EMS sends along details about their newest hire, T.J. Bishop.

San Juan Island EMS would like to officially welcome our new Assistant Chief of Training and Operations, T.J. Bishop. We feel lucky to have Chief Bishop.

In his military career he was an infantry squad leader and served in the Special Forces and the Old Guard. He was also an Special Forces Medical Sergeant and Chief Instructor in the U.S. Army Reserve.

In his civilian life, Chief Bishop has been a paramedic-firefighter since 1997. He has served as a Division Chief of EMS, as the Course Director of American Heart Association Training, a Medical Services Officer, Tactical Paramedic with SWAT, Advanced Life Support Training Coordinator, and Assistant Fire Chief of EMS and Safety. He’s worked in hospital districts, fire districts, and military units.

“Each of our top three candidates were put through a full day of rigorous testing,” said EMS Administrator and Hospital District Superintendent Nathan Butler. “T.J.’s testing day fell on the day of the Spring Street Fire; we had been up all night. He took the events in stride with professionalism and patience. From the moment he started his major trauma scenario, I realized we were probably going to hire him. I am so grateful he accepted.”

Please give a warm welcome to T.J. Bishop and his family, who will be moving from Long Beach, Washington.

San Juan Island National Historical Park shares news about upcoming programming created in partnership with the San Juan Island Library.

San Juan Island National Historical Park and the San Juan Island Public Library are pleased to announce the return of our popular collaborative Nature Matters 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 15 programs, dealing with topics as diverse as The Secret Life of Trees and Echoes of the Opium War, allowing interested people to gain specialized knowledge about topics related to park history, culture, ecosystems, and wildlife. These library programs are part of our commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the peaceful resolution of the San Juan Island Boundary Dispute. Future events include the opening of our new American Camp Visitor Center in July and the Encampment Living History Weekend in August.

The first Nature Matters program of 2022 will be on Wednesday, June 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. The program focuses on Exploring Dirt, Soil, and What Makes it so Important. Visitors will learn answers to questions like, What is dirt? Is it the same as soil? How does dirt or soil work, and what role does it play in the circle of life? Join us as we dish some dirt on our local soils, their statuses, and why understanding dirt holds the master key to life on planet earth.

The series will run for the next four months on a monthly basis and will be available online at the library website after it airs. If you are interested, email [email protected] to participate. We greatly appreciate the warm reception these programs have had and look forward to extensive future collaborations between our national park and the library.

Gayle Rollins, Mullis Center Lead Cook – Ian Cassinos, Food Service Manager – Nancy Geist, Mullis Center Assistant Cook — Contributed photo

Last month, the Mullis Center cautiously tip-toed into restarting the onsite community lunch program. With COVID cases remaining high and with guidance from the health department and our recent community survey, the Mullis Center is experimenting with a new, less formal, more open, and adaptable lunch program.

The community we serve is rightfully cautious when it comes to COVID, so with that in mind we have opened up the program for greater social distancing and with a few new health and safety protocols.

In a more casual come-and-go setting, lunch will be served between noon and 1 p.m. The dining room will be open at 11:45 a.m. but we encourage you to come at different times up until 1 p.m. to be served. We ask that you limit the number of people at your table to five or six. Weather permitting, there will be outdoor seating on the patio.

Look forward to more local produce. In response to the recent survey, we plan to incorporate more food from local farms. Salads and desserts are now individually plated.

If you wish, you may get your lunch to-go. Please call 360-378-2677 by 9:30 a.m. on lunch days to let staff know you would like a takeout lunch. Takeout lunch pick-up time is usually between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m.

Don’t forget to check in. Meals served must be recorded for funding purposes. Meals are provided for a suggested donation of $5, or whatever is affordable, for folks over 60 and for their spouses/partners, unpaid caregivers, and disabled dependents. For youngsters under 60, the cost is $8.50, cash or checks accepted.

Masks are not mandated and of course we take them off to eat. Still, it is a good idea to consider wearing one when not eating until COVID cases decrease in our community. You can find more information including a masking update by checking out the Mullis Center website. The monthly lunch menu is posted on the website and on the Mullis Center Facebook page. You can also subscribe to the monthly Senior Signal newsletter and/or weekly e-updates by contacting us at 360-378-2677 or [email protected].

We look forward to seeing you at lunch!

