River otters with Crabs – Wolf Hollow photo

If you would prefer not to have an otter family under your house or a raccoon family in your attic this spring, now is a good time to do some preventive maintenance. Look around the outside of your house. Are there holes beneath the skirting or loose covers on vents that would allow critters easy access?

Mother otters start prospecting for a good den spot early in winter, long before we’re even thinking about spring. Spaces under buildings often provide the ideal dry, dark, quiet conditions she is looking for, so before you know it, you could have house guests. Maintenance work done now can save you, and the wildlife, a lot of trouble and heartache later.

Click here for more Hollow Happenings

The Chardonnay Shoppers are coming and invite you to join them…

Bring your masks, your wallet and join the fun.

To the many new residents on the island, Chardonnay Shopping is an annual event where we shop on a specific day to support our local businesses and restaurants. Most of the businesses and restaurants entice shoppers with special discounts, extended hours, or drawings with purchase. Some even offer snacks and beverages. 

On our Facebook Page, “Chardonnay Shopping 2021“, we will post the offerings from the retailers so you can plan your schedule on the town for your shopping needs.

Many people get a small group together and wear fun holiday hats or something festive to identify themselves as Chardonnay Shoppers.  Some choose to start in the morning and then go to lunch at their favorite restaurant and then continue shopping. We all meet at Haleys at 1:00 to rally and of course, have a glass of chardonnay.

We need help spreading the word so please share this information or share the Facebook page so we can get as many shoppers to participate as possible.

Hope to see you around town on the 9th.

This article written by Dominic Sivitilli…

The lab was buzzing with excitement when I arrived. A few weeks into the summer term, the water tables of Lab 3 were teeming with invertebrate life. All varieties of morphology and behavior were on display for our class to study. But something was different today: the lab had a new arrival. I was an undergraduate on my first visit to FHL in the summer of 2013. While my focus at the time was animal behavior, my experience with invertebrates was limited. I took the opportunity to delve into invertebrate diversity by enrolling in Marine Invertebrate Zoology.

Pacific red octopus (Octopus rubescens) Photo by D. Sivitilli

Shaped timidly into the corner of a critter container was a Pacific red octopus (Figure 1). There she waited, immobile but for a slight bob of her head, as she cautiously eyed those of us peering down at her. When the activity of the lab died down, she carefully felt her way around with her long, flexible arms. Her body rapidly shifted color when she was alerted to movement. She appeared to become interested in activity happening around her, but remained cautious. 

(Continue reading…)

The County Council is searching for volunteers to fill two upcoming vacancies on the San Juan County Land Bank Commission.

• At large, Position 4 – four-year term expiring December 2025
  (Orcas, Crane, Obstruction and Waldron Islands)
• At large, Position 5 – four-year term expiring December 2025
  (San Juan, Brown, Henry and Stuart Islands)

If you are interested in serving on the Land Bank Commission, please click here to view the position duties. Click here to download an application from the County website.

For questions, contact the Council Office at 360.378.2898 or email Ingrid Gabriel at [email protected]

Can you believe we are in December already? The next Garden Club Meeting is Tuesday, December 7 at 1:00. We will meet at the Mullis Center. The Center is still not allowing refreshments so we will have a social hour and make plant markers for Nana’s Holiday House.

Remember – Toy and Food Drive – If you would like to bring an unwrapped toy for the resource center and/or food for the food bank, they will be delivered to the proper location on behalf of the garden club.

Reminders to Put on Your Calendars For 2022:

• January – no meeting
• February 1 – 1:00 at Mullis Center – Lori Ann David from Aurora Farms will share some of her gardening expertise with us. Be sure to bring any questions you have for her to that meeting.
• March 1 – 1:00 at Mullis Center – Tentative speaker Kari Koski of Island Elixirs will share ideas and plants that can be used to make bitters, shrubs, squashes and other concoctions to use in beverages or cooking.

We look forward to seeing you there. If a meeting must be canceled due to a change in covid regulations, you will receive a ZOOM invite for a meeting online at the same time.

Masks Are Required to be Indoors at Mullis Center
The seating will be spread out and the doors will remain open.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email Karol at [email protected] or Vonnie at
[email protected].

We hope to see you Tuesday!

Merri Ann Simonson checks in again with this month’s market snapshot. Here she is with more…

This is the December Market Snapshot as presented by the Simonson and Zambrovitz Team. The market is very similar to last year this time as it relates to inventory and pending transactions.

The November OPALCO Board Meeting included several changes for cooperative members including a 4% rate increase for all members, a change to the way solar producers get paid for the excess power they sell back to the co-op, and exciting additions to the Switch It Up! program including rooftop solar and battery storage systems.

