Just found out that Lee Taylor is moving on. Here it is in her own words…

Hi all,

As you may already have heard through the quick and reliable grape vine, I have been selected to serve as the Deputy Superintendent of Olympic National Park and will be ending my term as superintendent here September 19th. Jerald Weaver will then serve as Acting Superintendent for a period of 120 days until the position is filled. I am confident that Jerald has the knowledge of park issues, relationships with partners, communication skills and energy to lead the park through this transition. My focus over the next two months will be preparing the park for a smooth transition to new leadership while continuing the important day to day work of seeing the park through the busy summer season and year end budget process.

I have long dreamed of working at Olympic National Park with its spectacular mountains, coastline, old-growth forests, and glaciers. When I saw the announcement for the Deputy Superintendent position it was an opportunity I had to seize. But I have mixed emotions about leaving this island and park, which I have also come to love. It is a gem of a place, in terms of the resources, staff and community. I will miss it, and plan to return here one day to live.

Lee Taylor
Superintendent
San Juan Island National Historical Park

Diver Ken Woodside frees live crab from a derelict fishing net removed from Alden Bank in May 2015. This was one of more than 550 nets removed this year, and among more than 5,600 derelict fishing nets removed throughout Puget Sound since 2002. Photo by Northwest Straits Foundation

Members of the Northwest Straits Initiative, Senator Patty Murray, State Representative Norma Smith, and special guests invite you commemorate a milestone in Puget Sound recovery by celebrating the culmination of removal of shallow water derelict fishing nets from Puget Sound at an event at 11:00 am on Thursday, August 13, 2015 at the Port of Everett’s Boxcar Park (*directions to park, below), 615 13th Street, Everett. The event is free and open to all community members.

The August 13 celebration will honor the many public and private partners and funders who believed in the vision of a derelict net-free Puget Sound. Through partnerships and perseverance, the Northwest Straits Initiative has removed over 5,600 derelict fishing nets from Puget Sound’s shallow subtidal waters, permanently restoring over 800 acres of marine habitat and saving thousands of marine animals from entanglement every year.

“Over a decade ago, we established a goal to eliminate harm from derelict fishing gear in Puget Sound,” said Joan Drinkwin, Interim Director of the Northwest Straits Foundation. “This work culminates a huge milestone toward achieving that goal. Removing these nets restores marine habitat forever. Marine mammals like porpoises, diving birds, and fish can now swim and dive in Puget Sound without the risk of being entangled in these dangerous derelict nets.”

The event will also honor the vision shown by leaders who created the Northwest Straits Initiative, a nationally recognized model for marine conservation. Creating the Northwest Straits Initiative was a bold step, relying on the citizens of Puget Sound to steer a course to marine conservation. The Northwest Straits Initiative took on the problem of derelict fishing gear removal in Puget Sound and has been responsible for its success. This accomplishment and milestone in Puget Sound recovery reflects the power of collaborative conservation which was the vision of the Murray-Metcalf Commission and the inspiration behind the Northwest Straits Initiative. We are grateful Senator Patty Murray and Norma Metcalf, widow of Representative Jack Metcalf, are joining us for the celebration. Continue Reading

ATTENTION! The Doctor has arrived on the island and all havoc breaks loose! Part one of our two part Doctor Who movie workshop is here! We are making a short Doctor Who movie and we could use your help. If you are interested in acting, directing, or editing this two day event is for you. Part one will be us finalizing the script, making scenery, planning location filming and casting actors. Part two will be the actual filming and editing. Come by and help us get the Doctor home!

This is appropriate for students who’ve just completed grades 6 through 12.

Light snacks will be provided by Friends of the San Juan Island Library. No prior registration is required.

Thursday July 23, 2015, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Here’s a note from County Auditor  F. Milene Henley about this year’s primary election…

Voters hate white space on a ballot. Every time a short ballot goes out, we receive calls complaining about our spending money on an election for one race. Sadly, sometimes that’s just the way it is.

