Violinist Natalie Meenan – Contributed photo

The spring concert series by Island Sinfonia is upon us. On Sunday, May 19, Island Sinfonia will present their annual concert at St. David’s Episcopal Church in Friday Harbor at 3:00 pm. Admission is by donation and students are always free.

This year’s program promises to be extra special, and will feature flautists Linda Stone and Sarah Ogmundson in Quadro by Telemann, and cellist Jen Utter in Mozart’s Ronda alla Turca. Other pieces include the March for the Turkish Ceremony by Lully; the second movement of Rosamunde by Schubert; Libertango by Piazolla, and two pieces for brass ensemble.

This will be the last concert for Island Sinfonia’s only student musician, Natalie Meenan, who graduates from Friday Harbor High School in June. A violinist, Natalie has performed with Island Sinfonia for two years and has been concertmaster this year. In the fall she will attend Bates College in Maine, and plans to study Psychology and Mandarin Chinese.

“I look forward to continuing to grow as a musician. Bates has both a traditional orchestra, and a string band that focuses primarily on fiddle music. Both sound like a lot of fun,” she says. Continue Reading

Island Air Crew – Click to enlarge – Contributed photo

Island Air Ambulance was recently awarded full reaccreditation by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Services (CAMTS) and joins an elite group of medical transport services that have achieved this recognition. CAMTS is an independent, non-profit organization that audits and accredits medical transport services worldwide.

Island Air Ambulance is a San Juan County-based critical care fixed wing air ambulance service operated by Island Air. “We have a phenomenal crew that hold themselves to the highest standards for patient care and safety,” said Jackie Hamilton, Island Air Owner and President.

Island Air’s Medical Director, Dr. Jason Heiner, said, “this prestigious reaccreditation is more than a gold standard seal of approval, it’s outside recognition of what communities in the San Juan’s have long recognized in the unique dedication and exceptional care of their local Island Air program.” Continue Reading

Mayor Farhad Ghatan and Bike Fest Chairperson, Lion Jim Carroll – Photo courtesy of Joe Belcovson Photography

Have you ever seen a 20 foot Wide by 10 foot Tall Bicycle? If not keep an eye out – you could be seeing this Iconic Bicycle all around the island located at businesses supporting the 2019 Friday Harbor Bike Fest (formerly Bike-n-Brew). The bike fest is a celebration of bicycling and is sponsored by San Juan Lions Club.

This year’s Event will take place on June 1st with a start and finish at San Juan Brewing Company’s’ side parking lot. There will be live music, a BBQ and awards.

Any business sponsor may have this giant bicycle displayed at their business (depending upon weather and pre-scheduling) as a thanks for Supporting this year’s Bike Fest event.

ALL funds raised stay local. This year the San Juan Lions purchased the ‘Round Towner a Nissan All Electric Leaf vehicle

Check the official website to sponsor, contribute or register at www.fridayharborbikefest.org.

A Gift Certificate Drawing with value over $300 at Lakedale Resort for first 150 Bike Riders Registered to Ride! (must be present to win). The drawing will take place on June 1st at San Juan Brewing, probably between music breaks.

Questions? Just email San Juan Lions at [email protected] for additional information.

The Possum Carvers band – Contributed photo

Carol Piening calling – Contributed photo

This month our caller is Carol Piening from Olympia and our band is The Possum Carvers from Port Townsend, featuring Scott Marckx on fiddle, Jeanie Murphy on banjo and Chris Cooper on guitar, wonderful old-time music and energetic cheerful calling by Carol.

As always with contra dance, all dances are taught, no need to bring a partner, and no need for previous contra dance experience, everyone is welcome, we all have a good time together to make the dance happen!

• Where – at the Grange Hall in Friday Harbor
• When – Saturday May 18th, 7 till 9 PM
• Price – $10 donation at the door, $5 students

This dance is sponsored by San Juan Island Grange #966. Check out our Facebook page – San Juan Islands Contra Dance
Contact – Alice Deane
360-378-5250

Click to enlarge

Here’s an educational and recreational opportunity for high school aged youth and teachers…

It’s the Youth Heritage Project (YHP) – an annual multi-day heritage field school that engages participants by connecting them to historic, cultural, and natural resources in Washington.

