May 12th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Dr. James Murray, Professor of Oceanography at the University of Washington will address the collision of rising demand for oil with the inelastic supply including increases in production of non-convention oil sources in his presentation “Peak Oil”, Monday May 21, 7 pm at the library meeting room in Friday Harbor. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the San Juans. Contact Ann Jarrell 378-4939.
The public is invited to a screening of the Brian Malone documentary “Patriocracy”, Tuesday May 22 at 7 pm, at the Commons on the Friday Harbor Laboratories (FHL) campus. A non-partisan presentation of the current hyperpolarization and dysfunction in government and possible solutions are discussed by well-known personalities such as Senator Alan Simpson (ret.) and Bob Schieffer (CBS) among others. Sponsored by the League of Women Voters of the San Juans. Contact Ann Jarrell 378-4939.
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
By Gretchen Krampf
The Orcas Community Council, a monthly dialogue of what’s on the hearts and minds of our community members, will meet this Sunday, May 13, at the West Sound Community Center.
This Mother’s Day…Celebrate the Women making Orcas Island a Thriving Community
Join us for a lively conversation about what makes Orcas Island THRIVE. So many great initiatives in the works…come for an update on what’s happening. Share what you are doing, too.
- 4:30-6:00pm Community Circle
- 6:00-7:30pm Potluck with a Purpose
We’ll set the table & bring refreshments. Bring your own plate, cup & flatware to conserve water. Please bring prepared main dishes, salads, sides and desserts. We don’t have access to an oven.
All are welcome. A donation to offset cost of hall rental is greatly appreciated.
The Orcas Community Council is a program of Thrive Orcas Island. For more information, call Gretchen at 360-317-8220
May 11th, 2012 |
May 10th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Joe Goodrich
Sunday, May 27 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Odd Fellows Hall
From Ginny Lu Wood
There is a wonderful celebration taking place at Odd Fellows Hall for Joe and Elaine Goodrich.
What started out as an idea for a garage sale with Elaine and Ginny Lu [Wood] last year has grown into a fabulous Orcas Island community garage sale.
The Goodrich’s life has been turned upside down since the original idea last year. Joe is battling metastasized cancer. As a long time islander, owner of Rainbow Home Services and an Odd Fellow, Joe is an amazingly vibrant man who has always thought of others first. And now we need to do something for him!
A bigger garage sale is now in order. And it is so much more than just a garage sale and with a very wonderful cause.
We have a date Sunday May 27th! From 10am-3pm. A venue Odd Fellows Hall and a storage unit to keep stuff in until the event (both donated for the cause)!
People are needed to help with the set-up and breakdown, bake sale, silent auction, entertainment, advertising and gathering/delivering stuff.
The more helpers, the merrier.
You can drop off stuff to sell behind Moon Glow Arts & Crafts. If you have big ticket items we can auction off please drop off at Moon Glow, Faraways or Wood’s Cove.
We have a truck and men with strong backs and are willing to pick up larger items if needed. Please don’t leave junk as we don’t want to use any $ raised to get rid of it!
All proceeds go to the Joe Goodrich Wellness Fund!
If you don’t have time or goods to donate, you can always drop of a check payable to the Joe Goodrich Wellness Fund at Moon Glow, Wood’s Cove or Faraways or Washington Federal Bank!
We plan to make this a fun and exciting event! Spread the word! It is for a great cause.
Share the love for Joe and Elaine.
Contact Sarah Coffelt at 376-6018 or Liz Schermerhorn at 376-2086 or Ginny Lu Wood 376-2900
May 10th, 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 |
May 10th, 2012, by Sue Lewis
Saturday and Sunday June 23-24
Orcas Farm will be featured on the Homestead Tour on June 23-24
By Sue Lewis
The Orcas Island Garden Club presents “The Homestead Tour” of five farms and gardens on the east side of Orcas Island, with emphasis on beauty, history and the sustainable horticulture of fruits, vegetables, herbs and livestock, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, June 23-24.
Three of the homesteads—the Doe Bay Garden, Orcas Farm, and Cherry Hill Farm– date back to the 1880’s.
Garden Club hosts tours of sustainable ecology
The other two gardens—Seaview Farm and the McCoy Garden– are more recent homesteads but are also committed to a sustainable ecology. Included in the tour are lectures on Orcas Island History, composting, seed saving, and elimination of noxious plants. Eastside restaurants, Café Olga and The Doe Bay Café are preparing box lunches available by pre-order no later than June 8 with your online purchase of tour tickets or you may bring your own picnic lunch to enjoy at selected garden sites.
Tickets are $20 (tour only) or $30 (by online order through June 8 for tour plus box lunch). Order tickets online anytime at brownpapertickets.com, “The Homestead Tour,” or through the link at OrcasIslandGardenClub.org.
You may also purchase tickets in person at Driftwood Nursery and Darvill’s Bookstore, Eastsound Village, Orcas Island.
May 10th, 2012 |
May 9th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
Co-op Member April Duke receives a Carolyn Buchanan watercolor piece from OPALCO staffer Shawni Wooding.
OPALCO Attendance and Voter Turn-out at Historic High
Not since April 1, 1954, when 910 people gathered to vote on the location of OPALCO’s headquarters, have so many OPALCO members gathered in one place! (Go to www.opalco.com/history to get the rest of the story). On Saturday, May 5th, 505 people attended the 75th Annual Meeting of Orcas Power & Light Cooperative on the ferry.