Take this year’s Primary ballot, for example. Of the many special-purpose district positions which were open this year, only one position had more than two people file for it. That position is Commissioner Position #2 with the Public Hospital District on San Juan Island.

The three candidates for that position are Barbara Sharp, Daniel Miller and Michelle Loftus. Each voter within the Hospital District has the opportunity to vote for one of the three candidates. The top two vote-getters will go on to the General Election in November. In the November election, this position, as well as two other open positions within the Hospital District (and many other open positions in other jurisdictions), will be on the ballot. There will be only two candidates in each race, and each race will have a single winner (barring the unlikely outcome of a tie).

But why, you might ask, go to the cost of a holding a Primary for one race? Why not just put all three candidates on the November ballot? Continue Reading

Contributed photo

It’s already happening here this week…

Superpod is an annual gathering on San Juan Island that is open to the public and attended by an international group of scientists, filmmakers, authors, journalists, former trainers, naturalists, orca advocates and other people who want to see killer whales in their natural home.

The gathering is a combination of socializing, whale watching, learning, and sharing ideas & actions to help protect orcas in their natural habitat and bring an end to cetacean captivity. Click here to view the schedule (PDF).

The concrete at Sunken Park – Tim Dustrude photo

Town of Friday Harbor seeks artists’ proposals for Sunken Park

The Town of Friday Harbor is accepting proposals for what will become the first public art project for the Friday Harbor Arts Commission (FHAC). The artwork is to be displayed on or against a concrete wall in Sunken Park. Proposals will be accepted until September 4, 2015. All proposals will be considered with preference going to those from local artists. The FHAC will review and select one or more proposals to recommend to the Town Council. The Council will determine the final selection.

The FHAC was formed earlier this year to advise the Council on the cultivation, selection, acquisition and placement of public art. Eight residents, including one student, were appointed by the Mayor to represent the interests of the Town, the community and local artists.

According to FHAC Chairperson and Councilmember Noel Monin, the Sunken Park art selection process will include forming a sub-committee of Commissioners and community representatives who will review the submissions and present up to three proposals to the public for review. The public will be invited to view the selected proposals at a public forum. “Public input is critical to the FHAC’s process,” said Commissioner Debbie Pigman. She explained that the FHAC wants to hear from all interested citizens and, in particular, those who live in that neighborhood or use the park on a regular basis. “The Commission wants this to be an exciting and memorable process for the community,” said Pigman.

The site was selected by the Mayor and Town Council as part of the Sunken Park renovation that has included new landscaping, playground equipment, fencing and boardwalk, and refurbished benches and basketball court. More improvements are planned in addition to the art piece.

Interested parties should review the Request for Proposal (RFP) for the Sunken Park Art Project at the Town of Friday Harbor website.

Ivan the Terrible at SJCT – Contributed photo

A 20th-century classic showcases the next Bolshoi Ballet Only in Cinemas presentation at San Juan Community Theatre this Friday, July 24 at 7:00 pm.

Drawing on the music composed by Prokofiev for the 1944 Eisenstein film, Ivan the Terrible, is a work in the true Bolshoi style. Yuri Grigorovich’s powerful and fascinating epic dramatizes Ivan the Terrible’s controversial reign, and portrays events in 16th-century Russia in visually stunning scenes. His choreography, full of vigor, strength and wild jumps, also includes great grace and fragility in the female roles.

Sensitive classical and powerful character dance blend to create a lyrical epic, rich in the colors of medieval Russia.

Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for SJCT members and $10 for student reserved. The SJCT box office (378-3210) is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.   Tickets are also available online at www.sjctheatre.org

Know Your Island Walk, Saturday, July 25th – Contributed photo

Meet Mike Buettell, volunteer trail builder and mountain climber extraordinaire, to walk “new trails” in the Roche Harbor system. Explore Tim’s Trail to the new Polywog Pong, the Bent Cedar Trail and Sophie’s Romp. Meet and park at the intersection of Roche Harbor and West Valley Roads.