YHP engages students hands-on as they expand their knowledge about historic preservation and develop an understanding of how cultural resources affect a community.

This year it’s happening at Olympic National Park.  Click here for more info.

Participants are asked to develop their own ideas about why preservation matters and how remembering the past can be a crucial part of a sustainable future.

In addition to exposing students to the benefits of historic preservation, YHP strives to teach youth that they can be a part of shaping their own communities through participation and activism.

Through YHP the Washington Trust seeks to inspire and excite our youth — the next generation of community leaders — to get involved and advocate for saving the places that matter to them.

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

Fish for Teeth Fish Taco Fundraiser

• Friday, May 10
• On the lawn across from the Sheriff’s Office (on Second Street)
• 11:00 to 1:30
• $8 suggested donation

Fish for Teeth is continuing its tooth-fixing mission with another Fish Taco Fundraiser on Friday, May 10, 11-1:30, this time at a new location, on the lawn across from the Sheriff’s Office (on Second Street). 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 (plus one day on Lopez). 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. Continue Reading

Rock Flowers – Photo by Kevin Holmes

Kevin Holmes shares this photo of flowers growing out of the rocks at the shoreline. Tenacious little things, don’t you think? Thanks for sharing Kevin!

On Wednesday May 8th at 1:55pm those in the San Juan Islands whose cell phones are roaming on a Canadian network may receive a test message of the Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) system.

The test is likely to say “This is a TEST of the British Columbia Emergency Alerting System, issued by Emergency Management British Columbia.”

This is just a test, no cause for concern, and is similar to tests done periodically of the system on the U.S. side of the border.

For more info about the WEA system, click HERE.

San Juan County Public Hospital District No. 1 will be having a Special Board Meeting on Thursday May 9, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. to be held at the Frank Wilson Memorial EMS Building (1079 Spring Street).

Items Include an EMS Open House and a Prospective candidate forum for those who wish to learn more about the job of a Board Commissioner. This meeting must be announced due to the presence of a quorum of commissioners, but much of this meeting will be part of informal events held at the Frank Wilson Memorial EMS Building. Agenda as follows:

Special Meeting Business

• EMS Open House
• Prospective Candidate Forum for those interested in learning about being on the Board of Commissioners

Adjournment

Also, the District is now on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sjcphd1/  Please help us grow by “liking” our page. Please contact our office with any questions you may have. We appreciate your coverage of our events.

On Tuesday, May 7th,  Round Towner celebrated the recent donation by the San Juan Lions Foundation of the “new” 2014 Nissan Leaf to replace their worn-out Honda. 

The non-profit community service RoundTowner has just surpassed 18,000 essential rides to needy and disabled elderly folks in Friday Harbor over the past five and one-half years. 

See roundtowner.org for more information.

Volunteers bring the compacted gravel trail to life – Contributed photo

Zach enjoys the view at the new location – Contributed photo

You might have seen some changes down at Jackson’s Beach lately. Wondering what’s going on? As part of Friday Harbor High School’s Community Project class, Zach Crichton, Kenny Hallock and Kevin Soto , with a team of mentors and volunteers, have just finished making better wheelchair access at the beach.

Zach is a wheelchair user, and knew from personal experience how difficult it was to park, unload and traverse the path. Kevin and Kenny joined him in this project. Together with support from the Port of Friday Harbor, U of W Labs, Richard Lawson Construction, Mike Carlson Enterprises, Friday Harbor Electric, Printonyx, San Juan County Public Works and of course their families, friends and mentors they have created better wheelchair access at the beach.

This includes dedicated and signed handicapped parking places at the north end of the beach, an unloading zone and connection to a 100 foot compacted gravel path to a view area with driftwood benches for those not in wheelchairs.

Along the way Zach researched other beaches on the island , and created the logo for ‘Accessibility for All, San Juan Island’. The boys hope many more people will be able to get out and enjoy the beach.

For more information on the project please email [email protected] 360 378-8238.

