The following public agencies meet this week. The meetings are open to the public.
Thank you, San Juan Island community, for rolling up your sleeves.
On behalf of patients in our community’s hospitals, I wish to extend our thanks. During your blood drive on Sept. 24, Puget Sound Blood Center registered 71 donors and collected 61 units of blood. This will benefit up to 183 patients.
Women of San Juan Island: News flash. Well, sort of, but now that I have your attention. I just want to let you know about an opportunity at Curves; they are letting women come for free for a week to check it out.
An update on San Juan Island Community Radio’s application for an FM license: Our Petition for Reapplication has been “accepted for filing.” It cleared the FCC International Board that checked it for violation of Canadian radio and found none. It has been sent back to the CRTC — Canada’s FCC — for their approval, which may take several months.
I find it unfortunate that the media keeps using the term “bailout” to describe the actions being taken to mitigate the current financial crises. I’m sure that as a result of this terminology, most people would describe what is going on as: “The government is taking our tax money to offset the financial reversals of a bunch of mismanaged companies, without any chance of seeing those funds returned.” The term bailout has exactly that connotation.
To the students and staff at Friday Harbor High and Middle schools: It has been a honor and privilege to serve you government-approved and school-budget lunches for the past 12 years. I will miss watching you grow into fine young men and ladies. I know a lot of you high schoolers will love not hearing “Wrong door, go around.”
More than 170 people attended the Transportation Summit at the San Juan County Fairgrounds on Sept. 17. By all reports, the summit achieved its objective of starting the collaborations needed to further transportation initiatives in San Juan County.
Johnny Moses, a Coast Salish master storyteller and memory keeper, will speak Oct. 12, 1-4 p.m., in the San Juan Island Grange. Admission is $20, but no one will be turned away. Children younger than 12 get in free. The event is billed as a potluck celebration.
Mindy is a “freeholder” in the original sense as well. Her roots are in the soil of Orcas Island, not in real estate speculation. She understands the importance of encouraging the long-term use-value of Orcas as opposed to the promotion of ephemeral exchange-value. Her background in ecology, her knowledge of the law, and her respect for the law makes her perfectly suited to represent Orcas residents on the County Council.
San Juan County Councilman Kevin Ranker has been endorsed for state Senate by Sen. Maria Cantwell and Rep. Rick Larsen. Ranker is the Democratic nominee; former state representative Steve Van Luven of Samish Island is on the Nov. 4 ballot as the Republican nominee.
A little note of good things happening at Friday Harbor Elementary School this morning (Sept. 25). Taproot Theatre Touring Group came to present their new show, a bullying prevention theme, “Alexander and the Dragon.” The sponsors are the elementary school PTA and San Juan Island Prevention Coalition.
For the draft to become final, the Land Bank Commission must hold a public hearing and decide whether to advance the plan to the County Council. Then the council will hold a public hearing in consideration of adopting it. The Land Bank’s public hearing will be held on Oct. 10 at 10 a.m. in the Hotel Dining Room, Orcas Hotel, on Orcas Island (next to the ferry landing), and the County Council’s will be scheduled soon thereafter.
I am writing on behalf of Lovel Pratt as candidate for County Council, District 1 (San Juan South). I have known Lovel and her family for several years and have always been impressed with Lovel’s intelligence, calm demeanor and commitment to our community.
