This was the first meeting of the newly formed Major Emergency Response Team (MERT) on April 25, 2013 – Contributed photo

San Juan Island Fire Rescue- Major Emergency Response Team (MERT) held its first meeting on April 25, 2013. There will be another informational meeting held tonight – Tuesday, April 30 at 6:30 PM at the Mullis Street Fire Station for those who could not attend the first one. The MERT program will help disseminate information during a major emergency such as an earthquake. The fire department is looking for volunteers to staff our local fire stations during those times. Please contact Ron Garner, Logistics Crew Chief, at rggarner [@] centurytel.net or 378-7722 for more information.

On Saturday, May 4th, the King’s High School Concert Choir and select group, Living Faith, will perform at Friday Harbor Presbyterian at 7:30 PM. Under the direction of Mr. Bobby Olson, the groups will perform a wide variety of music ranging from Classical to World Music, Gospel, and Spirituals. King’s High School has been traveling to Friday Harbor since 1996, and the students are excited to return again this year!

King’s High School Concert Choir
The King’s High School Concert Choir is an elective, mixed ensemble comprised of students grades 9-12. The choir sings a wide variety of music ranging from Renaissance and Classical to World Music, Gospel and Spirituals. Along with performing in concerts throughout the year, students in Concert Choir use their gifts to share the gospel with other King’s students and the surrounding community.

King’s High School Living Faith
Living Faith is a select group with a student rhythm section. They sing all styles of music including jazz, where they have had first place wins at both the Reno Jazz Festival and the Lionel Hampton Jazz Festival. This year, they have traveled and competed at the Frank DeMiero Jazz Festival in Edmonds, WA, and the Jazz Unlimited Festival in Pasco, WA. Living Faith has been chosen to be featured in a concert for the 2010 American Choral Directors Association Conference. Living Faith is also involved in missions work. This year the group combined with the KHS Live drama troupe to minister to disadvantaged communities in Atlanta, GA. In the past, the group has traveled to Miami, the Dominican Republic, Ukraine, Japan, Korea, Honduras, and Costa Rica.

An Evening of Poetry and Readings with local Northwest Authors, Shannon P. Laws and Jared McVay

Shannon P. Laws, a former San Juan Island resident, will be previewing poetry from her new book, “Madrona Grove: Poems Written Under the Canopy. Joining her will be Jared McVay, veteran Hollywood film actor, stage actor, author and a true master story teller. His latest book, “Hacker’s Raid” is a fast moving page turner that will keep you asking “What’s Going to Happen Next?” It’s a free event at the San Juan Island Library. Light refreshments courtesy of the Friends of the San Juan Island Library.

On Wednesday, May 8th, the Town of Friday Harbor will award Jenny Prescott, owner of Acanthus Antiques, and the San Juan County Land Bank, Partners in Preservation Awards for their actions to preserve and rehabilitate the historic Lettie Carter Rourk house on lower Argyle Avenue. The public is invited to come to the 5:00 pm reception and awards ceremony at 460 Argyle.

Prescott is being honored for rehabilitation of the 1912 Craftsman house into a beautifully restored home for her business, Acanthus Antiques. The Land Bank will be honored for the organization’s foresight and contribution to the residents of Friday Harbor by purchasing the property in 2002 and attaching an historic preservation easement to the deed to protect it for perpetuity.

Each year the Town of Friday Harbor’s Historic Preservation Review Board honors the individuals and organizations that are helping to preserve Friday Harbor’s historic buildings, sites and unique sense of place.

The classic Craftsman house was built in 1912 for newlywed Lettie Carter Nicholson and husband George Nicholson. It was a gift from her father, L.B. Carter, a prosperous Friday Harbor merchant. He established the successful Blue Front dry goods store on Spring Street, later replacing the original wood-frame store with a two-story department store known today as King’s Market. George Nicholson died during the Spanish Influenza epidemic, and Lettie later married a lively Irish merchant named Billy Rourk, who followed L.B. as the store’s proprietor.

Other notable residents of the house include former Friday Harbor mayor, Jim Cahail, and his wife Mary Jean Cahail, former County clerk and the current board vice-president of the San Juan Historical Museum.

For more information about this year’s event contact Sandy Strehlou, 360.378.2810 or sstrehlou [@] fridayharbor.org.

The Great Island Clean-Up on April 20 was a great success!  About 200 islanders scoured San Juan Island’s roadsides and beaches, and together collected a whopping 3,600 pounds of litter.  Much appreciation goes to everyone who helped.

