Bob Nelson

Hey, I wanted to you to know that Bob Nelson has started up San Juan Construction & Handyman, Inc.

He now has everything completed and is ready for biz! You can get a pretty good idea of what he offers from his website and he is also on Facebook as San Juan Construction. He has worked in construction here on the island for 15 years before deciding to become a licensed contractor.

He tells me there’s no job too big or small!

Getting ready for the game! The Class of 2013's Greek theme fired up the sophomores...

The juniors were loud & proud...

The seniors led the way....

The Class of 2014 showed originality with their float....

It was great.

Senior Hannah Starr hasn't let that leg she broke in soccer a few weeks back slow her down....

This year the Friday Harbor High School Homecoming Parade was earlier than I can remember, with a start time of 3:30pm last Friday, which is a great idea as far as getting the town fired up for the game…’most everybody’s still at work then, and got a chance to see the parade.

With a 5 o’clock game start, and a Homecoming Dance that same night, it made for an event-filled day for the kids…and it was great. Later in the evening the winners of the Spirit Week competition were announced: the seniors (Class of ’11) ruled.

The Homecoming King & Queen were crowned – seniors Nick Roberts & Hannah Starr were named in the vote. And the football team scored twice in a valiant effort, falling 27-13 to Lynden Christian.

And a good time was had by all! Wait till next year!

(Thanks to Update photographer Sheri Dusseault for the pictures here and in this portfolio record of the parade and the pep rally – check it out!)

Lindsey Spaulding celebrates a well-planned event featuring Capt. Charles Moore with her grandmother Doris Estabrooks on Tuesday night at the Community Theatre...

Around the town, around the island…

• Last night, a crowd showed up to hear Captain Charles Moore describe the dangers posed by plastics in the oceans. Doris Estabrooks planned and pulled together the Captain’s visit, which included speaking to the kids at Friday Harbor High School as well.

By the way, the dangers presented by the plastics are real – not just for the health of the oceans and its critters, but for humankind. Thanks, Doris, for what you do to make this chance for education & learning happen!

•My friend Lori asked me to remind you to buy cookies! Here’s more:

Good morning, Ian –
Cloud Oakes and Roxanne Angel have started a new 3rd grade Brownie Troop and we are having a Bake Sale to offset some of the cost for our new Brownies. We need to get the word out fast.  We will be set up in front of the Drug Store during the Elementary School Halloween Parade at 1:00.

It's that time of year - Felicity tells me she had a great summer with weddings & other summer events, and now she's geared toward making her wonderful cakes & goodies in the slow season. (I've had 'em, I've seen 'em - I know she does an awesome job!)

• Steve Keys has a gig this weekend – I’d like to check this out:

Hey Ian. I’m playing at The Rumor Mill this Fri 10/29 from 8-11pm, with Cecil Demeerleer on bass, Jim Hendricks on keyboard, and Denny Penrose on drums. It’s a pre-Halloween party. We’ll be playing a mix of blues, rock & roll, country, reggae, and whatever else we can come up with. See you there! Bring your dancing shoes!

• Susan at Griffin Bay invites you over to find out more about the San Juan Island’s alternative school setup:

Griffin Bay School Information Night  —  November 9 from 4:00-7:00pm

Griffin Bay School would like to invite you to an Open House-style Information Night. This is our opportunity to answer your questions, talk about what we do and what we can do for the students of San Juan Island. This is your opportunity to meet some of our students, meet our staff and learn about how we can work together with your family and students to create the best education experience possible. Come join us!

• Susan Wingate tells me her novel Bobby’s Diner is available here. Check it out!

Sylvia

• It was good to hear what Sylvia’s been up to…Sylvia Chesley Smith has had a practice here for a couple of decades – here’s the scoop:

I have been a counselor and educator in San Juan County for over twenty years.  Recently, I have changed my practice from counselor to Life Coach.  Coaching is not therapy; it is more action-oriented and focuses primarily on the present and the future. The coach and the client develop a working relationship designed to create and develop the client’s personal goals.

Most people know what they want, they just don’t know how to get it. They want to have better relationships with partners, children, and friends. They want to get healthy and in shape, improve or change their career or business, be more creative or are in a transition, like divorce or retirement.

