Image courtesy U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service

OLYMPIA – The Washington State Salmon Recovery Funding Board today released the 2012 biennial State of the Salmon in Watersheds report and with it launched a new, interactive Web site that allows people to see how salmon are doing in their community’s streams and rivers.

“This is an exciting new approach to our reporting on salmon recovery,” said Kaleen Cottingham, director of the Recreation and Conservation Office, home of the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office, which created the report and Web site. “For the first time, you can sit at your computer at home and learn about whether the number of salmon are increasing or decreasing in your county, if the rivers and streams in your area are too polluted or too warm for salmon, and what’s being done to make things better. It’s the first Web site in Washington that allows people to see how the state’s investment in salmon recovery is working.” Continue Reading

Life Skills Class for Women: Practical Magic 4 Life presented by Soroptimists of Friday Harbor

Practical Magic 4 Life, a free one-day seminar (lunch included) to assist local women in improving their life skills, will be held Saturday, February 9 from 9 am till 3:30 pm on the Friday Harbor campus of Skagit Valley College. The focus of the event, a part of Soroptimist International of the America’s Live Your Dream Initiative, is on finances, education and employment. Workshops will include Money Magic (managing finances and housing), Pulling a Job out of a Hat (job hunting locally and on-line), Presto Chango (lunch presentation on putting your best self forward), Confidence Wizardry (managing anxiety in the face of change), and The Amazing Mind (how to grow to your potential).

Presenters for the interactive sessions will be Carrie Brooks and Nancy DeVaux (Money Magic); Minnie Kynch (Pulling a Job out of a Hat); Dana Bune (Presto Chango); Peg LeBlanc, Patty Brightman and Kim Bryan (Confidence Wizardry) and Randy Martin (The Amazing Mind).

Reservations are necessary. Call 298-4044 or email sps13 [@] musetta [.] us to sign up.

The Live Your Dream Initiative (Live Your Dream.org) is an online community, empowering offline action, helping women and girls to live their dreams. It is available to both Soroptimists and non-members with information and resources to help women live fulfilling and balanced lives. Details can be found at the SIA website, http://www.soroptimist.org, by clicking the Live Your Dream box at the right. A video describing the details of Live Your Dream can be found at http://play.goldmail.com/ogt9cqejq22w.

San Juan Update news correspondent Louise Dustrude has more on the lead-up to scoping meetings here on the proposed Gateway Pacific coal terminal:

The County Council sent four letters last year relating to the proposed coal terminal at Cherry Point, first asking for a scoping meeting here in the county — which occurred on November 3rd — and then raising the potential impacts and concerns they believed needed to be addressed in the EIS scoping process.
Asserting that “San Juan County’s economy is inextricably connected to the beauty of its environment and the health of its ecosystems,” the letters posed over 50 questions the Council felt must be addressed.

Examples:

What is the risk of an oil and/or coal spill from a collision … involving the single-hull bulk carriers?
How widespread would the damage be? How many species and commercial and recreational fisheries would be impacted?
How many local jobs and businesses would be adversely impacted and/or lost?
What would be the impacts to property values?
What would be the impacts to desalinization systems?

The letters were drafted by council member Lovel Pratt and signed by all six then-council members: Rich Peterson, Howie Rosenfeld, Richard Fralick, chair Patty Miller, vice-chair Jamie Stephens, and Pratt.

The letters are available here:
SJCC_Gateway_EIS_ScopingCommentLetter_2012_12_18
SJCC_GatewayEIS_ScopingCommentLetter_2012_10_30
SJCC_GatewayEIS_ScopingCommentLetter_2012_11_27
SJCCrequestUSACEareawideEIS_26June2012

Once again, if you have questions that you think need to be asked, you can submit them on the Gateway Pacific EIS website comment form.

Sally Thomsen at Island Rec has this to share:

Island Rec is pleased to announce the re- start of the Moving Parts and Healthy Hearts, exercise class beginning February 5, 2013.   Angie Morrison, an experienced senior fitness class instructor will take over the teaching of this class. This program is aimed at meeting the needs of people with limited mobility due to age, illness or lifestyle.  The class will be a full body workout that can be carried out standing or seated in a chair.  Participation in this class will help individuals maintain or improve their balance, strength, endurance and range of motion.

