Natalia Lawrence-Pedersen with Daughter Poppy – Charley Lawrence-Sampson Photo

The leadership of San Juan County’s women stands out in this message from the County about World Breastfeeding Week… 

“San Juan County has the highest rates in Washington State of women initiating breastfeeding at birth, a statistic to be proud of.”

“Breastfeeding: A Key to Sustainable Development”

World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from August 1-7 to encourage breastfeeding and overall health of mothers and babies.

The 2016 World Breastfeeding Week theme is how breastfeeding promotes sustainable development goals. “Sustainable development means development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” (www.worldbreastfeeding.org). Breastfeeding is an environmentally sustainable method of feeding. It provides infants with optimal nutrition, and promotes health and development, food security and poverty reduction. Breastfeeding is at the center of sustainable development in our communities locally and worldwide.

Becky Rosencrans with Son Erin – Contributed Photo

San Juan County Health & Community Services joins professional health organizations worldwide to collaboratively promote awareness of the numerous benefits of breastfeeding for infants, mothers, community, and society.

San Juan County WIC & Newborn Outreach programs offer breastfeeding education and support services in our community from Breastfeeding Peer Counselors, Public Health Nurses, and Lactation Consultants. Breastfeeding assistance is available by phone, home visits and clinic appointments on San Juan, Lopez, and Orcas Islands.

Breastfeeding information and support may be accessed through San Juan County Health & Community Services (378-4474).

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

The San Juan Preservation Trust invites you to join them for All Islanders Day at Mt Grant Preserve this Sunday, July 31, noon – 4:00 pm…

Mount Grant Preserve isn’t just for San Juan Island folks—it’s for residents and visitors from ALL the islands! Come experience some of the best 360-degree views in the San Juans and enjoy the Preserve’s many other beautiful features during this special Sunday at the Summit.

Free shuttles will run from the Friday Harbor ferry landing to the Preserve. Then hike or take a ride to the top, where entertainment and refreshments will await. San Juan Islanders are encouraged to park at the Friday Harbor High School parking lot and use the shuttle which will run frequently throughout the day.

If you decide to drive yourself, here are directions to the Preserve: From the Friday Harbor courthouse, take Guard Street out of town. Guard Street becomes Beaverton Valley Rd., which becomes West Valley Rd. About 4.9 miles out of Friday Harbor, look for a “Campaign for Mount Grant Preserve” sign on the left. Turn left and drive ahead to the parking area.

Link to: Shuttle Bus Schedule

The Paperboys – Contributed Photo

Ashley King, Program Coordinator for San Juan County Parks and Fair, sent us this news about the headlining acts set to preform at the County Fair… 

This year’s headline entertainment will be one for the books! Sponsored by King’s Market, the Main Stage comes to life this year at the Fair August 17-20. The Fair is excited to have local talent from all the islands, and the Pacific Northwest region as well as a few newcomers! Be sure to “Like” The San Juan County Fair and Fairgrounds on Facebook to be up to date on all things Fair this year and visit the Fair website www.sjcfair.org for details on entering your exhibits, and scheduled events!

Wednesday Night Headliner: LIVE! From Vancouver! It’s The Paperboys! You name it, they play it. Celtic, Zydeco, Bluegrass and Soul, such a wide variety is bound to please all listeners. This is their second visit to the San Juans and first time at the Fair, so if you’re a fan—or if you haven’t had the chance to hear them, they’re not to be missed! Come hear them, come see them, opening night at the Fair!

The Henry James Blues Band – Contributed Photo

Thursday Night Headliner: Thursday night, Main Stage, San Juan County’s own local talent The Henry James Band featuring James Barkshire, Cecil DeMeerleer, Denny Penrose, and Tom Henry (Doenges) featuring special guest Tami Doenges. Included in this night’s entertainment not to be missed, Rafael Tranquilino and Leah Tussing will be joining The Henry James Band from the Rafael Tranquilino Band! This amazing group was just named the best Blues Act 2016 by The Washington Blues Society! As if that were not enough, the amazing local Harmonica player and vocalist Sweet Danny Ray (Dan O’Bryant) will be joining the crew! Put on your dancin’ shoes!

