Undersheriff Jon Zerby attempts to revive a student injured in a realistic & moving accident enactment in Tuesday's "Every Fifteen Minutes" program...photo by Rebecca Leff.

Earlier this week, high school students on the island participated in a two-day event that brought home the pain & anguish that auto accidents caused by driving under the influence can bring to a community. Staged at the high school, the event included a simulated but realistic crash & emergency response, as well as court proceedings & a mock funeral.

To get the flavor of the two-day program, watch this short video, featuring photos by Update reporter (and FHHS yearbook editor) Rebecca Leff.

What did the kids say after the program? Update reporter Collin Williamson collected these responses:

“It gave me a different outlook. Drinking and driving is not a joke and it could happen to anyone. We don’t need one of our peers to die before we get serious about it.” – sophomore Devan Rousar

“It inspired me to tell others not to drink and drive.” – sophomore Levi Demaris

“It put me in their shoes. Definitely changed my perception on drinking and driving…it could happen to anyone.” – freshman Peter Strasser

“Showed the seriousness of alcohol related accidents.” – freshman Sam Paul-Barrette

“Made me think about what people go through, and how much drunk driving can do to the families involved.” –  junior Sierra Truesdale

“Confirms why I don’t drink, period.” –  junior Stephen Kelly

“Changed my point of view on drinking and driving. People’s stories (from the retreat the students involved went to) got to me. How one bad decision can changed your life. I’ll be the one to take the keys away from now on. Others and I have gotten lucky. They could have died. It made me rethink how I’m going to act in the future.” – junior Jorge Torres

Vera shows off her boots & the paint! Here's more from her mom Alisa at Jensen Shipyards: "Happy Earth Day from Jensen Shipyard! Your new Rossi boots won’t reduce your carbon footprint but our new metal free bottom paint will! We are now carrying Rossi work boots as well as Smart Solution bottom paint by Seahawk. Jensen Shipyard is open M-F 8:00 am-12:00 pm and 12:45 pm-4:30 pm. Hope to see you soon!"

Hoping you’re having a sunny day, outside & in – here’s what’s up:

The state champs are off to Baltimore!

• The high school Orca Bowl team heads for Baltimore & hopes of national glory this week…we’ll keep ya posted how it all goes! (Here’s the story about their statewide win last month…these guys rock!)

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• John Bostrom noted the coming of spring: “Pecked in the forehead AGAIN by that bullying Rufus Hummingbird…that’s like five years in a row. Guess I better stop wearing red!”

Hard to imagine a Red Sox fan NOT wearing red….

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Hobbes, at the wheel...

• The Whale Museum has an Earth Day special for signing up for an Orca Adoption – here’s more.

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• He’s underway – Hobbes Buchannan has just started San Juan Whale & Wildlife Tours this spring, and has already got his season going with trips this past week – here’s his new website that tells his approach – you’ll like what you see!

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• Passing: Just heard yesterday that Jon Weaver unexpectedly passed away…more when we hear more. In the meantime, our deepest feelings & condolences to Tamara in her loss…

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• Katie Fleming has a cool event this weekend for Earth Day – check it out – here’s the scoop & the poster:

Celebrate Your Island on Earth Day
Sunday, April 22, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Brickworks Plaza, 150 Nichols Street, Friday Harbor
On April 22, more than one billion people around the planet will participate in Earth Day 2012.  The Stewardship Network of the San Juans is excited to bring the community together to celebrate our island and the numerous environmental gifts it gives us.

Join us and enjoy music by Rhiana Franklin, participate in a community art project and learn about local environmental stewardship programs and how you can get involved.  All ages are welcome and encouraged.  Find out more about the global Earth Day movement here: www.earthday.org/2012

Brought to you by the Stewardship Network of the San Juans, San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild and many community members, teachers and students.

This weekend!

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• Farmers Market– this weekend! Don’t miss it!

Check out Lavendera's new sign....

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• Lavendera Massage has their monthly Free Community Health Service Evening this Thursday at 7pm – here’s more. And trust me, you want to go.

