Reposting this story because the drive has been extended by 3 days…

Click for larger poster

The Animal Protection Society – Friday Harbor has announced the annual Community Pet Food Drive has been extended three days.  The last day to deliver pet food is Friday, February 28.   Your donations can be delivered to any of the following locations:

THE CHALLENGE IS ON! The APS Annual Community Pet Food Drive is in full swing, and we’re going for a big goal this year… 2 TONS OF PET FOOD! All pet food collected will be distributed to the local food bank to help families in need. Drop bins are located at Islanders Bank, Windermere Realty, Islands Veterinary Clinic, FH Pet Supply, The Barking Bird, the County Auditor & Treasurer’s offices and the animal shelter. The drive will end on Tues, Feb 25th. Help us keep pets in their homes where they belong by donating pet or cash to this very important cause. THANK YOU FOR CARING! (please share)

Just a few of the participants at last year’s Children’s Festival – Tim Dustrude photo

Mark your calendars, folks! San Juan Island’s 24th Annual Children’s Festival is happening Saturday, May 3rd, 2014! Island Rec is currently recruiting for local organizations that would like to participate in this special event by hosting an activity that reflects this year’s festival theme:

“Wild Wild West!”

This year we have selected a theme that will give a reason for all ages to say “Yeehaw”. We’d welcome any activity that fosters the imagination, inspires, & brings a sense of the old west to life. Organizations that would like to be involved are encouraged to contact Island Rec early on and start planning ahead.

Inquiries and activity ideas should be directed to:
Sally Thomsen, play [@] islandrec [.] org
or Morgan Johnston, Morgan [@] islandrec [.] org

As always, the Children’s Festival will run from 10am-2pm at the Fairgrounds building. For more information, please call 378-4953 or visit www.islandrec.org

Tops’l Seafood Bar is hosting a Red Carpet Oscar Party and Fundraiser for native islander Jessica Oldwyn to help with the financial costs of her treatments for brain cancer.

Come walk the red carpet and watch the Academy Awards in style!
$5 Champagne Cocktails, Beer, Wine & Sushi Rolls.
Voting games, Oscar Bingo, Goodie Bags & Prizes for Best Dressed attendees!

Table reservations are by donation. Reserved tables seat up to six people and will include VIP treatment, goodie bags and lots of swag!

There will be open seating on the day of, as available. There’s no ticket fee, just come, eat, drink, enter some raffles, play some games and watch the Academy Awards, all for a great cause!

• A few great raffles
• Oscar awards games
• Wine from SJ Vineyard
• Beer from Island Hoppin
• Dessert from Bakery San Juan
• Fresh, local seafood from Tops’l

We have so many generous locals and businesses donating including

• Tops’l Seafood Bar
• SJ Vineyards
• Island Hoppin Brewery
• Teri Gentry Aesthetics
• Bakery San Juan
• BonBon Break on-line magazine
• Sandpebble
• Wags to Wiggles Pet Sitting
• Islanders Insurance
• Crystal Seas Kayaking
• and SJ Excursions Whale Watching just to name a few.

Sunday, March 2nd. Doors open at 3:00pm. Awards show starts at 4:00. We will be serving food and drinks until the credits roll!

To make a reservation or inquire about donations please message, email or call Courtney Steed-Oldwyn at (541) 760-5534 or:
courtneyoldwyn [@] gmail [.] com

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And then… SJI Run Ladies Run 10k & Half Marathon announces it’s full support Jessica as well. See the official announcement on their website at this link.

The Cat in the Hat is a Special Guest at the San Juan Island Library for the Dr. Seuss Birthday Party on Tuesday, March 4th.

There will be fun for all ages with cake, refreshments and crafts, and Free Book Giveaways for children. It’s a collaboration of the San Juan Island Library, the Family Resource Center and the SJI Early Learning Consortium to celebrate Read Across America.

For more info, check out the official poster (PDF).

Riley is the Pet of the Week – Click for larger image

This handsome boy, is “Riley”. He’s not had a very good life up until now – taken from his mother at five weeks of age and raised in a family with four small children who apparently tormented him relentlessly until he bit one of the older children who was playing too rough. He was running out of options so we agreed to give him a try here at our shelter.

He’s about four years old and we think a mix of Boston Terrier and Chihuahua. He’s very fearful and barks like crazy when he meets a new person, but once you have earned his trust he’ll be your loyal friend forever. He loves to play, cuddle, give kisses, go for walks and is good with cats and most other dogs.

He will need to find a home with no children under the age of 18 and should live with someone with previous dog experience in a quiet household. Riley desperately needs a second chance to prove what a good dog he can be. He has a lot of love to give – he just needs to find someone who understands him and is willing to be patient with him while he learns to trust again.

Barbara Marrett over at the Visitor’s Bureau has this exciting news to share with you…

San Juan Island has again been named as one of the “Top 10 Islands – United States” by TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice™ awards, garnering the number four spot for 2014. This is the second year in a row that the island has received a “Top 10 Islands” award.

