We woke to the pleasant observation this morning that our first storm of the series has materialized as a normal windstorm in the islands. The Outage Center at the Opalco website is thankfully free of outage reports. The big question remains, “what will Storm 2 bring”?

The latest Weather Service forecast says Storm 2 may be in the region’s “top 10 list” for severity. They compare it to the Hanukkah Eve windstorm of 2006. Winds are forecast to be 40-50 MPH sustained with gusts to 65 MPH, but may be stronger. We should see the winds from Storm 2 pick up late Saturday afternoon or early evening and peak in the early morning hours Sunday. Through all of this the NWS has stressed that the storm track can easily change, bringing a change in local wind speeds.

In the period of relative calm between these storms tonight — and Saturday morning — it will be tempting to relax and let our guard down. It’s okay to pause and take a deep breath now, but remember the worse storm is still ahead. Keeping this in mind, responders throughout the islands are ready for Storm 2.

Sheriff Ron Krebs commented, “Deputies and other emergency responders will be doing their jobs this weekend, as always. I ask that islanders just stay safe at home, keep off the roads during storm and initial clean up, and keep a close eye on older friends and neighbors who might need a little extra support. Remember to call 911 for emergencies only and call Opalco at 376-3599 to report power outages.”

Public Works Director Brian Vincent added his thoughts on storm safety this weekend: “Public Works Road Crews will be working tirelessly once the winds settle down to clear county roads. You can make their job far easier and safer by staying off the roads until their efforts are done. This would be a great weekend to spend Saturday night and Sunday at home with family.”

Going into the weekend please remember these things:

1. Islanders should stay at home Saturday night and Sunday, stay off of roads until winds have calmed and initial clean up has happened.
2. Be careful with candles, generators, propane heaters and stoves.
3. Take this storm as opportunity to check on older and/or vulnerable neighbors after the winds die down.

Finally, the preparations we make now help prepare us for the rest of the windstorms we will have this winter and for a future Cascadia Earthquake. What’s next in store? The Great WA Shakeout Earthquake Drill on October 20th. Find out more here: http://www.shakeout.org/washington/

You can find more preparedness information at the DEM website http://sanjuandem.net or contact the DEM office at, 370-0587, or email:
dem [@] sanjuandem.net.

Be Prepared, It’s The Island Way!

Rod Turnbull, Athletic Director at the high school has a couple of notices about cancellations this weekend…

Hi all,

We have had to cancel our volleyball match with Sultan on Saturday, October 15 due to the predicted weather issues.  We do not have a reschedule date at this time.

Also due to the predicted weather, we have had to cancel our boys and girls soccer games with MVC on Saturday.

Thanks,
Rod

It will be a dark and stormy night (at least that’s what forecasters are saying right now) … so what better way for islanders to experience it than finding THE WOMAN IN BLACK?

San Juan Community Theatre’s fall thriller opens this Friday, October 14 at 7:30 pm in the Whittier Theatre.  Steven Mallatratt’s (from the book by Susan Hill) The Woman in Black is full of atmosphere, illusion and controlled horror. Its story centers on an attorney (played by Floyd Bourne, right) who is obsessed with a curse that he thinks has been cast on his family.  He hires an actor (Tyler Ryan) to tutor him in recounting to family and friends the story of that dark and stormy night he first encountered the specter of “The Woman in Black.”

Director Bobby Ryan has assembled quite a behind-the-scenes crew of technical professionals and volunteers to help make sound and lighting key characters. He says the playwright insists we draw from our imaginations as we watch the suspense unfold and he promised we will be “torn between covering our ears with fright and pleading to find out what happens next.”

The Woman in Black continues Saturday at 7:30 and Sunday at 2:00 pm and returns October 20-23 and 27-29.  Tickets are available on-line at www.sjctheatre.org or the box office (378-3210).

Looking for a fun way to get involved?
Love problem solving?
Interested in gardening?
Apply now to become a WSU Master Gardener!

