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

Death at Cutoff Slough on the Kuuk River

The column of mercury in a rusty Northern Commercial thermometer nailed to a porch post was in freefall as the barometer rose. The occluded front that dumped new snow while Sonny was resting at the homestead was being pushed out by a strong high-pressure system. The months of winter are dominated by powerful high-pressure domes that bring clear skies. That’s the harsh reality at the edge of Arctic North America in December. The sun is nothing but a cold tease skirting the southern horizon; if you are lucky. Outposts with higher ridges or ranges lying to the south, may have no glimpse of the sun at all for many weeks until mid-February. The reticent orb emanates about as much warmth as a 10-watt lightbulb in a chest freezer.

Sonny rubbed the frost from the outdoor thermometer with a gloved finger as he prepared to leave the renewed friendships and warmth of the rustic homestead. Minus 37 F; just about what he guessed. He was exuberant following his visit with the Henderson family. The wind was dying down after redistributing much of the exposed snow and shaping small drifts. Picture postcard winter scenery; during the scant 4 hours of daylight anyway. The hardened snow and sastrugi forms on the river would be better footing; maybe even allow for walking without the webs sometimes.

He reveled in the peaceful scene as he followed Elsa’s sled tracks upriver. He saw many frozen and slightly raised cushion tracks on the ice made when the snow was fresh. Wolves and red fox. Elsa had decided to get out with the whole team to run the dogs and reestablish their upriver trapline trail. After Natalie helped to hook up the lunging, barking dogs, Elsa pulled the hook and tore out of the yard at o-dark thirty, a couple of hours before Sonny. Their effort would speed Sonny’s progress for a few miles; especially where trail coursed through snow-collecting sloughs. Continue Reading

The San Juan County Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 23 at 9 a.m. Items up for discussion or action include:

• Second 2022 budget amendments
• Overview of Current Use and Designated Forest Land special tax programs
• Sustainable Tourism Management Plan update
• Marine Program update
• Approve a resolution naming Jason Bradshaw as general manager of the Eastsound Sewer & Water District
• Comprehensive Plan update
• Approval of 2022 historical preservation grants
• Prune Alley ribbon cutting ceremony and associated budget
• Request to increase Legal Assistant from .5 to .8 FTE

You can view the live stream of the meeting online or attend in person at the Council Legislative Hearing Room at 55 Second St. in Friday Harbor. To make a public comment, sign up prior to 9 a.m. on Aug. 23.

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

The Worst Person in the World

Drama, comedy, romance (Norwegian with English subtitles) — rated R
Run time: 2 hours, 8 minutes

Have you ever known someone (perhaps one of your family) who had everything – beauty, intelligence, and charm – but could not fully commit, not to a career, not to a relationship? This film, Oscar-nominated for best original screenplay and best international feature, is about just such a person. The Worst Person in the World is the rare piece of art actually invested in why an entire generation can seem so aimless and indecisive.

Julie is stuck in the act of chasing after things – men, jobs, desires – before she even knows what she wants. It’s the unintended consequence of freedom of choice without freedom from expectation. In the end, is she happy? That is left for you to decide. A disquieting yet quite enjoyable film.

Please note the rating of this film and do not bring young children.

Russel Barsh, Director of Kwiaht, shares insights from the first year of the organization’s tick study, conducted throughout the San Juan Islands.

The chance of finding a tick on yourself or one of your pets in San Juan County is greater than previously believed, but only about ten percent of island ticks are infected with pathogens that can cause you harm. Those are the findings of a year-long study conducted by the nonprofit conservation laboratory Kwiaht, which identified and tested more than 150 ticks collected by islanders and visitors.

Ticks were found on all of the ferry-connected islands, as well as Waldron, Obstruction and Canoe islands in San Juan County, and both Cypress and Burrows islands in Skagit County at the east end of the archipelago. The largest number of ticks came from Orcas (52%), followed by San Juan Island (35%); only a small number were collected on Lopez (6%), suggesting that the distribution reflects ecology rather than the number of people on each island. Most ticks were encountered in backyards and residential areas, as opposed to trails through undeveloped public lands; and most ticks were found on dogs (72%) rather than people (19%). A few ticks were collected from cats, horses, foxes, deer, and lizards.

While the great majority were native Western Black-legged ticks (Ixodes pacificus), about one in ten ticks collected were not native to the Pacific Northwest: the eastern Black-legged tick or “deer tick” (Ixodes scapularis) and American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), both originally from east of the Rocky Mountains, and the Western dog tick (Dermacentor occidentalis), native to California. Few deer and dog ticks have previously been reported from Washington State, mainly east of the Cascades.

The presence of non-native ticks in the San Juan Islands is most likely a result of people bringing dogs with them on road trips from California or eastern Washington. Ticks can remain attached to a host for up to 100 hours — more than enough time to drive to the Anacortes ferry terminal from as far away as the Great Lakes or Midwest.

