The Whale Museum is pleased to welcome Frances Robertson as part of the 2014 Summer Lecture Series. Frances will discuss “The Minke Whale: the Other Whale in the Salish Sea” on Tuesday, July 29 at 6:30 p.m.

Minke whales are one of the smallest baleen whales, growing up to 30 feet in length. In the Northeast Pacific this little whale appears to be rare, found in only small numbers, in a few places at certain times of year – despite being the world’s most common baleen whale. Here in the Salish Sea Minke whales are seen regularly from April to September, however fewer than 600 whales are thought to occur off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington with fewer still in British Columbian waters. Such rarity remains a mystery to us as Minke whales have never been hunted off this coast – commercially or for subsistence purposes. But Minke whales face other threats, including entanglement, ship strike, noise pollution, habitat disturbance and prey availability.

Very little is known about how these threats may impact Minke whales. Since 1980 the NE Pacific Minke Whale Project has learned much about this other whale of the Salish Sea. In this talk Frances Robertson will delve into the fascinating life history of the Minke whale. She will also introduce the work of the Northeast Pacific Minke Whale Project sharing the project’s early findings, their current work and ideas for future research. Continue Reading

Dr. Nicholas Bond will discuss Impacts on Weather, on July 31 at the San Juan Island Grange – Contributed photo

Learn how climate change is affecting weather in the San Juan Islands and throughout the region today and tomorrow in a presentation by University of Washington Research Meteorologist and Washington State Climatologist Dr. Nicholas Bond, Ph.D. at 7 p.m., Thursday, July 31 at the San Juan Island Grange.

Dr. Bond will discuss the basic science behind climate change, and its implications for the weather in and around Washington State. “How will global climate change play out in our neck of the woods?” said Dr. Bond. “What kinds of changes in the weather are occurring now, and anticipated over future decades? I welcome a dialogue on these fascinating and important questions.”

This presentation is the fifth free program in The Climate Action Imperative: Understanding Impacts & Making Choices, a summer/fall speakers’ series featuring eight experts on Climate Change—from oceanographers to botanists, biologists to meteorologists. The series provides a current look at climate change and what actions are warranted by individuals as well as by our state and nation. For information about Dr. Bond’s program and the series, call 360-378-2240, ext. 2227 or 360-378-6690 or visit our web sites at www.nps.gov/sajh or www.madrona.org.

The focus of Dr. Bond’s research is on the weather and climate of the Pacific Northwest, and the links between the climate and marine ecosystems of the North Pacific. Additional research involves the collection and analysis of low-level atmospheric observations over the ocean, based on special field measurements from moored buoys and aircraft. Notable examples have involved documenting the effects of the terrain along the U.S. West Coast on land-falling storms during the winter. As part of the Climate Variability and Predictability program, Dr. Bond is also studying air-sea interactions in the western sub-tropical Pacific. Continue Reading

Apologies for the last-minute nature of this post, but hey – better late than never…

Friday Harbor Transportation Benefit District Seeks Pro & Con Committee Members for Voters’ Pamphlet statements concerning ballot measure

The Town is looking for volunteers to create pro and con statements for the Voter’s Pamphlet for a two tenths of one percent (.02%) sales tax measure.

The Friday Harbor Transportation Benefit District (FHTBD) approved sending the measure to voters by adoption of TBD Resolution No. 5-14 on July 17th.

Voters will be asked in the November General Election to approve the .02% sales tax that would be used to finance specified street projects within town limits. A full list of these projects is available.

Each committee can have three members, though members can select other people to serve as their advisory committee or may seek advice of any number of people to assist in developing the statements. Each Committee’s statement must be submitted to the San Juan County Elections no later than August 22nd.

