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Shifting Shorelines Sea Level Rise Workshops – June 29-30

The San Juan Islands are one of the most beautiful places in the world. And increasingly vulnerable to more frequent and extreme storms that will affect the waterfront. But with good planning, we can protect the people and places we love.

Attend a workshop near you and learn about the best ways to protect waterfront properties and the community from coastal flooding and erosion, and how to care for the important habitats that will see changes as a result of sea level rise. There are a variety of low-cost steps that can be taken and a range of solutions available to island residents.

Learn about the latest science for our region, local vulnerability mapping results and how to protect local shorelines while building community resilience with coastal experts from Washington Sea Grant, Coastal Geologic Services and Friends of the San Juans. Short ‘live results’ interactive surveys will collect and share information on what participants value most about local shorelines and how our community can best prepare for sea level rise. Help inform the conversation in your community. Workshop funding provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

• Lopez Island: Thursday June 29, 10:30am-12:30pm, Woodmen Hall
• Orcas Island: Thursday June 29, 5-7pm, Eastsound Fire Hall
• San Juan Island: Friday June 30, 11am-1pm, Brickworks

Sea level rise workshops are free and open to all. Food and drinks provided. RSVP appreciated: www.sanjuans.org/upcoming-events, [email protected], or 378-2319.

The only scheduled direct service between Portland and San Juan Island begins Friday

AlbionAir, the only direct scheduled flight between the Portland area and San Juan Island, is scheduled to begin service Friday, June 16.

AlbionAir is owned and operated by Mark Hills, a pilot who was trained by Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots at the Oxford Air Training School in England, where he was born and raised. He has lived in the Pacific Northwest since 2000 and now operates out of the Aurora State Airport (KUAO) near Portland. AlbionAir flights arrive at Friday Harbor Airport (KFHR).

“In 27 years of flying, I have never flown a more beautiful route than the one from Portland to the San Juan Islands,” says Hills. “I started this service up because I love making this flight, and I wanted to share it with others.”

Hills says he wants to make it easier for Portland area passengers to enjoy the one of a kind experience that is the San Juans Islands. At the same time, he wants to give San Juan area residents the opportunity to experience the eclectic, urban delights of Portland. All without the added flight time and inconvenience of commercial flight lines.

AlbionAir offers:

• Non-stop flights every Friday and Sunday between the Portland area and Friday
  Harbor/San Juan Island. Flight time is about 1:15 pm.
• Spacious twin engine Piper aircraft
• Free parking at Aurora State Airport (Portland area)
• Competitive “by the pound” rates for passengers and luggage
• On demand charters throughout the Pacific Northwest.

For more information, call Mark Hills at 503-925-4444, ext. 101 or [email protected].

Attention Drivers: This weekend will see athletes (runners and cyclists) on our roads, challenging themselves and each other during the Triathlon and Marathon events. Please be aware of these events and be ready to slow down and share the road.

On Saturday, it’s the 5th Annual Lakedale Three Lakes Triathlon, and on Sunday, it’s the 16th Annual King’s Marathon, Half-marathon and 10k.

Saturday, June 17th Triathlon Event Course Maps:

• Olympic Swim Course Map
• Olympic Bike Course Map
• Olympic Run Course Map
• Sprint Swim Course Map
• Sprint Bike Course Map
• Sprint Run Course Map

Sunday, June 18th Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K Course Maps:

• Marathon Course – Click here
• Half-Marathon Course – Click here
• 10K Course – Click here

To Drivers we ask:

Slow down and obey the posted speed limits and caution signs.
Yield to pedestrians and cyclists when turning.
Use caution when passing Athlete Aid Stations.
Allow three feet when passing bicyclists.

To Athletes we ask:

Not to wear headphones; you need to be able to hear if a car is approaching.
Slow down and check for oncoming traffic before entering or crossing any street or intersection.
Do your best to anticipate hazards and adjust your position in traffic accordingly.
Be predictable: ride with the flow of traffic and Run against traffic, and in a straight line.

Here’s to another a safe and beautiful event for each and every athlete and volunteer “motivators” from start to finish.

