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OPALCO Annual meeting Saturday, May 17
Orcas Power and Light Cooperative's Annual meeting takes place Saturday, May 17 onboard a ferry. The schedule is:
DEPART:
-
Friday Harbor: 9:00 a.m. (board The Mystic Sea from Spring
Street Landing en route to Orcas)
- Orcas ferry: 10:20 a.m.*
-
Shaw ferry: 10:35 a.m.
-
Lopez ferry: 11:00 a.m.*
Orcas and Lopez—
Please arrive early to
allow extra time for
registration at the
ferry landing prior
to boarding.
RETURN:
-
Lopez: 12:55 p.m.
-
Shaw: 1:15 p.m.
-
Orcas: 1:25 p.m.
-
Friday Harbor: 2:45 p.m.
MORE INFORMATION
Changes in inter-island schedule starting Monday, May 19
posted 05/16/2008
The 34-car Hiyu is being replaced by the 90-car Sealth on the inter-island Sunday, May 18. The following changes will begin Monday, May 19, 2008:
The Hyak will no longer make an Eastbound 11:35 a.m. stop at Lopez
The 11:40 a.m. inter-island sailing from Friday Harbor will have no restrictions, with all inter-island stops allowed.
The Sealth will add an unscheduled stop eastbound at Shaw at 9:35 a.m. (This stop was removed off the inter-island Spring schedule to accommodate the slower Hiyu).
The Sealth will also make an unscheduled stop westbound at Shaw at 4:15 p.m. (This stop was also taken off the schedule due to the slower Hiyu).
Land Bank meeting today, Turtleback Mtn. plan up for discussion
The Land Bank Commission meets this morning (May 16) at 8:30 a.m. in the conference Room at the county Legislative Building at 55 Second Street in Friday Harbor. Public comment time is scheduled for 9 a.m. This is the first meeting since the comment period ended on the proposed management plan for Turtleback Mountain. The commission is expected to discuss the plan at today's meeting. Agenda is posted on the CALENDAR
ALLURING ORCHIDS


posted 05/16/08
Wildflower season is in full swing. Last week, I stood at the Redoubt at American Camp and, turning full circle, was delighted by the medley of bright colors that spread across the plain. Violet-blue common camas, chocolate lilies, field chickweed, creamy death camas, western and California buttercups, and smaller non-native blooms, including pink filaree, all shimmered in the prairie grass. COLUMN
Former SJI School District Superintendent Frank Kelly died May 14
Memorial service Sunday in Everett
Frank Kelly passed away peacefully on Tuesday May, 14th surrounded in love by his wife and daughters. Frank was born September 23, 1939 in the state of Oklahoma where he was raised and attended Northeastern Oklahoma State University. While in college, Frank married his wife, Patricia, and upon graduating in 1962, they moved to Washington to begin careers in education. OBITUARY
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Five Councilmembers sign letter to Border Patrol after council votes not to
posted 05/15/2008
San Juan County Council voted against (3-2 with one abstention) not to sign a letter to the U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell, Patty Murray and Congressman Rick Larsen expressing concern about the impact of frequent Border Patrol checkpoints at the Anacortes ferry landing. The vote was taken after a discussion Tuesday morning during their May 13 meeting.
Sometime between then and 4 p.m. the letter was revised and five of the councilmembers signed it. "Opposed" was stamped next to Councilmember Rich Peterson's name. The original letter was drafted by Friday Harbor Mayor David Jones. The letter is not on the Town Council's agenda for today. FULL STORY
Friday Harbor softball team closes season at Tri-District Tournament
posted 05/15/2008
Chimacum cut short a Friday Harbor rally in the Class 1A Tri-District Softball Tournament Wednesday, May 14 in Tacoma and won the opening-round game 3-2. Cedar Park Christian eliminated the Wolverines 11-1 in consolation play.
Friday Harbor trailed 3-0 to Chimacum but cut the lead to one run before leaving the bases loaded in their final at-bat against the Cowboys. "Our girls played extremely well," said Friday Harbor coach Kevin Carlton. "It was probably our best game all year."
Rain forces schedule revision for Orcas Island chipsealing
posted 05/15/2008
San Juan Public Works department reports that chipsealing work on Orcas got underway on schedule Monday, but because of the rain on Tuesday, the schedule has been revised. Chipsealing cannot be done in the rain. A revised schedule is available on the county's WEB SITE. A color-coded MAP is also available. On Orcas Island it is not possible to set up detours in a lot of areas, so traffic will be delayed during the chip seal process usually for 15 minutes at a time.
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.
Taylor wins Bi-District golf tourney; Price, Reitan and Cuomo also
advance to state
Friday Harbor junior Jordyn Taylor took medalist honors at the Class 1A
Bi-District Boys Golf Tournament at Fort Lewis Golf Course Tuesday,
May 13. Wolverine junior Cody Price finished 12th and senior Micah Reitan was
14th. Freshman Megan Cuomo placed sixth in the girls tourney. The four
Wolverines advance to the state championship May 20-21 at North Bellingham Golf Course.
The Wolverines finished fourth in team points with 156.5. King's won the tourney with 185.5, Charles Wright was second with 183.5 and Chimacum placed third with 173.5.
Taylor shot three birdies on the back-nine, chopping four strokes off his front-nine score of 38 to finish with an even-par 72.
Price shot an 84 and Reitan tallied an 84.
Cuomo turned a 107 as she qualified for state in her first high school season.
Tyler McKee and Sam Pouillion placed 28th and 29th, but were just over the top-20 qualifying cut of 87. McKee was one stroke shy and Pouillion was two back. Tug Turnage finished 40th with a 98.
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.

