Susie Nichols at Hand to Shoulder Therapy, PLLC – Tim Dustrude photo

Susan L. Nichols has opened a new business providing Occupational Therapy services. Susie, as she prefers to be called, has been an Occupational Therapist for 21 years.

Her office is located over at 880 Guard Street, next door to the Rental Shop and it includes her clinic, a set up for making Orthoses, or hand splints (her specialty), and also some retail items. She is looking forward to offering a full line of retail items for helping people to recover from injuries or surgeries.

Hand to Shoulder Therapy office – Contributed photo

“The success or failure of a surgical procedure rests with proper attention to recovery” she says. “Occupational Therapists help people do this correctly and effectively, by showing them how to move and stretch, etc.. and also how NOT to move and stretch, etc…”

Her philosophy is, Gentle Persistence – not pain, is the way to achieve recovery. “No Pain, No Gain is Insane” is a favorite quote of hers.

She has a website with more information at www.handtoshouldertherapy.com.

The Whale Museum is pleased to welcome Jessica Lundin as part of the 2014 Summer Lecture Series. Jessica will discuss “What happens after you scoop the poop? What the science of whale scat is telling us about Southern Resident killer whales” on Tuesday, August 19 at 7:00 p.m.

The Orca Scat Team has been collecting scat samples from the Southern Resident killer whales since 2006 with the help of Tucker and other Conservation Canines. These scat samples are being analyzed for toxins, hormones and DNA to help us better understand toxin loads, stress and nutritional condition, and pregnancy status across seasons and years. These important measurements can help us evaluate how different stressors affect this endangered population and help guide population recovery efforts.

Jessica Lundin is a graduate student in the Center for Conservation Biology at the University of Washington with a focus in environmental toxicology. Jessica’s research dissertation project is to monitor and evaluate contamination in the Puget Sound ecosystem by using scat from the endangered Southern Resident killer whales.

The August 19th lecture event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (360) 378-4710 ext. 30, or check out this PDF flyer: Lundin Lecture.

The Whale Museum is located in Friday Harbor at 62 First St. N. Founded in 1976, The Whale Museum’s mission is to promote stewardship of whales and the Salish Sea ecosystem through education and research. In addition to providing exhibits, the Museum also provides programs including the Marine Naturalist Training, Orca Adoption Program, Soundwatch Boater Education, San Juan Islands Marine Mammal Stranding Network, and the Whale Hotline.

The Whale Museum can be found on-line at www.whalemuseum.org.

Mark your calendar now for the FREE boating course coming up in September. The Friday Harbor Power Squadron will be offering instruction for this class for Free – the only cost is for  the course materials. Get your Boater Education Card (required to operate any boat with an engine of 15hp or more.

What is it?
America’s Boating Course

What will you need?
Comprehensive Boating Information Manual & 2 companion CD’s with Coastal Navigator Electronic Charting

What’s the cost?
$45.00. Couples can share. 50% Student Discount
Instruction is FREE by the Friday Harbor Power Squadron

When is it?
Mondays starting on Sept. 22nd from 7:00 – 9:00 PM at Skagit Valley College San Juan Campus

This course is suitable for all types of boating, inland and coastal. It’s fun for the whole family and you will:

• Gain confidence
• Make friends
• Build skills
• Save money

This may entitle you to marine insurance discounts.

To register, call 378-3288 or email: ein [@] rockisland [.] com

www.fridayharborpowersquadron.com

Just received a note from an Update reader who suggested putting up a link to the Fair’s exhibitor information pages to make them easy to find today – Tuesday, SJC Fair Entry Day.

Good idea! So here’s a link:

http://www.sjcfair.org/p/-2014-fair/exhibitors/266

Here’s a note from Amy Taylor at the Town of Friday Harbor administrative office…

SJ Update photo

In response to requests from the business community, the Town of Friday Harbor has temporarily re-designated 22 parking spaces in the downtown core from 2 hour to 8 hour parking. With the busy visitor season upon us, it was becoming increasingly difficult for employees and owners of downtown businesses to find eight hour parking in close proximity to their job. The Town had agreed to investigate some alternatives to relieve the parking problems in Friday Harbor’s core.

The areas where parking times have been extended are on the north side of Court Street adjacent to the old Courthouse and on 1st Street north of Court. The Town has also requested that County employees utilize the county parking lot to free up many spaces on 1st currently used by them. “If we all cooperate with each other, we can assist shoppers and businesses alike in preserving parking on Spring and lower 1st Street” said Town Administrator Duncan Wilson. “We are asking that employees search for parking on Court and upper 1st before parking in the downtown core.”

In July the Council gave the Town Administrator the authority to temporarily increase parking hours during the summer months to help employees find long term parking. The current modifications will last through September and will be reviewed by the Council for its effectiveness. The Town welcomes your comments and questions on this issue. You may write the Administrator Duncan Wilson at
duncanw [@] fridayharbor [.] org or call (360) 378-2810

The proposed new facility as viewed from Cattle Point Road

The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor is very pleased to announce the kickoff of a capital campaign to raise funds for a new animal shelter facility on San Juan Island. The project, “New Home – New Hope” was formally announced to the community at last Sunday’s ‘Wags to Riches’ event, and the initial response has been extremely positive.

