Submitted by the San Juan Island Service Scholarship

Since 1999, San Juan Island Service Scholarship (formerly known as Dollars for Scholars) has awarded almost $300,000 in scholarships to San Juan Island high school graduates. SJISS is a unique scholarship program: Rather than focusing on grades, students have an opportunity to earn a $1,000 scholarship toward higher education by completing a minimum of 80 hours of qualifying volunteer work for various San Juan Island community organizations. Students may enroll in the program as early as eighth grade.

This past June, SJISS awarded $15,000 in scholarships to the Class of 2019: 13 graduates from Friday Harbor High School and 2 from Spring Street International School. There are 66 students presently enrolled in the SJISS program, with an anticipated 12-17 seniors completing program requirements for the 2019-2020 school year.

SJISS hosts various fundraising campaigns throughout the year, including our longstanding Dining for Scholars spring fundraiser and our newly-added Fill the Fund event, which is generously underwritten by Island Petroleum Services. Continue Reading

The following is a message from SJCT Executive Artistic Director, Nathan Kessler-Jeffrey…

In 2008, I was in the middle of my second year of graduate school and really struggling. I had class
9am-5pm, production rehearsal 7pm-11pm, and scene rehearsal 11pm-1am. My coursework was intense, it was the beginning of the Recession, I directed three shows that year, and I was constantly exhausted. I needed a break. There was too much to simply wrap my head around and I spent every weekend catching up.

One weekend, when I wanted to be catching up, I was pulled up to Manhattan as part of a university trip. The directing class was all going to see Boeing Boeing, and I didn’t have any choice in the matter. I brought all my work with me, having an hour on the train there and back to get everything done. I’d never heard of Boeing Boeing, and I wasn’t really looking forward to it. But when I walked into the theatre lobby, there was a palpable buzz in the air. Continue Reading

The San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) will offer free training in electrical wiring and installation, beginning October 31^st.  This course is sponsored the San Juan Island Community Foundation, Browne’s Home Center, Ace Hardware, and Brown’s Heating & Refrigeration.

The course will be taught at Friday Harbor High School by Brent Huntington, long-time plumber and electrician and the instructor the EDC’s Plumbing Basics Class.  This program is intended to benefit participating students as well as local companies in need of skilled employees.  The hands-on curriculum has been designed for students and career changers, and will include safety, code, and more.  This course is free to residents of San Juan County, but space is limited and requires both registration and a filing fee of $10.

The six-week course will run from 5:30-7:30 pm Tuesdays and Thursdays from October 31^st though December 12^th of 2019. There is no cost for the training; pre-registration and a $10 filing fee is required.  The deadline to apply is Thursday, October 24^th. Continue Reading

Cathi Nett – Contributed photo

Please join us as Studio JAMM celebrates it’s Grand Opening this Saturday, October 5^th, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. Located at 15 Second Street N. in Friday Harbor.

“J.A.M.M.” is to remind us “Just Add Music & Movement”. 

The joyful JAMM concept was brought to life this summer by studio owner Cathi Nett. Cathi has a long history teaching, directing, dancing and singing. She is a beloved island voice teacher and directed “The Drowsy Chaperone” at SJCT this past Spring.

Cathi taught music in public and private school settings in Orange and San Diego Counties for many years, and has directed numerous musical theatre productions.  In addition she is considered a pioneer of dance aerobics, having trained at the Cooper Institute and created and produced dance/exercise programs internationally. 

Studio JAMM is offering high quality classes taught by skilled instructors. Movement opportunities are far ranging: Yoga, Tai Chi, Aerobics, “DanceSing”, and Ballroom Dance are a few. Later this year Tap, Jazz, Keyboard and Vocal Instruction will be added to the schedule. Studio JAMM is a safe space that works to build an all-inclusive joyful community. Continue Reading

School’s out early on Friday, October 11th, so grab your pals and come explore rigs of all shapes and sizes at Island Rec’s annual Touch-a-Truck event!

We will be at the Friday Harbor Elementary School playground again this year, from 11am-12:30pm. Kiwanis will be there in their K-Boose providing free hot dogs. Don’t miss out on the raffle to win a ride to school in a patrol car!

For more information please visit our website, www.islandrec.org, call (360) 378-4953, or stop by the office M-F between 11am-5pm, 580 Guard Street.

Please join us for our first Community Dinner of the 2019-2020 School Year!
We are kicking off the year with an AMAZING Harvest Menu prepared by Chef Andy and our Food for Thought staff and Chef.0 Student Interns!

On Wednesday, October 9th, from 5:30 – 7:30 in the Friday Harbor High School Commons.
$15 for Adults, $7 for Children Under 12
Proceeds support the Food for Thought Lunch Program and Student Chef Internships

The Harvest Menu features local and regional ingredients:

Roasted Pork loin, Apple and Leek Stuffing, Local Squash Soup, Sweet Potato and Yam Mash, Local Autumn Salad, Fresh-Baked Rolls and Dessert!