The Travelers’ Choice awards honor top travel spots worldwide based on millions of reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travelers. Award winners were determined based on the popularity of islands in the United States, taking into account travelers’ favorite and most highly rated places. Continue Reading

Here’s some advance info for you on this year’s Artists’ Studio Tour…

The San Juan Island Artists’ Studio Tour is a free self-guided tour. Visit artists’ studios with many guest artists. We are a group of mutually supportive artists who have joined together to create a community event that celebrates the way we work in our personal studio spaces. Hundreds of people attend this free event every year.

In hidden drives and private workshops artists on San Juan Island ask that you join them in celebrating the anniversary of the San Juan Island Artists’ Studio tour. With a mixture of prints, paintings, ceramics, glass, jewelry, photography, sculpture, and fiber, the professional artists open their doors and welcome the public to see where art is created and explain their processes. This is a chance to purchase art at the source, often before the art is shown in national art shows and galleries. Visitors will gain a greater knowledge and clearer understanding of both the artist and their media. Guest artists exhibit their work.

The tour is a free event of art, guest musicians, lovely gardens, and a drawing for art at each studio. Maps and brochures are available online and at many businesses in Friday Harbor. Check out the video below to see the unique benefits of the Artist’s Studio Tour on beautiful San Juan Island in Washington State.

Contact: Dan Wyatt or Mary Sly at 360 378 7110 or
Email: sjsilk [@] centurytel [.] net
May 31st and June 1st, 2014 – 10am to 5pm daily

>Editor’s note – this story was originally published on Feb. 9. Reposting this story today because time is running out for you to sign up to participate in this brainstorming session. If you want to be included, sign up at the link below before the end of this weekend…

Sunshine Alley – Click for larger image

You are invited to participate in a design workshop to be held for all interested persons on the 26th and possibly the 27th of February at Brickworks to brainstorm ideas for the improvement of the Sunshine Alley block.

Workshop participants will divide into small groups to develop ideas for alley entries and portals, pathways and connections, alleyway treatments, building backside improvements and uses, outdoor dining areas, performance areas, children’s play, green space and green features, accents, landmarks, and lighting as well as any other topic the workshop participants wish to consider.

YOU MUST GO TO www.surveymonkey.com/s/SunshineAlleyDesignWorkshop AND SIGN UP TO PARTICIPATE. The Town Website will also link you to photos of existing conditions as well as examples of designs that have been accomplished for other alley improvement projects that may give you ideas.

Due to space limitations at Brickworks and to allow participants a hands-on experience, you may be assigned to participate in the design workshop to be conducted on Wednesday, Feb. 26th or Thursday the 27th from 6:00-8:00 pm at Brickworks – BUT YOU MUST SIGN UP OR YOU MAY NOT HAVE A SPACE ASSIGNED FOR YOU TO PARTICIPATE.

The concepts you create in this design workshop will be detailed, evaluated, tested, and refined by the consultant team in the following tasks of this process. The purpose of this design workshop is for you to create ideas – not resolve all the details.

An open house will be conducted at Brickworks and on-line once all of the design workshop concepts have been compiled, compared, and refined where you may review, critique, and rank (vote on) the ideas.

Please contact Duncan Wilson Town Administrator at 378-2810 or:
duncanw [@] fridayharbor [.] org if you have any questions about the design workshop or this project.

Island Rec is pleased to present a family stargazing and planetarium event on Friday, March 14th at Friday Harbor Elementary School. Families are invited to come explore stellar space in the Seattle Museum of Flight’s traveling planetarium!

Night sky with meteor – Click for larger version- Tim Dustrude photo

This ticketed event includes admission to a 30-minute planetarium program at one of six show times, with the first show at 6:30pm and the last at 9:00pm. Tickets are show time-specific and space is limited in each time slot. Families are encouraged to purchase tickets early on to reserve their preferred show times. Event tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for kids in grades K-6, and can be purchased at Island Rec’s office or by calling 378-4953.

The “Under the Night Sky” planetarium program transports viewers from the Solar System we call home out into deep space to explore North Star constellations and other amazing celestial objects. The program is best suited for children ages 5+, and youth under 9 must be accompanied by a ticketed adult. Folks are encouraged to arrive early and stay after their planetarium show for other fun Astronomy-related exhibits and activities. With a little luck and good weather we’ll do some outdoor stargazing with the aid of hot chocolate, cookies, and high-power telescopes!

Local astronomy buffs and night sky photographers who might be interested in supplementing these activities are encouraged to contact Jason Davis at 378-4953 or jason [@] islandrec [.] org

Island Rec would like to thank Earthbox Inn and FANS (Families And Neighbors Support Island Rec) for their sponsorship of this event.

The Annual Meeting of the Washington Native Plant Society – San Juan Islands Chapter will be held Saturday March 1, at 11:45 AM at the San Juan Island Grange, 152 North First Street, Friday Harbor.

