Posted April 26, 2016 at 5:45 am by Ted Strutz
Carla Wright, Frank Fagan, Jack Cory, Paul Mayer, Cyndy Gislason, Mike Griffin, Bill Hancock, Ted Strutz and Barbara Fagan Photo by Jean Griffin
Some of the members of the San Juan Island Rotary Club who participated in the annual Island Beach Cleanup show off their haul.
Mike Griffin & Bill Egan – Photo by Ted Strutz
Posted April 26, 2016 at 5:43 am by Tim Dustrude
Minnie Knych of Northwest Workforce Council shares this reminder with you…
Did you know that many of the good jobs in our county are never advertised? There are a number of employers looking for dependable workers right now. Are you looking for a job? If so, call the Career Center to find out how we can help.
Career Center Services include assistance with job application process, resume building and job skills matching. We also track the job openings in San Juan County. You could also be eligible for job skills training.
Call the Career Center at 378-4662 to find out about how we can help you find the right job.
Our services are free for both the employer and employee.
Posted April 25, 2016 at 5:56 am by Tim Dustrude
Wildflowers – SJ Update photo
Cady Mountain Preserve bursts into color in the spring with the bloom of wildflowers. Join Land Bank steward, Eliza Habegger, for a guided wildflower walk and celebrate May Day with the beauty and diversity of wildflowers, habitats, and vistas the mountain has to offer.
We will depart promptly at 1:00 pm from the Land Bank office parking area (corner of Caines St. and Argyle St.) in a passenger van. Be sure to dress for the weather and bring water/snacks.
Sunday, May 1, 2016 from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Cady Mountain Preserve, San Juan Island
Pre-registration is required; please contact Tanja Williamson at 378-4402 or tanjaw [@] sjclandbank.org
Posted April 25, 2016 at 5:48 am by Tim Dustrude
Island Air’s Cessna 208 Caravan with (left to right) EMT Dan Bacon, flight nurse and director of clinical operations Trish Fenstermacher, and pilot and owner Jackie Hamilton. Gabe Conway – photo
Island Air will continue to make its medevac services available without charge to residents of the public hospital district through the end of 2016, giving us time to consider the purchase of a membership.
Beginning next January 1st the cost of a family membership will be $39 per year, or $119 for three years, the same as what residents of other islands have been paying. This program shields participants from the cost of medically necessary flights not covered by insurance.
The contractual arrangement with San Juan Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ended on April 1st and since that time Island Air owners Jackie and Will Hamilton have been researching ways of keeping the business financially sustainable without making medical evacuation a financial hardship for members of the community.
Their newest med-evac airplane, a Cessna 208 Caravan, operational since January of 2015, is an all-weather aircraft which improves their winter-time capability.
As in the past, every med-evac flight will have on board a flight nurse and an EMT or a paramedic.
Posted April 25, 2016 at 5:47 am by Tim Dustrude
Murphy is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo
That does it. I’m unfriending all of you on Facebook. I’ve been here at the animal shelter for months and yet nobody has come in to adopt me.
My name is Murphy and I’m not just a good-looking cat; I’m also very dignified and intelligent, if I do say so myself.
The Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle is a piece of cake for me and you will certainly never catch me watching Wrestle-Mania on the weekends. I’m not one of those guys who needs constant attention. Mostly, I just need a quiet place to doze and think deep thoughts, although an occasional pet or two couldn’t hurt, could it?
Instant-message me. We might click.
Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor
111 Shelter Road
(360) 378-2158
Posted April 25, 2016 at 5:42 am by Tim Dustrude
Dr. Joe Gaydos to be Keynote Speaker
The League of Women Voters of the San Juans will be holding their annual meeting on May 9th at Vinny’s restaurant from 11:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. Dr. Joe Gaydos of SeaDoc Society will be the keynote speaker, giving a presentation on the impact of increased energy exports here in our islands. See the event flyer for more on that.
Members will be electing a slate of officers and approving the budget for the coming year, but the public is welcome as well.
The cost of the luncheon is $24. Send checks to Pat Curtin, 548 Old Crab Ln, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. Deadline to make reservations is May 2nd.
Posted April 25, 2016 at 5:42 am by Tim Dustrude
Heceta Head Lighthouse – Click to enlarge – John Miller photo
San Juan Island resident and photographer John Miller did some traveling and shooting on the Oregon coast last week. This is an image of Heceta Head Lighthouse, located near the town of Newport.