Although ticks appear to be more widespread, diverse and abundant in the islands than previously reported, only one in ten tested positive for a pathogen known to affect humans, dogs, or wildlife such as Anaplasma, Mycoplasma, Babesia, Rickettsia, and Ehrlichia. Babesia was found in five percent of the ticks tested; this malaria-like protozoan is a growing concern nationwide, and only a few years ago was thought to be absent in Washington state. By comparison, no island ticks tested positive for Borrelia, the cause of Lyme disease, which has been reported from several nearby mainland Washington counties.

The likelihood of contracting a tick-borne disease in the San Juan Islands remains relatively low in comparison with most of the rest of the United States. Precautions are recommended, especially during questing season for ticks, which in the San Juan Islands in 2021-2022 was February through June, with a peak in March or April when two-thirds of the ticks in the study were encountered. After hiking, walking a dog or working outdoors in tall grasses or shrubs, check thoroughly for ticks. Sooner is better; removing a tick within 24 hours greatly reduces the probability of infection.

Residents and visitors are also urged to avoid bringing infected ticks inadvertently to the islands. When arriving from the mainland, check yourself and your dogs thoroughly for ticks. And wash clothing in hot water to prevent hitchhiking ticks from being released in your home, lodging or campsite.

Kwiaht is continuing its tick-surveillance program for another year in cooperation with the state Department of Health. Ticks discovered on people or pets should be set aside in a plastic sandwich bag or paper envelope and mailed to Kwiaht, POB 415, Lopez Island 98261. Please include a note with the date and location where the tick was encountered, and the host (a person, pet or other animal). If you traveled to the mainland within a week prior to discovering the tick, mention that as well. Include your email or a daytime phone number so that you can be notified if a pathogen is detected by testing.

“We still want to see what the 2023 peak questing season looks like,” says study coordinator Russel Barsh. “It remains unclear whether 2022 was an unusual year in terms of weather and tick behavior; and it is uncertain whether ticks or tick-borne pathogens are increasing.”

The first year of this study was made possible by the San Juan Island Community Foundation, the Orcas Island Community Foundation, and the Lopez Thrift Shop — and by the generous donors that support them.

Continue Reading

The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor shares a look at the adoptable animal of the week — Huxley, a 135-pound Great Pyrenees and Anatolian Shepherd mix.

Meet Huxley, our very own cross between a wolf and a polar bear. This gentle giant (emphasis on giant) has quickly won over the staff with his mellow demeanor and his ability to make quick friends of both dogs and people. True to his breed, he is always on the lookout and quick to announce any newcomers. He will even announce known and welcomed guests, or that he smelled something unique, heard a suspicious sound or that he missed you while you were away.

Huxley would love a large space to roam and explore. He loves going on walks and smelling all the smells but keeping a firm grip on the leash, in case there is a rustle in the bushes he might need to investigate. Huxley loves to lean on his people and will try to hold your hand or just rest his paw on you to assure you of his affection. If you have the space and the vacuum power to accommodate a very large and lovable guard dog, Huxley is your guy!

Learn more about Huxley here.

Contributed photo

The Friday Harbor Arts Commission shares news about the return of their poetry garden contest.

San Juan County residents of all ages are encouraged to enter the 2023 Poetry Garden contest being held now through Oct. 31, sponsored by the Town of Friday Harbor and the Friday Harbor Arts Commission. Winning entries will be announced in February. Engravings of the 30 winning poems will replace the original winners on display since spring 2020 in poetry gardens throughout the town, and a book of the poems will be published for limited distribution.

Entrants are required to reside within the county. Winners in adult and student divisions will be determined by Claudia Castro Luna, past Washington State Poet Laureate and Seattle Civic Poet. Further details may be found on the Town website or by emailing the Friday Harbor Arts Commission.

Entries should be mailed to Poetry Garden Contest c/o Town of Friday Harbor, P.O. Box 219, Friday Harbor, WA 98250 or delivered to Town Hall at 60 Second St. There is no entry fee.

The Town of Friday Harbor and its Friday Harbor Arts Commission are partnering with a committee of local citizens for the second time to bring this contest and poetry installation to the community. The Town and FHAC appreciate the continued support of poetry garden site owners San Juan Community Theatre, Mullis Community Senior Center, the Port of Friday Harbor, and the U.S. Post Office. Copies of the book of 2020 Poetry Garden Contest winners are available at Town Hall.

Continue Reading

Last week, due to the unlawful actions of our own County Council, two San Juan County citizens had to file in court to defend our democratic right to vote after the County Council blocked certain amendments from even being on the ballot.

While our County Council, County Manager and Prosecuting Attorney suggested they had the right to interfere with our right to vote, Superior Court Judge Christon Skinner ruled this week that the San Juan County Council violated the law and that the county must immediately put the Charter Review Commission Amendments on the ballot.

