Crystal and Jeremy Federico set up shop outside the front door to enjoy the beautiful weather. They make biscotti among other things. If you’re wondering where you’ve seen Jeremy before, you probably recognize him from his day job at Marketplace.

Yesterday was the last day this season for the Saturday Market to be held at the Grange. Next month, it moves outdoors to Brickworks.

Mike Martin of San Juan Pasta Company and Wendy Seaa Brown of High Seas Tuna had booths next to each other indoors and offered up some samples of their products which are delicious.

Elizabeth Farr was there representing Oregon Dachsund Rescue, Inc. (www.odr-inc.org) She takes old sweaters and stuffs them and sews them up to make pet beds, like this one she just sold to happy customer Shannon Dean.

Amanda Smith of Isla Botanica creates regular and decaf organic teas, a Trauma Oil and a Super Healing Salve (among other things) all made from island-grown herbs and other Non-GMO organic ingredients.

Loren DeShon and son Dan DeShon are the father & son owners of Westwind Aviation. They marked 10 years in business this week and hosted a barbecue and open house on Saturday to celebrate. They offer Charters, Sightseeing Flights, Flying Lessons and more. They have 2 Cessna 172 single-engine 3-passenger (4 incl. pilot) aircraft, great for island destinations, and a Cessna 303 twin-engine (photo below) with roomy club seating for 4-5 passengers and a 400 mile range. Or if you really want to go all out, they can get you into a Cessna Citation executive twin-jet that seats 8 with double club seating, 4 plus 4 to get you there in style. A couple of great people – give them a call if you need to get somewhere in a hurry.

Folks milling around the hangar, swapping flying stories, eating delicious barbecued tri-tip steak and generally having a good time

Two of the guests at the barbecue were non other than Don Craddock and his wife Betty (whom you may have read about a few days ago in the Legion’s April Newsletter).

UFO’s (Union of Flying Octogenarians) Betty Jane (BJ) and Don Craddock were on hand to talk about their experiences flying over the course of their 68 years of marriage, including moving up from a Cessna 182 to a Beechcraft B33 Debonair because Don wanted to go higher and faster. Having recently sold that, he says he now goes lower and slower. What a great couple!

Numerous areas in the San Juans including the Cattle Point Lighthouse area of San Juan Island (foreground) and the southern tip of Lopez Island at Iceberg Point (background) were recently designated National Monument Status – Tim Dustrude photo

The public will have two opportunities on Monday April 1st to celebrate our new National Monument status with some of the leaders who helped make it possible. In addition to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and leaders from the Bureau of Land Management, we expect Senator Maria Cantwell and Congressman Rick Larsen to attend. Both events are open to the public.

Monday morning: Interior Secretary Salazar will host an event in Anacortes to celebrate the San Juan Islands National Monument. As Salazar put it:

“I look forward to seeing you on Monday morning to celebrate this great milestone that you all have been so instrumental in achieving. I regret that time and resource restrictions won’t allow me to make it all the way to the San Juan Islands on this trip, but I look forward to spending time there, at one of our nation’s greatest crown jewels, in the future. Neil Kornze, the BLM’s Principal Deputy Director is the lucky one who will represent me at the local celebration on the islands Monday afternoon.”

Monday afternoon: There will be a community celebration and potluck at the Lopez Center at 5:30 pm. Representatives of the BLM, including Acting Director Neil Kornze, will be there to answer questions. There will be entertainment and food (bring salads, sides and desserts). You will have an opportunity to sign your name to posters that will be provided to key officials who have helped make the National Monument a reality.

Anacortes Event: 10:00am at the Anacortes Senior Center Great Room, 1701 22nd St.

Lopez Island Event: 5:30pm at Lopez Center, 204 Village Rd.

Here’s a fun image captured by roving Update photographer Aaron Shepard.

“Resting” – Aaron Shepard photo

It’s Friday and time for another beautiful photo from John Miller and, yes you guessed it – Fir Island wildlife. John says he saw this group packing up and heading north on Tuesday of this week. Thanks John!

“Last Swans Standing” – John Miller photo

Seattle Saxophonist Highlights Benefit Jazz Concert

“Jazzin’ it up in Friday Harbor,” a fundraiser for Friday Harbor’s Band Families and Friends, brings “a bona fide player in the arena of straight-ahead jazz” (jazz.review.com) to San Juan Community Theatre to mix it up with islanders on Friday, March 29 at 7:00 p.m.

Steve Treseler joins the island’s One More Time Band and the Friday Harbor High School Jazz Band (under direction of Matt Frost) for a special evening of jazz.

