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San Juan Island EMS shares news about an important award that Lainey Volk will receive next month.

Lainey Volk has been nominated and chosen for the 2022 EMS World/Dynarex EMS Caring Award, given to EMS professionals who show outstanding dedication to their community. This award is nationally recognized at the EMS World convention, which takes place this year on Oct. 10 in Orlando, Florida.

Volk has served the San Juan Island Community as a member of San Juan Island EMS for more than 30 years. She is currently the Director of Outreach and Community Paramedicine. Many members of the community may recognize her from the CPR, First Aid, and Basic Life Support courses she teaches to the public at reduced rates through San Juan Island EMS. Her dedication to healthcare education plays a large role in the reason why San Juan County has one of the highest save rates from cardiac arrest in the nation.

In addition to the educational courses Volk offers the public, she also directs the Community Paramedicine section of San Juan Island EMS, which works with vulnerable community members to provide care coordination, injury prevention, and follow-up visits. Community Paramedicine provides grab bars, safety poles, medication dispensers, walkers, and car seats to members of the public.

T.J. Bishop, Assistant Chief of Operations and Training, nominated Volk for the EMS Caring Award. Bishop noted that, “She has trained thousands of health care professionals and community members, [and] indirectly contributed to saving countless lives in the San Juan Islands due to her love of community service and servant leadership.”

Volk, along with two other members of San Juan Island EMS, will be traveling to the EMS World Expo in October. Volk will receive her award in person, with all travel expenses paid for by EMS World.

Hospice of San Juan sends along news about their fall volunteer training class.

If you have been looking for a way to give back to this community, and want to be part of a loving and caring team, you can learn to be a Hospice of San Juan volunteer at HSJ’s fall training event. The training takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the San Juan Island Grange — 152 First St N.

Thanks to the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s County Fair Giving Campaign and incredible generosity from the community, HSJ is able to fully fund volunteer training, so entrance is free and lunch is included.

Expert instructors will discuss the nuts and bolts of hospice care, talk about how to safely care for others and ourselves, reveal the ingredients needed for good home visits, and model how to be present for a dying person. Additionally, the co-existence of Hospice of the Northwest and Hospice of San Juan will be explained.

Space is limited, so register by Monday, Oct. 10. For more details or to register, visit the HSJ website or email [email protected].

Friday Harbor Film Festival shares news about this year’s event, happening both in theatres and online.

It’s time to make your plans for the Friday Harbor Film Festival, taking place Oct. 21-30. Passes are now available on the Film Festival website for both the in-theatre and on-demand festivals. The full film guide is also online, providing details of all the feature documentaries and short films to be shown.

Join film lovers for three days of in-theatre documentaries, filmmaker Q&As, an opening night gala honoring filmmakers, the Filmmakers Forum, and special awards — and vote for your favorites to win Audience Choice awards.

You can participate in the festival even if you can’t make it in person. Watch most of the features, shorts, and student films, as well as recorded Q&As and Filmmakers Forum, on-demand from Oct. 24-30.

The 2022 Friday Harbor Film Festival’s 60-page program is also available for free at the Film Festival office at 10 First St.

• The National Transportation Safety Board announced yesterday that the wreckage of the de Havilland DHC-3 Otter floatplane that crashed on Sept. 6 on its way to Renton from Friday Harbor has been located in Mutiny Bay off Whidbey Island.
• Friday Harbor High School’s community projects class is brainstorming ideas about community problems that its students can help solve this semester. They’re asking for representatives of community organizations to suggest potential projects.
• It’s game night at the Grange, from 7-10 p.m. Bring your own games, or play the games brought by others. Free drinks and popcorn are being provided by The Toy Box. All are welcome, but the organizers ask that all minors come with an adult.
• The San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship proudly announced that 560 pounds of compost were generated as a result of collection efforts at the County Fair, instead of ending up in a landfill. The people responsible for those efforts include the San Juan Island Youth Conservation Corps, Transition San Juan Island’s Waste Reduction Team, and staff from Lautenbach Recycling.
• The Sakya Kachod Choling Buddhist retreat center is for sale for $1.85 million.
• The Library’s Nature’s Mysteries series continues on Zoom at 7 p.m. tomorrow. The topic this time around is Climate and Climate Change from A-Z. Presented in collaboration with San Juan Island National Historical Park, the event will examine climate, weather, and their short- and long-term effects on the environment and ecosystems of the park. Email [email protected] to register.
• Thanks to our advertisers for their continued support of the San Juan Update — including OPALCO.

