Park Street Sewer & Water Main Replacement Project 
Week of May 1st

The Town would like to thank all local residents for their patience and cooperation during this upgrade.

The Contractor has implemented additional safety measures to ensure the safety of local pedestrians and vehicular traffic. Please obey traffic regulations. Traffic ticket fines double in Construction Zones.

Project task(s):
The crew will be demobilizing from Work Zone 1 and commence work at Work Zone 2. Work Zone 2 encroaches into the Price Street Intersection. Traffic delays are anticipated.

Street Closure:
The Price Street and Park Street Intersection will closed for an extended period of time as the Contractor installs underground concrete structures. Closure will last approximately one full day.

Local motorists: Local vehicular access will be maintained but expect up to 15 min delays. Pedestrian access will be maintained at all times but caution is advised due to heavy machinery on-site. Flaggers will be on-site.

Detour:
Drivers are asked to help ease congestion by using the detour route.

The Town of Friday Harbor maintains four different utility businesses: Water, Sanitary Sewer, Storm Sewer and Refuse Collection.

In 2016, the Town approved tiered rate increase for water, sewer and storm sewer services for the year 2017. The current billing will reflect the most recent rate changes.

The connection fees for water, sewer and stormwater were adjusted for inflation effective January 1, 2017. The remaining base and usage rates were not. The Town Council opted to delay the increases until this spring.

The new customer rates, which went into effect on April 1, 2017, include changes to both fixed rates and volumetric usage rates for water and sewer, as well as an increase to the storm water drainage fee. No increase was made to the refuse utility.

Click this link for more info and rates (PDF) Utility-Rates

The Women’s Fund is a Pooled-Donor Advised Fund held at the San Juan Island Community Foundation. Together, they were able to award five grants to local nonprofit organizations.

In April, the proposals were made available for a vote of the full Women’s Fund membership. 76 members voted via Survey Monkey to fund the following projects:

• Hospice of San Juan – Community Caregiver & Volunteer Combined Training.
• Friday Harbor Elementary School PTO – Pie Booth Remodel
• PADs for Parkinson’s – Training of Canine Detection of Parkinson’s Disease
• Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center – Harbor Seal Pup Rehabilitation
• San Juan Community Theatre – Up Close Project.

The grants totaled $9,000. The Women’s Fund fully funded the Hospice grant project and partially funded the other four projects. The Foundation continues to fundraise for all approved Spring Quarter grant projects. The Women’s Fund Annual Luncheon is scheduled for June 15 at Brickworks from 11:30am-1:00pm. Dues are a minimum of $100 annually.

For more information on grant projects or to join the Women’s Fund, call 378-1001 or visit their website at www.sjiwomensfund.org.

– The Women’s Fund Steering Committee

Stillpoint School May Pole – Contributed photo

Stillpoint School shares this photo of their May Day Celebration…

Happy May from all of us at Stillpoint School!

Wolf Hollow photo

Fawns are on the way!
Most of the local deer give birth to their fawns in early to mid May, but a few arrive in late April. There may already be tiny spotted fawns hiding in the woodland or even in your yard!

For the first couple of weeks, fawns aren’t strong enough to follow their mothers for long distances, jump over logs or outrun predators. Instead, they lie quiet and still in a sheltered spot.

Fawns have very little scent and are camouflaged by their spotted coat. This is their best defense. If startled, a fawn may instinctively drop to the ground – sometimes even in the middle of the road! Don’t fret – the mother may leave her fawn for up to 6-8 hours before returning to feed it.

Sadly, people sometimes find a fawn alone and assume it has been orphaned or abandoned. We’ve seen situations where well-intended folks have removed a fawn from it’s hiding spot, when in fact it was doing just fine.

There are occasionally situations when fawns do need our help if their mom is injured or killed by dogs or cars. If you’re not sure whether a fawn needs help, please give us a call at 360-378-5000. We would be glad to discuss the situation with you and come up with the best solution. Thank you!

To read more of this month’s Wolf Hollow News, click here.

Artist Jennifer Williams’ Healing Waters – Contributed photo

Healing Waters opens this week at WaterWorks Gallery

Jennifer Williams’ Healing Waters is a collection of landscape paintings offering an escape from our busy lives. In choosing this years theme of Healing Waters, she aspires for her paintings to be visual reminders of our fragile natural environment.

Her painting process includes a collaged surface of recycled paper, including regional maps, layered with acrylic glazes. Together these elements build unique textures and atmospheric depth that create a feeling of inspiration active in her landscapes.

In her words, “As our dependency on tech gadgets grows stronger, taking time to unplug and reconnect with the natural world is more and more important to our physical, emotional and spiritual health.”

Reception for the artist on Friday, May 5th from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. 
Please join Jennifer for an informal walk/talk as she shares her insights about her work on Saturday, May 6th from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. The show runs May 5th through 27th.