Lynn Danaher, Executive Director of the Friday Harbor Film Festival shares this report on the recent event in Hawaii…

I am happy to report we had moderately successful one day film festival on Kauai yesterday! Best of the FHFF “Stories of the Pacific”

We had 84 attendees, Karen and Susan both attended and spent some time here on Kauai. The local paper wrote a nice article which you can see here: One Day FF in Waimea

Ron Precious from Greenpeace attended the FF and we had a lot of great Q & A. There were many very nice comments and even multiple offers to sponsor next year so the FF could be free as the films were so worthy! All in all a very worthy event, time well spent! And great PR for the FHFF.

Aloha, Lynn

Memory Cafe – Land Bank and Mount Grant

Meet Tanja Williamson, Outreach Coordinator for the San Juan County Land Bank to see slides and hear a presentation about San Juan County Land Bank properties, including the newly acquired and wheelchair accessible Mount Grant preserve.

Visit with island neighbors and share a light snack. A fun outing for people with memory issues and their care partners, or anyone wanting to attend an information program at the Library during daylight hours.

Tuesday, June 20 from 2-3:30 pm at the Library

Larry Soll shares more information with you about the SJCT Summer Film Series…

Fellow Film Buffs,

Ready, Set, Show! Time to get serious about the second season of the Tuesday Night Film Series. All shows begin at 7:30 pm. Here are descriptions of the first two movies:

20th Century Women
Tuesday June 20
Rated R (for sexual material)
118 minutes

During the summer of 1979, a Santa Barbara single mom and boardinghouse landlord (Annette Bening) decides the best way she can parent her teenage son is to enlist her young tenants – a quirky punk photographer, a mellow handyman and her son’s shrewd best friend – to serve as role models in a changing world. Writer-director Mike Mills illuminates five whole American lives – from cradle right through to grave, in one case – that chime and clash with their moment. It’s about a mother and son raising each other, with a little help from the other flawed souls they rely on. In my opinion, the best performance of Bening’s career.

Music of Strangers
Tuesday June 27
Rated PG-13
96 minutes

This film tells the extraordinary story of a renowned international musical collective created by legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma. The feature-length documentary follows this group of diverse instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, visual artists and storytellers as they explore the power of music to preserve tradition, shape cultural evolution and inspire hope. Ma’s project and Neville’s film celebrate the joy that can be achieved when people put aside their regional differences to create something joyous.

No one has volunteered to lead a talkback following these films but please feel free to stay for a few minutes and share your impressions.

Here is the lineup for the entire summer: Continue Reading

Jim Dunn writes to let you know about these opportunities coming up for this year’s SJC Fair…

Dear fellow home brewers and wine makers,

Please consider signing up to help register entrants on Tuesday; attend the judging at 6:00 pm that evening, and then for the rest of the week, pick a time when you can babysit the booth.

And now is the time to get your beer and wine entries ready for the fair competition.

This year, the judges can enter beer and wine and still be judges. They just can’t judge the type of beer or wine they have entered.

Please pass this on to anyone you know who might be interested in entering their beer or wine.

Thanks, Jim Dunn

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0948a4a72ca6ff2-please1

Penelope Haskew, Luke Fincher, Zach Fincher (in back), Chiara Power and Debbi Fincher – Contributed photo

Rock Solid Youth Group chosen as Grand Prize Winners at Washington State Prevention-Spring Youth Forum 2017.

Zach Fincher shares a little information about his Community Project at FHES and how it led to their opportunity to present at the State level in Prevention…

“Last year, at the Washington State Prevention Summit, we learned about Tucker the Turtle and his Turtle Techniques. Tucker is an evidence-based program to help kids by teaching them to reduce stress and to manage their emotions, particularly, if they get mad. I worked closely with my mentor, Cynthia Stark-Wickman, Executive Coordinator, of the San Juan Island Prevention Coalition to research and implement these ideas into a script.”

“I enlisted the help of some of my fellow actors from our International Thespian Society, Friday Harbor Chapter to perform the skit that I wrote based on Tucker’s Turtle Techniques. I also enjoyed meeting with the 1-3 graders prior to the performance to do a pre survey, so I could return after the performance to ask the same questions and see if the students learned any new skills from our skit. The results were encouraging! Kids reported an increase in skills to deal with bullies and bullying behaviors across the three grades, in some cases by over 55%!”

