• The County’s hazardous waste round-up takes place today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the transfer station.
• Local knitters are getting together for Knit in Public Day between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. today under the picnic shelter at Fairweather Park at the Port of Friday Harbor.
• The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank is hosting a volunteer event for National Get Outdoors Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today at Westside Preserve. You can learn about the Preserve’s prairie ecosystem while clearing invasive Himalayan blackberry along the trails. Long pants are recommended and you should bring pruners or loppers, gloves, and water. A light snack will be provided.
• The library invites interested writers to attend their Open Mic for Writers night, where participants can read their work or listen to the contributions of others. It takes place tonight over Zoom from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Contact [email protected] for more details.
• The Friday Harbor 14U softball team is fundraising for their upcoming USSSA C State Tournament in Olympia. Stop by the Wells Fargo parking lot tomorrow between noon and 3 p.m. for the team’s bake sale and car wash.
• Westcott Bay Belgian Summer is back at San Juan Island Brewing Co.

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Photo credit — Brad Pillow

Taken before the kitting season. Learn more about Brad’s perspective on the foxes of San Juan Island.

A few of Island Rec’s summer programs for kids and adults still have open spaces:

• Adventure Camp: Bike n’ Beach – Ages 11-16
• Basketball Camp with Collin – Ages 11-14
• Basketball Camp with Tessa – Ages 6-7
• Beginner Outrigger Canoe – Adult
• Bootcamp in the Park with Boo Boo – Adult
• CPR Certification – Adult
• Enchanted Engineering with LEGO Materials – Ages 5-8
• First Aid – Adult
• Friday Harbor 8.8K – All Ages
• International Soccer: Half Day Development Camp – Ages 6-15
• International Soccer: Mini Soccer – Ages 3-6
• Jump Rope Camp – Ages 7-12
• Sailing: Intermediate – Ages 10+
• Sailing: Double Handed Sailing in High Performance Boats – Ages 11+
• Strong & Fit Senior Fitness with Boo Boo
• Swimming: Intermediate – Ages 7+

If you’d like to participate you can register online at the Island Rec website.

Spring Street International School sends along unfortunate news about tonight’s final performance of the school’s production of Bound for Glory.

Spring Street International School’s production Bound for Glory had an asymptomatic cast member test positive on Thursday for COVID, after performing in the Wednesday matinee and Wednesday evening performance at San Juan Community Theatre.

All cast members have been tested, and at this point in time there are no other positive cases. However, out of an abundance of caution, the final performance scheduled for tonight has been canceled.

We encourage people in our community that attended our Wednesday shows to monitor yourself for any symptoms.

Thank you for your generous support of our students, and all of their work that went into this production.

• Spring Street International School’s annual middle school history play, Bound for Glory, is an original musical comic-drama that’s showing for the last time at 7 p.m. tonight at the San Juan Community Theatre. It’s pay-what-you-can at the door.
• Madrone Cellars & Cider is hosting a bakery pop-up with Leaven Bakery this Sunday. There will be croissants, breads, and pastries. It runs from 1 p.m. until they run out.
• There’s a kids triathlon next Saturday at Lakedale for ages seven through 16. It’s a 50-yard swim, half-mile bike ride, and quarter-mile run. On-site registration opens at 9 a.m. and the event starts at 10 a.m. You can also pre-register at San Juan Island Fitness. It’s $40 per child.
• Also next Saturday, Families and Neighbors Support Island Rec are hosting magic shows every half hour between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at the Fairgrounds. They’ll have popcorn, cotton candy, sno-cones, and $1 raffle prizes.
• Now through June 22, Little Fawn Nature Group is registering children ages six months through three years for their two summer sessions. It’s an intentional guided experience for toddlers and their parents with a local fully trained Waldorf teacher.
• The Family Resource Center seeks volunteers for its Island Neighbors program, which matches volunteers with neighbors who need help with household tasks like vacuuming, lawn mowing, and grocery shopping — or just a companion. Contact Mary Uri at 360-378-5246 for more information.

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The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau is asking people who operate non-traditional visitor lodging through services such as AirBNB and VRBO for their help in distributing the San Juan Islands Stewardship Guide to tourists visiting the islands this year.

The guide aims to encourage visitors to act as good stewards, highlighting the importance of water conservation, following Leave No Trace principles, maintaining peace and tranquility, engaging in marine stewardship, and protecting island wildlife.

Islanders who operate non-traditional lodging, or know someone else who does, are asked to contact Amy Nesler, Communications & Stewardship Manager with the Visitors Bureau to request their copy of the guide.

