Here’s an interesting read by Katie Harrington, Lab Assistant at the Friday Harbor Labs Seagrass Lab…

Collecting field samples – FHL photo

In a culture seemingly gripped by an antibacterial fervor, where the very mention of a microbe might bring a handshake to a grinding halt, perhaps we should think again about the zeitgeist that vilifies these microorganisms.

Globally, pockets of researchers, engineers, and design firms continue to prove that some bacteria might just be the heroes of our time.

Researchers have identified bacteria that create energy and others that fight threats both to human health and the environment. Bacteria are now used to turn food scraps and dairy industry byproducts into biofuel, to remove heavy metals from acid mining drainage, and to clean oil spills. Bacteria have been proposed as a solution to desertification in the African Sahara, and explored for treating cancer (Sagar et al. 2013) and fighting anthrax (Jang et al. 2013). Strains that can breakdown plastic have even been found in Canada’s Fraser River.

Click to read the rest of the story at FHL Tide Bites

La Cenerentola – Contributed photo

Italian composer Gioachino Rossini’s variation of the traditional Cinderella story is presented in our The Met: Live in HD series THIS Sunday, June 8 at 2:00 p.m.

Three peerless Rossini virtuosos star in La Cenerentola—a vocal tour de force for mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, singing her first Met performances of the Cinderella title role, and tenors Juan Diego Flórez and Javier Camarena, who share the role of her Prince Charming.

In Rossini’s version, the wicked stepmother is replaced by a wicked stepfather, Don Magnifico. The Fairy Godmother is replaced by Alidoro, a philosopher and the Prince’s tutor. Cinderella is identified not by her glass slipper but by her bracelet.

Alessandro Corbelli and Luca Pisaroni complete the cast, with Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leading the effervescent score.

Buy Now on line! our Box Office hours are 11 am to 4 pm Tuesday through Friday and 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

Click to enlarge poster

Here’s a note from San Juan Vineyards about their tasting event this weekend…

Great weather is forecast for the entire week! The Barrel Tasting is Saturday from noon to 5:00 pm. Our winemaker, Chris Primus, will be here with his barrel thief, taking samples for those who attend.

There will be light snacks, wine script for the barrel and varietal tastings. Music will be the Jim Moe Show, a local talent. We will feature our Estate varietal, Siegerrebe, winner of two Double Gold Medals in competitions.

Satellite view of Young Hill showing burn area – Click to enlarge

National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service and possibly San Juan County fire crews plan to conduct a prescribed fire on the southwest slope of Young Hill between June 9 and early July, weather permitting, announced Superintendent Lee Taylor.

The Young Hill fires will involve from 10 to 15 acres on the upper southwest portion of the hill, running from south of the English Camp cemetery to the Sandwith orchard along West Valley Road. Prescribed fires in several units over the last decade have been especially beneficial to the Garry oak woodlands on the southwest slope, Taylor said.

No road closures are anticipated, although a few trails in the immediate vicinity of the prescribed fires may be closed for a short time during the burns. Prescribed fire and caution signs will be posted along road ways and trails near the projects. For safety, park visitors are urged not to stop along the roadway or enter the area while burning operations are being conducted.

To prepare for the burn, the fire crew will establish portable reservoirs and string wet lines around the boundary of the intended burn area. This fire line also will be wetted down prior to ignition to contain fire. Adequate crews, equipment and water resources will be positioned to control the burn or to quickly extinguish it if necessary.

“As we anticipate a dry summer and fires have been in the news throughout the West, we consider this month an optimum time to do prescribed burns” Taylor said.

Grassy area on Young Hill – Click to enlarge – Contributed photo

Prescribed fire is one of the primary tools in the park’s long-term program to reestablish portions of the diverse native grasslands at American Camp and Garry oak woodlands on the Young Hill slopes, Taylor said. Although remnants of the native plant community exist, large areas have been invaded by non-native plants, in part as a result of farming, as well as the exclusion of fire, used by native peoples before the arrival of Europeans. Fire reduces the amount of organic material and eliminates non-native seeds, which enables native plants to hold their own against non-native species.