The class meets at the Village at the Harbour on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9:30 -10:15am February 5 – March 28.  Cost is $45 for registrations received by January 24 and $50 thereafter.  A second session is scheduled to begin in April and run through May.

Register on www.islandrec.org or in person at Island Rec at 580 Guard Street, between 1-5pm Monday through Friday.  Call Island Rec at 378-4953 for more information.

Volunteer english language tutors are needed at the library

Volunteer to tutor English – The English Language Learning program at the library is in full swing. Adults working to improve their abilities in speaking, listening, writing and reading English are working hard at the library. More than 25 students have signed up. Katrien Danniau is the teacher. She organizes lessons, and moves between different levels during the night. Students work with her for 30 minutes each evening, and then have options for computer lab and conversation with volunteers.

Nine volunteers are helping the library step up to such an ambitious program. Additional volunteers are needed. Volunteers work one-on-one or with very small groups reinforcing the lessons and encouraging students to gain practice speaking. If you would like to help, contact Beth Helstien, San Juan Island Library outreach coordinator, at 378-2798 or email her at: bhelstien [@] sjlib [.] org

A computer lab offers opportunities to practice material from the lessons. In addition, many English students have not had the option of learning to use a computer before, and students can gain basic skills in finding information, communication, and sites for learning language.

Tag reveals winter movement of Puget Sound orcas – NOAA Fisheries Service image

You probably already knew about the satellite tracking tag that was put on
K-25 (Scoter) a couple of weeks ago, but did you know that you can go to NOAA’s website and follow where the whales have been on every other day since then? Here’s a link to the site. Pretty cool – they traveled over 1,000 miles and almost made it to San Francisco before turning around and heading north again. If you didn’t see that story, you can read about it here.

Laurie Orton Named San Juan Island Library Director

Good news from Beth Helstien at the library:

The Board of Trustees of the San Juan Island Library has announced the selection of Laurie Orton as its new library director. She was selected from nearly forty candidates who applied for the position during a regional and nationwide search.

Orton most recently served as branch manager of the Lydia Malcolm Library in Henderson, Nevada for ten years. Her first day of work at the San Juan Island Library will be February 19, when she will join the regular staff and more than a hundred active volunteers who provide programs and services seven days weekly in the community. Continue Reading

Who’s Cinderella?  Who’s Jack in the Beanstalk?  Who’s the wretched witch?

Theatre spring musical is cast…

Director Margaret Hall and musical director Jim Collado now have a cast for this April and May’s spring musical at San Juan Community Theatre: Into the Woods (written by Stephen Sondheim).

If you’re not familiar with the story, it’s an interesting take on fairytales and how things can change after “happily ever after”….

Here’s the list of the cast members…several familiar island faces and some new talents as well!

Baker’s Wife: Deb Langhans
Witch: Jill Urbach
Cinderella: Penelope Haskew
Little Red Riding Hood: Grace Castle
Rapunzel: Raena Parsons
Jack’s Mother: Patti Bair
Cinderella’s Stepmother: Trudy Loucks
Lucinda & Florinda: Bridget Booth & Skyler Moeder
Cinderella’s Mother: Maggie Gallivan
Granny: Pam Gillette
Snow White: Elizabeth Schubert
Sleeping Beauty: Starla Cosgrove
Giantess: Pam Gillette
Baker: Scott Mapstead
Jack: Nicholas Zervas
Cinderella’s Prince: Doug Schirmer
Rapunzel’s Prince: Tyler Strasser
Wolf: Doug Schirmer
Mysterious Man: Doug Rowan
Narrator: Ed Wilson
Steward: not yet cast
Cinderella’s Father: Bert Dayton

Political Speed Dating at The Bean Cafe!
On Wednesday January 23rd from 2:30-5:00 The Bean Cafe will host the event “Political Speed Dating”. At this event the majority of the current County Council candidates will be seated at separate tables. Members of the community are invited to come and spend a little time with each of the candidates. Learn about what is on their agendas if elected, and their positions on the issues that are important to you. This event is free of charge, and all are welcome.