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PeaceHealth sends along news about its revised visitation policies.

PeaceHealth is pleased to announce that effective immediately visitors are again allowed — one per patient and one at a time — at Peace Island Medical Center.

Visitors are still required to wear a mask in healthcare settings, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health department guidelines.

The easing of restrictions comes as COVID-19 transmission rates in San Juan County continue to fall. In alignment with other Washington state healthcare organizations, PeaceHealth is using the CDC’s transmission map to guide us on next steps in COVID-19 response in our communities. The decision was made after San Juan County had maintained a lower transmission risk level for more than seven days, thereby meeting PeaceHealth’s criteria for easing restrictions.

In addition to visitors, volunteers will again be allowed inside PeaceHealth Peace Island with no restrictions.

Although we’re pleased to be able to ease these policies, we remain cautious and are prepared to tighten up protocols should trends again reverse.

Washington State University San Juan County Extension shares news about an upcoming course for future farmers.

If you are interested in farming, not sure how to begin, or dream of beginning or expanding your own small farm, the Cultivating Success series of courses combines workshop and farmer-direct learning experiences to help foster the success of new and existing farms. Cultivating Success helps participants explore the unique advantages available to the small and mid-size farm.

The first course in the series, Whole Farm Planning, will be held on Mondays from 6-8:30 p.m. from Sept. 19 through Dec. 5. Offered statewide, the course will be conducted online using the Zoom platform with in-person field trips available in some regions of the state. The course will also be offered with Spanish language interpretation and facilitation.

Weekly presentations include local growers, organizations, and agriculture professionals with expertise in direct marketing, value-added processing, production planning, agronomy, and livestock production. Cultivating Success provides students with the tools necessary to create, develop, or expand a sustainable farm operation.

The twelve-week course Costs $200 per farm or family. Scholarships are available for military veterans and anyone for whom the course fee is a barrier. Visit the Cultivating Success website to register.

For more information on the course, contact Kate Smith at 360-395-2363 or [email protected].

The San Juan County Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 13 at 9 a.m. The meeting includes a public hearing accepting testimony about emergency and supplemental appropriations to the 2022 County budget. Items up for discussion or action include:

• Opioid litigation and settlement agreement
• Draft request for qualifications for the Argyle St. property
• 2022 Public Facilities Finance Assistance Program applications
• Six-year transportation improvement plan
• San Juan Islands Conservation District rates and changes

The meeting also includes a closed session to discuss matters pertaining to collective bargaining.

You can view the live stream of the meeting online or attend in person at the Council Legislative Hearing Room. To make a public comment, sign up prior to 9 a.m. on Sept. 13.

• San Juan Island firefighters Michael Henderson, Craig McConnell, and Tom Eades headed off island on Saturday to provide support for the Bolt Creek wildfire in King County.
• It’s the last day for two exhibitions at the San Juan Islands Art Museum — Looking Into Kabul by James Longley and Lattice II by Henry Jackson-Spieker.
• Starting today, the Library is expanding its Tech Cafe hours to include the second Monday of each month from 4-5:30 p.m. The program will continue to operate on Tuesday from 10 a.m.-noon as well.
• Salish Current shares an update on the status of the management plan for the San Juan Islands National Monument.
• The native wildflower sale by Salish Seeds opens tomorrow at 9 a.m.
• Thanks to our advertisers for their continued support of the San Juan Update — including Island Petroleum Services.

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A portion of the undeveloped 1.75 acre lot at the corner of Argyle Ave. and Malcom St.