The theme of the meeting will be Birds and Habitat with two invited speakers: Barb Jensen and Thor Hansen. An informal seed exchange will be held during lunch (11:45-12:15). Attendees must provide their own lunch. If you have any questions, contact Jim at 378-2428

Registration is continuing for the 2014 Spring Grief Support Group, sponsored by Hospice of San Juan. The 8-week session begins March 4th and is open to anyone in the community who is grieving the loss of a loved one. The group is professionally facilitated by Lenore Bayuk, MN, ACNS, and offers participants an opportunity for sharing experiences and acquiring tools and resources for coping with their grief.

The groups will meet Tuesdays, 4 – 5:30 pm for 8 weeks, beginning March 4th and continuing through April 22nd.

Although a donation of $5 – 25 per weekly session is suggested to sustain this program, sessions are open to all regardless of ability to pay.

Please contact Lenore Bayuk at (360) 378-3636, ext. 1, to register. Early registration is advised as the number of participants is limited.

Here’s a Media Alert from CenturyLink…

To our customers impacted by the underwater cable cut:

On behalf of CenturyLink and our local San Juan County and Washington employees, we thank you for your patience. We have credited your account for the time period that your service was interrupted due to the underwater fiber optic cable cut that occurred on November 5, 2013. CenturyLink acted quickly and worked around the clock to restore service to your community. We are actively enhancing our network redundancy and will be providing more information on that topic in the weeks to come.

As part of CenturyLink’s continued commitment to residents of San Juan County and as promised, bill credits have been issued and should be reflected on the February 6, 2014, bills. If you have a question, about the bill credits or your account in general, we urge you to contact us at 253-851-8118. CenturyLink appreciates all the support throughout this effort and we sincerely thank you for your business.

Nicki Black of BLS Limousine Service – SJ Update photo

Have you seen that white stretch limo driving around the island lately? It belongs to BLS Limosine, a new business that started up on the island last April by Nicki Black (FHHS Class of 1995). When she first opened the doors for business, she was driving a black Suburban town car but soon realized she wanted a limo that would make more of a statement, so she picked up the limo you see in the photos here and added it to the fleet in December. Since then she’s been keeping busy with New Year’s, SuperBowl Parties and High School sports events among other things.

Nicki says the limousine is great for Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Engagements, Airport Service, and other special occasions. You can find more information on her website at blslimoservice.com and on her Facebook page.

Go in Style – BLS Limousine photo

Here’s Captain Hobbes with his weekly report…

Orcas – Click for larger image – Hobbes Buchanan photo

It’s been a wild & wet kind of week with high winds and bigs seas around the San Juan and Gulf Islands, making it almost impossible to safely view our resident orcas known as J pod that have been in the area along with L87 Onyx who travels by J2 Granny’s side. Transient orcas have also been seen this week along with two gray whales down in the Puget Sound. Over 200 pacific white sided dolphins were spotted by one of the BC ferries around Active Pass, and they were coming this way! Very exciting stuff… Other wildlife in the area include sea lions, seals, porpoise, eagles and tons of seabirds. Most whale & wildlife companies are getting ready for the busy season and will be starting tours in March, a few operate year round. Enjoy the quiet season and book a tour today. You can see who’s running tours by checking out the PWWA and SJIVB‘s websites. Cheers from the PWWA

Capt. Hobbes Buchanan
San Juan Island Whale & Wildlife Tours & Water Taxi Services

Calling All Teens! Grab your friends and head to Cosmic Gym Night to play glow-in-the-dark versions of your favorite gym games, including volleyball, dodgeball, and more! Island Rec is setting up the dance lights, cranking the tunes, and passing out the glow sticks on Friday, February 28th, from 6:30-9pm at Turnbull Gym! It’s FREE and open to all youth in grades 7-12. Refreshments provided.

This is the second installment of “Last Friday” teen events brought to you by Island Rec’s Teen Advisory Group (aka TAG Team). Look for more upcoming events on the last Friday of March and April! To learn more, or to get involved in planning future events, please contact Jason Davis at 378-4953 or email at:
jason [@] islandrec [.] org.

Our County Auditor is seeking re-election. Here’s her official statement…

San Juan County Auditor F. Milene Henley – Contributed photo

If you’d asked me twenty years ago if I would ever consider running for office, I would have laughed at the idea. I’m a private person, and the thought of running for public office would have terrified me. But here we are, and last month completed seven years of service for me as San Juan County’s elected County Auditor. And yes, I’m signing up for a run at another four.

Those seven years have been a wild ride. My second year in office the country’s greatest recession since the Great Depression hit San Juan County. I vividly remember the April Council meeting at which I advised the Council to cut $1,000,000 from the County budget, immediately. Since that year, the County has reduced staffing every year. While the country, and the county, are both slowly navigating our way out of the doldrums, we still have not recovered to where we were before the recession. Continue Reading