers throughout the islands.

These grant funds were provided through the federal CARES Act to the county and commerce.

“The county appreciates and thanks the EDC for its tireless effort to help get CARES funds to the community where it could be used immediately,” said San Juan County Manager Mike Thomas.

“The board and staff of the EDC were thrilled to participate in getting desperately needed funding into the hands of our business owners and community nonprofits. Working together, we can survive this – it’s what islanders do in difficult times,” said EDC Executive Director Victoria Compton.

Commerce is working on an additional $20 million in small business grants targeted to businesses most impacted by the newest restrictions announced by Gov. Inslee on Nov. 15. Information on this program will be announced soon.

For more information or to sign up for newsletters, please visit www.sanjuansedc.org.

Contributed Image/CDC

By San Juan County

From the beginning of the COVD-19 crisis, an effective and safe vaccine has been seen as the ultimate solution for ending the disruption and impacts of the pandemic.

As we head into our ninth month, numerous vaccine development efforts are underway, with many giving us reason for optimism. The intent of this article is not to detail those efforts or predict outcomes (something we are not qualified to do), but rather to help shape community expectations for what a vaccine roll-out might look like, and to highlight some of the major unanswered questions that lie ahead.

First off, and this should be obvious at this point, but no one knows exactly what is to come with COVID. Experts may predict, and the media may report, but at the end of the day, our collective sense of what is true or what the future holds has been consistently fluid.
So please know that this is just our attempt to offer a general sense of what may come. The details will surely vary.

Q: When will a vaccine be available?

Continue Reading