• Distance: 3-1/2 miles
• Rating: Moderate on gentle trails with 200′ elevation gain
• Dogs: on leashes okay
• Information: info [@] sanjuanislandtrails [.] org

Saturday, July 25th, 1:00 to 4:00 pm

Louie the dog does his “Invertebrate” impression – Patricia Bolding photo

Here’s a note from Diane Martindale about the ongoing Liminal Currents exhibit at IMA…

Today, another 60 “wishes” were hung in the exhibition. If you saw the exhibit early on, visit again as the blessings, prayers and wishes create a whole new dimension.  Also, 300 more papers went onto the tables for visitors to use—we ran out!   So far we have set out 1673 papers. Steve Bowman was kind enough to vacuum and work from the tallest ladder. Thank you from one with acrophobia.

Louie does Yoga and Meditation – Patricia Bolding photo

Last week (Thursday-Monday) we had 424 visitors, bringing the number for this exhibition to 2499 since it opened.  The majority were from out of town. Wow. For those of you who cut ribbon and paper, hauled cedar limbs and stripped branches,  folded programs, and set up the lights and music each morning—doesn’t this feel good?

We have two more photos, courtesy of quick-thinking and camera-trigger-fingered Patricia Bolding. First, Louie impersonates an invertebrate. (I stole Patricia’s line.)  In the second, he practices yoga and meditation with his owners. (In reality, dogs are not allowed in the museum, but we made this one allowance as Louie is small and never woke up during his whole visit.)

Please enjoy this as much as I do –
Diane

Storm Drain Event!

Lindsay Carron, an artist & muralist, will be in town this week. Along with Josh Peters, an outfitter in Alaska, she is giving us a great gift. Later this summer, permit pending, she will paint a gianormous mural on the side wall of The Whale Museum – it will depict orcas chasing Chinook following forage fish through a kelp forest! We are so excited about this – and very appreciative of this unique opportunity.

This week, Lindsay is coming to get to know us and Friday Harbor – and we will get to know her. She will be creating a special painting which we hope will lead to a larger project: Storm Drains. This is an example of the mural she will paint on the Storm Drain in front of The Whale Museum.

The purpose of the Storm Drain art is to remind all of us that what goes down the drain ends up in the marine environment – a great opportunity to visualize the need for stewardship!

Painting should take place on Wednesday. Prior to that, we invite you to join us to Meet the Muralist: Lindsay Carron on Tuesday, July 21st, 3:30 to 5 pm at The Whale Museum.

Encampment 2014 included Shirley Williams of the Lummi Nation in period dress – Contributed photo

Re-enactors from throughout the Pacific Northwest and Canada will once again celebrate peace as they gather for the 17th Annual Encampment scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, July 25-26 on the English Camp parade ground.

The weekend includes recreations of mid-19th century Royal Marine Light Infantry and U.S. Army camp life, demonstrations of music, blacksmithing, spinning and weaving, sewing, cooperage and carpentry, along with the pageantry of period uniforms in scarlet and blue. Black powder rifled musket demonstrations and the firing of howitzer also are planned both days.

Saturday (July 25) activities will include a ceremony honoring longtime park volunteer Jim Meredith, who passed away last December. Meredith could be found most summer weekends at English Camp, proudly wearing his red-and-blue woolen British uniform and explaining what it would have been like to be a Royal Marine on San Juan Island during the joint military occupation, 1860-1872. He was honored in 2013 as “Volunteer of the Century” by the park, and in 1998 was made an honorary Royal Marine by Royal Marine headquarters in England.

The Candlelight Ball features dancers in period dress, but everyone is welcome – Contributed photo

As always, Saturday will conclude with the Candlelight Ball, scheduled at 7:30 p.m., in the English Camp barracks. The public is invited to join in the dancing and refreshments that will include the traditional cake and punch. Music for contra dancing will be provided by the Pig War Band. Continue Reading

Just got this note from Kira on the Fair Board about a fun new event at this year’s Fair, and how businesses can promote themselves. Here’s Kira with the story..

Hi there.

As a proud Fair Board member, I would like to invite the business owners of our community to perform their own live commercials this year at the fair, during the commercial breaks for our fabulous game show, “FAIR FEUD!!” modeled after the famous TV program.