Those interested in participating on one of the committees should submit their name, contact information, and a brief statement as to why they would like to serve by Friday, July 25th. Information may be submitted in person or by telephone to Amy Taylor, Town Clerk at Town Hall, 60 Second Street, 378-2810 or email at: amyt [@] fridayharbor [.] org

Here’s a Note From Wolf Hollow…

Harbor Seal Alert – Contributed Photo

Please remind your friends and neighbors that if they see a Harbor Seal pup on its own on the shore and it appears to be injured or weak, they shouldn’t touch it, move it or try to get it into the water. They should keep people and dogs away from the pup and call The Marine Mammal Hotline 1 800 562 8832 and leave a message. This hotline is monitored by the San Juan County Marine Mammal Stranding Network who will return their call.

If they call Wolf Hollow directly, all we can do is record the details of the pup’s location and condition and your name and phone number. We will then pass this information on to the Stranding Network coordinators who will take it from there. Harbor Seals, being marine mammals, come under the authority of the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and are covered by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, which makes it a federal offence to touch, harass, injure or feed any marine mammal, including Harbor Seal pups. Wolf Hollow staff and volunteers have no more authority to rescue a seal pup than has any member of the public. We are not permitted to go out and check on the pup, or bring it to the center for care.

Once a seal pup has been brought to Wolf Hollow by those permitted to do so, we can rehabilitate it and, when it is strong and old enough to survive on its own, release it back into the wild. We currently have seven such seal pups in our care.

Soul Purpose is at Concert #4 in Music on the Lawn, Island Rec’s 14th Annual Free Summer Concert Series – Contributed photo

Soul Purpose is remembered for their dynamic female lead singer, a blazing 5 piece horn section and a thumping 4 piece rhythm section. They play hits from the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s, with an emphasis on strong vocal harmonies.  Get ready to boogie with the Northwest’s top classic rock/soul band.

July 30 6:30-8:15 pm at 405 Price Street, San Juan Island Historical Museum

Bring a picnic dinner, blankets or lawn chairs.  Pets and alcohol are not permitted. Sponsored by IPS, Islander’s Insurance and FANS, Families and Neighbors support Island Rec.

Island Rec’s “Bring Em’ Back” concert series is part of our 30th anniversary celebration.  The bands were all ‘people’s choice’ winners from previous years. Go to www.islandrec.org or call Island Rec at 378-4953 for more information.

You’ll Be in Stitches at the”Creation Station” July 25 – SJ Update photo

The Friday Harbor Art Market is excited about the project its “Creation Station” is offering Friday, July 25., from 3-6pm.

Sharon Maya and friends will work with participants as they get creative, making a button bracelet. The bracelet consists of a nice quality felt band onto which the crafter sews a variety of buttons. The bracelet closes with a button and buttonhole.

The beginner learns to thread a needle, knot the thread, and how to sew on buttons. Every skill level will have fun choosing colorful buttons and designing an artistic arrangement to wear home.

The Friday Art Market runs every Friday until Labor Day from 3:00 pm – 7:00 pm at Brickworks Plaza in Friday Harbor and offers a variety of artwork created by artisans from San Juan, Orcas, Lopez and Waldron islands, local music and local food.

Contact pigmansartworks [@] rock island [.] com for more information.

Plain, white ceramic blanks wait to receive your creativity – SJ Update photo

Megan Yelle, original owner of the original Clay Cafe which started out up there by the Whale Museum back in 1995-1997, has re-opened, and she’s now at 185 First Street, next door to the Rumor Mill – right where the Blue Dolphin was.

The idea to re-open popped into her head a little over a month ago, and after a 2-week flurry of preparation she opened her doors on July 7th.

A brush for every taste – SJ Update photo

For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, the Clay Cafe is a place to go and create your own artwork on a ceramic item that you choose from her stock of blanks. She has all kinds of mugs, plates, bowls, tiles and other things to choose from, and you paint your own colorful design with the glaze that she supplies, and then 3 times a week, she fires up the kiln to bake that color on, and Presto – you have your own unique, one-of-a-kind art piece.