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• You have it on your schedule, right? There are only two weekends left of Island Stage Left’s “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me”….you don’t want to miss it!

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The sidewalk's getting worked on on Spring Street (that's late in the day, yesterday....)

Looking for a place to eat? Here’s where you get more bang for your eating-out dollar – helping graduating students from FHHS & SSIS & GBHS make their college dreams come a little closer…see ya there!

Eat out!

Amanda Richardson's "Lewisia, North Cascade" - textile wallhanging

Ruth at Waterworks Gallery tells me she’s re-opening her freshly re-painted gallery for her 27th year today – here’s more:

April 21 – May 12, 2012
CELEBRATION OF SPRING

Our season starts with “Celebration of Spring” April 21- May 12, 2012 featuring new textile wallhangings by Amanda Richardson and blown glass installations by Jeremy Newman and Allison Ciancibelli.

Amanda Richardson, a former island resident, celebrates the arrival of spring with a lively collection of small wallhangings; a fabulous collection of our local flora and fauna. These textiles no longer require stretching or framing as they are presented on a rod  complete with a deckled edge.

Jeremy and Allison, of Twisp River Glass  create several  installations of various shaped and colored glass to form a glass assemblage, representing the colors of the season.

Artist Talk followed by reception, Saturday April 21 at 11am with Jeremy and Allison discussing their blown-glass works.

Newman & Ciancibelli, "Forgotten Bales," Glass installation

Shannon Rishel let me know this is coming up, to celebrate the life of our friend:

Dairess Elaine McCutcheon
December 14^th, 1953 – April 13^th, 2012

Dairess passed away suddenly in her home
on San Juan Island on the night of April 13^th.

A Celebration of Life will be held downstairs on the deck of
The American Legion on Saturday, April 21^st at 1pm.

It will be a potluck of comfort foods
with music, laughter, memories
AND NO BLACK.

What is this fundraiser for? Click here.

Bad eyes? Click here to see the BIG version of this poster.

Hey, this is the fun way to do a fundraiser, and I hope to see you there!

Below the poster are some remarks from community members, which help explain why this is a great idea.

See you there!

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What people say, when addressing the need for these fields:

Decision Time…………
The decision for the community to invest in a new youth sports complex was made many years ago.  Since that time many things have changed, but not the primary need for better, safer, and more sports fields.

Over the past three years we have had record turnout in our youth sports programs, and this expanded use has put additional demands on our limited sports fields, resulting in conditions that are at best un-playable, and in the worst case dangerous.  Additionally, as our overall community has grown, we have developed a new “community need” for family-friendly parks where all of us can enjoy the outdoors and time with our family and friends.

The San Juan Community Fields made sense 15 years ago and it makes even more sense today.  In one state-of-the-art facility we get the sports fields we need to support the young athletes of our community AND a 30 acre open space park to be enjoyed by islanders of all ages, with walking trails, picnic areas, and a children’s playground, all within walking distance of town.

The decision to move ahead with the development was made many years ago and now we have another decision to make as a community: The decision to pull together, put aside our differences, and work together to complete the first phase of the complex, which will open the park and get kids playing on the first multi-use field.

In these times, not everyone can support this project financially, but we all can (and should) give this project our collective support, emotional energy, and the type of enthusiasm only this unique community can muster.

In a couple of weeks, on April 21st, we will all have the opportunity to demonstrate our support for the San Juan Community Fields by participating in a community-wide fund raising event. Please come and give generously both financially and with your enthusiastic support.

Brent Snow

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It’s time to make the “Fields of Dreams”……..fields of “reality”

You need only come out to the football field on a cool Friday night in the Fall to see how the community comes together to support our youth sports programs, or come to the elementary school any Spring Saturday where you can watch boys and girls from age 5-14 playing baseball/softball, and more importantly, learning valuable life lessons about sportsmanship, perseverance, and fair play.  It’s time for us to come together as a community, roll up our sleeves and work together to complete the steps that will open the San Juan Community Fields and get the first field ready for play.

