United Way of San Juan County shares an update about funds they recently provided to several local organizations, including the San Juan Island Family Resource Center, the San Juan Island School District, Meals on Wheels, and Island Rides.

We are proud to announce that United Way of San Juan County allocated $81,000 to seven local non-profits and a school district serving San Juan County residents this year. The allocations were made possible by donations during the 2021 United Way of San Juan County fundraising. We greatly appreciate the generosity of our donors, especially during such a difficult and sometimes volatile time.

“These allocations may help a child struggling in school, a cold weather shelter for the homeless, or an elder needing help with transportation to remain independent in their home,” said UWSJC President William Morrissey. “Imagine the impact you can have with your donation. The number of needs continues to grow, but we are proud to live in a generous community that takes care of their own.”

We have experienced incredible demonstrations of compassion, hope, resilience, kindness and gratitude from the organizations and programs we support. Continue Reading

The San Juan County Council will hold a regular meeting on Monday, March 21 at 9 a.m. Items up for discussion or action include:

• Washington State Ferries and Ferry Advisory Committee
• Community Health Services van purchase and retrofit proposal
• Fairgrounds solar project and funding update
• MacKaye Harbor road relocation project update
• Authorization of FEMA hazard mitigation grant submittal

The Council will also hold a non-public Executive session to discuss litigation or potential litigation with legal counsel.

You can view the live stream of the meeting online or attend in person at the Council Legislative Hearing Room. Masks are required for in-person attendance. To make a public comment, sign up prior to 9 a.m. on March 21.

The Friday Harbor High School PTA is hosting a bake sale fundraiser during next week’s FHHS production of Footloose, from Thursday through Sunday — and they need people to bake things like cupcakes, cookies and brownies.

The Garden Center at Browne’s has a new delivery of veggies, fruits, shrubs, perennials and houseplants.

Last Saturday’s Desolation Sound concert at San Juan Community Theatre raised $2,053 for the Family Resource Center and SJCT.

The library has some new additions to its games collection, thanks to the Spiel Foundation.

Vinny’s Ristorante re-opened last night. Going forward they’ll be open Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 9 p.m.

The Vic’s Drive In building is still for sale, but the price has been dropped over $200,000, from $1.2 million to $995,000.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

Jayne Siroshton and Jan Murphy share details about an ambitious project that aims to raise $25,000 to sponsor a rescued moon bear on behalf of the San Juan Island community.

Friday Harbor has long been touted as an art destination, and with good reason. Painters, sculptors, potters, fabric artists, musicians and writers thrive and find creative inspiration living in the San Juan Islands. Two local artists, Jayne Siroshton and Jan Murphy, have joined forces to bring art and purpose together to help in a cause they are both passionate about – animal welfare.

The idea began to take shape several months ago when Siroshton and Murphy, both long-time animal welfare activists, began discussing the plight of Asiatic black bears, or moon bears, as they are known in China and Vietnam. The two wanted to find a way to bring awareness to the work of Animals Asia, an organization founded almost 25 years ago to bring about an end to the suffering of bears used for bile extraction in many parts of Asia. After several meetings and lots of brainstorming, the two hit upon an idea – an event that would utilize the artistic talent of local Islanders and help raise consciousness as well as funds for the organization. Continue Reading

The Northwest Workforce Council Career Center reminds the community that they are available to help Islanders looking for jobs or interested in switching careers.

There are lots of job openings right now. If you are interested in starting a new career, the Career Center’s free services can help with training and job search assistance. The Career Center’s free services to all job seekers and employers include career counseling, skills evaluation, job search assistance, and training.

For qualified job seekers, training for jobs that are in high demand includes truck drivers, electricians, plumbers, HVAC, bookkeeping, administrative assistants, medical technicians, registered nurses, and more. Go to worksourcewa.com to register as a job seeker and call the Career Center 360-378-4662 for more information.

The Friday Harbor High School baseball team knocked off the Mount Baker Mountaineers 4-2 in Deming on Friday afternoon.

The high school fastpitch team wasn’t quite so successful, falling 22-0 against Mount Baker, also in Deming on Friday.

The final indoor Farmers Market event takes place today at Brickworks from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Outside markets start back up on Saturday, April 2.

If you make it to the market, keep an eye out for Pierogis For Peace, a pop-up shop by The Market Chef and Katrina’s Secret Kitchen with peirogis, borscht, pampushky and other Ukrainian specialties to raise money for World Central Kitchen, an organization helping to feed refugees leaving Ukraine.

Did you know that Friday Harbor Market Place has what’s believed to be the second-largest commercial rooftop solar installation in the state of Washington?

Alchemy Art Center is co-organizing a human orca mural today at 11 a.m. at the east end of Jackson Beach. It’s a family-friendly event and it’s requested that attendees wear a mask and black clothing.

