• Students in the San Juan Island School District return to school today. Here’s a quick look at the year ahead from the perspective of District Superintendent Fred Woods.
• Spring Street International School students returned to the classroom yesterday. This year’s classes include students from seven countries outside the United States — Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Rwanda, and Ukraine.
• The Family Resource Center has free back-to-school kits for families who could use a little help with supplies. Call 360-378-5246 to learn more.
• The Town of Friday Harbor has issued a second micro-survey related to the development of its Housing Action Plan and they’re looking for community input.
• San Juan County Public Works will finish up culvert repairs on Beaverton Valley Road between Egg Lake and Boyce roads tomorrow morning through the late afternoon. Beaverton Valley will be reduced to one lane during that time.
• Here are the week’s specials from Market Place and Kings.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

OPALCO shares news about a maintenance power outage taking place next month.

All of San Juan County will be affected by a planned power outage necessary for Bonneville Power Association to make scheduled repairs to the transmission lines that deliver power to the islands. This maintenance outage will happen during the night minimize impact to OPALCO consumers.

The outage will begin at approximately 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 15 and power is expected to be restored by 5 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 16. During this time, BPA crews will upgrade transmission equipment and perform maintenance on the system. While the power is off, the OPALCO crew will utilize the opportunity to do maintenance work on our local system.

OPALCO consumers should set a reminder for the night of Sept. 15. Turn sensitive equipment off at the power strip or unplug. In the morning, turn equipment on gradually to aid in power load pick up. OPALCO members are responsible for their own equipment and encouraged to install surge protection to safeguard electronic, computer and other sensitive equipment and appliances.

Now is a great time to make sure you’re prepared for winter outages. OPALCO’s system is strong and its line crews skillful and ready, however outages happen and islanders must be prepared. Take time to get ready for storm season outages now, including your plan to access outage information (SmartHub, phone message, website, social media, outage buddy off island with internet service), assemble a kit of the things you need to keep you comfortable during power outages, and do maintenance on your battery or generator backup for any critical systems.

Check our website for outage checklists and other key information for making sure you are ready this winter.

The EDC shares news about their upcoming course offering.

The Economic Development Council of San Juan County will offer a business management and leadership course for all industries including hospitality, restaurant, and construction this fall, as part of their Trades Training Initiative. This course is open to participants from San Juan County ages 18 and over who are planning to start a business or who seek to develop or refresh skills.

The upcoming course will provide insight into topics such as workforce development, company assessment, bookkeeping principles, and the customer experience. A panel of instructors will present information to help entrepreneurs and managers navigate everyday challenges of small business operations, create strategies for change, and plan for future growth. This interactive course will encourage students to network and learn from each other beyond the duration of the class.

The seminars will meet weekly on Wednesdays from 6-8 p.m. from Sept. 14 through Nov. 9. Classes will be held in Friday Harbor, but remote learning options are available. Participants that attend all sessions will receive a certificate of completion.

Visit the EDC website for more information or to register. For questions,  contact the EDC’s Trades Training Coordinator, Marti McConnell, at 360-378-2906 or [email protected].

Island Rec is looking for a part-time Facility Supervisor to support its adult drop-in programs from October to March. Learn more in the Island Jobs section of the San Juan Update.

Northwest Natural Resource Group, San Juan Conservation District, and Rain Shadow Consulting will be hosting two free, in-person workshops later this year — one in September and one in October.

Both workshops will provide education for forest owners in the San Juans on identifying climate-related risks in their forests, such as fire, pests, and disease, according to Alexandra Dolk, Program Manager for Northwest Natural Resource Group. The workshops will also help land owners understand how those risks may impact ecological health and wildlife habitat, and will present strategies for mitigating those risks, such as forest thinning, creating biochar, and planting climate-adapted species.

Both free workshops are funded by grants awarded through the USDA’s Risk Management Education program.

Hands-On Forest Health Strategies for San Juan County
Lopez Island — Saturday, Sept. 17
Register online here

At this free, all-day workshop, participants will learn hands-on strategies for evaluating the health of their forests, mitigating fire and drought risk, selecting trees for thinning, and utilizing slash-and-cut materials for wildlife habitat enhancements and biochar creation.

How to Steward a Climate-Resilient Forest in the San Juans
Shaw Island — Saturday, Oct. 15
Register online here

During this workshop, local and regional foresters will introduce forest owners to a practical strategies for achieving their ecological and economic goals in the face of the warmer and drier climate of the future.