Down North – Contributed Photo

Friday Night Headliner: Can’t wait ‘til Friday night in Friday Harbor! Down North comes to town from all the way down in Seattle. Whoo-hoo! Friday Harbor hits the big time with this talented group!

“The people that play in this band are excellent at what they do and we’re all here to play music for people who want to move and connect.” –MTV

Rock. Soul. Funk. Get ready to get down with Down North Friday night, August 19 at 8:00 pm Main Stage at the San Juan County Fair.

Petty Fever – Contributed Photo

Saturday Night Headliner: “The Waiting is the Hardest Part” – until Saturday Night at the San Juan County Fair! Come listen to the Tom Petty Tribute Band Petty Fever featuring some of your favorite Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers hits such as “American Girl”, “Free Fallin’”, and “You Wreck Me”. Petty Fever is the two time recipient of the “Tribute Band of The Year” award from the Los Angeles Music Awards in Hollywood, CA for 2013 & 2014—Catch Petty Fever on the Main Stage at the Fairgrounds, Saturday Night August 20 at 8:00 pm!

While the headlining acts are only just a taste of the Fair’s musical line-up, be sure to make it to all 4 days of the Fair to see local musicians and performers, included but not limited to acrobatics and a sword swallower—you’ll just have to come to the Fair to see the rest!

A little while ago we posted a photo of the Drugstore Mural asking if anyone had information on it’s origins. Many thanks to Lori Stokes for following up with the answer…

For Love of an Island – Peggy Sue McRae Photo

The Story of the Mural on the Side Wall of the Drug Store
by Lori Stokes

As a member of the Friday Harbor Arts Commission, I’ve been working on preparing a catalog of all the public art in town, both that owned by the town itself and that privately-owned but in the public way.

One of these pieces of art is a mural (or more correctly I should say, a portion of a mural) on the side wall of Friday Harbor Drug, where the old part of the building joins the newer part, to the left of the front entrance. You’ll see it walking down Spring Street towards the water. Some of the mural was covered over when the buildings were joined.

Blue Camas (detail) – Peggy Sue McRae Photo

In trying to track down who painted this and when, I spoke with a large number of individuals – the current owners of the store, previous owners of the store and their family members, people who used to work at the store, and others to whom I was referred by individuals who said, “I don’t remember the specifics, but I’m sure that xxx will remember.”

After a photo and a story about my search for information appeared on Facebook and in the San Juan Update, I received two phone calls from people who said, “I know who painted that!” But interestingly, each identified a different person! Gary Boothman told me that it was an old friend of his, Tom Brudenell, who was a painter and muralist living on Shaw at the time. Since Gary didn’t know if Tom was still alive, or where he might be living now, I Googled his name and discovered that he is indeed alive, and is living in Canada. An interesting article about him had recently been published, so I emailed the publisher and asked if he knew how I could reach Tom. He did, and shortly thereafter Tom and I spoke on the phone. Tom was amazed that part of the mural is still intact on the wall; he commented that usually when construction of this nature takes place, the entire mural is painted over.

Clam Digger (Detail) – Peggy Sue McRae Photo

So here is what Tom told me. In 1972, he was living on Shaw, and spending part of his time going to rural communities throughout the state, helping to create what he calls “people’s murals.” He was asked to facilitate the creation of one of these in Friday Harbor, as part of the town’s celebration of the centennial of the peaceful resolution of our renowned Pig War. So he gathered together some interested residents of a variety of ages and artistic talents, and as a group, they designed and painted the mural. Tom described his role as a “catalyst of creativity,” simply facilitating the planning and execution of the mural rather than painting it himself. His main job, he said, was to serve as the technical advisor, since none of the town residents involved had much experience in painting murals and therefore needed guidance about how to prepare the wall, what kind of paint to use, etc.

Boat (Detail) – Peggy Sue McRae Photo

The chair of the Town’s Centennial Committee, Joyce Wampler, named the mural “For Love of an Island.” The mural depicts the past on one side and the present on the other, with the branches of a large Madrona dividing the two. The Discovery, the first English ship to arrive here, appears in the center, and the mural contains numerous images of island wildlife, boats, and people.

