Saturday, September 27 beginning at Dusk in the Sunken Park, it’s Newsies. Click the image above for more info.

Thea Seitz at work at Mt. Finlayson – Jerald Weaver photo

Meet Sarah Hanson, San Juan Island Conservation Corps leader and Program Manager, plus student participants, to walk and learn about their summer 2014 projects. Observe first hand what our youth do for our parks. Walk up Mt. Finlayson to see the work and hear about developments there.

Length is two miles round trip. Terrain is park trail. Rating is moderate with the hill up Mt. Finlayson included. Dogs on leashes okay. Rain or shine. More information at www.sanjuanislandtrails.org.

Saturday, Sept. 27, 1:00 – 4:00 pm.

(Note the change of plan for this month. On October 24th we will walk with the SJC Public Works Department, on September 27, we will walk from Jackle’s Lagoon parking lot up Mt. Finlayson with the Youth Conservation Corps.)

Mystic Spirit Shawl by Patti Barker – Kathy Ballard photos

Got this note in last week. What do you say we all click the link below and vote for Patti’s shawl in the contest?

Hello Tim,
My friend encouraged me to write you about this. You see, I’m a felt designer and I’m entering a contest to design a show stopping shawl for Stevie Nicks. I actually designed five shawls and got friends and family to vote on the one I should submit.

The contest ends Monday and then for seven days the public votes. First prize will be selected by Stevie herself, then second prize is determined by the shawl that receives the most votes. Voting doesn’t begin until Monday. I was wondering if there’s anyway to do a little story and encourage your readers to vote for a Friday Harbor resident?

Here’s the link for the voting.

Kind regards,
Patti Barker
www.pattibarker.com

Clyde is this week’s Pet of the Week – Contributed photo

This handsome young man is “Clyde” and we think he’s one of the nicest dogs we’ve ever had the pleasure of knowing! He’s only about 2-years old, but he’s very gentle and loves to cuddle as much as he loves to play in the yard. We believe Clyde is a Tree-Walking Coonhound.

He came to us from a shelter in Oregon who had taken him in as an emaciated stray. Here at our shelter we’ve found him to be loving, intelligent and very friendly to dogs and people alike.

His new family will need to make sure Clyde gets lots of exercise and stimulation to keep him from getting bored, but he’ll pay that back many times over in affection and loyalty. Stop by the shelter to meet this goofy, loveable boy we call, “Sheriff Clyde”.

Washington State Ferry M/V Klahowya entering Friday Harbor – Louise Dustrude photo

Just in case you’d like to share your opinions with the powers that be…

Dear SJ Update,

In a week, we will be sending you and 18,500 other members of the Ferry Riders Opinion Group (FROG) a link to a new survey that will cover issues related to WSF fares, taxes for funding improvements and summertime service performance.

The more people we hear from, the more impact your collective voice will have on decision making at the state level. We need to get as many people involved as possible and could use your help. If you know of any ferry riders, or people interested in ferry issues, who might want to participate in upcoming FROG surveys, please pass this along to them.

All they need to do to sign up for the FROG is to click on the link below:

http://www.ferryridersopiniongroup.com

We truly do appreciate you taking the time to share your views via the FROG surveys and also appreciate any help you can lend us in getting more folks to join the FROG community.

Thank you!

Sincerely,
Anne Haley, Chairman
Washington State Transportation Commission
http://wstc.wa.gov/

Steve Marler, San Juan Island Fire Rescue Chief, receives New Fire Engine – Sheila Harley photo

Steve Marler receives the first of six new fire engines from General Fire Apparatus on Friday morning, September 12, 2014.

The engines were built in Lyons, South Dakota by the Rosenbauer Corporation and sold through General Fire Apparatus of Spokane, Washington. General Fire has been distributing fire engines since 1957. The new engines will replace five fire engines which are nearly 30 years old and satisfy an insurance industry requirement that penalizes policy holders when a community’s fire engines are more than ten years old.

By retiring a bond debt ahead of schedule, the fire district was able to purchase the new fire engines without asking the voters to raise their fire tax. Two of the older engines will be located on Shaw Island to help improve their fire suppression capabilities and to provide a shared emergency reserve engine for use on Orcas, Lopez, Shaw and San Juan Islands. The other three engines eventually will be sold as surplus property.

