Julie Hanks is the new Director of Development at SJCT – Contributed photo

San Juan Community Theatre’s new Director of Development is not so new to the Theatre itself.

Julie Hanks started out as a volunteer more than four years ago and then worked as Volunteer Coordinator/Front of House Manager until 2012. While she moved on to work at other nonprofits on the island, she continued her volunteer help at SJCT; and when the development job became available she jumped at the chance to return “home.”

“I really feel connected to this place,” said Hanks. “It makes me feel alive in a way nowhere else has.”

Hanks, who has an MBA and a degree in accounting, is excited about taking on her new position working with donors and fundraising, saying she has a “major passion” for nonprofits’ financial well-being. She also care a lot about her community, and serves as the Cancer Transportation Program coordinator for the island Soroptimists.

Mt. Finlayson and South Beach – Contributed photo

San Juan Islanders and visitors are invited to join with National Park Service staff and volunteers in a seasonal clean-up at American Camp’s South Beach scheduled 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Saturday, September 27.

The clean-up—meeting in the main parking area at the foot of Pickett’s lane is one of several events coinciding with the visit this week (September 25-28) of the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and its Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Trainers Team.

South Beach, once called the Salmon Bank Beach for the fishing grounds located immediately offshore, is the longest public beach in the San Juan Archipelago. It is also culturally significant, as it attracted some of the earliest human habitation on San Juan Island, and was key to the salmon canning industry in late 19th and early 20th century. It remains one of the most bountiful fishing grounds in the region. Continue Reading

DVSAS wants you to be aware of this upcoming community forum…

It is everyone’s issue. Men and women play a critical role in ending this epidemic.

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) presents:
A Community Forum and Interactive Learning Event

• Tuesday, September 30
• Brickworks
• 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Hors d’oeuvres, dessert and beverages will be served
A panel of experts will answer questions and discuss how domestic violence affects our community, our children, social services, medical, legal systems and more.

Through the interactive learning event you will learn ways to become an engaged bystander to make our community safer for all people.

Fire Danger Moves From “Moderate” To “Low”

With the arrival of Fall and the recent rain, the fuel moisture readings have been steadily increasing. They have now reached the point where the fire danger in San Juan County has been moved from “moderate” to “low”. That doesn’t mean that we no longer have to be careful with fire. But, conditions now make it more likely that any fire that occurs will be easier to manage.

Now is the time to be sure that your home’s heaters and fireplace are in good working order and ready for safe use as temperatures cool down.

With the reduction in the fire risk rating, residential and commercial burn permits will become available as of October 1st. State law does not allow open burning in Eastsound, Lopez Village and the Town of Friday Harbor. In all other areas of San Juan County, permits will be available from your local fire district and online at www.sjcfiremarshal.org. More information is available at www.dnr.wa.gov.

San Juan Nature Institute is celebrating 20 years of natural history education with a dinner and fundraiser at the Mullis Senior Center in Friday Harbor at 5:30 on Saturday, September 27th.

Chef Farhad is preparing salmon he caught in Haida Gwaii and our special cake is being prepared by Felicitations. The guest of honor is Billie Swalla, the new Director of UW Friday Harbor Labs and at least one of our four founding members will be present.

Tickets are $25 per person and may be purchased at the door, though we would like you to reserve your place by e-mail at:
science [@] sjnature [.] org or by calling 378-3646. Wine and soft drinks will be on sale and live and silent auctions will be held to support the institute’s education programs in 2015. This promises to be a fun evening with music by the local OPA band whose lively gypsy music will have toes tapping. Continue Reading

Larry Wight and Bud Bolin dropped in for some indoor sports – Contributed photo

Island Rec Drop-in programs are about to be in full swing once again, beginning the week of September 29th. The line up of fun for this fall starts with Badminton and Ping Pong Monday and Wednesday Nights, and Adult Basketball on Tuesdays & Thursdays.

All programs Ages 16 & up from 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Turnbull Gym. Island Rec will also have the pre-paid punch cards for $20 again this year, whether you go to multiple drop-ins or are a die-hard fan of just one, the punch card will allow you the ease of only needing to remember to bring yourself! Come out and Play!

For more information call 378-4953 or visit www.islandrec.org.

Richard Davenport has taken over the reins at Lavendera Day Spa – Tim Dustrude photo

Lavendera Day spa has a new owner, but he’s a familiar face over there. Richard Davenport came onboard working for Ciely back in June of 2013. However, now he has purchased the business and Ciely is working for him!

