Sign-ups are looking good, but there are still spaces available. Walk-ups also welcome. For anyone waiting for full FDA approval of the vaccine before receiving their shot, that approval has now been granted for the Pfizer vaccine being administered this week. Thanks to everyone who is signed up- we really appreciate the renewed interest.  Continue Reading

Dateline: Friday Harbor, WA Due to safety concerns, Friday Harbor Film Festival will present a scheduled livestream festival in mid-October, showing a program of feature documentaries and short films over 11 days, October 14 – 24 at FHFF.ORG.  The festival will be divided into two sections: Livestream Festival will open with a special free live  Continue Reading

Friday Harbor Artist Shannon Borg – with guest artists Julia Wayne and Wendy Smith – presents an art installation of paintings, fiber art, jewelry and more, with an outdoor reception on Friday, August 27, 4:00 – 7:00pm  “Our island beaches are powerful, mysterious, and beautiful places, where we go to reflect, celebrate, and heal,” says  Shannon.   Continue Reading

Did you know that out of 39 counties in the state of Washington, only 7 have a Home Rule Charter including San Juan County? The County Charter is like our constitution and specifies how our county conducts its business. Every 10 years our county reviews our charter and suggests amendments. These amendments are put to  Continue Reading

On Wednesday, August 25, 2021, the San Juan Island School District Board of Directors will hold a regular (open) School Board Meeting at 5:00 pm as a Zoom meeting with an option for in-person attendance.   All in-person attendees must register before 4:00 pm on Tuesday August 24 to provide contact tracing information. Social distancing and the use of face masks will be expected. Non-compliance  Continue Reading

Weekly Case Update – Friday, Aug 20, 2021 Note: Current positive case numbers are available online at the County Case Data Dashboard. Since the last update on Friday August 8th, total cases in San Juan County have increased from 237 to 264. Of these twenty-seven new cases, initial investigations indicate that at least seven appear  Continue Reading

Please join us at the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park to see “Sarah Tops”, a juvenile triceratops, made of drift wood by Joe Treat, as well as new sculptures by Roger Small, Keith Keyser and James Burgess. The poppies are blooming, the weather is fine and the Sculpture Park is a safe outdoor adventure for  Continue Reading

Looking for an enthusiastic, human-centric sidekick?  Rafa is the type of dog that is going to look to his person before he makes any decisions.  A real listener.  Basically, if you’re in need of a personal, in-home therapist to vent your worries and woes to, then Rafa will be there for you.  He will sit  Continue Reading

Ever wonder how much a piece of art you have is worth? Now is your opportunity to find out! Specialists in the Jewelry and Fine Art-Departments from Bonhams auction house will be on location at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art to answer the probing question, “How much is this family heirloom or estate  Continue Reading

Signs of wildlife were on high display during this month’s easement monitoring. Low tide provided a good look at some gooseneck barnacles that remained healthy despite the recent heat. The San Juan County Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on August 20, from 8:30am-11:15am via Zoom. The public is invited to attend. Click  Continue Reading

We really thought we were through with Covid-19 on San Juan Island, however it has spiked here worse than ever. Resiliency is all about staying healthy, and we want to help the community fight this so we are going to reschedule this event to when things improve. So, we hope this attempt has sparked ideas  Continue Reading

San Juan County Virtual Fair “Lettuce Entertain Ewe” August 18th-21st  is uploaded and ready for you to view!  What does this year provide?  Exhibits, Demos, Vendors and lots of entertainment! A quick reminder that the Fair is what participants and volunteers make it with their time, effort and creativity.  Without the participation and support of  Continue Reading

Trail Times is a continuing series of articles introducing the Old Military Road Trail (OMRT), a proposed 18-21 mile cross-island non-motorized multi-use trail linking English Camp and American Camp and honoring the original Old Military Road. As the summer’s heat wanes, here’s a fun easy hike to get you out there. This approximately mile-and-a-half long  Continue Reading

In the SJ Update Mailbag this morning we have this letter from Dr. Mark Fishout… The summer of 1940 saw the Battle of Britain, the aerial conflict between the Royal Air Force and the German Luftwaffe, reach its apex. When in this speech Churchill stated ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much  Continue Reading

As COVID case numbers continue their dramatic increase in the islands and beyond, there is an upcoming easy no-cost opportunity for those not yet vaccinated to get their shots. San Juan County Health & Community Services will be hosting Pfizer vaccine clinics on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. Any unvaccinated individual age 12 or  Continue Reading

The Town is pleased to announce that Town Administrator Duncan Wilson was presented the 2021 Excellence Award from the Washington City Management Association (WCMA). This annual award recognizes the outstanding administrator or manager who has enhanced the effectiveness of local elected officials and consistently initiated creative and successful programs. The award was presented August 12,  Continue Reading

San Juan Island’s Community Foundation will support local non-profits with matching funds and bonus grants during this year’s Virtual Fair. Funds raised for the Mullis Center will go to help fund our Green and Clean Project as highlighted in detail in the recent article in the San Juan Update, Island Senior: Mullis Center Upgrade For  Continue Reading

The mission of the San Juan Historical Society and Museum for the past 60 years has been to share and interpret the story of the peoples of San Juan Island. One way of doing that is through preservation of historical photographs of the island community. In recent years over 4,000 photographs have been researched, digitally  Continue Reading

Due to the increase in Covid cases on our island, it is with great regret, and an abundance of caution that Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor is canceling the Summer Sounds of the San Juans concert scheduled for August 21, 2021. The upward trajectory of COVID cases with this Delta variant strain is alarming. The  Continue Reading

This Wednesday, August 18th, you’re invited to join Phil Green at the San Juan Island’s Sculpture Park for a morning of birdwatching, from 8:00 to 10:00 am. Dress appropriately and don’t forget your binoculars!

San Juan Island Library Participates in the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s Grant Program to Support the New Library Building Project The San Juan Island Library returns for its second year as part of the San Juan Island Community Foundation’s exciting matching grant program at the San Juan County Fair. “Lettuce” ask for your support!  Continue Reading

Skagit Valley College will require employees and students that attend courses or other activities in-person to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or request an exemption based on medical, religious, or philosophical reasons prior to the start of Fall Quarter 2021. The college will continue to require everyone to wear face coverings inside all college buildings at each of its campuses and centers regardless of vaccination status.     Continue Reading