Cesky Krumlov ©RAY Pfortner

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) welcomes Vashon Island photographer Ray Pfortner for a new Travel Photography Workshop:

Photography out on the Road with Ray Pfortner
Sunday June 30 from 1:00 to 5:00 pm at SJIMA – 540 Spring Street
Cost is $85 (SJIMA Members – $75)

Class size is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Register at sjima.org or at the Museum front desk during regular hours.

This workshop is for all photographers, whether hobbyists making souvenirs, or serious photographers for showing and selling. Also for visual artists working in all mediums using photography for artist reference or elements in collage or mixed media.

All digital cameras are welcome: phone, point & shoot, digital SLR and mirrorless. Continue Reading

Attention All San Juan County Building Industry Company Owners and Managers!

The San Juan Builders Association and The Building Industry Association of Washington is hosting a meeting to gather as many San Juan County Home Building affiliated company owners and managers.

Come network with General Contractors, Sub-Contractors, Suppliers, Engineers, Architects and Consultants. Basically any Owners and/or Managers involved in the San Juan County Building Industry could benefit by attending this event.

Representatives of the Building Industry Association of Washington (BIAW) we be on hand to talk about the benefits of being a member of the San Juan Builders Association and the BIAW.

Membership is especially beneficial for those firms who have employees. Continue Reading

Merri Ann Simonson shares the most recent video in her San Juan Islands Lifestyle video series. This one has tips on holding a garage sale.

Rotary Officers and Committee Chairs: L to R: outgoing president, Paul Mayer; president Tom Sibert 2019-20; treasurer: Holly Henry; secretary: Jonathan Cain; president-elect: Michel Vedvek 2020-21; Chairs: Mike Griffin, International; Adam Eltinge: Youth Services; Pete Rose: Foundation; Barb Fagan: Literacy (not in photo: Public Relations: Carla Wright; Community Service: Bob Jarman) – Contributed photo

Special award to Barb Fagan for her long standing dedication to literacy, presented by Paul Mayer – Contributed photo

Carla Wright, Public Relations officer for Rotary shares this Rotary Club update with you…

Rotary Club of San Juan Island held their 16th annual Installation Dinner on Monday, June 17th at Vinny’s where District Governor Brad Whittaker (Chilliwack) presided at the Installation Ceremony with Area Governor Connie Milliken (LaConner).

Rotarian of the Year was given to Adam Eltinge and Mike Griffin – Contributed photo

There’s a new lunch spot for you in town. And it’s quick. That’s Hailey in the photo, all set up on her 2nd day of business Friday on the corner of Argyle and Nichols Streets (on the edge of the Ace Hardware parking lot).

The official name of her business establishment is “Billy T’s Quick Lunch”, the name her great-grandfather used with this very wagon when he used to sell hot dogs back east in New Hampshire.

She’ll be there slinging hot dogs Thursdays through Mondays (closed Tues & Wed) from 11:00 to 4:00.

The M/V Samish approaches Friday Harbor – Aaron Shepard photo

Well here’s some good news, but sadly, not a whole lot… This is the fourth in the 3-part series that became a 4-part series mid-way through.

Part Four: The Solution (to see Parts 1 through 3, click below)

Part One: The Problem
Part Two: The Cause
Part Three: The Solution Problem Continues

Perhaps “The Solution” isn’t such a good title for this part. Maybe “The Partial Fix” is a better title. But anyway, here’s Jim Corenman again…

The good news is that Samish is back as of June 18, so we are back up to full capacity for the first time in nearly three months… and right before summer schedule starts (which is tomorrow, June 23).

Summer schedule brings one more boat, more capacity and longer dwell-times, so we should be OK with just the usual congestion and late boats on heavy travel days.

And more good news is that the legislature has authorized the building of five new boats to replace the 50-year-old Supers (most of which are on our route) with Olympic (144-car) ferries with hybrid propulsion.

The Olympic Class ferries will be able to operate full-electric where enough power is available at the terminals, diesel where it is not, or any combination. This saves fuel, reduces pollution, and reduces underwater noise which hampers the marine mammals’ ability to find food.

However only the first boat is funded, and it will be probably three years before it is finished. So this is a long-term solution, not a quick fix.

