Southern Residents – Contributed photo

Captain Hobbes Buchanan of San Juan Island Whale & Wildlife Tours writes to let you know some of the southern residents are back…

Hey San Juan Update,

So on Saturday we had over 40 transient orca killer whales in our area, and most of them went by the entrance to Friday Harbor – a big thank you to the Sheriffs department who helped out with the cluster of boats!

And today June 11, 2018 J & L Pods showed up on the West-Side, I’m waiting to hear from Ken Balcomb, from the Center of Whale Research to confirm if all of them were there and if any of K Pod was present!

Hobbes

SJISD Interim Superintendent and new School Board Director Announced

The San Juan Island School District Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Ms. Kari McVeigh has accepted our offer of employment as interim superintendent. 

Ms. McVeigh has extensive experience as an educator starting with eleven years in the classroom followed by work as a principal and superintendent in a wide variety of school settings.  Her career has been marked by awards and national recognition for her strong instructional leadership, most notably her success in working with Instructional Leadership Teams, Common Core Literacy and Mathematics, and community-based schooling. 

“Ms. McVeigh’s credentials are stellar,” commented Board Chair John Kurtz, “and the fact that she is an island resident and has already worked coaching our principals means the lag time from hiring to starting effective leadership will be measured in days, not weeks or months.” Continue Reading

On the bluff overlooking the harbor, Chinmayo (left) with Roger Ellison from the San Juan Island Grange, dig up Lilacs for transplanting – SJ Update photo

Those who have been reading the SJ Update for a while may recall a story from 4 years ago this month, “Before the Bulldozer“, describing how Friday Harbor resident Chinmayo saved a cherry tree that was growing on some land that was about to be bulldozed and developed for new construction.

Well, she is at it again…

This photo from circa 1914, shows 4th of July revelers outside Orpha’s house – SJ Historical Society photo

Have you seen the cleared area across the street from the courthouse (photo above) that overlooks the harbor?  That lot is soon to have construction happening as well. And – that lot also used to be the location of a small house that was built in the 1800’s which for a long time was occupied by Orpha A. Sutton, a cook at the school, who in the early 1900’s planted Lilacs outside the house.

Both Orpha and the house are long gone, but Chinmayo recently noticed after the land was cleared for the new construction, that the lilacs are still there, growing strong. So she got together with Roger Ellison from the SJI Grange and together they dug up and potted many lilac starts.

Lilac starts like these will be available soon at the SJI Grange booth at the Saturday Farmer’s Market – SJ Update photo

Soon you will be able to have a piece of island history growing in your yard. Starts will not be ready for a couple weeks most likely, but when they are, they will be available at the SJI Grange booth at the Farmer’s Market on Saturdays, with proceeds benefiting the SJI Grange.

To learn more about the lilacs or for more information on her “Before the Bulldozer” idea, you can contact Chinmayo by email at:
chinmayoart [@] gmail [.] com.

Many thanks to Orpha (right) for planting the Lilacs, and her great-grandaughter Tami Rable (left) who helped with details for this story – Contributed photo

Friday Harbor Physiotherapy & Wellness, the island’s new manual therapy, personal training, and health coaching provider, is celebrating its inception with an open house on Saturday, June 16th from 11 am to 4 pm. It will be held at their natural movement gym and wellness studio at 156 Moonlight Drive off of Bailer Hill Road. All are welcome!

To mark the occasion, Friday Harbor Physiotherapy & Wellness will be offering free stretching and natural movement classes, personal injury assessments, and plenty of healthy snacks and treats. All in attendance will receive a coupon for 50% off their first service. The new business currently offers manual physical therapy, natural movement training, and health coaching with an emphasis in the prevention and remediation of neurodegenerative disease.

In addition to doing house-calls, Friday Harbor Physiotherapy & Wellness is unique in that it offers direct access care, meaning no physician’s referral is required.

Says owner, Chris Havel, whose career as a physical therapist spans over two decades: “We moved to the island a little over two years ago and have really grown to love this community. This business is our way of investing in the lives of our island neighbors.”

Friday Harbor Physiotherapy & Wellness offers free phone consults. They can be contacted at (360) 622-9141. For further details or to schedule an appointment, visit their new website at www.fridayharborwellness.com.

Here’s a letter to you from Dr. Danna Diaz…

(This reflects a correction to what was posted earlier)

Dr. Danna Diaz – Contributed photo

June 8, 2018

Dear Students, Staff, Parents and Community Members:

I am proud of my time in San Juan Island and there’s no one single accomplishment I can point to, because there are so many. Our student successes are too numerous to count. From state honors with the Wolverine band and our sports accomplishments, we have so much to be proud of.