Ask any coach of youth sports in community and they will tell you, our existing sports fields are inadequate and as a result of our overloading their use, they are all in dangerous disrepair.  We have consistently had over 300 kids involved youth baseball/softball, and more than 250 kids involved in youth soccer and there are simply not enough fields to go around.  The quality of our existing fields limits the ability to host home games and as a result, we miss the opportunity to showcase our community and bring additional valuable visitors to help boost our economy.

A first class sports fields facility will bring additional visitors to our community, and more visitors means a stronger local economy. In addition to traditional sports fields, once completed, the complex will include a mile of walking trails, a family picnic area and a new children’s playground.

It is time to set aside any biases or personality conflicts we might have had regarding the fields and recognize that we are within striking distance of completing a first class community asset, which once completed, will positively impact nearly every child and adult in our community.  The San Juan Community Fields will be an asset that we can all be proud of.

Please come out to the community fundraiser on April 21^st at the fair grounds and show your support for this great cause.

Brian Brown and Laurie Wangenheim
Proud grandparents of kids involved in the sports program

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Anyone who is involved with playing sports on this island is aware of the limited amount of field space available.  This spring the high school has boys’ soccer, lacrosse and baseball teams all vying for space for games and practice on just two fields.  There are twenty-four teams in youth baseball and softball that have to share three fields with the girls’ high school softball team.

We have a hard time imagining a community of our size that has so limited a supply of field space.  There is no Town, County or local parks on SJI that have playing fields.  Both Orcas and Lopez have some. The high school baseball team has a beautiful field all to itself but that field is at risk to be lost at any time when the Catholic Church decommissions the field to make space for their own building plans.

The SJI school district has 30 acres of land in town at the end of Carter Avenue that is wonderfully flat and half way to being completed as playing fields.  All that is missing is money. On Saturday, April 21 we have an opportunity to remedy some of this with a big fundraiser at the Fairgrounds to raise money to complete the first of several fields.

One of our favorite things about playing and watching baseball, soccer, softball, football and lacrosse here on SJI is the opportunity to bump into so many other islanders that you don’t get to see as often as you would like.  It is one of those occasions that make our island a community and make it such a great place to live and raise a family.  Saturday the 21^st will be another such occasion.  Please be there.

Scott and Tori Zehner

That's the San Juan SIngers in action last Christmas...photo by Ken Law

The San Juan Singers are always a treat & this weekend they offer another – here’s more from Jan Bollwinkel-Smith:

SJ Singers Take on “That Ol’ Devil Moon”

A “calling to the moon” and Earth Day weekend:  the San Juan Singers simply can’t resist this enchanting combination as they present their spring concert at San Juan Community Theatre Saturday and Sunday, April 21 and 22.

Directed by Angel Michaels, the community chorus takes on the theme of “That Ol’ Devil Moon,” weaving a tapestry of moon enchantments: jazzy, romantic, poetic, and silly.

The Whittier stage concert will feature arrangements by long-time San Juan Island resident, singer, actor, and instrumentalist Bert Dayton; and a new moon-themed composition by island composer and harpist, Mary WillAllen.

Dayton—who has been a member of San Juan Singers for 25 years and is a trombone player for the One More Time Band—has arranged a version of Van Morrison’s Moondance for the chorus as well as three-part vocals of Stardust for a female trio from the group and a duet of Blue Moon.  “Arranging is a fun thing to do—it’s kind of like working on a puzzle,” Dayton said.  “You have to make chords work with other chords.”

WillAllen researched Native American history for her piece, Year of Native Moons.  The song takes us through a year of full moons, from the Full Beaver Moon in November to the Full Wolf Moon in January (the chorus will be howling).  This is the third time she has created a composition for San Juan Singers.  “It’s a fabulous gift for a composer to have a group willing to read through their work and help make changes if needed,” said WillAllen.

Special guests, The Friday Harbor Elementary School Chorus directed by Amy Hull, will also perform.

The Business Partner for San Juan Singers is Lake Kennedy McCulloch, CPAs.  Tickets are $17 for adults, $9 for student reserved and $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.

This Saturday!

