Yep, the humpbacks were visiting last week on Thursday near Race Rocks (near Victoria) - thanks to Jim Maya for his great photo!

Looking around the island….

Shawnna's back!

• Hey, Spa d Bune has welcomed Shawnna Vert (FHHS ’06) back to the island – and they have specials set  with her for next month  – make your appointment now! Here’s more:

Spa d Bune is featuring during the month of November complimentary scalp and moisturizing treatment with Shawnna Vert, with hair cut/styling appointment.  We all know how dry and brittle our hair can get from the summer, remoisturize  your scalp and hair for the holiday.  Call Spa d Bune  today to schedule an appointment 370 5027.

• Whoa – Mike Bertrand‘s mom & dad just celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary -awesome! Here’s the story.

• Julie Corey & the Kiwanis Club are gearing  up for Halloween to help the folks (especially around the Greenway neighborhood!) who get so many kids coming by…one family in Greenway told me they had over 600 kids (they counted) a couple of years ago. That’s a lot of candy – so Kiwanis helps:

Kiwanis of Friday Harbor Halloween Candy Drive
Many years ago our club started a Halloween Candy drive for the neighborhoods that have alot of Trick or Treaters come to their door. Island children and parents have always enjoyed this fun day. We are asking you to please donate a bag of unopened candy to one of our drop off locations. Just look for the big red container at MarketPlace, Kings and Friday Harbor Drug.

We delivered candy to 75 homes last year. Please help us make this a success this year! If you would like to join us in all the fun, Kiwanis meets at 12/noon every Thursday at Vinny’s. Hope to see you there!

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The northern lights, photographed by Nathan Biletnikoff for National Geographic, from Cattle Point.

• It was cool to see the National Geographic chose Nathan’s  picture above to show off the Northern Lights as we see ’em from here. Here’s more from the NG. Wow!

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• It was cool to hear that Jessica (Griss) & Patrick Merlino just celebrated their fifth anniversary (here’s the story, at the time – scroll down & look for the wedding picture with the fire truck in it; or look at these islanders’ Valentine’s stories -Patrick & Jessica are at the bottom).

So, hey, Patrick – Jessica wants to say happy anniversary to her sweet husband!

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• Just got this note from Nancy at Griffin Bay that one of my favorite people on the island is presenting at the bookstore on the 29th:

JEAN HENDRICKSON, LOCAL ELDER & AUTHOR, AT GRIFFIN BAY BOOKSTORE, OCTOBER 29, 2:00—4:00pm

She'd do a wedding anywhere - Mike & Dawn jumped in the water right after Jean married them back in 2005. It'll be fun to hear from Jean again at Griffin Bay Bookstore on the 29th!

Griffin Bay Bookstore takes great pleasure in hosting Jean Hendrickson, well- known community elder and author, on Saturday, October 29, 2:00—4:00 pm. We invite the public to come and chat with Jean during the afternoon; she delights in conversation and welcomes the chance to talk about The Joy of Being in a Nursing Home.

Jean wrote this pamphlet to bring  comfort, peace and JOY to seniors who need to make changes in their living arrangements, and for adult children assisting their parents to find new perspectives about what the future may hold.

At 82, Jean has been living contentedly in a nursing home for more than five years.  She describes the services and activities there and how she found happiness after releasing her independent housing, while maintaining her independent mindset! She is truly happy!

Glimpses of Jean’s fascinating and fulfilling life as a wife, mother, musician, counselor, teacher, ordained minister, and author fill these pages.  In her memoir entitled, We All Have a Purpose for Being Here, published in 2007, Jean relates her fulfilling life journey, and her most joyful career satisfaction as a wedding officiant, which began after age 65.

Read this booklet. You will be welcomed to the JOY of being an elder and be surprised by the unexpected good things yet to come!

“When I met Jean Hendrickson many years ago, she was a vibrant energetic woman with a full busy life with countless friends and family. Entering a nursing home changed her address, but not her determination to live a full and productive life. Jean has retained her independence and quality of life while living in a nursing home. She is an inspiration and mentor to those struggling with losing their home and independence. Jean proves that love follows you to a nursing home.”