Today I learned that Friday Harbor High School junior Thea Seitz will be this year’s Friday Harbor Lab’s “Young Investigator”. working in a paid internship with Director Billie Swalla doing genetic research. FHHS junior Joseph Kaden will be working with KWIAHT Director Russel Barsh doing environmental research this summer. Clarissa Felix and Rachel Snow will be participating this summer in the Salish Sea Sciences program. In addition to STEM instruction, particularly in biology, ecology, and marine science, Salish Sea Sciences is about career pathways for students who share a passion for science and want to connect with their peers from off island, across the country, and around the world. 

Friday Harbor High School had 217 participants throughout the 14 sports activities that we offer: Continue Reading

Vegas is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo

Allow me to speak freely. My name is Vegas and although I am clearly a cat, and a handsome one at that, I do not enjoy the company of other cats. I find them tedious and often insipid.

This puts me at a disadvantage here at the animal shelter, you see. Here, they expect me to live openly with the other cats in Kamp Kitty; socializing and joining the weekly bridge game and daily happy hours. They even expect me to participate in square dance night. For the love of all that is holy – Square Dance Night!

Forgive me for being bold – but I need to be adopted. Soon. Perhaps you have room in your life for a handsome, middle-age fellow like myself? If you abhor square dancing like I do, you’ll be doing us both a big favor. I await your reply. Time is of the essence!

Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
111 Shelter Road
(360) 378-2158

Island Stage Left presents its twentieth anniversary production of “The Tempest” – Shakespeare’s magnificent and touching farewell to the stage.

We hope you will join us for this enchanting story of a wondrous island where the stars align to let a lost man finally come to terms with his humanity and where bitterness and corruption are transformed by the magic of forgiveness.

Suitable for all ages.

Come celebrate with us!

(Click the image at right for dates and venue information)

On Monday June 11, 2018, the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors will hold a Special School Board Meeting at 9:00 am in the school district office, 285 Blair Ave.  This is an open public meeting to complete the final selection for the Interim Superintendent position.

There will also be a Special School Board Meeting at 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm in the school district office, 285 Blair Ave.  This is an open public meeting/workshop for Governance training. No action will be taken.

Visit this link to see the agenda: https://www.boarddocs.com/wa/sjisd/Board.nsf/Public

Swallows are wonderful to watch and they eat huge numbers of flying insects, including mosquitoes and other biting insects, so we all benefit from having them around. But they also like to build their nests under the eaves of houses, which can result in splotches of white swallow poop on our decks or patio furniture.

Unfortunately, some people then resort to knocking down nests, killing many baby swallows. This is very sad, illegal and unnecessary because there are some easy ways to reduce the bird poop problem without damaging the birds. Placing a piece of cardboard (from an old box) on the deck beneath the nest can catch a lot of the droppings, and the cardboard can be replaced every week or so.

You can also attach a small board (~ 2 feet long by 6 “wide) to the wall 2 or 3 feet below the nest to catch the droppings. Be careful not to place the board too close beneath the nest because the parents need space to swoop up to feed their babies. The board can then be removed at the end of the season.

With a little thought and ingenuity we can minimize the bird poop issue, enjoy the sunshine on our decks, and the swallows can spend the summer raising their youngsters.

At the invitation of the Community Foundation, directors and board members from thirty-five different organizations gathered to enjoy a delicious breakfast and to cultivate organizational and personal connections.

“Our island is fortunate to have so many excellent organizations that contribute to our quality of life but there are times when the people who are dedicated to a specific cause can find themselves with little time or opportunity to connect with others and learn what programs and projects other organizations are engaged in or, even dreaming about,” said Carrie Unpingco, Executive Director of SJICF. “We want to help bridge these gaps and one way to do that, is to bring everyone together. Feeding them doesn’t hurt either!”

Carrie Unpingco and $1,000 winner Helen Machin-Smith

After everyone had an opportunity to freely network over breakfast and coffee, nonprofit leaders spent the remaining time listening to twelve organizations speak about their goals and vision for the rest of the year. New nonprofits were given the opportunity to tell the group who they were and what their mission was.

A surprise drawing was held at the end of breakfast with, Island Stage Left winning a $1,000 grant from the Community Foundation. Helen Machin-Smith, Island Stage Left Director & Co-Founder, said that they will use the funds to support their work to provide top quality professional theatre – free of charge – to all islanders and island visitors, no matter what their financial or social status. Continue Reading

The San Juan Community Home Trust would like to take islanders on a tour!

Our two newest homes were barged over from Victoria B.C. in March and are on-site in our Sun Rise II neighborhood. This “ultimate recycling” project is supported by islanders to provide permanently affordable homes for island workers and their families. We think you should see the homes and the pocket neighborhood which ultimately 12 families will call home.

Tours are offered by Home Trust Board Members on Fridays and Sundays at both 11:00am and 3:00pm. Please RSVP to the Home Trust Office (360) 378-5541.

