Looking for a last-minute Halloween costume? Or just need some fun, new pieces for your wardrobe? Or perhaps you loved a costume you saw on stage and now want it for yourself! Well, look no further! The San Juan Community Theatre costume shop is getting cleaned out and we are selling tons of costumes, vintage pieces, accessories, wigs, shoes, and more at our Halloween Costume Sale!

The Costume Sale will be on October 23rd & 24th from 12-4pm each day and is located at the PARC building (70 Salt Spring Road). Please come prepared with your own bag to hold all the amazing items you will find!

Cards and cash will be accepted. All items will be $20 or less.

Grab bag pricing on Sunday from 2-4pm: fill your reusable shopping bag with what you can fit in it for $25. Fill a medium sized box for $30. Fill a large box for $40. See you there!

L to R Jeri Aiken, Deborah Hoskinson, Erin Wygant, Annesa Knowles – Photo by Becki Day

The San Juan Island Chamber of Commerce and the San Juan Island’s Visitor Bureau thanked our local ferry workers with a card and Cookies from Felicitation’s Bakery on Wednesday.

L to R Jeri Aiken, Deborah Hoskinson, Erin Wygant, Annesa Knowles – Photo by Becki Day

Bassist by Francie Allen

The Atrium of The San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA)  has come alive with the figurative wire sculptures of Bellingham artist, Francie Allen.  The exhibit, titled, On Being Alive!, invites the viewer to viscerally engage in the dynamic movement of fluid, transparent bodies, suspended in air or draped on metal armatures, enhanced by original music from award-winning sound designer, Nick Tipp.

The works featured in this exhibit are sculpted of wire and lacey metal netting, to highlight the dynamic movement of the human form.  Allen attributes the inspiration for these pieces to her many years as both a dancer and a sculptor.

The exhibit is complemented by a short video by the artist, available to view in the museum’s Atrium.  The video takes the viewer behind the scenes and explains Allen’s relationship with dance and movement as it pertains to time spent caring for her husband, who recently passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.  She likens his movements and her caring for him during this time to a fluid, loving dance. Continue Reading

Fourth Year – Starting AGAIN! Cynthia’s Bistro is offering free take-away meals to anyone who needs a meal or wishes to have a home cooked meal. No questions asked, just free food. Basic Home Cooking made with everything but the Kitchen Sink.

You may pick up a meal for yourself or for those who need one and are unable to come. When we run out of food, we will close the doors until next time. We will be stationed on the front porch and handing out the meals at Cynthia’s Bistro – 65 Nichols Street in Friday Harbor.

Cynthia’s Bistro – 65 Nichols –
Thursday – 10-21-21 4:30 to 6:00 PM

Come by and say hello. If you care to join us and donate time or money to the cause, feel free to contact Cynthia at Cynthia’s Bistro or email at [email protected].

Thanks to all who make this possible! It takes a village!

Mullis Center – photo Peggy Sue McRae

The following is a notice from Mullis Community Senior Center…

Due to procedural issues, the October 11-15th elections for San Juan District Committee have been canceled and rescheduled.

The new election dates are November 8 to 11, 11:30 am – 3:30 pm
Votes will be counted on Friday, November 12th, 2021

The updated slate of candidates and ballot will be included in the November issue of the Senior Signal.

Ballots cast before November 1st will not be valid – VOTE AGAIN.

Fox Sparrow Press is happy to announce the release of Nancy Spaulding’s eagerly awaited book; Home in an Island Garden – In pursuit of an artful life. This is the story of Spaulding’s life, art, romance and adventures of living in the Pacific Northwest.

“I was in my early 30’s. It was my birthday, and what a gift! We were here at last on the island, and I was beginning to recover from moving day,” Spaulding writes of arriving on San Juan Island.

Her tale begins in 1978, when Spaulding moved to an island off the coast of Washington state with her young family. She and her husband Lewis naively planned to support themselves as artists. This is the story of their adventures together striving for an unlikely success.

The couple worked hard for years to reclaim an old pea farm overrun with rabbits. Between hammering nails, weeding gardens, perfecting their art, and feeding their family they watched their land transform, and their creativity flourish.

Their wild land became a splendid garden habitat; a refuge for themselves and for native wildlife ever flowing through.

“Our refuge is not always well tended, but it is always a place where we feel happy while creating a haven for birds creatures and people,” Spaulding writes.

