San Juan County is re-launching its popular Transportation Voucher Program in September and will be operating through June of 2015. While the first round of the Transportation Voucher Program closed this past June, the program is now accepting applications again.

The first phase of the county wide Transportation Voucher Program saw significant use by its participants over its first nine months; every month averaged 160 taxi rides, 35-45 ferry fares, and repairing and making safer 6-8 vehicles. The Transportation Voucher Program served over 180 of the community’s most transportation -vulnerable residents, equal to about 1.5% of the County’s population.

The Transportation Voucher Program represents a unique public-private partnership of transportation providers, and local social services, to provide community access for Transportation Voucher Program participants. The program offers taxi service and ferry fare assistance on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands, and auto repair and parts services on Orcas and San Juan. Ferry fares are acquired through partnership with the Family Resource Centers.

Applications for the Transportation Voucher Program are available online at: http://www.sanjuanco.com/PublicTransport/CTPrograms.aspx , through local senior and family resource centers.

Applications and additional information are also available through San Juan County’s Mobility Coordinator, Christopher Aiken, phone: 360-370-7512, or email:
christophera [@] sanjuanco [.] com.

Got this email from Melisa Pinnow to share with you…

L119 pokes her head above the surface with her mouth open!

Hi there, I hope you are enjoying the summer and I have some exciting orca news for you! A female L pod calf called L119, who was born last year and has survived, will now receive a name. My suggested name, Joy, is in the final four! You can read more about L119 and vote on a name at my website here: http://www.sanjuanorcas.com/vote-for-joy.html

I would appreciate your vote! Spread the word 🙂
—

Melisa Pinnow
http://www.sanjuanorcas.com/

Florence ‘Betty’ Jones – October 16th, 1925 to August 26th, 2013

Florence was surrounded by family and friends when she lost her courageous battle with pneumonia at the Life Care Center of the San Juan’s. Betty, as her friends and family called her, was a 23 year resident of Friday Harbor, Washington. Services will be held Saturday, September 7th at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church at 10:30 A.M. Reception to follow at the church.

Betty grew up and attended schools in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her hobbies included Photography and skiing. She attended secretarial school in Philadelphia and was later hired by the Industrial Mining & Materials Department at Pennsylvania State University. She was taking classes at Penn State when she met her future husband, Robert (‘Bob’) Jones. After Bob graduated from college, they married in 1953 and honeymooned in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Kentucky & Georgia. They later moved to Southern California where they eventually settled in Westchester, California to raise their four children Gwen, Kevin, Megan and Keith.

Betty was the original “Super mom” as she juggled work and managed a busy household while her husband often traveled for work in the aerospace industry. Betty volunteered at her children’s schools, sold Encyclopedia Books door-to-door (breaking sales quotas in her area), headed her daughter’s Brownie and Girl Scout troops and oversaw a menagerie of her children’s exotic pets included among other things dogs, cats, snakes, rats, a squirrel monkey and a baby alligator! Continue Reading

Harlan Dean Anderson 1949 – 2013

Harlan Dean Anderson, age 64, peacefully passed away at the Life Care Center in Friday Harbor on August 27th, 2013, after a fifteen year battle with Parkinson’s disease.

On April 17th, 1949 in Hawley, Minnesota, Harlan was born to Russell and Lila Anderson. Harlan finished high school and moved to Florida to attend business school. He graduated from North Dakota Bankers Association in 1975, and found his first job at a bank in Casselton, North Dakota, before moving to Friday Harbor with his wife, Nina, in 1978. He worked for Key Bank from 1987-1992. The family moved from Friday Harbor before returning in 2002.

Harlan loved any sport played with a ball, but most especially softball. He played for Friday Harbor Mudsharks from 1987-1998, then later with co-ed and men’s teams in Bellingham and Brookings. He was a tremendous athlete. For three years in a row the Kiwanis Club beat the Lions Club baseball team when Harlan was playing.

A man with a heart for service, Harlan was active with Friday Harbor Kiwanis from 1987-1993. As Vice-President, he started the Key Club, and then served as President from 1989 – 1990.

He is survived by his mother Lila Anderson, Ulen, Minnesota; wife, Nina Anderson, Friday Harbor, Washington; Jason (Toni) Anderson, Moorhead, Minnesota; daughter, Jeanine (Brian) Peterson, El Paso, Texas; step-children Chris Hansford, Bellingham, Washington; Lori (Curt Wagner) Snodgrass, Friday Harbor, Washington; sister Shirley Anderson, Tower City, North Dakota; brother, Lonnie (Sue) Anderson, Ulen, Minnesota; and sister, Loayne (Robby) Voight, Mohal, North Dakota. He is also survived by thirteen grandchildren, six great grandchildren, and numerous cousins, nieces, and nephews. Continue Reading

School Superintendent Rick Thompson with Michele Morton of Islanders Bank

Thanks Islanders Bank!

