By San Juan County

Everything about the COVID crisis has been uncertain and ever-changing.

Partly as a result of that, we’re all left scratching our heads wondering why some things are allowed and others prohibited.

It is difficult to know what is safe vs. high risk, and many of us feel like the regulations and guidelines have lost touch with the reality of our collective needs and behavior.

Government, like all of us, is struggling to walk that fine line between minimizing risk yet allowing society to continue in ways essential for our sanity and economic survival.

All of which is to say, don’t expect the messaging below on holiday travel to be absolute or distilled down to a handful of clear guidelines that everyone will follow. Like everything these days, it is complicated. Continue Reading

By San Juan County

A positive COVID-19 test result has been reported for a Lopez Island resident. This is the 39th case in San Juan County.

The ongoing investigation indicates that transmission was likely due to off-island travel.

The recent surge in cases across the country provides an opportunity to refresh ourselves on how to keep ourselves and our community safe from COVID: Continue Reading

By Fred Woods, Superintendent, San Juan Island School District

On Thursday, Nov. 5, Friday Harbor Elementary School begins in-person instruction for kindergarten students.

One week later, the first-grade students will join them. Then on Nov. 19, the second grade will begin.

We are excited and look forward to seeing the faces of young children in school once again.

The San Juan Island School District has worked closely with the county’s Health and Community Services in making this decision. We are so thankful for the efforts of all our island communities in keeping COVID-19 at bay.

District protocols have been put into place to be as safe as possible while providing our youngest students the much-needed opportunity to learn in-person. Continue Reading

By San Juan County

Another positive COVID-19 test result has been reported for an Orcas Island resident. This is the 38th case reported in San Juan County.

The case has occurred in a close household contact of a recent Orcas Island case. Ongoing investigations show that the four most recent cases on Orcas Island are connected.

Al and Hulda Soeneke and family, Thanksgiving Day 1943, Seattle. Left to right: Al, Hulda, Madeleine (Hulda’s niece), Leon (Madeleine’s son), Jack Lind, Dwyer Dale, Sr. and wife Lila Lind Dale, Cena Dale in front (daughter of Dwyer and Lila), cousin Virginia and husband George Goodall.

By San Juan Historical Society and Museum

Sometimes researching local history is about documenting popular stories, and sometimes it’s about correcting what has been recorded in the past about those stories.

Each step along the way, we at the San Juan Historical Society and Museum are grateful for so many people and resources which make it possible to preserve and share our island stories.

We are thankful for those who share their family photos, for those who help us identify “mystery people” or fill in missing details like dates and places, for volunteers who digitize and catalog photographs, and for all who support the Museum financially through memberships and donations.

In that theme of giving thanks, this month’s history column features a family scene from Thanksgiving Day 1943.

By comparing this photograph to others in our archives, we have discovered that a mystery photograph we used for our December 2015 column, titled simply “Al and Hilda” was not a photo of “Hilda,” at all. Continue Reading

By Washington State Department of Health

The Washington State Department of Health released the latest statewide situation report on COVID-19 transmission, which shows a general rise in the intensity of the epidemic in both western and eastern Washington.

Report findings include: Continue Reading

By San Juan County

The San Juan 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 on the county’s website at http://sanjuanco.com/641/Board-Committee-Vacancies. Continue Reading

By Hayley Day

Preliminary results for the local 2020 General Election are in as of 8 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Christine Minney is in the lead for San Juan Council Residency District 1 with 51.34 percent of the vote.

Cindy Wolf is in the lead for San Juan Council Residency District 2 with 53.09 percent of the vote.

As of Tuesday, Nov. 3, 83.04 percent of registered county voters’ ballots had been counted. There are an estimated 2,000 ballots left to be counted. 

The county staff will certify results on Nov. 24.

For more information on the election, visit https://www.sanjuanco.com/1221/Elections-Office.

Stella Maris, created by Susie Allen and Moey Bryant. Contributed Image

By San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce

Here are the winners of the first-ever Scarecrow Contest, sponsored by the Friends of the Library and the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce.