~ Cindy Thurman, RN, Resident Care Manager
Life Care Center of the San Juan Islands

Have you seen Tamara Kelley’s new video, made using photos & film from the summers at Lime Kiln Lighthouse? Here’s what she says:

This video is of the Southern Resident Orcas. This is a follow up of “Experience Lime Kiln”. All footage was taken at Lime Kiln Park, San Juan Island, Washington. These Orcas (and many other marine animals) face problems in the wild including pollution and diminishing food sources. For ways to help, or more information about the whales, please visit these websites:

http://www.whaleresearch.com/orca_ID.html
http://www.whalemuseum.org/
http://bluevoice.org/index.php
http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
http://www.orcanetwork.org/
http://www.psparchives.com/index.php

In memory of J1 Ruffles, and Thomas Jay McMillin!
Special thanks to Bob Otis and all the wonderful volunteers and visitors of Lime Kiln!

Thanks for watching!

Patty Brightman shares:

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Wear a ribbon, join the vigil!

Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Services (DVSAS) and the S Club of Friday Harbor High School has planned several awareness activities:

In commemoration of Domestic Violence Awareness Month watch for purple ribbons hanging around the town and find your own small purple ribbon to wear to show your support, in little baskets at stores and coffee shops.

Watch for articles in the local news about domestic violence in our community and how you can be a part of ending family violence.

On Wednesday, October 26, at 6:00 pm.  Join us at Memorial Park as we march to end the Silence about Family Violence.  The S Club will lead the march up Spring St. to Second St. ending at the courthouse. At the courthouse the DVSAS will hold a vigil to commemorate all those who have lost their lives to abuse in the state of Washington last year.  Sheriff Nou will speak and local vocal artist Kate Schuman will sing, poems will be read and speeches will be made.

Please join us in these events and learn how you can be a part of ending Family Violence in our community.  Remember, family violence is a community problem and it is a crime.

Sunrise & Mount Baker....photo by Cat Bordhi

Cat Bordhi is back from a trip to Canada, and shares what she saw on the way there & back, including these amazing photos – do yourself a favor & check out her blog:

I just returned from Tancook Island in Nova Scotia, which is about the size of Waldron, has about the same number of residents, a school with 6 kids (they are seeking new families with kids), and regular ferry service.

Their ferry is TINY: it takes 1 car, and only when the tides allow the side of the ferry and the dock to meet one another properly. While I was there with my friend Lucy Neatby, a storm blew in that made them cancel the ferry runs for the first time in three decades. It’s on the Bay of Fundy, where tidal changes are extreme, and the combination of high winds and very high tides that day meant that if the ferry lost power for a few seconds while trying to sail back into the windbreak, it would have been dashed against the rocks.

I took lots of photos and have blogged about it here: http://catbordhi.com/category/blog/; I do think islanders would be fascinated to see.

Heading home.....photo by Cat Bordhi

Golden early light reflected on the early ferry....photo by Cat Bordhi

Exposure (acrylic on canvas 36x36 by Tim Schumm. This is the last weekend for the show at Waterworks Gallery which features Tim Schumm, Catherine Eaton Skinner, Catherine Eaton Skinner, Randall Tipton, and Tom Small. Drop by - the show ends this Saturday!

Hope you get a chance to get outside & play….let’s see what’s up:

• 20% off everything on the Whale Museum’s Web Store, till October 24th! Check it out! Great chance to stock up on gifts!

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• Can you help Griffin Bay High? Susan tells me that what with the budget cuts, it’s really hard to get everything done that the state is now requiring. They are in need of volunteers – they need papers corrected, students tutored, students mentored, copies made, all on a regular basis. Can you give a hand? Contact Susan Stehn at 370.7801

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• Island Stage Left is in rehearsal for Blithe Spirit, which opens on November 3rd. Got it on the Calendar!

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• Did you see the two new workshops coming up next month at Wild at Art studios?

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• Just got this note from Cathy Cole:

Can you please post that the Student Community Greenhouse Project is being realized and the Greenhouse is being put together TOMORROW, Saturday at 9am. Ryan, Parker and Cody need help from anyone who wants to put in some muscle and know-how to erect the Greenhouse on the property across from the High School.

The boys have put in a lot of time and effort to get the greenhouse funded and to get the OK of local agencies to be able to get this greenhouse here. It’s finally physically here and they need help getting it built!

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• Did you take the Broadband survey yet? Here it is.

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Austin Scheffer (left) and Jordan Nash (both FHHS '09) in the Dominican Republic last summer, with one of the meals....

• This is a week away, but it’s time to get started – here’s the deal, from Vic Woodward:

A chance for a good meal....

