Critical Area Ordinance Committee meets Thursday, May 15
posted 05/13/2008
The Critical Areas Ordinance Committee will meet from 8:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. in Islanders Administrative Building on Thursday, May 15. The agenda is posted on the CALENDAR The list of species which must be protected under the ordinance has been narrowed down. Senior Planner Shireene Hale compiled a list. MORE INFORMATION
Vikings softball team beat Quilcene 13-3
posted 05/15/2008
Orcas Island High School softball team's season continues after they beat Quilcene 13-3 Tuesday, May 13 in the 2-B Tri-District Tournament.
The Vikings clinched second place in league with a double win against La Conner last week. Next up is district competition. TBA.
Fire damages Roche Harbor area home
San Juan Island firefighters extinguished a fire that spread from a wall heater into walls of a Rich Komen's Roche Harbor area home Tuesday, May 13. Firefighters watch smoke billow from a skylight, popped out by other firefighters moments earlier. The damage is still being estimated.
Loyal island volunteer B.J. Miner dies
posted 05/13/2008
B. J. Miner died peacefully the morning of Monday, May 12 in her San Juan Island home following complications from a fall in the end of March. B.J. was surrounded by her family and friends on a beautiful sunny day and left to go dance with her husband Ross in heaven. Miner, 85, volunteered hundreds of hours for local groups, served as a nurse in the Navy during World War II and during local parades proudly represented women of the military. A full obituary will follow as well as an announcement of her life celebration champagne party in June.
Lopez HS seniors heading to Harvard, MIT, Vassar, Brown...
posted 05/13/2008
Lopez Island High School seniors received acceptance letters from "an alphabet soup of colleges around the country," district officials said. The list includes: Albertson College of Idaho, Bellingham Technical College, Big Bend Community College, Brown University, Central Washington University, Centralia Community College, Deep Springs College, Eastern Washington University, George Fox University, Harvard College, Humboldt State University, MIT, Multnomah College, Northwest Lineman College, Oberlin College, Pacific Lutheran University, Seattle University, Seattle Pacific University, Skagit Valley College, Swarthmore College, University of Washington, Vassar College, Whitman College, Warner Pacific College, Western Washington University, Wesleyan University, Western Oregon University, Whitworth University, Willamette University, Whatcom Community College, and Western Arizona Community College. MORE INFORMATION
Early Summer and Fall registration begins today at Skagit Valley College for returning students
posted 05/13/2008
Early registration for Returning Students who are interested in Summer and Fall quarter classes and workshops at Skagit Valley College begins today, May 13. Summer Quarter begins Monday, June 23 and Fall Quarter begins Monday, September 22 at all SVC locations: Mount Vernon Campus, Business Resource Center in downtown Mount Vernon, Whidbey Island Campus in Oak Harbor, South Whidbey Center in Clinton, San Juan Center in Friday Harbor, as well as through eLearning. MORE INFORMATION
SJI School Board cuts $400k from budget;
keeps teaching staff
Sports reduced by $100K,
classified staff by $170K
posted 05/13/2008
San Juan Island School Board needed to cut $400,000 out of its budget last night. It took board member Todd Roberts more than two hours to convince them cutting a high school science teaching position didn't make sense.
In the end, the board sliced $100,000 out of the the athletic program by reducing offerings to one sport each for boys and girls per season and slashed $170,000 out of the custodial, secretarial and paraprofessional staff budgets. Of that amount $75,000 is the top priority to be funded through the "Save our Schools" fundraising drive underway. FULL STORY
Critical Area Ordinance Committee meets Thursday, May 15
posted 05/13/2008
The Critical Areas Ordinance Committee will meet from 8:30 a.m. until 3:45 p.m. in Islanders Administrative Building on Thursday, May 15. The agenda is posted on the CALENDAR The list of species which must be protected under the ordinance has been narrowed down. Senior Planner Shireene Hale compiled a list. MORE INFORMATION
Friday Harbor baseball team opens state play against Connell in Moses Lake
posted 05/13/2008
Friday Harbor opens Class 1A State Baseball Tournament action against Connell at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 17 at Larson Field in Moses Lake. The winner of that game plays in the regional championship at 4 p.m. Regional winners advance to final-four competition May 23-24 in Yakima.
