Hill of Thrills starting gate – Contributed photo

Island Rec is very excited to announce the fourth running of the now famous Hill of Thrills Soap Box Race on Sunday, May 19. 

This is a classic old-fashioned ‘gravity’ race where people run their homemade, non-motorized contraptions down Grover Street by the elementary school.

The racing categories are ages 5-8, 9-12, 13-15, 16-adult. There are as many adult contestants as youth! This popular event is quickly becoming a local classic not to be missed.

Races go from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Race packets and applications can be found online or at the office. Register by May 9^th for $10.00, price increases by $5.00 thereafter.

For more information or registration visit our website, www.IslandRec.org, call 360-378-4953, or drop by our office, 580 Guard St. Monday – Friday 11:00-5pm.

Merri Ann Simonson checks in again with another in her San Juan Island Lifestyle video series. Here’s what she has to say about this one…

This lifetsyle video is about how much humor is involved in real estate sales. Our profession can be very interesting and challenging.

Health Insurance Coverage for Emergency Care and Air-Ambulance Transfer in San Juan County

Due to the critical threat arising from recent insurance company denials of medical transport coverage, the San Juan County Public Hospital District #1 is sponsoring this community forum. Learn about:

• Air Ambulance Insurance Denials – Status of the Problem
• Know your Right to Obtain Emergency Care Under the Law
• Understand when Air-Ambulance transfer is medically necessary
• Understand our local health insurance marketplace
• Learn the appeal process for challenging insurance denials and utilizing patient advocates

Program Chair:

• Loren Johnson, MD – Emergency Physician

Speakers:

• Michael Sullivan, MD, EMS Medical Policy Director, San Juan County
• Warren Appleton, MD – Emergency Physician
• Chris Martin, Executive Director, Airlift Northwest
• Will Hamilton, Island Air Ambulance

Thursday April 25, from 6:30-8:00 pm at Mullis Senior Center – 589 Nash Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

Photo Credit: Jeanne Hyde, Storyteller/Documentarian of The Whale Museum’s Orca Adoption Program

Salmon habitat recovery, oil spill prevention, vessel noise and disturbance, reducing toxic pollution are all now expected to reach Governor Inslee’s desk.

Bills passed:

• Protecting habitat (HB 1579) Lead sponsor Representative Joe Fitzgibbon (D-West Seattle)
  • Supports chinook salmon and forage fish populations by protecting habitat and reducing invasive predatory species
• Preventing oil spills (HB 1578) lead sponsor Representative Debra Lekanoff (D-Bow)
  • Extends proven safeguards to all vessels carrying crude oil by establishing zone-based tug escort requirements for oil-laden vessels in the waters around the San Juan Islands

• Reducing vessel noise and disturbance (2SSB 5577), lead sponsor Senator Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge)
  • Reduces vessel speed to 7 knots within half nautical mile and increases the vessel buffer zone around orcas so they can more easily find prey, institutes commercial whalewatch licensing and fees, and initiates process to identify safe whalewatching around Southern Resident orcas
• Reducing sources of toxic pollution (SSB 5135), lead sponsor Senator Christine Rolfes (D-Bainbridge)
  • Prevents toxic pollution by addressing the use of classes of chemicals that are of particular concern to sensitive species like orcas and vulnerable populations like kids

The Legislature has now passed all four major bills that, as a package, address several needs facing southern resident orcas recovery and survival. This package represents recommendations put forward by Governor Inslee’s Orca Recovery Task Force last November that brought together experts and advocates from across the state to find solutions to save resident orcas and restore Salish Sea. Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag this morning we have this letter from Miles Crossen…

I thought I’d start looking for volunteers to help out at the San Juan County Fair Photography Department.

We’re going to need help on Tuesday, Aug. 13 from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. for folks to assist people in the submission of their entries. Realistically I need at least 4 people there at all times. Even if you can only help out for an hour or two, that would be great. The more the merrier.

