Douglas Archuleta – Contributed photo

Island Rec is proud to announce that Douglas Archuleta is joining the team as the new after-school Program Manager. Doug will be overseeing the Study Time and Afternoon Recreation (STAR) program at Friday Harbor Elementary School.

After growing up primarily in King and Kitsap Counties, Doug went to school at Western Washington University where he graduated with a degree in Community Recreation and a double minor in Journalism and Sport and Exercise Psychology.

Nature and outdoor recreation opportunities have always been important to Doug, and after spending two and a half years in Tacoma post-graduation he is eager to return to a place where he can regularly and actively explore the outdoors. Continue Reading

In the San Juan Update Mailbag this morning, the SJIPC thanks the SJICF…

The San Juan Island Prevention Coalition (SJIPC) would like to publicly thank the San Juan Island Community Foundation (SJICF) for their continued support of our island youth.

Members of our Rock Solid Youth Prevention Team were able to attend a national leadership training, Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA), this summer with the SJICF support.

Rock Solid members have been working in our schools and community doing prevention projects to help create a healthier community since 2011. Our youth-led, adult-guided model gives the teens a chance to be the change agent. These young leaders have successfully rallied their peers in supporting their Escape the Vape project at their school.

In addition to mentoring the younger middle school prevention team, HOTS Junior, investing in these teen leaders helps build capacity in our community. Continue Reading

The San Juan Island Garden Club will host their “Ferry Go Round” meeting aboard the inter-island ferry on Wednesday, October 23rd.

This is a Sharing Time for Gardeners with:

• News of Upcoming events
• Remembering Past Events
• County Fair Flower Barn Ribbon Winners

Bring your brown bag lunch including beverage

               Anacortes           Friday Harbor    Orcas     Lopez
Board    8:30                     11:35                   12:40       1:00
               4:15(from FH)    2:20                     3:10        3:45

The Joy of Gardening is Sharing

A view toward Friday Harbor from Mount Grant – Tim Dustrude photo

A judge has confirmed public access to the 180-acre Mount Grant Preserve. This means that the 180-acre Preserve will remain open to the public from West Valley Road on San Juan Island. Some signage will be necessary to show alternative access to the 70-acre property that adjoins the preserve.

The court ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed last year by Lance and Rami Amaro against San Juan County and the San Juan Preservation Trust. Snohomish County Judge Richard Okrent, who had been appointed for this case, ruled based upon the documents submitted to him.

Judge Okrent ruled that the existing written easement burdening the North end of the farm property of Lance and Rami Amaro allows the public to access the 180-acre Mount Grant Preserve from Beaverton Valley Road.

Lincoln Bormann, Conservation Land Bank Director said, “With this issue at rest, people can feel secure that the public will have the opportunity to enjoy the Preserve without change.” Continue Reading

Have you noticed more and more trees turning brown or dying on your property or as you drive through the islands? Kevin Zobrist, Washington State University Extension professor, discusses what’s happening to our trees and forests. Learn how trees prioritize their resources under the impacts of stressors like climate change and our common root diseases, and what browning needles really mean. Leave with a good understanding of how to manage stressors, tree and forest resiliency, and your role in understanding and managing tree health.

Kevin coordinates the Extension Forestry program in the Puget Sound area, working with people who own forested property. Kevin has two forestry degrees from the University of Washington, and is the author of “Native Trees of Western Washington.” His research interests include outreach methodology in forestry education, forest ecology and native trees.

The Annual Gardening Workshop is a day-long event, with noted authorities speaking on a wide variety of topics of interest to PNW coastal gardeners. Multiple choices allow you to plan your day to attend sessions of interest to you.

This year topics include: Continue Reading

The weather is getting cold once again, so United Way of SJC and other supporters are pleased to respond to you, the town of Friday Harbor, with the “Out of the Cold” Severe Weather Shelter Program, offering temporary shelter for families and individuals during our coldest months.  The shelter will operate on days of severe weather from November 23rd, 2019, through March 7th, 2020.