The 158-page Home in an Island Garden is peppered with some of her well-known pastels and serigraphs like “Bicycle Picnic” and “Moonlight Lilies.” It contains newer work as well, including “A Quail with His Chicks.” Spaulding also shares previously unseen images from her private sketchbooks. Continue Reading

Hugh P. Stanley – Contributed photo

Hugh Palmerlee Stanley, PhD. Emeritus professor of Biology at Utah State University, Logan, Utah from 1965 to 1990.

Hugh was born in Modesto, CA on 7/14/1926 to Hubert F. Stanley and Lois P. Stanley. After he graduated from Berkeley High School he joined the U.S. Navy Reserve and served on a destroyer in the Pacific Theater of World War II. He then attended Modesto Jr. College, the University of California at Berkeley, BA, and Oregon State University MA and PhD, where he met and married Marjory Miller in 1959. They had three sons: Mark (deceased), Paul and William. Hugh also had 4 grandchildren, Christopher, Jessica, Nicholas and Ella, and 2 great-grandchildren, Makayla and Beckham.

Hugh enjoyed 25 years of teaching university courses and working with graduate students. He retired from Utah State University in Logan, Utah in 1990 and moved to San Juan Island, WA where he had done research at the University of Washington Marine Laboratories previously.

In his retirement Hugh returned to a former activity he loved – art. He enjoyed painting landscapes of island scenes in watercolors and other media. He was very active in the Sunshine Gallery Co-op of artists in Friday Harbor for many years. He loved books and libraries and volunteered in several roles at the San Juan Island Library. He loved classical music and operas as well and enjoyed live performances particularly.

Since its formation in 2003, The Rotary Club of San Juans Islands has donated over $75,000 to ending polio. We contribute $2,000 annually through Concours d’Elegance and Rotary GolfFund.

In 30 years, we’ve gone from 124 polio-endemic countries to two (Afghanistan and Pakistan). Yet, without full funding and political commitment, this paralyzing disease could return to previously polio-free countries, putting children everywhere at risk.

When we talk about PolioPlus, the “plus” is something else that is provided. It might be providing clean water, bed nets, soap and even creating jobs. Vitamin A drops given to children at the same time as the polio vaccine has prevented 1.25 million deaths by decreasing susceptibility to infectious disease.

Thanks to a 2-1 match from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, every donation made at (http://www.endpolio.org/donate) will be tripled.

Help us see this fight to the end.

The Pacific States/British Columbia Oil Spill Task Force is honoring Marta Green with a 2021 Legacy Award for her committed leadership in developing and advancing the San Juan Islands’ Oil Spill Prevention Strategy. Over the last five years, Marta secured grant funding and managed two projects to advance oil spill prevention measures for the shipping lanes through Haro Strait and Boundary Pass. The two spill prevention projects successfully:

• Demonstrated the cost/benefit business case for a rescue tug—similar to that stationed at Neah Bay—to prevent a disabled vessel in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass from drifting aground. The economic, environmental, and social costs of an oil spill was estimated to be 100 times greater than the annual cost of stationing a rescue tug here.
• Determined the time a disabled vessel would drift before grounding and potentially spilling oil relative to the time required for a rescue tug to respond and prevent grounding. The vessel drift and rescue tug response study concluded that a dedicated tug in Sidney or Roche Harbor would be effective, saving vessels in over 80% of the incidents and sea conditions modeled throughout Haro Strait and Boundary Pass.  

This work contributes to implementing 2019 HB 1578 sponsored by Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-Bow) Reducing threats to southern resident killer whales by improving the safety of oil transportation, which requires the WA Department of Ecology to conduct a rescue tug effectiveness analysis for this area by September 2023. Continue Reading

Don’t miss these entertaining and creative classes by Kristen Douglas-Seitz at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA).

Art for Fun is a delightful two-hour art party set in a relaxed, interactive atmosphere.  It is a great way to enjoy a night out on your own, celebrate a birthday, share a date night or create a team building experience. Join your friends and follow step-by-step instructions from experienced artists.  Everyone paints the same picture and takes home his or her own unique creation. Beginners are welcome!  The schedule is as follows.

