Let’s see what’s going on around town…

San Juan Center campus, 221 Weber Way, Friday Harbor

Skagit Valley College Registration

Registration is going on now for Winter Quarter at Skagit Valley College. Classes begin January 7 and are offered at the San Juan Center and online. Earn your Transfer Degree, GED, or High School Diploma. And, be sure to check out our highly popular Road Scholar program.

www.skagit.edu/enroll
or call (360) 378-3220

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Evaluators needed for Community Projects

The Community Service-Learning Projects class at Friday Harbor High School is a chance for juniors to explore their passions and strengths by designing a project with a community partner that addresses a need in the community. By designing and completing a meaningful project it is hoped that students will leave a lasting legacy for the school, community and themselves.

The semester is soon coming to an end and students have been working diligently all semester to complete their projects. On Wednesday January 16, 2013 (5:30 – 7:00 P.M.), students will be giving presentations demonstrating all that they have accomplished and learned this term. It will truly be an exciting evening to learn about projects such as a care package sent to an orphanage in Africa, a newly designed kitten room at the Animal Shelter, energy saving in our schools, Gary Oak habitat restoration, a new outdoor classroom at the elementary school… just to name a few!

We need community members to come and give valuable feedback to our students about their projects. For those of you who have assisted us before, I think you will be impressed with how far we have come as a school in our efforts to make community connections and do real world work. For those of you who have not attended these presentations, it’s an opportunity to see the accomplishments of students in our school. We are proud of the passion students have for their service projects.

Logistics:

We need approximately 18 evaluators.
For What: Community Service-Learning Presentations
Where: Friday Harbor High School
When: Wednesday, Jan 16th
Time: 5:30 – 7:00
Why: Give feedback to students about their projects

Please respond by email at: jennywilson [at] sjisd. wednet. edu if you can evaluate.
Thank you for all you do on behalf of the students and their learning!

Jenny Wilson

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Grief Support Group

Hospice of San Juan is sponsoring a Grief Support Group for anyone who has lost a family member or friend. The support group will provide a time to talk and share common experiences, ask questions and participate in discussion. We will also provide information and tools for dealing with the grief process, along with other topics of interest to the participants.

The group begins Tuesday, January 15, 2013, 4 – 5:30 p.m., and will meet each Tuesday for eight weeks, concluding on March 5.

Lenore Bayuk, MN, ACNS, will facilitate the group.

The group is offered free of charge through a generous grant from The San Juan Island Community Foundation in partnership with Peace Health and other partners.

Please sign up with Lenore at 360-378-3636, ext. 1 or contact Hospice Grief Support coordinators Madelyn Busse (mbusse5 [at] aol. com) or Margaret Langlie (mlanglie [at]goddulanglie .com) with any questions.

HOSPICE OF SAN JUAN
Grief Support Services
P.O. Box 1434, Friday Harbor, WA 98250

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New Recycling Fees

Increase will begin January 1, 2013

In response to a dramatic increase in hauling costs, the San Juan County Council has increased the fee for dropping off recycling at County Solid Waste facilities on Orcas and San Juan Islands to three dollars per can effective January 1st.

The fees for recycling loads over one ton will increase from a flat $25 per truck, to $95 per ton (approximately $570 for a full truck). Certified Hauler San Juan Sanitation, which will have to pay the higher rate, is not expected to increase fees to its customers for collecting recycling. The fees established for the collection service it began in September anticipated the latest cost increase.

The increase was triggered by the December 31st expiration of the County’s 10-year contract for recycling transportation and processing with Waste Management, Inc. The per-ton cost, which had remained essentially flat over the life of the contract, will double on January 1 and a new $1,108 fee will be added for each trip that the big recycling trailers make to the mainland. The result is that hauling and processing costs paid by the county will jump from the current $36 per ton to $143 per ton of recycling.