She’s open 7 days a week from 10am – 6pm. So far the opening has been very well received, and she looks forward to offering some specials in the fall, such as a “Ladies’ Margarita Night”, and a “School’s Out” thing on those half-days at school where the kids can come down and she’ll donate a dollar from every tile created, to the PTA. She also will be working with Island Rec to offer classes.

Check out the Facebook Page to keep up-to-date on what’s going on down there.

Here’s Sheila Harley with this month’s Volunteer Firefighter…

Lt. Jason Wood – Contributed photo

Jason is a lieutenant in the San Juan Island Fire Rescue assigned to Roche Harbor Station 35.  He has been with the department since 2005, giving him nine years of service. His first firefighting experience was at UC Davis for a restoration ecology class where he helped conduct prescribed burns to restore native grasslands.

Since joining the department he has also had the opportunity to join WA State mobilizations in Eastern Washington. These have been great learning experiences and also helps ensure that if we ever have ‘the big one’ here, other fire departments across the state will come to help us as well.

Like all firefighters he gets a certain amount of satisfaction from being there for his community.  But, when he read Howard Schonberger’s  (of “Go With The Flow” fame) article in the San Juan Journal,  in 2005  about the possibility of fire station closures because of a lack of firefighters, he decided to join.  He was in the process of building his home then and didn’t like the idea of his local fire station closing. Continue Reading

Here’s a note from Dot Vandaveer about the Garden Club’s recent excursion…

The San Juan Island Garden Club sponsored an excursion on July 12 to visit four of the six gardens on the Whatcom Horticultural Society Annual Garden Tour. We enjoyed a terrific day on a comfortable bus with featured gardens all over the Bellingham area (several of which were on Lake Whatcom).

All were interesting and breathtaking! We learned that biochar, Neptune’s Harvest fertilizer and several other organic systems are effective in producing fantastic produce and landscaping that is self-sustaining and organic. (Just an aside….)

Our tour guide/bus driver ushered us to an exquisite, little-known garden known as Big Rock Garden. There is where we lunched, strolled and enjoyed the gorgeous sculptures that are tastefully placed in and among the landscape. By this time, we had enjoyed three gardens on the tour and had one more to treat ourselves to before heading to Anacortes to meet the 2 pm ferry home. Continue Reading

Fairgoers enjoy the photo exhibit at the 2012 fair – Kevin Holmes photo

Miles Crossen is overseeing the photo exhibit at the fair this year, and he could use your help. Probably all you need to offer is a couple hours of your time. I’m in – I’ll be helping out. If you would like more info, get in touch with him at:
superfairphoto [@] gmail [.] com

How about: “Music On the Mullis  Center Floor”. Here’s a note from Heidi White at Island Rec…

Hi Tim,

We’re just putting the word out there that tonight’s Music on the Lawn concert, featuring the Seattle Chamber Brass, has been moved indoors to the Mullis Center at 6:30pm, due to the rain! We hope everyone will still join us to hear this talented quintet play everything from Broadway show tunes to Mozart!

Thank you,

Heidi White
Administrative Assistant

Click to see poster

Users Guide to The Friday Harbor Fly-In & Community Open House

• What: Friday Harbor Fly-In and Open House
• When: Saturday, July 26, 2014. Pancake Breakfast 8-10am, Fly-In 10am-3pm.
• Admission: Free. Just come to the gate next to the airport tower.

Parking and Shuttle: Free. Parking at Airport Terminal lot, Airport Circle Drive (near Ernie’s Café) Peace Health (east side), and the former Mark n Pak location. The specially marked shuttle runs from downtown to each lot and the show entrance.

To See, Do and Eat:

Aircraft expected – Rare warbirds, antiques, and home-built aircraft, as well as visiting aircraft from around the Northwest. Many will be parked and on display during the day. Others will do exciting fly-bys, like vintage aircraft from the Heritage Flight Museum in Bellingham and Historic Flight in Everett. The popular Blackjack Squadron will do their impressive formation arrival and landing.