The Town of Friday Harbor shares an update about the status of the downtown traffic re-route and the pruning of the Dutch elm trees at the foot of Spring Street.

Urban Tree Services/Bartlett Consulting from Mt. Vernon came to the island to assess our trees yesterday. We don’t know the prognosis yet; they will be returning with a third person who is an expert in very old trees.

Photos from the 1930s show the elms pruned incorrectly, resulting over time in the large lateral limbs that are problematic today. We were given direction to further alleviate excess weight in the tree that lost the limb and to remove dead and dying limbs in the tree nearest the ice cream shop. That work will be done on Monday, June 13 by Town staff.

Please avoid driving through the area on Monday, if you can. We will be directing traffic, but it’s tight down there and our lift will have to be in the street.

The limb removal work has delayed the return to normal pre-fire traffic routing. We will let you know when that can resume.

• San Juan County’s Public Works Department will be chip-sealing several roads on San Juan Island next week, weather permitting — Jackson Beach Road, Shorett Drive, Forrest Drive, and Eagle Cove Road.
• The two displaced Ukrainian university students who had been seeking immigration sponsorship last week have since been connected with a host family here on the island and have started the application process — but there may be additional need for other students in the days and weeks ahead. If you are interested in helping, contact Tiffany Tillman by email or at 503-780-0187.
• The Friday Harbor 14U softball team is fundraising for their upcoming USSSA C State Tournament in Olympia. Stop by the Wells Fargo parking lot this Sunday, June 12 between noon and 3 p.m. for the team’s bake sale and car wash.
• Families and Neighbors Support Island Rec (FANS) are just over halfway to their $10,000 fundraising goal. You can make a donation online.
• The Port of Friday Harbor’s Rock & Roll Regatta is just over two weeks away.
• Here are this week’s specials at Market Place and Kings.

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San Juan County sends along news about funds available to nonprofits and government entities working on historical projects.

The San Juan County Council has discretionary funds, generated by recording fees, intended to promote historical preservation or historical programs. The Council is currently seeking proposals for projects to award 2022 funds.

Projects may include the acquisition or preservation of locally historic buildings and artifacts, developing and presenting locally historical programs or events, or performing research into local history. Applicants must be nonprofit or governmental entities that perform educational, interpretive, or preservative activities to promote or preserve the County’s local history. Applicants must demonstrate a preservation need and funds are available for specific projects only. 

Projects will be selected based on the best presentation of need, benefit and merit to San Juan County residents and visitors.

Contact Clerk to the Council Ingrid Gabriel at 360-370-7472 or [email protected] for further information or to apply. Applications must be completed in full and mailed or delivered to the San Juan County Council offices by 5 p.m. on Friday, July 15.

WSU San Juan County Extension is looking for a Program Coordinator for its 4-H Youth Development Program. Learn more in the Island Jobs section of the San Juan Update.

• The count of actively monitored COVID cases is down to 12 on San Juan Island.
• There’s a multi-family yard sale of housewares, antiques, and decor taking place in the Foxhall neighborhood on Kelsando Circle on Saturday, June 25 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Friday Harbor Elementary School will be setting its lost-and-found items out in front of the school today to try and reunite them with their owners. They’ll do it again next Thursday, June 16, and everything left after that will be donated.
• Volunteers from the Master Gardener Foundation of San Juan County are available to help diagnose your plant problems. Visit their website to learn more.
• Van Go’s Pizza re-opens today after a short break.
• The San Juan Island Childcare Cooperative has hired Julie Hodges as its new Lead Early Childhood Teacher. Once she gets up to speed, the Family Resource Center will be providing more information about registration for new families.

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Merri Ann Simonson sends along an update about the current state of the San Juan Island real estate market. Although the total number of sales over the past four months are lower compared to the four months prior, properties are still selling quickly and often above asking price.

The San Juan County Economic Development Council shares news about their newest employees.

The EDC of San Juan County is pleased to announce that Marti McConnell and Jillian Urbach have joined their staff as Trades Training Coordinator and Tech Training Coordinator.

Ms. McConnell joins the EDC as the new Trades Training Coordinator. A full-time islander since 2017, Marti is a small-business owner, kayaker, naturalist, and camping enthusiast.

She has extensive experience both as a building designer and an instructor, along with a passion to inspire and empower people and a desire to contribute positively to the San Juan County community and the people who call it home.

Jillian Urbach joins the EDC as the new Tech Training Coordinator. A long-time islander, Jillian recently completed her Bachelor of Science from Trinity Western University in British Columbia.

She brings energy and strong technological skills to the role and looks forward to the opportunity to serve our island community, helping to connect job seekers and business owners to the skills they need to succeed in a technology-driven world.