The Preservation Trust’s stewardship manager Kathleen Foley with the Trust’s new boat, “Island Steward – John Dustrude photo

After the San Juan Preservation Trust’s 40th annual meeting on Saturday members and friends went down to the Friday Harbor marina and formally christened their new boat “Island Steward” which will enable the Trust stewardship staff to visit their different protected properties among the San Juan Islands.  The christening included the breaking of a bottle of champagne across the bow, decorated with a leafy branch, and some appropriate comments from those present.

The Preservation Trust, a private non-profit organization, is the oldest land trust in Washington State. It protects more than 18,000 acres across 20 islands through conservation easements and ownership, sometimes partnering with the San Juan County Land Bank, a county agency funded by a one percent real estate excise tax on sales of property in the county. The two organizations have often collaborated on major projects such as Turtleback, Watmough, Mount Grant, and Zylstra Lake.

The San Juan Preservation Trust was founded in 1979. The executive director is Angela Anderson, who has been in the position for the past year. This 40th annual meeting featured Andrew Bowman, the president of the Land Trust Alliance, a national organization whose membership includes 1000 land trusts across the country.

Penguins on the Salisbury Plain, South Georgia – Peter Cavanagh photo

On Thursday, May 9, 2019, 5:30 pm, at Brickworks (150 Nichols St., Friday Harbor), photographer, filmmaker, former NASA researcher, bird expert, and Lopezian Peter Cavanagh will present a photographic journey of a voyage along the Scotia Arc to Antarctica.

Come learn more about the vast polar desert, its amazing wildlife, and how changes in climate there impact the San Juan Islands locally and globally.

Peter and the voyagers stopped in several of the Falkland Islands and made landings on penguin-packed beaches in the wildlife paradise of South Georgia. An eventful passage across the Scotia Sea opened up vistas of massive icebergs, snow-capped mountains rising from the ocean, and colonies of Adelie and Chinstrap Penguins. Recent changes in climate and krill harvesting raise the question of how many more generations will be able to enjoy this vast polar desert in its current abundance. 

Peter is a Pacific Northwest photographer who specializes in photographing birds in flight. His interest in bird flight originates from his love of nature, his professional training in biomechanics, his background as an instrument-rated private pilot, and his passion for photography. Click here to learn more about Peter.

This event is sponsored by Friends of the San Juans and Rainshadow Solar.

San Juan Community Theatre’s Spring Musical, The Drowsy Chaperone, opens THIS Friday!

Winner of five Tony Awards, including Best Book and Best Original Score, The Drowsy Chaperone is a loving send-up of the Jazz Age musical, featuring one show-stopping song and dance number after another.

With the houselights down, a man in a chair appears on stage and puts on his favorite record: the cast recording of a fictitious 1928 musical. The recording comes to life and The Drowsy Chaperone begins as the man in the chair looks on. Mix in two lovers on the eve of their wedding, a bumbling best man, a desperate theatre producer, a not-so-bright hostess, two gangsters posing as pastry chefs, a misguided Don Juan and an intoxicated chaperone, and you have the ingredients for an evening of madcap delight.

Hailed by New York Magazine as “The Perfect Broadway Musical,” The Drowsy Chaperone is a masterful meta-musical, poking fun at all the tropes that characterize the musical theatre genre. Don’t miss this hilarious musical within a comedy, directed by Cathi Nett! Continue Reading

Turn Point Lighthouse, Stuart Island

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will be conducting a time-critical removal action under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) at the Turn Point Light Station on Stuart Island.

A contractor will be removing lead-contaminated soil at the site for the protection of human health. The contamination is the result of decades of lead-based paint weathering and peeling from the light station and associated structures. The contaminated soil will be disposed of at an off-island facility and clean soil will be brought in and re-vegetated.

The Turn Point Light Station site will be closed to the public while this work is being conducted from May 6 through June 15.

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.

It’s that time of year again. Burning Season is coming to a close in San Juan County. All Commercial Permits will be closing on May 15th at sundown. Residential permits will close on May 31st at midnight. Recreational fires remain open for the time being.

Please burn with caution and check back with the Fire Marshal’s Office to see the most up to date fire risk, for info on burn bans and fire safety tips.

https://www.sanjuanco.com/1088/Fire-Marshal