The project started as a vision of the executive director, Leslie Byron and the current board president Jaime Ellsworth. Two years ago, the dream became a necessity when APS was made aware that the current property lease with the Port of Friday Harbor would more than likely be shortened from 20 years to 5 years. With the deteriorating conditions of the current shelter building and the future loss of the current property lease it was decided by the APS board to start searching for a new location and build a new facility.

The project was able to move forward with a very generous donation to APS by Robert and Rebecca Pohlad in honor of their German Shepherd ‘Luca’. The donation was substantial enough to purchase property for the new building. After an extensive search for suitable property, a 5-acre parcel was purchased very near the existing shelter at 994 Cattle Point Road. Continue Reading

Rambler’s Cafe Menu

Here’s a heads up for you Fair Early Birds from Barbara Bevens, 4-H Leaders Council…

The San Juan Ramblers Booth is back in business to serve all the early worker bees at the fair.

It is under new management with a new menu to tickle your taste buds. This year Jim O Brian, Quartermaster (boat driver) on the inter-island has taken his vacation time to feed you and help all the 4-H kids of San Juan. His wife Diane is doing the cooking – she’s a former cook at the old MoJo’s.

FOOD IS GUARANTEED TO BE GREAT.

Ramblers proceeds help send kids to State Fair, provides a college scholarship to local youth, and provides travel expense money when a 4-H kid takes his or her animal off island. Stop in any fair morning starting TUESDAY at 7:00 for a great start to your fair.

A Tuesday-only lunch (sandwiches and pulled pork) will also be served.

Dr. Vincent Shu – Contributed photo

Dr. Vincent Shu of the Washington Institute of Natural Studies is collecting signatures on a petition to open a new facility at the old Inter-Island Medical Center building on Spring Street. Here are some of his notes about this…

The issues to be addressed:

• Is complementary alternative medicine through the W.I.N.S. integrative Community Clinic an ideal health care model for Islanders in collaboration with Peace Island Medical Center, Island Hospital, San Juan HealthCare, Orcas Medical Center, Orcas Family Health Center and Lopez Island Medical Clinic?
• There is an unmet need in building a bridge between Eastern and Western Practitioners.
• What barriers discourage our children from developing their careers here? Can we re-shape our future to retain our children by developing local careers engaged in solving growing national issues in healthcare, environment and green energy?
• Can grant-sponsored Scholar Farmer Programs foster local economy and farming sustainability by growing Chinese Herbal Medicine?

Proposed medical use of the old InterIsland Medical Center:

• To fulfill the unmet mission of the medical care as set forth previously in providing an affordable complementary alternative holistic care through the W.I.N.S. Integrative Community Clinic, School of Acupuncture and Herbal Medicine
• To provide health care for underserved, low socioeconomic Islanders
• To build a bridge and to act as a liaison between the western and eastern medical practitioners with anticipated improved treatment outcome

Please join us to support this endeavor by signing the petition.

You can read more about this project at this link (PDF). And if you have questions, or would like to meet Dr. Shu and sign the petition, he will have a booth at the Fair so be on the lookout for that.

New Take-Out/Catering restaurant at 50 Malcolm Road, #504 – SJ Update photo

There’s a new restaurant in town for Take-Out and Catering. It’s “La Authentica Mexicana” and it’s located over at Surina Business Park. They had a grand opening party last Thursday and then officially opened for business on Saturday.

Gabriella Salas, Maria Trujillo and Zeyna DeVer – SJ Update photo

Currently they offer a different menu each day of the week (except Mondays when they’re closed):

• Tue – Chile Verde
• Wed – Chile Relleno
• Thurs – Tamales
• Fri – Enchiladas
• Sat – 1 Posole or 2 Chicken Mole
• Sun – 1 Menudo (Tripe Soup) or 2 Siete Mares (Seafood Soup)

Their hours are Tue thru Fri, 10-6 and Sat & Sun, 9-2. They have a Facebook page where you can find more information to keep up-to-date with them.

Photo courtesy La Authentica Mexicana

After the Day’s Fishing – Aaron Shepard photo

Local photographer Aaron Shepard sent over a cool photo with this note. Thanks Aaron!…

Hi Tim. Here’s one that might work in the Update. It’s a picture of the New Oregon returning from a day of fishing, taken Saturday night from the end of the Friday Harbor breakwater. (I used a D610 with a 24-120mm lens.)

Aaron

Just a section of the full plan (see links below for full plan drawing)

I recently popped in on our Town Administrator, Duncan Wilson, to ask about what’s happening up on Blair Avenue this summer, and the reason for all the construction and road closures. He shared what’s going on along with this cool graphic (which you can also see in the hallway to the public meeting room at the library).