To learn more, you are invited to attend an Info Session and Meet-Up, October 12th, from 9am-11am, at Friday Harbor Atelier*. Coffee, pastries, snacks! It’s time to build a strong team for another season of helping islanders! 

In its third year, this program is funded through your generous donations, and staffed by local volunteers willing to help out whenever someone calls in need of shelter from the cold. No prior experience is required, and volunteers receive a generous stipend for every night they participate (volunteers will be trained, and must submit to a background check).

If you are interested, please show up! Please email [email protected] to RSVP. You can also join our Facebook Group for regular updates!

And thank you from United Way of SJC.

*The Atelier is located where West Marine used to be, next to the bowling alley in Friday Harbor.

What’s up with the mow job and flags at Beaverton Marsh Preserve off Roche Harbor Road? Well no, it’s not an airstrip, but yes, it IS an exciting, collaborative, agricultural research trial!

Your Conservation Land Bank, along with WSU San Juan County Extension Office, and San Juan Islands Conservation District (SJICD), are partnering on several trials associated with pasture forage enhancement.

WSU has been conducting field trials in this location since 2017; however, the latest, very visible trial off Roche Harbor Road is unique in that it is utilizing the no-till seed drill provided by SJICD. The goal of the no-till seeder is to introduce more desirable species into pastures and hay fields with minimal soil disturbance. Continue Reading

Flu season is here and it is time to get your flu shot!  San Juan County Health & Community Services has scheduled the 2019 flu clinics for the public.  

All flu clinics will be by appointment only.  Be advised that there are limited doses available at this time based on vaccine availability from our supplier.  

Contact San Juan County Health & Community Services for more information at (360) 378-4474.  

Additional Info…

Island Marble Butterfly – Photo by Karen Reagan, USFWS

State and federal wildlife agencies to work with San Juan and Lopez island landowners to recover butterfly found nowhere else

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is announcing continuation of open enrollment for San Juan and Lopez islands landowners who would like to participate in a voluntary program to help restore Island Marble Butterflies, a species that could soon be listed as endangered under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA).

The Island Marble Butterfly is found nowhere except on San Juan Island. Thought to be extinct since 1908, the butterfly was re-discovered by biologists during a prairie survey in San Juan Island National Historical Park in 1998, and a few years later on Lopez Island – but not seen again on Lopez Island since 2006.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has proposed to list the Island Marble Butterfly as an endangered species and designate critical habitat for the species under the ESA. The species is likely to officially become an endangered species.

WDFW and the USFWS are inviting landowners — especially those with open, grassy landscapes to enroll in a Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurance (CCAA) to help save the Island Marble Butterfly. Continue Reading

Join children’s musician Nancy Stewart for an evening “Under the Stars” with stories, silliness, and sing-alongs for the San Juan Island Library’s annual Pajama Storytime.

Nancy Stewart is an award-winning musician and the creator of SingWithOurKids.com, an early literacy online resource for caregivers.

The Pajama Musical Hour is on Friday, October 11th and begins at 6:30 PM in the Library’s Main Salon. Wearing your favorite pajamas is encouraged, but not required. Light refreshments will be served.

Pajama storytimes are fun for the whole family. They are designed to engage children of various ages, so families with children of any age are welcome!

For more information about this free family event, please contact the library at 360-378-2798 or email Melina Lagios at [email protected].

Plans are just beginning for the Annual San Juan Island Children’s Festival scheduled for May 2, 2020. We are needing people willing to work as a team, committed to creating this fun filled festival dedicated to celebrating children! The Children’s Festival attracts over 1,200 people and is in its 30^th year as a hallmark event for San Juan Island and Island Rec!

Apart from the festival day, committee members volunteer an estimate of 6-8 hours per month beginning in January. The committee works closely with Island Rec staff to choose the theme of the festival, secure entertainment, coordinate participation of over 30 community organizations, recruit volunteers and promote the event. We encourage members of our community to be part of this long-standing successful event. If creating opportunities for children to discover, explore, create and be amused speaks to you, please RSVP through the contact information below.