Applications are now being accepted for the 2017 San Juan County WSU Master Gardener Training Program. Volunteer trainees will receive over 60 hours of training, both in the classroom and on-line. The training is taught by local and regional experts and includes topics on vegetable gardening, soils, seed saving, plant disease diagnostics, plant identification and more!

Trainees will become a part of a cohort of passionate, dedicated community members who will provide educational outreach and help problem-solve gardening questions. In exchange for the training, trainees provide at least 50 hours of educational outreach in their communities over a one-year period. The 2017 training will be held on nine Tuesdays, January 31 – March 28. The approximate cost of the training is $200.

Many volunteers stay involved in the program for many years, sharing their love of gardening and learning with their community and fellow volunteers. Continue Reading

Due to the weather advisory, the Flea Market that was originally scheduled for this Saturday, October 15th will now be held on October 22nd with the same hours, 9am-Noon.

This will give our vendors another week to find even MORE items to sell AND it gives you an opportunity to sign up if you couldn’t make this weekend.

For more information, check out the SJC Fairgrounds website at www.sjcfair.org.

Dave Halloran with SJCDEM shares these thoughts before the storm…

The National Weather Service has updated their forecast with the latest information available. They are forecasting with higher certainty that storm 1 of 2 this weekend will start early evening tonight the 13th with the strongest winds starting late in the evening and lasting into Friday morning. We should have winds of 30-40 MPH and gusts to 60. We usually have several of these each winter.

As for storm 2, there is still uncertainty. This storm originated with Typhoon Songda and is still located 5000 miles away. The weather service stressed that a lot of variation can happen in the 48 hours this storm will take to travel to our coast. We don’t have firm numbers for wind speeds – gust to 75 mph have been suggested starting Saturday evening and lasting into Sunday morning. If that’s the case this will still be the worst storm in many years, but not a Columbus Day-worst-storm-ever type.

It’s frustrating not to be able to report actual forecasts for potential wind speed and land fall. We like to quantify things to gain perspective by comparison with previous events and experiences we have had. The obvious reality is we can’t control any of the factors surrounding where the storm tracks, but we can control how we prepare.

It is a bit of a tight rope walk trying to find a balance in messages. Is the storm series being presented as too dangerous or not dangerous enough? For this storm series we prepare for the worst and hope for the best.

Throughout the islands people are making preparations: putting up supplies, responders making sure things are all set at home for their families, public works has saws sharpened and fueled, groups talking about providing shelters if needed, people talking about solutions to potential storm challenges – lots of wonderful community activity. If we start to look at this as a giant community-wide preparedness and earthquake drill we will be much the better for it. If we continue to prepare for the worst storm, we will have done all that’s within our power to be ready for this. If it’s not that bad, we will have been ready and we can let out our breath in a great collective community sigh of relief knowing that we are better off for what we have done.

Thanks to everyone who is making the steps to be ready. If you are not quite there yet, there is still a bit of time to do so – we’ll all be stronger for it.

You can find more preparedness information at the DEM website http://sanjuandem.net or contact the DEM office at, 370-0587, or email [email protected].

Be Prepared, It’s The Island Way!

SJC Economic Development Council has some tips for business owners regarding the upcoming storm…

It’s time to prepare for the windstorm, which may have the potential to cause catastrophic damage.  Business owners and managers:

• Encourage employees to sign up for local weather alerts, create an emergency supply kit, have a family emergency communication plan…and you do the same.
• Gather important documents and keep them in a safe place.
• Back up computers and unplug all sensitive electronics or have a good surge protector.
• Check your insurance coverage.
• Collect names of important contacts and have them readily available.
• Remove objects from outside your business that could be thrown by wind into windows.
• Anchor large equipment.
• Have all employee, vendor and major customer contact information easily accessible.
• Be prepared to protect and shut down equipment.
• Fill fuel tanks.

