All Stories - Journal of the San Juans

'The World': It's luxurious. It's big. And it's coming to Friday Harbor

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

The World, a luxury residential ship that is owned by its residents, will visit Friday Harbor for 48 hours on Sunday. At 644 feet 2 inches, it is believed to be the largest cruise ship ever to anchor in Friday Harbor waters, Harbormaster Tami Hayes said. The ship has a beam of 97 feet 2 inches and a draft of 22 feet. By comparison, the Bremen, which anchored off of Brown Island during a visit about 11 years ago, is 364 feet in length, with a 58-foot beam and a 16-foot draft.

Happy Fourth of July; here's what's happening today

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Arguably, this will be an island Fourth of July celebration unlike any other. Representatives of the Lummi Indian Nation — the First People of San Juan Island — are special guests at the town’s Fourth of July celebration, including participation in the Fourth of July Parade. The town fire department celebrates its 100 years of service to the community with several events. And regular annual events also take place: the parade, Rock the Dock, activities in Roche Harbor, as well as fireworks shows in Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor.

Airlift Northwest bases helicopter in Friday Harbor for much of summer

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Airlift Northwest will again base one of its helicopters at Friday Harbor Airport this summer to expedite emergency services for residents and visitors in the San Juan Islands. The helicopter will be at the airport during the day on alternating weekends and during the San Juan County Fair.

Boater charged with violating orca protection law

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Tourist facilities receive 'status quo' funding for 2010

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Some will get more. Others will get less. But for the most part, San Juan County's tourist-related facilities will have to get by next year with about the same amount of public support that's helping them to pay the bills this year.

PeaceHealth's local governing board meetings, records may be public under state law

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Meetings of a PeaceHealth-appointed governing board for a proposed hospital on San Juan Island could be subject to the state's Open Public Meetings Act and the Public Records Act, according to an analysis by the state Attorney General's open government ombudsman. Tim Ford, assistant attorney general for government accountability, said the governing board could be considered a public agency, rather than just an arm of the non-profit PeaceHealth system, depending on how it was created, how much tax funding it will receive, and if it performs a governmental function.

PeaceHealth appoints officer to lead San Juan hospital implementation

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Jim Barnhart, CEO for PeaceHealth's Siuslaw Region, has been named to lead the planning and development of the proposed critical access hospital and integrated medical center on San Juan Island. Barnhart will report to Nancy Steiger, CEO of the PeaceHealth Whatcom Region, which includes St. Joseph Hospital in Bellingham and PeaceHealth Medical Group. He will begin working in this new role part-time on July 1 while transitioning from his responsibilities at Peace Harbor. He will assume his San Juan Island-based duties full-time in July 2010.

San Juan County Council may reduce business hours

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Islanders would have a little less time to conduct business at various county departments under legislation that's designed to help offset the impact of $1 million or more of pending budget cuts. In a 5-1 decision, the San Juan County Council voted June 9 to put the proposal into the pipeline and have its legal team prepare it for possible approval at a July 14 public hearing, which begins at 2:10 p.m.

$4.6 million to remove derelict fishing gear from region's waters

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

The Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative has been awarded $4.6 million in economic stimulus funding from NOAA to pull derelict fishing nets from Puget Sound. These funds, directed to the non-profit foundation arm of the Northwest Straits Initiative, will allow the immediate hire of vessels and crews to remove an estimated 3,000 nets from the seafloor. The project will employ 40 people, restore 645 acres of marine habitat, and will be completed in 18 months.

County will start removing illegal signs

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

In response to complaints from islanders and business owners about illegally placed signs, San Juan County has been tagging non-compliant signs with a courtesy notice stating that they must be removed within a specified period of time.

Bates claims third San Juan Open title in sudden-death playoff

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Consistency proves key as veteran local golfer Ron Bates prevails over Friday Harbor High School senior Cody Price in head-to-head playoff round.

13 Wolverines earn all-league awards| Sports

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Five members of the Friday Harbor baseball team, which this season compiled a 21-2 record, claimed its fifth-consecutive Northwest 1A/2B League title and another trip to the state 1A tournament, were first-team all-league selections, including cousins Eddie and Jordan Nash.

Ahbel sweeps all four races in annual Rudi Race| Along the Waterfront

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

New club racer, Robert Ahbel, in Remedy, a lightweight “J” boat took top honors by winning all four races.

Rhiana Franklin will sing on the KWJZ 98.6 FM Stage at the Tacoma Freedom Fair on the Fourth of July

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Basnight kicks off Music on the Lawn concert series: event helps celebrate Island Rec’s 25th year

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

You can help celebrate Island Rec’s 25th birthday this summer at its ninth annual Music on the Lawn concert series. Take your lawn chairs, picnic blankets and dinner to the San Juan Historical Museum lawn for free live music each Wednesday from July 8 to Aug 5.