At Memorial Day ceremonies in 2007 Friday Harbor, B.J. Miner represented all women who served in the Armed Forces.
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.
Early Summer and Fall registration begins May 13 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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
"Save Our Schools" campaign raises $75K link fixed
School Board meeting May 12
posted 05/12/2008
A sixth local donor has added a pledge of $25,000 to increase the "Challenge Gift" to $300,000, or half of the dollars needed to mitigate anticipated program reductions due to a $600,000 operating fund shortfall projected for 2008-09. Charles Anderson, chair of the San Juan Island Community Foundation Board, (San Juan Island’s publicly supported philanthropic organization) expressed his appreciation to Roger Salquist. Anderson is optimistic other donors will continue to step forward to take advantage of this matching program which remains open through the September start of the school year.
Paul LeBaron, president of the Schools Foundation announced Sunday that the "Save Our Schools" campaign had raised $75,000 so far and that additional donations are expected that could raise the total to $100,000 over the next week. He urges community members wishing to make a contribution to the challenge gift to call the Schools Foundation "SOS Hotline" at 370-7925, or to use the donate now secure link on the Foundation Web site. MORE INFORMATION
Friday Harbor baseball team ousts Orting; earns state
tourney berth
By Matt Pranger
posted 05/11/2008
Last season an Orting rally denied Friday Harbor an entry
in the Class 1A State Baseball Tournament. This year the
Wolverines knocked the Cardinals out with a 4-2
come-from-behind victory at Stanwood High School Saturday,
May 10. Friday Harbor next plays Saturday, May 17 on the
mainland, mostly likely at Castle Rock or Moses Lake. STORY
Friday Harbor softball evades elimination;
secures Tri-District berth
Two days in a row Friday Harbor's softball
team avoided playoff elimination and survived.
The Wolverines pounced on Meridian in the first
inning of the Class 1A Sub-District Tournament
consolation final in Sedro-Woolley Saturday, May
10 and went on to a 6-2 victory. They advance to
the Tri-District Tournament and open play at 3
p.m. Wednesday, May 14 against Chimacum at Sprinker Field in
Tacoma. FULL STORY
Root finishes first at district tennis
tourney
Friday Harbor senior Amanda Root won the
singles title at the Class 1A District 1 Tournament
at Coupeville Saturday, May 10 and advances to
the Bi-District Championships Saturday, May 17
in Federal Way. Wolverine senior Kara Dunn
finished third at district tourney and advances to
bi-district as an alternate. The top two bi-district
finishers earn state berths.
Matthew Porter, Otto Schmidt qualify for
Tri-District Meet
Friday Harbor's Matthew Porter and Otto
Schmidt earned out-right berths to the Class 1A
Tri-District Championships with first- and
second-place finishes at the Sub-District Meet
Friday, May 9 at Lynden Christian High School.
State-qualifying tri-district is Thursday, May 15
and Saturday, May 17. FULL STORY