The 2022 OPALCO annual budget was approved and included a 4% rate increase. Due to COVID, OPALCO did not increase rates in 2021 but must resume a normal schedule of rate increases to keep up with inflation, the rising cost of power and labor, and to manage the Co-op’s equity position. The Co-op uses equity to borrow federal funds for major capital projects, like the submarine cable replacements that are scheduled in the next 10-20 years. Starting in 2022, members may also notice a $2 convenience fee for credit card transactions which will help lower operating costs (and keep rates down).

After six months of board discussion and consideration of member feedback on both sides of the issue, OPALCO’s Board of Directors approved a new tariff and policy that will change the structure of how OPALCO buys back excess power from members who generate their own power.  Local solar producers will see a credit in dollars on their bill each month for excess power production and the surplus is banked on their power bill (instead of banking kWh credits). The rate OPALCO pays for their excess production will be $0.0849/kWh (for 2022 the tariffs will include a 4% increase). The new tariff goes into effect on January 1, 2022, and existing solar producers can remain on the legacy rate by letting OPALCO know by June 30, 2022. Continue Reading

Can you believe it? Winter break is almost upon us. Wasn’t it just yesterday that we opened our school doors to full day, in-person instruction? Even though this fall has flown by, last week’s Thanksgiving celebration reminded me we have much to be grateful for in our public schools.

Hopefully you have noticed the rebuilding of the tennis courts. Weather has kept us from final completion, but we are looking forward to using this facility by early spring. In addition to the tennis courts, we have begun work on the following:

1. Re-roofing Stuart Island School.
2. Developing plans for the new art room in the STEM building.
3. Initiating design development for the high school science and culinary rooms.

We want you to know that we are making progress on our Capital Projects list, and we are sincerely thankful for the community support of our Capital levy two years ago. Continue Reading

The San Juan Community Home Trust held its Annual Meeting recently. The theme of the meeting was celebration – of 20 years of operation of the Home Trust, 41 permanently affordable homes developed and occupied, and another 8 units coming online in 2022.

The vision and work of the organization’s founders was recognized in a conversation between Dina Melic, a former board member and current Home Trust homeowner, and our founders, Larry Soll, Jim Lawrence, and Pete Kilpatrick. Their early recognition of the need for affordable housing and effort to make that possibility a reality will benefit island families in perpetuity. In addition, Sandy Bishop, Executive Director of the Lopez Community Land Trust talked about the meaning of community and how that plays out in Community Land Trusts, with the development of permanently affordable housing all over the country and especially in the San Juan Islands.

Also celebrated was the service of present and past board members, as the election took place for new board members joining the team for the 2022/23 term. Nickie Davis, Bob Anderson, Erica Hamlin, Chinmayo Ricketts, and Sarah Benson were elected at the meeting. Their talents, voices and commitment to the mission will add new energy and talent to the Board. Their election offered another reason to celebrate.

The San Juan Community Home Trust, the only developer of permanently affordable housing on San Juan Island.

A letter to the community from Friday Harbor Mayor Farhad Ghatan…

Farhad Ghatan

As I reflect on my past eight years working for this council and the Town I so dearly love, I am filled with gratitude for those who have seen fit to allow me to represent their interests as well as those who have made this journey such a pleasure. My thanks go out to our loyal and devoted employees who see our ideas, plans and policies to fruition.

Our public works department is always willing to make improvements that affect our daily lives. From creating one of the State’s top water systems to award winning improvements to streets, sidewalks and parks, as well as managing a complex sewer, stormwater and refuse system, the crew never gets enough appreciation for their efforts.

Town administration has always been such a pleasure to work with. Our finance department has kept us in compliance with state and federal regulators and more importantly, in the black through downturns and other fiscal challenges. Our community development and planning department has risen to new challenges and are working to bring in an era of modernity to all aspects of their realm. We have been so fortunate to have a systems administrator who continually brings us ideas on improving our data security, electronics and a host of systems upgrades that will keep us ahead in this ever changing world, and then builds, installs and programs them himself.

Special thanks goes to the Town clerk Amy Taylor who makes sure the Mayor is well prepared for meetings but also makes sure the Mayor is doing his job correctly. Her grasp of government function is comprehensive and impressive.

And then there’s the 10 million dollar man, Duncan Wilson… Continue Reading

* Carefully curated and beautifully presented gift selections for everyone on your list, from grandparents to pets

* Delightfully packaged handmade Christmas cookies

* Unbelievable raffles, including a 1 /2 hour helicopter tour for 4 people

* Exquisite Christmas trees-already decorated just for you

* Merry chats with St. Nick for kids and adults

Saturday, December 11 from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Mullis Center, 589 Nash St, Friday Harbor, WA

• Free admission!
• Free cider and donuts while they last!

All proceeds will benefit Peace Island Volunteers’ Angel Fund which helps patients pay for medical emergencies and necessities not covered by insurance.