Here is a Friday Harbor Community event – we are having a Children of the Nations, Meal Packaging Event. Our goal is to package 20,000 meals in two hours on Sunday Oct. 30th from 2-4 p.m. at the Friday Harbor Grange Hall. In order to package 20, 000 meals we are seeking to raise $5,000. Tax deductible donations can be made to Children of the Nations and sent to Vic Woodward at P.O. Box 3092, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

Each meal costs just 25 cents and will go to feed hungry kids in the Dominican Republic, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Malawi. Help us feed these children by donating money for meals and joining us in packaging meals on Oct. 30th….In addition to gathering candy on Halloween…how about gathering up your loose quarters and providing a nutritious meal for a child in one of these countries?

See the photos from our summer mission trip in the Dominican Republic where we saw children receiving these meals at lunch time? Amazing! Jordan Nash and Austin Scheffer are holding a packaged meal in their hands in one of the photos. For more information see this website – or call Vic Woodward 378-8435

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Saturday afternoon at the dump (transfer station)...photo by Aaron Shepard

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• Just around the corner – here’s more from Jenny:

The Whale Museum’s “Black & White Night”
Dinner Event ~ Friday, November 4, 2011

The Whale Museum’s 3rd annual “Black and White Night” will be held at Friday Harbor House on San Juan Island. The dinner event will feature Chef Greg Atkinson, noted author and culinary instructor as well as former chef of the Friday Harbor House. Also featured is Kyle Nicholson, the talented Chef behind the Bluff Restaurant.

The cost is $80 per person (or $150 per couple) which includes the reception with cash bar, sit down dinner with wine, and a dessert celebration. Seating is limited. Reservations can be made in The Whale Museum’s store or by calling (360) 378-4710 ext. 30.

This year-end celebration dinner is a fundraiser for the Museum’s education and research programs.

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• Monday at the Community Theatre – it’s ¡Flamenco! Here’s more from Jan at the SJCT:

Friday Harbor is in for a treat on Monday—a unique evening of flamenco:

3 Glorias, Flemenco en Vivo

Seattle flamenco dancer and teacher Savannah Fuentes brings vocalist Saray Muñoz of Spain and internationally-renowned guitarist and composer, Pedro Cortes, to the Whittier stage at 7 pm for a performance for the entire family.  Fuentes notes that true flamenco is always live and consists of three components; Cante (voice), Toque (guitar), and Baile (dance), hence the title of the show: 3 Glorias, Flamenco en Vivo.

Born into a family of Flamenco artists in Madrid, Muñoz has developed a depth of artistry in her cante rarely seen in the United States. Her powerful voice has taken her on tours around the world with famous artists such as Joaquin Cortes and Sara Baras.

Cortes comes from a family of Spanish Gypsy guitarists and has graced stages with his masterful and intricate toque since the age of 17.  Fuentes performs regularly and teaches private and group flamenco classes throughout Washington State.

Check out Fuentes website HERE for more information.

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Sharon & Jane give Indigo a hand....

If you know a kid whom you tell ’em what’s going on & they say, “Sew what?” this would be a great place to start – sewing on Tuesday at the middle school, after school! Here’s more from Kay Kohler:

April is ready to get her quilt going....

“Sewing for All” has resumed in Room 12 of the Middle School on Tuesdays after school. Whether an beginner or an experienced fabric fancier, we have a wonderful space for you to finish that quilting project, remake an old favorite, learn to use a pattern or recycle an item into something useful.

If you have a holiday or birthday gift that needs to be completed, we are here to help. Do you have a pair of winter slacks that need hemming? Is there a lining, going to pieces in that favorite jacket? Would you wear those jeans if it just had a patch in that strategic spot? Mending is soon to be a lost art and we are here to save it!

Sharon Maya has assembled a collection of islanders of all ages, sewing and quilting supplies, fabrics and yarns and recent patterns, including every size of pajama bottoms and jeans. You can bring your own machine or use one of the eight electronic Babylock sewing machines.

There are two cutting tables and an ironing station. Room 12 is directly across from Islanders Bank on the south side of the Middle School building. Come Join Us!

What happens when there's a wreck? The Safety Fair had a pretend wreck so people could practice what to do......photo by Tamara Weaver

A couple of weeks ago, the Fire Department put on this year’s Safety Fair, and it was awesome! But it didn’t stop there – emergency folks gave presentations & lessons at the elementary school the week afterwards. Here’s more from Update reporter Tamara Weaver:

One of the main organizers of the event was the always cheerful Carolyn Hudson...photo by Tamara Weaver

Some fun pics from Sunday’s safety fair, a couple of weeks ago!