HOROSCOPES: May 12-18
Taurus (April 21 - May 20):
Mars has flown into your sector of home and hearth, and this could bring some battles of will if you live with other people. Try not to butt heads if you can avoid it because any conflicts you have now ill have long reaching effects. Saturn will help you bring structure to your personal parameters. HOROSCOPES
Check the calendar for today's meetings
posted 05/13/2008
Check the San Juan Islander CALENDAR for agendas for today's meetings. We've also added more activities such as the Hit-A-Thon on May 16 and the Flare-Shoot-Out May 17. Fortunately they have nothing to do with each other.
Public hearing about Referendum procedure ordinance Tuesday
posted 05/12/2008
A public hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 13 in the county legislative building at 55 Second Street in Friday Harbor on an ordinance "Establishing Procedures for the Exercise of the Rights of Initiative
and Referendum." Unfortunately, the draft ordinance is not available for viewing online. The county does not post the ordinances on its Web site until after they are adopted.
Fireworks ban beginning in 2009 unveiled Tuesday
posted 05/12/2008
County Administrator Pete Rose will introduce a fireworks ban Tuesday, May 13. The idea is expected to call for an end to fireworks in San Juan County except for permitted community displays on the Fourth of July. The council is scheduled to hear the idea after a presentation on the scenic byways at 1 p.m. A public hearing will be scheduled after an ordinance is drafted.
Viking Fastpitch Team Takes #2 In League
posted 05/09/2008
Orcas Island High School Girls softball team's double win against La Conner secured second place for the Lady Vikings in the league. The team will play in Tri-Districts at 3 p.m. Tuesday, May 13 by hosting Quilcene.
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County-wide building moratorium a possibility
By Sharon Kivisto
posted 05/12/2008
Two citizens filed a petition calling for consequences for missed deadlines exactly seven years after the Western Washington Growth Management Hearings Board first gave the county an 180-day extension to finish work on the Eastsound Urban Growth Area. The board's patience may hav run out and a building moratorium could be imposed in Eastsound or on the whole county.
The San Juan County Council will discuss the matter during its staff meeting Monday. The hearings board can schedule the hearing on the petition, filed by Steve Ludwig of Lopez Island and signed by Dorothy Austin of Anacortes, at any time. The board would have up to 90 days to rule, but could rule as early as the day of the hearing.
At issue is the sewer service for the UGA. FULL STORY
Public hearing about Referendum procedure ordinance Tuesday
posted 05/12/2008
A public hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, May 13 in the county legislative building at 55 Second Street in Friday Harbor on an ordinance "Establishing Procedures for the Exercise of the Rights of Initiative
and Referendum." Unfortunately, the draft ordinance is not available for viewing online. The county does not post the ordinances on its Web site until after they are adopted.
Fireworks ban unveiled Tuesday
posted 05/12/2008
County Administrator Pete Rose will introduce a fireworks ban Tuesday, May 13. The idea is expected to call for an end to fireworks in San Juan County except for permitted community displays on the Fourth of July. The council is scheduled to hear the idea after a presentation on the scenic byways at 1 p.m. A public hearing will be scheduled after an ordinance is drafted.
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Virtual subscribers receive email updates of breaking news and help support San Juan Islander, the most read local news source in the county. Subscriptions can also be purchased through PayPal.
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STRANGE ACTIVITIES
Thirty-seven. There were thirty-seven snails on the fence. I know because
I counted every single one. It was 6 a.m., and I was walking into town to
get a newspaper and a breakfast sandwich. I pass that wooden fence
frequently, but I’d never seen even one snail on it before. That morning,
however, it was covered. The sky was cloudy, the temperature was a bit
nippy, the grass was wet with dew, and thirty-seven snails appeared to be
climbing up and over the fence. COLUMN
Friday Harbor baseball team ousts Orting; earns state tourney berth
posted 05/10/2008
Friday Harbor rallied for a 4-2 victory over Orting Saturday, May 10 at Stanwood High School and advances to the Class 1A State Baseball Tournament. The Wolverines will play in regional competition Saturday, May 17 at a site and against an opponent to be determined.
