Just heard that Nikkie Harling is fighting cancer. She’s a 43 year old single mother of 2. You can donate to help them out financially through an account set up for her at Islander’s Bank or through this online GoFundMe Account.

Here’s another video in Merri Ann Simonson’s series of San Juan Islands Lifestyle Tips…

Click to enlarge – Tim Dustrude photo

Honored guests on Thursday at the English Camp celebration of 100 years of the National Park Service were members of the Lummi and Saanich Nations from Washington and British Columbia. Their families had lived on San Juan Island or visited here for centuries before the Pig War of 1859-72.

At least 200 persons, including many children, sat on folding chairs under a white tent in the extreme August heat and listened as many speakers talked of their heritage of reefnet fishing and the importance of honoring their elders and reviving their ancestral language.

Among those honored were master carver Jewell Praying Wolf James, carver of the salmon storyboards, and master carver Temosen Charles Elliott and his brother John Elliott, carvers of the Reef Net Captain pole, which will remain on the parade ground at English Camp.

Park Superintendent Elexis Fredy was close to tears as they honored her, but she joked about the warmth of the wool blanket given to her over her wool uniform. She emphasized that the National Park celebration was less about the last 100 years than about “the next seven generations.”

She also revealed that President Obama and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada had been invited to the day’s celebration, “and I keep watching for Air Force One to land on the parade ground.”

State Senator Kevin Ranker spoke briefly and lightly suggested that the Union Jack, flying for the occasion from the parade ground flagpole, might be joined by a Lummi flag. All the speakers who followed him enthusiastically supported that suggestion, saying it would show a welcome “to all the different tribes in this shared territory.”

By Louise Dustrude

The view toward Friday Harbor from Mount Grant – Tim Dustrude photo

Have you had a chance to enjoy “Sundays at the Summit” of Mount Grant on San Juan Island? The road to the top is open Sundays noon to six through September 25. Hiking trails are open daily. The Summit offers 360-degree views of valleys, lakes, straits, mountains, soaring raptors and wind-gnarled Douglas firs. It’s a view few have been privileged to enjoy, until now.

We’ve had the good fortune to volunteer at the top and hear the comments: “Wow, I didn’t know this was here.” “Without the access road I’d never have been able to see this view.” “Thanks for working to protect this special spot.”

Previously known as Lawson Ridge subdivision, the preserve is located between Mount Dallas and Cady Mountain. It protects and provides access to 141 acres of native forest and meadow once slated for home development. The summit road and trailhead entrance are located on the south side of Beaverton Valley Road. Look for a big sign indicating in red how the campaign fund raising is going.

While The Campaign for Mount Grant Preserve just celebrated its 1,000th donation, its not paid for yet. Approximately $380,000 still needs to be raised to pay the debt and provide a stewardship fund. This is where you come in.

Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by five generous island families, doubling your contribution. Your reward: knowing you’ve helped preserve a special spot to enjoy now and for generations to come. Oh, and donations of over $100 get a cool cap with a soaring falcon on it! Once funding is complete, recreational use of Mount Grant will be a top priority.

While San Juan Island has some lovely parks with hikes up hills with great views, not everyone can take a hike. Mount Grant is unique in that you can ride to the top and get to enjoy distant views in every direction, regardless of mobility, and there is an easy family-friendly circular trail with interpretive signage at the top.

The Campaign is a joint project of the San Juan County Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust. Please visit the San Juan Preservation Trust website to donate or for more information, or visit one of our volunteers on Sundays at the Summit, because sometimes it gets lonely at the top!

Barbara Marrett & Bill Watson
Sunday Summit Volunteers

Steven Warren photo

Join the UW Program on Climate Change and Friday Harbor Laboratories for this two-part public lecture followed by refreshments and conversation featuring Stephen Warren and Kyle Armour on Wednesday, September 14, 2016 from 7:00 to 9:00 pm at the Friday Harbor Labs Dining Hall.

Climate of the Antarctic Ice Sheet presented by Stephen Warren, UW
Most of Antarctica is a high plateau of snow-covered ice, whose average temperature is -30 C in summer and -60 C in winter. Clouds are thinner and lower than elsewhere on Earth. Cirrus ice-clouds are most common, but stratocumulus water-clouds are also common in summer at temperatures of -20 to -30 C. Annual precipitation averages 7 inches for the whole continent, but is less than 2 inches over much of East Antarctica. Snowfall during occasional storms is supplemented by a nearly continuous fall of tiny “diamond-dust” ice crystals. The wind drifts the surface snow into longitudinal dunes called sastrugi.

A polar climate change puzzle: Why has the Southern Ocean cooled while the Arctic has warmed? Presented by Kyle Armour, UW The Arctic Ocean has warmed rapidly over the last forty years, with nearly half of its sea ice melting away. Meanwhile, the Southern Ocean around Antarctica has been cooling, with its sea ice cover actually expanding over this time. Come learn about how ancient ocean currents resolve the mystery of why climate change is affecting the north and south poles so differently. And find out why man-made depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer might be helping to protect the Antarctic sea ice cover from greenhouse gas warming (for now).