Already thinking about the holidays? Mark your calendars, or sign up for a booth space at our December 7^th Flea & Craft Market at the San Juan County Fairgrounds.

Vendors can apply online by going to www.sjcfair.org, or stop by our office at the Fairgrounds, Monday – Friday 8:30-4:30 to fill out an application. Each vendor booth space is 10’ x 10’ and includes a table and two chairs for $27.00. An additional table can be rented for $6.00, while available.

Don’t have anything to sell? Be sure to stop by the Fairgrounds on Saturday, December 7^th from 9am-1pm and shop for unique locally made crafts, vintage items, housewares, decorations, clothing, handmade jewelry and other flea market treasures.

Questions? Call 360-378-4310 or email [email protected].

Contributed photo

Need Help Managing “Watchable Wildlife” in Your Garden?

Leave this class with a better understanding of how to manage deer and other mammals in your gardens. The San Juan County Master Gardeners are pleased to welcome Dave Pehling, retired WSU Extension Zoologist. Dave will discuss integrated pest management, deterring pests by understanding their needs for, and controlling access to, food, water and shelter. You will also learn options for protecting your garden, like fences, scare tactics, repellants and resistant plants.

Dave Pehling joined WSU Extension in Snohomish County for a six-month position in 1978 and remained until retirement over 40 years later. He has a B.S. in Zoology from the University of Washington and taught vertebrate pest management for the WSU Master Gardener and Livestock Advisor programs, as well as providing citizens with information about vertebrates, insects, native plants, plant diseases and pesticides. Dave teaches the Washington State Beekeepers Beginning Beekeeper classes twice each year for WSU Extension in Snohomish County.

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

Land Bank’s American Hiking Society work party this past spring – Contributed photo

Starting THIS WEEKEND, Oct 5 & 6, your Land Bank stewards will kick off trail work on the new mountain bike trail on Mount Grant. This is a great opportunity for high school students to earn volunteer hours for a SJI Service Scholarship, so be sure to pass on the call for volunteers to any avid high school cyclist you know! 

If this weekend doesn’t work for your schedule – no worries – mark your calendar for any (or all) of these future work parties. We are always appreciative of a helping hand!

Tuesdays: 10/8, 10/15,& 10/22, Thursdays: 10/10, 10/17, & 10/24 or Saturdays: 10/12, 10/19, & 10/26

Meet in the Mount Grant parking area and everyone will head up at 10am. 

Please dress for the weather. The Land Bank will provide tools, but if you have your own, please bring that along.

Kerwin Johnson cooks up some cod for Fish Tacos – Tim Dustrude photo

Fish for Teeth is continuing its tooth-fixing mission with another Fish Taco Fundraiser on Friday, October 4, 11-1:30, at the San Juan  Community Theatre. An $8.00 suggested donation lands you a full-on burrito-sized “taco,” filled with sustainably-harvested Washington Coastal Rockfish, Pablito’s salsa, Tillamook cheese, zesty greens, and a squeeze of lime. Absolutely delicious.

Fish for Teeth is bringing the Medical Teams International Mobile Dental Van to San Juan Island for four two-day clinics in 2019. This is a stepped-up effort from previous years, but the extra clinics are necessary to keep up with the need for those who cannot otherwise afford dental care. Fish for Teeth is also developing a program to fund special cases that are too complex for the Dental Van; such cases would be completed by caring local dentists, at a reduced rate, with costs paid for by Fish for Teeth.

Fish for Teeth has no restrictions on income parameters, so “in the middle” families or individuals who are living with dental pain and no expendable income to pay for dental care, have an opportunity to live without dental pain. Fish for Teeth receives no government funding whatsoever, nor does it accept funding from foundations that require income parameters for services provided. Continue Reading

Jack PIcconi and Koa – Contributed photo

Jack Picconi, 75, passed away Sept. 1, 2019, at his home in Friday Harbor, WA. after a year-long battle with cancer.

Born Jan 7, 1944 to Jane Antle and Joseph Picconi in Seattle, WA. Jack spent his youth in Fremont, where he was the third generation of his family to call the area home. His summers were spent salmon fishing in Alaska.

In 1980 Jack and wife Stephanie purchased a new 37′ wood sloop and named it “By the Wind.” Jack loved sailing and in 1985 they sailed to Mexico for 9 months with their five year old daughter, Cember.

In Spring of 1989 they moved to Friday Harbor to purchase and manage Lakedale Campground. The Picconis transformed the property into a year round resort between the years of 1996 and 2001 by building the Lakedale Lodge, cabins, and main house. In 2005 the Picconis sold the Resort to enjoy a semi-retirement. They traveled up the inside passage to Alaska on their boat (Vagabondo del Mare) with their chocolate lab Koa. In spring 2010 Jack went to work as an Able Bodied Seaman on the Washington State Ferries until he retired in July 2017. Continue Reading

Here’s this month’s history column from the San Juan Historical Society and Museum…

Local history sometimes includes tales of a decidedly unearthly – or at least spooky – nature. Perhaps the most well-known of this island’s spooky tales are about the Cry Baby House. Once a homestead landmark at False Bay, this house is pictured here in an undated photograph.