GrosJacques, Porter, Short and Barnes
advance to Tri-District Championships
Whitney Porter won the high jump and the
100-meter high hurdles and teammate Christine
GrosJacques placed second in the high jump at
the Class 1A Sub-District Meet at Lynden
Christian May 7 and 9. They clinched automatic
berths to the Tri-District Championships at King's
High School Thursday, May 15 and Saturday,
May 17. Kayla Short and Kelsey Barnes will also continue competing after posting quailifying marks with third-place finishes. FULL STORY
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
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. COLUMN
Chip Seal Work to Begin on Orcas May 12
posted 05/07/2008
Weather permitting; the San Juan County Public Works department will begin resurfacing nearly 27 miles of roads on Orcas Island beginning on Monday, May 12. There will be a total of 13 non-rainy working days of chip sealing and an additional 3-5 days spent applying a finishing coat of emulsion, called "fog seal," to the road’s surface. If there are no serious rain delays, the work is expected to be completed by June 3.
Maintenance is performed on County roads on a 6-12 year cycle with 25-30 miles resurfaced each year. To increase efficiency and reduce time lost in transporting equipment and supplies, this year the County has begun doing all of its maintenance resurfacing on a single island each year. (Next year Lopez will get all of the attention, San Juan Island’s turn will come in 2010.) All 21 members of the county’s road crew have been assigned to work on the Orcas chipsealing project.
Road crews will do more fog sealing this year than in the past. With the exception of a few experimental areas, all of the sections of road to be chipsealed on Orcas will be also be fog sealed – which means that a finishing coat of emulsion will be sprayed onto the road surface after the chipsealing is completed. Public Works senior project engineer Rachel Dietzman notes that fog sealing increases resurfacing costs by about 25 percent, but the County has found that it dramatically decreases the amount of gravel that comes loose from the seal, improves the appearance of the road striping and should increase its durability
The cost of the Orcas road project is expected to total $830,000.
Work will begin first on Sunset Avenue, then proceed to include portions of Obstruction Pass Road, E.J. Young Road, Point Lawrence Road, Olga Road, Rosario Road, Palisades Drive, Lindsay Way, Crescent Beach Drive, Montgomery Lane, Mt. Baker Road, Channel Road, Four Winds Road, Deer Harbor Road, Ralph Gott Road, Bartel Road, McNallie Lane, Dolphin Bay Road and Orcas Road.
A color coded map shows the roads and projected resurfacing dates on Orcas this year. Note that road crews cannot do chipsealing on rainy days, so this schedule is subject to change.
Bellevue Christian clips Friday Harbor 2-0 in baseball
posted 05/07/2008
Bellevue Christian clipped Friday Harbor 2-0 in Tri-District baseball action Wednesday, May 7. The Wolverines move to a loser-out game at Stanwood High School at 3 p.m. Saturday, May 10 against Orting.
Border patrol agent faces hostile crowd in Eastsound