Wolverine softball team advances
after beating Meridian
posted 05/10/2008
Friday Harbor High School's fast-pitch softball team beat Meridian 6-2 in a must-win sub-district consolation final and advance in the playoffs. The team lost the first game 5-0 to Nooksack Valley's team Saturday morning, May 10. The Wolverines advance to the Class 1A Tri-District Tournament Wednesday, May 14 in Tacoma.
Citizens file petition to place
county in GMA Invalidity
County-wide building moratorium
could be imposed
posted 05/09/2008
PRESS RELEASE: On May 7, 2008 citizens filed a petition with the Western Washington Growth Management
Hearings Board seeking to have a finding of invalidity against San Juan County for noncompliance
with the Growth Management Act concerning sewer service in Eastsound on Orcas Island. The
named petitioner is Stephen F. Ludwig, a Lopez Island resident, and the petition filing is signed by
Dorothy Austin.
A finding of invalidity would mean the county would be prohibited from issuing building
permits, at a minimum within the Eastsound Urban Growth Area. MORE INFORMATION
Recreation in the San Juan Islands: Scuba Diving
By Jim Carroll
Thought for the day: "If I was any happier, I'd be two people."
posted 05/09/2008
I find myself living in the middle of a place that other people make a concerted effort to get to for vacation. My job is taking care of a lovely little bit of that area, including a small marina, a pool, some roads and a brand new house, all of which are mine to use as well. The people that I work for are great, and treat me like family. Talk about fat, dumb, and happy - and these are not three of Snow White's little people to whom I refer. This is me, myself and I.
Not long after moving here I found this online resource wherein YOU have found this article. Having built and maintained a few websites, I thought it was marvelously current and well done. Several of the columnists were very entertaining, and I struck up a conversation with one of them online. Before I knew it, I had my own column! OK, so now I was REALLY happy about life here in the San Juans. A wonderful partner, a great job, and now a custom SOAPBOX from which to pontificate. This is pretty much the Leo/Dragon dream. It couldn't really get any better, could it? Well, I'm glad you asked – and yes, it can.
Sharon recently asked me to consider writing a Friday article about "things to do in the area", with an emphasis on the outdoors. "Cool!" I immediately replied. "What kinds of things?" "Well, how about hiking and biking and outdoor stuff?" and to that I replied "OK, and what about scuba diving and whale watching and motorcycle riding?" "Sure', she replied. "and don't forget to visit the market and check out the parks and...." Well, you get the idea. So here it comes. COLUMN
Three Lobos, two Vikings advance to girls state golf
tourney
posted 05/09/2008
Three Lopez Island golfers and two Orcas Island players
will be teeing off at the Class 1B/2B State Golf
Championship at Lake Padden Golf Course in Bellingham May
20-21. Lopez finished second in the team standings and
Orcas placed fourth at the Quad-District Tournament
Thursday, May 8 at Gallery Golf Course at Naval Air Station
Whidbey Island.
Orcas freshman Melissa Moran-Hodge finished sixth with
101. Lopez senior Randi Ritchie placed eighth with a 107.
Orcas junior Cetacea Stanton came in 14th with a 119. Lobo
junior Emily PostvanderBurg was one stroke back and came in
15th. Lopez junior Sydney Hoffman was the last player to
make the top 16 to cut-off for a state berth. She shot a
122.
The results of other island girls competing at
Quad-District are: Lisa Vaughn, Lopez, 18th, 126; Maddy
Smith, Orcas, 20th, 128; Adayla Buchanan, 22nd, 134; Helen
O'Brien, Lopez, 25th, 137.
Taylor, Price, Pouillion place 2nd, 3rd, 5th at
sub-district golf championship
posted 05/09/2008
Six Friday Harbor golfers finished in the Sub-District
1's top 21 and are advancing to the state-qualifying Boys
Bi-District Golf Tournament next week at Fort Lewis.
Jordyn Taylor shot a 2-under-par 74, missed medalist
honors by a stroke and placed second at the district
tourney at Avalon Golf Course Thursday, May 8. Cody Price
cut eight strokes off his front-nine score of 42
andfinished a stroke behind his teammate at 75, good for
third place. Sam Pouillion was fifth with a 78.
