San Juan County, WA

The San Juan County Sheriff’s office responded to the following calls. • A Lopez deputy responded to an accident without injury. A vehicle traveling downhill from Pavey Boulevard swerved around a deer and struck a tree. There were no injuries and minimal property damage. June 22. • A Lopez...

Submitted by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities and fostering a stronger, more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water, through the July 2 – 4th weekend.

Submitted by the San Juan Island Public Library. The San Juan Island Library is offering a variety of special summer programs for students in grades K-5th and grades 6-12th. All programs are free and offered as part of the Library’s Summer Reading Program, Oceans of Possibilities. No prior registration is required to attend. Please email egriffin@sjlib.org for more information or visit www.sjlib.org to view a calendar of events.

Submitted by the San Juan Island Trails Committee. The SJI Trails Committee has a new meeting day and location: Thursday, July 7th at the Island Rec office, located at 580 Guard Street, across from the high school parking lot. Join us from noon to 1 p.m. and learn about upcoming...

Submitted by the San Juan County Board of Health. San Juan County Board of Health is actively recruiting for two new non-elected board members to serve four-year terms. These positions will become available in September 2022 with the retirement of two members that have served for over 10 years. A...

Several local artists recently proved that art and compassion make great partners! The A Bear Called Friday Art Sale, Auction and Wine Tasting held at Brickworks June 17 was a huge success, raising over $11,000 to benefit the organization, Animals Asia. The event featured art donated by San Juan Island artists, a silent auction and the wines and ciders of Madrone Cellars.

Lopez Island Lions Club Fourth of July Fun Run/Walk. The 4th of July celebration on Lopez begins with the Fun Run/Walk, sponsored by the Lopez Lions Club. The event takes place on scenic courses through a pastoral setting with water views. The shirts have a Lopez Island scene. Enjoy the parade and other 4th of July activities in the village following the awards. All three courses are electronically timed, start and end in Lopez Village, are mildly challenging, and have a long, gradual downhill finish. The 10K course is point-to-point; the 5K and 1-mile courses are out and back. Unique Lopez awards are given to the first overall male and female finisher in the 10K, 5K Run, 5K Walk, and 1-mile events. Awards are also given to the first three male and female finishers in each age division in the 5K and 10K events.

Submitted by the Alchemy Arts Center. “Paint Your Own Pottery” is officially LIVE, every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 1 p.m.-5 p.m. in the gorgeous garden space at Salty at Heart Apothecary (located at 310 Spring St, Friday Harbor)! Decorate a hand-throw bisque mug with anything your heart desires, and create your very own functional work of art! Your mug will be coated with clear glaze and fired by Alchemy technicians and will be ready to pick up a few days later. This is the perfect drop-in activity for a warm summer afternoon under the historic Camperdown elm at Salty at Heart!

Submitted by the San Juan Island Public Library. The San Juan Island Library’s Wednesday Afternoon Performances series for children and families is back this summer. All performances are free and held outside in the play shed at Friday Harbor Elementary School, 95 Grover Street. Showtimes start at 1:30 p.m. and run 45 minutes. Please bring blankets and chairs for seating.

Editors note: This story has been edited. A previous version stated that WSF now anticipates the five new boats will not be completed until the middle of 2027, but will actually be 2031. The first of the new boats will be complete in mid-2027, with one new ferry to be...

On Friday, July 15, 2022, the San Juan County Planning Commission will take public testimony on an ordinance adopting the 2036 Comprehensive Plan Update excluding the official maps. The public is invited to testify online and at the legislative hearing room in the legislative building at 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor beginning at or after 8:45 AM.

Submitted by Friends of the Library. Friends of the San Juan Island Library says “Life is better with sprinkles on top.” Friends of the San Juan Island Library is bringing back their popular 4th of July Cake Walk! After the Parade join us next to the Pig War Picnic site (under the trees by St. Francis Church) and walk to win a CAKE! Follow the sidewalk on Price Street and you will find us. Cake: A smile with frosting on it!

Submitted by the San Juan Count Conservation Land Bank. The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and the San Juan Preservation Trust jointly announced that their bid to acquire the former Glenwood Inn property for permanent conservation has now concluded successfully. The County Land Bank has assumed ownership of the 58-acre shoreline parcel, which is located near the northwest tip of Orcas Island, and will manage it for eventual public access.

The limit on vacation rentals may not have been met on San Juan island, but a few neighborhoods have gotten more than their fair share. The permitting process for vacation rentals needs to be changed to take this into account. Also, neighbors need to be notified by mail and in time to respond to the comment period. Not everybody reads the back page of the Journal where the County lists out permits. The onus should be on the applicant and the County to notify neighbors, not the other way around.

Submitted by the San Juan Island Library. SJI Library Board of Trustees monthly meeting with Public Hearing for the Purpose of a Bond Resolution: Tuesday, July 12, 2022, 3 p.m.. This is a hybrid in-person or Zoom meeting; the public is welcome; meeting access information: www.sjlib.org. Comments and questions are...

The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office responded to the following calls. • A deputy on San Juan spoke with a citizen who wanted to report that images were continuing to be implanted into other images on their cellphone. After speaking with the citizen, it was discovered that there was no law enforcement action to be taken.

Submitted by the San Juan County Board of Health. San Juan County Board of Health is actively recruiting for two new non-elected board members to serve four-year terms. These positions will become available in September 2022 with the retirement of two members that have served for over 10 years. A...

A vehicle struck and killed a young fox today (June 20) on the road near the Cattle Point Lighthouse trail. The driver didn’t stop, but left the fox there to die. The fox was still warm when we picked its limp body up and carried it off the road. Its eyes were frozen open in a death stare. The fox’s pooled blood in the roadway was still wet.

Submitted by the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office. The San Juan County Sheriff’s Office will be participating in Operation Dry Water, a national awareness and enforcement campaign focused on reducing the number of alcohol and drug-related incidents and fatalities and fostering a stronger, more visible deterrent to alcohol and drug use on the water, through the July 2 – 4th weekend.

Submitted by the San Juan Island Community Foundation. Thanks to the sustained generosity of island donors, the San Juan Island Community Foundation has awarded 38 students more than $169,000 in scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year. The recipients include 15 graduating high school seniors – 11 from Friday Harbor High School and four from Spring Street International School – along with 23 students already working toward an undergraduate or graduate degree.