Posted October 26, 2021 at 5:52 am by Tim Dustrude
Local photographer extraordinaire John Miller shares this photo with you of the first big winter storm to hit San Juan Island in 2021. This was shot near Cattle Point on Monday, Oct. 25.
Click on the photo to see the full, uncropped image.
Thanks for sharing John!
Posted October 26, 2021 at 5:49 am by Tim Dustrude
This story Submitted by Kaj Litch…
Kaj Litch – Contributed photo
The final report of public feedback to the San Juan County Land Bank using an innovative method to garner public opinion has just been released.
Using the digital tool Pol.is throughout July 2021, more than 400 community members put forth and addressed issues of local importance regarding the local Land Bank, bringing direct community input to the processes they fund.
Specific issues with regard to the Land Bank were addressed as well as general questions that were raised about where conservation efforts should be focused and how policy should be formed to best serve the community and environment. The report addresses the opinion data gathered on Land Bank governance, land management, and acquisitions and discusses areas of community consensus around organizational transparency and community responsiveness, preservation and public access, and property management. These areas of strong consensus fit directly into the Land Bank’s next step to improve the organization, its conservation programs, and its partnerships with our island community.
Kaj Litch, of the Computational Democracy Project, says, “The enthusiastic participation of the island community reflects the local importance, continued impact, and resulting accountability of the Land Bank to the people of San Juan County. Through this engagement, the public has spoken, and the Land Bank is listening. This is participatory democracy in our community.”
The public is welcome and encouraged to attend Land Bank Commission meetings on the third Friday of each month. Access the full report is at sjclandbank.org/pol-is-community-discussion/. If you have any questions, please email Kaj Litch at [email protected].
Posted October 26, 2021 at 5:46 am by Tim Dustrude
When the ghouls come out this year, we’ll be ready for them! A night of fun awaits you at Island Rec’s annual Teen Halloween Party! This year’s party will be held just outside of the Fairgrounds Building, with live music performed by Pilots in Training, a costume contest, escape room, pizza and more! Prizes will be awarded for best costumes, including scariest, funniest, most creative and best group costume. The party will run from 7:30-9:30pm on Sunday, October 31st and is for grades 6-12.
Toy weapons are not allowed. Face masks are required to attend.
For more information call 378-4953 or visit www.islandrec.org.
Our office is located at 580 Guard Street.
Posted October 25, 2021 at 12:14 pm by Tim Dustrude
Mount Vernon, WA – October 25, 2021 – SaviBank announced that it has formed a new lending team located in Friday Harbor, serving the business and personal lending needs in San Juan County, including San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands.
“Our new lending team in Friday Harbor presents a fantastic opportunity for SaviBank to serve the San Juan County market. Fortunately, we have four community bankers with roots in the area to carry out our mission and share our commitment to value,” said Andrew Hunter, President and CEO of SaviBank. “Leading the team is Bruce Martin, Senior Vice President and Loan Production Manager. Martin, who was formerly EVP/Chief Credit Officer with Islanders Bank, is a seasoned banker and proven leader, and we are excited to have him lead this new lending team as we expand our presence in San Juan County.”
Rounding out the team is Mike Taylor, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer, Scott Sluis, Vice President and Commercial Loan Officer, and AJ Tokunaga, Vice President and Commercial & Mortgage Loan Officer. The entire lending team was formerly with Islanders Bank in San Juan County and collectively brings over 27 years of banking experience in the San Juan Islands. SaviBank will be opening a loan production office at 232 A Street #C in Friday Harbor in mid-November. Continue Reading
Posted October 25, 2021 at 5:49 am by Tim Dustrude
Town utility customer donations will benefit local food bank; Town to match November contributions up to $3000.
All donations made in November to the Town’s Harbor Life Ring utility assistance fund will be forwarded to the Friday Harbor Food Bank. The Town will match community donations up to a total of $3,000. This is an increase of $1,000 over last year’s match. Utility customers can donate by marking the Harbor Life Ring line item on their bills that are going out on November 1st.
Now in its ninth year, the annual November contribution from supporters of the Harbor Life Ring program helps the Food Bank provide for island families during the holiday season when the need threatens to outweigh the supply. “The need is already higher than normal and growing,” said Mayor Farhad Ghatan. “The Town has increased the amount of matching funds for the second year in a row as the ongoing pandemic is putting a tremendous strain on our local Food Bank.”
Last year, the Food Bank received $5,010 from this annual campaign, including $2,000 in Town matching funds. Food Bank manager Rachelle Radonski says this significantly improved their ability to offer fresh vegetables and protein. She says they are funded entirely through donations and spend over $8,000 each month to serve over 500 households on the island.
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.
