Living in the San Juans is a joy for many reasons, not the least of which is getting to know so many fine people. Occasionally, their names are associated with historic accomplishments, e.g., Fred Hoeppner at Pearl Harbor, Roy Matsumoto with Merrill’s Marauders, the late Tuck Smith with the sinking of the Bismarck. Now, as we remember D-Day, Marty Garren joins those ranks.
Building a new community hospital in Friday Harbor would cost $29.8 million — $10 million of which would be raised through philanthropy, $7 million from PeaceHealth and $12.8 million from a bond backed by the island’s property tax-supported hospital district.
Friday Harbor Town Councilman Kelley Balcomb-Bartok announced Friday he is resigning effective June 6 to move to Renton, where he will work as communication specialist in the Renton mayor’s office.
San Juan County Planning Commissioner Lovel Pratt has announced her candidacy for San Juan County Council, San Juan South. Pratt is one of three candidates to announce a candidacy for the San Juan South position. The others are Dan Miller Jr., a landscaper and past candidate for the state Legislature and County Commission; and Chuck Rust, a town firefighter and retired Santa Rosa, Calif., parks and recreation director.
Roche Harbor pledges $10,000; Rich and Joan Komen pledge $10,000; matching funds raised total $175,000; additional $125,000 needed to fully restore athletics and essential staffing; long-range planning task force forming
Building a new community hospital in Friday Harbor would cost $29.8 million — $10 million of which would be raised through philanthropy, $7 million from PeaceHealth and $12.8 million from a bond backed by the island’s property tax-supported hospital district.
At the San Juan Island School Board meeting last night, the budget ax hit the spreadsheet and six sports programs hit the floor. Football stays. Girls soccer stays. Boys and girls basketball teams stay. Baseball, softball and girls tennis stay. Boys tennis and girls volleyball are gone. Boys soccer is gone. The co-ed sports — golf, track and wrestling — are gone. Cheerleading, not technically a sport since the team doesn’t compete, stays.
There’s a new era in store for the Friday Harbor Food Bank. Located on Market Street, the Food Bank will be open Saturdays, 2-5 p.m., beginning June 7. That’s in addition to its existing hours of operation, Wednesdays from noon to 2 p.m.
The best of intentions couldn’t spare a newly-created ferries task force from an untimely demise. Citing absence of a game plan, as well as its own lack of leadership and support, the San Juan County Council last week dissolved the task force which it intended to be its eyes and ears, and its advocate, in Olympia and at the headquarters of the state ferry system in Seattle, and beyond.
At the San Juan Island School Board meeting last night, the budget ax hit the spreadsheet and six sports programs hit the floor. Football stays. Girls soccer stays. Boys and girls basketball teams stay. Baseball, softball and girls tennis stay. Boys tennis and girls volleyball are gone. Boys soccer is gone. The co-ed sports — golf, track and wrestling — are gone. Cheerleading, not technically a sport since the team doesn’t compete, stays.
It’s hard to deny that the antics of a California sea lion that showed up recently on San Juan Island are, let’s say, amusing. In less than 24 hours, it gave chase to several boats — hoisting itself out of the water and onto the back of one boat — and then chased off a mother, son and family dog during the sea lion’s temporary takeover of Jackson’s Beach. But local biologists say there’s nothing funny about the affliction that the animal is probably suffering from. If they’re on target, its days could be numbered.
The San Juan Island Fire Department was joined by firefighters from Friday Harbor in two recent live fire training exercises.
San Juan County Councilman Kevin Ranker told a U.S. Senate Subcommittee today that Washington state is especially vulnerable to the effects of global climate change and quoted a University of Washington study which estimates sea levels in the Puget Sound may rise by half a foot over the next 40 years.