Contributed Photo/David Menidrey

By Chuck Dalldorf, Public Information Officer, San Juan Island Fire and Rescue 

San Juan Island Fire and Rescue along with the San Juan Island Firefighter Association will host a special, safe, social distanced family Halloween event from 2-6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 31, 2020, at John O. Linde Community Park, 565 Carter Ave. in Friday Harbor.

San Juan Island Fire and Rescue will be joined by other community partners in providing a fun, safe and treat-filled drive-thru Halloween event for the entire family.

To participate: Continue Reading

Pearl Django. Contributed Image

By San Juan Community Theatre

For two weeks only, at sjctheatre.org, you can see a special concert by Pearl Django. Regulars on the San Juan Community Theatre stage, Pearl Django filmed a concert for SJCT that will be streamed on our website from Nov. 12- 29.

With a performance history spanning more than 26 years, Pearl Django endures as one of the most highly regarded “hot club” style groups working today.

Although the band’s roots are firmly in the music made famous by Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli, its extensive repertoire includes traditional jazz classics and original compositions. Continue Reading

By San Juan Island School District

On Wednesday, Oct. 28, the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors will hold a regular school board meeting at 5 p.m. as a Zoom meeting.

Click here to join the webinar. Continue Reading

By San Juan County

Two new positive COVID-19 test results have been reported in San Juan County; one for an Orcas Island resident, and one for a resident of San Juan Island.

Both cases appear to have come from off-island contact with infected individuals.

These are the 34th and 35th cases in San Juan County. The cases are not connected.

The San Juan County Health & Community Services contact tracing team has been working diligently to identify and communicate with individuals who may have been exposed, including coordinating with health departments from other jurisdictions.

At this time, all close contacts in the islands have been notified.

These cases are timely reminders of some key messages: Continue Reading

Melodious Notes Over the Harbor. Contributed Image/SJCT

By San Juan Community Theatre

Melodious Notes Over the Harbor is ecstatic to be able to present a virtual concert for San Juan Community Theatre’s 2020-21 Snapshot Season. Watch the concert here.

This concert will feature musicians who live in Friday Harbor: Elizabeth Schaltenbrand-piano, Hanneke Klein-Robbenhaar-violin, Sasha von Dassow-cello and Sue Collado-clarinet.

Each musician is featured in a solo piece and surrounded by trios that are not only beautiful but come with lots of character.

They have Mendelssohn, Milhaud, Shostakovich, Massenet, and Saint Saens. As an added bonus, Jim Collado has arranged a Cole Porter piece for the quartet.

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By WSU Extension

Learn to be a better home gardener and steward of the environment this winter with Washington State University San Juan County Extension’s new online Home Horticulture Training program.

Training focuses on a wide range of horticulture topics taught online by WSU faculty, staff, Master Gardeners and other regional experts on Saturday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon starting Jan. 9 and continuing weekly through April 24.

Training also includes access to WSU Extension’s online Master Gardener Training Modules and the extensive Master Gardener Manual.

Those wishing to earn a certificate of completion will need to participate in weekly online quizzes, a final, and attend most classes. Homework is expected to average 3-5 hours a week. All training is open book and no memorization is expected. Continue Reading

By San Juan Community Theatre

Until public health regulations allow audiences to enter theatres again, San Juan Community Theatre is going all-digital with some exciting new programming that will be filmed and distributed for free.

Films will be available here on our website. Continue Reading

Town of Friday Harbor to Double Regular Match

By Town of Friday Harbor

All donations made in November to the Town of Friday Harbor’s Life Ring utility assistance fund will be forwarded to the Friday Harbor Food Bank.

The town will match community donations up to a total of $2,000. This is twice the match offered in past years.

Utility customers can donate by marking the Harbor Life Ring line item on their bills that are going out on Nov. 1st. Continue Reading

By Island Rec

Check out the following basketball options for kids.

Youth Basketball Camp

The focus of this league is development and improvement of individual and team skills. Think skills, drills and scrimmages.

Previous team experience is not required. Participants practice once per week beginning the week of Nov. 2.

Volunteer coaches and referees are needed! Practice times will be based on volunteer coach availability and will be one day per week for an hour.

Games are played on Sundays for three weeks, and each game is a maximum of 1 hour in length, on Nov. 8, 15 and 22. Join for $25, and register by Oct. 31.

Future Hoopsters

Get ahead of the game with this 3-Class developmental basketball program.