Micah Reitan turned in a 94 for 17th place. Tug Turnage
lopped eight strokes off his front-nine tally of 51 and
concluded play with a 19th-place 94. Tyler McKee was 20th
with a 98.
Viking Fastpitch Team Takes #2 In League
posted 05/09/2008
Orcas Island High School Girls softball team's double win against La Conner secured second place for the Lady Vikings in the league. The team will play in Tri-Districts Tuesday, May 13 by hosting Quilcene. Time is still to be determined.
Orcas Island wins Tri-District Golf Tourney; five boys earn state
berths
Five Orcas Island golfers advanced to the state tournament after
finishing in the top 10 and winning the team title at the Boys Class
1B/2B Tri-District Tournament Wednesday, May 7 at Gallery Golf Course
at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island winning the team title.
Lopez Island was eighth in the team standings.
Orcas tallied 170 team points -- 17 points better than runner-up La
Conner. Lopez Island scored 29.
The top 22 Tri-District golfers earn beths to the state tournament
May 20-21 at Lake Padden Golf Course in Bellingham.
Sophomore Taylor Diepenbrock placed fourth with an 83. Senior
Anthony Ghazel also shot an 83 and was sixth. Sophomore Henri Bredouw
cut his first-nine score of 45 by six strokes and finished seventh
with an 84. Senior Roy Miller was ninth with an 87 and Alan Coe came
in 10th with an 89.
Lopez senior Jordan Smith finished 27th with a 99. The other Lobo
golfers, their place and scores are: junior Kevin Dengler, 34th, 108;
senior Noah Dretske, 36th, 110; junior Josh Cook, 47th, 121; and
sophomore Colton Jardine, 48th, 125.
Border patrol agent faces hostile crowd in Eastsound
posted 05/07/2008
Tuesday in Eastsound Deputy Chief Border Patrol Agent Joseph Giuliano faced a crowded room full of islanders armed with questions about the Border Patrol checkpoints at the Anacortes ferry terminal. In response to a question about rumors that the Border Patrol plans, Giuliano said, "We do intend to increase our maritime presence. In other words get more boats and centers and man them to where we can create a deterrent around the islands and take the heat off some of the other options we are using now...Heard rumors about doing sweeps it's not going to happen."
EDITOR's NOTE: A more detailed story will be posted Thursday due to difficulties in confirming details of some of the accusations put forth in the testimony in time for today's deadline.
Councils drafting letters to Senators and Reps. about Border Patrol checkpoints
posted 05/06/2008
San Juan County Councilmember Kevin Ranker wants the Border Patrol to "Cease and desist or explain to us, why this needs to be done." His motion to send the draft letter to U.S. Senators Patty Murray, Maria Cantwell and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen failed for a lack of a second during Tuesday, May 6 council meeting in Eastsound.
A draft letter written by Friday Harbor Mayor David Jones had been discussed during a council staff meeting on Monday, May 5. Councilmember Howie Rosenfeld presented the letter and said the Town Councilmembers had agreed to sign it. The council agreed the letter needed more work.
Councilmember Rich Peterson said he wouldn't sign the letter. "Not if it essentially gives the impression we're opposed to border checkpoints."
The council has spent time at several meetings in the past two months discussing the border patrol checkpoints at the Anacortes ferry terminal. Rosenfeld and Ranker have expressed concerns about the impact on the local economy if tourists decide not to travel to the islands because of the bad publicity. Both have been interviewed on NPR in the subject.
Plan review fees due at time of application beginning May 12
PRESS RELEASE: Collection of Plan Review Fees at Time of Building Permit Application
Effective May 12, 2008, the Community Development and Planning Department, as
directed by the Ordinance 492007,
will begin implementing the collection of estimated
Plan Review Fees at the time of Building Permit application. MORE INFORMATION
Land Bank releases 60-page conservation plan Friday; invites public comment on Orcas tonight
posted 05/05/2008
PRESS RELEASE: San Juan County Land Bank invites public comment on its Draft Habitat Conservation Plan: 2008-2014. The plan identifies core conservation areas important for maintaining rare terrestrial species and ecological communities in the San Juans. The Land Bank intends to use the plan to help focus its efforts to conserve these ecological resources. Preservation of areas with ecological value is one element of the Land Bank's mission and is the only element discussed in the Draft Plan.