“Reducing the fuel levels will aid in restoring desired conditions for native species such as the Garry oak,” Taylor said.

The use of fire as an aid to prairie and Garry oak restoration is an activity identified in the park’s approved fire plan. To view the plan, visit the park website.

For questions or comments please contact Taylor at 360-378-2240 or e-mail
lee_taylor [@] nps [.] gov

Notice – The location of the Friday Harbor meeting has changed…

Meet Ferries Division top candidates at Friday Harbor and Bremerton open houses
Opportunity to talk one-on-one

Following a significant recruitment effort, the Washington State Department of Transportation has narrowed the pool of candidates for Assistant Secretary of Transportation, Ferries Division, to its top two. Washington State Ferries is the largest ferry system in the U.S. and moves 22 million passengers annually.

WSDOT, legislators and local elected officials are co-hosting community meet and greet open houses in Friday Harbor and Bremerton, providing ferry communities an opportunity to meet and speak with the candidates:

144 Car, Olympic Class ferry M.V. Tokitae – Click to enlarge – WSF Photo

Captain George Capacci: Currently serving as interim Assistant Secretary, Capacci held the position of WSF deputy chief of Operations and Construction. He also served as vice president of Fleet Operations with the Alaska Marine Highway System and is a retired commissioned officer of the U.S. Coast Guard.

John Ladenburg: A practicing private attorney, Ladenburg has an extensive background in local and regional government including being elected as Pierce County Executive, Pierce County Prosecuting Attorney and to the Tacoma City Council. He has also served as chair of Sound Transit, president of Puget Sound Regional Council of Governments and president of Puget Sound Economic Development Board.

WSF candidates open houses:

• When: 4 to 6 p.m., Monday, June 9
• Where: Friday Harbor House, 130 West St.
• Friday Harbor

• When: 7 to 8 p.m., Tuesday, June 10
• Where: Norm Dicks Center, 345 6th St., Bremerton

After brief introductions from the meeting hosts, participants will have an opportunity to talk with the candidates. There will be no formal question and answer session.

Jim Stegal and Emilio raised $1340.00 – Contributed photo

Several people showed up Saturday, May 31 for the First Annual Dodie Gann Memorial Dog Walk, a benefit for The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor. Shadow Gann, pictured below, who belonged to Dodie Gann started the walk off and dogs and their owners walked a 1-mile course from Skagit Valley College to the end of the airport runway and back. A picnic lunch was provided at the end of the walk.

Shadow Gann – Contributed photo

The highlight of the day came when Jim Stegall, shown above with his guide dog, Emilio, presented the animal shelter with $1,340 in sponsorships he had raised prior to the e vent. Jim and Emilio were the winners of an Ipad Mini for their efforts. Makayla Rutledge came in second place with $190 in sponsorships and Sandy Rabinowitz took third place with sponsorships totaling $150. The animal shelter plans to make this an annual event.

The Art Market at Brickworks – Tim Dustrude photo

The Friday Harbor Art Market begins its third season in Friday Harbor on the Brickworks Plaza, June 20. The art market will run every Friday from 3pm-7pm through August 29. There will be several new artists this year, joining the “Artisans on the Plaza”, not only from San Juan Island but also from Orcas, Lopez and Waldron islands. The variety of work will include jewelry, pottery, photography, baskets, clothing, woodwork, glass, paintings, soaps, art cards, screen printing, lotions, and more.

Cynthia’s of Course! will be the seasonal food vendor, serving up her specialties each week.

Teddy Dean entertains on keyboard – Contributed photo

The music lineup is almost complete as the market welcomes back Teddy Deane, The Rocky Bay Boys, Oliver Strasser, Kuba Tana Marimba and Katura Marimba.

