Contributed Image/NHP

By San Juan Island National Historical Park

San Juan Island National Historical Park announces its seasonal closure of the 4th of July Beach parking area effective, Sunday, Nov. 1.

The closing of the parking area is an annual event to prevent damage to the area due to high rainfall, poor drainage, and heavy vehicle use.

Access outside of the locked gate is permitted during this time to access 4th of July Beach. The park plans to create a safe visitor access across the big lawn to the trail on the west side near the picnic benches.

During the closure period, all grounds throughout the park including trails, beaches, and day-use facilities will remain open to the public. The 4th of July Beach parking area re-opens in the spring of 2021 and will be announced at that time.

Islanders Bank staff celebrate Halloween. Contributed Photo.

The staff at Islanders Bank celebrated Halloween a day early, on Friday, Oct. 30, at the Friday Harbor branch. Continue Reading

San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Contributed Image

By San Juan Islands Museum of Art

Being cooped up in our homes for many weeks, being on alert to maintain social distancing and not being able to travel or see relatives is stressful. We could all need some time to decompress and reduce anxiety.

Visiting an art museum is a relaxing and serene way to find some peace in our lives. Discover the many ways art enriches lives at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art. Continue Reading

By San Juan Island Community Fund

As we enter the eighth month of helping to measure and offset the impact of COVID-19 in our community, the San Juan Island Community Foundation remains focused on bringing ideas and funding together to meet the needs of San Juan islanders.

Looking ahead to the fall, SJICF is anticipating the longer-term needs of local individuals and families affected by the shutdown of businesses, schools, and summer programs.

Thanks to your continued support, there is hope. Continue Reading

By Washington State Department of Health

The Washington State Department of Health continues to make progress with our COVID-19 vaccine distribution planning efforts.

This week, DOH is encouraging healthcare providers to prepare to enroll as approved COVID-19 vaccine providers, and we sent an official letter to them with information on how to enroll.

Provider enrollment is the first step in setting up approved COVID-19 vaccine provider locations.

Long-term care facilities can also enroll in a program that will provide the COVID-19 vaccine for their residents and staff. Continue Reading

Contributed Photo

By San Juan Islands Museum of Art

You are invited to have some fun at home with your whole family!

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art offers take-home Family Art Packs designed by art instructor, Lana Hickman.

During November and December, families can pre-register to pick up packs and instructions for each week’s at-home session each Saturday from 1-3 p.m. for the entertaining projects listed. Have fun picking out all or any of the classes. Continue Reading

By San Juan County

As we head into winter, sore throats, stuffy noses and fevers become far more common.

This year, the risk of COVID heightens our awareness and concern.

We’ve always been asked to stay home when sick, but what does that mean? Continue Reading

New Grant, Response Committee, COVID-19 Restrictions, Volunteer Resignations

By San Juan County Public Hospital District 1

The San Juan Community Based Long Term Care Network was recently awarded a one-year $100,000 grant from the Federal Health Resources and Services Rural Network Planning Grant Program in October of 2020.

The district was passed over for this in the first round of approvals, apparently due to funding limitations, so we are very happy to have received this grant.

San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1 would like to thank our partners: the Inter Island Healthcare Foundation, PeaceHealth and San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 2 (Lopez Island Hospital District). Continue Reading

Thanks to the cooperation of the Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust we now have a beautiful new and historic public land to explore.

On September 26^th, National Public Lands Day, 5 years of negotiations and planning came to fruition when the 285-acre Zylstra Lake Preserve on San Juan Island officially opened part of its roughly three mile loop to the public.

The trail which runs approximately one mile along the eastern side of the lake is closed from October to April to protect migrating waterfowl. Dogs on leashes are allowed on the 1.6 mile trail illustrated below (3 mile total out and back) until November 1 and allowed again in April for the full loop. Leave no Trace, pack in and pack out.

Fall, even at this crisp crust of the season, is a great time to hike. As leaves colorfully flair and drop, a whole new landscape appears. On a gorgeous sunny Fall Sunday we enjoyed the Zylstra Lake trail opening along with many other eager walkers. Begin at the parking just off San Juan Valley Road. A trail map there gives a good overview of the area you will be traveling.

Continue west down the old farm road’s grassy slope bordered with blackberry, snow berry, red current, wild grape and hawthorn trees festooned with bright red berries. These ornamental invasive trees were introduced to the island in the 1850’s by the Douglas family. James Douglas was head of the Hudson Bay Company’s Belle Vue settlement and sheep farm which was run by Charles Griffin.

Stop here for an overlook of the lake. Hawthorns naturalized easily. Native tribes used their thorns as spikes on the prongs of rakes to catch herring, or for fish hooks or ear piercing. Continue Reading

We believe it is important to set the record straight on recent exchanges between some of the San Juan EMS volunteers and the Board of Public Hospital District No. 1.

Following the PHD board’s restructuring of the administration of both the PHD and EMS, a number of volunteers from San Juan EMS met to share their concerns about the board’s actions, and as a result, signed and submitted a letter to the PHD board outlining several long-standing concerns.

The 21 volunteers that signed this letter collectively represent 138 years of service to EMS, and 122 years of service to Fire District 3. Some of the signers were solely members of EMS. Some of them were members of both EMS and Fire. All of them are members of this community.

After receiving an official response from the PHD, some of us met again. We composed and submitted a resignation letter to EMS. Continue Reading

By Marie-Luz Villa MD AGSF, Main Operations Manager, Hospice of San Juan

San Juan County, being relatively tiny in the eyes of Medicare, receives insurance-funded hospice care under the umbrella of Hospice of the Northwest (HNW), which is based in Skagit County.

Although both San Juan Island and Lopez Island have all-volunteer hospice organizations to complement the nursing care available from HNW, around-the-clock access to nursing support and other critical resources for end-of-life care is provided by HNW alone.

This currently is under threat.

Were you aware that Hospice of the Northwest is under consideration for sale to Bristol Management Team, a for-profit hospice company that is part of Webster Equity Partners, based in Massachusetts? 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 who is a close household contact of the Orcas resident reported as positive on Oct. 26.

This is the 36th case reported in San Juan County.

Given the close household proximity of the individual to a previously positive case, this recent test result was expected.

Audience Choice awardees will receive a personalized metal salmon sculpture. Contributed Image

By FHFF

As in each of the last seven years, the Friday Harbor Film Festival is delighted to honor filmmakers who have done outstanding work on projects screened during the festival.

We are very pleased to present the following awards this year: Local Hero Award, two Laszlo Pal Emerging Filmmaker Awards, and Audience Choice Awards for the Best Short Film and the Best Feature Film. Continue Reading

Port of Friday Harbor Marina – Kevin Holmes photo

The Port of Friday Harbor will host an online meeting at noon, today, Wednesday, Oct. 28 on Zoom.

View the agenda and how to log into the meeting here.

Commissioners will discuss possibly raising fees at Shipyard Cove over time. They will also discuss lease agreements with Saltwater Farm and Island Air, and possibly approve a letter in support of proposed rules and whale watching licensing. 

The next San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1 regular board meeting is at 5:30 p.m., today, Wednesday, Oct. 28.

This meeting is fully online due to COVID-19, and members of the public may join by dialing 509-473-0276 and entering 279 885 068#. Note that the phone number has changed from previous board meetings.

Documents for board meetings can be found at https://sjcphd.org/meeting/2020mtgs. Continue Reading