Sunday is the Friday Harbor Baseball & Softball Association’s field prep day at the elementary school, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Aloha Friday Hawaiian BBQ is offering their Kama’aina punch card — buy eight plate lunches, get the ninth free. They’re also working on opening for breakfast some time in the next few months.

Have something to share with the Island? Whether the news is big or small, let us know!

The Animal Protection Society shares an update about how a used ultrasound machine donated by Islands Veterinary Clinic will help APS better treat the animals in their care.

The Animal Protection Society-Friday Harbor (APS-FH) extends a special thank you to Islands Veterinary Clinic for their generous donation of a lovingly used ultrasound machine (now affectionately named “E.T.”) for the APS-FH Clinic.

Ultrasound is an imaging technique based on the use of sound waves and offers a non-invasive, non-painful method for diagnosis and staging of many diseases. It can also be very useful when a pet has ingested something it shouldn’t have, to locate and characterize the foreign object.

Megan Perry, APS-FH’s Clinic Manager & Shelter Vet Tech, has special appreciation for what the equipment will do for the APS-FH clinic. “This new equipment will save us time and cost by enabling us to diagnose in-house and immediately treat the homeless pets in our care as opposed to waiting for the availability of, and paying the cost for, external veterinary and/or specialty care”. Islands Veterinary Clinic’s gift has the entire APS-FH team (staff, board, and volunteers) cheering for the opportunities this equipment brings to our medical services.

Shelter Manager, Beth Anderson, expressed thankfulness for the donation stating that, “shelter work can be overwhelming at times but a gift like this eases the burden. It is assuring to know that we have another valuable tool to help make the lives of our shelter animals better.”

Photo credit: Animal Protection Society-Friday Harbor

The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management reports 12 confirmed or probable new COVID cases on San Juan Island since March 11 — a reduction of almost half over last week. Orcas Island has two new cases and Lopez Island just one.

This week’s 15 new cases bring the total case count to 1,262.

As of March 12, Washington State has relaxed mask requirements. According to the Washington State Department of Health, “Decreasing rates of infection and hospitalizations, and high vaccination rates have allowed us to move into a new recovery phase of the pandemic.”

That said, the March 11 media release from San Juan County reports 23 new confirmed cases on San Juan Island. They go on to say, “we should remember that the masks we wore dramatically reduced disease spread by protecting both ourselves and those around us.” Mask wearing has also kept us from getting common colds and the flu — good reasons in my opinion to keep our masks handy.

Healthcare facilities and transportation systems with federal requirements including ferries and air travel will still require masks. Local businesses and organizations may require or encourage wearing masks. San Juan Island Food Co-op will have “Masked Mornings” where masking will be required every day between 10 and 11 a.m. Mask policies are now generally up to individual businesses or organizations.

The Mullis Center remains cautious stating, “Although the Washington State masking requirement was lifted on March 12, the Mullis Center will be maintaining mask requirements at the center through the end of March. We are taking extra precautions as we serve a vulnerable population and in response to the steady infection rate on San Juan Island.”

It is up to us as individuals to navigate where we feel both safe ourselves and socially responsible to our community. Stay informed and if you are not sure what to do ask a health professional.

Incumbent San Juan County Sheriff Ron Krebs sends along an announcement of his intention to run for re-election.

Law enforcement has changed dramatically in recent years but one thing that has not changed is my commitment to you, the citizens of San Juan County. Today I am proud to announce my candidacy for re-election for a third term as your San Juan County Sheriff.

One of my proudest achievements is the quality of the men and women I have assembled to work in my office. This dedicated team of professionals are some of the hardest working and most caring individuals I have been privileged to know. Day-in and day-out they serve the community with unparalleled professionalism and sincere concern.

Great strides have been made in the technology and procedures of my office. In 2017 I spearheaded the Codan radio project. This state-of-the-art communications system replaces an antiquated radio network and goes live next month. This radio system allows the first responders of San Juan County to have clearer communications which provides better life saving capabilities and increased safety for all. Continue Reading

The San Juan Preservation Trust and the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank share an update about their efforts to conserve critical habitats in the Islands — and the challenge of acquiring such properties in our hyper-competitive real estate market.

The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and San Juan Preservation Trust announced last week that they jointly submitted an offer to purchase the Glenwood Inn property on Orcas Island. The property includes a third of a mile of shoreline, which the conservation partners would open for public access while protecting near-shore natural features to aid salmon-recovery efforts.

The 58-acre former waterfront resort, located near Point Doughty on the northwest tip of Orcas, was listed for sale on February 19. The Land Bank/SJPT partnership submitted an offer on Thursday, March 10—the last day of the seller’s specified bidding period. Their offer was based on a market analysis by an independent appraisal firm. We understand, however, that another party bettered our offer.

“We weren’t entirely surprised that we were outbid, given the current hyper-competitive real estate market,” said Angela Anderson, the Preservation Trust’s executive director. “Of course we’re disappointed, but we remain ‘in the game’ and are hopeful that a conservation outcome may yet come to pass.” Continue Reading