An article from the Friday Harbor Journal in June of 1972 identifies the painters as follows: Bill Cox, boats; Ines Robertson, flora and clam diggers; Cass Nielsen and Scott Lowe, birds; and Kay Eichert and Joyce Wampler, animals. Jack Benedict, Ed and Hedda King, and Carl Stoddard provided information about the Salish people, whose images were painted by Bill Cox.

From the National Parks: Here is the schedule of events for this weekend’s Encampment at English Camp. You are invited to bring the family and join in these fun and informative family activities!

Encampment at English Camp – Anita Barreca Photo

July 29

• 10:00 am – Camp opens. Flag raising
• 12:00 Noon – Noon gun
• 2:00 pm – Folkways living and cooking with Janet Oakly
• 5:00 pm – Camp closes. Flag retired
• 7:30 pm – The Life of Miss Abby Williams Hill. Storyteller Karen Haas dramatizes the life of this extraordinary painter and environmentalist from the early 20th century. English Camp barracks.

July 30

Ella at the Ball – Cindy Mullis Photo

• 9:00 am – Camp opens. Flag raising.
• 10:00 am – Camp activities: throughout the day; games, school, blacksmithing, and music
• 12:00 Noon – noon gun
• 1:30 pm – Mrs. Mouat’s Etiquette Symposium
• 3:00 pm – The Game of Cricket.
• 5:00 pm – Camp closes. Flag retired.
• 8:00 pm – Centennial Ball. English Camp barracks

July 31

• 9:00 am – Camp opens. Flag raising.
• 10:00 am – Camp activities: throughout the day; games, school, blacksmithing, and music.
• 12:00 Noon: Noon gun
• 1:30 pm – Mrs. Mouat’s Etiquette Symposium
• 5:00 pm – Camp closes. Flag retiring.

How to Get Dressed – Anita Barreca Photo

Many of you know Mike Vouri from his work with the Island’s National Historical Parks if not from his books on local history or his dramatic portrayal of Captain George Pickett. Vouri now has an essay about the U.S. Coast Survey Steamer Active up on HistoryLink, a free online Encyclopedia of Washington State History. Says Vouri, “The painting by James McMurtrey is of the Active (the sidewheeler at right) and HMS Satellite on Bellingham Bay, c.1858.”

U.S. Coast Survey Ship Active – James McMurtry Artwork

King House at the Historical Museum – Contributed photo

Whether you are a visitor or longtime islander, be sure to include some island history time travel in your adventures this year!  Each of the historical museums on San Juan Island, Lopez Island and Orcas Island have combined to offer an opportunity for you to do some island hopping and enter for a chance to win a prize package. Prize packages include overnight lodging, gift cards for a meal and an activity for two. The lucky winner will have the choice to redeem the prize package on either Lopez, Orcas or San Juan.

You need to visit all three historical museums to be eligible for the drawing for a prize package on the island of your choice. After your passport has been validated at each museum, you may tear out the raffle ticket in the passport book and leave it at the last museum you visit.

Passports can be picked up and validated at any of the three museums:

San Juan Historical Museum, 405 Price St.

Lopez Island Historical Museum, Lopez Village on Weeks Rd.

Orcas Island Pioneer Museum, 181 North Beach Rd.

Orcas Crow Valley School Museum, Crow Valley Rd.

Drawing will be held December 31, 2016, and the winner will have one year to redeem their prize. Certain restrictions and blackout dates may apply. Inquire at each museum for specific prize packages.

San Juan Community Theatre presents Cajun Grammy winners…

BeauSoleil Trio – Contributed Photo

San Juan Island gets to experience the musical magic of a group proclaimed “the best Cajun band in the world” by A Prairie Home Companion’s Garrison Keillor,  THIS Saturday, July 30 at 7:30 pm.

The BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet Trio takes the Whittier stage for one concert only – a show that takes the rich Cajun traditions of Louisiana and artfully blends elements of zydeco, New Orleans jazz, Tex-Mex, country, blues and more into a satisfying musical recipe.