While approving the increase in recycling fees, the County Council voted to hold garbage fees at the current level and eliminated fees charged for the annual Household Hazardous Waste collection events.

This recycling fee change will not affect the customers of the Lopez facility since it will no longer be operated by the County. The Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District will take over operations there on January 1 and the District sets its rates separately from the rest of the County.

The County solid waste facilities on Orcas and San Juan Islands are scheduled to be turned over for operation by private contractors this spring.

The County Council approved the new rates by a four-to-two vote on December 18th with members Patty Miller and Lovel Pratt opposed.

A complete copy of the new fee ordinance is available on the County Web-site at http://sanjuanco.com/publicworks/solid_waste/solid_waste_docs/SW_Fees.pdf

3.9 Magnitude Earthquake hits just south of Stuart Island, Dec. 26, 10:35PM.

Check out more about it here: http://www.pnsn.org/earthquakes/recent

K.O. serving up the goodness at the sub shop

Today our series puts the spotlight on owner Ken Oberreit at KO’s Subs sandwich shop down by the ferry lanes.

Ken, his wife Kathy and their kids moved here from Jackson Hole, Wyoming in the Spring of 2010. They had family here and always liked the area. It seemed the timing was right to downsize his business life a little…

Click here to read more.

ThisIsOurTown.com is a glimpse of the people and businesses that shape the personality of Friday Harbor & San Juan Island. It is a project of Dustrude Photography.

47 Years to Own Her First Island Home

This story was sent in by Nancy DeVaux, Executive Director of the San Juan Community Home Trust:

Pat Rishel is the proud owner of a new home – Her first!

“In 1965, my husband said we were moving to San Juan, and I burst into tears. I didn’t want to move to Puerto Rico.”

That’s Pat Rishel, remembering the start of her life on San Juan Island; which only now, 47 years later, has led to ownership of her first island home, in the Salal neighborhood on Carter Ave.

Pat ticks off the island locations where she has rented: the house on Guard St. where Island Gardens is now located; the old Gollywobbler (restaurant) property – before there was a Gollywobbler (she lived there while the Namu movie was being filmed here); the Geneste House on Harrison; a house on Tarabochia; the Wooden Shoe Farm; a house near the post office – to name a few.

She knew about the other, group build program (Homes for Islanders) (“a great program, but no way could I spend 30 hours a week working on construction while having a full time job at Browne’s”.) Then her friend, Mary Michael, (who lives in the Sun Rise neighborhood) told her to look into the San Juan Community Home Trust.  Bingo!

Pat recently became the owner of a five year old, two-bedroom home on Carter Ave. right across the street from her son’s family. Her Salal home was previously owned by Judy McManus, who sold the home in order to move off island to be near her family on the mainland.

The noteworthy feature of all Community Land Trust housing is the permanent affordability that keeps it available to those with limited incomes throughout the life of the home. This means the Home Trust helps people buy homes – and also helps them resell those homes when they need to move on, as McManus did. She, like Pat, had full ownership of the home, but could not put it on the speculative market. Instead, the Home Trust arranged the sale to Pat Rishel and McManus earned enough appreciation to make a down payment on a market rate home on the mainland.

Rishel thinks this resale restriction is actually a bonus for the community.  A kind of  “paying it forward” for those who come along next. “I told my children that I can leave them this house, but they’d never get rich on it. You’ll get whatever I put into it and (using the resale formula) a little bit more.”

Meanwhile, Pat says she feels like she is already in heaven.

“People tell me I am glowing. I can’t even describe what it feels like to own this home. Look at this wonderful paint job that Judy did before; I won’t want to change it, but I could, of course. It’s perfect for me. And look at these amazing curtains I just got at the Thrift Store. I tell you, I’ll just be sitting here, doing something or other,  and then I realize again that this is really mine – and that I don’t have to move again.”   Eyes shining, she grins.

