The Food Bank sends along an update about their summer meal program for local students.

The Friday Harbor Food Bank will continue to offer a free summer meals program, to help families with school-aged kids manage their budgets during the summer months.

Our goal for this program is for our local kids to have access to fresh, nutritious breakfast and lunch items that they enjoy. We know summer is a busy time for many parents, so we are also trying to keep food distribution as simple as possible. With those goals in mind, our plan is to distribute bags or boxes of breakfast and lunch items once per week with enough items to last for five days. Each week the items will change a bit, to add interest. Typical foods will include oatmeal, breakfast bars, hard-boiled eggs, fresh fruit and kid-friendly raw vegetables, and things to make sandwiches and quesadillas.

The program runs from June 21 through Aug. 30, with pick-up taking place every Tuesday between noon and 1 p.m. In each week’s groceries you’ll find a kid’s menu to help them pair their food items in a fun way that teaches them to prepare a nutritious breakfast and lunch. To participate, register on the Food Bank website.

We hope this program can make life a little easier for everyone this summer and also help families practice good nutrition. We always welcome suggestions or questions and urge everyone enrolled to contact the Friday Harbor Food Bank with any feedback.

• The San Juan Preservation Trust shares some exciting Island Marble Butterfly news.
• The County Planning Commission will hold a public hearing at 9 a.m. tomorrow to receive public comments about its 2022 Annual Docket, which is the process through which members of the community request changes to the County’s Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code.
• Vic’s will be closed until Monday, June 27 for vacation. The street tacos pop-up will continue to operate out of Vic’s space on Saturdays and Sundays in the meantime.
• The San Juan Transfer Station will operate as a PaintCare drop-off location starting tomorrow. You can bring up to five gallons of paint per trip during the station’s regular operating hours — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays.
• San Juan Community Theatre interviewed Chris Brubeck, a member of the Brubeck Brothers Quartet. They’ll be performing at SJCT on Sunday, June 26.
• Here are this week’s specials at Market Place and Kings.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a regular meeting on Friday, June 17 at 8:30 a.m. Items up for discussion or action at Friday’s meeting include:

• General public comments
• Chair and Commissioners report
• County Council update – Christine Minney
• Director’s report – Acquisitions update (Glenwood Inn property, Entrance Mountain potential re-sale, Hauschka Cady Mountain property), Conservation Area Fund cash projections
• Stewardship report – Turtleback Management Plan, Coffelt Farm lease process update
• Outreach and volunteer report
• Future agenda items

You can view the live stream of the meeting online.

The Town of Friday Harbor shares news about the restoration of regular traffic patterns.

Significant traffic revisions to lower Spring Street, Front Street, and Granny’s Way due to the Spring Street fire will be removed Wednesday morning. Traffic flow will return to the original, pre-fire direction with two-way traffic throughout Spring Street and one-way traffic down Granny’s Way and along Front Street from the ferry landing to Memorial Park. Stop signs on First Street in both directions at the top of the ferry lanes will be removed returning the right of way to vehicles traveling on First Street.

Transit buses will return to parking on the east side of Granny’s Way next to ferry lane number one. Vehicles may again park in designated spots on either side of Front Street facing west toward Spring Street.

The Town reminds drivers that parking is not allowed in the roundabout at the base of Spring Street.  Those needing a tour group staging area are advised to use the pocket part on First Street next to the Grange.

Questions on this traffic revision may be directed to the Town Administrator at (360) 378-2810 or [email protected].

• The lowest tides in more than a decade are happening today around 11:15 a.m. and tomorrow just after noon. False Bay, Eagle Cove, and Granny’s Cove are all great places to check it out.
• Return of the River, winner of the 2014 Friday Harbor Film Festival Audience Choice Award, is FHFF’s next offering in its Director Series. Following a free online showing on Thursday from 6:30 to 9 p.m., the film will be available on demand from June 17 through 29 for $1.95. The documentary follows a group of strong-minded, committed people as they attempt to change the public opinion of a town, and eventually the entire country, to remove both dams on the Elwha River.
• Congrats to Storrie Arnold and Lili Light, who will be representing San Juan Island at the state Special Olympics this weekend.
• San Juan Community Theatre has released the schedule of shows for their 2022-2023 season.
• Rocky Bay Cafe is only open for take out today.
• The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police were active in the islands over the weekend, issuing citations to boaters who collected shrimp in excess of the daily limit.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

Artist Jayne Siroshton — Contributed photo

Organizers of the A Bear Called Friday event send along news about the fundraiser taking place this Friday.