“On behalf of the students and staff in the San Juan Island School District, San Juan Island School District would like to express our thanks for Islander’s Bank’s annual Stuff-the-Bus School Supply Drive. It was a joy to work with Bank Officer Michele Morton to pack up the three overflowing bins of supplies, knowing how critical these tools and materials are to a student’s success in school. We are sure that our school families appreciate Islander’s Bank’s dedication to our community. Thank you to all community members who donated supplies so we can better meet our mission of providing a world class education to each and every student.”

And also, thanks Valmark:

Valmark’s Libbey Oswald and School Board Chair Brent Snow

“The San Juan Island School District Board of Directors would like to thank Valmark for their generous donation to our public school teachers’ on-going professional development.

The funding that was provided this year marks the second consecutive year that Valmark’s generosity will enable our professional educators to maintain their high standards by engaging in continuing education within their specific disciplines both as individuals and in groups.

The San Juan Island School District is grateful and delighted that our deserving teachers are able to access continuing professional development opportunities. Thank you Valmark for your interest in our schools.”

-Rick Thompson
Superintendent of Schools

The San Juan County Arts Council (SJCAC) is sponsoring a workshop “Photographing Your Art” on September 28, taught by professional photographer, Mark Gardner. The workshop will be from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm on Orcas Island at the Orcas Island Library. Fee is $50 for the full day workshop.

The objective of the workshop is for artists to learn how to create the best possible images of their art. The workshop will cover three major topics: Capturing your image, Organizing your images and Output (file size, copyrights, providing your files for shows, editors, prints, etc).

Learning techniques to photograph art to achieve the best image with regard to color, clarity and dimension is relevant to all artists desiring to develop or upgrade their website or marketing and information pieces, such as business cards and brochures; to artists competing for acceptance into art shows where decisions are made based on photos of their art; and to artists desiring to have images of their work included in publications.

Mark Gardner has been creating art from life with photography since 1994. He is a full-service provider of studio and location photography for families, individuals, businesses and publications. He combines passion, artistic expression and technical skill to create his images. Continue Reading

The Lummi Tribe of Northwest Washington has reached out to Islanders asking for our engagement and support in honoring their treaty rights and preserving the final resting place of their ancestors at Xwe’che’eXen, known as Cherry Point.

You are invited to a gathering to learn from Lummi leaders about this place and to hear their request that we stand with them in protecting it.

• When: Saturday, August 31, 2013 at 5:00 pm
• Where: Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall
  242 Main Street
  Eastsound, Orcas Island

Admission is free. Donations to the Kwel hoy’ totem pole journey will be gratefully appreciated. www.totempolejourney.com

Co-sponsored by Friends of the San Juans and the Orcas NO COALition

On August 31, two nationally prominent Lummi leaders, Jeremiah Julius and Jewell James, will visit Eastsound on Orcas Island to discuss this decision and plans for a totem pole journey aimed at unifying Native American tribes in opposition to the planned coal terminals. Continue Reading

The folks at the San Juan Island Community Garden would like to say thanks to Conrad. And we’ll have more on the Community Garden soon, but for now, here’s this:

Hardworking student volunteer, Conrad Bormann, has been working mornings this summer at the San Juan Island Community Garden (Here’s their Facebook page).  Conrad is participating in Kiwanis’ Dollars For Scholars program and is the first student volunteer to earn service hours at the San Juan Island Community Garden.  He will be a junior at Spring Street International School this year.  Thanks Conrad! 

Call for artists for the 2013 Artstock Art Market! This year’s annual Artstock event will be a “mini-Artstock” in the sense that instead of a two day event that included an open studio tour, we are planning an afternoon Artstock Art Market and Gallery Walk from 3:30pm-7:00pm on October 5.

There are several things already in the mix for that weekend. It is the kick off weekend for the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau “Savor the San Juans” ad campaign and the Agricultural Resource Committee’s “Islands Harvest Festival.” On that Saturday on San Juan Island there will be the Farmer’s Market in the morning, followed by the Farm Parade, followed by the Chili Cook-off in the afternoon. So there will be a lot of buzz about town.

To give you a quick “feel” for the event, the Artstock Art Market will be partnering with the Chili Cook-off to share the Brickworks facility. The artist booths will be along the walls inside of the building and the tables for the patrons of the Chili Cook-off will be down the middle of the inside the building. There will also be live, local music inside. The tents for the chili food vendors, additional tables for eating, a beer garden, cider press and other harvest activities will be outside on the Brickworks Plaza.

Because of the limited space there is room for only 10 art booths; and, therefore, will be limiting the number of any one medium. Applications will be processed and acceptance based on a first come first served basis. The booth fee is $20-$25, depending on booth size. The booth sizes will be 6’x8′ and 8’x8′.

For more information or to get an application form, email:
pigmansartworks [@] rockisland [.] com.

My family and my crew would like to thank the community for the massive amount of support that you have shown us since the fire at Downriggers.

A big thank you to the fire department and EMT’s for their work that night.