Starting its 32nd year, WaterWorks Gallery located in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island is a contemporary light filled gallery space that continues to evolve as a gallery dedicated to showing artists from the Islands, Washington, Oregon and British Columbia. The represented artists, painters, sculptors and jewelers reflect the areas beauty, both conventional and unusual. That is the flavor of the Northwest, making WaterWorks Gallery the unique place it is.

Town will host Spring Cleanup May 15 through 19

The Town of Friday Harbor is pleased to offer its residential refuse customers a one-time-only curbside pickup of items that are too large or too heavy for their refuse cans the week of May 15-19. “The Town saw an opportunity to encourage neighborhood cleanups and to assist our customers with their spring cleaning efforts,” said Town Administrator Duncan Wilson. He says this one-time service is being offered free of charge to its non-commercial customers.

Specific rules apply regarding the volume and type of items that will be accepted. Customers should review the information included with their monthly billing statement. They may also find information on the Town website at www.fridayharbor.org (“What’s New”) or call Town Hall at 378-2810.

The Town reserves the right to deny pickup of items. These unaccepted items must be removed by the customer within two days of their refuse pickup day. Unremoved items and anything left in front of empty homes will be investigated by Code Enforcement as illegal dumping. This service is solely to assist existing Town refuse customers and no items may be brought to or left in Town.

Regular refuse and recycling will be picked up separately that week as usual. Customers are to set these cans apart from their large refuse pickup pile.

Click to enlarge

Kate Schuman and Keith Busha will kick off the Summer music series at the Golf Course this week. It’s open to the public and free.

Over the Winter they worked on some new pieces and so they will be playing a mix of music. 

Click on the poster at right for more info.

Dr. Danna Diaz – Contributed photo

Greetings Teachers, Staff, Parents, Students and Community Members:

This semester, we have been busy planning for the next academic year. The school board adopted new literacy instructional materials for the elementary school and new Spanish instructional materials for the high school. Our secondary math teachers are researching the best instructional materials while our science teachers are aligning their work with the Next Generation Science Standards. We are working hard toward our strategic goals of Powerful Teaching and learning, District Climate, and Early Learning. It is an exciting time in our district.

School Board Chair Ralph Hahn and I have presented to several organizations in our community to provide an update on our strategic plan, our district focus, and the legislative education funding system. We presented to the Seniors at the Mullis Center, Soroptimists International of Friday Harbor, Rotary Club of Friday Harbor, San Juan Masons, Kiwanis Club of Friday Harbor, San Juan Lions Club, and the San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce.

Board Director John Kurtz, Facility Manager Garrett Holmes and Business Manager Jose Domenech were present at our last speaking engagement at the Chamber of Commerce to ensure that business owners were updated on our capital projects. Thank you to everyone who attended these meetings and for your continued support. We appreciate you! Continue Reading

Merri Ann Simonson – Contributed photo

Merri Ann Simonson shares an article on Real Estate tips with you…

Buying Property in the San Juans

1. Select an Agent to Represent You

As you may be aware, all of the brokerage firms on San Juan Island are members of the Northwest Multiple Listing Service; therefore, any of the agents can assist you with any of the properties listed with Coldwell Banker or other brokerage firms. One of the first steps in purchasing real estate on San Juan is to select an agent to represent you. Ideally you should select ONE agent that you feel will provide you with the level of customer service that you require.

It is important for you to understand the Law of Real Estate Agency. The State law allows for three types of agency representation:

• Buyer’s representation is when the agent is representing the buyer and intends to obtain property at the lowest possible sales price.
• Seller’s representation is when the agent has a listing with the seller and is attempting to obtain the highest possible sales price.
• Dual agency is when the agent shows a buyer one of their own listings and the buyer decides to purchase it. In the case of dual agency, the agent represents the seller as well as the buyer.

Determine Your Source of Funds – Continue reading (PDF)

Keith Busha writes to let us know that he will be entertaining today from 5:00 to 6:00 at the grand opening celebration at the Cheesecake Cafe and Bakery. Here he is with more…

I’m going to be playing at the Opening of the Cheesecake Cafe tonight. I play from 5-6.

Also, there are free samples of the food that they will be serving.

Cheers, Keith

Dave Price Draws at Memory Cafe – Photo Peggy Sue McRae

Island Senior is written by Peggy Sue McRae…

Last week I stopped by the Village at the Harbour to participate in a Memory Café. Memory Cafe programs originated in England about 15 years ago and have since become popular throughout Europe and the United States. The goal of the Memory Café is to provide a friendly gathering place where people with Alzheimer’s or other forms of Dementia and their caregivers can enjoy activities in a relaxed, supportive, and social atmosphere.

