May 17th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Sunday, May 27, from 1 to 5 p.m. at Liberty Garden ( across the street from the Eastsound Saturday Market)
From Learner Limbach, FoodMasters
Come spend an inspiring and informative day of hands-on learning about home mushroom cultivation.
This year you will get to create a bulk substrate of Pearl Oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus) & Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mycila.
Each participant will walk away with their own substrate to grow at home (your choice of either Shitake or Oyster) and all the knowledge to do so!
As this class is likely to fill up, I am asking that people pre-register. Please contact me if you would like to register for the class.
If time permits, we will have a short demonstration of how to use Myco remediation to deal with potential contaminants on your land.
Cost is $35. Limited scholarships and/or trade opportunities are available by inquiry at foodmasters.orcas@gmail.com
May 17th, 2012 |
May 16th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Orcas Angels' mission: to help everyday in ordinary ways
The Orcas Angels, island 501(c)3 nonprofit will host a Benefit Yard Sale this Saturday, May 19, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Country Corner.
Orcas Angels is “a community driven, local networking, nonprofit public charity that is dedicated to the well being and success of residents and business owners of Orcas Island. We work with companies, both profit and nonprofit, to ensure that we have the resources to help out the people who sustain this island when they unexpectedly hit a time of need.
The organization maintains a 24 hour contact line at 800-420-4542. Its website is www.orcasangels.org.
Angels’ Director Liz Longworth says, “Come and find some great treasures and make a donation for a good cause!”
May 16th, 2012 |
May 16th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Wednesday, May 16 at 5:30 p.m. at the Orcas Senior Center
Want to feel good about the youngsters of today? Come to the Senior Center when you’re hungry tonight for dinner!
The Orcas Fur and Feathers 4-H Club will serve their annual dinner tonight, under the direction of Kathy Thompson, for the enjoyment of the public.
The menu calls for a creamy corn soup, local green salad with yummy garnishes, roast chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, fresh vegetables and a rhubarb dessert.
The cost is $5 for kids and seniors and $10 for adults.
May 16th, 2012 |
May 15th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Updated May 15 at 9 p.m.
Friday, May 18 at 8:45 a.m. in Friday Harbor-videoconferencing at the Orcas Island Public Library, from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
From Ingrid Gabriel, San Juan County Council Clerk
The San Juan County Council will conduct an Early Start Special Meeting on Friday, May 18, 2012 in the Legislative Hearing Room, 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor beginning at 8:45 AM. Agenda items include:
- San Juan County Council and Planning Commission joint public hearing on an ordinance amending the Critical Area provisions of the San Juan County Code. The ordinance addresses Fish and Wildlife Habitat Conservation Areas.
- Approval of San Juan County Council’s May 8, 2012 minutes
- Discussion of county administrator transition.
The agenda and related materials may be obtained 3 days prior at the County website at www.sanjuanco.com/council/default.aspx or at the Council offices during each business day between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. For more information please contact the Clerk of the County Council at (360) 370-7470.
Interested parties are encouraged to attend and submit written or oral comments. Written comments submitted prior to 8 a.m. May 17 will be copied for the Planning Commission and Council members.
If written comments are submitted after 8 a.m. May 17, or at the hearing, please provide 20 paper copies. In addition, videoconferencing for the purpose of public comment will be available at the Orcas Island Public Library only, from 8:45 a.m. to 2 p.m. The meeting will be live streamed at http://sanjuanco.com/council/video.aspx.
The proposed ordinance:
- revises the list of maps used to identify FWHCAs;
- modifies definitions of terms;
- adds a section on applicability;
- identifies types of FWHCAs;
- adopts provisions associated with the use of maps; revises the classification system to meet current state requirements; establishes protection standards including standards for aquatic FWHCAs including streams, lakes over 20 acres in size and marine shorelines, as well as upland habitats and specific species;
- revises the process for nominating species of local concern.
State Environmental Policy Act (SEPA) Review
An Environmental Checklist for the proposed amendments was reviewed, and it was determined that adoption of the proposed regulations will not have a significant adverse impact on the environment, and an environmental impact statement is not required under RCW 43.21C.030(2)(c). Under WAC 197-11-340(2) a Determination of Non-Significance was issued on May 1, 2012.