Many hangars will be open with activities for the kids, including face-painting and free balsa airplane flying competitions. Other hangars will host representatives from the aviation and civic communities.

You can buy a ride in an antique biplane or vintage trainer, or win a free ride in an airplane or helicopter.

What’s for lunch? Choose from burgers, pizza, brats, ice cream and popcorn.

For more information, visit: www.fridayharborflyin.blogspot.com

The Bobs – Contributed photo

Proclaiming themselves the “original band without instruments,” The Bobs bring their new wave, old school and cutting-edge style to San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, July 26 at 7:30 p.m.

The group got its bob-bob-bobbin’ start more than 30 years ago when two singing telegram deliverers lost their jobs and teamed up with a bass singer, songwriter and recording engineer and made their debut in a San Francisco Cuban restaurant. In 1984, they received a Grammy nomination for their unique vocal cover of the Beatles’ “Helter Skelter.”

The trio added a female singer and the quartet began playing everywhere from Lincoln Center to Berlin’s Passionkirche. Today, original ‘Bob’ Matthew Stull and that bass singer Richard Greene remain on board with newer ‘Bobs’ Dan Shumacher and Angie Doctor. Falling outside a cappella tradition, the group also proclaims they’re filled with a “hot tub of humor, vocal prowess and musical wizardry.”

Many critics agree. The Washington Post says the group members “prove that the human voice remains the most powerful instrument of all.”

The Business Partners for The Bobs are Friday Harbor Electric, San Juan Interiors and San Juan Distillery. Concert tickets are $28 for adults, $14 for student reserved and $5 student RUSH at the door. 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. www.sjctheatre.org or 378-3210.

The San Juan County Democrats (SJCDs) invite all Democrats to its special meeting at 2:00 pm on Sunday, July 27, 2014 at the Grange hall in Friday Harbor. The only item on the agenda is to vote to decide whom to endorse, if anyone, for Congressional District No. 2 in the primary election on August 5. We expect the meeting will last approximately one hour.

San Juan County recently mailed to all registered voters their ballots for the primary election on August 5. There will be only one race on the ballot with more than two candidates, that for the representative from Congressional District No. 2, a position currently held by Rep. Rick Larsen. There are three candidates for this position on the primary ballot, Democrat Rick Larsen, Independent Mike Lapointe, and a Republican. The two candidates receiving the most votes on August 5 will pass on to the general election on November 4. Continue Reading

This note just came in from San Juan Island EMS and MedEvac to share with you…

San Juan Island EMS will seek a replacement 6 year levy on the November 2014 general election ballot. Property values have dropped since the existing levy was passed. By the end of 2016, the estimated revenue loss to EMS will be $4.2M. This shortfall necessitated significant cuts to this year’s EMS budget. Unless revenue is stabilized by this levy increase, future losses will require additional cuts.

The current levy rate is 35 cents per thousand of assessed property value. Increasing the levy rate to 50 cents per thousand will replace some of the lost revenue due to declining property values and changes in insurance coverage due to the Affordable Care Act. If passed, this levy would replace the remaining two years of the current six year levy, and allow stable funding for personnel, ambulances, equipment, and overall EMS operations for an additional six years, taking effect in 2015.

The levy funds about 1/3 of the total EMS budget and provides the equipment and training for our professional EMTs, paramedics, and flight nurses available 24/7/365 with no out-of-pocket billing expenses to District residents.

The EMS levy only supports San Juan Island EMS, and NOT the hospital or the hospital’s emergency department. It is solely for EMS services.

If you would like more information please contact Commissioner Lenore Bayuk at 360-378-2857 or via email at bayuk [@] sjcphd [.] org or visit the website at www.sanjuanems.org

Here’s a note from Kris at the SJC Baking Booth…

Can you help me get the word out that we need judges and volunteers for the baking booth at the San Juan County Fair.
Two hour commitments – lot’s of fun, really!

Here’s the link for the on-line sign-up: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b0948aca82ca13-20143