A Concert of Choral and Instrumental Carols, Hymns, and Anthems from France, Scandinavia, and Germany, will take place at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Saturday, December 21^st at 3:00 PM.

The concert will feature an unaccompanied choir directed by Richard Lind. Instrumental performances by Sue Collado, clarinet; Hanneke Klein-Robbenhaar, violin and viola; and Richard Lind, piano, will round out the program.

There is no charge for admission, but donations to the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center and the Friday Harbor Food Bank will be gratefully accepted.

Invite your family, friends, and neighbors!

Submitted by Fish for Teeth board, Matt Marinkovich, Maureen Marinkovich, Dr. Michael Horn, Tami Doenges and David Jennings.

Fish for Teeth has been helping fill the dental needs of San Juan and Lopez islands since 2012 by sponsoring the Medical Teams International Mobile Dental Van. The van comes to San Juan for two-day visits, four times a year. Clinics on Lopez are also coordinated through Fish for Teeth. In 2019, more than 120 islanders received the dental care that they otherwise may have not been able to afford.

Fish for Teeth receives no government or institutional funding, just direct donations. Fish for Teeth also uses donations received from the fish taco fundraisers to host the clinics.

Without volunteers, Fish for Teeth wouldn’t exist. Our whole community contributes to running this organization, and we value and honor every individual and business that contributes.

The Fish for Teeth Board extends our thanks to all of the following volunteers and supporters: Continue Reading

Get Your Tissues Ready

Many of you in the community know about Cowboy, but for those who don’t, he has been a long-term resident at the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor (APS-FH).

Cowboy’s journey home has taken almost two years. He was originally brought in as a stray to a shelter in Modesto, California, with no information about his history. Shortly after he was scheduled to be euthanized.

Around this time, Lead & Love Dog Rescue in Bend, Oregon saved over ten dogs from euthanasia at that shelter, Cowboy being one of them. On March 27^th, 2018, he was transferred to APS-FH through connections with Becky Pohlad, one of our Advisory Board members. Cowboy has been at our shelter since.

Although he had been labeled an “intimidating dog,” everyone who took the time to get to know Cowboy couldn’t understand why such a wonderful dog was overlooked time and time again. Eventually he became an honorary staff member and won many hearts along the way, but none-the-less he sat. And waited. Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag today we find this letter from Louise Dustrude…

I worked on the 2010 U.S. Census, as did more than half a dozen other island residents, and I found it interesting and rewarding. I’m retired, and the paycheck was welcome. Some of my colleagues were unemployed or just “between jobs,” and I know it was helpful to them as well.

This year for the first time people can respond on-line to census questions, and so perhaps that means there will be fewer necessary follow-up visits. 

It is important for many to know that there is no question about citizenship on the census (after a long controversy about whether that was an appropriate question). 

The goal is to account for every single person living in the country, and the results help determine our fair representation in Congress as well as fair apportionment in many other government programs, including the Electoral College.

The census numbers also guide how an estimated $880 billion a year in federal funding is distributed for schools, roads, and other public services.

It is in the interest of all of us that no one be left out.

Census jobs pay $20-25 an hour, including paid training, plus mileage reimbursement. They offer part-time, flex-time, and full-time hours. They have a great resume-building potential.

To find out about opportunities, go to  2020census.gov.

Merri Ann Simonson shares another video in her San Juan Island Lifestyle series…

This video features our Chardonnay Shopping event. Shop local!

Rob Simpson died unexpectedly of a heart attack December 3.

It is with great sadness that we share the news that our father unexpectedly passed away last week as the result of a heart attack. We hope that you will join us in celebrating his life this Saturday, December 14th at the Mullis Center from 11am-1pm (further details on attached invitation).

If you know anyone else who would like to share memories, blessings, and music with us, please forward this message far and wide. We would love to have anyone there who was touched by his life. Feel free to bring photos you have of/with him (or email them here), memories, or a finger food to share!

We look forward to hopefully seeing (or meeting!) you on Saturday. If you have any questions, you may reach out to me or my brother at the numbers below:

Warm regards,

Andrew F. Simpson – (818) 636-3043
Amberly M. Simpson – (818) 726-1214

The Town of Friday Harbor Refuse Department provides one day of pickup for Yard Waste during the month of December.

This month that day would normally fall on December 26^th. However, because the employees of the Town will have Christmas Day as a holiday, the Refuse workers will have to pick up two separate routes of garbage collection on December 26^th and will be unable to collect Yard Waste that day.

For this reason, the Yard Waste pickup day has been moved to Friday December 27^th and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sprint into a new decade with Island Rec at our Fifth Annual Resolution Run 5k scheduled for a 10am start on Tuesday, January 1, 2020.

This is a family and dog friendly fun run that travels from Jackson Beach to Mullis, into town, up Argyle and back to Jackson Beach. At 11:00am, join us for the 3^rd Annual Salish Splash when you are done running or just because you want to – take an icy dip in the water to celebrate the New Year! There will be fires built and snacks available. Please make sure to bring a change of clothes if you plan on splashing with us.

Pre-register now, $10 for ages 16 and up, free for ages 15 and under. Register online at www.islandrec.org, in person at the Island Rec office 580 Guard St. Pick up race numbers and complete day of registration at 9:45am at Jackson’s beach. Call Island Rec at 378-4953 for more information.

Warren Frederick Jones, of Friday Harbor, Washington died peacefully, surrounded by his family, following a brief illness, Tuesday, November 26, 2019 at Skagit Valley Hospital. He was born to John and Ida (Souza) Jones on January 28, 1937 in San Luis Obispo, California. In 1942, when he was 5 years old, he moved with his parents to San Juan Island where he grew up at Turn Point on the family farm.