Comments on this determination must be submitted by May 16, 2012. Following a final decision this determination may be appealed with the underlying action to Superior Court or State Boards as provided in RCW 36.70A, RCW 90.58, and RCW 36.70C. For appeals to Superior Court, the appeal period is 21 days and for appeals to the Growth Management Hearings Board, the appeal period is 60 days.
May 15th, 2012 |
May 15th, 2012, by Madie Murray
Bob Vietzke displays his brew and his first place plate as “The Best of the Fest” home brew at the 2012 Orcas Island Cider and Mead Festival.
By Madie Murray
Known to most of us as just plain Bob, no one was probably more surprised than he was to hear his name announced as the first place winner of the Orcas Island Cider and Mead Festival Home Brew Competition with his 2002 Hard Apple Cider.
A 2011 apple and Asian pear blend cider from John and Susan Fleischer placed second and third with their sparkling apple/pear cider. All won beautiful hand made plates by Crow Valley Pottery. A total of ten home brew concoctions ranging from a lemon liqueur to tomato wine were submitted for the competition this year.
Judging the entries were three producers offering tastes under the Festival tent: Philippe Bishop of Alpenfire, Vince Carlson of Adytum, and Spencer Reilly who will be opening the first cider bar in Washington called Capitol Cider in Seattle. Each entry was identified only as a number so the judges would not be able to identify the brewer. Home brew competition emcee, Ron Gilleland, only described the ingredients to the judges as they sniffed, sipped and pondered the attributes of each entry.
“I hadn’t even tasted it,” Bob said when he claimed his prize. “I was afraid it would blow up when I opened it!” Fortunately, that didn’t happen, and the judges unanimously agreed his smooth and subtle hard apple cider that had survived in Bob’s cellar for 10 years was indeed “The Best of the Fest!”
Congratulations, Bob!
May 15th, 2012 |
May 14th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Ted Pietsch
Updated May 14 at 9 p.m.
SeaDoc recently announced that it has hired on two new visiting scientists to help with important projects.
Ted Pietsch, a professor at the University of Washington’s Burke Museum with a long record of research and publication, joins SeaDoc to create a definitive list of all the fishes that use the Salish Sea ecosystem. This project will characterize when and where the fish species use the ecosystem, much like the SeaDoc society’s lists of mammals and birds published in 2011. Also like our list of birds and mammals, we anticipate that this list will help guide long-term research and restoration efforts.
John Aschoff
John Aschoff, a computer and GIS specialist, joined SeaDoc to help start the new underwater habitat mapping initiative. John is a resident of Orcas, an active member of the San Juan Islands’ Marine Resources Committee, and for the past year or two has been helping Tombolo director Gary Greene with GIS and habitat mapping.
The SeaDoc Society is a program of the Wildlife Health Center, a center of excellence at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The Society uses science to find solutions to problems facing marine ecosystems. For more information, go to seadocsociety.org.
May 14th, 2012 |
May 12th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
From the Orcas Island Library
If you have passion, intellectual curiosity, and a willingness to champion the Orcas Island Public Library please keep reading.
The Orcas Island Public Library is seeking a new trustee to complete a term ending at the end of 2012, with possible reappointment for a five-year term beginning on January 1, 2013. The Board is composed of five members charged with overseeing the Library’s planning, services, policies, and expenditures.
Serving on the library board requires a talent for teamwork, along with a belief in the culture and tradition of public libraries. Candidates should have a commitment to public services, intellectual freedom, equitable access, strong print and online collections, independent learning support, and maintaining a community forum for sharing ideas.
When you serve as a Trustee you and your colleagues work together as untiring and innovative advocates for the Library’s mission. We grapple with intellectual and interpersonal challenges, and in this process learn more about ourselves. It has been my experience that working together with this diverse group of talented people creates meaningful connectedness to the Library staff and patrons.
If interested in serving as a Library Trustee, please contact Library Director Phil Heikkinen at 376-4985 or pheikkinen@orcaslibrary.org; and/or Board President Alan Lichter at 376-5595 or crossweave@centurytel.net.
The Library will begin reviewing applications on May 25.
