The presence of the transfer station was not a concern for me until the volume of activity there increased while the forest that buffered the noise quietly died. Now it’s a problem.
Last night, I was sitting down to compose a letter about my concerns about the Friday Harbor Elementary School playground’s new underlayment, crumb rubber. My daughter asked me what I was doing, so I told her.
Please allow concerned parents and citizens of San Juan Island to remove the crumb rubber from the Friday Harbor Elementary School playground at no cost to the school district or the taxpayers.
The superintendent of the local educational service district will present the possibilities and pitfalls of consolidating the islands’ school districts Monday, noon, at Friday Harbor Presbyterian Church. The meeting is open to the public and will constitute a special meeting of the San Juan Island School Board. Lopez and Orcas school officials are expected to participate.
On Monday, Capt. Moore, a pioneer in oceanic research and advocate for clean oceans, will be at the UW Friday Harbor Labs to talk about plastics and pollution in the world’s oceans as part of a lecture entitled, “Synthetic Polymers in the Marine Environment: A Rapidly Increasing, Long Term Threat”.
At about 3:15 p.m., Bill Henikman of Century Tel confirmed that repair crews had fixed the damage and telephone service on Orcas, Shaw and Lopez islands had been restored and is fully operational.
In case of emergency, those without phone service are asked to contact their local fire station or emergency medical services (EMS) so emergency calls can be routed to the Sheriff’s office in Friday Harbor and emergency personnel can be contacted
The San Juan Community Home Trust’s seventh annual Dessert Night and membership meeting is Nov. 3, 7 p.m. in the Skagit Valley College Community Room in Friday Harbor. An update on the Home Trust’s progress on a new neighborhood on the Buck/Boreen property will be given by emeritus board member Larry Soll.
The San Juan County Land Bank is requesting proposals from anyone interested in a long-term agricultural lease of its King Sisters Property. Acquired from the King family in 2005, the land includes about 40 acres of farmland in addition to woodlands and wetlands. A well and perimeter fencing will be included in the lease. The Land Bank worked closely with members of the Agricultural Resources Committee, a county advisory group, in developing this opportunity.
The San Juan Islands Agricultural Guild is one of 85 nationwide recipients of a Farmers Market Promotion Program grant from the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service. The $10,000 grant is for the planning and design of the Ag Guild’s Permanent Farmers’ Market project, a multi-use agricultural facility on San Juan Island.
The Ottomatics perform in an Early Halloween Party on Friday, 6-9 p.m., at Bella Luna.
Tragically, as with many marine species these days, the Western stock is listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act and our Eastern stock’s official status is threatened. Steady decline in the populations of these amazingly powerful creatures, who have flourished in these waters for centuries, has been attributed to over fishing and the decimation of habitats that support their food supply. This just happens to parallel with an increase in the population and activities of a two-legged environmental predator who has moved into the region over the last 100 years.
I’m just back from South Texas and, as is always the case when I find myself close to a disaster working on the response, I wonder how our own community will fare when it’s our turn. The islands aren’t hurricane country, but the impacts of an earthquake or severe winter storm (google “1962 Columbus Day Storm” for an example) are similar to what Texas is facing. No fuel, food, water or electricity. Limited medical care. Damage to roads and homes. The list goes on.