Some islanders who were children here in the 1940s and 1950s may remember passing this house on their school bus route. It was already an old farm house then, reportedly standing since at least 1880. Those who were teenagers in the 1960s and 1970s are more likely to have experienced the house as the Cry Baby House, a place where strange things happened. Regardless of age or generation, people here have passed down stories about the Cry Baby House for years. 

Many of these ghost stories are about a crying baby inside the house. But the house is found to be empty. No one there. Another is about a woman who is seen walking along False Bay Road in search of her lost baby. Reportedly, a woman who once lived in the house did have a baby who died in a fire there. Another story about her is that she buried money somewhere in the field where she could see it from her rocking chair. A rocking chair which still rocked when no one was in it. Continue Reading

The four fire districts of San Juan County have received a regional Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) grant to replace aging personal protective equipment for firefighters and increase compatibility between agencies, maximizing mutual aid throughout our islands while reducing costs to our tax payers.

FEMA awarded $923,115 from the Assistance to Firefighters grant to the fire districts for Orcas, Lopez, Shaw and San Juan Islands to fund replacement, testing training and maintenance for Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA), critical for firefighter safety and fire operations. Much of the islands’ fire districts respiratory equipment is in need of increasingly frequent and expensive repairs. As the systems age, replacement parts become harder to locate and sometimes obsolete.

In a joint-statement, the Fire Chiefs of Orcas, Lopez, Shaw and San Juan Islands said, “Our islands’ communities are unique with their own identities and cultures. In an emergency, we are all one, supporting each other. We are working together to ensure the safety and security of all our islands’ residents. We are grateful to FEMA for this grant and providing our districts the opportunity to continue collaboration and cooperation while saving taxpayer dollars and increasing San Juan County’s emergency mutual aid compatibility.” Continue Reading

Island Rec’s evening drop-in programs begin this week at Turnbull Gym. Now that it’s getting cooler outside, join us for some indoor fitness.

Beginning 09/30/2019 at Turnbull Gym:

• Monday 7:30-9:30pm – Ping Pong & Pickleball
• Tuesdays – 7:30-9:30pm – Basketball
• Wednesdays 7:30-9:30pm –Badminton & Ping Pong
• Thursdays – 7:30-9:30pm – Pickleball &Volleyball

All participants must be 16 & Up and bring clean court shoes into the gym to participate. Sixteen- and seventeen-year old’s must have a parent signed waiver to participate. $3 drop-in or purchase a 10-time pass for $25.

Beginning 11/4/2019 at the Fairgrounds:

• Mondays & Thursdays – Indoor Soccer 7-9pm, Purchase a 3 month pass at the Island Rec office or on our website www.islandrec.org
• Wednesdays – Roller Hockey (6-7pm ages 5-14) (7:00-9:00 ages 15+)
• Saturdays – Scooter & Trike (5:30-6:30pm) Open Skate (7-8:30pm)

Drop-in rates vary at the Fair Building.

For more information or registration www.islandrec.org; call 360-378-4953 or drop by the office 580 Guard St. Monday – Friday 11am-5pm. Please note that the schedule for all drop-in programs is subject to change. Please visit our program calendar at http://www.islandrec.org/calendar/ to get up to date information.

Town of Friday Harbor Planning Commission Positions Available

Are you interested in becoming more involved with the community and helping guide the Town’s future development? The Town of Friday Harbor is seeking volunteers to fill vacancies on the Town Planning Commission.

The five-member Planning Commission meets regularly and acts as the fact finding agency of the Town with respect to growth and development. To that end, the Commission has the continuing duty to review the Town Comprehensive Plan and make recommendations to the Town Council concerning matters relating to land use. Vacancies are filled by the appointment of the Mayor with the consent of the Town Council.

To be considered, you need to live within town limits and submit your letter of interest to the Mayor’s office at the Town of Friday Harbor, 60 Second Street/P.O. Box 219, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. For more information, contact Mike Bertrand in the Community Development Department at: (360) 378 – 2810 or [email protected].

Robert Dash – Contributed photo

With the daily news, climate change becomes more of a climate crisis. In his talk, Robert Dash offers observations on how one part of nature–our food–is connected to climate change. The San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) program will be presented at the San Juan Island Grange #966 at 152 First Street N in Friday Harbor on October 12 from 3-5.

In this discussion, Dash studies threats to our staple foods from, for example, crop loss due to droughts, floods, soil loss, pests, deforestation, loss of crop nutrient value and the shifting ranges of many crops.

He also discusses the work underway to make agriculture a net carbon sink rather than a net carbon emitter. Dash’s talk also references hopeful solutions such as, for example, regenerative agriculture, carbon farming, permaculture, and rebuilding soil through cover crops.

This Art As A Voice program by SJIMA supplements the photomontages in Food For Thought Micro Views: Threats and Prospects by Robert Dash showing at SJIMA through December 9, 2019. Continue Reading