Contact me for information on how coaching works and how you can have the life you want.
stayamazed (at) rockisland.com or (360) 468 3314

Pam Fitch displays the Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church 150 Year Commemorative Plate...photo by Peggy Sue McRae

Friday Harbor Presbyterians celebrated 150 years on San Juan Island (Part II: The 20th Century) last night. Mike Vouri walked us through time with choice historic photos and Pastor Joe Bettridge continued with the history of the congregation. The evening was livened up by stories from the living memory of attendants. Lynette Guard confessed to losing part of the girls choir in the woods one night on Orcas and Candy Carter Dossett divulged a story of a young man who learned not to throw stones any where near glass windows by working off the damage starting the fires in the morning to heat the church.

And I wonder, do the kids still ring the church bell on Halloween?

Here’s Pam Fitch showing off the new Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church 150 Year Commemorative Plate (above). It features all four sites starting with the log school at Portland Fair, the Valley Church, the old church on Spring Street and the new, present day church, across Spring Street from the old one. On the back of the plate are listed all of the pastors from the very beginning to the present. At only $20, this treasure in a real bargain!

Celebrating a great reading & a Pulitzer: Paul Harding (center) with Daniel & Therese, FHHS grads Judy (who came up from school in Seattle) and Trent Roberts (who came up from Seattle, too).

When I was in Bellingham this past week, it was great to hear Paul Harding read from his debut novel, Tinkers, at Village Books. It was even better to hear that he won the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for fiction for 2010 for it, and the coolest of all is that he is Therese & Daniel Finn‘s nephew, and Judy‘s cousin.

+++++++++++++

Here’s a bit about the book, and about Paul from the Village Books website.

Anne Benedict at the Village at the Harbour has the details – this is pretty important, so you can keep up with changes for seniors around here. Here’s more:

Here is extremely important information on a FREE public forum: “What Every Senior Should Know” will be held at “Village at the Harbour” on Wednesday, October 27th.

Offered three times during the day at 10am, 2pm and 5pm, this is a must for every senior and/or their family members. There will be four fifteen minute segments featuring:
• Marjorie Fielding on Veteran’s Benefits…money is available!
• Exactly what services we can expect from the new Peace Health Medical Center – Barbara Cable.
• Curt VanHyning will present new Medicare Part D options.
• Cyrus Field will discuss elder law.

Each offering will consist of ten minutes of information sharing and a five minute question/answer period.  See you there!

The bar area is much expanded at the newly opened Homesteaders Restaurant...I went by to check it out last night, and it sounds like they've been pretty busy & getting good reviews with a new menu & bright & cheerful decor, as they begin their second week.

Let’s see what’s up…

• Jennifer Furber says today is the day at the Family Resource Center – for the sibling and parent group at the FRC it is a halloween costume play group.  Bring your baby and sibling, and dress up to play!

• Friday Harbor High is in playoffs mode – here’s the deal with our fall sports (thanks, Rod, for the info!):

Boys’ Tennis: In districts, Parker Satin and Ryan Cole placed second as a doubles team.  They will have a playin game next May for the right to advance to the Quad-District, since most of the state plays tennis in the spring, so that’s when the state championships are….

Girls’ Soccer: FHHS travels to Shoreline to take on Kings High at 4pm tomorrow (Wednesday). Our strong squad takes on theirs – should be a great game…go Wolverines!

Football: If you want to see the football team, they’ll be at Meridian High, where we’ll take on the Trojans at 6pm Friday night. The guys dropped a 27-13 decision to Lynden Christian last week for homecoming, and are looking to rebound here.

Volleyball: Their playoff matches begin this weekend at Lynden Christian High on Saturday at 11am.

• Whenever anyone would compliment Louis Armstrong on his talent or tell him what a great artist he was, Satchmo would simply say, “just keeping my hustle alive.” Hope you have that kind of day, too!

Hardworking FHHS senior Matthew Skeels takes a study break on the ferry Sunday...

• There are a lot of Halloween activities going on this weekend – check the Calendar (to the left) to see what to do, as well as checking out all the folks dressed up downtown Saturday & Sunday nights. It’s as close to Mardi Gras as we’re going to get….

• David Bayley is playing tonight at the Rumor Mill – I asked him what he’s got going:

It’s that time again!  I’m back at the Rumor Mill (Tuesday the 26th) for two hours starting at 7pm. I’ve been adding more classic blues vocals to my playlist, augmenting my pieces by Scott Joplin, Eubie Blake, W.C.Handy and all the other roots music greats. See you there!