He attended Friday Harbor Elementary and High School from 1942-1955, where he made many lifelong friends and enjoyed many reunions with the class of 1955. Warren attended Skagit Valley College, the returned to the island in 1956 to run the family farm, Wild Rose Ranch and Island Angus Farms. In 1956 he married Romona Dawn DeStaffany. Warren and Romona had 4 daughters, Kathy, Pat, Sherry and Tammy. Warren and Romona divorced in 1971.

He married Joyce R (Wilson) Johnson on December 31, 1971 and her children, Christina, Roland and Melissa became part of the family. Continue Reading

Put a smile on a child this Christmas. Please donate to your Friday Harbor Kiwanis club’s annual Santa Toy Drive.

Donation containers are available at our local banks and Friday Harbor Drug. The Santa Hotline is 360 378-1534.

Please join Cotton Cotton Cotton, Island Studios and Friday Harbor Chocolates for our Friday the 13th Holiday Open House from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM. 

We will be offering refreshments from 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM along with special holiday pricing.

Cotton Cotton Cotton will have a special sale –  25% off entire store (excluding jewelry and consignment items). 

Island Studios will offer 10% off on everything in the store!

Friday Harbor Chocolates is offering 10% off all wine, port, champagne & prosecco!

Come and get your shopping done early and enjoy a cup of cheer and shop local!

We are right down the street from each other and Friday Harbor Chocolates are across the street so it is easy to visit all three businesses!

After 20 years at 50 web Street in downtown Friday Harbor, Sandy Richard has moved the San Juan Oriental Medicine Clinic out to 517 Douglas Road.

The clinic will be up and running this week and looking forward to seeing new and old patients.

Alchemy Art Center, in partnership with the San Juan County Arts Council, is offering a mentorship opportunity for young people in Spring of 2020. 

This mentorship program will match two high school students with one adult artist in each department at Alchemy (ceramics, photography, and printmaking/painting/drawing). 

This program will take place over the course of 8 weeks, beginning in mid February and culminating in an exhibition of the students’ work on April 10th.

This arts-focused mentoring opportunity is a collaborative project between Alchemy Art Center and the San Juan County Arts Council. Our goal is to foster mentoring relationships between adult artists and youth in our community. Continue Reading

Island Stage Left’s “Christmas Memories” and “Omnium Gatherum” will run on different nights in the Marie Boe Building at the San Juan County Fairgrounds, December 14-24.

All shows at 7:30 EXCEPT: Sunday shows at 4pm, and December 24 shows at 4pm and 6:30 pm. Reservations required and available for December 24^thonly: [email protected]
Free admission to all shows. Donations appreciated.
 
Further information: (360) 378-564
 
They’re both such popular shows, we thought since we didn’t have a Christmas show last year we would give people a chance to see both!
 
 “Christmas Memories” takes the audience to a small town in Wales, and a child’s view of the winter world a hundred years ago.  It was our first holiday show in 2003 and soon became a favourite holiday tradition. This year’s show brings Penelope Haskew’s delightful singing voice to join Dan Mayes in music of the time, interwoven with the story. (December 14, 15, 19, 21, 23)
 
“Omnium Gatherum” is a different kettle of fish altogether;  “From the ridiculous to the sublime,” it’s full of unusual things that you don’t usually associate with a Christmas program. With plenty of laughter, joy and celebration, this has become our other tremendously popular other island tradition. (Shows December 18, 20, 22, 24)

One of the wooden cutout ornaments and a photo of the home it represents – SJ Update File photo shows what they looked like fresh off the laser cutter. To see what they look like now, you’ll have to go to the Holiday Market!

Come see the San Juan Community Home Trust at the Brickworks Old Fashioned Christmas Market! We will have a table with information about what we do PLUS we have ornaments for your Holiday Tree.

These are decorations, made by Justin Ha and Mathew Vogel of Friday Harbor High School, in the shapes of our moved homes making up the Sun Rise II neighborhood. Once made, they have been painted by local San Juan artists from our schools and our arts community.

They are seasonal, whimsical, colorful and perfect to add to your decorative scheme or to give as a gift!

For a small donation per decoration, you can add one, or six, or even more to your Christmas stockings, holiday tree, or tied to your Christmas gift bows.

These are one of a kind collectibles and a happy reminder that home and hearth are important to all of us.

See you at the market, on Saturday, December 14th from 10:00am to 3:00pm.

Friday Harbor Mayor Farhad Ghatan and Mike Cohen – Contributed photo

How often does the mayor proclaim a day in your name? Ask Mike Cohen, who will turn 90 this week!

Here’s what the Town had to say:

Click to enlarge

“Michael J. Cohen”
Our friend and fellow Island resident Mike Cohen will turn 90 on Saturday, December 14th.

This is a noteworthy life event for anyone, and we wish to honor Mike, as he is a distinguished member of our community. Founder of Project Nature-Connect, and a school in the discipline that boasts students world-wide,

Mike has created and experienced much in his long life.

Mike was raised in a forward thinking artistic and musical family. He has run a ski lodge in Vermont, a traveling school that took students around the country to learn from experiencing the natural world, compiled a repertoire of hundreds of folk songs and dances, and has participated greatly in the preservation of many aspects of our national folk culture.

And he brought it all here to San Juan Island in the late 1990s, where he has enriched our island with his contributions to music, dance and education ever since. You see him at his contra dance, playing music at the farmers market, entertaining customers at the Cask and Schooner, and the residents at The Village, to mention just a few of his current activities.

Friday Harbor would be much the poorer without Mike’s cheerful presence and we would like to honor him as an indispensable community member.

Congratulations and Happy Birthday Mike!

Read more about Mike and this award here on his Project Nature Connect website.