Merri Ann Simonson shares another video in her San Juan Island Lifestyle series. This one is about how to celebrate the 4^th of July

John and Molly are a young married couple who want to live a meaningful life. He is a wildlife photographer (and also the director of this film) and she is a chef and food blogger. When they are evicted from their apartment (their rescue dog won’t stop barking), they decide to turn a hazy dream of working a farm into immediate action.

The Biggest Little Farm
Tuesday, July 9th at 7:30 pm
Documentary – Rated PG – 91 minutes

They find investors — many of them friends and family — and buy an abandoned farm about 40 miles north of Los Angeles. The place is virtually dead, but for the weeds. The topsoil is unsuited for growing crops, thanks to previous owners’ mono farming, a widely accepted agricultural method of planting the same crop each year that can lead to higher yields but eventually strips the soil of its nutrients. Continue Reading

Lori Stokes writes to share this with you…

The collection of food and personal care items during our July 4th parade was a huge success!

As a community, we together managed to fill up the back of an entire pick-up truck in support of the Food Bank and the Family Resource Center.

Many thanks to organizer Francie Hansen, with hopes that this will become a tradition in our annual parade!

Photo credit: Center for Whale Research, WhaleResearch.com

On the morning of July 5th 2019, J and K pods of the Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) population finally made an appearance in inland waters off San Juan Island for the first time in more than two months.

A large crowd of people awaited their arrival at Lime Kiln State Park to get a glimpse of the new baby whale that was first reported on the British Columbia coast near Tofino on May 30th by a local whale watch company.

Brian Gisborne, a research contractor with Environment Canada, obtained photographs the next day showing that the baby still had fetal fold creases on its side, indicating that it was probably born less than a week earlier. The new baby whale was photographed again by the Tofino based whale watchers on June 9th.

We had had numerous reports from colleagues with Environment Canada and others of the SRKW pods feeding along the coast of British Columbia in May and June this year during a time when they historically frequented interior waters of the Salish Sea to feed on the early summer runs of Chinook salmon bound for the Fraser River. The salmon runs to the Fraser River have been very poor in recent years, so the whales must feed in coastal waters to survive. Continue Reading

Cynthia invites you to her Soft Opening…

This Saturday – July 6th – 4:00 to 7:00 with Daniel Day & Scott Sluis playing music from 5 – 7:00 pm.  Join us at Cynthia’s Bistro for late afternoon/early evening music and small plates & libations

House Wine & Beer – $6.00

We will be offering an array of small plates – seasonal and changing –

The Friday Harbor High School class of 1969 will hold its 50^th reunion on September 14, 2019. We would like to invite all of those who were in our class over the years to join us.

For more information please e-mail Wendy at [email protected] or see us on Facebook at Friday Harbor High School Class of 1969.

Dear San Juan Update…

On behalf of the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce I would like to thank all who helped to make this a memorable 4^th of July!

The 2019 Parade theme “Parade of Stars, past and present” was used in so many of our parade entries this year! We had outstanding entries, many decorated to match the theme, the parade route was packed, the red, white and blue bunting was hung and there was an unbelievable effort made by the community of our island and the businesses to pull off another patriotic 4^th of July.

After we heard the beautiful singing of the Star Spangled Banner by Chelsea Parrott, we had music, floats, marching bands, the Legion, the Community Marching Band, the UW Husky Band, horses, dogs, service clubs and kids. We were proud to honor our Grand Marshals, Jim and Minnie Knych, and the Honored Citizen Leslie Byron. We were so fortunate to have Alan Budwill announcing again from the Palace Theater and Patricia Love announcing from the Presbyterian Church. And to top it off, the weather, not hot or not cold, was just right!

The prize winners of the parade were: Continue Reading

Jim and Minnie Knych share this letter of thanks with you…

Thank you, San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce and citizens of San Juan Island.  We are honored to have been the Grand Marshals of the 2019 Independence Day Parade.

For twenty years, the Community Thanksgiving Dinner has been a labor of love for us and over 100 volunteers.  We hope to continue that tradition in future. 

We love Friday Harbor!

Jim and Minnie Knych

Ally is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo

Greetings good people,

My name is Ally and I am running for “Pet of the Week”. If you vote for me I promise to deliver:

• joy filled days of unconditional love
• snuggles and hugs
• glorious walks in all kinds of weather
• and a faithful companion to lift you when you’re down

These are not empty promises just to get your vote. Come shake paws with me at the shelter, look deeply into my big brown eyes and you will see how sincere I am.

