Island Rec is excited to offer another installment of Swim Lessons at SJI Fitness. The fun starts on Saturday, January 25th with Parent and Child (Ages 6 mo- 3 yrs) at 9:15-9:45 am, Beginner Skills (Ages 4+) at 9:55- 10:25 am, and Pre-K Water Play (ages 4-5) at 10:35-11:05 am. These Saturday classes will run  Continue Reading

Deal prevents climate pollution, protects Southern Resident orcas Deal signed by Environmental Organizations, Skagit County, and Refinery will allow clean air projects to proceed and halts new petrochemical processing and export at Anacortes Oil Refinery SKAGIT COUNTY, WA — In an agreement announced today, the owners of the Anacortes Oil Refinery agreed to withdraw plans  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag this morning we find this letter to you from Eileen Drath… Dear Editor, This year has ended and now we embark on a new decade.  Carrying the tide for me is the presence of our San Juan County Land Bank. Please read below the Land Bank’s Mandate and join me  Continue Reading

Friday Harbor Film Festival’s annual Best of the Fest series begins January 7. Award-winning, impactful feature films and shorts from the 2019 Festival will be shown every first and third Tuesday from January through May at the Grange beginning at 7 pm. These screenings are free, although donations are encouraged. The line-up includes: January 7  Continue Reading

It’s happening in Port Townsend in 2020, from July 7th to 10th… The Washington Trust is pleased to announce that the application for our annual Youth Heritage Project is now open. This year’s program will focus on the recently designated Maritime Washington National Heritage Area, exploring the rich maritime history of Port Townsend and experiencing  Continue Reading

Islanders can receive affordable dental care, thanks to the local nonprofit Fish For Teeth, on Friday, Jan. 24 and Saturday, Jan. 25, 2020, at the Mullis Community Center on San Juan Island. “Many volunteers and local businesses work as a team to bring this service to those who cannot otherwise afford dental care,” said Fish  Continue Reading

Look into my eyes…deeper, deeper… yes that’s it! Beautiful, aren’t they?  I’ve heard it said that I’m quite the catch, the kind of young fella who you can show off to your friends and take home to meet the parents.  So, what’s a keeper like me doing without a forever home? Well I’m not even  Continue Reading

This new program series begins Monday, January 27 at 7:00 pm at the San Juan Island Library and it’s free. The Library is pleased to announce a new series based on the Foreign Policy Association’s Great Decisions program. Great Decisions is America’s largest discussion program on world affairs and highlights eight critical foreign policy challenges  Continue Reading

Dwight Ware, President of Community Treasures Recycling (formerly Consignment Treasures), writes to invite you to a CT meeting this Sunday… Community Treasures at a Crossroad If you value CT services, please attend the meeting, Sunday, December 29th, 2019 at 5:00 pm at Grange Hall in Friday Harbor. See the 2019 Final CT Petition for rezone  Continue Reading

Thank You, Island Family For Making The Holidays Bright For Aps-Fh Pets In Waiting It began with a phone call to APS-FH Volunteer Coordinator, Diana O’Brian, mere days before holiday shopping got underway. Two talented island artists, Joelle and Pam Gillette, were on the line suggesting an APS-FH volunteer-hosted Angel Tree to brighten the season  Continue Reading

Friends of the San Juans Ensures Added Protections for Southern Resident Killer Whales in Regard to Phillips 66 Refinery Expansion On August 29, 2019, Friends of the San Juans appealed Whatcom County’s conditional approval of a 300,000-barrel external floating roof crude oil storage tank and an 80,000-barrel external floating roof fuel oil storage tank in  Continue Reading

San Juan County residents responded enthusiastically to the Friday Harbor Arts Commission’s call for submissions for its first Poetry Garden Contest. The Town received 271 poems composed by 89 adult and student poets. Those entering the contest were required to reside within the county but otherwise were limited only by the number of lines that  Continue Reading

The San Juan Island School District will be asking for voter support this coming February 11, 2020 in a special election for reauthorization of the Capital and Technology levy for the years 2021-2024. The Capital and Technology levy provides funding for capital improvements, major facility repairs, and technology equipment, implementation, and support. “Basic education funding”  Continue Reading

The Cattle Point Estates Owners Association opposes BLM’s proposed changes to the San Juan Islands Monument. See their letter to the BLM below… To: Bureau of Land Management Director Re: San Juan Island National Monument RMP for Cattle Point , San Juan Island, WA From: Cattle Point Estates Owners Association PO Box 644 San Juan  Continue Reading

The grants committee of the SJI Lions Club met and made the following recommendations which were then approved by the board of directors: $1,500 to PADS for Parkinson’s to suppor their program to trains dogs to be able to detect. Parkinson’s Disease with the mission of early detection and research support through canine discovery $2,100  Continue Reading

OPALCO Board Listens to Member Concerns, Reconsiders Resolution on Snake River Dams At the December board meeting in Friday Harbor, 18 co-op members participated in an emotionally charged discussion about Resolution 2-2019 regarding the lower Snake River dams and ocean health. The Board listened as members shared their opinions and concerns about ocean health, species  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag this morning we find this letter from Sheila Martin… Dear Ashley and Market Place, I would like to say thank for all that you have done for my cause in feeding families in need. I put the advent calendar out on FH Rants and Raves and it garnered little interest.  Continue Reading

Join Island Rec for its annual Community New Year’s Eve Celebration! All ages are welcome at this free event as we count down to the New Year with family, neighbors, and friends. There will be a crazy hat making competition and parade, bingo, photo booth, Wii dance off, board games, Minute to Win It competitions,  Continue Reading

Well hello, and Happy Holidays! My names Marilyn, though my friends call me The Golden Pearl, and I kinda like that.  By friends I mean the posse of K9’s that traveled way across country with me all the way from Texas on the Project Freedom Ride, we had a blast!  I love singing, heck I  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update mailbag this morning we have this letter from Transition San Juan Island… You may have heard by way of friends and neighbors that Transition San Juan Island is launching at the Mullis Center, January 12, 2020 from 3 to 6 pm. Everyone of any age or political persuasion is invited to  Continue Reading

Vote counting equipment testing January 7 at 11:00 am A “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used in San Juan County for the February 11, 2020 Special Election is scheduled for January 7 at 11:00 am. The test works by tallying the results of a prepared set of ballots to see if the  Continue Reading

By Louise Dustrude – For those with substance abuse problems, and for the people who love them, worry about them, or are exasperated by them, there is help available at Peace Island Medical Center. Lauren Olsen, MD, is a family practice doctor at Peace Island with training and experience in buprenorphine therapy for addiction. No  Continue Reading