Tom Felber confronts Agent Joseph Giuliano about his treatment at the Anacortes ferry terminal.

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.
Dog Park project moving along
posted 05/07/2008 The Eddie & Friends Dog Park Steering Committee has raised 1/3 of the funds needed and site preparation and construction will begin soon on the dog park on Mullis Avenue in Friday Harbor.
"Strong community support is allowing us to move from the planning stage to action in making our dog park a reality," Said Lori Stokes, co-chair of the Steering Committee, "This is a very exciting step for our community." MORE INFORMATION
Plan review fees due at time of application beginning May 12
posted 05/06/2008 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
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.
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.
Agricultural Plastics Recycling May 17 on Lopez
posted 04/22/2008
Helen Venada of the San Juan County Solid Waste Division asks islanders to please save your plastic nursery pots and flats, baling twine, plastic soil amendment bags, and hay bale wrap. If the materials are dry and relatively clean (shake off any soil), they will be accepted FREE at this year's agricultural plastics recycling events from noon to 4 p.m. on the following dates:
-
Lopez Island: Saturday, May 17, County solid waste facility
IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO SORT YOUR NURSERY POTS BY NUMBER THIS YEAR. Please do stack them by size and shape to facilitate storing and transporting them. Turn soil amendment bags inside out to shake out any remaining contents.
Recycled agricultural plastics are used to make truck bed liners, drain pipe, plastic lumber for benches, posts and pilings, automotive parts, tool handles, and trash bags.
SJ Community Hospital Committee reporting on May 28 to District Board
posted 04/17/2008
Whether or not the population of San Juan Island can support a critical access 10-bed hospital focused on out-patient care will be revealed on May 28. Tom Cable, a member of the San Juan Community Hospital Committee, told the five-member SJI Hospital District Board the feasibility report would be ready to be discussed by the board's May meeting. The meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. on May 28 in the Frank Wilson EMS building on Spring Street. As always the public is welcome to attend.
MORE STORIES
Home$tart Grants help families help themselves build homes
posted 04/28/2008Home Trust Awarded $525,000 in state CDBG funding
SJI student receives Kathryn W. Davis Peace Award
posted 04/25/2008
PRESS RELEASE: Council advances plan to authorize stormwater loan
posted 04/17/2008
Draft of Critical Areas Ordinance available
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Ryan Smith Scholarship of the Performing Arts 2008
A Celebration of theatrical performance, vocal and instrumental music takes place tonight and Saturday at Friday Harbor High School from 7 to 10 p.m. Tickets are $8. Proceeds go to the Ryan Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund. Particapants are: Wynn Barnard, Megan Brown, Lydia Daniels, Anna Gunnarson, Emma Harley, Catlyn Keys, Kim Mapstead, Alaina Schultz, Emily Schultz, Rhiannon Serna, Amelia Stegman, Ursula Stegman, Bellamar Agauyo-Lopez, Katie Gautier, Avery Adams, Sam Asher, Clayton Banry, Parks Barnard, Justin Brown, Casey Lehman, Will Tranfo, Theo Pratt, Tristan Wood, Drama Director Fred Yockers.
Islander Profiles: Lynda Guernsey
By Ingrid Gabriel

Lynda (center) dancing in "The Music Man" onstage at San Juan Community Theatre.
posted 05/05/2008
Lynda Guernsey had an adventurous life before she made a fateful visit to a friend on San Juan Island, 16 years ago in July. When she left Arizona and moved to San Juan Island shortly thereafter, she kept up the pace. FULL STORY
Orcas Artists show at Island Museum of Art

Farmhouse with Poplars (c) David Ridgway
Westcott Bay Institute and the Island Museum of Art present our annual Orcas Artists Show, May 14-June 22. Opening reception, May 16, 4:30 p.m. Artists include Caroline Buchanan, Diane Kasparek, Jacqueline Kempfer, Tracey Levine, David Ridgway, Tom Rierden, and Susan Slapin. The show includes many of the best 2-D artists working on Orcas today. Works by David Ridgway and Tom Rierden are shown courtesy of Waterworks Gallery.
Island Museum of Art is a part of the Westcott Bay Institute, an island non-profit devoted to preserving and promoting local arts and natural resources. Visit us at 314 Spring Street, Friday Harbor. For more information: 360-370-5050 or www.westcottbay.org. The museum is open Tues-Sat, 11-5.
Dinner, Live Music and Auction Saturday to help Matt Johnson

updated 05/13/2008 A 28-year-old woman will donate bone marrow for Matt Johnson, the 1992 FHHS grad with Myelodysplastic Syndrome, a rare blood disease. A fundraiser this Saturday, May 17 from 6 to 10 p.m. at the San Juan County Fairgrounds will help pay for the medical costs not covered by insurance. MORE INFORMATION (MAY 17)
Last three performances of "The Music Man"

posted 05/08/2008
Meredith Willson’s "The Music Man", directed by SJCT’s Merritt Olsen, is filled with local talent: from the more than 50 actors and actresses to the talented musical orchestra directed by Dorothy Baker to the dazzling choreography by Linda Downes and Lisa Duke.
MORE INFORMATION
Commencement 2008: Advice for Extraordinary Circumstances

