Look who’s interviewing Sheryl Crow – It’s Friday Harbor’s own Emree (Rhiana) Franklin! How cool is that?

Proud parents Suzanne and Ken Franklin share this announcement…

Dear Friends and Family,

Exciting news is fun to share and I have some really exciting news about Rhiana (Emree) who was recently selected by Sheryl Crow for inclusion in NBC Today Show’s “WOMEN WHO ROCK: Music and Mentorship” platform and digital content series.  The show, sponsored by City, a proud member of #seeherhearher a movement advancing gender equality in music, is streamed, so you can view it at any time by going to the link below.

Click here to see the Today Show video.

Through this opportunity, Emree was able to spend time with Sheryl at her home recording studio in Nashville, where Sheryl shared her experiences and advice as a mentor.  Emree then performed her newly released single, Hurt Forever, for Sheryl as NBC’s film crew captured their interaction, and later that day, filmed Emree playing at world-renowned Blackbird Studio.  Needless to say, Emree had a fantastic time.

How can you help? Continue Reading

Ron Lehman shares these photos he shot of some mammatus clouds he saw over Mt. Vernon on Tuesday morning. Very interesting cloud formations and good thing he got the photos when he did – he says they were completely gone within about 15 minutes. Here’s more info on this kind of cloud on Wikipedia.

Thanks for sharing Ron!

See a few more photos below: Continue Reading

Laura Norris and Griffin Bay Bookstore are lucky winners of one of James Patterson’s $500 Holiday Bonus awards.

All across the country, 500 booksellers from Maine to California, Florida to the Dakotas, were each awarded the special bonus, 100 of them going bookstores specializing in children’s literature or with an outstanding children’s collection.

This award is fitting for Griffin Bay Bookstore with its mission to promote literacy and inspire the love of reading in the community’s children and young adults. Continue Reading

OPALCO Rate Increase Held at 3%

Board to Share Vision for Our Energy Future

When OPALCO members open their bills in January, they will be, on average, $3.92 higher. Although rates were projected to increase 5-6% each year over the next five years, the Board decided to hold the increase to 3% in 2020 in order to give the membership a breather while we prepare for major investments in renewable energy in the coming years to meet the new carbon mandates.

With the high cost of living in the islands, OPALCO remains committed to bill paying assistance for households with low and fixed income. Project PAL has been restructured and will be administered through the three island resource centers. Energy Assist Credit will, once again, be adjusted to offset the service access charge increase. Continue Reading

2010 Flooding on Bailer Hill – DEM Photo

While flood impacts in the islands are much less than for our mainland neighbors, every few years the islands get enough rain to cause localized flooding- especially in our more “urban” areas.

With a chance of heavy rain in the forecast for later this week, now is a good opportunity for home and business owners to brush up on their flood preparedness.

• Keep drains clear of leaves and other debris.
• If you’ve had flood problems before, prepare for them to happen again.
• Have sandbags, sand, and shovel handy. Perhaps a pump if risk is high.
• Remember, most insurance won’t cover flooding. Know your policy. 
• Keep an eye on the weather and your neighborhood.
• Take care of each other, use common sense, call 911 in an emergency.

While both the Town and County have made considerable improvements to drainage systems since events like this or this, it still makes sense to be prepared and ready should a winter downpour arrive.

Channel Preserve, Lopez
Lopez Preserve Steward, Amanda Wedow, hosted a public scoping meeting in early October. The event was widely attended with break-out discussions covering a variety of topics, including signage, and dogs.

Incorporating comments heard at the meeting, as well those submitted over the public comment period that followed, Land Bank staff are now finalizing the management plan. Of note, community members suggested, and overwhelmingly agreed, that the Preserve be dog free. This rule is currently in effect at Weeks Wetland, while the other Lopez Land Bank Preserves continue to allow dogs on leash.

Read about other preserves below: Continue Reading

Co-op Members Get Paid – Capital Credit Checks Going Out

When you become a co-op member, you become an owner in OPALCO. OPALCO is a not-for-profit cooperative which means any margin at the end of the year goes back into members’ hands.

Each year the co-op tracks how much you pay for power and that determines how much of the margin you will receive when it is retired (after 25 years). In December, capital credit checks will be sent out to members who were active in 1994, plus some from 1995. Continue Reading

San Juan County is seeking volunteers to create opposing statements to place in the online Voter’s Guide for the upcoming February 2020 Special Election.

San Juan County Council approved sending Resolution No. 49-2019 to voters. If approved, the measure would authorize a countywide sales and use tax of 0.20% for a period of 60 months, followed by a lower rate of 0.05% thereafter. These taxes would fund emergency communication systems and facilities.

San Juan School District No. 149 approved sending Resolution No. 19-012 to voters. If approved, the measure would authorize a levy of $.3917919 per $1000 assessed value. The levy would support the District’s Capital Projects Fund.