Posted October 25, 2021 at 5:43 am by Tim Dustrude
On Saturday, October 23, 2021 Regent Patti Pratt and other members of the San Juan Islands Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution dedicated a bench at San Juan Historical Museum. The bench from the Tacoma, WA Foundry, Urban Accessories was purchased by the chapter to honor their Organizing Regent, Elizabeth Rourk Forsman (1910-2008) and is installed next to the old county jail along the brick walkway that leads to the Museum of History and Industry.
The dedication of the bench was the culmination of months of effort by both chapter and community members. Past Regent, Nancy Miller thanked individuals who donated time and materials to the project including Jim Moe Construction for framing and finishing the concrete pad, MEM Construction for donating the concrete, and Kevin Berringer for donating gravel. Other individuals that were integral to the installation were Dale Pratt, Gerry Miller, Rodney Nawn, Michael Olson, Ron Krocker, James Klein and Museum Executive Director, Kevin Loftus.
The bench has already been enjoyed by groups of people who visited the museum over the past month and will provide a resting place for many years into the future.
Posted October 25, 2021 at 5:40 am by Tim Dustrude
The Rotary Club of San Juan Islands and Sports Car Club of SJI gratefully thank all our sponsors for this year’s Concours car show.
Regrettably, due to delta variant of Covid, we decided to cancel this year’s event out of safety concerns for our entrants and attendees.
Over the past 12 years, the generosity of our sponsors has allowed us to donate over $100,000.00 to many local charities and Rotary’s worldwide efort to eliminate Polio.
Please show your support to our valued sponsors! Thank you!
Rotary Club of San Juan Islands
Posted October 24, 2021 at 9:33 am by Tim Dustrude
The Town of Friday Harbor’s free monthly residential curbside pickup of plastic film for recycling begins Wednesday, October 27th. Customers have been given “Plastic Film Only” recycling bins and asked to participate in a one-year pilot program sponsored by the Town in partnership with SC Johnson, the global manufacturer of Windex® and other household brands.
Clean, dry, flexible plastic film such as sandwich bags, bubble wrap, and paper towel packaging is recyclable, but cannot be mixed with standard recycling as it can damage sorting machinery. This program will send the film to Delta, B.C., for recycling into pellets that can be used for new bags, pallets, containers, crates, pipe, and composite lumber.
Friday Harbor is the second community in the state to be selected by SC Johnson for this program after Point Roberts, WA, which was the second city in the country to participate in the program. So far, the programs have collectively stopped more than 6,000 pounds of plastic film from ending up in local landfills.
“Plastic waste is one of the great environmental challenges we face today, and at SC Johnson, we believe we have a responsibility to help solve this critical environmental issue,” said Alan VanderMolen, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at SC Johnson. “Our partnership with Friday Harbor, one of three curbside plastic film recycling programs we are launching this week, is one of the many steps we are taking to move toward our vision for a waste-free world.”
Specifics about the plastic film recycling program are on the Town website at fridayharbor.org/2151/Refuse-Recycling. Residents who did not receive their bin or want to sign up for refuse pickup should call Town Hall at (360)378-2810.
Posted October 23, 2021 at 11:57 am by Tim Dustrude
The National Weather Service is calling for strong winds in the islands Sunday and Monday.
Winds are forecast to be strongest at the south end of San Juan and Lopez Islands, with possible gusts to 60mph, and perhaps as high as 70mph. Winds will be slightly less in other locations.
This amount of wind is usually right around where the islands start to see trees and limbs coming down. Given that many trees still have their leaves (thanks to the early rains for that!), deciduous trees could be particularly impacted.
Strong winds are an entirely expected and welcome part of winter life in the islands, but the first storm of the season always seems to catch a few islanders by surprise. Now is a good time to check your power outage preparedness, ensure your chainsaw is operational, double check your dock lines of your boat, and secure anything outdoors that might blow around.
Posted October 23, 2021 at 10:50 am by Tim Dustrude
It is time to register for Island Rec Girls and Boys Basketball Leagues, open to all kids in grades 2 through 8! The focus of this league is development and improvement of individual and team skills. Previous basketball experience is not required. All games are played on Island, Sundays in Turnbull Gym.
Washington State Department of Health Covid-19 guidelines will be adhered to. All participants, coaches and spectators must wear masks at all times. Coaches and Referees are needed, and must be vaccinated against Covid-19 to participate.
Register online at www.islandrec.org or call the Island Rec office at 360-378-4953 for more information about the league or if you are interested in volunteering as a coach, referee or scorekeeper.
Posted October 23, 2021 at 10:40 am by Tim Dustrude
Town citizens are asked to help keep street gutters and storm drains clear of fall leaves and debris before the heavy winds and rainfall predicted over the coming week. Clogged street gutters can result in storm water overflow and potential flooding.
“Our streets crew works extremely hard to keep the streets clean and clear, but it’s challenging with the volume of leaves that drop this time of year—especially during a storm,” said Town Administrator Duncan Wilson. “We would appreciate if people could take a few minutes to help themselves and their neighbors by clearing debris that could block street drains.”