The BeauSoleil Trio recreates the excitement of the early years of the Cajun revival, by focusing on the traditional twin fiddle and fiddle/accordion pairings, backed by acoustic guitar. Joining Michael Doucet in the Trio are two of his long-time BeauSoleil colleagues: fiddler Mitch Reed, a master Cajun musician and instructor who has been performing with some of the greatest names in Cajun music since he was a teenager; and Michael’s brother David Doucet, a soulful singer and an exceptional guitarist who is credited with making the acoustic guitar central to modern Cajun music. Together they have performed all over the globe.

The San Juan Island Library Presents…

Cap’n Arrr – Contributed Photo

Come see The Misadventures of Cap’n Arrr, held Wednesday, July 27 on the grounds of Friday Harbor Elementary School. Showtime begins at 1:30 PM.

Cap’n Arrr is back with his interactive comedy performance that will have kids (and grown-ups) rolling on the floor! Cap’n Arrr’s program is packed full of audience participation and includes basic instruction in walking like a pirate, talking like a pirate and laughing like a pirate too!

Please bring blankets and chairs for seating and watch for parking signs due to construction at the school. Friday Harbor Elementary School is located at 95

Grover Street. Call the Library at 378-2798 for more information, or visit www.sjlib.org.

Wednesday Afternoon Performances are part of the Library’s Summer Reading Program. All performances are free and open to the public thanks to funding from the Friends of the San Juan Island Library.

A message from County Auditor F. Milene Henley… 

This year’s primary is long and confusing, with many candidates for several of the state-wide elections. For that reason, the San Juan County Elections Office has received an unusually large number of calls about the availability of a Voters’ Pamphlet for the election. Election information is available online as an “Online Voters’ Guide.” The guide is available for viewing in three different formats.

The most generic guide is available from the County Elections page (sanjuanco.com/elections – click on “Online Voters’ Guide”). This has all federal, state and local candidate information, as well as information about measures. Click on the pluses to open up more information at each page.

For a more personalized online guide, and one which is a little easier to read, go to “My Vote” at myvote.wa.gov. You’ll need to log in with your first name, last name and date of birth. One of your options, once logged in, is to view the Online Voters’ Guide. Click on the category of race you’re looking for (federal, state, local), then scroll down the list on the right to select a candidate. Or scroll to the bottom of the list and select “Show all contests in plain text” to see a continuous document with all candidates for that group of races.

Alternatively, elections staff has extracted all of the measure and candidate information and put it into a single pdf document. That document is available on the County’s Elections website. Under “Voters’ Guide,” click on “Voters’ Guide PDF”. This is a single long document, which may be viewed online or printed, at your convenience.

In most primary elections, there are only one or two candidates on the ballot. In such a case, a printed voters’ pamphlet makes little sense. For the 2016 primary, however, a printed guide would have made a lot of sense, and we apologize for not anticipating the need. San Juan County has always partnered with the State on a printed voters’ pamphlet for the November general election, and will continue to do so.

Please call Auditor Milene Henley at (360) 370-7558 or Elections staff at (360) 378-3357 if you need assistance finding voter pamphlet information.

Link to: Voters’ Guide PDF

The San Juan Island Library in collaboration with Griffin Bay Bookstore invite you to a book launch and reading August 3rd at 7:00 pm at the library with James and Aiden Campbell…

Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge—home to only a handful of people—is a stark and lonely place. So when James Campbell’s cousin Heimo Korth (featured on The Last Alaskans on Discovery Channel and in Campbell’s book The Final Frontiersman, which New York Times bestselling author Bill Bryson called “inspiring, unnerving, and never less than wholly absorbing”) asked him to spend a summer building a cabin on the remote Alaskan tundra, Campbell hesitated to extend the invitation to his fifteen-year-old daughter, Aidan. She was a good student and athlete, but he felt she lacked the life skills she would need once she left home.