• Friday Harbor High School seniors take on the high school staff in a kickball game at Linde Park this evening at 5 p.m. There will also be a barbecue with hamburgers and hot dogs, and any profits go toward grad night. At 4:30 p.m. there will be a home run derby on the baseball diamond, with the men and women’s winners each taking home a $100 gift card from IPS.
• Island Rec’s Camp Eagle Rock still needs four summer camp counselors, otherwise they’ll have to reduce the number of kids who can take part in this year’s program. If you know someone who can help, send them to Island Rec for more details.
• Local reports of boaters traveling too close to Southern Resident Killer Whales on the west side of the island resulted in fines being leveled by NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement.
• The Toy Box has new summer hours — 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday and Monday.
• Climb San Juan’s first birthday is this Friday. To celebrate they’ll be offering $5 day passes, $1 rental gear, and discounted memberships.
• Friday Harbor Atelier will be holding an open house this Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.
• Here are the weekly specials at Market Place and Kings.

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

Contributed photo

The San Juan Island Trails Committee and Friday Harbor Film Festival share their perspective on the family events they hosted this past Sunday.

Last Sunday at 11 a.m., 32 people met in the parking area at the intersection of Roche Harbor and West Valley roads. Led by two high school girls — Lucy and Ava Martin — along with sixth grader Milo Martin, the happy group headed up to the Roche Harbor Highlands, then to Briggs Lake before spreading out on Picnic Rock.

As the families settled in for lunch, the lake was shimmering, with bald eagles announcing their presence. Elexis Fredy, National Historic Park Superintendent, explained her role in taking care of our National Parks. Everyone listened carefully, as our parks are well loved here. We were lucky the Fredy women — Elexis, Annabelle and Emilie — came, as it was Emilie Fredy’s eighth birthday. A round of Happy Birthday ended the happy affair.

Newly elected Mark Noyes of the Trails Committee decided on the spot this was to become a yearly event before graduation ceremonies in June.

As the Martins set a brisk pace around the rest of the lake, everyone was excited to meet back at the Grange at 4 p.m. for the screening of three great films. The films were donated by the Friday Harbor Film Festival, along with projectionist Malcom Suttles, who gave his time for everyone.

It was a great island family day!

The San Juan County Fire Marshal sends along an update about burn permits.

Residential and commercial burning closed for the season effective June 1. Permits will become available again in October.

Recreational campfires remain open at this time and include attended fires consisting of clean, dry firewood in an approved fire pit up to three feet in diameter surrounded by at least three feet diameter of bare soil, gravel, or other non-flammable material. Recreational fires should be located a safe distance from structures and have a charged hose or 5-gallon bucket of water nearby to assist with extinguishing. Be sure your recreational campfires are dead out by saturating with water before leaving unattended.

For more information on burning in San Juan County, visit the Fire Marshal’s website.

• Island Air Ambulance will have a space at this weekend’s farmers market to share CPR awareness in recognition of CPR Awareness Week. Island Air’s flight crew — consisting of board-certified paramedics and nurses — will be available to demonstrate and answer any questions for free.
• Friday Harbor Film Festival’s next offering in their Director Series is Alaska’s Great Race, which offers an inside look at Susan Butcher’s quest to win the Iditarod dog sled race. The film will be available on demand from June 3 through June 15.
• The San Juan Island Garden Club’s next meeting is Tuesday, June 7 at 1 p.m. at the picnic shelter at Jackson Beach.
• San Juan Community Theatre has extended its run of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella through Sunday. That means 7:30 p.m. performances on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday — plus Sunday at 2 p.m. Thursday’s show is pay-what-you-can and Sunday’s show is the socially distanced matinee.
• Everelse is hosting two shows at the end of the week. Friday it’s John Bellows and Younger Shoulder, while Saturday it’s Tommy Dale and the Dangerfields. Both shows start at 6 p.m.
• Van Go’s Pizza is closed for a few days. They’ll be back at it on Friday.
• Registration for Friday Harbor FC’s fall youth soccer programs is open through July 10.

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

Photo credit — Brad Pillow

Learn more about Brad’s perspective on the foxes of San Juan Island, including his role as a member of the volunteer Fox Brigade at American Camp.

The most-read stories on the San Juan Update in May included the County’s allocation of $2 million in funding for affordable housing projects, the County Council’s approval of a vacation rental permit cap, and a profile of newborn lambs in sweaters.