Judges are needed too. Ideally we could use at least 6 people who are not entering any photographs in the competition this year. The judging usually begins between 7:30 – 8:00 p.m. Depending on the number of entries and the number of judges, it can take between 1-2 hours.

Volunteers are also need on Wednesday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Thursday, Aug. 15 from from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; Friday, Aug. 16 from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.; and Saturday, Aug. 17 from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. to answer questions and accept ‘People’s Choice’ nominations for daily ribbons. Folks usually sign up for a few hours a day. Again, the more the merrier.

On Sunday, Aug. 18 we’re going to need some people to assist in the cleaning up of the Photography Department. Entries can be picked up between 9 a.m. and noon that day. After that, we pack everything up and haul it off to the office.

If you’re interested in volunteering to help out, or if you want to be a judge, email me at [email protected]

Thanks.

Miles Crossen
Co-Photography Department Superintendent

The SJI Skate Park at the fairgrounds is getting a new fence. The park will be closed beginning April 19 for approximately 2 weeks.

Island Rec apologizes for the inconvenience.

Questions? Please Call (360)378-4953

The Friday Harbor Port Commission is meeting Thursday April 18th at 12:00 PM at the Town Council Chambers, 60 Second Street in Friday Harbor.

They’ve posted the agenda on their website and you can view it here: Meeting Agenda.

Lime Kiln Lighthouse just before sunset – Kevin Holmes photo

Kevin Holmes was out on the west side just before sunset the other day and captured this perfectly timed photo when the sun was passing behind the lighthouse. Thanks for sharing Kevin!

Photo courtesy of Pexels

The following article was written by Neil Stawski…

As much as the skeptics and critics might try to deny climate change, the signs that it’s a critical issue are all around us. The evidence of global warming can be found in the death of our coral reefs due to the increased temperatures of our ocean waters. One only has to look to the Earth’s poles to see evidence of receding glaciers and rising waters. Entire rivers are changing direction, the oceans are changing their chemistry, our bee populations are dying, and the scariest part is that this is entirely uncharted territory for humans. Even the experts aren’t completely sure what to expect.

While the warming of our planet is grim news, it’s important not to give up. Rather than losing hope, make an effort to do your part to help our planet. Luckily, there are still many environmentally-friendly changes we can make to our homes and within our communities to do our parts to help stop climate change.

Here are a few to consider: Continue Reading

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

Ladies, are you tired of one-night stands and awkward blind dates?

Look no further. . . I’m Arlo, your knight in shining armor waiting for you at the APS-FH.

I’m a true gentleman that doesn’t kiss and tell and promise I always put the toilet seat down.

To make it a date, visit me at our gorgeous new pad located at 938 Cattle Point Road Tuesday through Sunday from 11am to 4pm. Or call my staff at (360) 378-2159.

See You Soon!

Join florist Siri Thorson in exploring the intersection of Dutch Master opulence and contemporary floral design. Working with local and organically grown spring blooms, students will create a modern centerpiece inspired by the still life painters of the 17th and 18th century.

Basic principles of foam-free floral design using a flower frog will be covered, as well as techniques for successfully photographing your floral masterpieces using natural light.

Professional photographer Issha Marie will lead students in styling and capturing their very own nature mort portrait using their completed arrangement and a variety of unique natural ephemera and objets d’art.

Siri will also share her favorite sources for growing beautiful spring bulbs in your own garden.

• Workshop Title: Spring Riot!
• Date/Time: Saturday April 27th, 11am – 3pm
• Location: Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA
• Cost: $325

This class is open to all skill and experience levels. A light lunch and refreshments will be served; vessel, reusable flower frog, floral supplies and flowers are included. Please visit http://sirithorson.com/workshop-spring-riot or email [email protected] for more info or to sign up!