It will be an exciting fair for many reasons this year, including the opportunity to watch Ace Hardware and Islanders Bank battle it out on the main stage. We are thrilled to have Bob Jarman as our fabulous master of ceremonies. And… for only $50, a business can act out a 30-second LIVE commercial during the breaks between rounds.

100 lucky fairgoers will be able to participate in the survey that provides the answers to the exciting questions used during the show. FAIR FEUD will happen on the main stage, on Friday night, August 14 from 6-7pm.

Interested in this chance to promote your business in a unique and fun way? Contact Kira Sable at 317-5021, or the fair office at 378-4310. See you at the Fair!!

Small canvasses will be available starting this Friday, July 17 at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (IMA) from 11-6 (regular hours are Thursday-Monday). Create an art piece for the raffle booth. If you haven’t participated before, here are the details:

You create a piece and it joins others in the IMA booth in the main building at the San Juan County Fairgrounds in Friday Harbor. People buy as many raffle tickets as they want and put the stubs in the basket under the piece(s) of art that they want to win. Hella will have the schedule for the actual drawing of winners—mostly on Saturday night. Winners do not have to be present to win.

EVERYBODY is happy – The winners, the Fair visitors who learn about IMA, the art, and you! And you because you donated to a good cause. The funds go to art education for adults and children, and scholarships.

Drop your completed canvas at IMA anytime. We are open until August 10. Or, on Tuesday, Aug. 11 bring it to the Fairgrounds in the main building. Look for Hella and the IMA booth.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION!

Questions? Call Hella at 370-5050

Spineless: Portraits of Marine Invertebrates, the Backbone of Life Author Talk & Book Signing on July 24 – Susan Middleton photo

Come to The Whale Museum on Friday, July 24, at 6:30 p.m. for an Author Talk & Book Signing with Susan Middleton, author of the newly released book Spineless: Portraits of Marine Invertebrates, the Backbone of Life.

In her new book and exhibition at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art, photographer Susan Middleton offers us a rare glimpse into the mysterious and beguiling world of marine invertebrates. A unique blend of art and science, this special presentation will reveal the spectacular diversity and astonishing beauty of this less celebrated realm of life upon which all other life depends.

Susan will introduce us to animals most of us never knew existed. They are marine invertebrates, creatures lacking a backbone that comprise over 98% of marine animals. Those spineless creatures that live in the marine environment of the San Juan Islands will be emphasized. Witness the elegant natural design, fragility, and resiliency of the marine invertebrate realm while Susan shares anecdotes about her field work and the process of making her stunning images, highlighting the essential role of marine invertebrates in the web of life. A book signing will follow the presentation. Continue Reading

Five Days of Island Willow Weaving with Judy Zugish, August 3 – 7 in three sessions: choose one, two or all three!

Immerse your fingers, heads and hearts in locally grown willow barks in a series of workshops with Judy Zugish that leads you gently through basket to wearable hat to sculpted art.

Judy will share her willow growing, harvesting, and prep tips while you engage with this lovely renewable material.

Imagine the fun of making your own willow hat to wear to festival days and the joy of sculpting with soft fibers and twinkling copper strips. A chance to work with materials and concepts intensively grows your confidence and ignites your creativity.

Five days of island weaving, ahhhhh! Three sessions: take one, two or all three. (Descriptions below.)

Session 1 (August 3): Tsumugi Reflections Continue Reading

Miss Kitty and Scooter are this week’s Pets of the Week – Contributed photos

Hi there. That’s me, “Miss Kitty” on the left with my brother, “Scooter” there on the right. We’ve lived together our entire lives, even when our owner passed away almost a year ago and we were brought to the animal shelter. We’re not spring chickens, but we still have a lot of love to give and we’d very much like to stay together, because that’s just how we like things. We promise not to be a bother – we’d just like a nice quiet home of our own with someone to love. I personally think you’re clothing is going to look much better with a little orange cat fur on it…

Animal Protection Society of Friday harbor
111 Shelter Road
(360) 378-2158