“Oregon has 11 such guardians,” he says. “More to come.”
Thanks for sharing John!
Posted April 24, 2016 at 5:05 am by Tim Dustrude
EDC presents 7th Annual Economics Luncheon with Noted Business Leader, Economists
Join the San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) for the 7th Annual EDC Economics Luncheon, held at Brickworks on Friday, June 17th from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The EDC’s annual economics luncheon explores recent data on trends in the economy, and potential opportunities and threats that face our businesses.
This year’s program will include presentations by noted speakers Dr. Hart Hodges (director of WSU’s Center for Economic & Business Research), Dr. Anneliese Vance-Sherman, (regional labor economist for the State of Washington), and Victoria Compton (director of the San Juan County Economic Development Council). The presentations will explore our region’s economy – past, present and future – including industry, employment and sales data, and current trends.
After the presentations, a panel of noted business experts including business leader Tim Engle, president of Saltchuk Resources, Inc., a privately held logistics, transportation and hospitality company (including Roche Harbor Resort), and Allison Clark, Director of Business Development at the Washington State Department of Commerce.
The 7th Annual EDC Economics Luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. on Friday, June 17th, at Brickworks in Friday Harbor. Tickets are $25 and space is limited. For more information and to order tickets please visit www.sanjuansedc.org/luncheon or call (360) 378-2906.
Posted April 23, 2016 at 5:34 am by Tim Dustrude
Sandy Jenson of Channel View Nursery and SJI Garden Club Co-Chair Marguerite Bennett – Photo by Carole Sue Conran
One of the stops on the SJI Garden Club’s April 16th Hosted Excursion to Sunnyside Nursery in Marysville was Channel View Nursery in La Conner.
The nursery prepares the town of Friday Harbor’s hanging baskets. Sandy Jenson gave the group a ‘preview look’ at the baskets she has prepared for the town this year. The initial basket planting was done at the end of February. There are 90 baskets this year, not including those for the Port of Friday Harbor.
The Garden Club donates funds to the town toward the hanging baskets. We can expect them to arrive on island in about 2 weeks.
Posted April 22, 2016 at 5:47 am by Tim Dustrude
Louise Deacon and friend – Contributed photo
The Animal Protection Society of Friday Harbor has announced that Louise Deacon is the Volunteer of the Month for April.
Louise can be counted on to show up at the animal shelter every Wednesday to help out with any job she’s asked to do. Louise does mountains of laundry, cuddles cats and walks dogs, in addition to lots of other important tasks around the facility.
Louise is a favorite of all the dogs and cats at the shelter because she takes the time to pay attention to each and every one of them during her volunteer time.
Volunteers like Louise make a huge difference in the lives of shelter animals and we appreciate their time and compassion so much! If you’d like to join the volunteer team at the animal shelter, contact Stephanie Zamora at 378-2158.
Posted April 22, 2016 at 5:45 am by Tim Dustrude
Infamous early smuggler Lawrence Kelly – Contributed photo
Every May the Town of Friday Harbor, the Islands’ historical museums, organizations and local businesses pull out the stops to celebrate local history.
This year the month-long calendar of events kicks off with some great events you won’t want to miss!
Click here to see the flyer with all the events.
For more event information and a complete calendar, go to www.historicfridayharbor.org or http://www.visitsanjuans.com/history-lives-here.
Posted April 22, 2016 at 5:40 am by Tim Dustrude
People are talking about Venus in Fur, with good things to say.
Helen of Island Stage Left has this to share about their current production…
Photo by Russell J Young
“Venus in Fur” is a smash hit! We recommend that you don’t leave this until the last minute, as audiences are building and the buzz is all over town! We so look forward to seeing you! It will make you laugh out loud and leave you stunned!
Here are a few comments from audiences:
“Stage Left has done it again! They have brought us a professional, dynamic, provocative and funny play with an amazing team of actors!”
“An absolutely loud HURRAH! We are blessed to have you.”
“Fantastic – again! We so enjoyed it!”
“Never disappointed, always enchanted!”
Posted April 22, 2016 at 5:37 am by Tim Dustrude
The Medical Teams International Dental Van is returning to the Mullis Center, on Friday, May 13th and Saturday, May 14th. Fish For Teeth and the SJ County Health Department are sponsoring this clinic to provide dental care for anyone who is financially unable to afford it. Applications can be picked up at:
Or, they may be downloaded from our website fishforteeth.com and dropped off at the Health Department.