• Friday, October 22, 2021  5:30– 7:30 pm
  Painting: Midnight Magic
• Friday, November 12, 2021  5:30-7:30pm.
  Painting: Twilight Glow
• Sunday  November 14, 2021   2-4 pm
  Painting: Lavender Tote Bag

Kristen Douglas-Seitz is an experienced instructor. Class size is limited.  The cost is $40 per person and you can sign up online at www.sjima.org under “LEARN” or stop at the front desk during regular hours Friday – Monday 11-5.

If you have questions, contact Kristen Douglas-Seitz at 918-688-6596 or [email protected]

All supplies will be provided by SJIMA and everyone goes home with their own 16” X 20” painting. Join us and awaken your inner artist in a fun evening of step-by-step instruction. No experience is needed.  SJIMA is located at 540 Spring Street in Friday Harbor, WA.   All COVID recommendations for San Juan County will be followed.

FRIDAY HARBOR, WA. – As summer Chinook salmon runs wane in the Salish Sea, Southern Resident Killer Whales typically begin to travel further south in Puget Sound in search of prey. A study compiling 10 years’ worth of data found evidence that the whales’ diets shift from primarily Chinook salmon in the summer months to a mixture of Chinook, coho, and chum in the fall.

While it is encouraging to see that the whales are able to diversify their diet during the leaner winter months, the salmon species they are supplementing with offer less nutritional benefit than Chinook, the largest and fattiest species of local salmonids.

In addition, the whales may have a harder time catching fish as they travel into more populous areas with higher vessel traffic. This summer, NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center reported research findings that higher vessel speeds create additional acoustic interference that make it more difficult for the whales to find and catch their preferred prey. It’s important to remember that the impacts of boats near the whales are not just at the surface.

The discovery of Southern Resident L-47 as missing and presumed dead last month, followed by the announcement of 3 new pregnancies in the pods, has heightened the alert for boaters to give our Southern Resident Killer Whales extra space and quiet. The pregnant mothers, in particular, need to eat for two — and the added pressures of less Chinook and vessel disturbance can make it even harder for them to reach the caloric intake they need for healthy gestation. Continue Reading

The EDC recently launched a survey to determine economic and social impacts to San Juan County residents, from recent Washington State Ferries service disruptions.  Initial findings show that most residents responding to the survey reported negative impacts.

Key findings from the survey:

• 447 participants from San Juan County responded to the survey.  Of those, 94% reported negative impacts from ferry disruptions, 2.2% reported positive impacts, and 3.8% reported neutral impacts.
• Half of San Juan County residents and businesses responding to the EDC’s survey reported losses of $600 or more from summer 2021 ferry disruptions; some lost many thousands of dollars.
• People reported that disruptions impacted access to critical medical appointments including chemotherapy, surgeries, and prenatal visits (318 people, 71% of respondents).
• Disruptions prevented many people from getting to and from work (137 people, 31%).
• Some respondents expressed fears about island children being left on the mainland overnight after school events.
• People reported losing opportunities to visit family, and to support and be with loved ones who were in crisis, at the end of their lives, or at memorial services.
• Tourism business owners, crushed by closures last summer, reported large losses from ferry disruptions and noted that long-term damage may have been caused to our region’s reputation as a destination.
• Other businesses, such as farmers, builders, truckers, and grocers, reported large financial losses and stress on employees and clients, as well as spoilage of produce and suffering of livestock.
• San Juan County has been inequitably impacted by outages as it is the only county served by WSF without alternative road-based egress.

San Juan County government and Council members, and Washington state legislators for the 40th District are currently working with Governor Inslee’s office to determine short-term mitigation initiatives to reduce impacts to residents from ferry outages.  In addition, local legislators, the EDC and other entities are striving to find long-term solutions to the current ferry service crisis.

The EDC will post further information as data are further analyzed, at https://sanjuansedc.org/ferry-survey-2021.

The San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) strives to support small rural enterprises, and conduct projects to stimulate new job creation, strengthen the economic base for working families, and support overall quality of life for islanders.  

On the outside of the Mullis Center building there is a Plaque that reads, This land is a gift to the seniors of San Juan Island to honor the memory of our grandparents, George and Emma Mullis and our parents Frank and Belle Mullis. From Ina Mullis Gustin, James and Florence Mullis Lang, Wallace and Evelyn Mullis, Donald and June Mullis– December 1994.