The San Juan County Council is set to review a proposal that calls for the development of up to 42 units of low- and moderate-income rental housing in downtown Friday Harbor.

A draft of a Request for Qualifications related to a 1.75-acre parcel of County-owned land at the corner of Argyle Ave. and Malcom St. has been prepared by the County Department of Health & Community Services for the Council’s review at Tuesday’s Council meeting.

“San Juan County seeks an experienced developer to partner with and enter into a long term, low- to no-cost lease agreement for a 1.75-acre parcel,” according to the RFQ. “The site presents a unique opportunity for a large-scale affordable housing development serving a variety of income levels, primarily households that earn at or below 80 percent of area median income.”

The Friday Harbor Town Council has agreed to allow density of up to 24 units per acre on the property, which means that up to 42 housing units are possible if the site is developed to maximum capacity. The draft RFQ calls for up to 50 percent of the new units to be affordable for moderate-income households earning between 80 and 115 percent of AMI. The other 50 percent of the units must be distributed between low income (80 percent AMI or less), very low income (50 percent AMI or less), and extremely low income (30 percent AMI or less) levels.

80 percent AMI for a family of four in San Juan County is roughly $70,000 per year.

“The County is prepared to make significant financial contributions to the project to offset infrastructure costs,” the draft RFQ says. It also commits the County to providing frontage improvements on the site, including sidewalks, street trees, landscaping, curbs, gutters, and street lamps.

In addition, the draft RFQ details design requirements and preferred approaches to energy efficiency. The County seeks a development that “maintains the character and design of the historic Argyle neighborhood in Friday Harbor while maximizing allowable density for long-term affordable housing rental units … As feasible, [the developer should] provide solar arrays and energy-efficient buildings, appliances, and low-flow or water-efficient plumbing fixtures. This will not only help conserve our water resources; it will lower utility costs, which will help maintain long-term affordability.”

Should the County move forward with the project, the draft RFQ outlines a three-step developer selection process. County staff would first evaluate submissions and their adherence to the stated project goals, priorities, and strategies. The Housing Advisory Committee would review the staff reports and present their recommendations to the Council. The Council then has the option to accept or reject the HAC’s recommendations, or make modifications to the scope and terms of the project.

The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor shares a look at the adoptable animal of the week — Zelda, a five-year-old domestic shorthair tabby.

Hi, I’m Zelda! Although you may have already heard the story of how I ended up in the shelter, I’m here to tell you the real, insider story straight from the cat’s mouth — mine.

The story, as the shelter knows it, is that I ended up in one of their traps meant for the feral cats and immediately upon realizing I was too lovey-dovey to be feral, they tried to find if I had owners. But here’s what only I know, and what only I can tell you: I went into that trap intentionally. I know I’m not feral, but that doesn’t mean I’m not street-smart. These smarts led me to realize that these traps, once filled, made their way to APS-FH and that’s exactly where I wanted to be. Why you ask? Because although you may notice the beauty scars I’ve obtained from a life on the outside, what I have always really dreamed of, is being someone’s. I long for the comfort, safety, and never-ending love that comes from being a part of a family.

I made and executed the plan to get here, now I just need you to come adopt me!

Learn more about Zelda here.

The County’s Public Works team requests the public’s help dealing with an increase in stolen street signs.

San Juan County is experiencing a slew of street sign thefts, leaving intersections and many popular roads unmarked. County officials are calling for the public’s help in finding and returning missing street signs.

In the last two months, 13 signs were stolen, bringing 2022’s total to 35 stolen signs. Used for more than navigation by locals and visitors, street signs are imperative for the Sheriff’s Office, EMS, firefighters, and other emergency and utility services who rely on accurate signage.

Each road sign costs around $250 to replace if the post and bracket can be salvaged. These replacements are paid for by taxpayer dollars.

Public Works crews are working quickly to replace the missing signs, but in doing so are being pulled away from other important duties like mowing, road repair, and maintenance projects. That’s why the department is asking for the public’s help in tracking down and returning stolen signs or urging friends and family to leave signs in place.