The Draft Plan is available for download on the Land Bank's WEB SITE or by calling the office at 360.378.4402. In addition, copies of the plan will be available at the county's libraries. MORE INFORMATION
Fay Chaffee running for county Council
posted 05/05/2008
Fay Chaffee announces her candidacy for County Council, District 3, the Town of Friday Harbor. Chaffee moved to Friday Harbor from Colorado in 1991 and has spent the past ten years at the Community Development " Planning Department, the last eight as a Permit Coordinator.
The mother of two grown sons, Fay is originally from Portland, Oregon and has lived and worked in California, Colorado, and Hawaii. An entrepreneur at heart, she has owned a secretarial service, opened the first cookie store in Aspen, Colorado, and had a challenging career in Hawaii working as assistant to a hotel developer there. With the growth issues facing Friday Harbor and San Juan County, Fay believes that her experiences place her in a unique position to help resolve these issues. She plans on talking and listening to residents of both Friday Harbor and San Juan County, and is looking forward to addressing their concerns as a council member.
Fay plans to help steer San Juan County's inevitable growth in positive ways, emphasizing open and honest government, and focusing on issues that affect the residents of the Town of Friday Harbor and San Juan County.
Houston Taylor is a Real Hero
posted 05/05/2008
Houston Taylor, a Shaw Island resident who leads the Skagit Hospice team serving all of San Juan County, has been named a Real Hero by the Anacortes / San Juan Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross. He will be honored at the Real Heroes Breakfast on May 14 at the Northern Lights Casino in Anacortes. MORE INFORMATION
Extremes at Both Ends - Anorexia and Bulimia to Obesity
posted 05/05/2008
Sometimes it seems our world specializes in polarization. We have an epidemic of overweight people who are experiencing skyrocketing rates of diabetes, heart disease and other health problems. At the other end of the spectrum, eating-disorders like anorexia and bulimia also create significant health risks. Today we'll focus on the "thin extreme." COLUMN
HOROSCOPES: Get It Done!
May 5 - 11, 2008
The New Moon in Taurus joins Venus (who rules Taurus) as we open the week. This will set the pace for being conservative with money and resources and encourage us to go for the best while maintaining what we have. It could also spur us into some luxuries not previously enjoyed before. In any case, May looks to be a very nice month! HOROSCOPES
NO USE WORRYING
My mother is an octogenarian. She lives alone in a four bedroom home that
once housed six people. She has no desire to move out even though it far
exceeds her needs and, at times, even her stamina to clean and maintain
it. So when I heard on the national news that her state had been hit by
its fourth round of tornadoes this spring, I was concerned. I am a strong
believer in the adage that no news is good news. Still I needed
reassurance. COLUMN
Four fall 80 feet, are injured when deck collapses
posted 05/03/2008
PRESS RELEASE: Four people standing at the edge of a wooden deck overlooking a steep incline near a quarry, fell 80 feet when the deck suddenly gave way Friday night. It was attached to a double-wide mobile home on Crestview Drive on San Juan Island near Miller Road. The deck landed on two of the people. Two of the injured were flown to mainland hospitals for treatment. The two others were treated and released at Inter Island Medical Center.
At 11:09 p.m. Friday night, May 2, 2008, emergency workers from San Juan Emergency Medical Services, San Juan Fire District 3 and the San Juan County Sheriff's Office responded to the scene. According to witnesses, the victims ended up near the edge of the quarry.
The injured had been attending a small gathering at the residence. The deck, apparently gave way suddenly without any warning while the four individuals were standing on it. The cause for the collapse remains under investigation, though age and condition of the wood structure are considered major factors in the collapse. The events surrounding this incident are under investigation.
OBITUARY: H. Ramsay Milne
Memorial Service 2 p.m. Saturday, May 3 at St. David's Episcopal Church
Born in South Africa to British parents on October 28, 1924, H. Ramsay Milne died in Friday Harbor, Washington on April 29, 2008. He was 83. He had lived on San Juan Island since 1994 after retiring from an award-winning journalism career in which he covered the beginning of the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. OBITUARY
Move RIGHT for Siren and Lights
posted 05/02/2008
The island is certainly busier these days for public safety agencies. Our EMTs, firefighters and deputies want to get safely to an emergency and we need your help. Remember this simple phrase, MOVE RIGHT FOR SIREN & LIGHTS. COLUMN
Anthony Crawford Richardson
Memorial Concert 4 p.m.