The entire street, all the way from Spring Street, past the post office and the schools and over to Guard Street will be re-paved and will have sidewalks on both sides. In addition, there will be some major new amenities, such as new LED Street Lighting, some Tree Planting Grates with bio-filtration under the sidewalk and Aluminum Railings at Tia’s Tacos and at the Browne’s property next door to the Post Office. See the inset details on the graphics at the links below. In addition to being a part of the Blair Avenue improvements, these amenities will serve as an example of the kinds of upgrades that can be done elsewhere in town with other improvements.

Approximately 90% of the funding for this project came from the Transportation Improvement Board through a grant that the Town of Friday Harbor applied for. Also, about $25K came from the school district – they were talking about replacing their sidewalks and the Town said, why don’t we just do it all at once, so they combined their efforts; and also a business owner who was recently doing improvements to their property contributed about $23K and Duncan said the town would do the curbs and sidewalks for them.

If you would like to view the graphic at a larger size, here are 2 choices for you (note-these files are large and may take a few moments to load):

A PDF  version (requires Acrobat Reader) or a JPEG version.

Jerry and Dede McCormick are glad to be home after being temporarily stranded without a car in Sidney after cancellation of the international ferry run recently.- Louise Dustrude photo

Remember a couple weeks ago when Washington State Ferries cancelled the Sidney BC run so they could move the Chelan to the Kingston/Edmonds run for a couple days? Louise Dustrude shares this story of how some people were affected by that…

How many people do you suppose were inconvenienced — or worse — when the international ferry was canceled for two days?

Dede and Jerry McCormick of Friday Harbor and her sister and husband, Tanya and Bob Hart of Reno, had walked on the ferry for a short two-day trip to Vancouver Island, and they were as surprised as anyone when they showed up for the 5:55 pm ferry home from Sidney and learned it was out for at least two days and maybe longer.

To complicate matters, all the hotels and B&Bs were full because of B.C. Days, and prices quoted for the short trip to San Juan Island included $1000 for a water taxi or $500 for a charter flight — which wouldn’t be available until three days later!

Fortunately, they found a good Samaritan through their B&B who would transport them to Roche Harbor in his 21-foot fishing boat for $300. And even more fortunately, Haro Strait was calm enough to make the trip.

Dede estimates there were 30 to 40 other walk-ons, including families with children, who got off in Sidney when they did, and she wonders how they fared.

Jerry acknowledged cheerfully, “We bought round-trip tickets with our credit card, but they told us they would take off the charge for the return trip — $6.00 each!”

Timmy is this week’s Pet of the Week

Timmy arrived in Friday Harbor last week via Wings of Rescue, an organization based in California that relies on volunteer pilots to fly dogs from high-kill shelters to rescue organizations and shelters like our own to give them a much-needed second chance. Timmy came from Carson, California – emaciated, frightened and very uncertain of his future. After just one week we are starting to see a wonderful young guy – full of energy and fun – with a sweet, gentle disposition that will melt your heart. He’s still just a pup; around 6-7 months old; most likely a Beagle/Terrier mix. He gets along well with other dogs and cats. We think he’ll make a great addition to just about any family with love to spare for this sweet boy.

Fred Hall has just volunteered to run the Fine Art Display at the SJ County Fair this year. This Fair exhibit needs your help! Call Fred at 298-1180. The Fair is only a few days away and the Fine Art display desperately needs volunteers. If you are bringing in art please consider donating an hour or two to the effort. Here are the times where volunteer help is needed:

• Tuesday, Aug 12 – Help checking in the art. See all the artists! Also need help hanging the art.
• Wed, Aug 13 thru Sat Aug 16 – Donate an hour or two at the Fine Art Exhibit. Visit with the public, answer questions and have a fun time.
• People’s Choice awards – Once a day fun event needs volunteers.
• Sunday, Aug 17 morning – Help release the art back to the Artists – see everyone again!

Thank you in advance for helping with this exhibit. Without volunteers it will not happen. What a great community we live in that steps up and pitches in last minute. Some of you might not even be an artist, but have a couple of hours to spare. If you are coming over from Orcas or Lopez your volunteer time is also greatly appreciated!

Call or text Fred at 360-298-1180 to find out how you can help.
Or Email: hallaway2004 [@] msn [.] com

Minnie Knych shares this note about the Food Preservation Booth at the fair…

The Pomona Grange Food Preservation booth will be a beehive of activity at this year’s Farm-tastic Fair.

There will be People’s Choice – Jam and Jelly tastings daily at the Food Preservation booth from 2:00 to 3:00 pm. Fairgoers are invited to stop by the Food Preservation booth and taste some of the jams and jellies then vote on their favorite sweet taste in the People’s Choice Awards.

Also at the Food Preservation booth, WSU and WA State Grange certified food preservation instructor, Terri Brown will be presenting FREE workshops to answer all your questions about safe food preservation and the criteria used by judges in determining the best of show preserved foods.

The schedule for workshops is:

• Wednesday 4:00 pm
• Thursday 4:00 pm
• Friday at 1:00 pm

Join us for one workshop or all three. Each of her presentations is different.