Treseler leads the Steve Treseler Group and is a member of the Jim Knapp Orchestra, Wayne Horvitz’s Washington Composers Orchestra (WACO), and the Seattle Minimalist Ensemble. Not only a rising star in the world of modern jazz, he’s also a teacher, with The University of Idaho and Central Washington University currently using Treseler’s new textbook, The Living Jazz Tradition: A Creative Guide to Improvisation and Harmony.

Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for student reserved. 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. Tickets are also available online at www.sjctheatre.org.

John Miller the photographer shares this story with us about the preparation work for Sunday’s Easter Egg Hunt:

Mike and Mark and 900 eggs in the Hot Zone – John Miller photo

Wednesday night, 7 members of the San Juan Island Fire Dept hard boiled 1800 eggs for Sundays’ Easter egg hunt at Jackson beach. The event is in it’s third decade and as usual, starts at 1:00 PM on Sunday. The photo above shows Mike and Mark manning the hot zone with over 900 eggs being readied for Sunday. Other  members in the work party included Karan (chief’s wife), Joan Burns, Susan Risser, Lenora Johnson and John Miller.

Amy  Cloud at Peace Island Medical Center has some information to share with you:

Good morning!  As you may surmise, each week seems to bring new questions for PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center caregivers. I am attaching answers to the questions we most frequently receive. I hope you’ll help us share this information.  Thank you, and please let me know if you have questions that are not answered here.

Check out the Q & A here PIMC-Questions-Answers  (PDF)

Don in his Flight Suit

Don and Betty Jane Craddock grew up in Pueblo. CO. She lived on the North side and he lived on the East side of town. They met in high school at the age of 16 and the rest of their love story is history. They graduated high school in 1942 only a few months after Pearl Harbor.

After high school, Don joined the Army Air Corps Reserve and enrolled in college. Six months later, he was called up for active duty and pilot training. When he was called up he asked Betty to marry him, but she declined, wishing to graduate from college before tying the knot.

Read the rest of the story about a WWII B-17 Pilot and more in the newsletter. (PDF)

For April, it’s looking like several short films for The Lighter View. Beth sends this note about which movies she’ll be showing…

I will be playing several short movies:

• Tanghi Argentini (14 minutes), a story about true love
• The Love Competition (15 minutes), a documentary of a scientific study to measure love
• The Letter Writer (11 minutes) about a man writing a letter
• Love At First Sight (12 minutes) about rediscovering love at the end of a long life

These deep shorts are not for children, but I would give them all a G rating.  Same place on Monday April 1st at 7:00 p.m.
760 Park St., Teen Room, Gryphon Hall, door on left (Building next door to Saint David’s Episcopal Church)

Free organic popcorn and water.  Bring you own drinks!

Jan Murphy, Fundraising Coordinator from Wolf Hollow has this announcement for their upcoming event next week:

Greetings Artists and Creative People!

Women Gone Wild II is next Wednesday, April 3rd

It’s that time of year again – time to start planning for Wolf Hollow’s, “Women Gone Wild” fundraiser at Mi Casita Restaurant! This year’s WGW will take place Wednesday, April 3 from 4:00 to 7:00. The Best Western Hotel has graciously allowed us to use the lobby area for our event, so we won’t be as crowded as we were last year and can spread out a little more.

Here’s how it works: Vendor space is free and we ask that you donate 15% of your sales at the end of the evening to Wolf Hollow. We also ask that each vendor donate one silent auction item.

Space will be allotted first come, first serve, and we can arrive to set up at 3:00. It’s probably best to keep displays smaller than 10 feet if possible as space will be limited. If you plan to be inside Mi Casita in the party room, you’ll have access to the small (approximately 3-4 feet) dining tables. If you set up in the lobby, please bring your own table and chair. If you have a preference, let me know prior to the event.

If you know of any other artists who would be interested in participating this year, please let me know! Feel free to contact me with any questions. My phone number is 298-2195.

Please let me know by March 20 if you’d like to reserve a space.

Last Year’s Women Gone Wild was a big success! Hope to see you there this year!

Best Regards,

Jan Murphy
Fundraising Coordinator

Stephanie Buffum of FRIENDS of the San Juans signs the International Treaty to Protect the Sacred with Chief Phil Lane of the Ihanktonwan Dakota and Chickasaw Nations at the Safe Shipping in the Salish Sea Conference on March 22nd – Paul Anderson photo

Safe Shipping in the Salish Sea: A Trans-boundary Discussion of an Oil Spill on International Water Day

On March 22, thirty-five participants from First Nations tribes, U.S. tribes, Canadian and American NGOs came together to discuss current and proposed vessel traffic that would ship tar sands and coal through the Salish Sea, and the associated increased risk of an oil spill. The purpose of this gathering was to build a coalition of Canadian and U.S. partners for the protection of the Salish Sea as increased vessel traffic from coal and tar sands threatens our shared waters.