Last week, kids from kindergarten through sixth grade will be learning fire safety in their classrooms.  Here’s the scoop:

Kindergartners found themselves “building a firefighter,” to help youngsters feel more comfortable with rescue personnel in full garb.  No, that’s not Darth Vader coming to get you…

First graders practiced when to Stop! Drop! And, Roll!  Only when you’re on fire, not the house!

Second graders learned when it’s appropriate to call 9-1-1.  A special phone line is rigged to the Sheriff’s dispatch for realistic practice. Do you know your address?

Lainey Volk (director of outreach & education) gives presentations for the Safety Fair....photo by Tamara Weaver

Third graders experienced “The Smoke House,” a plywood room with gym mats, where the kids learn what to do if their smoke detector goes off at home.  The room is dark inside when the alarm goes off, while a smoke machine makes smoke behind one of the two doors.   Kids need to know “What are your two exits?”  “Where is your family’s meeting place?”  “Is there anyone left in the building?”  And kids are encouraged to draw a map of their exits at home and practice these drills with their families.

Fourth graders learned how to extinguish a simulated grease fire by putting on their kitchen mitts and smothering the fire with a lid. Remember, if the fire’s too hot to get that close to, forget it!  Call 9-1-1 and get out safely!

Fifth graders get to use the cool fire simulator to learn to “P.A.S.S.” a fire extinguisher.  That’s: Pull (the safety ring off), Aim (toward the base of the fire), Spray (the base of the fire) and Sweep (left and right until fire is extinguished!)

Stella & Alden hand in their work....photo by Tamara Weaver

And, Robin DeLaZerda of the Sheriff’s Dispatch checked in with sixth graders about how to call for help on a cell phone. Peter Risser mentioned that, depending on which cell phone tower you get when dialing 9-1-1, you may be talking with a dispatcher in Victoria, Vancouver, Anacortes or Bellingham! Learn how to reach your local emergency response team!

Nine-year-old Lili Light is dressed & ready to put out fires! Peter (top right) and Susan Risser (bottom right) have been part of the Safety Fair for years, and are a big part of its ongoing success....photos by Tamara Weaver

Thanks to Jessica Hagy, Indexed

A good crowd showed up at the Cask & Schooner last night for the Animal Shelter's annual fall fundraiser, including Jamie (left) & Rex Ellsworth, Carla Wright, and Danielle & Matthew Palmer. Photo by Tamara Weaver.

Let’s take a look around & see what’s going on….

• Went to get a bite the other day at lunch & dropped by KO’s Subs…have you been there lately? Kenny is now offering hot subs, and the place smells really good because of it. Stick your head in, just to smell how good a hot sandwich can be. He’s next to the Mystical Mermaid next to the ferry parking lot…you’ll be glad you did!
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• This should be good – The San Juan Islands Ag Guild presents: Percy Schmeiser, a Canadian farmer who challenged Monsanto over contamination of his fields with RoundUp-Ready canola. Hear Percy speak at the Grange this Sunday (the 23rd), from 7-8:30 p.m. Seats $15/per person at the door.

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Fixing the cell tower/flagpole yesterday......

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• The Community Dinner was packed last night! It was great to see & hear & smell friendly, cheerful voices & great food (way to go, FHHS students! Way to go Liz & Andy! Way to go, FHHS!) all in one place – awesome! Hundreds of folks came…looking forward to next month’s dinner!

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Lots of deer out this fall (it's rutting season!), so be careful on the roads & watch for this young buck & his friends. Photo by Update wildlife photographer Tamara Weaver.

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• Eric & Danielle are new parents, again! Given Irie William Eisenhardt was born a couple of nights ago, weighing 8lbs 3oz and is 19.74 inches long. Welcome, Given!!

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• Lots of islanders are making adjustments in what can be a challenging economy, and one of the better moves is that people are riding bikes more. Great move! But what about when it rains? Here are some tips from a long time urban biker you might find useful.

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Levi, in the air....

• Just got this cool note from Loren & Dan at Westwind Aviation (they teach flying, among other things):

Ten year old Levi Doenges (son of Tom & Tami) took his first flight lesson on Monday, October 17 in N303DJ, Westwind Aviation’s Cessna 150. Instructor Dan DeShon says, “All that flight simulator time paid off and he asked a lot of good questions.” Levi has spent hours on the computer with his flight simulator program. He asked to fly over his house and over Shaw Island, which they did. It was a beautiful clear, sunny fall day- a great time for his first flying lesson. Levi is looking forward to more flights and says, “I really love aviation.”

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• Hey…you know it’s Clayton Banry’s birthdaytoday, right? Not sure if he’s working today at The Banry Café, but I want to drop by & say hey if he is….