And Jim also has a little more information about the Hyak… Continue Reading

Got a whale of a question? Stop by and chat with one of the Volunteer Naturalists at the Westside Preserve this weekend. Many thanks to this collaboration with local and regional education and research groups to be providing educational opportunities and helping care for the Westside Preserve!

11am-5pm Saturday 6-22-19
depends on weather – (rain will cancel)

Volunteer Naturalists will be at the Westside Preserve, south of Lime Kiln Point State Park, to answer your questions and share information about the whales and the Salish Sea.

Just swing on by and look for the flag.

Fellow Film Buffs,

On Tuesday June 25th at 7:30 pm we raise the curtain on the 2019 Summer Film Series with “Tea with the Dames”, an intimate conversation with Dame Maggie Smith, Dame Judi Dench, Dame Eileen Atkins, and Dame Joan Plowright, four of the most celebrated actresses of our time.

Tea with the Dames
Documentary 94 minutes
Not Rated (but PG)

What happens when four legends of British stage and screen get together? These women are among the most celebrated actresses of our time, with scores of iconic performances, decades of wisdom, and innumerable Oscars, Tonys, Emmys, and BAFTAs between them.

They are also longtime friends who hereby invite you to join them for a weekend in the country as they catch up with one another, reminisce, and share their candid, delightfully irreverent thoughts on everything from art to aging to love to a life lived in the spotlight.

Bursting with devilish wit and whip-smart insights, Tea with the Dames is a remarkable opportunity to spend time in the company of four all-time greats–up close and unfiltered.

We thank Alice Acheson for suggesting this film.

It’s Golden Hour for the M/V Hyak – SJ Update file photo

Well this was supposed to be the third in a 3-part series of late running ferries, but it just became the third in a FOUR part series…

Part 3: The Problem Continues

This just in from WSF on June 20th:

Summer to Begin With Fewer Vessels in WSF fleet

“The past legislative session came with some victories (funding for new hybrid-electric vessels) and some defeats, such as the forced retirement of one of our operating ferries, the Hyak. The 51-year-old vessel’s final day in operation is scheduled for Sunday, June 30 on the Seattle/Bremerton route. This means that as summer begins, we will have fewer vessels to serve our busy routes. And because many of our vessels are quite old, repairs are often needed.

This is why we had to make the difficult decision to temporarily downsize our Port Townsend/Coupeville routefrom two boats to one beginning Sunday, June 23. That day is the start of our summer sailing schedule, when the number of vessels needed to operate our system goes up from 18 to 19. I understand the effect this decision will have on our customers and surrounding communities. I want everyone to know we looked at many scenarios to avoid it.

Kennewick will operate solo on our Port Townsend/ Coupeville route on Sunday, June 23, through at least Sunday, June 30.

Following the sailing day on Saturday, June 22, Salish will head from Port Townsend to the San Juan Islands to serve as the interisland vessel through at least Sunday, June 30. Customers driving onto our interisland sailings should plan for possible delays as this ferry holds fewer vehicles than what is normally on the route. Port Townsend/Coupeville riders are strongly encouraged to make a reservation if they plan on sailing next week, or consider using our Edmonds/Kingston and Mukilteo/Clinton routes as an alternate.”

Hopefully, the final part of this series won’t be preempted again. Tune in tomorrow for Part 4: The Solution

Julie’s Nursery at 150 Web Street – SJ Update photo

That’s Julie in the front room of her new store – SJ Update photo

Remember Julie Danrich, the woman who started the nursery at Browne’s about 20 years ago and grew it into what it is today? Well she’s at it again, this time with her own business which officially opened on May 12th.

“Julie’s Nursery” is over at 150 Web Street next door to Rex and Lisa Guard’s new building (and she just happens to be in the house where Denny Martel grew up). 

Alongside the house she has a yard about 100 ft x 50 ft that is full of beautiful plants and shrubs waiting for you to take them home.

Inside and outside she offers house plants & small pottery, perennials, annuals, trees and shrubs. And she takes special orders as well.

Currently her open hours are 9am to 6pm Wednesday thru Sunday (closed on Monday and Tuesday). She has plans to begin offering classes in the future for things like Container Gardening, Wreath Making, Hanging Baskets and other things.

The San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College is pleased to announce six local graduates have received specific college degrees and certificates at the June 19^th commencement held at the Brickworks in Friday Harbor. 