The department would like to thank the anonymous citizen who brought back seven of the stolen signs to the Guard St. office. Others wishing to provide the same service are encouraged to return signs – no questions asked – to 1000 Guard St. in Friday Harbor.

Freezer Burned is an ongoing series for the San Juan Update, written by Steve Ulvi. Read the previous story in this series.

Trouble at the Ramparts

The full moon loomed high in the sky; the fading crepuscular light of mid-afternoon gave in easily to the rushing tide of night. The radiant moonglow created spectacular soft lighting; grey-blue shadows from tall willows and trees along the river bank latticed on reflective snow. Sonny was glad to save on precious headlamp batteries. He filled up on snowshoe hare stew using the last of some pre-cooked rice from Ada; standing on a cushion of spruce boughs, rotating front to back near a substantial “white man’s blaze” to stave off the penetrating cold. He marveled thinking about his Athapaskan ancestors living successfully for thousands of years through the long winter nights without artificial light.

The Ramparts Cliffs shone bone-colored in the reflected lunar light; the maw of the canyon, the gates to the upper Kuuk River. Sonny sought the respite of heated space again. Ramparts Cabin, only two or three miles away as the raven flies, was still twice that distance trudging on the sinuous river. Repetitive hoots from Great Horned Owls, asked and answered, punctuated the night.

After he drifted to sleep in his tarped sleeping bags, he was dreaming of snowmachines speeding around his village of Tonasket without rhyme or reason. The disruption was the plague of bootlegging in a dry community after the arrival of summer fire-fighting paychecks in the mail. Elsa Henderson was romantically present and a confusing element in the netherworld of emotions. Sonny wakened; startled to hear actual snowmachines loudly announcing human travel in the motionless dense air. At first, he thought that they were coming right into camp and sat up confused, groping for his headlamp. He soon realized that they were nearly a quarter mile away, across the river from his siwash camp; bouncing head lights sweeping the frozen shore. A dog-hair stand of young spruce around him hid his dying fire, smoke spiraling heavenward.

No longer alone in the vast landscape, Sonny was immediately jolted from tired slumber to stressful speculation. He knew that it had to be that damned Poker Creek crew. They were running hard. It was cold, maybe -40F. Villagers had no reason to be travelling way up here. Most of them would be hunkered by the stove and blanketing doors or hassling with hauling in more wood. Those villagers often paid outrageous prices for green wood as skimpy piles disappeared rapidly in trying to maintain heat in their old drafty cabins. Some homes had two or even three woodstoves requiring regular stoking like the boilers on the small sternwheelers that once served Tonasket. Besides, he thought, bad things often happened with snowmachines operating in rubber and plastic breaking temperatures. Must be a damn good reason for running in this cold; at night. Continue Reading

• Here’s the lineup for today’s farmers market.
• Friday Harbor High School football knocked off Granite Falls 27-6 last night in the Wolverines’ home opener. The game was called at halftime following the cancellation of the 10 p.m. ferry to Anacortes, allowing the Granite Falls team, cheerleaders, and fans to catch the unscheduled 8:30 p.m. departure. The Wolverines take on La Conner High School next Friday night at home at 6:30 p.m. It’s the last home game until Oct. 28, their final regular season game.
• San Juan County Health & Community Services will not be offering COVID booster clinics for adults this month. They plan to announce the dates of their October clinics on or after Oct. 1.
• Island Rec’s free TREC after-school program for students in grades 6-8 returns on Wednesdays at 1:45 p.m., starting on Sept. 21. It’s a drop-in program, but advance registration is required.
• Tickets are still available for two of the three remaining Archipelago Collective chamber music performances, happening today and tomorrow at Brickworks.
• Tara Craig performs in the wine garden at the Madrone Tasting Room (40 First St. S.) from 5-7 p.m. tonight.
• Thanks to our advertisers for their continued support of the San Juan Update — including the Mullis Center.

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