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Chris Teren & Traci Walter had a great time at last night's All Paws on Deck fundraiser for the Animal Shelter. Photo by Tamara Weaver.

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• There are two walks scheduled for this Saturday – first, here’s Eileen Drath with the San Juan Island Trails Committee:

KNOW YOUR ISLAND WALK:  Sat. Oct. 22, 2011, 1:00pm.  Meet Doug McCutchen, Steward of the San Juan County Land Bank, to walk the Third Lagoon at Cattle Point.  Meet at the terminus of Cattle Point Road-(near the Cattle Point Lighthouse)-and park on the side of the road, but not on private property.  Length is 1.5mi., terrain is dirt and gravel trails and gravel beach.  The rating is easy/moderate.  No dogs, please, on this walk, because we hope to do some birding.  Bring your binoculars!  Info at 378-5646.

And…here’s more from Sandy Strehlou, the Town’s Historic Preservation Coordinator:

Historic Argyle Walking Tour
Friday Harbor, Saturday October 22, 10am

An insider’s look at Friday Harbor’s historic lower Argyle Avenue neighborhood, its colorful characters and past.  Don’t miss this free guided tour with Town of Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Coordinator Sandy Strehlou. The Town sponsors historic walking tours only during the fall and spring shoulder season months of October and May, so don’t miss this last tour of the season! Comfortable shoes and, depending on the weather, a raincoat, are recommended. Tour participants meet on the porch of Acanthus Antiques, (the historic Rouke/Lettie Carter house built in 1912) at 460 Argyle. For more information call 360.378.2810 or write [email protected].

Argyle Avenue around 1915...photo courtesy of the Boe family.

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• This is good news – now there’s a local option for kids to take their driving classes before they get their licenses…wahoo! Here’s more from Sam Leigh, including next week’s Open House:

LOCALLY OWNED RIGHT OF WAY DIVING SCHOOL RECEIVES FULL STATE CERTIFICATION

Sam Leigh, developer and owner of the Right of Way Driving School, has received official certification from the State of Washington to begin her driving training program in Friday Harbor, and is now open for program enrollment.

The first session of combined classroom and behind the wheel instruction will begin Tuesday, November 1st and a second session will begin Monday, November 7th. Ongoing classes will be scheduled to begin every other month beginning in January 2012 which will eventually include an Orcas, Lopez and Shaw islander-friendly schedule.

Interested students, parents and all islanders are encouraged to attend an Open House on Monday, October 24th from 6pm to 8pm at The Computer Place on Argyle Avenue.  Enrollment waivers required by the DOL will be given to students 15 to 18 years old who enroll for the first two sessions. The DOL is scheduled to assist islanders in Friday Harbor on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month and will be accepting these forms on October 26th.  Information about the teen driver safety program, upcoming AARP program and much, much more will be provided as well as refreshments and also really cool free gifts for everyone.

Right of Way Driving School is a totally locally owned and operated driver training operation, and Ms. Leigh is anticipating it will eventually create additional job opportunities here in the community.

For additional information, interested students and parents can email Ms. Leigh at [email protected] or call (360) 298-4399 or visit her website and Facebook page.

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At the Community Dinner last night, I noticed more & more people going out in the halls at FHHS to see the class pictures, which stretch back to the mid-forties. Talk about a trip through memory lane - it was fun to look at the photos with Randy & Gail (who just had their seventh wedding anniversary & second anniversary of owning Cotton Cotton Cotton) & seeing how many FHHS grads have returned to the island & live here now.

At next week’s  San Juan Island School District School Board Meeting on Wednesday, one of the agenda items is reviewing the needs that will be addressed by next year’s Capital & Tech Levy….here’s the details, from superintendent Rick Thompson:

On the agenda for the regular school board meeting, you will see an item related to a Proposed Capital and Technology Levy the board is taking under consideration for a February 14, 2012 ballot measure.  In these difficult economic times, we wanted to give the public a chance to preview the list of needs, and to provide comment at the regularly scheduled October board meeting if so desired.  The proposed list of projects are identified in the attachment for your review.

Here are some basis facts in a nutshell:

• The district bonds are paid off; there is not outstanding balance in the debt service fund
• This measure will replace the 2008 capital and technology levy approved by the voters
• The amount increases the levy to meet the district’s needs and to prevent increased costs in the future
• A committee made up of volunteers met this fall to review the list, to prioritize the projects, and to walk through the sites to review the facilities

The amount at the bottom is the total amount asked to be collected over four years; you can see the totals for facilities, and technology also.