The trip would not be easy: Heimo and his wife, Edna, a Siberian Yupik Eskimo, spend ten months of every year in the refuge, where they survive on their skills as hunter-trapper-gatherers, eighty miles from the nearest neighbor and three hundred from the closest hospital. There would be twelve-hour days, mosquitoes, bears, and only an ice-cold creek to wash in. But, as Campbell reminded his daughter, there would also be beauty: rivers with crystal-clear water, rugged mountains, and meadows filled with blueberries. Aidan decided she was up for the challenge and for the time with her father, and so began a unique father-daughter adventure. Continue Reading

Tim Dustrude

Just got this report from former Update editor Ian Byington:

As most of you know, Tim found out a couple of weeks ago that he needed surgery to fix a blood flow problem he had in his head & brain…yesterday (Monday) he was in surgery and I just got the word (today, Tuesday) from his wife Shannon that things went well:

What a long journey yesterday was. What a choreographed surgery with at least 3 teams working on Tim. Everybody here has been so exceptional. We are in the very best hands and that’s our miracle.

I am so thrilled that he has his sense of humor. He was a crack up coming out of anesthesia. And almost as hysterical today. I wished I’d videotaped him. But I’ve been taking notes.

We just visited with Louise and John, Jan and Eric before they all took off for home.

Thank you and we’ll keep you up to date. Today is one more day in ICU. All day they’ve been removing lines and he even got up and walked a little ways. Progress!!!

And then another ward for the rest of the week. Lots of healing in store for us.

xoxoxox  Shannon                                                                          

He’ll remain in the hospital for this week recuperating, and sends his thanks for all the good wishes from friends & family & the island. As Peggy Sue & I hear more, we’ll let you know, but in the meantime, it’s time for our friend to rest & heal.

Coho Preserve Cascade Creek – Kurt Thorson Photo

A message from Tanja Williamson at the Land Bank…

The San Juan County Land Bank recently acquired 24 acres on the lower reaches of Cascade Creek near Olga on Orcas Island. Washington State Salmon Recovery Funds made the purchase possible, ensuring the preservation of a unique 2,100’ stretch of riparian corridor with adjacent upland forest.

“Coho and chum salmon utilize the lower 300 feet of the Creek for spawning and Chinook juveniles forage there as well,” explains Land Bank Director, Lincoln Bormann. “It is arguably the most important freshwater salmon habitat in the islands at this time, and we are very pleased to play a role in protecting such a significant resource for the people of San Juan County.”

The Cascade Creek watershed originates at the top of Mt. Constitution and includes Mountain Lake in Moran State Park. Conservation of this property builds on Washington Water Trust’s and other partners’ efforts to secure adequate year-round water flow to the Creek and salmon recovery funding to rebuild Buck Bay bridge to allow passage for salmon.

While preserving ecological integrity of the site for the benefit of salmonids is a first priority, the acquisition also provides opportunities for public education and enjoyment. Though the creek itself will be off limits, a pedestrian trail will follow the riparian corridor, loop through stunning forest habitat, and provide views of a hidden gorge fringed with maidenhair fern. The Land Bank anticipates opening the preserve for public access in the spring of 2017. Interpretive signage will tell the story of salmon and other wildlife that utilize the rich environment.

For more information, contact the Land Bank at 378-4402.

Budding Photographer – Tim Dustrude photo

San Juan County Fair Photography Department Superintendent Miles Crossen sent us a request for volunteers…

It’s almost time for the San Juan County Fair. And if anyone out there would like to volunteer to help out with the Photography Department display, your assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Beginning on Tuesday, August 16 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (and possibly a bit later depending on how quickly the team is able to hang all of the photographs submitted for judging and viewing) I could easily use a dozen or so volunteers. Realistically if you can stop by for an hour or so (maybe three hours?) that would be great. I can use two or three folks to assist participants in filling out the registration forms, and a couple of others separating the photographs by category, age, and professional or non-professional status.

Equally important, I could use six to eight volunteers to judge the photographs. Last year there were two, three person teams of judges. I’d like to have a similar setup this year as well. If the setup goes well, the judging should start by no later than 7 p.m. Tuesday and finish up by 9 p.m.

Continue Reading

We hear from the Mullis Community Senior Center that its time to start planning for the annual Parking Lot Sale Saturday August 13…

The Lady Washington – Aaron Shepard Photo

Many thanks to Aaron Shepard for sending us this photo of The Lady Washington.