Days after the judge’s decision, the County Council released a statement suggesting that they had poor legal advice and were now doing the right thing. In fact, it was our incredible County Auditor, Milene Henley who – immediately following the Judge’s decision – began taking the necessary actions to restore our right to vote. To be clear, it took a judge ordering the Council to act for them to do so.

Further, the court decision specifically stated that the County Council actually had no authority to make any decision regarding forwarding the Amendments to the County Auditor in the first place.

The judge also found the County Council was deliberately attempting to limit citizens’ ability to question their action due to the timing of their actions as they made their decision after the deadline and several months after they first received the amendments.

Continue Reading

San Juan Singers share news about their search for performers for two winter concerts.

San Juan Singers are performing John Rutter’s “Magnificat” for our concerts on December 10 and 11 this winter. This multi-movement work is accompanied by chamber orchestra — strings, woodwinds, horns, keyboard, percussion — and the music is lyrical, with lots of interesting contemporary harmony and rhythm. The text is in English and Latin.

Rehearsals begin Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7 p.m. at St. David’s Episcopal Church sanctuary. No proof of vaccination required, but masking will be mandatory during rehearsals. Singers masks are available thanks to the San Juan Island Choral Association.

If you are interested in singing or playing this gorgeous and exciting music, contact director Angel Michaels at [email protected]. New singers will need to arrange for a voice check prior to the first rehearsal.

APS-FH shares some kind words about their volunteer of the month.

The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor is pleased to announce McKenna Clark as the APS-FH Volunteer of the Month for August.

McKenna has been volunteering with APS-FH since March of 2022. As a student at Friday Harbor High School, we admire her for making the time out of her busy schedule to come and help the shelter animals. McKenna originally started as a cleaning volunteer, helping fold mountains of laundry, washing stacks of dishes, and cleaning travel crates. It wasn’t long before the APS staff realized how versatile and capable she was as a volunteer, and she was promoted to helping with various dog enrichment activities, such as taking dogs on “sniffari walks” around the shelter property, hide-and-seek treat walks, and cuddling canines in the shelter Enrichment Room.

McKenna is one of shelter dog Sable’s favorite volunteers. Her eyes light up when McKenna arrives at the shelter for her shift because she knows they will be playing her favorite game of “flirt pole” in the yard with likely a good cuddle session to follow.

Volunteers like McKenna are invaluable to the shelter pets and staff. She offers assistance with cleaning chores and pampers the dogs. Thank you, McKenna, for making a difference in the lives of shelter animals. Your dedication and hard work are deeply appreciated.

APS-FH has numerous volunteering opportunities. If you are interested in helping, visit our website to learn more about our volunteer program.

Starr Excavation & Septic is looking for an Administrative Assistant to assist with office duties and other administrative tasks. Learn more in the Island Jobs section of the San Juan Update.

• Cask and Schooner will be closing its doors in just over two months — on Saturday, Oct. 15. According to the restaurant’s website, owner Gary Gero needs to retire for health reasons. The business is for sale, and prospective new owners can call 360-739-2053 for more information.
• Here’s the latest information on the recovery of the fishing vessel Aleutian Isle, which sank last Saturday off the west side of San Juan Island.
• The San Juan Summer Arts Festival returns tonight from 4-10 p.m. at Brickworks, featuring music from The High Council and The Shadow Basket Band.
• The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park’s free summer art education series continues tomorrow from 1-3 p.m., where participants will help create a capsized canoe floating in the sky.
• Tommy Dale & the Dangerfields perform tomorrow night at Everelse at 6 p.m.
• Here are the week’s specials at Market Place and Kings.

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

Continue Reading

The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a regular meeting on Friday, Aug. 19 at 8:30 a.m. Items up for discussion or action at Friday’s meeting include:

• General public comments
• Chair and Commissioners report
• Partner update – Angela Anderson, San Juan Preservation Trust
• County Council update – Christine Minney
• Director’s report – acquisitions update
• Continued Commission discussion – process for Land Bank projects
• Stewardship report – Watmough Addition interim management plan, Glenwood Inn update, contributions to stewardship fund
• Outreach and volunteer report
• Future agenda items

You can view the live stream of the meeting online or take part in person at the Large Legislative Room at 55 Second St.

The County Council sends along a brief statement about the four proposed charter amendments that will appear on the November ballot following a court decision earlier this week.

The San Juan County Council voted [on Wednesday] to forward the four proposed Charter Review Commission ballot measures to the Auditor for placement on the November ballot.

Council had earlier proceeded on its understanding of what the charter required based on the advice of the Prosecuting Attorney.

San Juan County is respectful of a system that allows for adjudication of questions about how the Charter should be interpreted. The Court has resolved those questions and the County is glad that the proposed charter measures will now be decided by the voters.