We had over 200 hundred voters and all of the contestants received votes. The following three entries received the most votes. Continue Reading

By San Juan Islands Community Network

Join San Juan County school leaders to discuss responses to the COVID-19 crisis and address questions about students, staff and community safety at 1 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 8, online via Zoom and YouTube.

Register at www.SJICN.org. Submit your questions via email to [email protected].

The forum is capped at 100 attendees. For those unable to attend the live event, the forum will be recorded and available for viewing Monday, Nov. 9 on all SJICN channels.

The forum will be moderated by Michael Soltman, former superintendent of San Juan Island School District

Featured Panelists: Continue Reading

By San Juan County

One new positive COVID-19 test result has been reported in San Juan County, for an Orcas Island resident. This is the 37th case reported in San Juan County.

Based on comprehensive interviews, it appears there is a connection between this test result and a previously confirmed case. Testing and monitoring are ongoing for all identified close contacts of this most recent case.

Now is not the time for the islands to relax. Cases are increasing drastically across the United States, and the long-expected wintertime surge is upon us. Continue Reading

Please join us for a celebration of the completion of the Sun Rise II neighborhood, to review the past year, to elect new board members, AND to preview the next development of permanently affordable homes, HolliWalk.

• Date: Thursday, November 19th 
• Time: 5:30pm to 6:30pm
• Place: Virtual meeting via Zoom

Alas, no pizza this year, nor Lori’s wonderful trifle, but you can raise your own glasses to celebrate the home owners, the new neighborhoods and the generosity of our island community.

RSVPs required for invitation link info.  [email protected]

Contributed Image

By WaterWorks Gallery

WaterWorks Gallery presents Art Aisle with Teresa Smith from Nov. 5-28.

Join us wearing your mask for a socially distanced Prosecco Night, from 4-7 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 5.

Our featured artist for November is Teresa Smith. Teresa captures the pacific northwest landscape, allowing the oil painting to unfold in a contemplative or meditative way. Using light, color, and shape to capture the soul of nature, Teresa paints the wild places.

WaterWorks Gallery is located at 315 Argyle Ave., Friday Harbor. Contact 360-378-3060 or visit www.WaterWorksGallery.com for more information.

By Compass Health

Compass Health’s Building Communities of Hope Gala raised more than $165,000 in support of the organization’s child, youth and family behavioral health services during a virtual event held on World Mental Health Day, Saturday, Oct. 10. 

Funds exceeded Compass Health’s goals by $15,000, as more than 250 community members gathered virtually to celebrate client voices and stories, even forming socially distant “watch parties” while the event was streamed online.

Organizers attribute the support, in part, to a greater recognition of the need for behavioral health resources as the community faces the impacts of COVID-19. Continue Reading

You can see letters from individuals at the links below. As more letters come in, this list will be updated so be sure to check back.

Letters are posted in the order received in support of:

Ryan Palmateer
Winnie Adams and Bob Gamble
Steve Ulvi and Lynette Roberts
Christopher Minney

Cindy Wolf
Winnie Adams and Bob Gamble
State Representative Debra Lekanoff
Michael Durland
Natalie Menacho
Marc Cohen
Sally O’Brien
Mary Wachter

Rick Hughes
Steve Ulvi and Lynette Roberts
Susan Kollet

Christine Minney
Sandy Strehlou
Chuck Dalldorf
Susan Kollet
Lindsey Holloway

by Louise Dustrude

Larry Duthie has published a memoir of his years as a Navy pilot during the Vietnam war, titled Return to Saigon. The book is a combination of day-by-day details of flying bombing runs, the terrifying experience of being shot down and quickly rescued, and an extended love letter to all the young men he served with during those years.

The title stems from the fact that he attended one year of high school in Saigon, then returned to bomb the country from the air, and then returned yet again in later years to visit and to attain a measure of reconciliation with a few of the Vietnamese people.

Years after the events of this book, Larry and his wife Roz came to San Juan Island in 1978 to buy and publish the Friday Harbor Journal, which he continued until the mid-‘80s.  

The book is available from Amazon and will be available in bookstores in a couple of weeks.