Henry Island “finds”

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Robyn Roberts has received the Judges Choice Award at the OSPI State Art Competition

Robyn’s entry “Old Man” is incredible. Click to see a larger version of it. Congratulations Robyn!

Friday Harbor High School Art Teacher Andy Anderson has been informed that art work submitted by 12th grader Robyn Roberts has received the coveted Judges Choice Award at the Office of Superintendent of Public Education (OSPI) State Art Competition. Robyn was one of the five Friday Harbor High School students selected as regional winners by ESD189. There were over a thousand images submitted from the state’s nine districts this year and five pieces were chosen by a panel of fifteen art professionals for the Judges Choice award. There will be an awards ceremony to honor these young artists in Olympia on May 17th. Robyn is a Friday Harbor High School senior AP Studio Art student who will be attending Western Washington University next fall and plans on majoring in art and science.

“I was so proud of Robyn for being selected to receive such a prestigious award,” said Mr. Anderson, “She has work very hard on her skills and is so deserving of recognition at the state level. I am certain that whatever she decides to pursue after high school, her art will remain an important aspect of her life.”

More information about the competition can be found at the following link:
http://www.k12.wa.us/Arts/ArtShow/default.aspx

Robert Mancuso and Yvonne Buijs-Mancuso of Friday Harbor wish to announce the engagement of their daughter Ayanna to Brian Sprawka, son of Gregory and Cheryl Sprawka of Austin, Texas. The happy couple met in Boston, Massachusetts, where they currently reside.

L to R: Hospital District Commissioners Dr. J. Michael Edwards and Lenore Bayuk; IMA Board Members Charlie Bodenstab and Jack Yelverton – Contributed photo

The acquisition of the old EMS building by the San Juan Islands Museum of Art was unanimously accepted by the Board of Commissioners of the San Juan County Public Hospital District #1 at their meeting on Wednesday, April 24, 2013.

Jim Cole, Chief of the San Juan Island EMS, stated “This is an absolute win-win. We are taking a public building and keeping it as an exciting new public building.” Chief Cole also added that he has talked with the Wilson family and they are very pleased that it will become a wonderful museum in our community. The building was originally dedicated to family member, Frank Wilson. San Juan Islands Museum of Art (IMA) Board members Charlie Bodenstab and Jack Yelverton thanked the Board of Commissioners, Chief Jim Cole, and Dr. J. Michael Edwards for their excellent due diligence during the three year period of discussions regarding the purchase.

The IMA Board has set as a priority the creation of a façade for the front of the building that will convert it from the very noble, but utilitarian image, consistent with the mission of the EMS organization, to an exciting and inviting art museum.

The purchase of this building is a major commitment to the community to provide an accredited visual arts museum in Friday Harbor, serving the San Juan Islands. The San Juan Islands Museum of Art’s mission is to connect people with art that inspires, challenges, enlightens and educates. The IMA was established in February 2005 and is a registered 501(c) (3) non-profit organization.

Sweet little “Hope” was part of a group of dogs scheduled to be euthanized in a remote part of California just a few weeks ago. Fortunately, a rescue group stepped in and found shelters in Oregon and Washington willing to help out – making it possible for her to make a safe landing here at our shelter. Hope is a Chihuahua mix, about a year old, house-trained and very well-mannered. She is a bit timid and would do best in a quiet home with no small children. She is tiny and loves to snuggle, so we know she’ll make a perfect lap dog. If you have room on your lap and in your heart for Hope, please stop by the shelter to meet her…..111 Shelter Road, Friday Harbor.

Skyler Moeder, Bridget Booth, Penelope Haskew and Trudy Loucks appearing in Into the Woods

San Juan Community Theatre is doing something different with their spring musical this weekend.  On Sunday at 2 pm, they’re presenting a special “children’s matinee” of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods.  The matinee is just the first act of the fairytale (the second act turns a little dark and might be a little more scary and hard to understand for younger kids).  While it’s called a children’s matinee, all members of the family will enjoy the incredible music, costumes, sets and island talent!  All tickets are $8 each and doors open at 1:00 pm.  Into the Woods continues May 2-5 and 9-11.

**Correction** – A sharp eyed reader has informed us that this is actually a Female Rufous Hummingbird, not an Anna’s Hummingbird. Barb Jensen of the San Juan Islands Audubon sends this email:

I was just looking at the photo of the hummingbird on the update and this is a female Rufous Hummingbird not an Anna’s. Anna’s do not have the reddish color on their sides and they do have white that goes over the eye not just behind it. The drawings in Sibley’s guide is a good reference. 
Barb & John Jensen, San Juan Islands Audubon

Check out their Facebook page, or get in touch via email:
skylark [@] rock island.com

Here is the original post:

John Miller is at it again. Here is another hummingbird photo  – Thanks for sharing John!