Both measures have “pro” committees and are in need of “con” committees to supply statements against the measures.

Each committee may have up to three members, though members may consult other people to serve as their advisory committee and may seek advice of any number of people to assist in developing the statements. The deadline for appointing the committees is December 23. Each committee’s statement must be submitted to San Juan County Elections no later than January 3rd.

If interested in serving on one of the committees, please contact San Juan County Auditor, Milene Henley at 360-370-7558 or [email protected].

Story by Louise Dustrude…

After 23 years heading County Parks, and nearly half that long running the County Fair as well, Dona Wuthnow has decided she’s ready to start a new chapter.

She’ll definitely stay on the island, she said, and she hopes to work in something natural resource conservation-related. She is passionate about parks “as part of our public commons” and the way they provide “natural and more serene connections for people to the environment and each other.”

Dona was living on Shaw in 1996, when a member of the County Park Board, Janice Ekstrom, came to find her and see whether she would apply for the part-time job as County Parks Superintendent. Continue Reading

In 2019 the Mullis Center Expanded the Lunch Program – Peggy Sue McRae photo

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae…

As the year 2019 comes to an end we San Juan Islanders can count our blessings. We live on a beautiful island and we have a senior center with much to offer.  This year the Mullis Center has seen some changes and some growth.

In January, long time senior services manager, Wendy Stevens, retired. She was looking forward to travel and grandchildren. Meanwhile, the Mullis Center was planning to expand the popular lunch program. Continue Reading

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) is dedicated to supporting the local San Juan Islands art community each year in the museum’s Artists’ Registry Exhibit.   With over 70 artists showcased, both established and emerging, the artists come from San Juan Island, Orcas, Shaw & Lopez Islands.

The exhibit opens December 20 and runs until February 21. The exhibit features artworks in oil, acrylic, watercolor and encaustic, as well as pastels, photography, mixed media, pottery, sculpture, glass, wood, textiles and more.

This year Jay and Suzy Wakefield sponsor a People’s Choice Award, with winners receiving cash awards. Come and vote for your favorites! Vote before the end of January during normal SJIMA hours, Friday-Monday 11-5. Continue Reading

Boyd Pratt launched his newest book, “Island Farming: History and Landscape of Agriculture in the San Juan Islands,” at the Grange Hall to a large, enthusiastic crowd of farmers, Grange members, and others on Friday evening.

He highlighted three themes from the book – bygone farmers, fruit-growing, and sheep-raising – but there are a multitude of other themes in the book he could just as easily have chosen.

Drawing on his own extensive knowledge and an enormous amount of research, he has written a book that is a wonderful combination of facts, stories, maps, pictures, and almanac-like details. It includes a travel guide to all the barns in the county.

It is available at Griffin Bay Books and other bookstores, as well as directly from Boyd himself. It costs $19.95.

Cynthia’s Bistro is offering free take-away meals to anyone who needs a meal or wishes to have a home cooked meal. No questions asked, just free food. Stop by Cynthia’s this Thursday -12/19/19 from 4:30 to 6:00 to pick up your meal.

You may pick up 2 meals per person. When we run out of food, we will close the doors until next time. We will be stationed on the front porch and handing out the meals at Cynthia’s Bistro – 65 Nichols Street in Friday Harbor.

Basic Home Cooking made with everything but the Kitchen Sink.

Come by and say hello. If you care to join us and donate time or money to the cause, feel free to contact Cynthia at Cynthia’s Bistro or email me at [email protected].

Merri Ann Simonson is back with more real estate tips and information for you…

Merri Ann Simonson – Contributed photo

Custom Construction or Buy Existing and Remodel?

In the current market it is much more affordable to buy an existing home than it is to purchase new or custom construction.  Why is that? 

The costs of materials and labor did not correct as the housing and land prices did during the recession.  The agents that work with General Contractors were quoting estimates of $250-$350 per foot for mid-level new home construction costs before the recession and are now quoting $350-$400 in the current market.  This price per foot will afford some hardwood floors, custom cabinetry, granite and a high-end appliance package, if you spend wisely.

Continue reading here (PDF)

This year has been a year of roof replacements at the San Juan Historical Museum. Recently, the roof of the James King family home was replaced. The prior wood shingle roof had reached the end of its useful life and the time had come to undertake the project which was done by Bobby Ross Construction.

With new cedar shingles in place, it likely looks like it did when Mr. King built the home in 1897. This latest project follows replacement of the Scribner family log cabin roof earlier this year. Continue Reading

On Wednesday Dec 18, 2019, the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors will hold a regular School Board Meeting at 5:00 pm in the high school library. This is an open public meeting.

We will also celebrate the school/community collaboration that lead to the development of the District’s Strategic Plan 2020-2025.  All are welcome! Continue Reading