More information on alerts: www.facebook.com/sanjuandem
More info on preparing your business from Allianz Insurance:  http://bit.ly/1TkIO4P

Richard and Sherri Daly of SJI Cheese – Contributed photo

Come and celebrate the gourmet archipelago at the 3rd Annual Bite of the San Juan Islands.
This Friday evening, at San Juan Island Cheese, experience the bounty of island harvests and amazing quality of island-grown food, wine, cider and beer.. all under one roof.

Chef Molly Prima has created delicious bites from fresh, local, organic ingredients from

San Juan, Lopez, Waldron and Orcas Islands.
We hope you will Savor the San Juans with us at this fun and tasty event!

Reservations recommended.

Bites will be priced a la carte. The $5 admission will be donated to the Family Resource Center.
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Friday, October 14th, 2016 at San Juan Island Cheese. Hope you can join us!

Richard and Sherri Daly
San Juan Island Cheese
155 Nichols St. Friday Harbor 360-370-5115

L95 breaching in Haro Strait- October 24, 2015. Photo by Dave Ellifrit

Click the link below to see the Center for Whale Research comment on death of L95, a 20 year old male Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) that died from fungal infection following a NOAA dart-tagging this year (2016).

Center for Whale Research

The Friday Harbor High School Senior Class of 2017/PTSA is now taking orders for their annual Holiday Wreath sale.   Get your beautiful, aromatic, long-lasting, 24” Northwest Noble Fir wreath with pinecones, berries, and a handmade bow in the color of your choice for only $25.00! These wreaths make great gifts for friends, family, neighbors and business associates.

This is the largest fundraiser for the Class of 2017. Proceeds will be used to pay for Grad Night: a memorable, safe and sane graduation celebration.

Wreath orders may be placed with any Friday Harbor High School Senior Class member or contact Michele Mayer, michele [@] sanjuanconnection.com, 360-317-5683. She will be happy to have a student from the Class of 2017 contact you to take your order up until October 26th. After that date, orders can be placed with Michele directly until inventory runs out. Students will begin delivery of the wreaths on Saturday, November 19, 2016, just in time for the holidays.

**Please note: this year our wreaths will NOT be available at the Island Artisan’s Holiday Fair. However, they will be available at several places/events around town, including the home basketball tournament on December 3rd.

If you don’t need a wreath but would still like to support the seniors, your donation would be greatly appreciated. Donation checks should be made payable to ‘FHHS PTSA’ with Grad Night 2017 in the memo line and mailed to Grad Night 2015 Committee, c/o Travis Ayers, POB 2165, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. Any questions can be sent to FHGradNight [@] gmail.com

Thank you for your support!

Just a reminder – this is coming up next week…

The San Juan Public Schools Foundation is holding its annual Phone-A-Thon to raise money for our local public schools, on Monday and Tuesday, October 17th and 18th, from 4-8pm.

“Our children deserve better than what the state offers in school funding,” says Rich Meenan, President of the San Juan Public Schools Foundation.

The annual Phone-A-Thon, along with the business partnership /school directory program, raised and donated over $100,000 to the schools in 2015, “and we are hoping to exceed that amount in 2016 because we are an island community generous in spirit” says Meenan.

Caller volunteers are needed! Persons interested in volunteering or making a donation should contact Nancy Young at 317-1755 or nancy [@] sanjuanislands.com.

In the SJ Update mailbag, Nancy Ballman writes…

I would like to thank islanders bank and Alexandra Sherlock for setting up the table for the new barn at the fairgrounds. I am so happy with the pledges we got and thank everyone who pledged. Every penny counts!

This just in from the SJC Dept. of Emergency Management…

The National Weather Service is forecasting a series of very powerful storms is headed our way, starting with heavy rain on Wednesday night.

The NWS models forecast a 1 in 3 chance that this could be a “worst case scenario leading to a historical windstorm for nearly all of western Washington that would be long remembered”.