In one of my mental files I keep a folder labeled "What to Do If…" I do not keep regular housekeeping tips or money saving tips or life maintenance tips of any kind in it. I wouldn’t go there, for example, if I was trying to remember how to get the smell of spoiled Alfredo sauce out of my car after an unfortunate incident with a take-out container and a red light. If I think you might be having a stroke, I wouldn’t check that file to get any information on whether I should get you to smile, ask you to recite something from the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer or encourage you to sing "I’m Your Venus". COLUMNS
San Juan Island Sailing team Open House May 18, Auction/Dinner May 20
Thursday night racing starts May 22
The San Juan Island Sailing team invites you to their annual Lasagna Dinner at the San Juan Island Yacht Club, Tuesday May 20th from 5:30 to 8 p.m.. There will be a live and silent auction and a chance to eat all the lasagna you can handle. Dinner is made up of lasagna, salad, bread, fruit crisp, iced tea and lemonade. High school team members will be on hand to serve and answer any questions that you may have about the auction items or about the team. All the money raised will go towards travel expenses, gas and off island regattas. Tickets can be purchased at the door, $12 for adults and $8 for kids. MORE INFORMATION
Travel books

Summer is almost here. I think they're saying it's going to start on
Friday. With that in mind I know many folks are busy planning travel
vacations so we are busy updating our travel book section. COLUMN
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
INFORMED PEOPLE MAKE HEALTHY CHOICES

posted 05/13/2008
Being an informed patient is an empowering concept. In the modern wellness care marketplace, patients should be full partners in managing their health and well-being. The practitioner-patient relationship is a two-way partnership in which they work together to manage the patient's care. It's no longer a situation in which the doctor tells the patient what to do. COLUMN
FHES 3rd-grader state finalist in Google Doodle 4 contest
Updated 05/13/2008 Quinton's design was not selected as one of the regional entries.
posted 05/10/2008
Nine-year-old Quinton Warfel's entry in the Google Doodle 4 contest beat out thousands of others to become one of the two in his grade category (K-3) to be a state finalist. The 400 state finalists (two in each of the four age categories) will be whittled down to 40 regional finalists on Monday, May 12. Our region includes Washington, Alaska, California, Hawaii and Oregon. FULL STORY
Weyshawn Koons ranks first in critical care paramedic class
posted 05/12/2008
San Juan Island EMS paramedic Weyshawn Koons ranked first in her class, after a three-week course held at the Medical College of Georgia and is now certified as a Critical Care Paramedic. She scored 99 percent on the final exam.
Graduates of this specialized course have gained an understanding of the special needs of critical patients, become familiar with critical care procedures and equipment, and developed the skills necessary to maintain the stability of the critical care patient in the gap between pre-hospital and hospital settings. MORE INFORMATION
Soroptimists move to Vinny’s Restaurant
Effective this Wednesday, May 14, the regular noon meetings of Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor will be held at Vinny’s Restaurant, 165 West Street in Friday Harbor. Members and their guests are welcome. For more information call President Ellen Roberts at 472-0723 or visit www.sifri.org.
R.I.C.E those Sprains and Strains

posted 05/09/2008
So your doctor has told you that you have a sprain or a strain. A sprain is when the ligaments at a joint are stretched or damaged. A strain is when a muscle is pulled and injured. To get onto the road to recovery, remember to "R.I.C.E." that injury. COLUMN

posted 05/08/2008
Depending upon your particular faith, you may believe that there have always been prophets among us. I share that belief, though I tend to find them among the contemporary poets. A truthful disclosure requires admitting that I am something of a cultural slob, and that the "poetry" with which I am most familiar is the work of the late twentieth century and new millennium lyricists. Though I do not have a single favorite, the work of Don Henley often resonates with clarity. His body of work encompasses a "take on things" that often concurs with my own, were I so eloquent. A favorite fragment that was in my head recently was: COLUMN
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
|  Miles Williamson, Justin Perkins
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