Emma and George Mullis – photo Mullis/McRae family

On that same date but one hundred years earlier, in December of 1894, new residents of Friday Harbor, George and Emma Mullis, welcomed their youngest child, Francis, to the family. “Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Mullis, of this city, were the happy recipients of a Christmas present in the form of a little baby girl, who put in her appearance the day before Christmas.” (Islander, 12/27/1894). Francis joined the couple’s four other children, Annie, Ada, Frank, and Ella. Emma and George, both originally from the UK, met and married in Kansas before moving west to San Juan Island.

George Mullis was a skilled craftsman. He built the historic Mullis House on Argyle as well as other historic residences in Friday Harbor. Frank learned the carpentry trade from his father. The Mullis women were famous for their hats. Sisters Ada and Ella ran the Millenary Shop in Friday Harbor.

Belle and Frank Mullis – photo Mullis/McRae family

Belle Wallace Mullis played basketball for Port Townsend High School in 1907. A few years later she met Frank Mullis when he was staying on the peninsula working as a pile driver. They later married making their home and raising their family in Friday Harbor.

The Mullis property stretched from the residences on Argyle toward where Marketplace is now.  I remember my grandmother’s garden, granddad’s shop, and the pear trees and woods that filled in that space back when that was on the outskirts of town.  Today’s Mullis Center is ideally located on a piece of prime Friday Harbor real estate thanks to this gift of land from the Mullis family.

If you are an island senior this gift was given to you. This precious gift however requires a certain amount of stewardship. More than ever, the Mullis Center needs you to vote this November to elect stable, consistent, and competent leadership to the Mullis Center’s District Committee. Look for a ballot in the November Senior Signal Newsletter or come in person to vote at the Mullis Center on 589 Nash Street. Voting will take place November 8 – 11. For further information and updates please see the Mullis Center website mulliscenter.org.

Since the last update on Friday October 8th, there have been 20 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current total case count is now 332.

Of these 20 new cases, initial investigations indicate that 3 appear to have occurred in fully vaccinated individuals. There are approximately 9 unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases currently in quarantine in the islands.

• Lopez Island: There are 0 new cases on Lopez Island since the last update. There are no positive cases under active monitoring on Lopez Island.
• Orcas Island: There are 16 new cases on Orcas Island since the last update. There are 16 positive cases under active monitoring on Orcas Island.
  Note that 15 of these cases on Orcas Island are connected to a single outbreak tied to a private indoor social event.
• San Juan Island: There are 4 new cases on San Juan Island since the last update. There are 4 positive cases under active monitoring on San Juan Island.

Thanks to Our Schools: Continue Reading

Joint media response concerning “the discovery of a new kind of killer whale” off western North America

On October 4th, Hakai Magazine published an article with a headline reporting the discovery of “a new kind of killer whale”. Other media outlets subsequently reported similar headlines in Canada, theUSA and internationally, and although some content has since been corrected in these articles, others continue to report false information.

The fact is that no new type of killer whale has been discovered and that many of the whales in question are part of the known Bigg’s (transient) killer whale population that prey on marine mammals. Their distribution patterns, social behaviours and population structure have been studied for over 30 years by several government and non-government research organizations in California, Washington, British Columbia, and Alaska.

Continue reading full release (PDF)

OLYMPIA–Washington State’s Recreation and Conservation Office is asking people to help determine how funding should be spent by taking a survey about what kind of outdoor recreation they do.

The State is updating its statewide recreation and conservation plan, which includes a state trails plan, to unlock grants from the Land and Water Conservation Fund. This federal fund provides $6 million to Washington State to build parks and trails and to conserve wild areas.

“The plan and the surveys are a way for people, organizations and communities to tell us their visions for outdoor recreation in the state,” said Megan Duffy, director of the Washington State Recreation and Conservation Office. “This is really everyone’s opportunity to help shape the State’s investments in Washington’s outdoors.”

To take the survey or learn more about the planning process, visit the plan’s website. Survey takers will be entered into a drawing to win a Washington Discover Pass, which provides access to state public lands. The survey closes Nov. 14. The website also includes a “map your favorite place” survey that allows users to pin a point on a map and share photographs and information about why they like spending time there.

“We want to hear from people of as many different backgrounds as possible, people who regularly enjoy Washington’s outdoors and others who feel they don’t have as much access to public lands–everyone’s voice is important to us,” Duffy said. “We want to make sure that our funding decisions consider and reflect a diversity of opinions. It’s really important that everyone tell us what they want their outdoor places to look like in the future.”