Continue Reading

Teddy Deane sent over this news, from Jane Alden:

The Importance of Arts to a Community

The steering committee for The San Juan County Arts Council has selected a slate of candidates for its first ever Board of Directors, to be voted upon by the membership at its first membership meeting next month, November 3, 2011. This will be a truly historic occasion. It will constitute the final actions of the steering committee in its long and dedicated work to bring this council to realization.

But more than that, it will be the inauguration of an entity whose purpose shall be to support, protect and advocate for the arts and to focus attention on the vital link that exists between the health of the arts and the health of a community and its individual members. This, coming at a time when government cuts in funding for the arts and to arts in education threaten to destroy the cultural balance necessary to a healthy, thriving nation, is an event of which our island community can be truly proud!

There is an enormous amount of evidence to prove that the arts are not just frills on the edges of society, but are, rather, an extraordinary economic stimulus, in addition to the vital role they play in humanizing a culture.

In particular, the importance of art in education cannot be overemphasized. The author of “Strong Arts, Strong Schools,” and outspoken advocate of arts in education, Charles Fowler, wrote, “Because the arts cultivate the imaginative thought processes – the source of creativity – they energize the motivation to learn. These mental capacities are basic to competitive success in a global economy.”

I am deeply proud of the hardworking people in this community who created this Council and honored to be a part of the work that it is committed to doing to protect, support and honor the arts.

Sunrise over the marina on Sunday morning...photo by Kevin Holmes

Welcome to a new day, with a lot to recommend itself to you as a GREAT day. The key player in it, of course, is you – and as Dan Millman says, “Don’t just HAVE a great day – CREATE a great day.”

So, here’s a Harry Chapin song I’d like to sing for you: Click here to hear!

And here’s another notion for you:

Dropped by Heritage Farm for a bit of flower sunshine for the workspace....

We have till November 6th before DST ends and it starts to get dark around five, but already islanders are planning the ways to keep the winter bright, with projects, chances for creativity, and at times, spiritual seeking. Our long, dark winters are great opportunities to get great things done, both outside & in.

Seems to me folks make their plans and put them somewhere, ready for when it’s REALLY dark, same as we put wood away for the cold & food away from the garden for December.

Sunny day to you…outside & in.

The sky is ablaze with color last night, about twenty minutes after the sun went down...this was the view from above Tucker Avenue as the evening closed down.

The weather has been so great the last few days – did you get out? I hope so! Here’s more:

• Courtney Oldwyn has a garage (or barn) sale to tell you about:

Garage (in the barn if it rains) Sale, Saturday 10/22 8:00am-1:00pm @ Blazing Tree Ranch, 569 Blazing Tree Road. Kid stuff, household stuff, large desk, multiple families, come check it out!

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• You remember the Animal Shelter fundraiser is tomorrow night, right? Here’s a reminder – plan now!

Wednesday night!

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Colors of the season out at States Inn....photo by Tamara Weaver for the San Juan Update

• Way to go, Port of Friday Harbor! Here’s the news from Deanna there:

Congratulations to the Port Auditors!

At the October 12 meeting of the Friday Harbor Port Commissioners, the Board received a letter of congratulations from Washington State Auditor, Brian Sonntag. The letter commended the Port for ten years of “no audit findings”, which reflects strong oversight of operations and accurate financial reporting.  The Port is audited each year for compliance with reporting requirements and accountability for public resources.  Marilyn O’Connor and Phyllis Johnson, the Port Director and Port Auditor, were complimented by Mr. Sonntag on their proactive approach and excellent controls of the Port’s finances.  The State Auditor explained “Our office views its relationship with the Port as a model for other entities in our state.”

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• This Friday at Lavendera Spa – there’s an art opening! Here’s more:

Lavendera Day Spa is hosting Francie Hansen’s exhibit ‘Shrines and Such That Tickle Your Innards.’ The art opening and reception is Friday October 21st 2011 6:30 – 8:15 p.m. at Lavendera Day Spa, located at 440 Spring Street.
See you there!

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Getting ready to feed the masses at the Autumn Harvest Festival, sponsored by the Ag Guild & the Farmers' Market. Photo by Cyndi Brast.

The Autumn Harvest Festival went great, according to everyone I know who went – and here are pictures from Cyndi Brast’s portfolio to give you an idea how it went! Thanks for sharing, Cyndi!

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Time for change...photo by Tamara Weaver

by Jessica Hagy, Indexed