Contributed photo

SJCT sends along news about one of their upcoming concerts.

Jens Lindemann returns to San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 7:30 p.m. with a 12-piece band ensemble to perform George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

Masterfully arranged and performed, this is a unique experience that music fans should not miss. The evening will also include selections by Oscar Peterson, Nat King Cole, and Tommy Dorsey. Lindemann is a Grammy-nominated trumpet virtuoso recently named International Brass Personality of the Year by The Brass Herald. Tickets are $50 for adults, $25 for students, and $5 for student rush tickets.

To purchase tickets, call the box office at 360-378-3210 or visit the SJCT website.

Contributed photo

The Family Resource Center shares news about their newest team member.

Colleen Clancy is the new coordinator of the Island Neighbors program for the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center here on San Juan Island. Island Neighbors matches aging or disabled islanders who want to continue living at home with volunteers who help with needs like transportation, grocery shopping, getting out for social events, and companionship.

“It’s an exciting time to take over this program.” Colleen says. “After several years of pandemic isolation, we are coming out of quarantine and resuming our face-to-face support.”

Colleen came to the island to raise her family more than 35 years ago and is known to many islanders as a former attorney with the law office of Eaton & Gordon and as Director of Skagit Valley College, San Juan Center. A common thread through Colleen’s life is her desire to serve others, through her work, through volunteering, and through caregiving with her own friends and family. She is excited to bring this desire full circle with the Island Neighbors program.

“We have a steady stream of islanders who need assistance and of dedicated volunteers who provide help,” Colleen says.

The program relies on referrals from the community and volunteers who step forward to help. If you know of someone who needs assistance at home, or are interested in volunteering for this program, give Colleen a call at 360-472-2798 or email her at [email protected].

• The barge and crane that will be used to raise the sunken Aleutian Isle fishing vessel arrived on the west side of San Juan Island over the weekend. With the barge securely anchored, divers are performing the underwater recovery operations necessary to raise the vessel. These operations are expected to take roughly ten days.
• The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank shares the good news about a 40-acre expansion of Cady Mountain Preserve, which now covers 470 acres. The County Council approved the purchase back in May.
• The Transportation Voucher Program, which subsidizes local and off-island travel for low-income individuals and islanders with emergency or ongoing medical travel needs, is distributing vouchers again.
• Registration for Island Rec’s fall programs opens next Tuesday, Sept. 6 starting at 7 a.m.
• The County’s Health and Community Services department has published public health advice related to Avian Influenza Virus, which was detected on Orcas Island last week.
• There are still a few spots left in Alchemy Art Center’s four-week beginning wheel throwing class, which starts on Thursday, Sept. 8.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

Shopkeeper with children — Photo credit: James Longley

The San Juan Islands Museum of Art shares a look at their Wednesday event.

Afghanistan — one of the poorest and most poorly understood countries in the world — has been a center of revolution, foreign occupation and civil war for over 40 years. Despite our decades of involvement in the country, the human struggles of its people have remained on the periphery of our vision.

Join Rev. Terry Kyllo, Executive Director of Paths to Understanding, and James Longley, photographer and filmmaker, at San Juan Community Theatre on Wednesday, Aug. 31 at 7 p.m. They will provide an in-depth dialogue about Afghanistan, its people, and the challenges that continue to face this ancient land. This event is part of a series Ask Us About Afghanistan, sponsored by the San Juan Islands Museum of Art.

Longley’s exhibit Looking into Kabul is currently at SJIMA continues until Sept. 12. Through photography and film, Friday Harbor’s Oscar-nominated son presents an intimate image of everyday life in Kabul’s old city. A documentary film, Sari’s Mother, is about a woman struggling to protect her son in post-war Iraq. Angels Are Made of Light follows students and teachers at a school in old Kabul slowly rebuilding from past conflicts.

Paths to Understanding is a multi-faith peacemaking organization based in Lynnwood. Its purpose is to bridge bias and build unity through multi-faith peacekeeping. Kyllo, a Lutheran minister, strives to recognize the unity of the human family. He is the author of two books, has been featured on radio and television shows, and the is the recipient of multiple awards for his contributions to multi-faith leadership.

The Longley/Kyllo dialogue requires no reservations and is a pay-what-you-can event underwritten by RaVae Luckhart and Jack Rice, Rob Ray, and the Town of Friday Harbor.