Having read about Memory Cafes, Beth Helstien at our public library reached out to local organizations to see if together they could offer Memory Cafes regularly here. This resulted in a partnership with rotating programs taking place at the San Juan Island Library, the Mullis Center, the Village at the Harbour, and the Life Care Center, with each location featuring one program per month.

Each Café has a theme or project. As Beth explained, “The first program at the Library was centered around the theme of flight, with Frank Sinatra singing Take Me to the Moon and Come Fly with Me on YouTube, building paper airplanes, looking at books about airplanes, birds and butterflies, and eating delicious edibles supplied by the kitchen at the Village at the Harbour.”

Last Thursday the theme at the Village was arts and crafts. A simple project was provided with paper, wooden shapes, felt pens, and more colored pencils than I have ever seen in one place. I joined with Village residents, staff, and volunteers around the art table drawing and coloring shapes and enjoying the conversation as our time together very pleasantly sailed by.

My Mom has been gone for a few years now but she was a Village resident and during the last part of her life I was her primary caregiver. She suffered from Dementia so I’m familiar with the challenges of finding suitable and enjoyable activities for her. If Memory Cafes had existed then I’m pretty sure we would have been regulars.

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

My name is Hawk. I’m 8 months old and I live at the animal shelter in Friday Harbor.  I enjoy playing with my friends, napping in the sunshine and writing Haiku poetry. Here is one I just wrote:

The sun is shining
I like peanut butter cookies
You should rub my belly

There’s plenty of room on my blanket for you! Come play soon…

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

WWU Summer Soccer Camp – Contributed photo

Friday Harbor FC (FHFC) and Island Rec are very excited to announce a new partnership. This summer we will be offering two new youth soccer camps: Western Washington University Summer Soccer Camp and Summer Soccer Technical Training with Coach Van.

Western Washington University Soccer Camp: This camp will provide players a unique opportunity to receive individual instruction from the 2016 NCAA DII National Champs, Western Washington University Women’s soccer coaches and players right here on the island. This co-ed camp is designed for players of all levels, ages 5-15 who want to learn and improve their fundamental soccer skills in a fun and encouraging environment. Focus will be on individual skill development and small group tactical decision making. Camp will be located at the new soccer field, John O. Linde Community Park.

In addition to the player camps, WWU coaching staff, under the leadership of Travis Connell, will host a coaching clinic for current or future FHFC coaches.

WWU Camp Dates & Times:
U6-U11 (Ages 5-10): Monday July 3, 2017 (9am-11am) at Linde Park Field. Cost: $35
U12-U18 (Ages 11-18): Tuesday July 4, 2017 (2pm-4pm) & Wednesday July 5, 2017 (5:30pm-7:30pm) at Linde Park Field. Cost: $50

Coaching Clinic for Soccer Coaches:
Wednesday, July 5, 2017: 5:30pm-7:30pm. Cost: $10 Continue Reading

The Visitor’s Bureau shares this announcement of how “History Lives Here” brings island stories to life in May…

Who would have thought a trespassing pig could start a war? Only in Washington’s San Juan Islands. Discover this and other colorful stories during History Lives Here – National Historic Preservation Month www.visitsanjuans.com/history-lives-here in the San Juan Islands.

During the month of May, history lovers will have a chance to cruise through island history from the deck of the 52-foot Orcas Express as it sails past iconic lighthouses and other navigational aids used by merchants and smugglers alike. On Lopez Island, visit Hummel Lake and enjoy a presentation and foraging party about traditional Coast Salish food plants such as native crabapples, gooseberries, Indian carrots and Indian celery.

If walls could talk—sometimes they do in The Whale Museum—you’d hear echoes of the events held in this former Oddfellow’s Hall. Stories both historical and supernatural have originated in this iconic old building high on the bluff. Join local historian, Robin Jacobson, to journey through a timeline of the building’s community uses in Friday Harbor from 1892 through today. Hear the story of the infamous 1895 murder trial of teacher Richard Straub and the 1910 Prohibitionist fervor of Billy Sunday, followed by tales of its modern-day evolution into a Salish Sea-focused stewardship museum. Continue Reading

The envelope, please! Yes, the time has come to hand out the much-anticipated Finnies, and what better time than Earth Day to award those who have been Good Stewards to our Islands community?

There were so many good nominations it was hard to choose, but the 2017 Finnie Award recipients are Sharon Massey, Midnight’s Farm, Orcas Food Co-op, Winnie Adams, Thor Hanson and Keith Wentworth, and Max Kessler and Per Black.

Winner Sharon Massey was nominated by her students at Spring Street International School for “making science really interesting,” and as an inspiration to learn and love the natural world. As one of her nominators phrased it, “her class changed me and I would forever like to thank her for being a great teacher, advisor and friend.” Continue Reading