Jan Murphy over at Wolf Hollow has this tidbit for you:

Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center plans to start sending out e-updates about “Happenings at the Hollow” and invite those who would like to receive these updates to email: Jmurphy [@] wolfhollowwildlife [.] org. Once we have your email address on file you’ll receive photos and announcements as well as invitations to events.

++++++++++

Roche Harbor Salmon Derby

Debbie Sandwith says there are only 14 spots left in the 10th annual Roche Harbor Salmon Derby. Give her a call at 378-5562 to get signed up and also be sure to check out and “Like” their Facebook Page.

+++++++++++

Post Inventory Sale!

Be Chic Boutique wants you to know about their sale this weekend – Miss Me Jeans are 30% off; Winter Clothing is 50% off, plus buy a Winter item and get a Summer item for only $15.00; Boots are 20% off. Go check them out!

++++++++++

Annual Native Plant Sale – Order Now for Best Selection!

With the New Year rolled over and the seed catalogues arriving daily in the mailboxes, gardeners are making their to do list for the perfect dream garden.  The Master Gardeners of San Juan County have a suggestion: The Annual Native Plant Sale.

Nothing is better for the garden, for your environment and the community, or for your back than planting native plants.  Once established native species thrive without a lot of work by you and, if you put them in the right place, with little or no water.  Where to get them?  Right next door on your own island.   Continue Reading

There is still time to comment on the proposed coal terminal, but not much

The deadline for scoping comments on the proposed Gateway Pacific Coal Terminal is Tuesday, January 22, at 5:00 PM. Also, there was an email issue that has now been resolved according to the website, but they are now requesting comments be submitted via the Comment Form on their website.

… or Caliente… Did you get over to the Community Theater this week? Diana Mancel tells us that John Bostrom has been very busy over there with ladders, drop cloths, buckets and paint brushes. Here she is with her take on it all…

The new colors are Raisin and Caliente – a deep purple and fiery red – for the Community Theatre’s lobby.  John Bostrom of Bostrom Painting (298-1256) is creating a lobby awash in beautiful rich color this week.  On Tuesday morning, we found him back from a month overseas, working hard at the San Juan Community Theatre.  Thank goodness that old tired blue is going, going, gone!

John Bostrom applies the new colors – Jan Bollwinkel-Smith photo

Island Rec wants to know… are you interested in Snowshoeing? Morgan Johnston has more…

It looks like our snowshoeing program might get cancelled if we can’t get 6 more people to sign up.

The info is as follows:

Snowshoeing

-Ages 18 and up
-Fee: $71.00, includes transportation, equipment, and instruction
-2 Trip Dates: January 27th and February 24th
-Must have a minimum of 8 people by Jan 17th, and Feb 14th respectively
-Perfect for beginners or seasoned veterans, covering basic techniques while exploring gentle slopes and trails near Mt. Baker.
-More information will be provided with supplies list at time of registration
-Island Rec Waiver as well as Recreation Without Borders waiver must be filled out to participate.

You can register on-line at www.IslandRec.org or in the Office M-F 1:00-5:00 pm 580 Guard St. Phone: 378-4953

Thank you!

Morgan Johnston
Sports, Outdoors & Fitness Recreation Specialist

Sylvia Chesley Smith, Life Coach and Counselor, would like to introduce herself to you and offer her services. And for those of you on San Juan, don’t let the Lopez phone number throw you, she does have an office in Friday Harbor. Here’s Sylvia with more…

Sylvia Chesley Smith and grandchildren

Greetings and Happy New Year!

The New Year is a good time to take inventory and think about what you really want out of life. To actually make the changes you want you may need a coach. Coaches are adept at quickly motivating you to make changes. They are trained to help you to focus and to make a plan. Once there is a plan, the job of the coach is to support you to follow through and achieve those goals by asking questions and inspiring you to stay focused and accountable.

So…what do you want and how are you going to get it? Continue Reading

Domestic violence and sexual assault are important but difficult issues to face. The non-profit agency, Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) will be facilitating a series of trainings to help broaden community awareness and to help people prepare for careers working with survivors of abuse or volunteering to assist with crisis line work. You as a community member can broaden your scope and sensitivity to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault by investing some time at our two-level training. Continue Reading