Friday Harbor residents and visitors alike will have an opportunity to help save the life of one very special moon bear on Friday, June 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Brickworks.

The event, A Bear Called Friday, is the culmination of the efforts of two island residents, Jayne Siroshton and Jan Murphy. The two, both artists and animal welfare activists, hit upon the plan several months ago when discussing ways to help the organization, Animals Asia, in their efforts to liberate Asiatic black bears, or moon bears as they are widely known, from cruel bile farms across China and Vietnam. Several local artists have joined the project and donated original artworks for the event; an art sale and silent auction featuring a wine and cider tasting presented by Madrone Cellars. 

The event is free to attend, and all proceeds from the art sale and auction will go towards rescuing and sponsoring a moon bear, who will live out his or her life at one of Animals Asia’s award-winning sanctuaries. 

Animals Asia was founded over 20 years ago by Jill Robinson, who discovered the horrific cruelty inherent in the practice of bile farming in many parts of Asia during a visit to China. Since that time, the organization has rescued and provided sanctuary for hundreds of moon bears and has worked to successfully end the industry in Vietnam. Murphy, who serves on the Animals Asia USA Board of directors, says, “Sadly, thousands of bears remain prisoners of barbaric bile farms throughout China, so there remains a lot of work to be done. Very soon, we hope to eradicate the bear bile industry all together.”

Animals Asia is also making great strides towards ending cruel captive animal entertainment venues, including elephant riding parks and inhumane circus performances. The organization proudly works with rescue groups, shelters and animal welfare volunteers across China and Vietnam to end dog and cat farming for meat markets as well as raising awareness of the value of animal welfare in schools and local communities. 

Artists who have donated artworks for the sale are Jaime Ellsworth, Debbie Daniels, Teresa Smith, Alison Engle, Winnie Brumsickle, Kirk Furmeister, Laura Bauer, Pamela Hoke, Elizabeth Farr, Shannon Borg, Jan Murphy, Jayne Siroshton, Barbara Duzan, Ray Glantz, David Harsh, Diana O’Brian, Lauren Jawer, and Lisa Lamoreaux.

Thanks to the sustained generosity of island donors, the San Juan Island Community Foundation has awarded 38 students more than $169,000 in scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year. The recipients include 15 graduating high school seniors – 11 from Friday Harbor High School and four from Spring Street International School – along with 23 students already working toward an undergraduate or graduate degree.

Established through a gift from the estate of Jerry Inskeep, the Inskeep Legacy Scholarship provides need-based funding for graduating high school seniors attending four-year colleges and universities full time. Scholarships can be renewed for each year of a student’s undergraduate study. This year’s 12 new recipients are:

• Gavia Boyden – Macalester College
• Jazmyn Capron-Graves – Pacific University
• Brenna Crouse-Smith – University of Washington
• Luke Fincher – Western Washington University
• Olivia Germain – University of Colorado Boulder
• Isabel Graham – Arizona State University
• Hannah Greene – Western Washington University
• Lucy Martin – University of Puget Sound
• Aiyana O’Prussack – Bryn Mawr
• Catherine Pignatiello – Ithaca College
• Ava Smith – Arizona State University
• Robin Taylor – University of Washington

The 16 students receiving renewable awards this year include:

• Ty Anderson – Gonzaga University
• Ela Angevine – Anglo-American University
• Emily Atwell – Portland State University
• Julian Brown – Santa Clara University
• Olivia Brown – Savannah College of Art & Design
• Trinity Cullen – University of Arizona
• Marieke Danniau – Columbus College of Art & Design
• Evan Foley – University of Washington
• Raylee Miniken – Western Washington University
• Aida Must – Washington State University
• Stella Parsons – The Master’s University
• Ayla Ridwan – Stanford University
• Thea Seitz – Karolinska Institute
• Georgia Smith – Pacific Lutheran University
• Rachel Starr – University of Montana
• Fallon Taylor – Villanova University

The San Juan Island Community Foundation Scholarship Fund provides awards for San Juan Island residents furthering their education at a community college, two-year college, four-year college or university, graduate school program, or career training program. This year’s recipients include six students who will be university seniors or graduate students in the fall:

• Lydia Downs-Williams – University of Montana
• Isabel Gabriel – Pacific Lutheran University
• Megan Haagensen – Western Washington University
• Brooke Radcliffe – Antioch University New England
• Madeline Schroeder – University of Washington
• Kiana Woods – University of Utah