Farhad

• More piano on Friday – Farhad Ghatan has a recital at the San Juan Community Theatre on Friday, October 29, at 7:30pm. He tells me he’ll be performing solo works of Chopin, Schubert, Granados, Albeniz, Bach and Scott Joplin.

• Speaking of art – Jan with Wild at Heart has a workshop next week you’ll like:

Workshop Date: Saturday, November 6th
Fee: $50 per student
Title:  From Beach to Beautiful: Wire Wrapping with Found Objects
Instructors: Ally, Arna, Mara
Location:  The Earthbox Motel and Spa

Ally, Mara & Arna

Begin the makings of your own Christmas gifts with this fun workshop!  Learn innovative, attractive and funky wire wrapping for earrings, rings and pendants, and apply your own creativity for a unique style.

By focusing on these 3 areas we hope to leave you with a knowledge basis to create your own adornment, wire sculptures or whatever your mind’s eye sees.

We predominantly use found objects from the San Juan beaches such as: sea glass, driftwood, shells, bark and other organic materials like seeds and gemstones. We hope this workshop will inspire you to put your own found objects to use!

• It was both Francie Hanson‘s & Sally Thomsen‘s birthdays yesterday – same day! Happy birthday to both of you!!!

Everybody waves at Josie & says hi...even the guys doing drills on the ferry...

The church at mid-century: Located across from the present building

This is the second in the two-part series…everyone who went to the one earlier this month loved it. Here’s more from Torrey at the Presbyterian Church about tonight’s presentation:

150 Years of Island History and the Presbyterians in Pictures and Stories

Part Two: The Twentieth Century

Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church is the oldest continuing institution of San Juan Island. On Tuesday October 26 at 7 pm Mike Vouri and Joe Bettridge will once again present historical photographs and stories of San Juan Island and the 150 year ministry of the Presbyterian Church. This presentation is part of the Sesquicentennial (150 years) Celebration of Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church.

Historian Mike Vouri has just completed a new book on the history of San Juan Island entitled, Images of America: San Juan Island. Mike is the Chief of Interpretation and Historian for the National Park Service on the Island. Joe Bettridge is the pastor of Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church. Tuesday’s presentation will cover the 20th Century and will include the remembrances of Island old-timers.

Do you get Rolling Stones’ songs stuck in your head? Me, too… here’s Mick & the guys from 1965 on the Ed Sullivan Show:

Marilynn Findley picked "witch" costume she wanted to wear...photo for the San Juan Update by Dave Ryan (thanks, Dave!)

Last weekend the costume shop for the Community Theatre was pretty busy setting people up for Halloween…you can still swing by this weekend.

You can rent a costume at the shop (over at the PARC building off Beaverton Valley Road, next to Extreme Fitness) – go check ‘em out from 10am-4pm, on Friday & Saturday as well. Adult costumes are $25, and kids’ costumes are $15.

Sunrise over Cattle Pass last week...photo by Ary Hobbel (click on the picture to see a larger, really cool version)

Hope you stayed dry yesterday, with everything tied down…let’s look around the island:

• Hamid & Dora over at Post San Juan tell me they have the place for sale – now there’s a good deal for you. The shop has been successful since Liz & Janna started it in ’95. Here are the details.

Mary-Brooke

• Hey, Mary-Brooke at Mirabella has a new deal that’s good for your skin called LED Photo-Rejuvenation Facials (I’m pretty sure this doesn’t have anything to do with Photoshopping your pix to make you look better) – check out the details here.

• Chinmayo is putting on an art show at the Community Theatre called “Up Close & Personal” which opens this Thursday from 5-7:30pm….see you there!

• She was last seen at Bakery San Juan, and now Leah Altman has been visiting Iceland for the past couple of weeks.

Someone put all the chairs on the Hyak in circles, so Jan & David settled in to read on Sunday....still investigating whether the chair circles are like crop circles or something. Meanwhile - I knew you would ask - the Hyak hasn't been painted yet.

• Bob wants to find other people who fly –  here’s more:

Pilots in Search of Pilots

You might be surprised to learn about an organization of aircraft pilots on San Juan Island. You might not be surprised to know that it’s called the San Juan Pilots Association. Its 130 members are all full or part‐time San Juan Island residents.