Each engine costs approximately $350,000. When adjusted for inflation, the cost for each new engine is $50,000 less than what the Fire District paid for the retiring fire engines back in 1986.

Give the gift of life to patients in our community

Wednesday, September 24
11:30 am – 5:30 pm
At Mullis Community Senior Center

If you haven’t already scheduled an appointment and would like to do so, please contact:
cvanhyning [@] gmail [.] com or 360-317-8399

All donors will need photo ID or their PSBC Wallet Card/barcode sticker or Photo ID to register at the blood drive. Need a new wallet card? Request one here: http://www.psbc.org/programs/donor_card.htm

Michelle Morton at Islanders Bank sends over this invitation to you…

Islanders Bank is hosting their 4th Annual Customer Appreciation Day

Please join us:

• When: September 23rd
• Where: Friday Harbor, Eastsound & Lopez Branches
• Time: 11:00am – 3:00pm

Soroptimist of Friday Harbor will hold its first evening meeting on Wednesday, September 24, at The Bean Café from 6:00pm to 7:30 pm.

Geoff Weatherbie from the American Cancer Society will speak on the changes to Relay for Life, beginning at 6:30.

Beverages and a single dinner item will be available, no host. There is no charge to attend. The meeting is open to anyone who is interested in Soroptimist and our projects, or Relay for Life.

For additional information, Contact Dana Bune, 370-5027.

This just came in from Marie DiCristina to share with you. A great idea for a local Sunday Drive…

An Artshow is happening today, Sunday, Sept 21 from 9am to 4pm. Local artist David Price has more than 150 original oil and watercolor paintings on display. What makes this show so unique and fun is that the display is outdoors at his property, strung among the trees. It’s a wonderful show with scenes ranging from our island to his travels around the world.

Take a Sunday Drive down to Cape San Juan, via Cattlepoint Road, roughly 10 miles from town. Turn right at the Cape sign and then follow the signs to 375 Vista Way. You will be delighted and maybe find a treasure to buy. For more information call Dave at 378-3871.

You don’t have to be a parent of a student to sign up to help at FHHS home sports games. Just go to our sign up site, choose the sport you’d like to support and sign up to sell tickets, concessions or merchandise. No experience needed and you get a great view of the game. Great for 8th graders and High Schoolers who want to earn Dollars for Scholars. Click here for more information.

The Friday Harbor Film Festival will be hosting three premiere films this coming fall!

The 2nd Annual Friday Harbor Film Festival will be held November 7-8-9, 2014 on San Juan Island.  We are very proud to announce that we will feature 3 premiere films this year:

• The Barefoot Bandit documentary
• Fragile Waters
• and Material of the Future. 

Click here for more information on these films and the Film Festival…

Continue Reading

Here’s a note from the San Juan Conservation District about the Community Solar program…

“By investing in solar energy, we are lowering utility costs for our schools,” said Janet Brownell, President of the Orcas Island Education Foundation. “That means more money for our classrooms and students. But it is not only about saving money, it is also about education for our students. What a win-win proposition. Lance and I have bought our “share” and we hope you will too.”

“It was a no-brainer for us,” said Kirm Taylor when talking about contributing to Community Solar for Our Schools. Kirm and Lexi Taylor wanted to install solar panels when they built their home on Lopez Island in 2008, but couldn’t without removing a lot of trees. Community Solar provides people like the Taylors with an opportunity to promote solar even when they can’t install it on their own home. Lexi Taylor is a retired teacher and the Taylor’s like that the program will support the Lopez Island School District.
“Plus, we’ll get paid back,” said Kirm Taylor.

“Utilities are a major school budget expense; the more we can reduce that cost, the more we can pay for teachers and other resources that benefit students,” said Boyd Pratt, former San Juan Island School Board Member who is contributing to the program. “It’s a step towards energy sustainability for our community and also an investment in our schools.”

Community Solar for Our Schools will install four solar systems at Lopez, Orcas, San Juan, and Shaw Island schools. The schools will receive all the energy generated, lowering their electricity costs. Bonneville Environmental Foundation will provide renewable energy educational curriculum, teacher training, and science kits for each school to support the schools’ science programs.