Contact Lili at Island Rec at 360-378-4953 or [email protected] to learn more about this opportunity.

Deb Langhans – Contributed photo

Deb Langhans writes to share some ideas on how to cope with the added stress of the holidays…

The holiday season–with its sometimes breathless succession of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s–is steadily advancing. (Geez, just writing that brings tightness to my tummy!)

Since my clients are already showing signs of increased anxiety, fatigue, overwhelm and grief, I felt the urge to touch on a few ways we can better navigate through this challenging time of year, especially for those who will be living through this season without a loved one–human or animal–for the first time.

It really all comes down to giving ourselves permission, permission to acknowledge and accept our humanity. Regardless of our credentials, socio-economic status or when we’ve suffered significant loss, we are all vulnerable human beings sometimes struggling just to stay afloat. Acknowledging and accepting that truth–without judgment or resistance–represents a profoundly therapeutic gift we can give, not only others, but ourselves. Here are three important ways we can encourage that gift and embrace our humanity: Continue Reading

Animal Protection Society Of Friday Harbor Sends Sincere Gratitude for Adoption Celebration Success

APS-FH sends warm thanks to everyone who shared in their first adoption celebration at their new home and helped to make it a huge success.

The car parking, manned by the volunteers Paul Felso and Ron Leonard Saturday September 28^th was full of potential adopters, P.A.L. (People Animals Love) members, pet care or service exhibitors, APS-FH volunteers and the Team from Coldwell Banker San Juan Islands, Inc; CBSJIS Designated Managing Broker Tim Gambrell, CBSJIS Ad Director Kelly E. Armstrong and CBSJIS brokers Kelly Snow, Leasa Wangoe, Debra Sullivan and Steve Buck along with a few new-to-the-island faces.

With the parking full the APS-FH Lucas Pohlad Adoption Center overflowed with merriment to celebrate APS-FH’s first year in their new home and shelter pets starting new lives and meeting their new forever families. Continue Reading

Friday Harbor Film Festival is looking for volunteers. Here’s Lynn with the scoop…

Please volunteer now, join your friends & have fun at the 7th Annual Friday Harbor Film Festival.

We have great new logo wear for all volunteers, free film passes and plans for a big volunteer appreciation party!

Sign up now at https://www.fhff.org/volunteer

Friends of the San Juans is seeking citizen scientists to help conduct beach surveys for spawning forage fish over the next two years. There will be a survey training session on October 26 from 9 am – 1 pm with researchers from Friends of the San Juans and Salish Sea Biological at the Old Town of Friday Harbor Fire Station (260 West Street).

“Forage fish play a key role in marine food webs, supporting salmon, seabirds and marine mammals. However, additional information is needed on spawning habitats to improve the success of local salmon recovery efforts. We look forward to working with community volunteers to conduct this important survey work,” said Tina Whitman, Science Director at Friends of the San Juans.

The training will begin inside and move to Jackson Beach for the field portion of the training. Transportation will be provided to and from Friday Harbor. Pre-registration is required. For more information and to register go to www.sanjuans.org/upcoming-events or contact Tina Whitman at [email protected] or 360-378-2319.

This free training workshop is hosted by Friends of the San Juans and the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee. Funding is provided by the Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The San Juan Community Home Trust has been awarded a $2000 Grant for its Operations!

Jamie Cier, Branch Manager of Washington Federal Bank (soon to be known as WaFD) on Orcas, notified Home Trust Executive Director, David Gow of the award in late September. Coincidentally, Jamie was on San Juan Island on the date of the Home Trust monthly board meeting and was able to present the check to the board personally.

For a non-profit it is always more difficult to find grants and donations for day to day operations than for its signature programs. And yet, keeping the doors open, the lights on and the employees paid are all essential in bringing the programs to the community.

This money from Washington Federal is therefore especially appreciated by the Home Trust, as you can see from the grins on the faces of board members and staff. Thank you Washington Federal Bank!