You might also be thinking, “That’s a lot of pilots for such a small place.” And, you’d be right. Because of our Island’s relative isolation, owning an airplane here is of more benefit than most mainland places. Put to a number, about 3% of San Juan Islanders have a pilot’s license. That compares to about two‐tenths of one percent nationally.

According to San Juan Pilots President Bob Brunkow, even with a membership of 130, it’s estimated that about another 50 pilots live on the Island and are not Association members.

He said, “We’d like to encourage current, past and future pilots to see our information, meet our members and attend one or more of our events.”

Its membership, while largely social, provides information and promotes safety to local and visiting pilots via the web, email notices, and meetings. It also provides a point of contact between the community and the pilot group. And, its John Volk Memorial Scholarship Fund provides annual scholarships to local students. If you, or someone you know, has an interest, more information is available at www.sanjuanpilots.com, or www.sanjuanpilots.blogspot.com.

Flossie Mullis-McRae and The Great Pumpkin at Guard Sundstom's Pumpkin Patch on San Juan Valley Road...photo by Peggy Sue McRae.

"About Face" opens on October 31.

I stopped by The Old Corner Store’s new Studio 7 on Cattle Point Road today. Studio 7 is the gallery and studio space of local artists Anthony DiMichele and Cynthia Church.

I asked Anthony about the upcoming show About Face: Portraits and Self Portraits opening October 31st. I’d seen my friend Thrinley Dimarco’s works in progress for this show including collaged self-portraits, one that incorporates a drawing she made of herself at 18 years old. The gallery looks great and the show will feature new works by Cynthia (that even Anthony has not seen yet).

With the show opening on Halloween Anthony assured me they would be ready for trick-or-treaters. He also talked about future plans for Studio 7 including the desire to combine art with social issues and engage our local community.

Plan to stop by and check it out on Sunday, October 31st between 5-9pm.

Photo caption: Pete Walmsley (center) is the NW Area Conservation District Supervisor of the Year. The award was presented by Lynn Bahrych, Chair of the Washington State Conservation Commission, and Fred Colvin from the state.

Josie sent me over this press release:

Pete Walmsley is NW Area Conservation District Supervisor of the Year

Pete Walmsley of Orcas Island won the Supervisor of the Year Award at the annual meeting of NW Area Conservation Districts in Bellingham on October 13. Pete is Chair of the San Juan Islands Conservation District.

Lynn Bahrych, Chair of the Washington State Conservation Commission, presented the award. She remarked, “It is with great pleasure that the Conservation Commission recognizes you as the 2010 Northwest Area District Supervisor of the Year.

“During your 10 years on the board, you have brought professionalism, stability, and competence. During challenging times, your administrative experience, knowledge of law, and common sense have been the hallmark of your leadership. Continue Reading

Let’s see what’s going on…

* The Homesteaders Restaurant is open! Located in the spot where the old Peppermill was, the new eatery is open from 6am to 9pm every day…drop by the Best Western & see (and eat!) for yourself!

* The graveside service (open to the public) for Nikki Fink will be held on Saturday, October 23, at 3:00 p.m. at the St. Francis Cemetery.  A Celebration of Life will follow at The Rumor Mill, from 4-6pm, and  is open to the public. Yvonne has asked that flowers be sent either to Marian Bowman’s home – 650 Hunt Street – or to The Rumor Mill on Saturday.

* Joy Goldberg checks in with the latest about what the United Way is up to:

United Way of San Juan County would like to thank the community members who participated in the 2010 Day of Caring! Day of Caring is an annual event sponsored by United Way to further the spirit of volunteerism and to demonstrate what people working together for the community’s good can accomplish. This year, over 50 caring community members came out to participate in the day’s events, which included service projects designed to aid community members and programs that could benefit from a day’s work.

Our mission was accomplished – many seniors and disabled community members received assistance on home projects, several non-profit buildings were attended to, the school garden on Lopez was weeded and groomed, along with numerous other accomplishments on local projects. Special thanks go to representatives from United Way sponsored programs, other community members who came out to join the efforts, Salt Spray Window Cleaning and Friday Harbor Market Place. The day could not have been as productive and fun without each person’s contribution!