San Juan County residents (even part-time residents) and businesses can purchase solar units at $100 each. Participants will receive annual energy production incentive payments that are anticipated to fully pay back participants for the cost of the solar units purchased. Participants can also choose to donate their incentive payments to the San Juan County school district of their choice. Participation by our community is fundamental.

Solar for our schools is a concept coming to life. The energy is there, the students are eager to learn, and installation is slated for early 2015. Please consider contributing. There are three ways to sign up:

• Email: solar [@] sjislandscd [.] org
• Online: www.sjislandscd.org
• Call: 378-6621 or 376-6621

Community Solar for Our Schools was developed by Islands Energy, which is a collaborative group of local and regional nonprofits and community volunteers led by the San Juan Islands Conservation District and sponsored by OPALCO. They are working together to increase energy efficiency and conservation, increase local energy generation, and keep energy costs lower.

Join Boyd Pratt, Doug McCutchen and Mike Vouri for an evening of viewing 1890s images of the San Juan islands by the U.S. Coast Survey’s John Gilbert, scheduled 7 p.m., Friday September 26 in the San Juan Island Library.

The program is free. Contact the park at 378-2240, ext. 2226 for information.

Vouri will open the discussion with a look at the first survey of the islands by the Coast Survey’s naval assistant, Lt. Cmdr. James Alden, and surveyor and map maker George Davidson operating from the U.S. Coast Steamer Active from 1853-1860. Pratt will follow with insights on Gilbert’s land-use T-sheets. McCutchen will then present a series of slides that capture from the same perspective today the sites of Gilbert’s images.

As an Assistant (a formal title) , Gilbert accomplished most of his San Juan Islands survey in the Fuca, a 45-foot (12 feet abeam with a 5.5 foot draft) steam launch built by J.F.P. Mitchel in 1882. The Fuca was in service from 1882 to 1904 on the Pacific Coast and served Gilbert well in the Strait of Georgia surveys for most of that period. The hydrographic survey, meanwhile, was being done by Lt. J.N. Jordan with the schooner Earnest.

Gilbert’s topographic maps (known as “t-sheets”) of the San Juan Islands reveal not only details of coastlines and land cover (including agricultural uses), but are also accompanied by lucid narratives and photographic images that capture the islands and surrounding regions before 20th-century development. The t-sheets were largely forgotten documents until reintroduced on web sites of Washington State University and the University of Washington. A thorough analysis of the t-sheets has been done by Tom Schroeder, whose website can be found at http://www.rockisland.com/~tom/index.html. Continue Reading

CDR G.H. King SC USN (Ret) – Contributed photo

A History Talk with Gerry King

Join us for another informative evening with Gerry King, a long-time San Juan Island resident and a descendant of the early settler King Family.

Gerry will discuss what it was like to live on the island during WWII and what measures islanders had to take to protect the island home front. Rationing, blackouts, observation posts and an army radar station were all a part of island living during that time. Attendees are invited to share their own memories and stories. An informative evening is in store as we turn back the clock to an earlier era.

Suggested donation is $5 and museum members are admitted at no charge. Proceeds will benefit the San Juan Island Museum of History and Industry.

San Juan Historical Museum Resource Center
Tuesday, September 23, 7:00 pm

Please contact the museum for further information at 378.3949 or museum_admin [@] sjmuseum [.] org

Contributed photo

September means birds in migration and a great time to see birds passing through and arriving for the winter. To celebrate, San Juan Islands Audubon is offering a boat trip a two field trips.

• Lopez Trip Saturday, September, 27: Meet at the Lopez ferry dock at 9:30 and the trip ends about 1:00 pm.
• San Juan Island Trip Sunday, September, 28: Meet at The Whale Museum 8:15 and will end about 11:15 am.
• Islands Boat Trip, Sunday, September 28: and leaves Friday Harbor at 11:30 am and will be out about three hours. Price is $70. You must register ahead as seating is limited.

Call Barb Jensen, 378-3068 for information or if you are going to attend so we can keep track of numbers and for car pooling.

You just never know what we will see!