May 25 at Orcas Center
Anthony Crawford Richardson was born in Portland, Oregon on May 30, 1949. Anthony's early exposure to the interconnected worlds of science, nature and the spirit led him to a lifetime of exploring new ideas and invention. As a child he had a special connection to the natural world. OBITUARY
Small Island — Big History
Friday Harbor celebrates Preservation Month
posted 05/02/2008
In Friday Harbor and elsewhere on San Juan Island during National Preservation Month, we open doors, view the streetscape and shoreline, and otherwise bring interesting, hard-scrabble historic characters and events to life. Partnering in this year's activities are the Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan Historical Museum, San Juan Island National Historical Park, Hacket Larson Post 163 of the American Legion, and the maritime research vessel, the Pacific Catalyst II. For such a small island, a whole lot of history happened here.
Historic District Walking Tours: Every Saturday in May, 9:00am-10:00am, the Town of Friday Harbor's Historic Preservation Review Board is giving free, guided walking tours of the downtown historic district. Rain or shine. Space is limited and reservations are required. To register and receive more information, go to www.historicfridayharbor.org or call 360.378.2810 during regular business hours.
Silver Tea at the James King House Museum: Saturday, May 3rd, 2-4pm the good china comes out, cookies are baked and tea served by Museum volunteers dressed in period clothing at the San Juan Historical Museum's James King House. The Museum is located in Friday Harbor at 405 Price Street. For more information go to www.sjmuseum.org or call 360.378.3949.
Heritage Vessel Open House: Sunday, May 4th, 2:00pm – 4:00pm. Come aboard the historic Pacific Catalyst, a restored 1932 wooden vessel. Her maiden voyage was up the Inside Passage and across the Gulf of Alaska, beginning her oceanographic research for the University of Washington's, Friday Harbor Labs, and the marine sciences community. The Catalyst has been thoroughly and richly restored, and now takes visitors on marine adventures in the Salish Sea and north into Alaska and Canada. Friday Harbor is her home base, and on this day you will find her moored in the Friday Harbor Marina. For more information call 360.378.7123 or visit www.pacificcatalyst.com/index.htm.
Rural Architecture in Friday Harbor: On Wednesday, May 14, 7:00pm-9:00pm, the Town of Friday Harbor and the San Juan Historical Museum present a history talk by local historian and preservation architect, Boyd Pratt, entitled Paying Attention to the Ordinary: Friday Harbor's Rural Architecture. This event takes place in the research center of the San Juan Historical Museum, 405 Price Street. For more information go to www.historicfridayharbor.org, call or email to 360.378.2810 or sstrehlou@fridayharbor.org.
Memorial Day Parade and Commemoration: Monday, May 26, 10am. For over 80 years, Hacket Larson Post 163 of the American Legion and town citizens have commemorated those who have died in war for the nation, with a parade and waterfront ceremony at the town's Memorial Park. This annual event hasn't changed much over time. The town and island visitors turn out to watch as Veterans of World War II, the Korean and Viet Nam wars, and others more recently returned from the Middle East; Pig War re-enactors from the San Juan Island National Historical Park's Company D; and local Boy Scouts and school children—all participate to create a touching and authentic memorial event. The parade takes places along the first two blocks of Spring Street, but the best viewing locations are on the waterfront at Memorial Park, the first monument erected in Washington to honor those who died in WWI. For more information about this event call 360.378.5705 or visit www.post163.org.
Lecture: Pre-History of San Juan Island: Saturday, May 31st, 10:00am. University of Washington archaeologist, Dr. Julie Stein, traces ancient habitation of San Juan Island in this guided walk on the American Camp prairie, San Juan Island National Historical Park. For information call 360.378.2240, or visit www.nps.gov/sajh
Pig War Story Tour: Saturday, May 31, 11:30am, American Camp, San Juan Island National Historical Park. Rangers and volunteers describe events leading up to and including the Pig War and the peaceful joint occupation of San Juan Island by British and American troops. For information call 360.378.2240, or visit www.nps.gov/sajh.