Ally

Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
994 Cattle Point Road
(360) 378-2158

The Washington State Department of Transportation is partnering with the Port and city of Anacortes to explore innovative public-private partnerships to enhance the 35-acre ferry terminal site. This could include commercial opportunities such as retail stores, lodging and food options.

WSDOT would like to hear from Anacortes and San Juan Islands residents, tribes and ferry passengers to ensure these opportunities meet your priorities.

Please take a moment to fill out a brief online survey to share your ideas about potential opportunities for the ferry terminal property.

To take the survey, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WSDOTAnacortesSurvey. The survey will only be available for a few weeks.

You can learn more about the project at http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/Funding/Partners/AnacortesFerryTerminal.htm.

Here’s the schedule of events for today. Click the image below to enlarge.

Happy 4th of July!

In the SJ Update mailbag this morning we have this note from Minnie Knych…

Dear San Juan Update,

This video seems really appropriate to remind people why we celebrate July 4! 

Minnie

The missing mountain – Click to enlarge

Ever wonder where the name “Missing Mountain Road” came from for the connector road that’s going to be built across the Lafarge Open Space between Turn Point and Pear Point Roads?

I found this map on the National Recreation Trails website a while back. I was looking at something else (I don’t remember what exactly), but I got scrolling around looking at different things and came across this.

Notice that the roads and buildings are all pretty much up to date.

But look at the contours and shading over there at the gravel pit, (now Island Rec’s Lafarge Open Space). That’s Bald Hill at 300 feet elevation – how it stood before the Lafarge gravel company shipped it away via barge after barge on its way to Canada.

Does anyone remember how long that gravel pit was in operation?

Here’s the monthly History Column for July from San Juan Historical Society and Museum…

In this Centennial year for the Lime Kiln Point Lighthouse, let’s fast forward from its opening in 1919 to October of 1935.

This is when lighthouse keeper Arvel Settles arrived from his assignment in Westport, Washington to start the next phase of his career at the Lime Kiln Point station. He and his family settled into the lighthouse keeper’s house on the left, pictured here and standing today at Lime Kiln Point State Park.

The three bedroom house was quite cozy, as they say, with wife Helga, five children (Jack, Evelyn, Eleanor, Charles, Agnes) and Helga’s mother, Hilma Lindquist. Also pictured here is Agnes Settles in the rose garden at the front of the house.

Born at the Westport light station in 1931, she is our Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter. Her sisters and other daughters of lighthouse keepers can rightfully claim the title as well, but it’s this photo we have of Agnes in the roses that helps tell the story of this special place. Continue Reading

Lopez Channel Preserve

State Invests $126 Million in Grants to Expand Outdoor Recreation Opportunities and Preserve Habitat and Working Farms and Forests

Editor’s note: San Juan County receives $3,987,448.00 – see below…

OLYMPIA–The Washington State Recreation and Conservation Funding Board today announced the award of more than $126 million in grants to a suite of 333 projects that build and maintain outdoor recreation facilities and conserve wildlife habitat and working farms and forests around the state.

“Not only do these grants support our state’s parks, forests and farms, but they also fuel a powerful outdoor recreation economy that puts about 200,000 people to work and generates more than $26 billion in spending every year,” Governor Jay Inslee said. “At a time when public lands are more and more at risk of being developed or lost altogether, these grants prioritize our outdoor spaces so that current and future generations can continue to enjoy and protect them.”

“The funding creates more places to play, expands habitat for fish and other wildlife, supports clean air and water, and upholds healthy communities across Washington state and improves our quality of life,” said Kaleen Cottingham, director at the Recreation and Conservation Office, which administers the grants. Continue Reading

Nancy Heacox is the APS-FH Volunteer of the Month – Contributed photo

The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor has announced that Nancy Heacox is the Volunteer of the Month for July. 

Nancy became a volunteer at the animal shelter in 2017 and has been a wonderful addition to the organization.  She visits the shelter each week to add up the King’s receipts, plus she is also a very pleasant person to be around.

The staff and board of directors at APS-FH sincerely appreciate your help, Nancy!

Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
994 Cattle Point Road
(360) 378-2158