Just got the scoop from Liz Francis:

This Saturday, April 21 – it’s the Third Saturday Grange Dance, Contra – 7-9pm at the SJI Grange Hall. Karen Marshall calling with Hands Four, Val White & Malcom Suttles on fiddle and guitar, Jim & Katy Nollman on mandolin and piano. No partners needed. All dances taught. No experience necessary. $10/person donation (students half price). Information, 378-3836.

Open mike at The Bean Coffeehouse from 7-9pm on Friday night!

Sounds like a good time, with good sounds, good company, beer & wine & your choice of good eats & the usual good coffee & tea that The Bean offers…at night.

Eric Bienenstock tells me this Friday the 20th he’s hosting an open mike from 7-9pm as he gets his spring & summer schedule going…bring your guitar (he’s got a sound system!) & come offer a few tunes, and hear the other folks who come.

You can sign up in the early part of the evening…hope to see you there! I know I’ll be sitting in for a song or two…and I want to hear you!

Caroline at Spring Street International School says the planning for the big event is going well – here’s more:

Support scholars and scholarships at the SSIS Auction! Please call the Spring Street International School office for tickets or to make a donation: 378-6393. We’re looking forward to seeing you there!

Derrin

It’s always hard to hear of folks’ losses & heartaches, but I hope it’s also good to share them, so we don’t have to carry them alone.

Our friends Suzy & Tork Juul (you know Suzy – she drives & owns San Juan Taxi here on the island – she’s the one who’s always waving at you or waving for you to go across the intersection first)…they just found out their son Derrin (42) and granddaughter Rose Marie (10) died in the Oklahoma tornadoes this past weekend; their granddaughter Heather is in critical condition in the hospital. The story is online here & here, for more details.

The good thoughts, love & prayers of our island have shown this amazing ability to help & lift folks up in times of need, so I know you already know what to do. Soon as I hear about a fund at a bank or other ways you & I can help, I’ll let you know.

In the meantime, Suzy & Tork – know that you have an island of folks who love you behind you & with you at this difficult time.

Looks like the hospital is on schedule to open in December…so it’s time to think about hiring folks. Here’s more from spokeswoman Amy Cloud:

PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center construction is on schedule; the critical access hospital is set to open by December.  Planning is now underway to staff the new medical center.

According to Lauren Gilmore, Human Resources recruiter for PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center, staffing needs should be finalized next month.  Inter Island Medical Center staff will have the opportunity to transition to appropriate positions at Peace Island. Additional new personnel will be hired as needed. Potential openings may include entry level housekeeping, Certified Medical Assistants, Licensed Practical Nurses, Registered Nurses and technicians.

Some physicians have already been hired.  In March, former Inter Island Medical Center physicians Susan Mahoney, MD; Michael Wingren, MD; Rachel Bishop, MD; Douglas Tuttle, MD and Loren Johnson, MD, joined PeaceHealth Medical Group and will be associated with Peace Island Medical Center. In June, Kimberlee Van Der Kolk, MSN, CLEC, will join the Peace Island team.

When the new medical center opens in December, the total number of physicians (including part time visiting specialists) serving Hospital District residents will increase, nearly doubling the number of physicians serving the community.

PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center, a 10-bed critical access hospital, will also include a new, expanded primary care and specialty clinic, expanded diagnostic and treatment services and a 24-hour emergency department.

Elizabeth Taylor dives for the stop & flips the ball to Sierra Truesdale for the putout to end the inning in the first game as FHHS beat Darrington twice on Saturday, 6-3 and 25-7. The Wolverines visit LaConner on Tuesday this week...photo by Ray Sheffer (way to go, Ray!)

Just a few things to get you & me up to date:

Because of Abe....Tax Day is the 17th this year...

• Hey, did you wonder how come tomorrow is the day for taxes being due? It makes sense that it isn’t Sunday the 15th, but why skip the 16th & make Tax Day on Tuesday? It’s all because of Abe Lincoln’s pre-emancipation move in April, 1862, which is celebrated as a holiday in the District of Columbia (which still isn’t a state, by the way). Here’s the scoop.

