Counseling service opens in Carter House
Shahn McGuire and Clint Mills have opened Allied Counseling Services in the Old Carter House, 470 Argyle Ave., Unit C, Friday Harbor.
The number is 370-5283. Hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
McGuire and Mills provide family, marriage, group and individual counseling. They also provide chemical dependency treatment and a school for drunken-driving offenders.
The DUI class is a court-ordered eight-hour class held on Saturdays.
McGuire is a graduate of the University of Houston. She formerly worked for Compass Health then was in private practice on the island for about six years. She leads Allied Counseling’s family, marriage, group and individual counseling.
Mills has a master’s degree in social work from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. He is a licensed chemical dependency counselor and was formerly a clinical liaison for a mental health agency. He leads Allied Counseling’s chemical dependency programs.
Allied Counseling accepts major credit cards and has a sliding scale for payment for services. Allied Counseling is under application for Regence Blue Cross.
Pet care veteran now pampering pets at home
Roberta “Bird” Robertson, founder of Smart Clip pet grooming, has opened Pampered Pets at 128 Twin Oaks Drive (off of West Valley Road about a half-mile from English Camp).
Call 378-8480. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Robertson sold Smart Clip to Julie Bigler, who renamed it Velvet Touch. It later became Northwind Grooming but closed when Dr. James Lehockey decided to expand his veterinary practice.
That opened the door for Robertson to resume doing what she loves. She’s been involved in pet grooming for 22 years.
Services include grooming, flea baths and toenail trims. She’s even been known to bathe a cat. “But they have to cooperate,” she said.
Robertson has special shampoos for dogs with dermatitis.
Robertson said there are real health reasons for keeping your pet clean and groomed.
Take matted fur, for example. If mats don’t get combed out regularly, they can cause sores, she said.
“Mats pull the hair follicles from the skin. It’s like slowly being pulled out of the skin. It can cause pain for the animal to walk if the mat is in the flank area, because every time they walk they’re pulling their hair out.”
Long pet-hair should always be clipped and groomed regularly. “I’ve found barbed wire tangled in dogs and a fish hook (caught) in a cat. It punctured the skin in several areas and the cat had to go to the vet.”
New staff at San Juan Island Visitors Bureau
Bettye Hendrickson and Tanya Marracci have joined the staff of the San Juan Island Visitors Bureau.
Hendrickson is the part-time, morning Visitor & Membership Services coordinator. She answers phones and e-mails regarding visitor information, works with members regarding membership benefits, and works on projects including monthly statistics, mailings, and listings in the Wedding Guide and Visitors Guide. She owns Boardwalk Bookstore in Friday Harbor. E-mail her at info@visitsanjuans.com or call 378-9551 ext. 1.
Marracci is the full-time marketing assistant. She answers visitor phone calls and e-mails, and keeps the bureau’s Web site up-to-date. She previously worked for Harbor Insurance Agency and was the former owner of Girl Friday in Friday Harbor. Call her at 378-9551, ext. 1. E-mail tanya@visitsanjuans.com
County honors Hopkins for Scenic Byways
The San Juan County Council has honored Deborah Hopkins for “a job well done in spearheading San Juan County’s successful effort” in winning the Scenic Byways designation for roads and the Washington state ferry route in San Juan County.
Hopkins is the executive director of the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau.
The Scenic Byways designation qualifies the county to take advantage of technical expertise and to apply for a variety of grants and programs to enhance and preserve its scenic roads and vistas.
More information on San Juan County’s scenic byways, which includes the state’s first marine highway, is available at www.visitsanjuans.com/byway.html