Citizens in need of assistance with clearing potential storm drain blockage should contact Town Hall at 360-378-2810.
Posted October 23, 2021 at 5:49 am by Tim Dustrude
Zylstra Lake Trail Loop at Zylstra Lake Preserve, San Juan Island
Take a reading adventure this Fall! Now through the month of November, the San Juan County Land Bank and San Juan Island Library are hosting a Pop Up StoryWalk™ at Zylstra Lake Preserve featuring Thor Hanson’s Bartholomew Quill: A Crow’s Quest to Know Who’s Who.
A StoryWalk™ is a creative way for children to enjoy the outdoors and read a book with their family and friends. Pages of a children’s book are put on signs and placed along the trail. Walk, skip, or hop along the trail and read the story, step-by-step and page-by-page!
For a special treat, Thor Hanson will lead a walk and read the story aloud Friday, November 5. The event begins at 10am. Space is limited – please email [email protected] to register. A public shuttle, courtesy of the San Juan Island Library, will be provided to the program location.
The first StoryWalk™ Project was created by Anne Ferguson of Montpelier, VT and developed with the help of Rachel Senechal, Kellogg Hubbard Library. There are now more than 300 StoryWalk™ projects throughout Canada and the United States.
For more information, please contact the San Juan Island Library at [email protected] or Tanja Williamson at [email protected].
About the San Juan County Land Bank:
The San Juan County Land Bank is a local land conservation program, created by voters in 1990, and funded by a 1% real estate excise tax paid by purchasers of property in San Juan County. Through conservation easements or outright purchases, the Land Bank protects special places in the Islands including coastlines, farmland, forests and wetlands.
About the San Juan Island Library:
The San Juan Island Library is a learning center for the community: a place for people to pursue independent educational and recreational interests, to use information resources, and to meet and interact in a public forum. It is located in one of the most beautiful settings in the Pacific Northwest. San Juan Island, on which the library resides, is just one of the 172 islands which comprise San Juan County, in Washington state.
Posted October 22, 2021 at 11:35 am by Tim Dustrude
The Friday Harbor High School Senior Class of 2022 / PTA is now taking orders for their annual holiday wreath sale. Get your beautiful, aromatic, and long-lasting 24” Northwest Noble Fir wreath with or without a handmade bow for only $25.00! These wreaths make great gifts for friends, family, neighbors and business associates. Sales of holiday wreaths is the largest fundraiser for the class of 2022. Proceeds go directly towards paying for Grad Night, a memorable, safe and sane graduation celebration.
Wreath orders may be placed with any Friday Harbor High School senior class member, or by visiting www.FHHSGradNight.com. Orders will be accepted until November 3rd. Wreaths will be available to be picked up on Wednesday, November 24th 11:30am – 6:00pm at the High School STEM building. Local delivery is an option as well!
Don’t need a wreath but would like to support Grad Night? There is a donation option on the FHHSGradNight.com website or checks would be greatly appreciated payable to FHHS PTA with Grad Night 2022 in the memo line. Checks may be mailed to PTA c/o SJI School District PO Box 458 Friday Harbor, WA. 98250
Any questions can be sent to [email protected]
Thank you for your support!
Posted October 22, 2021 at 11:26 am by Tim Dustrude
Since the last update on Friday October 15th, there have been 12 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 344.
Of these 12 new cases, initial investigations indicate that 5 appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals. There are approximately 35 unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases currently in quarantine in the islands.
MODERNA and J&J BOOSTERS: Approval for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson boosters is nearly finalized, with only a final review by the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup required (should happen as soon as October 21st). Once final review is granted, select groups will be eligible to receive an additional dose of vaccine.
Beginning next week San Juan County will begin to schedule and publicize booster clinic schedules and will update information on what other vaccine providers in San Juan County will be offering. The most recent information is always available online at: https://www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info
Posted October 22, 2021 at 5:52 am by Tim Dustrude
At 7:00 pm, Saturday, October 23, 2021, join Shona Aitken, Education Coordinator at Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, to explore the fascinating world of island owls, and learn about the many different owls that live here on the San Juan Islands.
We hope you can all attend this enlightening talk.
To register email: [email protected]
You will receive a ZOOM link once you are registered.
Posted October 22, 2021 at 5:45 am by Tim Dustrude
Picture this: you’re safe at home, wearing your favorite sweater, sitting cozy on your ridiculously comfy couch, fully immersed in a really great book, with the sounds of a crackling fire in the background, and your new best friend, Tribble is sleeping soundly; her perfect black and white head head is lying on your lap while her gentle, rhythmic snoring is catapulting you in to an almost meditative, enlightened state.
Sounds pretty lovely, doesn’t it? Well that’s because it is! And Tribble thinks it sounds lovely too. So, come on down to the shelter and rescue this sweet girl! She’s ready for all the kisses and hugs…and warm, cozy couches.
Application: https://www.apsfh.com/adoption-program/canine-application/