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Christmas Tree Chipping Program

Done with that Christmas Tree? The County Public Works Department is again sponsoring a FREE Christmas tree collection program this year.  Trees will be chipped for mulch for use at a public project and not sent to a landfill.  The project also provides a better alternative to burning of trees…reducing fire danger and air pollution.

There will be no charge for trees brought to your island’s solid waste facility between December 26th and January 7th.

Help reduce the volume of holiday trash by bringing your CLEAN, UNDECORATED natural trees (no flocked or artificial trees) to your island’s solid waste facility during regular open hours.

Last year’s chipping program diverted approximately 2.3 tons of Christmas trees from the landfill.

If you have any questions, please call San Juan County Public Works Department at 370-0503.

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New Graphic Artist in Town

Click on the image to see the full ad

Denny and Joy Sevier over at  San Juan Wireless on Mullis St. have a granddaughter Louisa, who is beginning her career in graphics by doing advertising posters for local businesses. Here you can see one of her more recent completed projects, an ad for the BBQ Shack. It’s sure to make mouths water – keep up the good work Louisa!

Happy Holidays to you! – Dustrude Photography photo

Wishing you warmth, comfort and love on this special day.

Sunset photo by Jerri Dunayski

The days are getting longer! We’ve passed the shortest day of the year. Winter Solstice was Friday, and from here on out, the days get longer.

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If you went to the Grange Saturday for fun festivities and photos with Santa, and you’re wondering how to get your free photo, follow this link. Be sure to click on the first image for download instructions.

J.B. and Glenda are at it again and they’ve sent over this invitation:

Free photos with Santa today at the Grange

Please join us at the Grange Hall today, Dec. 22nd, for an old fashioned Christmas Celebration!

Doors open from 3:00-7:00 pm
Inside Santa will have beautiful teddy bears for every boy and girl, young and old. Come join us around the crackling fire and listen to traditional Christmas stories. Join our elves in Christmas caroling and nibble on some home-made cookies. There are decorations to make and trees to decorate. And free photos with Santa.

Everyone is invited to this holiday festivity, and there is no charge or fee. Your only obligation is to enjoy the spirit of Christmas and share a very traditional, old fashioned holiday celebration.

Anyone can e-mail Santa: Santa [at] rockisland . com

This event is not connected with any organization and is very simply a gift from Santa in the spirit of Christmas.

New book by Sam R. Buck II

Emily Reed shares some information on a book just released two weeks ago which is available at Griffin Bay Books:

This book, written by Sam R. Buck II, relates the life of the Buck Family, 1918-2012, and their involvement in and love for the islands. Sam’s father was elected county attorney in 1920 and served 16 years, interrupted by a 2 year term in the Washington State legislature. It tells of the Buck family and island life during these years, changes that occurred, and the development of Friday Island and Cape San Juan at a time the county was in danger of going broke. This book, with photos, gives a look at island history through the eyes of an islander born in 1927 who has been deeply involved in the community, from real estate to being Daddy Warbucks in Annie at the first performance in the community theatre. It is a personal story of life in the San Juan Islands over 85 years and four generations.

Jan Murphy at the animal shelter sends over this announcement:

We just received a Bearded Dragon (reptile) that was found this morning near Roche Harbor.  We’re hoping someone is looking for him/her.

Thanks.  Folks can call the shelter at 378-2158.

This is Our Town – Adam & Deanna of IPS

Today our series focuses on Adam and Deanna Eltinge of Island Petroleum Services. And… not only are they this week’s feature on ThisIsOurTown.com, but they are also having an Open House today, at their Carter Avenue gas station from 10am until 4pm. They want to show everyone what IPS is all about. So cruise on over there, say hello and see IPS for all its products and great services. There will be homemade goodies, hot cider and coffee.

Adam and Deanna recently purchased IPS from longtime friends Jim and Kate Schuman. Adam is the friendly guy who’s been working behind the counter for the past two years, always eager to help in any way. He and Deanna met at Washington State University and started their family on the mainland; but they’ve always yearned to move to the island.