Open to youth in kindergarten and first grade, this program is an excellent opportunity for boys and girls to learn about and enjoy the game of basketball. Continue Reading

Below is an interview that Janet Thomas of San Juan Island did with Mike Cohen of San Juan Island. For more information on the interview, visit www.ecopsych.com/janetinterview.html.

Mike Cohen. Contributed Photo

By Janet Thomas, San Juan Island

Mike Cohen has decades of educational experience with his Project Nature Connect work.

He is also a widely experienced musician. Due to Covid 19, his Monday night contra-dances are on-hold at the grange, where Mike is a long-time member. The grange sells his books at the farmer’s market.

And because he was a National Park volunteer of the year, the National Park sponsors his weekly contra dances. Mike has played with local musicians at the market, at the grange and in many other venues for 27 years. 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.

Today we posted our interim vaccine distribution plan. Now, as one component of a larger engagement strategy, the department is seeking additional feedback to help us understand the best ways to equitably distribute the vaccine as the department moves forward.

Throughout the month of October, DOH has been reaching out to the communities, workers, partners and business sectors who have been most disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 to gather feedback for COVID-19 vaccine planning. We are using surveys, interviews, focus groups and community conversations to gather this important feedback from key groups. Continue Reading

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By San Juan County

The most efficient way to submit building applications to San Juan County is online at sanjuanco.com/opc.

You can also use the dropbox at the entrance to the courthouse to submit forms and payments for burn permits, land use, building, right of way, water availability, birth and death certificates, and septic designs and inspection results.

We will no longer be accepting documents and payments from the DCD window. Thank you for your cooperation.

Merri Ann Simonson – Contributed photo

By Merri Ann Simonson, Coldwell Banker San Juan Islands

The third-quarter results for San Juan Island and San Juan County were consistent with the first quarter results; very robust.

The second quarter was in COVID shock but that gave way to a strong third quarter.

Per the NWMLS, the dollar volume year-to-date on San Juan Island was $139,281,708 with a total of 188 transactions. This reflects a 65% increase in the dollar volume and a 38% increase in the number of transactions.

For San Juan County, the total dollar volume was $292,879,941 with a total of 430 transactions. The county also had an increase which was 41% in dollar volume and 34% in the number of transactions.

Based on the active market, we will complete this year above the 2005 dollar volume, which was when the volume and number of transactions reached an all-time high. Continue Reading

By Kathryn Clary, RN, BSN, CHPN, Hospice of the Northwest, San Juan Island

Currently, the only Medicare-based hospice in our county is Hospice of the Northwest.

Two years ago this hospice was listed as the No. 1 hospice agency in the United States. HNW provides medical hospice services no matter one’s ability to pay.

Medicare hospice services are provided in this state by owning a Certificate of Need (CON). HNW holds the CON for San Juan County as well as Skagit, Island and Snohomish Counties.

HNW is owned by a joint venture (JV) of Skagit County Public Hospital District No. 1 and United General District No. 304.

Hospice of the Northwest is not affiliated with our local San Juan Island volunteer hospice, Hospice of the San Juan.

I learned last week of the possible sale of HNW to Bristol Hospice, a for-profit hospice that is a portfolio company of the Massachusetts-based Webster Equity Partners. Continue Reading

Washington State Ferries Website. Contributed Image

By Washington State Ferries

Website

Customers will notice that Washington State Ferries’ website has a new look. Not only does it look better, but it is now easier to navigate. Check out the changes at www.wsdotferries.com.

If you have questions or need help finding information on the website, contact our customer call center at 206-464-6400 or email at wsdot.wa.gov/ferries/infodesk/customerfeedback. Continue Reading

Rep. Rick Larsen. Contributed Photo

Larsen to Meet with Marine Resource Committee, Friends of the San Juans, County Transportation Staff, Port Leaders

By Rep. Rick Larsen’s Office

On Friday, Oct. 23, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) will meet with the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee at Cattle Point to discuss the MRC’s efforts to reduce vessel traffic on endangered Southern Resident killer whales in the Pacific Northwest.

He will also meet with Friends of the San Juans Executive Director Brent Lyles and staff to hear about the nonprofit’s work with the San Juan Preservation Trust and private property owners to restore coastal habitat on San Juan Island.

Larsen is fighting to ensure SRKWs and salmon recover and thrive in Puget Sound. Continue Reading