The San Juan County Fair will have about $5,000 from the county general fund to help it get through 2010. Whatever else the fair might need to keep itself afloat, it will have to generate on its own. That’s why a new land-use overlay has been welcomed with open arms at the headquarters of the county fair. It sets the stage for the fair to host, and to cash in on, an assortment of activities and events that have long been prohibited by land use rules that apply to all 14 acres of the fairgrounds in Friday Harbor.
Fast forward to August 2009. A 35- to 40-foot pontoon houseboat is photographed off Shipyard Cove taking on water Aug. 2, then partially submerged Sept. 2. And no one would take responsibility, to give the OK to take the vessel out of the water. The registered owner said she had sold it. The U.S. Coast Guard waited to see if it became a hazard to navigation. State DNR waited to see if it became an environmental hazard. Meanwhile, currents carried the houseboat around Turn Island, through Cattle Pass, to Eagle Point, and then across Haro Strait to Canadian waters. Without a local coordinator, the San Juans’ participation in the Derelict Vessel Removal Program was rudderless.
Census tests are being scheduled throughout the Northern Puget Sound Region. Call 1-866-861-2010. With communities across the country reeling from job loss, the U.S. Census Bureau has its own way of providing a stimulus to local economies — hiring hundreds of thousands of temporary workers to ensure the 2010 Census is a success.
Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Bellingham, will have a challenge in the primary from within his own party. Larry Kalb, 55, announced his candidacy Jan. 15 for the 2nd Congressional District seat, to which Larsen was elected in 2000. Kalb lives in Bellingham, works for the Whatcom Transportation Authority finance department, and is president of Health Care for All, a statewide organization advocating single-payer health care. And Diana McGinness of Bellingham, a retired insurance fraud investigator, announced her candidacy Jan. 20.
State Rep. Dave Quall is retiring after 18 years of service in the Legislature. Quall is a retired teacher, counselor and coach. He is chairman of the House Education Committee, and has also been devoted to clean air and water, economic development, farmland preservation, and transportation. Four district residents are already out of the chutes with their campaigns to succeed him.
The Center for Whale Research has confirmed the birth of a new L pod calf. L114 was photographed with its mother, L77, on Feb. 21 in Cordova Bay. The new calf brings the Southern resident orca population up to 89.
Friday Harbor will have a new fire truck come summer. The Town Council approved a resolution 3-1 Thursday authorizing the purchase of a 1,500-gallon-per-minute fire engine for $528,931. With tax, the total bill comes to $579,179.
Friday Harbor’s wrestlers, having lost their opening matches at the storied Mat Classic on Friday, found some redemption vs. Montesano. But in the end, it was Zillah that dashed the wrestlers’ hopes of third-place finishes at the state championship.
The San Juan Islands have been designated a national wildlife refuge and a scenic byway. Next, they could become a national monument. Fox News reported today that the Obama administration is considering 14 sites, including the San Juan Islands, for national monument designation. The report was based on Department of Interior documents leaked to a Utah congressman and obtained exclusively by Fox News. The mostly public lands include Arizona deserts, California mountains, Montana prairies, New Mexico forests, Washington islands and the Great Basins of Nevada and Colorado — totaling more than 13 million acres.
It comes down to this day. After 13 wrestling events since Dec. 5, three Friday Harbor wrestlers — Michael Davis, Willy Dunn and Calen Mehrer — qualified for this day: The 1A State Wrestling Championship — the storied Mat Classic — in the Tacoma Dome.
It comes down to this day. After 13 wrestling events since Dec. 5, three Friday Harbor wrestlers — Michael Davis, Willy Dunn and Calen Mehrer — qualified for this day: The 1A State Wrestling Championship — the storied Mat Classic — in the Tacoma Dome.
You can help recognize individuals, families, and businesses that have made a significant impact on the conservation, preservation and protection of the San Juans. The Stewardship Network of the San Juans is seeking nominations for the 2010 Good Steward Awards in the following categories: Shoreline Stewardship, Farmland Stewardship, Woodland Stewardship, Village Stewardship, Business Stewardship, Individual Stewardship, Youth Stewardship and Educator Stewardship.
A recently-released survey of Washington state’s 39 counties reveals that in a head-to-head comparison of more than two dozen health-related statistics, including screening for diabetes, adult obesity and years lost to premature death, San Juan ranks ahead of all the rest.
