By Kathryn Clary, RN, BSN, CHPN, Hospice of the Northwest, San Juan Island Currently, the only Medicare-based hospice in our county is Hospice of the Northwest. Two years ago this hospice was listed as the No. 1 hospice agency in the United States. HNW provides medical hospice services no matter one’s ability to pay. Medicare  Continue Reading

By Washington State Ferries Website Customers will notice that Washington State Ferries’ website has a new look. Not only does it look better, but it is now easier to navigate. Check out the changes at www.wsdotferries.com. If you have questions or need help finding information on the website, contact our customer call center at 206-464-6400  Continue Reading

Larsen to Meet with Marine Resource Committee, Friends of the San Juans, County Transportation Staff, Port Leaders By Rep. Rick Larsen’s Office On Friday, Oct. 23, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) will meet with the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee at Cattle Point to discuss the MRC’s efforts to reduce vessel traffic on endangered Southern  Continue Reading

By the Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management announced that it is seeking public nominations to the San Juan Islands National Monument Advisory Committee. This citizen-based committee assists in the development of recommendations that address public land management issues. The MAC, which is formally chartered under the Federal Advisory Committee Act and  Continue Reading

By Peace Island Medical Center October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and women at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center can utilize the benefits of three-dimensional technology as part of their mammography screening and breast health practices. Digital screening mammography complements the growing portfolio of diagnostic imaging services, which include state-of-the-art CT scanning, X-ray, echocardiography  Continue Reading

By Mary Stone, San Juan Island After 40 years practicing law, 30 of them in Friday Harbor, I am retiring, but I am leaving the law practice in the very capable hands of my partner, Bob Bulloch. My husband and I will continue to spend winters in Puerto Rico, but instead of returning to Friday  Continue Reading

The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce and the Friends of the Library are hosting a San Juan Island Scarecrow Contest. Below are the locations of the entered scarecrows and their creators.  Enter your top three favorites on a ballot at the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce, 165 1st St. South, or email becki@sanjuanisland.org.  Continue Reading

By SAFE San Juans For the month of October, SAFE San Juans hopes to make the islands glow purple in honor of the victims of domestic violence. The tradition of using Purple Night Lights to honor those who have (or are) suffering from domestic violence began in Covington, Washington in 2006. Since purple is the  Continue Reading

By Susan Kollet, San Juan Island A vote for Rick Hughes for Council Dist. 2 and Christine Minney for Dist. 1 will provide a wonderful balance to the three-member council. At such a critical juncture, the continuity and expertise Rick brings to the office will benefit our community and put the county in a better  Continue Reading

By San Juan Island School District At a special school board meeting on Monday, Oct. 19, the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors approved a hybrid return to in-person learning for kindergarten through 2nd grade. At the beginning of the school year, the district stated that after the first nine weeks of teleschool  Continue Reading

By Michael Durland, Orcas Island A couple of weeks ago I listed a number of actions by this current San Juan County Council that I said were in violation of their oath of office and the San Juan County Charter. My main concern is why this council instructed or allowed their attorney to argue in  Continue Reading

By Island Rec Island Rec has great new in-person offerings for youth this fall! Join us, starting Oct. 20 for, afternoon recess, for K-5th grade. Get your wiggles out at Linde Park after a full day of virtual learning.

By SJIMA Creative people “look at the world differently; it’s part of the job,” observed artist-architect Sam Stubblefield. The glowing lights in the glass windows of the San Juan Islands Museum of Art hint at the mystery of his installation “SPACE, MUSES, ETC.” He aims to blur the boundaries between art, engineering and design. SJIMA  Continue Reading

By Friday Harbor Film Festival “Love is the Way” brings together voices speaking in defense of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, highlighting the generations of stewardship by Gwich’in and Iñupiaq people. Inspired in part by footage of the late photographer Michio Hoshino, this film explores the friendships, values, and stories shaped by the place and  Continue Reading

By Skagit Valley College Skagit Valley College will be open for the winter quarter. SVC is a leader in providing great online courses, and we are also offering limited hybrid and face-to-face options. Classes start Monday, Jan. 4, 2021. Registration for continuing students begins Wednesday, Oct. 21. Registration for new students begins Wednesday, Nov. 4

By Vote Forward On Friday, Oct. 16, a group of San Juan Island volunteers mailed approximately 12,000 letters to intermittent voters in key battleground states, asking them to please vote in this election. The effort was made in collaboration with the nonprofit organization Vote Forward, and spear-headed by San Juan Island resident Beth Larson. Beth  Continue Reading

Conservation Organizations, Private Landowners Help Salmon and Orcas By Friends of the San Juans and San Juan Preservation Trust An innovative partnership between Friends of the San Juans and the San Juan Preservation Trust has been quietly gaining momentum over the past few years. Working with interested private waterfront landowners, the collaborative project brings much-needed  Continue Reading

Living Medical Arts PLLC in Friday Harbor is growing. We are expanding our staff and currently looking for an office assistant. The position is year-round, approximately 30 day-time hours per week, with some benefits and in-house training. The right “can-do” person who thrives in a fast-paced office environment will have ample opportunity for growth. Those  Continue Reading

Island Senior is a regular column on the San Juan Update written by Peggy Sue McRae… The concept of “blue zones” grew out of a demographic study identifying Sardina, Italy as a region with a high concentration of centenarians. Researchers who drew concentric blue circles on maps highlighting villages of extreme longevity began to refer  Continue Reading

By Town of Friday Harbor Friday Harbor business owners are once again encouraged to apply to the Town of Friday Harbor for assistance with business rent and mortgage payments to be awarded through the Friday Harbor Business Rent Relief Grant II Program. Grant awards of $500 to $2,000 per business will be funded with monies  Continue Reading

The San Juan Island School District Board of Directors will hold a special school board meeting at 5 p.m., Monday, Oct. 19, as a Zoom meeting. This meeting is open to the public. To access the Zoom meeting, click on “Video” within the electronic board agenda, or call the number listed on the agenda for  Continue Reading

San Juan Island Community Foundation continues to commit our time, resources and open “virtual” doors to meeting the needs of islanders during the COVID-19 crisis. Even as we continue day-to-day work from remote spaces, we’ve been delighted to find that physical distance does not hinder our ability to unite to help the community. Here are  Continue Reading