Click here to read more.

ThisIsOurTown.com is a glimpse of the people and businesses that shape the personality of Friday Harbor & San Juan Island. It is a project of Dustrude Photography.

Happy Solstice to you!

Let’s catch up  with things, around the island….

• Last day of school today, for a couple of weeks as the kids head into the Winter Break….the Wolverines looked good last night, as the boys basketball team won 68-27 over Coupeville, while the girls beat the Wolves 34-23.

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• Yesterday, we mentioned that Ruth Offen’s dad went skydiving – here’s the video! (And he says THAT was for his 90th birthday – for his 100th, he wants to go into space!)

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• Cameron (my son) went to the University of San Francisco’s winter graduation last week, and reported to me that the undergraduate speaker was graduating senior & former Spring Street International School grad Sonia Anderson – wahoo! Way to go, Sonia!

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• Here’s a gift idea, from Danielle Eisenhardt:

The gift of a massage is a wonderful way to show someone that you care about how they feel. Gift certificates are available at Dr. Wickman’s office. $60 per hour, $90 per hour and a half. Prepaid package deals are also available. Call for more information 298-5199. Go ahead and pick one up, you’ll feel good about it, and so will the one who receives it.

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Tonight – Christmas Music Trivia

Who ran Grandma over with that reindeer? How many times do they croon “Noel”? Does the Grinch really steal Christmas? Does Frosty melt? Who wants a hula hoop for Christmas? Do you know Olive the other reindeer? If you can answer these questions, you might have fun at The Grange tonight.

Pre-Game Party starts at 6pm with a Potluck. Bring your favorite dish to share. Join in for some great Christmas music, potluck dinner and BYOD (bring your own drink) before it gets under way with the first of three heart-pounding rounds!

MUSIC TRIVIA lives on as a FUND RASING event to feed Santa’s reindeer and provide teddy bears for all the good boys and girls for Christmas this year!!! What better way to get in the Holiday Spirit…..

“LIKE” it on Facebook “Music Trivia in Friday Harbor”.

Prizes for the winning team.  $5 game entry fee per person. Donations appreciated. Limited seating.
For more information call J.B. Herren & Glenda Edwards at 378-2267.

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Help!

Santa is looking for Elves! Please help with the Christmas Island Celebration!
What can you do for Santa?

[  ]  Bake some homemade cookies (drop off Fri. or Sat.)

[  ]  Help decorate the Grange Hall, Friday Dec. 21st  Noon – 5pm

[  ]  Elves on Saturday, Dec. 22nd 2pm – 8pm

Cookie servers
Decoration helpers
Face painters
Door greeters
Santa picture line-up helpers
Holiday cheer ambassadors

[  ]  Crew for tear down Sunday, Dec. 23rd 9am

All volunteer elves are invited to the after-party on Saturday, Dec. 22nd evening for a pot luck dinner. Please call or e-mail to confirm and let Glenda know what you can do. Then she’ll have a way to contact you if times change. Glenda: 378-2267, glenda [at] rockisland. com

Merri Ann Simonson

Wondering what to do about that surprise property tax assessment you received in your mail last month? Coldwell Banker’s Merri Ann Simonson has written up a concise explanation of how Tax Assessments differ from Appraisals & Market Value, and it might answer some questions you have about it:

Real Estate Market and Your Tax Assessment

All of us Island property owners recently received our tax assessment notices from the County. As agents we have been fielding many questions about the statements and new assessments. Continue Reading

Lately, whenever you go to The Bean Coffeehouse, Eric & the staff have caramel & sometimes fudge samples….they don’t last long, that’s for sure. Drop by & check it out!

As the autumn leans into the solstice tomorrow, the island has been washed with windy rain & a little non-stick snow…ready for the season, and hey – longer days!

Tonight!