Please note that the application deadline is Monday, May 2nd. Also, please understand that the kind folks receiving your application have nothing to do with scheduling; scheduling will begin, according to severity and space, the week prior to the clinic.
Posted April 21, 2016 at 5:16 pm by Tim Dustrude
San Juan County Public Works (SJCPW) has been awarded a $760,000 grant by Washington State Department of Transportation which will be used to provide safe parking for Orcas Island ferry users.
The funds will go toward designing and constructing a park-and-ride facility; the first of its kind for San Juan County. An overwhelming need exists to eliminate the unsafe parking along Orcas Road that has historically occurred. As a remedy for the problem, a plan for a park-and-ride at this Washington State Ferries owned location, has been in the works for several years.
The intent of the project is to create an 80-100 stall parking area with reliable short and long-term parking solutions. In addition to providing safer and longer duration parking, the new Orcas Village Park-and-Ride will:
This Spring, utilizing the public process, SJCPW expects to incorporate citizen input into the design. The public process will include an online survey polling platform; another first for SJCPW.
To participate in the survey, please follow the link:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/SZHLP3M
Or visit the current projects page of the San Juan County Public Works Webpage for a link to the survey.
http://www.sanjuanco.com/278/Current-Projects
The design of the park-and-ride will be performed by Public Works staff and aims to use innovative, context sensitive design principles. SJCPW aspires to have the park-and-ride open for use in the spring of 2017.
Posted April 21, 2016 at 5:56 am by Tim Dustrude
Affected Friday Harbor Residents See Promise in Educational Promotion
Dani Davis-Robeson – photo courtesy of Daniel Jackson Photography
This month is “Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome Awareness Month” on San Juan Island, thanks to last week’s proclamation made by Mayor Carrie Lacher. The proclamation comes as due relief to the Washingtonians who struggle through each day coping with the effects of the Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS). Lacher agreed to shine a spotlight on EDS after working with SJI resident and EDS sufferer Dani Davis-Robeson, who pushed for county recognition.
Where and When? Mayor Lacher will be off-island, so in her absence Steve Hushebeck will be Mayor Pro Tem and he will present the proclamation to Dani Davis-Robeson at the next Town Hall meeting on Thursday, April 21st, at Noon, for all to hear. View the proclamation here (PDF)
What is EDS? As described in the Mayor’s proclamation, it causes a person’s connective tissues at the joints to become very loose and unstable, causing painful dislocations. Skin very easily bruises, scars, and tears, and arteries and organs easily rupture. Despite its relative obscurity, a conservative estimate is that one in every 2,500 people born have EDS. There has been little research leading to successful treatments, but Davis hopes that the tide is turning as more people learn about EDS.
“May is a great time of year to promote EDS awareness and bring researchers closer to developing effective treatments and cures,” says Davis-Robeson. “Beautiful Spring weather presents lots of opportunities for people of all ages to get out into their communities and raise awareness and hope by holding fundraising events, getting permission to hang EDS posters in doctors’ offices, hospitals, and local hangouts, handing out brochures to friends, family and the public, and whatever else the imagination inspires!”
Depending on the individual mutation, the severity of EDS can vary from mild to life-threatening. Many with EDS are not diagnosed until well into adulthood and, in certain cases, not until after they die from its complications. Serious and often fatal complications typically occur in a person’s 30s.
For more information on EDS, including how to support important and promising research for treatments and cures, please visit http://LifewithEDS.com and http://EDNF.org.
Posted April 21, 2016 at 5:55 am by Tim Dustrude
Unpacking at WaterWorks Gallery – Contributed photo
Just got this note from Ruth that WaterWorks Gallery has just opened for the season…
Hey Tim,
Hope all is well with you. Would you please let everyone know that the gallery reopened on Wednesday? The tulips are blooming, the grass is growing and my lawn needs mowing. And we’re starting the gallery’s 31st year!
The season begins with new works by gallery artists including Eric Eschenbach, Jaime Ellsworth, Joan Stuart Ross, Catherine Eaton Skinner, Georgia Gerber, David French, Stephen Mcmillan, Micki Lippe, Judy Morgan and Erika Laureano.
We’re open Wednesday thru Saturday 10:30 am to 5:30 pm.
