National Park historian Mike Vouri and folk musician Michael Cohen will take a closer look at the Irish in the antebellum U.S. Army in words and song in a program scheduled at 7 p.m., July 10, at the San Juan Island Library. The program is free. Call the library at 378-2798.
I write to express my extreme dissatisfaction with the inefficient operation of our dump. We pay the highest dump rates in the state for a Public Works Department that provides the worst service in the state. There are long lines the three days the dump is open to the public, yet no lines the days the dump is open to commercial vendors.
The Community Band’s participation in this year’s Fourth of July Parade could not have happened without a lot of help.
To those speaking out against a downtown farmers market location, I’d like them to consider the following: As residents of an island, we have few buttons to push to encourage economic start-ups here. The existing farmers’ market has been just such a small business engine. Several successful town businesses began at our Saturday Markets – e.g.: Market Chef, Café Demeter, Bakery San Juan and now Pablito’s Taqueria.
The sun shone for most of the time, the bands played, the dancers danced, faces were painted, eggs were tossed, sandwiches, hot dogs and pies were eaten, and by the end of the day nearly 2,000 attendees had strolled the grounds of the San Juan Historical Museum for this year’s Fourth of July Pig War Picnic.
I was a friend of Dana’s growing up, though I haven’t talked to him in a long time. I met John briefly, and knew of him as Sabien. I sympathize greatly with every one affected by this tragedy (including Dana Kempton). Sabien was a really nice guy. I only met him several times but you could tell he was very kind and meant well. Dana is the same way. Unfortunately, from growing up in Friday Harbor (in the same class as Dana), I understand the reasons behind this tragedy more than most people. The drug and alcohol problem is out of control on San Juan Island. Until now, I’ve never been mature enough to say that myself.
Two children and a California woman escaped a violent single-car collision Thursday on West Valley Road with only minor injuries.
Kristine Lytton, candidate for state House of Representatives, 40th District, position 1, has been endorsed by the Public School Employees of Washington (SIEU 1948) and the Washington Education Association.
John Swapp, candidate for state House of Representatives, 40th District, position 2, has been endorsed by state Attorney General Rob McKenna, former state Rep. Cheryl Hymes, the San Juan County Republican Party, the Skagit County Republican Party, and the Whatcom County Republican Party.
I am responding to Bert and Dave Moorhouse’s guest editorial about Friday Harbor Brickworks, the future year-round home of the San Juan Farmers’ Market and a community and tourism-related events center. The San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild and its many supporters are thrilled to be recipients of the state capital funds that, in addition to the Land Bank’s purchase of a historic preservation and conservation easement and generous private donations, will help to make this project a reality.
There are ways to reduce pollution and increase fish populations while retaining private property rights. We need to look at the goals, the problems need to be identified and real solutions to those problems put into place.
San Juan Unified Development Code (UDC) section 18.70.060, regarding most land use divisions in resource, conservancy and rural designations, says that “at a minimum, 60% of the area to be divided shall be maintained as open area …“. Provided other design criteria are met, this then allows a developmental footprint of better than 87,000 square feet on a five-acre parcel.
The American Camp rabbits’ days are numbered. The National Park Service released for public comment Thursday an environmental assessment that proposes to control the population of non-native European rabbits at San Juan Island National Historical Park’s American Camp.