More information can be found at: fhl.uw.edu.

Fire Risk Status “HIGH” – Only Recreational Fires Allowed

Due to current fuel conditions and the long range weather forecast, San Juan County has changed its fire risk status from “EXTREME” to “HIGH. This will limit burning to recreational fires only.

The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park has an open call (year round) for new works. The process is simple. Send us an email with a photo of an existing work that you offer for exhibition. Our jury will review and respond within 1 week. You need not include any biographical information. Our selections are made based on individual works, not reputation.

Exhibits are clearly offered for purchase and we facilitate the sale with any prospective buyer. We have sold more sculptures each year since we became a totally autonomous independent non profit in 2012. Our marketing and visitor numbers have tripled since that time. We will have over 50,000 actual visitors this year and they come to us from all points on the globe. We are truly an international park due to our unique exhibits and our unique location. We are a 5 minute walk from yachting’s premiere destination in the Pacific Northwest. The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park is a non profit 501 (c) 3 supported by voluntary donations from visitors and a 30% commission on sales.

See our website for more information on us and exhibiting here.

Geology on Mount Grant – Contributed photo

Explore the geology of Mount Grant Preserve! Local geologist, Julia Turney, will lead an interpretive walk up the Mount Grant access road, stopping to look at rock exposures and geologic features. Over the course of the walk, Julia will unearth the general geology of the San Juan Islands, the geologic history of Mount Grant Preserve, and the most recent glacial geology that shaped the terrain seen today.

Note: the mile walk to the summit includes a 500’ elevation gain.

This free event is presented by San Juan County Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust.

The Campaign for Mount Grant Preserve is not yet completed. Approximately $380,000 remains to be raised for completion of the property acquisition and a dedicated stewardship fund to care for the preserve into the future. For anyone who has not participated in the Campaign, please visit sjpt.org/mountgrant to donate online, or phone the Preservation Trust at 360-378-2461.

• Mount Grant Geological Interpretive Walk
• Saturday, September 10, 2016
• 10 am – Noon

Limited space available; RSVP to Tanja Williamson at 360-378-4402 or email tanjaw [@] sjclandbank.org.

The San Juan County Council congratulates the National Park Service on its August 25, 2016 centennial anniversary. We who live in the San Juan Islands are fortunate to have had a National Historic Landmark site designated in 1961 which commemorates and preserves the history of our founding.

We recognize the National Park Service’s dedication to the stewardship of our islands’ natural, cultural and historic resources. And, as members of the Historic Landmark community, we express our sincere thanks for your tireless efforts to make our parks a beautiful and accessible destination for residents and visitors alike.

No one can turn at the path by the laundress’s cabin at American Camp and catch the first sight of the golden grasses and blue sea against the backdrop of the Olympic peaks without feeling a small rush of elation. Likewise, a few moments spent in the herb garden at English Camp brings a sense of what life might have been like for the British Royal Marines who established a garrison there so long ago in 1859.

Thank you for your commitment to our treasured landmarks and Happy 100th!

County Council
San Juan County, Washington

Opalco Awarded $1 Million Grant For Grid Modernization From WA Clean Energy Fund

OPALCO’s spirit of innovation was recognized this week as the Co-op was awarded a $1 million grid modernization grant by the Washington Clean Energy Fund (CEF). OPALCO is the smallest utility to ever receive a CEF grant. Other recipients include Avista, Seattle City Light, Snohomish County Public Utility District and Energy Northwest.

The award was announced Monday, by Gov. Jay Inslee, with U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, at the Northwest Regional Clean Energy Innovation Partnership Workshop hosted by the University of Washington and the Pacific Northwest National Lab.

The grant will help fund integration of a 5 MW (or 2 mWh) vanadium flow battery into OPALCO’s grid, to condition and time-shift community solar array output, improve load shape, absorb sudden spikes in energy demand, and backup critical substation and fiber optic systems. This will help the co-op save money and improve grid reliability. Continue Reading

Larry Soll shares this about the Summer Film Series at SJCT…

Fellow Film Buffs,

The home stretch, only two weeks left to our inaugural season. I am happy to report that the Theatre has agreed to host the Summer Film Series again next year. So please make a point of thanking Bobby Ryan, Mary Blevins, Megan Boe Kilpatrick and the front and back of the house volunteers for making it all possible. I will be sending an email at the end of series to determine which films you enjoyed the most and what else we can do to improve the series in the future.

Single admissions are $8 and $5 for anyone under 25. Our popcorn maven has perfected his recipe and our “bottomless box for only $2” is the bargain of the year. 10% discounts on food at both Vinny’s and The Bluff will apply to those with a ticket or a punch card. Special pre-theatre pricing is also available at Coho restaurant.