United Way would also like to inform the community that donations this yearare remarkably down. We recognize and understand that this is a difficult time financially for many, but urge you to consider helping by donating in whatever amount you can. Over 30 local, essential programs rely on our funds, some to continue to operate in a manner that serves our community. Without your support, we will not be able to fund some of these programs this year.

To find out which programs we funded for 2010, please visit our website . And remember, 99% of money donated to the United Way of San Juan County supports us locally!

Please feel free to contact us at [email protected] or at
(360)378-4121 with any questions.

Donations can be sent to PO Box 3181, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

Chris Jordan's online art piece....

Doris Estabrooks sent this over – look at it & I think you’ll say “Wow!”

Click here to start, and then click to zoom in….

Gyre, 2009, by Chris Jordan
8×11 feet, in three vertical panels
Depicts 2.4 million pieces of plastic, equal to the estimated number of pounds of plastic pollution that enter the world’s oceans every hour. All of the plastic in this image was collected from the Pacific Ocean.

Click the image to zoom in.

Closeup...

Fox at American Camp...photo by Ken Olson (thanks, Ken!)

Just kidding. I know this isn’t a newspaper. It’s news electrons. Here’s more:

• Hey, the FHHS Homecoming Parade is at 3:30 on Friday…so get downtown to see the kids! The parade is earlier this year because the football game is at 5pm, with the dance after.

• Plan on it! The elementary school’s annual costume parade through town will be at 1pm on the 29th this year.

• They’re everywhere – Pelindaba just opened a new store in Santa Rosa, California.

• At the Rumor Mill this weekend it’s the Playrite Boys on Friday & Saturday nights – be there!

• Debbie at Roche Harbor mentioned that this derby was full by the first part of December last year – so get your entry in, now!

February 3-5, 2011 marks the eighth Annual Salmon Classic Invitational at Roche Harbor Marine & Resort, a three-day sport fishing extravaganza that attracts anglers from all over the Northwest & Canada.

With over $30,000 dollars in cash & prizes this event brings out fishermen from all walks of life to fish our island waters. Cash Prizes include $10,000 First Place; $5,000 Second Place; $3000 Third Place; $2,000 4th place; $1,000 5th place; $2,000 Mystery Fish and $2,000 Best Boat Total weight ~ all in CASH!!

Each night donated prizes are drawn from the Northwest’s favorite fishing tackle and accessory companies ie.  Frabill; Scotty; Shimano; Laminglass; Simrad; Berkely. In addition, each Angler qualifies for the grand prize drawing: A top of the line Sport Fishing Boat package as a part of the Northwest Marine Trade Association Derby Series!  Derby entries are limited to 100 boats with 4 anglers per vessel. $700.00 per boat (plus sales tax $54.60), which includes moorage and angler’s dinner all three nights, with Roche Harbor’s Finest Prime Rib Dinner on first night of Registration.

See http://www.rocheharbor.com/ for more details and the entry form!

• Andy tells me this gets underway this week on the 24th:

Is your student struggling with school work? Introducing… Study Station!

A great opportunity for students who need help with school assignments or those who just need a place to go study!

Minor Reinforcement, a new, local non-profit, and Friday Harbor Fire Department are working together to provide a space for high school students to study and an opportunity to receive FREE tutoring.

Twice a week (Sundays from 3-5pm and Thursdays from 6-8pm) the Study Station will be available to high school students looking for a little help with their school subjects.   The Study Station will be located in the upstairs meeting room of the Friday Harbor Fire Department.  That’s the fire station on West Street, behind Kings Market.

For more information on the Study Station or how you can support Minor Reinforcement in our mission to create and support programs and activities that build the character and enhance the lives of San Juan Island teens, contact: [email protected]

• Bill & Rita are now offering Zumba classes – here’s more:

Dance Happy presents Zumba, a fitness dance-exercise program.

Bill & Rita Ament of Dance Happy have exciting news to bring to the community and to add extra spice to their already fun dance business. Bill is now a certified Zumba Fitness Instructor. Being married to Rita, a native of Cuba, Bill has been directly influenced by the Latin beat. They already teach the ballroom dance styles of Salsa, Merengue, Cha Cha, and Samba (not to mention Swing, Fox Trot & Waltz) as part of their repertoire, so Zumba would, of course, be Bill’s next best thing for the community to participate in to enhance their health and well-being. Continue Reading