Cotton Cotton Cotton is having a 10 Year Anniversary Celebration Sale this Saturday November 2nd. It will be from 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM – 20% off entire store (excluding jewelry and consignment items) (Extra 20% off Sale items) Raffle entry with each purchase to win a 4 Ocean Bracelet,  Seahawk Scarf and hand warmer  Continue Reading

(Notice: This article was originally published with an incorrect link to the Community Thanksgiving Website. This has now been fixed) Thursday, November 28th  from 12:00 to 5:00 pm at the Mullis Center We are happy to announce, like Mark Twain, the reports of there not being a San Juan Island Community Thanksgiving Dinner have been  Continue Reading

The results of voting by Friday Harbor Film Festival’s audience members were announced on Sunday evening, October 27, at the grand finale of the Festival that featured awards presentations and screenings of the top-winning films. Awards were also presented to the Local Hero and the Laszlo Pal Emerging Filmmaker. The majority of the winning films  Continue Reading

San Juan Island Fire and Rescue Joins Multiple State Fire Agencies Deploying to Massive California Wildfires Four San Juan Island Fire and Rescue (SJIF&R) firefighters have been deployed as part of a western Washington regional strike team responding to the massive northern California Kincade Fire disaster in Sonoma County. SJIF&R Chief Norvin Collins said, “Our  Continue Reading

This just in from the SJ County Newsflash wire… Ballot Proposition No. 2 is asking voters to continue an existing levy lid lift first approved by voters in 2009 and renewed in 2014.  The current voter approved levy lid lift costs property owners 16 cents per $1,000 of assessed value in 2019.  Ballot Prop. No.  Continue Reading

Halloween fun at Islanders Bank Islanders Bank employees carved and decorated these pumpkins and then bank customers voted on the winner from each Islanders Bank branch (Friday Harbor, Lopez and Orcas). The bank’s board of directors selected the overall winning pumpkin (above), carved by Samantha Berkseth. Click below to see the larger versions of these  Continue Reading

Dianna Gibson, owner of B&D Lilies in Port Townsend, is coming to Friday Harbor Tuesday, November 5th for a presentation on lilies and lily culture at the monthly meeting of the San Juan Island Garden Club. B&D Lilies is a family owned and operated farm specializing in garden-tested bulbs for over 35 years. Known for  Continue Reading

Necia Quast shares this announcement with you… A Hidden Problem, A Community Solution Most Islanders don’t know many teens struggle to be stably housed in San Juan County. A small number shelter in vehicles or tents, but many couch surf, staying with friends or family members on sufferance, often moving from place to place. Some  Continue Reading

The Friday Harbor Chapter of the International Thespian Society would like to thank the generous support of the San Juan County Arts Council for their contribution to help bring an adjudicator to San Juan Island to see the high school’s upcoming production of Little Shop of Horrors. For the past two years, members of Friday  Continue Reading

Note: it’s a little earlier this year… Saturday, December 14, 2019 From Christmas Bird Hunts to Christmas Bird Counts –119 Years of Counting In 1900 ornithologist Frank Chapman along with other conservationists were disturbed at the slaughter of birds in the annual holiday event called the “side hunt”. The team that shot the most birds  Continue Reading

In partnership with Rain Shadow Consulting, the San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) will offer a free 6-week training in tree work and arboriculture, beginning December 5th.  This course is sponsored by Walt Corbin and the Kiwanis Club of Orcas Island. The course will be taught at the Rain Shadow Consulting office by Carson  Continue Reading

Dear Fellow Islanders, Much to my chagrin, I report Tiffany, at USPO, delivered news in the form of a Voters Pamphlet. This means our beloved TV programs are soon be the peanut butter in an endless political-ad sandwich, and beautiful Sunday drives will be peppered with signs howling “VOTE FOR [insert candidate/cause here].” I get  Continue Reading

Here’s what’s in the San Juan Update mailbag this morning… To the Editor: We usually fill out our ballots as soon as they arrive in the mail. However, we need more information before we can vote on Proposition 2. We completely support the programs funded by Proposition 2’s levy lid lift. In 2009, during the  Continue Reading

Thanks to all of our Orca Recovery Day Volunteers! We want to thank everyone who came out and celebrated Orca Recovery Day with us last Saturday. Our October 19th celebrations spanned two islands, with approximately 50 volunteers coming together to support natural areas and the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales that grace the Salish Sea.  Continue Reading

In the San Juan Update mailbag this morning we have this letter from Louise Dustrude… If you haven’t yet turned in your ballot, perhaps it’s because you think there’s no reason to vote in so many uncontested races. Here’s another way to look at it. In the public hospital district election, which is my focus  Continue Reading

True to ISL’s ongoing mission to produce the best-written, most inspiring plays of our times – ones that move us – not just to laughter, although often infused with it, but with reconsidered viewpoints, ones that leave us with new understandings and empathy for those around us, we are thrilled to present Lucy Kirkwood’s brilliant  Continue Reading

Join David Montgomery and Anne Bikle as they explore the connections between soil and human health. David Montgomery earned his Ph.D. in geomorphology and teaches at the University of Washington where he studies the evolution of topography and how geological processes shape landscapes and influence ecological systems. Montgomery writes about the relationship of people to  Continue Reading

Story by Richard Wright In the islands we usually associate hummingbirds with the spring and summer seasons. In mid March our small Rufous Hummingbirds arrive from Mexico to breed in our islands and elsewhere in the NW. By mid August most of our Rufous Hummingbirds return to winter in Mexico. Recently, however, another species of  Continue Reading

Members of San Juan Island Grange #966 voted unanimously this month to upgrade the kitchen in their building on First Street to full commercial status and pledged $40,000 from their reserves for the project, provided the membership can raise a like amount. Two Grange members have each pledged $10,000 to kick off the campaign, and  Continue Reading

Angela Anderson, Executive Director of the San Juan Preservation Trust, has been tapped to join the Land Trust Leadership Council, an elite group of nationally recognized leaders in the land trust field. “As an exceptional land trust executive director, you will bring valuable experience and perspectives to the group,” wrote Andrew Bowman, president and CEO  Continue Reading

The Friday Harbor Winterfest begins November 30th with the Island Lights Festival The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce is proud to announce the Island Lights Festival on November 30th. This kickoff event for the Friday Harbor Winterfest is on a Saturday this year so more families are able to attend. Once again the Chamber  Continue Reading

The Class of 2020 Kicks off Grad Night Fundraising The Friday Harbor High School Senior Class of 2020/PTSA is now taking orders for their annual Holiday Wreath sale. Get your beautiful, aromatic, long-lasting, 24” Northwest Noble Fir wreath with pinecones, berries, and a handmade bow in the color of your choice for only $25! These  Continue Reading