A naturalist with Prince of Whales reported taking these photos of a Bayliner that got too close to an orca May 24, between 1:15-2 p.m., in Haro Strait slightly north of Lime Kiln Lighthouse.
The Lions Health Screening Unit will visit San Juan Island on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day at MarketPlace. The purpose is to screen the public for vision and hearing acuity, glaucoma and diabetes detection, and blood pressure screening. Sponsored by the San Juan Lions Club, these screenings are available free of charge. The screening unit is a program of the Northwest Lions Foundation for Sight & Hearing, a 501©(3) charitable non-profit organization founded in 1969 by Lions Clubs in the Northwest.
Once again, time stopped Monday in Friday Harbor. The noise of downtown life yielded to the sounds of marching feet, the barks of the sergeant’s commands, the flutter of the colors in the breeze. At Memorial Park, islanders and visitors gathered at the monument engraved with the names of San Juan County’s World War I dead. And once again, as generations before have done every year since 1921, the island remembered and gave thanks to America’s veterans — particularly those who gave what President Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion.”
The opening of the Born Learning Trail at the Family Park in the San Juan County Fairgrounds will be joined with Island Rec’s celebration of its 25th anniversary, Saturday, 10-11 a.m.
On Memorial Day 1917, a Friday Harbor girl, Caroline Reed, attended the ceremony to dedicate a new flagpole and flag on Spring Street. Later she wrote of it in her memoir, “Underpinning.” Her niece, Sue Reed of Cape San Juan, is republishing the book. Reed shared her aunt’s story of that day in 1917 …
With seven days left for applications, Noel Monin is the sole candidate for Christopher Wolf’s Town Council position.Wolf resigned effective last night to take a two-year teaching assignment at the American School of Doha, in the Persian Gulf country of Qatar. He will also go on leave of absence for two years at Friday Harbor Middle School, where he teaches humanities, current events, and speech and debate.
As part of National Safe Boating Week, the Friday Harbor Power Squadron, along with the Friday Harbor Fire Department and West Marine, held its fourth annual Flare Shoot at Jackson’s Beach on May 17.
Pending correction of a few minor safety conditions, Inter Island Medical Center will keep its $100,000 federal Health Resources and Services Administration grant on track and soon bring up to 48 hours of extended inpatient care to San Juan Island.
The U.S. Agriculture Department is accepting applications for grants to help low- and very-low-income rural residents repair their homes. Housing preservation grants are provided to town or county governments, public agencies, federally recognized tribes, and non-profit and faith-based organizations. The grants are distributed to homeowners or owners of multi-family rental properties or cooperative dwellings who rent to low- and very-low-income people.
Marc Vermeire, for 10 years a teacher — and recently vice principal and athletic director — at Friday Harbor High School, is leaving the district to become principal of Lopez Middle and High schools.
At the same time, the San Juan Island School Board has hired Walt Wegener of Toppenish School District as interim superintendent.
Hospital Corpsman Senior Chief Paul McFadden, Friday Harbor High School Class of 1981, had even more people than normal seeking him out recently at Naval Hospital Bremerton. But instead of McFadden’s daily routine of dispensing wisdom, solving problems and sharing professional knowledge, it was staff members giving back to him in a steady stream of well-wishes upon his promotion to hospital corpsman master chief.
On May 27, the town Historic Preservation Review Board will recognize the Friday Harbor Jehovah’s Witnesses with a Partner’s in Preservation Award for the exterior renovation to the Kingdom Hall, a project completed last November.
More than 150 avid supporters turned out at Mullis Community Senior Center Saturday night for The Whale Museum’s third annual Celebration of the Orca Greeting Ceremony. By the end of the evening, the museum had raised more than $16,000 to support its education and research projects.