New to the art market will be a “hands-on” activity, called “The Creation Station”. This will be an interactive art station for kids to adults and anyone who drops in to the station will walk away with their on artistic creation. Pamela Hoke, nature artist and gallery owner, is coordinating this free 7-8 week event and will be facilitating several projects herself.

For information as to how you can participate as an artist, a food vendor, a musician or an art project facilitator, contact Debbie Pigman,
pigmansartworks [@] rock island [.] com or (360) 472-0216

Island youth get the chance to work on their soccer skills during FREE drop-in clinics on Saturday, June 21 at the Friday Harbor Elementary School fields.

Families and Neighbors Support Island Rec (FANS) and Challenger Sports are sponsoring the clinics, aimed at children ages three to 12.

Coaches from the British Soccer Camp program will lead the program. The clinics run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. for ages three to five; 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. for ages six to eight; and 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. for ages nine to 12.

“These are a great way for kids to be introduced to soccer or to brush up on their skills,” said FANS president Cathy Kromer. “Plus, they’re a fun preview of the British Soccer Camps that take place later this summer.”

No registration is necessary for the clinics; however, parents should arrive about 15 minutes early to sign waivers. Island Rec is taking registration for its British Soccer Camps in July and Tetra Brazil soccer camps in August at www.islandrec.org.

Announcing the 2014 Garden Tour, Saturday June 14. Pictured here is the Pearson Garden last year – Click to enlarge – Tori Benz Hillstrom photo

WSU Master Gardeners, Garden Club and Horticultural Society members are gearing up to show guests three wonderful San Juan island gardens on display on Saturday June 14. Tickets at $15 per person ($6.00 for children 12 and under) are on sale now at Ace Hardware, Browne’s Garden Center, Griffin Bay Bookstore and Roche Harbor Store.

Plan to spend the day from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm visiting the gardens in your own time. Wear comfortable shoes, bring a notebook to record your favorite plants and be prepared to be amazed. One garden has been created with the assistance of a local garden company and two are owner-landscaped.

For weeks now the owners have been grooming their gardens in anticipation of your visit. They have volunteered their gardens and proceeds go not to them, but to the three coordinating groups who will spend the funds on local projects like the Demonstration Garden (where excess veggies are offered to the Food Bank), awards at the County Fair and contributing to beautifying the town.

We look forward to seeing you during the tour.

Jim Maya captured this beautiful image over the weekend – Click to enlarge – Jim Maya photo

J-Pod was back this weekend as were a number of transients. Here’s a great photo and a bit of commentary for your Tuesday morning from Jim Maya of Maya’s Westside Whale Watch Charters:
It was that kind of a day! J Pod right in front of our dock at Snug Harbor Resort, on the West Side, in the morning. In the afternoon, the Js had gotten abeam of Speiden Island in Haro Strait. We watched them play their way north of Stuart Island, then went to watch the T100s and T101s on the way home, with their amazing blow against the dark background of Stuart Island as they went west. We left seven transients at Turn Pt. Not a bad day!

Here’s some news from the co-op…

Clean and Green part 2 is done. A hearty THANK YOU to Arvid, Valdi, Karl, and Rosa. Now the fun begins–painting! Please contact Pamela at
sanjuancoop [@] gmail [.] com
if you’d like to help us with the final part of the Phase 1 of the the Co-op Expansion Project. You’ll receive Volunteer Credit toward Co-op Bucks, which will be distributed in early July.

Just heard from Mike Vouri over at the Park Service that San Juan Island National Historical Park (that’s American Camp and English Camp) is the featured park this week on the National Park Service website. Kinda cool, huh? Look at this screenshot of the NPS Website and see if you recognize any island vistas…

San Juan County Land Bank and San Juan Nature Institute present a special lecture by Peter Arcese of The Nature Trust of British Columbia at 7 p.m. on Thursday June 5 at the Grange, Friday Harbor.

Dr Arcese will discuss The Indirect Impact of Humans on the Natural Systems of the Salish Sea Ecoregion. The lecture is free and open to the public.