Crook family program returns to San Juan Island Library

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Learn more about how this legendary family came to embody pioneer self-sufficiency and the island way of life as part of a Power Point presentation by San Juan Island National Historical Park historian Mike Vouri and Laura Tretter, director of the San Juan Island Library. The event begins at 7 p.m., Saturday, at the library on Guard Street.

Presbyterian Church offers reserved seating for Fourth of July parade

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

San Juan Island Chamber director to hand over the reins

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

Membership grows from 168 to 350 businesses and merchants during Pigman's nine-year tenure as chamber director.

'It's more than a job': Paid internships are available for island teens

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:05 PDT

It’s not too late for teens to nail down that summer job. The Workforce Development Council matches students between the ages of 16 and 20 with internships at various businesses and non-profits in the community and pays for the students to work these positions that are usually only available to volunteers.

Lummi Indian Nation joins Friday Harbor's centennial celebration

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

The scene would be familiar to the ancestors of those in the canoe that pulls up to the shore below Jack Fairweather Park about noon on Friday: The cedar-decorated bow, the pullers wearing articles of clothing made from cedar, the ancient words of request for permission to land. Canoes regularly plied the marine highway between the San Juan Islands and what is now Canada and mainland Washington state. Communities on the islands had different names then — p’kweekh-EEL-wuhlh, WH’LEHL-kluh, EH-leh-luhng, SMUH-yuh.

Get ready for a fantastic Centennial Fourth

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

San Juan Island’s Fourth of July celebration starts early and lasts longer this year. Arguably, this will be an island Fourth unlike any other.

Four-year-old Colin Ward gets his wish, and a day of his own

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

Thanks to the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the owners of San Juan Excursions, Colin's dream of traveling to the San Juans to search for killer whales from the deck of a whale-watch boat is no longer a fantasy

Burke and Unpingco tied the knot on Valentine's Day

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

The sweethearts took their wedding vows on Valentine's Day in a ceremony attended by family and friends, and honeymooned in Cancun.

Oh... the places they will go

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

More than $100,000 in scholarships were awarded to the graduating class of Friday Harbor High and Griffin Bay school during commencement this past weekend in Friday Harbor.

Lummi, Chippewa artists in Friday Harbor this weekend

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

The Lummi Arts Festival is Friday through Sunday, with events planned in three locations: The gallery on the corner of West and First streets, Dance Workshop II on Second Street, and the San Juan Historical Museum.

Sacrifices are still being made in name of liberty | Ferry Home Companion

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

Newspapers, schools, government ... all are among the many institutions who are chided if they don’t fly the flag on Flag Day. We used to fly it at The Journal when our offices were on Guard Street, before moving to Mullis Street a few years ago. Only trouble, we were on the first floor and we lost a few flags.

Happy Fourth of July | Editorial

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

Any other year, if you miss the island’s Fourth of July celebration, you could say, “Oh, well, there’s always next year.” If you miss this year’s celebration, you’ll have to wait another 100 years. So don’t miss it.

The many dangers of feeding wildlife | Guest Column

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

It’s Baby Season. Deer fawns, fox kits, raccoon kits and other cute little wild babies are out there and people just can’t resist the temptation to feed them. Some folks assume that a baby on its own must be hungry and they should “take care of it,” while others use food to tempt a youngster closer to get a good photo. Either way, it is not good news for the young wild animal.

100-foot setbacks are not a solution

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

The impact of a 100-foot setback for most properties will effectively reduce the value by 40-60 percent, or more, which will therefore shift the tax burden onto the interior properties, many of which will also suffer dramatic loss of value as result of the proposed rules.

We shouldn't interfere with natural processes and the web of marine life

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

Think about the values that brought us here. If we value salmon or orca, then perhaps we should not place a bulkhead on a forage fish spawning beach, or place a dock over eelgrass, or allow toxic chemicals or bioactive hormone mimics into our waters.

Appreciates work of Journal staff

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

There are many ways to thank someone for their brilliance at expressing an innate passion for people and their work, and often I find that cookies and pizza work wonders.

Kudos to Sobel, Tretter for park improvements

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

Raises in new labor contract are excessive

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 13:16:06 PDT

This is the first time in 17 years that the government has not given a cost of living increase to those on Social Security...yet our county council, while cutting their budget elsewhere, has given into the unions once again and increased their pay and the burden on the taxpayers here.