Finding Food and Community on a Pacific Northwest Island
~ Kathleen Alcalá

Make sure you come out to the Grange on Tuesday, April 30, 7:00 pm to hear author, Kathleen Alcala, talk about her wonderful exploration of food, agriculture, and history on Bainbridge Island.

As friends began “going back to the land” at the same time that a health issue emerged, Kathleen Alcalá set out to re-examine her relationship with food at the most local level.

Remembering her parents, Mexican immigrants who grew up during the Depression, and the memory of planting, growing, and harvesting fresh food with them as a child, she decided to explore the history of the Pacific Northwest island she calls home. Continue Reading

Stand Up Men chose April, Sexual Assault month, to launch a campaign to dramatically upgrade SAFE San Juans’ in-school and community prevention education programs.  SAFE’s mission is to make our community and youth free from sexual assault and domestic violence.  

Stand Up Men’s fundraising goal for SAFE this year is to raise $45,000 to support the underfunded and most critical sexual assault and domestic violence prevention education program in our county. 

SAFE’s main priority is to provide prevention education to our youth, their teachers, parents and caregivers as well as our entire community.  With these funds students and adults will learn how to detect and correct unhealthy behavior while they are simultaneously learning how best to create healthy relationships. 

By doing so, we, as a community, are able to effectively identify and deal with early symptoms of sexual assault and domestic violence before situations escalate and become more significant problems in our community.

Stand Up Men looks forward to more Stand Up Men and Stand Up Businesses as well as other supporters joining with us to stand against domestic violence and sexual assault in the San Juans.

For more information visit safesj.org/sum/ , view the StandUpMenFlyer (PDF), or call call SAFE at 360-378-8680.

Juan, Scott, Ron and Larry

On behalf of Stand Up Men

Contributed photo

Messy Me returns for even more sensory-engaging fun! We’ll play around in the elementary school gym with different sensory bins filled with mediums such as water, kinetic sand, and slime!

Meet us April 26^th from 2:30-4pm, this activity is free and is meant for children ages 2 to 5 and their chaperones.

For more information, visit our website, www.islandrec.org, drop by our office; 580 Guard St, Monday-Friday 11am-5pm, or call us at (360) 378-4953.  

Jim Biddick – Peggy Sue McRae photo

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae…

What a relief it is to fix a stamp onto that envelope addressed to the IRS and send it off in the mail. Phew! I’m sure I am not the only one who finds filing taxes both mysterious and stressful. Thanks to volunteer Jim Biddick from Orcas I have confidence in what I just sent to the IRS. On two different Thursdays before the April 15 deadline, Jim came over to San Juan Island to take appointments at the Mullis Center with seniors of low to moderate income that need help filing taxes.

Most of my working life I sent in my W2 forms and waited for my refund. Never intentionally starting a business my current livelihood relies on my social security and a few part-time contract labor jobs. Hence, I now file taxes. In the big scheme of things mine are fairly simple but for me it is incredibly helpful to have someone knowledgeable guide me through the process.

We don’t know Jim Biddick over here as well as they do on Orcas where he and his wife Sylvia have lived for 17 years. Jim is an active member and treasurer of the Lions Club. He served on the board of the Orcas Historical Museum where his friend Jesse Clark McAbee said of him, “He worked tirelessly, often doing unglamorous jobs like fixing toilets and installing printers, routers, etc. All this while volunteering at many other non profits on Orcas; Lions, Blood Drive, Senior Center, Dental Van, etc. as well.” We appreciate him over here too. Thanks Jim!

Attention job seekers of all ages. Whether you are looking for full time, part time or seasonal job, there are employers eager to talk with you.

Northwest Workforce Council Career Center, Skagit Valley College are sponsoring a job fair at the Mullis Community Center on Sunday, April 14 from 1-4 PM.

• Sunday, April 14, 2019
• 1pm to 4 Pm
• At the Mullis Community Center in Friday Harbor

All ages, and skill levels are welcome! Come and explore the potential jobs available!