We also published original stories about U.S. Representative Rick Larsen’s visit to Friday Harbor, the County Council’s discussion of a potential permanent increase to the road levy, the Land Bank’s forthcoming Cady Mountain property purchase, and the approval of additional behavioral health funding for the San Juan Island School District.

If you haven’t already read these stories, check them out now.

You can support the San Juan Update by doing business with our loyal advertisers, and by making a one-time contribution or a recurring donation.

San Juan Island Childcare Cooperative program participants — Contributed photo

Raising an infant or toddler is challenging for any family trying to balance the demands of work life and home life. But take away nearly half of a community’s childcare capacity in the span of only a few years and all of a sudden achieving that balance can feel impossible.

The numbers are staggering – and stacked against San Juan Island’s young working-class families. In a community that requires childcare for 50 or more toddlers annually, San Juan Island has the capacity for just seven, according to a 2021 community needs assessment created by the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center. For infants, the situation is even worse; the island has had virtually no professional infant care for years.

“In the past few years, our local professional childcare capacity – childcare centers, preschools – has decreased by 40 percent,” explains Jennifer Armstrong, the Family Resource Center’s director. “And even before capacity started to shrink, childcare for infants and toddlers was a huge need.”

With no public or private options available to fill those gaps, the Family Resource Center, Skagit Valley College, and a small group of island parents have come together to create a nonprofit pilot program that they hope will create a sustainable path forward for childcare in the San Juan community. Continue Reading

• Friday Harbor High School’s Lily Rock took home eighth place in the 3200 meters at the 2B track & field state championships in Cheney on Saturday.
• Crows Nest is open for business again, located in the narrow space between Be Chic Boutique and Friday Harbor Trading Post on Spring Street.
• Demolition is complete at the site of the April 7 arson on Spring Street. Here’s a time-lapse video of the cleanup. Both lanes of traffic and all parking on Spring Street are now open.
• Zumba classes at Studio JAMM start on June 20.
• The library has cancelled this week’s Tech Tuesday event due to COVID concerns. They hope to resume the program some time in June.
• On Wednesday at 7 p.m. the library will host a virtual event titled Ukraine’s History with Russia: It’s Complicated. Islander Necia Quast, retired Foreign Service Officer, will discuss Ukrainian history with a focus on the country’s relationship with Russia to help put the current events taking place in that part of the world in context. Email Sarah Benson to register.
• Picnik is now open Thursday through Monday from 2 to 8 p.m.

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

The San Juan Island Library is looking for two part-time Public Service Associates — one to work 10 hours per week, the other to work 15 hours per week. Learn more in the Island Jobs section of the San Juan Update.

The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management reports 34 active COVID cases on San Juan Island as of Friday, down sharply from the 82 cases reported on the County’s COVID dashboard at the same time last week. Orcas Island has 20 active cases, up from 18 last week. Lopez Island has just two active cases, down from 10 last week.

“These numbers do not include suspect cases (e.g., positive over-the-counter tests),” the County noted in their media release. “Even though suspect cases are not reportable by State guidelines, they do provide a more complete picture of infection rates in our County. There are almost as many suspect cases that we know about this week as confirmed or probable cases.”

The County also stated that they are continuing to monitor several outbreaks within the islands — and they urged islanders to adjust their actions accordingly. “Even though case counts decreased slightly this week, please remain cautious when thinking about interacting with anyone outside your household.”

A handful of appointments remain available for the May 31 vaccination clinic on San Juan Island for children ages five to 11. The County is also holding a vaccination clinic on June 7 for people age 50 and older and certain immunocompromised individuals 18 and older.

• Friday Harbor High School’s Luke Fincher is one of two winners of the San Juan Preservation Trust’s Climate Leadership Scholarship for 2022.
• Here’s the lineup for today’s farmers market.
• The San Juan Islands Museum of Art is holding its inaugural appraisal event from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. today.
• Desolation Sound is performing from 6 to 8 p.m. this evening at San Juan Vineyard.
• The San Juan Island Trails Committee’s family picnic walk and film party takes place tomorrow, starting at 11 a.m. from the triangle parking area at the junction of Roche Harbor and West Valley Roads
• Paellas San Juan is having a pop-up at San Juan Brewing Co. on Sunday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., or until they run out of paella.
• Turn Point Mosaic IPA is back on draft again at San Juan Brewing Co.

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