Saturday, Oct. 2, at 4:30 p.m., the Friday Harbor branch of the Lutheran Church in the San Juans and St. David’s Episcopal Church will jointly conduct a Blessing of the Animals in honor of the Feast Day of St. Francis. This service will be held at St. David’s Church on the corner of Park Street and Marguerite Place. The event is open to the public.
The fourth annual Artstock — a fall festival of art celebrating the diverse artistic culture of the area — is Saturday and Sunday Oct. 2-3 on San Juan Island. The weekend includes two days of open art studios and art gallery events to delight the senses and feed the soul.
Brent Johnson, candidate for San Juan County sheriff, will be at a “Meat” & Greet BBQ on Oct. 2, noon to 2 p.m., at the former Fat Cat Cafe on the corner of Nichols and A streets.
What kind of season is the Friday Harbor Wolverines girls soccer team having? The girls have clinched at least a tie for the league title — and there are seven regular season games to go. In nine games, the team has allowed only four goals, one of those in a shootout. Fourteen of 18 players have scored. And the team doesn’t give up. The home league game Thursday against La Conner ended in a tie, and Friday Harbor won 2-1 in a shootout.
How well do you know your town? Join Island Rec on Sunday, Oct. 3 for the town-wide scavenger hunt, “Find Joe Friday,” a day of fun and suspense. Teams work together to complete challenges and solve riddles in order to find Joe Friday and win the grand prize. Get your family, friends, neighbors, or co-workers together and form a team of two to four people.
PeaceHealth has finalized the purchase of 22 acres for the proposed Peace Island Medical Center. PeaceHealth said funding for the land purchase at 1049 San Juan Valley Road was made possible through a $1.2 million grant received Sept. 24 from the San Juan Island Community Foundation. The property was purchased from the Boe family.
Ian Matthew Crawford and Whitney Anne Suzette Dyck married July 31, 2010 in the presence of family and friends, at a friend’s estate on Lake Samish in Bellingham. Ian is the son of William Crawford of Eugene, Ore., and Sandy Train of Bellingham. Whitney, a spirited island woman, was born on San Juan Island in October 1982. Her parents, Bob of Friday Harbor, and Pam, now of Lynden, drove her to their Cattle Point Road home three hours after her birth.
A former Friday Harbor man serving in the Army in Afghanistan is recovering from injuries sustained in a non-combat accident. Ryan Buckley, 33, was injured in early September. While he was unloading a Black Hawk helicopter, a truck drove into him and pinned him against the helicopter; the impact broke the femurs in both of his legs, according to a prayer request e-mailed out by Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church.
The San Juan County Land Bank is leading partners in an effort to protect and restore Beaverton Valley Marsh, at more than 250 acres the largest wetland complex in the county. The latest achievement in this project was the acquisition in September of 40 acres of land at the western end of the marsh, plus a 3.5-acre conservation easement. The Land Bank intends to resell the 40-acre tract to the San Juan Preservation Trust and retain an easement on that area as well.
The San Juan Island Trails Committee has elected the following officers for 2010-11: Dave Zeretzke, chairman; Mike Lazzari, vice chairman; Liz Illg, treasurer; Jill Johnson, secretary (with backup by Sue Buettell and Susan Dehlendorf); and Bill Severson, at-large.
The Town of Friday Harbor has hired a law firm to investigate claims made about Fire Chief Vern Long’s leadership by a firefighter and four officers who resigned in August. Patterson Buchanan of Seattle was hired last week and is expected to complete its investigation in two more weeks. Town Administrator King Fitch said the law firm’s work could cost between $5,000 and $15,000.
Something a little different is coming to the San Juan Community Theatre in October. “I’ll Be Back Before Midnight,” written by Peter Colley, is a special effects-laden comic-drama designed to make you laugh and jump in equal measures.
Strong winds and an experienced Coupeville squad prevailed Sept. 24 as the Wolverines boys tennis team fell 4-2 in the match between 1A rivals, on Whidbey Island. The Wolverines grabbed an early lead when juniors Hayden Place and Zack Reitan tallied a victory by default in No. 1 doubles.