Life during the Joint Occupation of San Juan Island: Saturday, May 31, 12:30pm – 3:30pm, English Camp, San Juan Island National Historical Park. Rangers and volunteers recreate military and civilian life during the island's early pioneer period. Activities include blacksmithing, coopering, weaving, needlework and exhibitions of military equipment and skills. For more information call 360.378.2240 or go to www.nps.gov/sajh.
Friday Harbor boys win league golf title; Price is medalist
posted 05/01/2008
Friday Harbor senior Cody Price shot an even-par 72 to win medalist honors and the Wolverine boys took first place in the team standings at the Northwest A/B League Tournament Thursday, May 1 at Avalon Golf Club in Burlington.
King's clips Friday Harbor soccer team 2-1 in OT
posted 05/01/2008
King's edged Friday Harbor 2-1 in overtime of a district playoff match Thursday, May 1. The Wolverines next play in the loser-out consolation final at 11 a.m. Saturday, May 3 at Mount Vernon High School.
Planning Commission approves Orcas Village Plan
posted 05/01/2008
San Juan County Planning Commission unanimously approved the Orcas Village Plan and Development Regulations April 30. The next step before adoption as part of the comprehensive plan is approval by the county council.
Commissioner Bob Gamble was concerned about improving public access at the docks and made a motion requiring expansion of maritime facilities be contingent upon providing temporary public access. It was approved. The draft plan and development regs are available on the county's WEB SITE.
Who's Your Mommy
While it is not my objective to raise alarm, I fervently believe that some of you just didn't get the memo back in 2000. Many voters seemed to be laboring under the misguided impression that the governorship of Texas must produce leaders with savvy and keen executive skills. We are incubating another one for a presidential run with all the usual players and groomers even now, and while you are free to vote for whomever tickles your electoral fancy in 2012 or 2016, be advised that the spoils of any gubernatorial race in Texas do not necessarily go to the sharpest cheese on the cracker. COLUMN
Friday Harbor boys soccer team hosts King's today in playoffs
Friday Harbor hosts King's in a District 1 boys soccer playoff at
4:30 p.m. today, Thursday, May 1.
If the Wolverines win, they will play in the district championship
at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 3 at Mount Vernon High School against the
winner of a May 1 match between Lynden Christian and Meridian. If
Friday Harbor loses to King's, they meet the loser of the Lynden
Christian-Meridian contest in a consolation final at 11 a.m. Saturday,
May 3 at Mount Vernon High School. The top three district teams
advance to the Bi-District Tournament.
Wolverine baseball team opens postseason play Saturday against Trojans
Friday Harbor's baseball team will open the postseason against
Meridian in the Sub-District Tournament at the Pipeline Athletic
Complex in Blaine at noon Saturday, May 1.
If the top-seeded Wolverines win, they will play the winner of a
contest between Coupeville and Nooksack Valley at 3 p.m. If they lose,
they face the loser of that game. The top three sub-district teams
advance to the Tri-District Tournament.
Pillow goes green with blue truck
posted 04/30/2008
Brad Pillow of San Juan Island cut his gas bill to zero, reduced his carbon footprint, and took a chunk out of his ferry expenses by purchasing his electric truck. The bright blue Zaptruck goes 45 mph and has a range of 40 miles on a charge. "It costs a penny a mile to operate," Pillow said. STORY and PHOTOS
Kneipp takes off into retirement
Sharon Kivisto photo
Dave Moorhouse presents Dick Kneipp with a "a 1910 gold watch from another Mickey Mouse organization - American Motors Corporation" at Kneipp's retirement party last week. STORY
Friday Harbor sluggers clobber Lynden Christian 16-4; finish regular season undefeated
posted 04/29/2008
Friday Harbor closed the regular season with a 16-4 thumping of Lynden Christian in five innings Tuesday, April 29 at Hartman Field. The Wolverines (17-0) enter the Class 1A Sub-District playoff Saturday, May 3 in Blaine as the No. 1 seed.
Dragons slice through Cavaliers
posted 04/29/2008
The San Juan Dragons roared past North County 10-2 in their last regular season lacrosse match. The Dragons advance to postseason action.