(Continue reading on sjipc.org website)

Gary Franklin hauls away the weeds – Tim Dustrude photo

Windermere was at it once again on Friday, doing their annual landscaping and clean-up for the Mullis Community Senior Center. Weeding, sweeping, trimming and general tidying up was done by Daryl Grazia, Rebecca Hughes, Samantha Bryner, Pat O’Day, Tamara Weaver, Susan Schirmer, Annete Schaffer, Jacoba Porter, Zita Sandmeyer and Gary Franklin.

Every year since 1984, Windermere associates have dedicated a day of work to complete neighborhood improvement projects as part of Windermere’s Community Service Day.

“Creating vibrant communities is one of the things that inspire all of us at Windermere to be involved in Community Service Day as it gives us an opportunity to give back to the communities where we live and work.”

“After all, real estate is rooted in our communities. And an investment in our neighborhoods gives us all a better place to call home.”

Photos below

Continue Reading

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Things are happening at the San Juan Historical Society and Museum this summer!

Become a part of the growing volunteer community by attending one of the June volunteer orientations at the Etta Egeland Resource Center, 323 Price Street:

Saturday, June 17 – 9 am – 11 am
Tuesday, June 20 – 4 pm – 6 pm
Thursday, June 22 – 10 am – noon

The orientation will include a guided tour of the Museum and a behind-the-scenes look at the results of the 2017 Archival Project. Volunteers can choose which projects and what role they would like to play at the Museum in the coming months. Opportunities including staffing the Welcome Center for a two hour shift, researching, photo scanning, involvement in current projects, and assisting the preparation of new exhibits.

At the Museum, we appreciate and value your time and contributions. After a brief orientation, each volunteer will choose their participation, will receive any supplies and training necessary to complete that project or role, and have the opportunity to join a robust team of volunteers and staff in creating the future of the island’s history.

Please call 360-378-3949 and leave a message regarding which orientation you will be attending (space is limited). You can also send an email to [email protected].

A flyer is attached with further information about the volunteer possibilities.

The San Juan Historical Society & Museum, founded in 1961, is the repository for the history and artifacts of San Juan Island, and is tasked with providing research and preservation to the community.

Administration office is open Monday through Thursday, 10 am – 1 pm or by appointment.

The Museum is open for tours: June, Thursday – Saturday 10 am – 2 pm.
July 1 – September 30 from 10 am – 2 pm daily.

Please join the community in supporting this important local resource in preparing for the next 50 years.

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

Diary of a Cat on the Inside by Mr. Higgins:

Day 341 of my incarceration here at the animal shelter. My captors continue to spoil me with every luxury. Soft beds, cat treats, two meals a day.

I have many volunteers at my disposal to brush and pamper me. The wardens are kind. I dare say there are worse places a fellow could find himself, but I can’t help thinking there may be more to life!  

Bail has been posted for many of the other prisoners since I arrived. They have no doubt gone to wonderful homes. I suspect they are enjoying lives of endless laps to sit in and cozy beds to share; perhaps even enjoying trips to the great outdoors where the smells are many and exotic….

I continue to keep hope alive. Until tomorrow, Dear Diary…. I await my fate. And dinner.

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

Los Bambinos will again headline the the Hometrust’s Fiesta party fundraiser – Contributed photo

The San Juan Community Home Trust invites you to join us at the Brickworks for our 5th annual Fiesta San Juan, Sunday, July 16th from 4:30pm to 9pm.

We are serving up Margaritas, Food, and Music for your enjoyment, Dancing for some fun and exercise, and Live and “Chance” Auction items to satisfy your wish for adventure, whether athletic, gastronomic, artistic or utilitarian.

Back by popular demand are “Los Bambinos” all the way from Puerto Vallarta, thanks to the generosity of one of our donors. Their music is known to generate smiles, gentle sways and magical footwork as they play both Latin favorites and great dance music.

