Here’s a note from the Library about their reopening plan…

Dear Friends,

Since our county has moved out of Phase 1 of the governor’s plan, we are looking forward to a step-by-step reopening of the library.

We are planning to resume services gradually—initially with a limited scope—because the health and safety of our patrons, staff and the community at large is our highest priority.  Phase 3 will include progressive steps for steadily increasing services.

Our main goals are to get books, movies, and other materials back into your hands, get staff back to work, and see you walk through our doors. Our amazingly creative group of library staff is working hard to make it all happen! So here is what we project:

Click here to continue reading – At-a-Glance

Island Rec is excited to offer a few virtual programs this Summer.

Registration opens Monday June 8^th at 7:00am online. We have offerings for a wide range of age groups available.

Please visit our website for the complete list, and registration. www.islandrec.org For questions, please call 360-378-4953.

San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1 will be having a Special Meeting on June 10, 2020, at 4:30 pm. We will release an Agenda on Monday, along with the remote dial-in directions. We are still operating under emergency COVID-19 rules, so there will be no physical attendance option.

Some members of the audience reported technical issues at our last Board meeting, so we will have audience participation on the 10^th. This is an ongoing issue everywhere due to unprecedented demand on the infrastructure of the internet and the various conferencing services that we use. Other organizations everywhere are also having the same challenges. We strongly recommend that if members of the public want to ensure that their comment is heard, that they email it to [email protected] and ask that it be read. We apologize for the inconvenience!

This edition of Tide Bites was written by Victoria Foe…

In 2013 The Seaver Institute purchased for FHL the rebuilt Philips CM-10 electron microscope which Victoria uses to study RNA and DNA interactions, shown arriving here. She remains as delighted with it now as then. Photo credit: G. Odell.

I came to FHL in 2000 to study cell division, to take advantage of the sea urchins, sea stars and sand dollars whose huge, glassy-clear, permeable and easy-to-manipulate eggs make them ideal subjects for that work. Local species have eggs that ripen at different times, providing an almost year-round source of perfect research material. For experiments on marine cells, FHL’s flowing seawater tables are the “lab benches” that land-locked cell scientists can only dream of.

Then in 2013, the Seaver Institute gave me the opportunity to tackle a question that had haunted me since graduate school: does DNA replication activate new gene expression? If so, this would provide an elegant mechanism compelling embryonic development to unfold in lock-step with cell division.

Answering this required looking directly at DNA and RNA via electron microscope, and thousands of hours searching tangles of DNA for those rare instances when DNA and RNA synthesis had collided. I will write a future Tide Bite about what I discovered. But this Bite is drawn from a related review I’m just now completing. In this time of the COVID-19 pandemic it is also a reminder that it is great catastrophes that can bring about great transformations.

Continue reading…

To Be Distributed for Children and Teens at FHES on Friday, June 12 and Saturday, June 13

Due to community closures and social distancing measures, the San Juan Island Library’s summer program will be a bit different for 2020. San Juan Island Library Youth Services will be offering Summer Reading Program take-home kits for our island children and teens. The kits are free to help support literacy and learning throughout the summer months while school is no longer in session.

Each kit contains fun goodies, stickers, listings of online summer programs, activity booklets, a guide to hiking San Juan public lands, a scavenger hunt, and a free book courtesy of a local donor through Griffin Bay Books. Teen kits will include a free book, a make your own T-shirt project and activities designed just for teens.

The take-home kits will be distributed these days and times through a drive-in service at Friday Harbor Elementary School, 95 Grover Street: Continue Reading

The Economic Development Council, an islands non-profit, is hosting a webinar on bankruptcy with Mary Schmitt, attorney at law.

Attendees will learn about Title 11 of the United States Code as well as potential changes if the Heroes Act, H.R. 6800, currently under consideration in congress, becomes law.

The webinar will be Monday at 2:30PM, June 8th, 2020. More information can be found on the EDC’s website: https://www.sanjuansedc.org/title11/

The EDC thanks San Juan County, the Raynier Foundation, the Town of Friday Harbor, the Port of Friday Harbor, the Port of Lopez, the San Juan Island Community Foundation, Orcas Island Community Foundation, King’s Market, Marketplace, Orcas Island Market, Walt Corbin, the Orcas Island Community Foundation, Islanders Bank, Heritage Bank, and the Washington State Department of Commerce for their support of EDC initiatives.   