Richard is a lifelong Washington native. He graduated from the Northwest Academy of Healing Arts in Tacoma, Washington in 2009. He spent 20 months offering chair massage at SeaTac airport, seeing over 4,000 clients in that time. And he’s continuing that kind of service here too – “One of my favorite activities is doing chair massage at the farmers market, I rarely miss a Saturday,” he says.

A fresh coat of paint on the Lavendera building – Tim Dustrude photo

The “before” and “after” view of the side of the building – Richard Davenport photos

As new owner of Lavendera, he says he won’t be changing much – it’s all working pretty well as is. However, he has done some painting, both inside and out.

And he’s looking to bring in more products from local suppliers. This will be a win/win as it will help support our local economy as well as giving him quicker access to products when he needs a re-supply.

Lavendera is on Spring Street, right next to The Little Store (actually in the same building). Check out their website for more information. www.lavenderadayspa.com

We would like to introduce an exciting new event in October during Savor the San Juans! San Juan Island Cheese and Island Grown are proud to present the first annual “Bite of the San Juan Islands”.

We want to showcase the amazing quality of chefs and farmers/food/beverage producers on our islands. This tasting event will allow islanders and visitors a chance to taste and purchase these products. This will also be a great opportunity for all of us to sample island grown food and beverages.

“Bite of the San Juan Islands” is already being promoted by the San Juan Island Visitors Bureau, Island Grown, and San Juan Island Cheese.

It will be held on Sunday, October 26, from 1:00 to 4:00 pm at Brickworks in Friday Harbor.

We hope you will join us for this fun tasting event.

Thanks very much,
Richard and Sherri Daly
sjicheese.com

The fastest-selling production in London’s Young Vic Theatre’s history, Tennessee Williams’ timeless masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire, will be shown in HD at San Juan Community Theatre on Monday, September 29 at 7:00 p.m.

The National Theatre Live screening, recorded earlier this month, features Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The Fall) as Blanche DuBois, Ben Foster (Lone Survivor, Kill Your Darlings) as Stanley and Vanessa Kirby (BBC’s Great Expectations, Three Sisters at the Young Vic) as Stella.

As Blanche’s fragile world crumbles, she turns to her sister Stella for solace – but her downward spiral brings her face to face with the brutal, unforgiving Stanley Kowalski. Visionary director Benedict Andrews returns to the Young Vic following his Critics’ Circle Award-winning Three Sisters. Continue Reading

The Fish for Teeth Dental Van is returning to the Mullis Center on Friday, October 3rd and Saturday October 4th.  Fish For Teeth is sponsoring this clinic to provide dental care for anyone who is financially unable to afford it.  Applications can be downloaded from our website, fishforteeth.com, and dropped off at the San Juan County Health Department.  Applications can also be picked up at:

San Juan County Health Department
The Family Resource Center
The Mullis Center

Please understand that the kind folks receiving your application have nothing to do with scheduling; scheduling will be made according to severity and space the week prior to the clinic.

Last call… Calling San Juan County students ages 12 to 19 – The Young Filmmakers Project, Saturday November 8, 2014, is just seven weeks away, but there is still time to conceive, produce, and edit your 3-10 minute short film to enter in the festival.

Films selected for showing during the screening will receive a FREE three-day pass to all of the films of the Friday Harbor Film Festival!

Don’t have equipment? There is a special category for films shot using a cell phone. Don’t have editing software? Check out WeVideo.com or call the Friday Harbor Film Festival Office at 360-298-1939.

So get your producer-director hat on, call a couple friends and get busy. For submission deadline, application, guidelines and more information write to:
sandy [@] strehlou [.] com or call (360) 378-8337.

Cathy Cavanagh and her daughter Christine Uri – Contributed photo

Genie Williams in Cathy Cavanagh’s office sent over this note from the new partner. Cathy’s 65^th  birthday is this Saturday and it coincides with this year’s Relay for Life at the fairgrounds…

In the summer of 2013, I received a call from a colleague telling me about this accounting practice that was potentially coming on the market in a place called Friday Harbor. As a guy who grew up in a small town in Michigan and having spent most of my career in Phoenix, I immediately said “where is that exactly”?