Dr Arcese, a graduate of University of Washington and University of British Columbia, is currently visiting the islands with his research team and offered to give this special lecture. He is Professor and Chair of Applied Conservation Biology at University of British Columbia and Co Director of their Center for Applied Conservation Research in the Department of Forestry.

All are welcome.

Here’s a note from Barbara Jensen, President of San Juan Islands’ Audubon…

News about our next field trip:
Our next field trip will be on San Juan Island on Saturday, June 7th. Meet at The Whale Museum at 8:30 for carpooling. Ends early afternoon. Dress for the weather, bring binoculars and be prepared to have a great time. There is another trip Sunday, June 8th at American Camp. Meet at the visitor’s center at 7:30 am for a 2-3 hour walk. Sorry, no car pool available for this trip. Call Barbara Jensen for information: 378-3068

Barbara Jensen, President
San Juan Islands Audubon
skylark [@] rockisland [.] com

Here’s the latest from FHFF…

Friday Harbor Film Festival Welcomes New Board Members

Three islanders have joined the Board of the Festival’s sponsoring organization, the Pacific Islands Research Institute, to help further the success of the Friday Harbor Film Festival:

• Lazlo Pal is an accomplished director and producer of several films, as well as Professor of Film Study at the University of Washington. He is currently working with a group of students to create a three-minute video about energy conservation, an effort that is being funded by OPALCO.
• Tony Vivenzio is a local attorney, film aficionado and former student of Lazlo Pal.
• Robert Stavers is a photographer and web master extraordinaire, and an avid volunteer at San Juan Community Theatre.

Summer Film Screenings
Throughout the summer we will continue to screen great films at the Grange every other Tuesday evening at 7 pm. Because this is an important fundraiser for the Friday Harbor Film Festival, we would welcome your attendance. This is an opportunity to see a film that you missed in the 2013 Festival, or to see a new one that hasn’t been screened here before! A lively discussion usually follows the film screenings.

You can be a Festival Supporter!
Your financial support can help ensure the success of the 2014 Festival. Ticket sales account for only a small portion of our revenue; we depend heavily on grants, sponsorships and donations to cover our expenses. As an incentive for those thinking about making a donation, we are offering free Festival Passes to supporters who give at least $300. Please send your check (made out to the Friday Harbor Film Festival) to PO Box 2627, Friday Harbor 98250.

This just in from Washington State Ferries…

144 Car, Olympic Class ferry M.V. Tokitae – Click to enlarge – WSF Photo

New vessel will carry 144 cars on Mukilteo/Clinton route this summer

The Olympic class Tokitae officially joins the largest ferry fleet in the nation Monday, June 2. The Tokitae will embark on its maiden public voyage on the Mukilteo/Clinton route this summer.

Once Washington State Ferries accepts the Tokitae from builder/contractor Vigor Industrial, crews will begin operational drills, including training and familiarization with the vessel.

Christened Tokitae (rhymes with ‘Polka-tay’), the new ferry’s name comes from a Coast Salish dialect meaning, “nice day, pretty colors.” It is the first of three funded Olympic class vessels designed to replace the aging 1950s-era Evergreen State Class ferries.

“With three new 64-car ferries operating, and the first of three new 144-car ferries joining the fleet, the average age of our vessels will drop from 38 years to about 31,” said Transportation Secretary Lynn Peterson. “This new vessel brings us closer to increased service reliability, while meeting the needs of taxpayers and our customers.”

Along with added vehicle and passenger capacity, the $144 million Tokitae offers flexible seating configurations, improved heating and ventilation, and greater accessibility for passengers with disabilities.

The public is invited to take a tour of the vessel before it goes into service at a community celebration and open house Sunday, June 8, at the Clinton ferry terminal.

For more information on the Tokitae and the second 144-car ferry now under construction, the Samish, visit www.wsdot.wa.gov/projects/ferries/144carferries/.