[email protected]
PO Box 3077, Friday Harbor WA 98250

Since the last update on Friday November 26th, there have been 6 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 437.

There are approximately four unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases currently in quarantine in the islands.

• Lopez Island: There are no new cases on Lopez Island since the last update. There are no positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island at this time.
• Orcas Island: There are two new cases on Orcas Island since the last update. There is one positive case under active monitoring on Orcas Island.
• San Juan Island: There are four new cases on San Juan Island since the last update. There are three positive cases under active monitoring on San Juan Island at this time.

This week’s report shows a very welcome reduction in cases, and the recent outbreaks appear to have been controlled.

Did you know that there were more COVID cases in San Juan County in November of this year than in the entirety of 2020? The County Public Health Surveillance Team has been working literally non-stop to respond to the recent waves of cases. Tremendous thanks to them, our school staff, local healthcare providers, pharmacies, and others who have been working overtime. And thanks to the impacted islanders who have helped do their part.

IMPORTANT: Get Your Booster!

Registration is now open for Moderna booster shots. Clinics being held the week of December 13^th on Orcas, Lopez, and San Juan Islands. This will be your easiest, fastest, simplest remaining opportunity to get your booster. Nearly 5,000 islanders have already signed up for or received their boosters. Please make sure you don’t miss out. Appointments are available now for:

• Adults 18+ Fully Vaccinated with Pfizer or Moderna (second dose more than 6 mos. ago)
• Adults 18+ Who Received a Johnson & Johnson Dose at least 2 mos. ago
• Adults 18+ Needing a First or Second Dose (Moderna only)

Love your library? Join the San Juan Island Library Board of Trustees! The Board is seeking candidates to fill a partial, two-year term vacancy on its five-member library board. This non-paid term of office spans from January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2023, with eligibility for reappointment to a full five-year term. Recommendation will be submitted by the current Board of Trustees, and the appointment made by the San Juan County Council.

The San Juan Island Library is in a dynamic time of library service. The Library and its staff navigated creative ways to provide evolving library services to patrons during COVID-19, and is successfully transitioning to full operation. Late last year, the Library acquired the old Life Care Center property on Spring Street.  

In 2022, the trustees’ focus will be on passage of a bond issue in the November 2022 general election to help finance a new library building. Over the next several years, trustees’ focus will include a multitude of activities related to the new library project, including: design, construction, fundraising, and engaging the community in every step of the development process. For a full job description, visit: http://www.sjlib.org/employment/.

Official letters of interest and qualifications may be sent to the Board of Trustees via email to [email protected] or via mail to San Juan Island Library, Board of Trustees, 1010 Guard Street, Friday Harbor, WA 98250. All submissions must be received by Friday, December 17, 2021, in order to be considered for the position.

For more information contact Barbara Sharp, Library Trustee, at (360) 472-0148.

The Town of Friday Harbor thanks the community for supporting the local food bank with their generous contributions to the Harbor Life Ring program this November. Town utility customer donations of $1,646 were matched with a $1,646 grant from the Town for a total donation of $3,292 to the Friday Harbor Food Bank.

This is the ninth year that supporters of the Harbor Life Ring program have helped the food bank provide for island families during the holiday season when the need threatens to outweigh the supply.

“We are so very thankful for the continued support of our community, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis,” said Mayor Ghatan.

The Harbor Life Ring program was established in 2013 to assist families in need of financial relief on their Town utility bills. The program is funded through donations that Town customers add to their monthly bill payments.

The Auditor’s Customer Service division will be closed from noon to 1:30 pm on Wednesday, December 15, for the department’s annual meeting.

Customer Service provides recording services, as well as licensing services for vehicles, vessels, marriages, and dogs.  Services will be available on December 15 from 10:00 am through noon, and again from 1:30 to 4:00 pm.

For questions about recording and licensing services, please contact Auditor Milene Henley at [email protected] or (360) 370-7558, or Chief Deputy Auditor Natasha Warmenhoven at [email protected] or (360) 370-7551.

On November 2, 2021, San Juan County residents voted in favor of the District acquiring the Village at the Harbor. Integration of the Village into the Hospital District will begin in early March of 2022. The current administrator at the Village, Evan Perrollaz, has agreed to remain in his position indefinitely following the acquisition. 

Part of the integration project includes adding a home healthcare program to the Village in late 2022. This will help senior residents on San Juan Island “age in place” by remaining within the comfort of their home while still receiving support from qualified caregivers and professionals. 

One of the main goals of the District acquiring the Village will be to combat long-term care shortages by adding more Medicaid beds at the Village. Hospital District Superintendent Nathan Butler stated that “our goal in acquiring the Village at the Harbor is to improve accessibility to caregivers and health resources for seniors in our community. The acquisition of the Village at the Harbor will serve as an umbrella for these services.” Continue Reading