The Economic Development Council (EDC) strives to strengthen and diversify the economy of San Juan County.  We believe a strong economy builds a strong community.

Local Artists to Feature Original Works at Outdoor Show, Saturday, June 13

Friday Harbor, Washington… A group of San Juan Island artists, members of the Friday Harbor Atelier, will host a Studio Sidewalk Art Show on Saturday, June 13 in front of the Atelier at the corner of Spring Street and Argyle Avenue from 10:00 to 2:00.

The show will feature artworks by artists Debbie Daniels, Pam Hoke, Shannon Borg, Jan Murphy, Teresa Smith, Shannon Bailey and Winnie Brumsickle.

COVID-19 Protocol:
Visitors may browse and shop for art set up on the sidewalk in front of the Atelier and may also venture inside to visit the individual artist’s studios, following social distancing and Covid-19 protocols, including wearing a mask inside and staying 6 feet from others.

A 30% one-day discount will be applied to any art purchased from the group’s website: www.fridayharboratelier.com. You can purchase high-quality art prints, framed or unframed, of the artists works, and also choose size from options such as size, format such as canvas or paper or wood.You can also see how the piece will look in your living room or bedroom by using the Augmented Reality tool.

About The Friday Harbor Atelier: Founded in 2018, Friday Harbor Atelier is an artist’s membership-based workspace and community. FHA is comprised of several artists, some renting studio space, others enjoying various membership benefits. A large studio is available to members and non-members for classes, pop-up art shows, and events.

To find out more about becoming a member or renting studio or class space, email Debbie Daniels at [email protected].

Do you find Medicare a mystery? Are you unsure which Medicare plan is best for you? Join SHIBA online for a virtual Medicare 101 class where we will cover the “A, B, C, Ds” of Medicare. Our certified SHIBA volunteers will be available to answer all of your questions.

Tuesday, July 14, 2020 at 1:00 pm

To register, please provide your name, email and phone number to [email protected] or leave this information with SHIBA at 360-299-4212.

You may also register directly at https://wa-oic.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_sK8ctPCASTCdVNTD-Mci1A.

SHIBA (Statewide Health Insurance Benefits Advisors) is a program of the Office of the Insurance Commissioner and is sponsored locally by Island Hospital.

SHIBA provides free, unbiased information on Medicare and related options to all people.

You can read more about SHIBA here: https://www.insurance.wa.gov/about-shiba-services.

Today in the SJ Update mailbag, we have this letter from Lydia Miller…

I want to commend Dr Frank James, the Board of Health and County Council, for making the prudent responsible decision to finally allow lodging to reopen.

Given that Americans are cautiously emerging from social distancing measures, the fear of crowds descending on the Islands is unfounded. Those of us in the hospitality business will be lucky if we scrape by with 25% occupancy rates this summer.

Our local healthcare system is resilient and has handled positive cases as they have arisen. We have a system in place to test and refer patients for treatment as needed.

The last three months have shown us that some high traffic businesses were allowed to remain open and they have operated safety without endangering their employees and customers. Continue Reading

In order to help support the business community, San Juan County has acquired a stockpile of more than 7,000 simple face coverings to distribute to local businesses. The intent is for small quantities to be on hand in the event customers or clients forget their face covering or otherwise arrive without one.

County staff and leaders are directly reaching out to local businesses to distribute face coverings and that effort will be ongoing. In addition, face coverings are available by reaching out to the Chambers of Commerce on each island:

• LOPEZ: [email protected]
• ORCAS: [email protected]
• SAN JUAN: [email protected]

This effort is intended to supplement the outstanding volunteer and non-profit led efforts already underway on each island to make, acquire, and distribute face coverings. Simple face coverings like the ones being distributed by the County are available commercially, but the goal is to provide businesses a boost as we all get used to the Health Officer order requiring face coverings.

Individuals who need help with obtaining a face covering for themselves or their family may contact Health & Community Services at:

• LOPEZ: 360-370-7504
• ORCAS: 360-376-7926
• SAN JUAN/SHAW: 360-370-7500

This just in from Amy Scarton, Assistant Secretary, WSDOT/Ferries Division…

Earlier this year, we adjusted our schedules in response to a drastic, system-wide drop in demand due to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, we decided to keep these service changes in place through June 20.