Here’s more:

• Tonight is the Community Night at Lavendera Massage Center – here’s more from Ciely:

A series of evening events at Lavendera.  The third Thursday of each month is a Free Community Health Night offering 15 min free clothed treatments, massage, energy work and intuitive or card readings.

The other Thursdays are featured speakers, workshops or Open Forum discussions. See our website for individual listings.

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• You know Pelindaba Lavender offers free shipping during the holidays, right? Just tellin’ ya….

• Just heard from Libby Oswald:

The Palace Theater is showing “It’s a Wonderful Life” at 11 am Christmas Eve.

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• Tonight’s the night Be Chic Boutique is open late (Late Night Thursdays!), with 20% off everything all day – come on by!

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It was great to pick up tamales for Josie & me at Tia’s Tacos earlier this week….Gail & Kevin & the crew do a great job! If you haven’t been by yet, drop by – they’re across from the school district office.

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• Good to hear from Katherine Boury there’s another place to atke & get stuff if you need to:

I wanted to let you know that Goodwill just opened a new donation site in Anacortes that might be useful for San Juan Island residents!  It is located at 7645 Star Route 20 in Anacortes, next to the Fidalgo Country Inn.  The hours are 7-days a week 9:00am to 6:00pm.

At this site we gladly accept all quality reusable clothing and household items and all electronics including televisions, computer monitors, desktop computers and laptops.

Here is some additional information.

This is perfect for end of the year donations!

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It’s always good to catch Kevin’s smiling face at Affordable Automotive…he fixed my headlights earlier this week….

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• You know we’re close to the change for the ferry schedule – here’s more from WSF:

The Anacortes/San Juan route will operate on a regular Tuesday schedule on Christmas Day, Dec. 25, and on New Year’s Day, Jan 1. Please be advised that the winter schedule begins Sunday, Dec. 30. Before making New Year’s plans, please review the Winter Schedule online, at the top of the San Juan Update’s webpage (under the masthead, conveniently next to the Weather.)

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I asked Scott Hale how’d he make the Island Inn at 123 West light up – he replied: “We’re INN the holiday spirit and have a three-step process for decking the halls:
1. Find a gullible guy
2. Tell him the tank isn’t all that high and that making it look like a candle is simple
3. Light ‘em up!”

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• Carla Wright tells me that Ruth Offen’s dad (who survived the Holocaust) went skydiving in Florida for his 90th birthday…..wahoo! Way to go!

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This Friday & Saturday!

• Get in the Christmas spirit this week – and it’s free! Here’s more from The Community Theatre’s Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

It’s time for Ebenezer to show his face in Friday Harbor!

This Friday and Saturday, December 21 and 22 at 7:30 pm, Charles Dickens’ holiday story, A Christmas Carol highlights the latest edition of our free Readers Theatre series: On Book!

Directed by John E. Davis, the Whittier stage presentation features several island actors–including former FHHS Drama Teacher Fred Yorkers as Ebenezer Scrooge– reading the classic tale of Scrooge who is haunted by the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future.

Doors open for this FREE event at 7:00 p.m. with festival seating.

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• Stephen Robins says Brickworks has received more support – here’s more:

The Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, an Oregon based philanthropy fund, has recently awarded the San Juan Islands Ag Guild a $20,000 matching grant to support its funding drive to renovate the Brickworks building and retire the original debt on the project.

“Added to the recently announced $100,000 matching donation pledge from a San Juan Island family, this generous grant will allow us to raise $240,000 towards our major fundraising campaign,” said Jane Burton-Bell of the Ag Guild’s Fundraising Committee.  “The generosity and motivation represented by these supporters will hopefully inspire others, including previous donors, to see this as an extraordinarily good time to effectively double the effect of whatever they feel able to donate at this time.”

With the dramatic upsurge in contributions over the last couple of months, the Guild is feeling ever more confident about reaching its target of opening the building for use in the summer of 2013.  Volunteers and workers have been hard at work seven days a week, and, as a result, renovation of the historic building is progressing rapidly.  Frequent updates including photos are being posted on Facebook (Brickworks).

