Just a reminder that the San Juan County Fire Chiefs, in coordination with the San Juan County Fire Marshall and San Juan County Department of Emergency Management have issued a temporary, short-term fire ban for all activities beginning today, Monday, September 7, 2020 through to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 2020.

The burn ban will be in effect all of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

With shifting winds, higher temperatures and lower humidity predicted during this period, San Juan County will be implementing the full temporary burn ban as a safety precaution.

The fire ban includes all burning including recreational campfires and the use of charcoal grills.

In addition, island residents and visitors are asked to be even more careful than normal about any other activity that could potentially start a fire, including working with metal-bladed tools in dry areas, careless discarding of cigarettes and parking in high dry grass.

In any emergency situation always call 911 immediately.

Thank you for your help in keeping our islands safe and fire free.

We hear from Curt Van Hyning…

Curt Van Hyning

The response to the survey from San Juan Islands Shuttle Service is clear. The RoundTowner free ride service which operates on San Juan Island will now be called IslandRides. The more inclusive name corresponds to expanded service. Rides are now available throughout San Juan Island and will soon be available on Lopez Island, too.

You can find information about IslandRides online by linking to: IslandRides Website (being updated). IslandRides will provide door-to-door service on San Juan Island (not just in Friday Harbor).

IslandRides provides free or low-cost service to islanders without a car or who do not drive. This includes seniors, people with disabilities, and other people who cannot afford transportation. These folks often find themselves isolated in their homes without access to healthcare, therapies and other essential community services, such as a trip to the library, post office or grocery store. The donation or free fares are subsidized by United Way of San Juan County, SJI Community Foundation, generous businesses, grants and individual donors.

Island Rides is pleased to announce its expanded service to Lopez Island. With generous support from Lopez Lions Club, Lopez Island Senior Services and the Lopez Island Family Resource Center, IslandRides was able to procure an all-electric vehicle through Pacific Mobility-EV Works. We are extremely grateful to EV Works and Laura Denovan for the donated Nissan Leaf.  The eco-friendly car is also budget friendly, as there are no fuel costs. Volunteer drivers will be vetted through Senior Services or the Family Resource Center. Continue Reading

This Labor Day while you enjoy a socially distant backyard BBQ, beach picnic with family or some peaceful solitude, please take a moment to give a special thanks to the essential workers of our community who have kept us safe, healthy, fed, informed, and transported here and there throughout these trying times. 

THANK YOU!

Michelle Perales at San Juan Island Food Co-op – Kristin Yeriazarian photo

San Juan County Fire Chiefs, in coordination with the San Juan County Fire Marshall and San Juan County Department of Emergency Management have issued a temporary, short-term fire ban for all activities beginning at midnight on Monday, September 7, 2020 through to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. The burn ban will be in effect Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

With shifting winds, higher temperatures and lower humidity predicted during this period, San Juan County will be implementing the full temporary burn ban as a safety precaution.

The fire ban includes all burning including recreational campfires and use of charcoal grills.

In addition, island residents and visitors are asked to be even more careful than normal about any other activity that could potentially start a fire, including working with metal-bladed tools in dry areas, careless discarding of cigarettes, parking in high dry grass, or using charcoal BBQ’s.

In any emergency situation always call 911 immediately.

Thank you for your help in keeping our islands safe and fire free.

Good news from the Center for Whale Research…

J-35 and J-57 – Katie Jones photo Center for Whale Research/Permit #21238

click image to enlarge…

On Saturday, September 5, 2020, J pod was reported near the ODAS buoy off Dungeness Spit in the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca in US waters. Another large group of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales was a few miles away near Race Rocks in Canadian waters swimming toward them. Hooray! At last, we might encounter a ‘superpod’ aggregation of J, K, and L pod whales in the inshore waters of the Salish Sea for the first time this year. So we launched three boats with researchers (two from San Juan Island and one from Victoria) to photo-identify every individual for a population census.

Usually, we have an accurate census of these charismatic Pacific Northwest ‘residents’ by July 1 each year. But this year, the salmon spawning migrations to the Fraser River have been so poor that the whales that must eat these salmon to survive have rarely come into what used to be their core summer habitat. A few small groups of these critically endangered whales have ventured inshore in July, and J pod in its entirety came to San Juan Island on September 1. J pod has remained in the general area since then; but, the last time we had some members from all pods was on January 25!

New calf, J57, with mom, J35 – Katie Jones photo Center for Whale Research/Permit #21238

Continue Reading

Friday Harbor Film Festival presents…
2020 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour… 
On-Demand September 1-30, 2020, Cost: $10

The 2020 Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour (Virtual Version) is a 80-minute theatrical program of 6 short films selected from this year’s Festival. Widely considered the premier American showcase for short films and the launchpad for many now-prominent independent filmmakers for more than 30 years, the Short Film Tour includes fiction, documentary and animation from around the world, giving new audiences a taste of what the Festival offers.

Fueled by artistic expression and limited only by their runtime, short films transcend traditional storytelling. They are a significant and popular way artists can connect with audiences. From documentary to animation, narrative to experimental, the abbreviated form is made for risk taking. The Festival has always treated short films with the highest regard and created a home for both established and new filmmakers with shorts for audiences to discover and celebrate.