I had been doing consulting in Seattle for several years and we had opened our office there in 2013, but Friday Harbor didn’t ring a bell. After being educated from a few folks on the San Juans, I reached out to Cathy Cavanagh, the CPA who owned this practice.

I remember exactly where I was the first time I spoke with Cathy and I remember learning about her cancer and her practice. What I remember most about that conversation was the remarkable personality and positivity Cathy exuded. Just diagnosed with cancer, having to try to find someone to jump in and help with her practice, and all of the normal stresses of running a business on top of it, I could hear the smile on her face through the laughter and her words. Continue Reading

Jimmy Moe as Ol’ Blue Eyes – Contributed photo

San Juan Island’s Jimmy Moe has a plan for his senior years and it starts with his tribute to the smooth sounds of Frank Sinatra and the great American songs of the ‘50s and ‘60s.

Moe brings his one-man show to San Juan Community Theatre’s Gubelman Theatre on Saturday, September 27 at 7:30 p.m.

A few years ago when Moe and his son were having fun with karaoke and found a Sinatra song, they realized Moe had a voice so much like “ol’ blue eyes” (and he has the blue eyes too), that it seemed only natural to start focusing on the music of Sinatra’s time. The concert is also honoring Moe’s parents who were both professional night club singers in the Snohomish area (The Johnny Moe Show).

Moe will replace his usual general contractor clothes (he’s worked on the island for 14 years now), don a suit and tie and sing favorites like Night and Day, Luck be a Lady and I’ve Got You Under My Skin. “I want to present songs in a way that are worthy of the writers, arrangers and orchestra of that day,” said Moe.

Moe plans to take a hiatus from his gigs with the One More Time Band once he goes solo and hopes to take The Jimmy Moe Show on tour. “It beats swinging a hammer,” he said. “I’m looking to be wearing a suit and singing well into my 80s.”

The Business Partner for the evening is Islanders Bank. All tickets are $15 each. The SJCT box office is open Tuesdays through Fridays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. or buy on-line at www.sjctheatre.org.

Just got this note in from Merri Ann over at Coldwell Banker…

Coldwell Banker welcomes Jeanne McFarland – Contributed photo

Coldwell Banker San Juan Islands, Inc. is proud to welcome Jeanne McFarland to our office.

We are very excited to have a new Broker with Jeanne’s qualifications, education and enthusiasm.

We believe her technology skills and accounting background plus her island history will enhance her real estate career.

Be sure to stop by our office and meet her or say hello.

The San Juan County Council is working on a draft resolution supporting a Leave No Trace (LNT) ethic in San Juan County. The resolution is a result of the local Terrestrial Managers Working Group, a coalition of conservation-oriented governmental and non-governmental land managers in San Juan County, reaching out to the National Leave No Trace Center in Boulder, CO for help with trainings to instill Leave No Trace principles in locals and visitors.

As a result the San Juan Islands were selected for help as one of eight endangered “Hot Spots” in the Nation. Although the “Hot Spots” program ordinarily focuses on natural places that have been recognized for their degradation due to popularity, the local group reached to out to Leave No Trace, Inc. in order to be proactive, to prevent the loss in the San Juan Islands that may follow from present practices.

In partnership with Agencies, NGOs, and individuals involved in land management, education and preservation in San Juan County such as: San Juan Islands National Monument, National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife, WA State Dept. of Fish & Wildlife, San Juan Preservation Trust, San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau, Kwiaht, San Juan County Marine Resources Committee, WA State Parks, and others, the center is sending out a Subaru/Leave No Trace Traveling Training Team and hosting events September 25-29 to help teach Leave No Trace principles and ethics, to support stewardship of the San Juan Islands. Continue Reading

Forrest Dick, WF2 – Sheila Harley photo

Forrest Dick is assigned to Eagle Crest Station 36 on Three Corner Lake Road. He is a Wildland Firefighter and is training to be a Tender (water transportation truck) Operator.

He came to the Island in Spring of 2005 from Olympia where he graduated from New Century High School and attended South Puget Sound Community College. Forrest started here working as a finish carpenter and worked his way up to being a general contractor and now owns a welding and machine shop and has heavy equipment.

He does excavation and landscaping installations. His business is called Forrest and Erin Enterprises. Forrest also specializes in fire wising and timber stewardship.

Forrest and his wife, Erin, have a son, Jason who is six years old and is home schooled. Continue Reading