The San Juan Pilots Association created the John Volk Memorial Scholarship to provide funding for students pursuing a career in an aviation-related field. It seeks to encourage and reward the sort of friendship, leadership, and service that typified John Volk’s presence in our community. This year’s four recipients are:

• Julian Brown – Santa Clara University
• Levi Demaris – Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
• Siri Dow – University of Washington
• Aaron Kahekili Vliet – Massachusetts Institute of Technology

The scholarship established in memory of Dr. Marcia L. Zakarison, MD, offers a one-time scholarship for graduating high school seniors pursuing a career in human medicine and the healing arts, either at technical or trade schools, or two- or four-year colleges or universities. This year’s awards go to:

• Amelia Eltinge – Washington State University
• Isabel Graham – Arizona State University

2022 marks the Community Foundation’s 15th consecutive year providing scholarships to island students. In the past 15 years SJICF has awarded $2.15 million in scholarships to 175 recipients.

• The San Juan Preservation Trust has documented the rare occurrence of a Western Bluebird nesting in a natural cavity of a Garry oak on San Juan Island. Learn more about the significance of this finding.
• Friday Harbor Labs’ Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria and Isabella Brown have written an article about eelgrass flowering for Salish Magazine.
• The San Juan Islands Conservation District shares a look at the past and potential future of the Western white pine.
• Daily flights from the Friday Harbor airport to Paine Field in Everett on Kenmore Air start on July 14.
• Registration is open for The Whale Museum’s virtual summer marine naturalist training program, which runs from July 28 through August 3.
• Cin Cin (255 Spring Street) is having its grand re-opening on Thursday, June 23 from 5 to 8 p.m. They’ll have snacks, chocolates, and tastings of natural wine, port, and amaro.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

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The San Juan County Council will hold a regular meeting on Tuesday, June 14 at 9 a.m. Items up for discussion or action include:

• First 2022 budget amendment
• Security camera project update and request
• Tiny homes
• Acceptance of the deed for the Glenwood Inn (McPeake) property

You can view the live stream of the meeting online or attend in person at the Council Legislative Hearing Room. To make a public comment, sign up prior to 9 a.m. on June 14.

• The San Juan Islands Museum of Art is presenting Looking Into Kabul by James Longley now through September 12. The exhibition focuses on everyday life in Kabul, Afghanistan through a combination of panoramic images, portraits, and documentary films.
• SJIMA is also hosting Henry Jackson-Spieker’s Lattice II installation in its atrium through September 12.
• Friday Harbor High School volleyball is hosting a camp for current or prospective high school volleyball players, including athletes that will be in the eighth grade in the upcoming school year. It takes place Monday through Friday, June 20 through July 1, from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Turnbull Gym. Contact [email protected] to register.
• Zumba classes at Studio JAMM start next Monday. Class sizes are limited and you can register online.
• San Juan County has revised its noxious weed disposal policies for 2022.
• Tommy Dale & the Dangerfields are performing at Everelse on Saturday, June 25 at 5 p.m. The event will also feature a Spaghetti Western dinner pop-up by Glad Acres.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

The San Juan Island Library shares the dates and topics for the upcoming Nature’s Mysteries series.

The San Juan Island Library District and San Juan Island National Historical Park are pleased to announce the return of their popular collaborative Nature’s Mysteries series. These series of interactive programs have been a well-attended educational initiative since 2020. In the past year, they have proven so popular that a second series, Hidden Histories, has been added that deals with major international historical moments and how they impacted the San Juan Islands. Park staff have delivered over 15 programs, dealing with topics as diverse as The Secret Life of Trees and Echoes of the Opium War, allowing interested patrons to gain specialized knowledge about topics related to park history, culture, ecosystems, and wildlife.

The first Nature’s Mysteries program of 2022, Exploring Dirt, Soil, and What Makes it so Important, takes place on Wednesday, June 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. Tune in to hear Park Ranger Jeff Hodge dish some dirt. For those interested in our local soils, their statuses, and why understanding dirt holds the master key to life on planet earth, please email Sarah at [email protected] to register for the event.

The Nature’s Mysteries series will run for the next four months on a monthly basis with recordings available online on the library website after it airs. The full line up of the series includes:

• June 15 — Exploring Dirt, Soil, and What Makes It So Important
• July 13 — Caring for Your National Park: How the Park Service Manages Natural Resources
• August 10 — Anatomy of a Prairie: What Is a Prairie, How Do They Work, and Why Do They Matter?
• September 14 — Climate and Climate Change from A-Z