Here’s the latest from WSDOT…

Expect changes at Sharpes Corner for Friday commutes, weekend travel

Contractor crews from Tapani are making amazing progress on this intersection safety improvement project. If you are a Friday commuter – most of you will experience new traffic control tomorrow. Tapani crews believe they’ll be moving onto the next stage of work by Friday, June 8 which means the Sharpes Corner roundabout will open as a single lane roundabout.

This means no more route up the hill for Anacortes to I-5 travels but you’ll still need to merge into a single lane before entering the intersection. The left hand turn lane from I-5 to Whidbey Island traffic will get blocked off during this next stage and all those headed toward Whidbey Island will use one lane through the roundabout. The westbound bypass will remain as is for Anacortes bound travelers.

The speed limit remains 35 mph through this ENTIRE work zone, so please slow your speeds (even in the bypass lane) as crews will still be working close by. Businesses in this area remain open and to access them you’ll need to make right turns into driveways. Use the roundabouts to U-turn to access the business or driveway you want.

I’ve uploaded new photos WSDOT inspectors have taken from them work zone, May through yesterday. You can see the dozens they’ve taken at www.bit.ly/SharpesCornerRABPhotos.

Also… Continue Reading

Considered to be the most important African-American cultural contribution to the history of art in the US, the Quilts of Gee’s Bend are described as “Moving, Powerful and Abstract Masterpieces.” 

Greg Kucera will discuss the quilts of Gee’s Bend, their artists, history, culture and their art on June 13 at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) from 6-7:30 p.m.

Greg Kucera

Kucera has loaned several pieces and unique aquatints for the exhibition, Conversations With Gee’s Bend at the art museum from May 25-September 3. Gee’s Bend quilts are internationally known for their improvisational and inventive qualities.

Three Gee’s Bend artists honored with the 2015 National Endowment for the Arts Heritage Award Fellowship Artists, Mary Lee Bendolph, Loretta Pettway and Lucy Mingo, exhibited at the Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle in 2017. The NEA National Heritage Fellowships “recognize individual artists for their artistic excellence and support continuing contributions to our nation’s traditional arts heritage.” The honored three artists are from “the oldest living generation of artists who represent this cultural legacy.” Continue Reading

A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the August 7, 2018, Primary election is scheduled for June 18 at 10:30 a.m.

The test works by tallying the results of a prepared set of ballots to see if the results match the votes cast. The test will take place in the Elections Office located at 55 Second Street, Suite A, in Friday Harbor.

A representative of the Secretary of State’s Elections Division will be present for the test. The test is performed before every local, state or federal election to ensure that tabulation hardware and software equipment are compliant with Washington State rules and will accurately count the votes.

All interested members of the public are invited to observe.

Zylstra Lake – SJC Land Bank photo

Here’s a note from Doug McCutchen of the SJC Land Bank…

Hey Island(s) Friends – the Land Bank and Preservation Trust are hosting an open house at Zylstra Lake this Saturday from 10a-4pm. This is an opportunity to come walk through the property and more importantly ask questions AND provide feedback to the two organizations as we are starting down the path of recreational, ecological, and agricultural assessments to inform the long term use and vision for the preserve.

There will be plenty of opportunities to be involved and provide feedback in the future, but for everyone who has stopped me on the street or grocery store with questions about Zylstra, this is a great opportunity to see this amazing land (and water) and learn about the complex mix of conservation values we are simultaneously juggling and balancing. Staff and board members will be on hand to chat or take people on walks throughout the day. If you can’t make it, don’t hesitate to shoot us an email or stop by the office sometime to chat.

An early Vic’s sign with founders Vic and Margaret Reynolds in front of their drive-in – San Juan Historical Society and Museum photo

The SJI Historical Society checks in with their monthly History Column for June…

This month’s column recognizes not an iconic islander but rather an iconic business. A favorite of many during its 60 years, Vic’s Drive-In opened on June 28, 1958. Call it a Drive Inn or Drive-In, it’s always been Vic’s and the hamburgers have always been tops with all ages, from one generation to the next.

Victor and Margaret Guard Reynolds had a good idea back in 1958 and backed it up with a modern design for a classic drive-in when they had the restaurant built on their Second Street property, next door to their home. The diner’s original design featured a walk-up window for ordering (indoor seating was added much later), with tables along the side of the building and in the back.

The Reynolds owned Vic’s for twelve years, retiring in 1970 when they sold to Jack and Sharron Louthan. Some remodeling was done then and Vic’s re-opened under the management of Sharron’s parents, Virgil and Lucille Bryant. Kevin Widmayer and Linda Jensen bought Vic’s in 2000 and carried on the tradition of an American family-style menu and friendly service for the next sixteen years. Continue Reading