In the SJ Update Mailbag today we find this letter to you from Steve Ulvi… Friends, Now that the County Council has adopted in principle the draft Housing Plan, approved by resolution that plan’s all-important Financial and Administrative appendices and placed the housing initiative real estate excise tax on the ballot for the November elections  Continue Reading

San Juan County Health & Community Services Issues Varicella Health Alert Three cases of Varicella, or “chicken pox,” have been confirmed in the Orcas Island community. Two of the cases were in children attending schools on Orcas Island. San Juan County Health & Community Services has alerted medical providers, and is working closely with the  Continue Reading

The League of Women Voters of the San Juans is holding candidate forums prior to the August primary election. The forums feature those running for the Washington state legislative district 40 and congressional district 2 positions. Each race has six candidates. For state legislative district 40 those running are: Daniel Miller (Republican from Friday Harbor);  Continue Reading

San Juan Island Community Foundation Awards $176,700 in College Scholarships for 2018-2019 Ten graduating seniors from Friday Harbor High School and two graduating seniors from Spring Street International School were awarded new scholarships for the 2018-2019 academic year from two different funds held at the San Juan Island Community Foundation. Previous recipients of the following  Continue Reading

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update, written by Peggy Sue McRae… On the second Monday of each month Senior Services of San Juan County presents the video series, Awakening From Alzheimer’s. The next two showings on July 9 and August 13 will be in the Mullis Center’s Craft Room at  Continue Reading

Climbing Mt. Finlayson , Bill Severson will take us on one of his favorite hikes. There is a steep section, however Bill will take a slow pace and speculate along the way on who the mountain was named after and how high they thought it was at the time. Saturday June 23, 1-4 pm Terrain  Continue Reading

Skagit Valley College Receives Grant from Lumina Foundation’s Fund for Racial Justice and Equity    >> Selected from more than 300 grant proposals INDIANAPOLIS — From a pool of 312 nationwide applicants, Skagit Valley College (SVC) was one of 19 college and universities selected to receive funding from Lumina Foundation’s Fund for Racial Justice and  Continue Reading

Dirt? What dirt? I may have recently taken part in some soil testing, but I don’t know anything about dirt. My name is “Cookie” and I’ve just arrived here, hoping to find my forever sofa…. er, that is, “HOME”. I’m just two years old and folks tell me I have lovely manners. Why don’t you  Continue Reading

Come celebrate the longest day of the year and the start of a new event at the Fairgrounds. It’s the Salish Solstice Festival at the San Juan County Fairgrounds on Thursday, June 21st from 5:00pm – 10:00pm. Bring a blanket, your folding chairs, and your picnic basket and ring in the solstice.  Artisan vendors on site to  Continue Reading

Orca Sing is an annual event where people gather for an evening of music at Lime Kiln Point State Park to honor the Southern Resident orcas.  This year’s event is the 19th annual and will take place on Saturday, June 23, beginning at 7 p.m. This year, Fred West and Seattle’s City Cantabile Choir will  Continue Reading

Tanja Williamson sends this reminder to get signed up for fall soccer… Dear San Juan Update, Youth soccer registration is open and I’m hoping you can share the attached pic with your readers. School’s almost out and summer gets busy quick… it’s easy to forget to register for a fall sport in June! If anyone  Continue Reading

The Town of Friday Harbor has contracted with Mike Carlson Enterprises to reconstruct Web Street and portions of A Street and Nichols Street. The Contractor began mobilizing equipment on Wednesday, June 13th. The project will include utility upgrades, road resurfacing, and the addition of continuous sidewalks. Businesses on Web, A and Nichols Streets will remain  Continue Reading

Here’s a note from SJI Chamber Director Becki Day… Thanks to a generous matching grant from Kings Market and lodging tax funds from the Town of Friday Harbor, the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce has once again commissioned local talent and pyrotechnical director, Nick Gislason, a fifth generation San Juan Islander, with the Lopez  Continue Reading

San Juan Island may have a new library building in its future. At its June 12th meeting, the San Juan Island Library Board of Trustees decided to explore plans to construct a new building, at a site yet to be selected. This determination was made following three years of study and public input, including a  Continue Reading

Merri Ann Simonson checks in again with another San Juan Island Lifestyle video. This one offers Tips on Crabbing, Shrimping and Fishing…

Ruth at WaterWorks Gallery shares this announcment with you… This gallery show brings together painter David Ridgway and ceramicist Pete Kuentzel. While both artists use seemingly simple forms–a rectangle, a triangle or a circle– they create lush, complex compositions on canvas or clay. David has a unique approach with landscapes: he initially removes any signs  Continue Reading

Join us at the Fairgrounds for Creature From the Black Lagoon! A strange prehistoric beast lurks in the depths of the Amazonian jungle. A group of scientists try to capture the animal and bring it back to civilization for study. Plan an outing with your family, friends, or your special someone this Friday June 15th. Admission is  Continue Reading

  Funders Promote Locally Grown Foods for the WIC and Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program San Juan County Health and Community Services is partnering again with Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor, Orcas Island Community Foundation, and the Honeywell Foundation, to offer Market Bucks at Farmers Markets on Orcas and San Juan Islands. The Market Bucks  Continue Reading

San Juan EMS previously recognized one EMT each month as an “EMT of the month.”  The lieutenants who help mentor and manage our volunteers felt it was important to honor an EMT from each team that has been organized to help fill a 24/7 schedule.  There are three teams of about 11 EMTs that rotate  Continue Reading

In the mailbag today we find this letter from Nick Power… Dear Editor: There has been a lot of ink spilled regarding the sign ordinance and the fact that the County has unquestionably been violating the First Amendment rights of all citizens since the day it was enacted in 1998. Most distressingly, the County has  Continue Reading

Construction has begun on Web Street and will continue for approximately 70 days. Traffic will be restricted to One Way on Web – Going from Argyle toward “A” Street only.  Do not enter from “A” Street or you will get turned around.

All of the San Juan Islands are invited to the San Juan Center of Skagit Valley College 2018 Commencement celebrating our island’s graduating students.  The Commencement is being held Wednesday June 13th at 1:00 PM at the Brickworks in Friday Harbor.  Joining in the celebration of our graduates will be the President of Skagit Valley  Continue Reading