Now that we’re in June, I want you to know that our plan is to stay the course, but with an option now for phased service changes. Any changes to our current COVID Response Service Plan on any route will be based on our four pillars of service – ridership, crew availability, vessel availability and funding.

More than 150 of our terminal and vessel employees are unavailable due to the pandemic. Recent system-wide ridership is down 60% compared to this time last year.

Vehicle reservations for June 21 through September 26 on the Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/ Coupeville routes will be available online in the next week. Customers can sign up for email alerts, check WSF’s COVID-19 travel updates and follow WSF on social media for notification on the exact date and time reservations will be released, along with any future changes in service.

Valmark (Kings Market and Friday Harbor Market Place) and the EDC have created a new Back-to-Business grant program to assist small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. 

This fund was created to address our business owners’ desperate need for essential business expenses like rent, for PPE and for pivoting their operations online.

Through an application process, the fund will provide business owners with small grants, in order to: Continue Reading

On Tuesday May 26^th the San Juan County Council approved plans for the production of an Alternative Fair.  The decision was made earlier in May to not host a physical Fair at the San Juan County Fairgrounds, the resting place of the SJC Fair since 1924. 

This decision was made with heavy minds and hearts, taking much into consideration.  Not only was the health and safety of vendors, volunteers, entertainers, staff and participants a top priority; financial considerations held weight; the phased reopening of the state and its fluid timeline, and our service partners losing their routing due to our regional Fairs/partners also cancelling. 

Staff will continue to work to produce Fair in a virtual format that continues to educate and entertain San Juan County residents and visitors from across the globe.   We understand that this decision impacts our vendors, participants and entertainers. 

In focusing on the production of an alternative Fair, August 12-15^th, Fair staff, Superintendents and the SJC Fair Board will work to ensure that we are able to meet our fair’s core values: Continue Reading

Milene Henley – Contributed photo

This year began like any other – a little too cold, a little too wet; but quiet, mostly devoid of tourists, and still the sleepy little island community we are used to. Then news spread of a virus on the other side of the world. In late January, the disease hit the US, in Washington State. On the last day of February, the first US death occurred, again in Washington. In mid-March, the Governor closed most businesses and told us to stay home.

For County revenues, the year also began like any other. Early sales tax reflected a good fall and winter; permitting and planning revenues were ramping up for a new year; and properties continued to sell and bring in excise taxes. If one lived in a cave and had no idea what was going on, one might look at the data and see nothing that suggests a coming recession.

More recent data show otherwise, primarily because of delayed sales tax reporting. Sales tax is paid by the consumer in any given month – January, for example. Most businesses report the revenue in the following month – February. Then in March, sales tax is distributed by the state to the cities and counties in which the sales activity took place. Effectively, sales tax revenue received in March was generated in January. Continue Reading

The Town of Friday Harbor’s Lodging Tax Advisory Committee (LTAC) is delaying the application process for 2021 tourism promotion grants until later this year. Normally, the application period is open from June through August.

Due to current uncertainty regarding this year’s lodging tax revenue, the Town is unable to estimate the amount of funds that will be available for grant allocation. This allocation will be determined after more tax data has been collected. Lodging tax revenues are the sole source of funding for LTAC grants.

“The Town must carefully manage the lodging tax funds to keep the grant program strong through 2021,” said Town Administrator Duncan Wilson. He added, “We will be reviewing revenue results over the next several months to determine what can be distributed in next year’s budget.”

Wilson went on to assure that all LTAC grants awarded last year for use in 2020 will be fully funded per contractual agreement. Any programs or events that are cancelled as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic may cause the unused grant monies to be returned the LTAC fund.

On Wednesday June 3rd, San Juan County Health Officer Dr. Frank James signed a new order (June 3rd, Order 2020-7) that modifies the previous limits on transient lodging in San Juan County.

What are the Details?
All transient lodging operators are allowed to operate at 50% capacity, provided they adhere to specific safety guidelines released with the new order.

This order applies to all transient overnight lodging in San Juan County, including hotels and motels, camping, moorage, and vacation rentals.

When does this order to into effect?
Immediately.

Why was this new order issued? Continue Reading