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• You can come, you know – The San Juan Island Trails Committee will meet Wednesday, April 18, at 5pm at the Whidbey Island Bank. Come help make our island walkable & wanderable.

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• Aunde is the Tasting Room Manager for San Juan Vineyards’ Piano and Wine store on 55 Spring Street – she’d like you to come on Thursday:

Join us April 19 at Piano and Wine for Friday Harbor Green Drinks from 5-7pm.  Thanks to all who attended the inaugural event in March!  San Juan Vineyards will sponsor three free tastes per person.  Select wines are available to purchase by the glass or at a 10% discount by the bottle during the event.

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The Great Island Cleanup is this Saturday - have you signed up for your part of the island yet? Here's the signup booth at MarketPlace, out front - get out & signup today!

A new favorite song for you – see what you think! (Sorry about the commercial at the first…):

From Lori Stokes: "Creative director Francie Hansen (in white) coaches her team of mesmerizing mermaids at they practice for Wednesday evening's "Francie's Follies," a not-terribly-serious water ballet that will be held at the Fitness Club, starting at 7 pm. Tickets are $10 each, and are available for advance purchase at the club; proceeds will support swimming lessons for island kids."

Come by the Fitness Club on Wednesday!

Ross Lockwood, Lincoln Bormann, and Rick Karon hauled some heavy litter last year from Third Lagoon.

This weekend islanders band together to preserve what makes living here so great- the beauty that surrounds us. So grab a friend and a free trash bag and spend Saturday helping Mother Nature. Here’s more from Lori Stokes:

Plan to be a part of the Great Island Clean-Up…an easy way to keep our island great!!

• When? Saturday, April 21, 10 am – noon
• Where? All San Juan Island roadsides and beaches
• Rain or shine!

Over 200 islanders participated in last year’s clean-up, collecting more than 5000 pounds of litter, with much of this weight coming from well over 1000 beer bottles/cans.

Unfortunately, litter keeps accumulating.

Multiple organizations – including San Juan County, the Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan Sanitation, Soroptimists, Lions, Kiwanis, Rotarians, Chamber of Commerce, and Friends of the San Juans – are collaborating to sponsor the Great Island Clean-Up, a day when all able-bodied islanders are encouraged to help pick up the accumulated trash so that residents and visitors alike are treated to a litter-free island when warmer and sunnier weather beckons us all outdoors.

South Beach is cleaner now due to the great effort put in last year by the Girl Scouts.

Every single islander is encouraged to be a part of this effort by picking up any litter they see right in front of their own home or business.  And if you would like to do more, come to the Market Place any time between April 13-20 to sign up for the section of road or beach that you’d like to clean. If you can’t sign up in person, contact Lori Stokes at 378-4643 or [email protected] to reserve the area you’d like to adopt.

FREE pick-up bags (for collecting both garbage and items that can be recycled) can be obtained at the Chamber of Commerce office on Spring Street. If you want other supplies (grabbers, safety vests, gloves), pick-up kits containing all these items will be available for sale at a discounted price at both ACE and Browne’s; if you prefer not to purchase your own supplies, there will be some available at the Chamber of Commerce office that you can borrow for the day.

Picking up litter in small groups is much more fun, and also a great deal safer.  So gather some friends or family members and make a party out of it!  And if you’re not a litter-picker-upper that day but are out and about in your car, please be cautious and keep an eye out so that those who are working can do so in relative safety; many of our roadsides lack shoulders and good sight lines.

For more information about the event, contact Lori Stokes at 378-4643 or David Dehlendorf at 378-1082.

This year’s event is being held in honor of Patt Martin, who served for 12 years (1998-2010) as the San Juan County Litter Program Coordinator.  It was Patt who almost single-handedly put the program together, got it funded year after year, and became the heart and soul of this extremely well-respected and valued community service. 

Last year's Soroptimist team cleans up Cattle Point - (from left) Nancy DeVaux, Tori Benz-Hillstrom, Carol Jackson, Michelle Lyons, Chad Lyons, Kim Galton.