Rep Morris: Districts should sue the state
posted 04/29/2008
The core of the problem regarding school financing is the definition of basic education, state Representatives Jeff Morris and Dave Quall told a citizens gathered in the Friday Harbor Middle School Monday afternoon. "Should you sue us?" Morris said, "I have to say yes. You should sue us....Legislatures are great at reacting to emergencies."
In 1978, Seattle School District successfully sued the state to adequately fund basic education. The definition hasn't changed since then. The state pays for staff based on that definition. "We are great at funding based on that definition," said Morris.
The state legislature passed legislation including raises for teachers and classified staff in the 2008 budget. The state pays the salaries for the staff included under basic education. School districts hire more staff and pay them with local levies. The districts are then faced with finding the funds to pay for the unexpected mandated raises out of their own budgets for the staff which is not covered in the state's formula.
The friendly voice at Centurytel is retiring
posted 04/29/2008
Wes Benstine is retiring from Centurytel on May 2, 2008. Wes has been in the telephone industry for more than 38 years. He first came through the islands in the late seventies while working for Stromberg-Carlson on the first digital switch installed in the northwest by Inter-Island Telephone Co. He continued with Stromberg-Carlson working on the road until he decided to settle down in the San Juans and was hired by Pacific Telecom (now Centurytel) in 1993.
Throughout Wes' employment, he worked with countless customers resolving their telephone issues, including voicemail and DSL. His friendly voice at the end of the line helped his customers through many a problem and helped smooth the way in the myriad of DSL questions. Now it's time to "hang up and log out." Wes says his new priority will be "Not to be on the first tee before noon." Friends and acquaintances and invited to stop by the American Legion at 5 p.m on May 2 to wish Wes well in his new adventure.
Home$tart Grants help families help themselves build homes
posted 04/29/2008
Dick Kneipp, presents Home$tart Grants of $5000 each to six families who are building their own homes Park Plaza project of Homes For Islanders (HFI).
This is the third projectfor HFI. Each project has eight homes. The grants are given by the Federal Home Loan Bank in Seattle, of which Islanders Bank is a member and the facilitator of the Home$tart program for San Juan County. Islanders Bank has given out 38 grants since 2004 through this program. The funds are put into escrow at closing for down payment and closing cost assistance.
The participants must open a Home$tart Savings account, to be used for closing costs, which is matched 3:1 by FHLB to a maximum grant of $5000. The grant is forgivable after five years of ownership in the home.
Anyone wishing to help these families with the construction weekly hours required is invited to call 370-5944 for times available. If there are questions about the Home$tart Program, please call Carrie Brooks at Islanders Bank, 378-1228.
Kneipp, who is retiring as President/CEO of Islanders Bank after 27 years, has volunteered on the board of HFI for several years.
Home Trust Awarded $525,000 in state CDBG funding
posted 04/28/2008
San Juan Community Home Trust has been notified that it will receive $525,000 from the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program for its proposed project on the Buck Property in Friday Harbor. The grant will be used to help fund infrastructure costs into the upper 5.1 acres of the Buck property, off of Grover Street and closest to the elementary school. MORE INFORMATION
SJI student receives Kathryn W. Davis Peace Award
posted 04/28/2008
Peace is not just the absence of war. For a true and
lasting peace, people need access to food, shelter and education-as well
as a voice in their future. Margaret Longley of San Juan Island, a
sophomore at College of the Atlantic, will be spending the summer
promoting this kind of peace thanks to a Kathryn Wasserman Davis
Projects for Peace award. MORE INFORMATION
Lobos, Wolverines make strong showing at Concrete meet
Lopez Island senior Jordan Smith won the 100- and 200-meter dashes
and the high jump at a league meet in Concrete Thursday, April 24.
Sebastian Lasbo finished first in the 1600 run and Ben Strom won the
triple jump for the Lobos. FULL STORY
Strom wins long, high jumps; Porter first in high hurdles
Lopez Island's Laura Strom finished first in the high and triple
jumps and Friday Harbor's Whitney Porter won the the 100 high hurdles
at a league meet Thursday, April 24 in Concrete. FULL STORY
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