Order now on the Friday Harbor Film Festival Webpage.

Thanks to John Miller for capturing this sunrise image…

Sunrise in Boundary Pass – John Miller photo

click to enlarge photo…

Lately I’ve noticed islanders having perennial conversations regarding certain place names. Is English Camp “British” Camp? Of course not. Its English Camp and always has been (in my not so humble opinion – Peggy Sue here). When did Mt Young get demoted to Young Hill? Is it Granny’s Cove or Grandma’s? Locals call it Granny’s Cove but where did that name come from?

Sally McRae at Granny’s Cove 1951 – photo courtesy Mullis/McRae family

My Dad, Jim McRae, grew up at American Camp and when we were kids our family called Granny’s Cove, “The Sandy Beach” for obvious reasons. When did it become Granny’s? If you know or have a theory let us know in the comments.

This trail along the base of Mount Young in English Camp is very near the original Old Military Road

Robin Donnelly for the Old Military Road Trail Committee…

What a great time to be exploring our trails. Covid seems to have made us all more aware of the healing power of nature and our fortunate ability to be part of it. As summer is waning, fall colors are taking over for the vibrancy of spring and early summer. But hiking at any season just means a different part of nature’s display we can enjoy.

Here’s an apt poem by Richard Hovey written in 1898, but equally true today, especially perhaps as we glimpse a red-tailed hawk or bald eagle among these hills.

This roughly one-mile hike begins in English Camp and ends at the boundary of Mitchell Hill. You will be traveling close to the original Old Military Road which connected English Camp to American Camp during the boundary dispute known as the Pig War, 1859 to 1872. Known first as the Cowichan Road, named after some Vancouver Island native road crew, it first connected many of the Hudson Bay sheep farms, then was enlarged to become the vital communication link between the two disputing nations and important bi-way to island settlement.

It is the vision of the Old Military Road Trail (OMRT) Committee to connect once again these two Camps, now National Parks, using trails already existing and creating new trails through public lands and granted easements.

Map courtesy of San Juan Island Trails Committee

Click on Map to Enlarge… Continue Reading

Theatre News from Executive Director Nathan Kessler-Jeffery…

Link to: San Juan Community Theatre 

Continue Reading

The 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: Board and 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 [email protected]

SJI Historical Museum is back with their History Column for September…

Walter and Juanita Nichols – Contributed photo

September is traditionally when we devote the history column to something related to “back to school days.” We have featured students, schoolhouses, and teachers of many different eras. Since this is such an unusual year for all our students and teachers, we thought it appropriate to add the element of the cow. You will see shortly how that fits in with a salute to teachers. Some of you will already remember how.

Pictured above is one of Friday Harbor’s more well-known teachers, Walter R. Nichols, with his wife Juanita Barry, also a teacher. Walter was born in Kansas in 1883 and came out west to Washington as a child with his family, graduating from teacher’s college in Bellingham before coming to San Juan Island.

This was in 1907 when he was hired as principal of Friday Harbor Public School. Walter was just 24 years old then, at the beginning of a long career in education. He spent a year teaching in Alaska for the 1909-1910 school year, returning to Washington upon the completion of that contract. Walter and Juanita were married in 1912, and their family would grow with the addition of three children: Floyd, Wenonah, and Elizabeth. Walter continued his own education through the University of California, Stanford University, and the University of Washington for his Masters. Continue Reading

We hear from Francis Smith, Retired Sr. EMT & Fire Captain (25 years)…

The San Juan Island Public Hospital District #1 (PHD) recently announced a surprise reorganization of San Juan Island EMS. Chief Karl Kuetzing has been removed and the PHD Superintendent is now in charge of the agency.

The published announcement is a study in duplicity and profound ignorance of the nature of the day-to-day work of San Juan Island EMS. The wording of the press release indicates the PHD’s plan is to “figure this out” after the major reorganization without consideration of significant unanticipated consequences.

It is the current PHD, under Anna Lisa Lindstrum’s leadership, that has discarded all of the work done by the previous PHD Board and the Citizen Advisory Group and has walked away from the Fire/EMS integration effort. The childish outrage incident during a recent meeting served as a flimsy excuse to cease all pretense of work on integration effort. Continue Reading

Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor is pleased to announce its 2020 educational award winners.   

The Live Your Dream Award, a worldwide signature Soroptimist program, is given to a woman who is the primary wage earner in her household and enrolled in an undergraduate degree or vocational skills program.  This year’s recipient is Maricela Lomeli. Maricela is studying to become a limited licensed legal technician and wants to work in the field of criminal justice to help those who need assistance. 

The Fellowship Award is for a woman who is returning to college for post-graduate study leading to an advanced degree to enhance her business or profession. Soroptimists were able to give out two Fellowship Awards this year in thanks to an anonymous donor.  The recipients are Danielle Niichel who is earning her master’s degree in social work and Alexis Aydelotte who is earning a master’s degree in history. Danielle’s goal is to pass the exam for a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and be a therapist on the island with an emphasis on working with children.  Alexis is a journalist and educator whose goal is to pursue  solutions-based journalism that is rooted in historical accuracy. Continue Reading