“Female Rufous Hummingbird” – John Miller photo

It’s not today… it’s next Friday…

It’s the 7th Annual Celebration of the Orca Greeting Ceremony and it begins Friday May 3rd at 6:00 at the Mullis Center. Great food provided by Market Chef, no-host bar, auctions… Come on down, have a good time, and support this great island museum. Click on the poster for more info.

Long lost farmhouse – San Juan County

History Lives Here—Heritage Month in the San Juan Islands

May 2013 is Heritage Month in San Juan County. Event organizers on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands have collabortated on a month-long calendar of events to celebrate the theme “History Lives Here.” Heritage Month is a great opportunity to discover the islands’ unique and colorful history.

From history exhibit openings to historic home and guided neighborhood walking tours, to history talks, anniversary celebrations, beachfront bonfires, ghost tours and a parade, History Lives Here Heritage Month offers multiple events over five weekends—and gives us all reason to island hop during May.

Heritage Month is a collaboration of:

• The Town of Friday Harbor
• Orcas, Lopez and San Juan historical museums
• San Juan Island Library
• San Juan Island National Historical Park
• San Juan Islands Scenic Byway
• San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau
• and other community organizations.

For information about the events visit www.historicfridayharbor.org, call (360) 378-2810 or contact your local historical museum.

Wednesday, May 1st in the FHHS Commons 5:30-7:30
Join us for an INCREDIBLE meal and entertainment by the talented Ballet Folklorico de Monarca

• House Smoked Pork Carnitas
• Grilled Chicken Tacos
• Handmade Tortillas
• Chili-Lime Coleslaw
• Garden Salad with an Orange-Cumin Vinaigrette
• Rice and Beans
• Chips and Salsa
• AND a Tres Leches Cake for dessert made by the FHHS Baking Class

The Spanish Class will decorate the commons and the dancers will be sure to please!
$10 donation for Adults and $5 for children UNDER 12

Come Join our early celebration of Cinco de Mayo on Wednesday, May 1st in the FHHS Commons 5:30 – 7:30

Dear Trails Enthusiasts,

Dave Zeretzke, who is leading the effort with Cinda Pierce to prepare the American Camp Trail for its official opening on June 1, 2013, is looking for a few volunteers. Here is his message:

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The Trails Committee needs three teams of volunteers to help with the June 1st deadline for opening of the new 6+ mile American Camp Trail. What a cause for joy – San Juan Island’s first long trail since bygone days. Contact Dave Zeretzke at 378-5114 or davez907 [@] yahoo.com to sign up. Thanks and save the date of June 1st in the morning to attend this grand opening just across the street from the baseball field on Spring St.

• Sign team volunteers: 2-3 able bodied people needed to help install the signs. All signs made/being made and posts are bought and finished.  Installing the signs is the work to be done. Being comfortable with a portable drill, hand tools, and posthole digger is helpful.
• Vegetation and drainage volunteers: 3-4 people needed to work on various sections of the trail to make sure the footpaths are free of debris and intruding vegetation. Use of hand pruning/digging tools necessary.
• Ceremony volunteers: 2-3 people needed to help organize and set up a simple opening ceremony on Sat. June 1st in the morning for the public, press, hikers and various public officials to celebrate the occasion. Simple is the key word with no audio/visual electronics. A ribbon to cut, words to be spoken, some juice/carbonated water and cookies to enjoy and then a hike to begin for as long as anyone wishes.

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As noted above, please contact Dave if you can help, and with any questions.

And a sincere Thank You is in order — to Dave, Cinda, numerous Trails Committee volunteers, the National Park Service, Land Bank, SJC Public Works, Port of Friday Harbor, and the many others who have helped bring this trail to life!

Proud new mommy Amanda Smith just sent over this birth announcement:

Georgia Elaine Smith

Nathan and Amanda Smith are pleased to introduce their daughter Georgia Elaine Smith. Born on April 9th at 1:27am, she weighed 6 lbs. 2.5 oz and was 19.5 inches long.

She was welcomed to the island by grandparents Bruce and Pam Wyckoff and Gigi Zakula, as well as her aunts Johanna Smith McAdam and Courtney Smith and cousins Dylan, Audrey and Ila Allen.