This weekend, artists open their galleries. Personalities from music, radio and sports play golf for the island’s non-profits. Some of the best runners in the region compete in the island marathon. But beginning Saturday, the real celebrities — at least to their families and friends — will be those sitting on stage in caps and gowns. Some 170 islanders graduate from local high schools and Skagit Valley College in ceremonies planned this weekend and next week. The graduation ceremonies are open to the public.
The San Juan County Association of REALTORS will host a regional workshop on the Critical Areas Ordinance June 18, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Anacortes Library, 1220 10th St., Anacortes. The event is free and open to the public. Tim Gambrell said the event is co-hosted by Washington REALTORS, and is being held in Anacortes to accommodate participants from the mainland.
J. Alphonsine Haslet-Phillips is the new executive chef of Coho Restaurant in Friday Harbor. Haslet-Phillips began in March and has slowly been transitioning the menu to her fresh, lighter style of cooking. “I wanted to work at a restaurant which had a philosophy that extended beyond the plate on the table, that cared about sourcing food for local, sustainably-grown seasonal ingredients,” she said in a press release.
Outlining the challenges facing the Southern resident orca pods, Friday Harbor Mayor Carrie Lacher proclaimed June to be “Orca Awareness Month,” Thursday in Town Hall. There to receive the proclamation were Whale Museum executive director Jenny Atkinson, Whale Museum board president Julie Corey, and Soundwatch coordinator Kari Koski.
Tickets are on sale now. They are selling fast. And the performance isn’t until October. Nine-time Grammy winners Asleep at the Wheel will perform at the San Juan Community Theatre Oct. 24, 4 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.
By the end of May, Friday Harbor had received $276,250 as its share of sales tax revenue generated within the town limits, according to the latest report from the Town Treasurer’s office. The amount reflects revenues generated from November to March; revenues are received two months after they are reported. The total received to date is $32,786.94 less than that received in the same period of 2009. Here, we’re at “glass is half-empty” or “glass is half-full”: The drop in revenue from 2008 to 2009 was more severe — $72,973.54.
The Citizens Salary Commission will have a special meeting Friday, 10 a.m., to reconsider the commission’s actions at its May 20 meeting regarding the sheriff’s compensation and any other matter that may come before the commission. The meeting will be held in the Council Hearing Room of the Legislative Building, 55 Second St. The meeting is open to the public. The commission must have a quorum of six of the 10 members attending in order to have the meeting.
It is close to impossible to get truthful information in most of the mainstream media about the illegal and brutal Israeli military occupation of Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem. That is one of the reasons that human rights activists like David Schermerhorn feel the need to take actions such as this latest non-violent attempt to break the blockade and get relief supplies to the besieged and dehumanized residents of Gaza.
The Bureau of Land Management is seeking public comment on a Strategy Development Document that will implement Secretary Ken Salazar’s Wild Horse and Burro Initiative. “It’s a new day, and we need a fresh look at the Wild Horse and Burro Program,” BLM Director Bob Abbey said in a press release. “As part of this effort, we want all those with an interest in wild horses and burros and their public lands to consider our initial ideas and offer their own.”
With summer approaching, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is reminding recreational boaters to give orca whales and other marine mammals a wide berth. State law requires boaters to stay at least 100 yards away from Southern resident orca whales. Boaters who unexpectedly come into closer proximity to an orca are required to stop immediately and allow the whales to pass.
Friday Harbor High School Athletic Director Rod Turnbull’s review of the spring sports season took a long time, mainly because there was a lot to review. Friday Harbor’s prep athletes were honored for academic accomplishment as well as athletic performance at the Spring Sports Awards on June 2.
Merritt Olsen is celebrating 10 years as executive director of the San Juan Community Theatre.
His first day was June 1, 2000, arriving from the Midwest where his most recent post was directing South Dakota’s Black Hills Community Theatre. Also a veteran actor and director (he appeared in more than 35 films and TV shows), Olsen brought with him a variety of skills to lead the theater through a decade of growth and change.
A benefit is scheduled June 6 in the Roche Harbor Pavilion for Lori Holforty, who has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The event has been organized by Holforty’s friends. Holforty, 46, is a familiar face in the local food service industry. She worked at Downriggers for 15 years and at Roche Harbor’s McMillin’s Dining Room the past four. Proceeds will help cover the costs of her household and medical bills, as well as cancer treatments, as she battles the disease.