Special this year is a raffle for a one week stay in a condominium in Puerto Vallarta which can accommodate 4 people. There will only be 200 raffle tickets sold at $25.00 per ticket. Your chances of winning this fabulous vacation destination are good and the good that you do by supporting the Home Trust benefits the entire community!

The Fiesta is the Home Trust’s yearly fundraiser and our party to celebrate the year, and to thank the community for its ongoing support. We are 2/3 of the way towards completion of Sun Rise II, our newest development of permanently affordable homes. This neighborhood, composed of houses barged over from Victoria, B.C. and refurbished by our local contractor, will add 12 residences to San Juan Island for working people and families who call the island “home”.

Ticket prices are $35.00 for adults, $15.00 for children under 18

Tickets will be available soon at the Saturday Farmers Market, from Home Trust Board Members, and at the Home Trust Office at 435-C Argyle Ave, or by phone to the Home Trust at 378-5541.

Does your organization or business have computers to donate?

We can also use computers that need new hard drives or Wi-Fi adapters, and working printers are also appreciated!

Your benefits: your data will be safely removed, you won’t have to deal with disposal of the unit (and they won’t end up in a landfill), and most importantly, someone in our county who needs a computer will benefit from your generosity.

If you have questions or to arrange for a pickup, call the United Way office at 360-378-4121, or email us at unitedwaysjc [@] rockisland.com.

United Way of San Juan County
PO Box 3181
Friday Harbor WA 98250

360-378-4121

Here’s a note from Cynthia Burke about her restaurant…

Cynthia’s – a neighborhood bistro located at 65 Nichols Street in Friday Harbor is pleased to begin it’s 3rd year and is celebrating by opening 7 days a week – 7:30 to 2:00 for Brunch and offering Dinner – Friday to Monday – 5:00 to 8:30 PM beginning June 16th.

Cynthia’s is known for it’s fantastic, fresh and creative Brunch offerings including Avocado Boat Breakfast or Dutch Babies and the best Eggs Benedict on the island. Cynthia’s is a long time Farmer’s Market vendor and uses the market for inspiration and fuel to offer wonderful and fresh tasting food in a relaxed, old home atmosphere. Cynthia’s is located in a renovated 1920’s home which has a large outdoor garden patio which is not only lovely to sit and enjoy but a perfect place for families with pets. The deck seats 45 guests comfortably and is quiet with a touch of European feel.

Dinners include Large Sea Scallops, Ball Cut Sirloin Steaks, Huge rich Hamburgers, Duck Breasts and Vegetarian Polenta & Roasted Vegetable bowl.

Cynthia’s offers a large Espresso Menu, fine wine and beers and of course – ice cold Mimosas. Cynthia’s is also known for some great pastries – savory & sweet. A great place to get a picnic before your outing in the San Juans.

Voted by Bellingham Alive Magazine as being one of The BEST dishes – Cynthia’s blackened Ahi Tuna Steak is a winner either served on a bed of greens or in a ciabatta bun.

Cynthia’s also caters for family gatherings, weddings, business meetings and much more.
Cynthia’s – the place the locals love to go and the tourists come back more than once when visiting.
Join us – 360-298-8130 – 65 Nichols Street – Look for the cozy old home with the large WELCOME sign over the door!

Opalco Community Solar Project Correction

Last week OPALCO released information on its 2018 Community Solar project. We have an update to the amount of energy produced by the project. It will actually produce approximately 200,000 kilowatt hours annually (much higher than the 5,800 kWh that was printed last week). An average home uses 12,000 kilowatt hours per year.

To find out more visit: http://energysavings.opalco.com/energy-savings/renewable-generation/community-solar/.

Don’t forget to take the survey so OPALCO can know what our community wants for solar energy in San Juan County. www.opalco.com/survey

Reminder: Phase II of Road Maintenance

Starting Monday, June 12, park maintenance staff will begin Phase II re-striping fog lines of Cattle Point Road to better accommodate bicycles, mopeds, and pedestrians.

Phase II will include re-striping 1.5 miles of Cattle Point Road between Pickett’s Lane and the American Camp Visitor Center Road. Work should take 2 days, but is weather dependent and could be delayed if rain should occur.

For more information, email Chief of Facilities, Julie Cowen.