The San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College commencement is always a meaningful and fun community event.  Celebrating and supporting these graduates of 2019 was a large audience of community members, family and friends.

The graduates honored this year were:

• April Esposito: AAS Degree in Marine Maintenance & ABYC/NMEA certificates
• Summer Groseclose AA-DTA Degree
• Anna Nelson AA-DTA Degree
• Daisy Roth AA-DTA Degree
• Ryan Schaefer AA-DTA Degree
• Quentin Wheatley AAS Degree in Marine Maintenance & ABYC/NMEA certificates

The President of Skagit Valley College, Dr. Thomas Keegan, officiated the event with Skagit Valley College Board of Trustee members also in attendance. 

April Esposito spoke on behalf of her graduating class and Victoria Compton, Executive Director of the San Juan Islands EDC, was the community speaker. 

William Weissinger and Susie Hale, both poetry students at the San Juan Center, each recited an original poem.  Teddy Deane and Jonathan Piff provided background music and a fun and jazzy rendition of Pomp and Circumstance.

Congratulations to the 2019 graduates of the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College!

The Nisqually – One of Four Steel-Electric class ferries before it’s most recent retrofit

I’ve always loved the Washington State Ferries (well, almost always*).

This is the second in a 3-part series about our late running ferry system. Many thanks to Jim Corenman, Chair of the San Juans Ferry Advisory Committee for his input on this issue. (and yes, we’ll hear from Jim in today’s article)…

Part Two – The Cause

I remember falling in love with the ferries when I was a kid. My family moved here when I was 8 years old and we lived for a time on the waterfront in town where we could watch the ferries come and go. The Evergreen State was the “big” boat on the Anacortes/San Juans route, with the Klickitat and Nisqually backing her up.

I remember the book “The Evergreen Fleet” we had on the coffee table. From that I learned about the older ferries purchased from the San Francisco area. I remember the Kalakala, the Olympic and the Rhododendron. Does anyone remember the Vashon sailing here in the islands? The steel-electrics: Klickitat, Nisqually, Quinault and Illahee before their retrofits (see photo above).

At a distance I could tell the difference between the Evergreen State and her sisters the Tillikum and the Klahowya because the Evergreen State had a slightly different wheelhouse. The “new” Super class – the Kaleetan, Yakima, Hyak and Elwha built less than a decade earlier in San Diego and sailed up the coast…

And then fast forward to 2000 when I returned to the island with my wife Shannon and kids. Continue Reading

Sailing is an activity that can be pursued and enjoyed for a lifetime!

Courses are offered cooperatively between San Juan Sailing Foundation and Island Rec. Join expert instructors on the waters of Percich Pond or Jackson’s Beach.

Island Rec has classes for kids and adults available with skills ranging from introductory to advanced.

Set sail with us this summer! Click on the flyer at right for details.

In this plugged-in world of email, text-messaging and camera phones, do a bride and groom really need to be in the same country to go on a honeymoon? Karen and Max are getting married. At least, if their jobs will ever let them be in the same city at the same time.

A romantic comedy for the digital age, For Better is a hilarious new farce that pokes fun at our over dependence on the gadgets in our lives.

 A play by Eric Coble, Directed by Carol Hooper

• Wednesday-Sunday June 26-30
• Wednesday July 3
• Friday-Sunday July 5-7

All shows are at 7:30 pm

Tickets: Wednesdays are Pay What You Can. 
Fridays-Sundays $23 Adults, $12 Students, $5 Student Reserved (at door only)

*Special note ~ There will be talkbacks after the Friday night performances

PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor, Wash. was recognized with a  Premier, Inc. QUEST^® award for High-Value Healthcare for a third time in four years.  Additionally, the island’s medical center was awarded as the top performer for improvement in 2019.  Both awards were announced at Premier’s annual Breakthroughs Conference and Exhibition June 18-21, 2019.

QUEST is a national quality improvement collaborative and leading healthcare performance improvement alliance of more than 4,000 U.S. hospitals and health systems and 165,000 additional providers and organizations.

PeaceHealth Peace Island received a QUEST Finalist award for high value healthcare; a distinction for achieving top performance in four of the five dimensions evaluated for the award: Continue Reading