Here are descriptions of the last two films:

August 30 Landfill Harmonic (2015) NR (but definitely PG) 84 minutes Subtitled
In Cateura, just outside the Paraguayan capital, 40,000 people live in a desperately poor neighborhood. Music resonates throughout the community from cheap plastic radios, yet for most residents a musical instrument is an unattainable treasure. Favio Chávez, an environmental consultant, and Nicolás “Cola” Gómez, a rubbish picker, began to wonder if they could create instruments from scraps they found on the tip face. “People in Cateura use trash as a resource,” says Chávez. “It was a natural approach in Cateura to look for an answer and resolve the need for instruments using recyclable materials.”

The film itself has played a role in stretching the reality beyond even the wildest dreams of its subjects. The link below was a YouTube sensation and led to the group being invited to play with Megadeth, a heavy metal group. This, in turn, lead to a world tour and this video which was funded through a Kickstarter campaign. I urge everyone to see this happy inspiring documentary and bring the kids.

See the Trailer on You Tube.

September 6 Marguerite Continue Reading

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

Bond. James Bond. Nah, just fooling. But, I am an international man of mystery.

My name is Leno. I can’t tell you my last name because that would be indiscreet. I’m a Russian Blue cat, but I defected when an informant told me about Fancy Feast.

I currently reside at the Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor where I await your instructions.

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

Mayor Carrie Lacher shares these thoughts as we near the 15th anniversary of the events of September 11th, 2001…

This year our Nation and our community mark the 15th anniversary of 9/11. While we continue to grieve that traumatic day and our tragic losses, we also have a renewed opportunity to re-commit to the unity, dedication, and patriotism we witnessed and experienced on that day and in its aftermath.

9/11 is a day that is carved into my heart. For me, it is a day that changed our Nation utterly and the impacts of that day continue to reverberate down through history. While we may not all agree on the whys and hows and repercussions of 9/11, we probably can agree that we are a different country 15 years later – in some ways better and in other ways not.

On this 9/11 Day of Remembrance, I mourn the innocent lives lost in that cataclysmic attack but also celebrate the bravery and heroism of first responders everywhere and the everyday heroism of the ordinary person called in the moment to respond in selfless ways.

This year, we also grieve the loss of Chief Steve Marler who passed away earlier this year. Chief Marler was especially dedicated to the poignancy and importance of remembering 9/11. In his memory and in honor of all those our Nation lost on 9/11, I call on residents and visitors of the Town of Friday Harbor to pause on Sunday, September 11th to mark the historical importance of this day. To take a moment to remember those innocent lives lost. To be inspired by those first responders who ran towards the horror and stood up for all that is good in Americans. To recommit to the unity and patriotism we experienced on that day and in its aftermath. Continue Reading

Because of a good deal of conversation during and since the recent EMS levy vote, the public hospital district board has asked a committee to study integration of the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) with the San Juan Island Fire District.

The EMS was a part of the Fire District until a few years ago, and before it was known whether the August levy would pass EMS Chief Jerry Martin and then-Acting Fire Chief Brad Creesy discussed re-integration of the two agencies.

Karin Agosta will chair the committee, whose other members are John Hinchcliffe and board member Mark Schwinge.

They plan to consider how emergency services are handled elsewhere in the state and the U.S. and what might be any advantages or disadvantages of merging the two.

Agosta told the board at its regular meeting on Wednesday that “An important goal is to present validated information,” and “We don’t intend to direct the conclusion.”

The board considered the need to formalize the subcommittee with a resolution and decided that wasn’t necessary. Because the recent levy vote provides funding for the agency for six years there is ample time for the board and public to consider possibilities.

By Louise Dustrude

Town of Friday Harbor – Waterline Replacement Project

Locations of work:

• Underground construction is complete except for tie-in locations
• This week, Contractor is scheduled to tie-in the new waterline at the following locations:
  • Douglas and San Juan Valley Rd.
  • Spring St. at the Water Maintenance Facility
  • San Juan Valley Rd. near the EMS/Hospital

Work Days/Hours

• Monday – Friday; 7AM-7PM
• Monday Night 9PM – 9AM shift to make waterline tie-ins

What to expect:

• As we get close to completing the water main installation; there will be an impact on traffic heading into Town from San Juan Valley Rd. There will be several active work areas between the EMS/Hospital to Water Storage Tank on Spring St. 20 minute delays will be likely in this area
• Please avoid if possible; however traffic control representatives will be on-site at all times to assist commuters.

Detours:

You can bypass our construction by using the following alternative routes to detour in or out of Town.

• Beaverton valley Road
• No. 2 School House Road
• Douglas Road
• Bailer Hill Road

Any questions or concerns please feel free to call (360) 378-0360

Sam and Chauncy Cox – Photo by Lowell Jons

Island Rec has posted complete 8.8k Run results if you want to see them – They are at www.islandrec.org/events

Also, in the photo above is 14-year-old overall winner Chauncey Cox (Right, with 2 medals), and 11-year-old Sam Cox, who took second in his age group.