May 12th, 2012 |
May 12th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
By Stan Matthews
County Website and Communications Manager
On Tuesday, May 8, the San Juan County Council voted unanimously to place a three-tenths of one percent sales tax increase proposal on the August 7 primary election ballot. Revenue raised from the tax would be used to protect existing law enforcement, court and public safety services as the County faces continuing cutbacks.
In County Administrator Pete Rose’s latest report on the County’s finances, he projected that – without new sources of revenue – County revenue would fall short of the level needed to just maintain services at the previous year’s level for each of the next six years.
More than 43% of the County’s operating budget is spent supporting District and Superior Courts, the Prosecutor’s office, probation, emergency services dispatch and the Sheriff’s office. In sending the proposed sales tax increase to the voters, the Council earmarked the new revenue to insure that substantial cuts do not have to be made to those budgets.
The Friday Harbor Town Council voted to support the tax, for its purposes, on April 26. It plans to use its share of the tax revenue for public works projects as well as criminal justice and public safety projects.
The wording of the question to be placed on the ballot will be:
“The San Juan County Council adopted Ordinance No. 8-2012 concerning the imposition of a sales and use tax for criminal justice and public safety purposes. This proposition would increase the sales tax in San Juan County by three-tenths of one percent (.003) to be used by the County to protect existing criminal justice and public safety services including law enforcement, prosecution, public defense, courts, probation, victim services, jail, and dispatch services, and by the Town of Friday Harbor for Criminal Justice and public safety purposes and public works projects.”
Voters will be asked to mark either the “Approved” or “Rejected” box on the ballot.
A copy of the adopted ordinance placing the measure on the ballot is available on the County website at: http://sanjuanco.com/council/ordinances.aspx
May 12th, 2012 |
May 11th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
At a special meeting held at Orcas Landing this afternoon, the San Juan County Council decided upon Robert Jean as the interim County Administrator.
He will step in for County Administrator Pete Rose, whose resignation takes effect June 8.
Jean, from University Place, south of Tacoma, Wash., comes to the position after many years of experience in city management, most recently in Lake Forest Park, Wash., where Rose will become City Manager. Jean served as City Manager of University Place from 1995 to 2010, and of Puyallup, Wash., for three years before that.
Jean’s appointment came after interviews with two other candidates. Following the last interview today during an executive session, the Council discussed their selection in an open meeting, as required by law. After some discussion they voted unanimously to offer the position to Jean.
Council Chair Patty Miller said that upon Rose’s announcement of his resignation, the Council directed Human Resources to solicit resumes for an interim administrator. They hope that Jean will be able to come on board before Rose leaves, so that there can be some overlap. It is unlikely the council will recruit a permanent administrator before the November election, Miller says.
She added that the county considered replacing Rose in the interim with county staff; but the uncertainty of the time commitment required away from their current jobs prevented any from applying for the administrative position.
May 11th, 2012 |
May 10th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
From the San Juan County Economic Development Council
Join OPALCO and the San Juan County Economic Development Council (EDC) to learn more about the broadband project and to give your input and ideas at five Community Broadband Forums, on Lopez, Orcas, San Juan and Shaw islands, from May 14-16.
OPALCO is participating in the county-wide effort to expand broadband (high-speed internet) access to our members – reaching up to 90% of San Juan County. An OPALCO member survey in the fall of 2011 showed broad support and detailed studies are underway to determine the feasibility and potential business models for expanding service.
Please visit www.opalco.com/programs/broadband-initiative for more information.
The broadband community forums will be held:
ORCAS: Mon, May 14, 10-11:30 am, Orcas Senior Center
SHAW: Mon, May 14, 1:30-3 pm, Shaw Community Center<
LOPEZ: Tues, May 15, 1:30-3 pm, Lopez Island Woodmen Hall
FRIDAY HARBOR: Wed, May 16, 12-1:30 pm, Grange Hall
ROCHE HARBOR: Wed, May 16, 3-4:30 pm, Roche Pavilion
May 10th, 2012 |
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Just a note to say thanks for posting the announcement of my connection with the SeaDoc Society, but the photo is mislabeled. It should be, not “Tom” but “Ted.” Thanks again, Ted