A huge thank you to Shelly from Herb’s for the phone call and support all through the night, you were amazing. Stacey & Lisa from the Hungry Clam, and Bobby Tangney from Haley’s, and Pam Stewart also were fantastic. They were there pretty much from the beginning and stayed and provided food, comfort and support until the morning.

This town has shown us amazing support and comfort since this happened. Thank you to all the businesses who have taken in my employees. Growing up here I have always been aware of our tight Island Community, but going through this makes me realize how much we all support each other. Thank you so much.
Debbie & Hogan Rishel
The Downriggers Crew

The 2013 structural Firefighter 1 certification class begins on September 4th and runs weekends through December 14th.

Participation represents a significant commitment to the department and the community. Both women and men are invited to join.
The 120+ hour class is based on internationaly recognized standards and culminates with an International Fire Service Accreditation Congress (IFSAC) Firefighter I certification test.

To sign up for the class go to http://www.sjifire.org/pageBecomeaFirefighter or phone Brad Creesy, Training Officer at 378-5334.

Coach, Father, Husband – Gregory Allen Truesdale – “A TRUE BENEFIT”

Many of you know Greg as a sports coach at the High School, or through his daughter Sierra (who is going off to college soon), or through his wife Nikki who works at the Elementary School and at Kings Marine. Or, you may know him as a craftsman who has worked on projects on their property.

There will be a benefit spaghetti dinner at the Legion for Greg on September 7th at 5:00 pm, as he recovers from a construction accident.

Spaghetti Dinner… Dessert Auction…  It’s ALL DONATION!

It’s a chance to have fun and show some support with fellow community members!
A recent construction injury in Greg’s left wrist and right heel has caused tremendous mental, physical, and financial stress on this family.
Please come show your love and support. Thank You!

Separate, appreciated donations can be made to the Account at Whidbey Island Bank, “The Greg Truesdale Benefit Fund”

For more info, contact Shannon Plummer at 317-5256

The 2013 Friday Harbor Art Market season winds down this Friday, August 30, at Brickworks Plaza from 3:00-7:00pm.

Bring your guests, tell the tourists, share with friends: support your local artists, musicians and food vendors by making plans now to drop by the final night of the market.

It’s never too early to start shopping for the holidays or purchase souvenirs to take home!

Music this week begins with Teddy Deane from 3:00 – 5:00pm, keyboard and vocals, lots of fun originals about the islands plus CD’s for only $5.00.

And then The Rocky Bay Boys will wrap up the evening from 5:00-7:00pm, playing and singing some lively blue grass.
Contact: [email protected] for more info.

Need a barn cat? Jan at the animal shelter has your solution…

Hey Folks,  the Shelter has had some people calling lately with wild cats they’d like to relocate and so we’re looking for homes for “Barn Cats”.

Call us at 360 378-2158 if you can provide a home.

Apply for low-income housing grants, loans by Sept. 30

San Juan County will award grants and loans totaling up to $25,000 in 2013 for projects that help make housing available to local residents of very low income.

The Low Income Housing Fund, created by the state legislature in 2002, is funded by a surcharge on documents recorded by the county auditor’s office. Funds may be used for construction, operation or maintenance of projects that serve families or individuals earning less than 50 percent of the area’s median income.

For a family of four, 50 percent of median income in San Juan County is $32,450.

Funding is available to non-profits and developers, either as grants or loans for eligible projects in San Juan County. Funding is not available for individual home purchases, or home remodel or rehabilitation.

The county allocates 5 percent of its low-income housing funds directly to the Town of Friday Harbor and 5 percent into a reserve account as well. The funds are administered by the county Housing Bank Commission.

The deadline to apply for funding is Sept. 30. A link to the application form is on the County’s Home Web page: http://sanjuanco.com (under Notices), or contact Melanie Rollins, Affordable Housing Coordinator, for application forms or more information; phone (360)370-7526 or email [email protected]

The direct link to the application form in PDF format is: http://sanjuanco.com/docs/health/forms/2060_Funds_Application_2013.pdf
A MS Word version can be downloaded at: http://sanjuanco.com/docs/health/forms/2060_Funds_Application_2013.doc

From classical greats to Gershwin, cellist Sasha von Dassow presents a Summer Serenade concert at San Juan Community Theatre on Saturday, August 31 at 8:00 p.m.

Since moving back to the Northwest last year after 22 years in Florida, von Dassow has been wowing island audiences. The former member of the cello section of the Florida Orchestra and music director and conductor of the North Port Symphony, has added that cello magic to both SJCT’s Melodious Notes over the Harbor series and the summer’s Night Music series.

This time von Dassow concocts his own concert for the Whittier stage, featuring himself and island friends: pianists Grisha Krivchenia and Sonja Zarek; and clarinetist Sue Collado.

Summer Serenade gives von Dassow the chance, he says, “to focus on the best of classical music that I like and also venture toward the American standard songbook.” He has added George Gershwin to the program as well as classics from Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and more.

The Business Partner for the evening is Islanders Bank. Tickets are $17 for adults; $8 for student reserved, with $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.; or buy on-line at www.sjctheatre.org