Meteorologist Cliff Mass says it this way on his weather blog “Starting Thursday, we will enter a period of extraordinarily active weather with the potential for heavy rain, flooding, and a highly dangerous windstorm with the potential to be an historic event.” Forecasters are saying this storm may rival the 1962 Columbus Day storm in intensity, with air pressure as low as 28.20 inches or 958 mb (this is at the bottom of the scale on home barometers!). The ’62 storm caused widespread damage through out the northwest.

Do these things now!

• Check your supplies, and buy staples you need such as bread and milk. Have easy to prepare meals on hand and ready if your power goes out. Review and renew your store of supplies – have at least 7 days of easy to prepare food and 1 gallon of water per person per day on hand. Here is our calendar with recommended supplies.
• Clear any drains around your property of leaves and other debris.
• Secure any loose items around your house and yard.
• Check the battery supply for your flashlights, and have plenty on hand. Charge your mobile devices and have battery back ups to power your wireless/VOIP phones. Remember, a corded phone will work when the power is out.
• Have an alternate way to keep warm if the power is out – wood or propane heat and lots of blankets.
• Have a supply of sandbags on hand to protect your property if you have any history of storm water entering your property. Sandbags are available at Browns on San Juan Island and Island Hardware on Orcas.
• In a power outage, remember do not run a generator in the garage – keep it well away from your house. The number to report an outage to Opalco is 376-3599. Opalco has more information available.
• Keep informed, have a battery operated radio on hand and sign up to receive Island Alerts at the DEM website.  

This series of storms is setting up to be very serious and damaging. Of course the actual storm tracks may vary from predictions, but these forecasts give us time to make timely preparations – there is no reason not to!

You can find more information at the DEM website http://sanjuandem.net or contact the DEM office at, 370-0587, or email [email protected].

Be Prepared, It’s The Island Way!

Last year, the available entries for the Roche Harbor Salmon Derby sold out by Thanksgiving, and for this year, they are already close to selling out again.

Find all the info you need including entry forms at the derby website.

They accept entry forms 4 ways:

CALL in to the Market , (360) 378-5562
FAX 360-378-9850
EMAIL market [@] rocheharbor.com
MAIL : Roche Harbor Market ATTN: Debbie PO BOX 4001 Roche Harbor, WA 98250

Any and all questions please don’t hesitate to give them a call!

Islands Climate Resilience (ICR) is a group of islanders working to improve our resilience to climate change through a combination of outreach/education and strategic planning. We believe that climate change is happening, and that it needs to be addressed both locally and globally.

To ensure that climate change issues are addressed in the 2016 County Council campaign, we asked each of the candidates to provide written responses to our  County Council Candidates’ questionnaire.

We have received responses from two candidates: Bill Watson (Residency District 1) and Rick Hughes (Residency District 2). No responses were received from Bob Jarman (Residency District 1) or Michael Durland (Residency District 2). The questions and answers are posted on our website and Facebook page.

We encourage all island voters who are concerned about climate change issues to consider the candidates’ responses (and lack of responses). We thank Bill Watson and Rick Hughes for responding to the Islands Climate Resilience County Council Candidates’ questionnaire.

Sincerely,

Sarah Severn
Steering committee member of ICR
Strategic Advisor, Washington Business for Climate Action

Friday Harbor Film Festival is looking for volunteers.

Preparations for this year’s Friday Harbor Film Festival, to be held on November 4-5-6, are well underway. The Festival will feature a very exciting line-up of documentary films, as well as many special events that celebrate the art of filmmaking.

There are numerous opportunities for volunteers to help make the Festival run smoothly, and we would welcome your participation, either leading up to or during the event. Volunteers are needed at all six venues that are showing films, in the Festival’s office/information center, at the opening night Filmmakers Gala, and more!

Please check out the Festival’s website for information about the weekend’s events and schedule. Click on the website’s Volunteer tab to view specific information on the various volunteer positions that are available, and to sign up for something that interests you.

And if you have any questions or want more information, email volunteers [@] fhff.org.

We look forward to hearing from you!