A house in the San Juans for less than $400,000? How about a house for less than $300,000? Or a quarter-acre town lot at around $100,000, a half-acre lot for $120,000, or a five-acre parcel for $175,000? Real estate prices have dropped, and the market is starting to chug along.
Following recent reports to the Legislature that minority students continue to lag behind in school and 2009 WASL results confirming the gap isn’t shrinking quickly enough, a new Achievement Gap and Oversight Committee will take on the challenge of improving academic achievement for every child in our state.
State Rep. Dave Quall, D-Mount Vernon, was gaveled at the Washington Association of School Administrators summer conference in July, but unlike being gaveled on the floor of the House, this was something to celebrate.
First, the good news: Friday Harbor merchants and innkeepers are doing better. Now, the tough news: They are doing better than 2004. The latest sales and hotel-motel tax figures from the Town of Friday Harbor shows receipts lagging behind 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008. In only one month, April, did we almost do as well as last year.
The Big Red Barn is the venue for the Tea Party Hoe Down, Aug. 22, 2-5 p.m. The Big Red Barn is located at the Thorndike Farm, 1721 Cattle Point Road. Admission and dinner by donation.
Friday Harbor Town Council member Carrie Lacher, candidate for mayor, announced today a quick and easy way to let her know your concerns about the Town of Friday Harbor.
You can quickly post your comments and questions to her blog, www.carrielacher.blogspot.com.
A team of islanders leaves Saturday morning on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. “Yesterday afternoon some of the team gathered together to pack in suitcases the donated items from our community to take down with us to the Dominican Republic,” Vic Woodward wrote on the group’s blog.
“What an outpouring …”
David Taylor is in a difficult fix. He’s able to park his car in front of his home at 520 Guard St., but traffic gets perilously close to his car, making getting in and out of his vehicle a challenge. He’s been knocked over by a motorcycle.
The Marine Mammal Stranding Network removed a malnourished seal pup from a pocket beach below Downriggers Restaurant today and delivered it to Wolf Hollow Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for care.
An estimated 300 islanders crowded into Friday Harbor High School’s Hall Gym on Tuesday to hear a panel of well-credentialed experts take issue with the state’s best available science and pending changes to the county’s Critical Areas Ordinance. The heat did little to dampen interest in the forum, sponsored by the Common Sense Alliance. The public meeting on the state-required CAO update featured four panelists who called on islanders to take a critical look at the “best available science” developed by various state agencies and cautioned against accepting it on face value.
Nancy Adkins, 74, passed away at her home in Anacortes July 15, 2009 surrounded by her loving family. Though she was diagnosed with melanoma in 2001, Nancy never let that slow her down. As recently as 2008, she drove across the country visiting friends and family as far away as Tennessee. She will always be remembered as a unique woman with a fascination and fervor for life.
Need a place to beat the heat? Then get over to Islands Convalescent Center. With temperatures hovering around 90 degrees and humidity at levels rarely felt in the islands, Islands Convalescent Center has opened its doors and its air-conditioned living and dining rooms as a “cooling station,” and is inviting anyone needing to escape the heat to stop by.
If you start any kind of fire this summer, you’re going to pay the price. The San Juan County Fire Marshal has issued a burn ban for the county, which means campfires, fire pits, free-standing fixtures, and beach fires are all banned. Those who disregard the ban will be fined and/or billed the cost of fighting the fire if the fire department gets called.