Dear Friday Harbor community,

After a two-year hiatus, it was like a breath of fresh air to see the return of the San Juan County Fair. Walking through that front gate felt good, and dare I say, normal.

The end of the fair indicates that the start of school is just around the corner. New and returning students will once again fill the halls. As always, we look forward to experiencing the excitement of the possibilities that lie ahead for each child. There is an eagerness to get back to the classroom and continue the educational journey. Two years ago, parking lots were empty; athletic contests postponed; the smiles on the faces of the children were behind a screen. Today, athletes are already practicing on the field of play; students and families have been meeting with personnel preparing for the upcoming year; staff are back in the building preparing in earnest. Dare I say again, this feels normal.

We are cognizant of the reality that we remain in a pandemic and not all is “normal.” Uncertainties still exist. Your schools will continue to follow guidelines developed by the Department of Health that will mitigate the spread of COVID. Students and staff will still quarantine if they contract this disease. We have hired a dedicated team of nurses and health aids to manage the concerns, maintain communication with the local health department, and provide services such as testing for all students with parental consent and staff when requested. Your schools will remain committed to safe practices so that students can have a successful school year.

We are ecstatic to be opening the doors to children once again. I said two years ago that nothing replaces live, face-to-face education for many students. The social interaction is vital. For others, though, they found that the independent and online approach worked best. In this district, we offer both. The San Juan Island School District K-12 in-person program is robust, but we also offer a vibrant online or hybrid format through Griffin Bay School. The opportunity to choose is one of the lessons we learned through this crisis, and we are working hard to provide that and meet students where they are.

We have assembled a talented team of close to 150 people to serve your children from the bus stop to the classroom and everything else in between. We know there is work to do. COVID’s impact has been dramatic. Our community’s children, though, deserve our best. And we can promise we will do our best to provide that.

Our new high school principal, Andrea Hilman, middle school principal Rod Turnbull, and elementary principal Holly Wehner will introduce several new staff members to the rest of the district on Monday Aug. 29 when our employees return to work. The first school day for students is Thursday, Sept. 1.

The last two years have been difficult, but we are resilient. Next week marks a new chapter and we get to author the story. The buildings will be full of students, Friday night lights will blaze, and schools will create community for children once again. There is no doubt we will face struggles and we may have to make changes throughout the year in response to what is occurring globally. We can do this, though. Just like the return of the fair, the start of school is refreshing and full of promise.

Fred Woods
Superintendent
San Juan Island School District

The organizers of the Summer Film Series at San Juan Community Theatre send along a preview of this week’s film — the last of the season. The showing starts at 7 p.m. Admission is pay-what-you-can. For this season only, fresh popcorn is available for free.

Oliver Sacks: His Own Life

Biography — not rated
Run time: 1 hour, 54 minutes

Oliver Sacks, a trained neurologist, is best known for his writings, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat: and Other Clinical Tales, which describes some of his most unusual case histories.

Truth be told, his own life was as unusual as many of his patients. This brilliant documentary captures the complex mind and wild life-story of a scientist whose profound influence continues to expand across the globe. The director gives the loquacious doctor center stage at his living room table with his closest friends and colleagues to underpin a seamless film that informs, motivates, and enthralls in equal measure. The vibe is joyful and homey even as news of Sacks’s terminal cancer comes to the fore during the making of the film.

The Library shares good news about their upcoming book groups for young islanders.

The San Juan Island Library is pleased to announce that funding has been secured for another year of youth book groups.

Two book groups will be offered for youth over the 2022-23 school year. Based on the Book, the long running middle school book group, will provide free copies of a monthly book to 25 students and culminate in a movie viewing for participants. Newly added to the calendar will be the Upper Elementary Book Group for youth in grades 3-5. Each participant will receive a free copy of the monthly book and take part in crafts, activities, and discussion at each meeting.

Book groups are essential library offerings that facilitate the growth of literacy and social skills. Participants are encouraged to converse openly and learn to navigate civil discourse in a non-school setting, while simultaneously exploring a variety of literature for recreational reading.

The Library would like to thank the San Juan Island Community Foundation for collecting contributions from the Healthy Community Fund and the Thistledown Fund, a fund of David Skinner and Catherine Eaton Skinner. The funds go directly to the purchase of paperback books that participants keep as their own.