For more information on how to donate online, see www.fhbrickworks.com or email [email protected].  Contributions can also be mailed to SJI Ag Guild, PO Box 1945, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

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Christmas is bustin’ out all over….Mary from Kings Market saw this tree in a truck & sent the pciture in…. thanks, Mary!

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• I loved what Amy Wynn posted online, after seeing the movie:

Hey, Mamas and Papas! I just got back from watching “The Happy Movie” at the library as part of their Conscientous Projector series. I highly recommend watching that DVD, parents, to get some perspective, especially as the holiday “stuff” frenzy is upon us.

Don’t feel bad if you can’t give your child everything… try to surround them with people who love them -reading buddies, friends, family, adopted grandparents, make believe little brothers and sisters.

Move your bodies, do active things with the kiddos. Laugh.

Why not try a random act of kindness with your kids so they can feel that joy.? Hang out in nature with them. Count your blessings. Love them. Snuggle them close and smell their hair.

A day will come when they will reek of rotten sneaker funk and overpowering Axe aftershave… be happy with the kids now. The rest of your to-do list can just wait… BE HAPPY! BE LOVE!

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Council members (from left) Peterson, Miller, Rosenfeld, Stephens, Pratt & Fralick are wrapping up the year…photo by Stan Matthews.

• Here’s a posting from the County’s Public Information Officer Stan Matthews, who reports the outgoing County Council got some pretty important things done this year – here’s more from Stan:

San Juan County Council: Looking Back at a Productive Year

The San Juan County Council concluded business in its last meeting of 2012 at 4:10 p.m. on Tuesday, December 18 after recognizing employees celebrating their 5^th, 10^th, 15^th and 20^th anniversaries with the County, and honoring the service of the three Council Members who will not be returning to the Council next year:  Richard Fralick, Lovel Pratt, Howie Rosenfeld.

Council Members-elect Marc Forlenza and Bob Jarmon attended the meeting in person and member-elect Rick Hughes participated in the meeting via conference call.

Though the past year was filled with challenges, including the mid-year departures of the County Administrator and the Deputy County Administrator, the County Council accomplished a great deal during 2012. Its accomplishments included … Continue Reading

Roving Update Reporter Mary Kate Panaro was there and sends this report…

Homes for Islanders had a key ceremony for the last phase of their development up off of Lampard. This is where the new homeowners receive their keys and get to move into the homes they’ve worked so hard for.

Chelsea Foussard gets her key – Shown here with (L – R) Tom Berger, Bill Gendron and Justin Roche

Jill Jamieson and her daughter Hailey with Bill and Justin

Rob & Regina Penwell and family with Bill and Justin

Chelsea Foussard shaving off Justin Miller’s beard. They both built homes in this phase. Justin started growing his beard when he started building his house and vowed not to shave until it was complete.

It’s sad to hear of Joan White’s mom’s passing – here’s more from Joan:

Jeanne Sambuck Petersen died peacefully in her sleep December 7, 2012 at her home in Friday Harbor, Washington. She had lived on San Juan Island for the past 22 years. Prior to moving to the Pacific Northwest she had lived in Santa Cruz County for 70 years. During those years she was very acitve in charitable organizations and graciously hosted many events.

Jeanne, a fourth generation of the Stephen Scurich Family in the Pajaro Valley, was born January 19, 1921 in Watsonville, CA to Dr. Anton J. Sambuck and Anna Scurich Sambuck. In 1940 she married Allan E. Petersen and had three children.

She is survived by her daughters Joan Petersen White of Friday Harbor, WA and Susan A. Petersen of Watsonville, CA. She is predeceased by her son John Allan Petersen. Her sister Patricia Sambuck Wilder lives in Elgin, Texas. There are numerous nieces, nephews and cousins in California and Texas. Private family services to be held at a later date.