Participants discussed ways to collaborate on the shipping of coal and tar sands and signed the International Treaty to Protect the Sacred from Tar Sands Projects. Signing the proclamation represented solidarity with the Treaty Council members, traditional leaders, societies, and their allies.

“It was very informative for me to understand where the debate is progressing and how we, as a First Nations, can be a part of that conversation,” said Chief Ian Campbell of the Skwxwu7mesh (Squamish) Nation, “These types of strategy sessions and think tanks are really important for us to recognize that we’re not alone, we’re not in isolation, and that there are a lot of synergies we can draw upon and pool these resources to really be effective.” Continue Reading

You may remember we mentioned this as a possibility last month – Now it’s looking like its a definite thing:

Salt Pure® Pool Coming to SJI Fitness

San Juan Island Fitness is converting from their current and traditional chlorinated water to a Salt Pure® pool.

“There are a lot of benefits to this conversion” says owner, Paul Hopkins. “Most who have swum in a Salt Pure® pool notice the absence of a chlorine odor and say it feels ‘smoother’ on their skin, eyes and hair. Many who have skin that is adversely affected by ordinary chlorine report no problems with a salt pool” he adds.

San Juan Island Fitness had solicited comments from the public and it’s members about a potential conversion. According to Hopkins, “we had some excellent questions, no objections and pretty much overwhelming support for the transition. While we are a private company, this is the only year-round, public access pool on the island, so we also see it as a community asset.”

The Club is currently working on installation dates and should be converted to salt by the end of April.

For more information or to comment, please e-mail saltpool [@] sanjuanislandfitness.com or call 378-4449.

Kim Wickman at Be Chic Boutique wants to help you celebrate Easter in style and sends along this note:

Happy Easter! Just a little reminder that we have some stylish spring dresses and scarves and some very cute new Toms shoes in just in time for this holiday weekend! Also new are the line of Tom’s sunglasses! Very cool!
Starting Friday, March 29th through Sunday, March 31st the Fall/Winter Sale items will be 70% off and all boots will be 50% off. Shop early for the best selection 🙂

The San Juan Island Farmers Market will hold its last winter market this Saturday, March 30, 10:00 am to 1:00 pm at the San Juan Island Grange. Market booths feature locally grown produce, locally made foods, and crafts. Music will be provided by the Market Band.

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Here’s an update from school Superintendent Rick Thompson on the FHES Principal Search:

Community Members:

The SJISD received word this morning that the FHES Principal Finalist scheduled to visit our district on Friday, March 29, 2013 , has taken a position in another district. As such, we have invited Marie Axman, an experienced principal currently serving as a principal in a Charter School in Moscow, Idaho, to join us Friday. Marie has agreed to spend the day on the Island, to participate in the same format as the two other candidates.

The parent and community interviews will take place at 6:00 pm in the FHES library on Thursday and Friday.

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Good things come in Pairs – Check out this note from Barbara Marrett over at the Visitor’s Bureau:

San Juan Island Voted Top Island
2013 TRIPADVISOR TRAVELERS’ CHOICE ISLANDS AWARD

Good things come in pairs – On Tuesday, San Juan Island was acknowledged as the top Island in the United States by TripAdvisor® Travelers’ Choice® Islands awards. And on Monday, President Obama established the San Juan Islands National Monument, which includes 955 acres of cherished land throughout the San Juan Islands archipelago.

Travelers’ Choice® awards honor top islands around the world, based entirely on the millions of valuable reviews and opinions from TripAdvisor travelers. In total, more than 100 winning islands were named across Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, South America, South Pacific and the U.S.

“We’re delighted that San Juan Island is honored as both the top island in the U.S. and as a top four world pick in the TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Islands awards,” said Deborah Hopkins, Executive Director for the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau. “We’d like to thank the travelers who have made this win possible, simply by sharing their love of the sparkling waters, abundant wildlife, outdoor recreation and vibrant arts scene that San Juan Island offers on TripAdvisor.” Continue Reading

Whoa – time is getting short! This is coming up a whole lot like TOMORROW. Here’s a note from Michele Mayer:

I am very excited about this year’s Dining for Scholars event. We have changed it up a bit and this year we have invited a variety of restaurants and cafés around town to join in on an effort to fundraise for this amazing program on one night, March 28th. As usual, our local businesses stepped up! So you can help the establishments help us by simply eating out throughout the day.
From your morning mocha to your evening meal there are plenty of restaurants who have generously agreed to take part. For a complete list of participating restaurants click here. Please help us make this a successful event and eat out throughout the day on Thursday!

Continue Reading