Voter turn-out was robust with a total of 1913 ballots cast for two board positions in District 2 (Orcas, Armitage, Big Double, Blakely, Fawn, Little Double and Obstruction Islands); 1763 absentee ballots were submitted in advance and 150 ballots cast on the ferry. The two successful candidates were incumbents Winnie Adams and Chris Thomerson. The final vote counts were: Thomerson – 1559; Adams – 1455; and Lance Evans – 733. Voter turn-out was at a historic high of 18.3% (2011 turn-out was 12.4%). This was also the first time that OPALCO offered online voting and 403
co-op “pioneers” took advantage of it.
A festive atmosphere with local musicians at the Orcas, Shaw and Lopez ferry landings set the tone for OPALCO’s 75th Anniversary Celebration. A handful of OPALCO’s 75 Longest-Standing Members (or their family representatives) were in attendance including Betty Hall, Vern Coffelt, Emily Reid, Louellen McCoy, Mildred Sandwith, Ellen Madan, Joanne Johnston, Jeri Ahrenius, Joyce Burghardt and Cal McLachlan. Past OPALCO Board members Frank Bret and Ed Marble were on the boat, as well as Joan Crosby, representing her late husband Roger who retired from the board in 2010. OPALCO honored its members who were 75 or greater with a commemorative anniversary mug.
OPALCO members were treated to a healthy and delicious brunch by the Coho Restaurant of Friday Harbor served in a 75th Anniversary insulated lunch bag. Each member received a limited edition commemorative package that included a canvas tote, 75th anniversary lapel pin and the 75th anniversary historical publication. More than 50 members took home door prizes that included local goods, energy efficiency tools, a 55-watt solar panel set-up, gift certificates, 75th Anniversary commemorative items, fun gift baskets, kitchen tools and gardening sets. One lucky member took home a gift certificate for a $750 bill credit! Six members who sent in their absentee ballots were drawn for $75 credits on their next OPALCO bills. The six lucky winners are: Ivaloe Meyer, Diane Steed, Ronald Woodard, Miles Erickson, Thomas Reynolds and Russell Smith.
General Manager Randy Cornelius answered questions about OPALCO’s Broadband Initiative and invited members to attend the Broadband Public Forums around the islands May 14-16. Cornelius emphasized that building out OPALCO’s fiber infrastructure—for Broadband to the community and Smart Grid applications on the electric side—is a big and expensive project that will not happen without member buy-in and some trade-offs. He also discussed the recent rate increase and invited members to weigh in on the Board’s discussion on the overall rate structure this summer when the next cost of service study will be conducted. Board meetings are open to the co-op membership.
Cornelius encouraged members to “do all you can to increase your own energy efficiency and conservation at home. The rates will be going up in the future, but we have some control through energy savings at home and a co-op wide commitment to conservation.” He applauded the volunteer MORE committee for their work in providing incentives for local renewable power in the islands and encouraged members to participate by buying blocks of local member-produced green power on their monthly bills. “For just $4 a month, you buy a block of MORE power and support local renewable energy,” Cornelius explained. He also encouraged members to round up their bills in support of Project PAL, stating, “for less than $6 a year, you can make a big difference for a co-op family that is struggling to make ends meet.”
OPALCO’s 75th Anniversary continues through the summer with Open House events on four islands and a special booth at the County Fair. To fully participate in this historical celebration, go to www.opalco.com/history to get the details on the Open House events, view the historic timeline, member stories, photos and videos representing the
75-year legacy of our local electric co-op. Members can contribute their own stories, photos and comments via the website or on Facebook (Orcas Power & Light Cooperative).
OPALCO is a member-owned cooperative electric utility serving more than 11,000 members on 20 islands in San Juan County. OPALCO provides electricity that is 97% greenhouse-gas free and is predominately generated by hydro-electric plants. OPALCO was founded in 1937 to bring electricity to rural islanders.
May 9th, 2012 |
May 5th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
By Margie Doyle
The seventh annual Actors Theater of Orcas Island PlayFest, which premiered last night at the Grange, combined local talent in playwriting, acting and direction for a smorgasbord of family/relationship dramas. Whether the performances were painfully serious or indulgently whimsical, the combined talents created an intense evening of the human condition.
It is a sign of the health of local theater when so many young talents are represented on the stage, as represented at PlayFest by writer/actor Indy Zoeller, writer/director Cara Russell, actors Zach Night and Peter Vinson, and actresses Dove Dingman, Regina Zwilling, Maria Massey, Vanessa Ryder and Olivia Roseberry.
New ATOI actors include Larry Coddington, Denise O’Toole, Rebecca Ferrell, and Tom Fiscus. Lin McNulty directed for the first time, joining Bev Leyman, Ron Herman, Doug Bechtel and Patty Monaco in that theater craft.
The sold-out audience on Opening Night engaged in the performances of:
Diminished Thirds, by Indy Zoeller, the eternal love triangle expressed in musical dynamics as three young friends struggle to move forward in “serious” life;
The Waiting Room, written by Jackie Bates with actresses Maura O’Neill, Angelica Mayo and Pat Ayers in a sisterly confrontation about how they coped with long-past family angst;
It’s All About the Breath, written by Luann Pamatian, ignites a simple two-character event into a whirlwind of subconscious characters, played delightfully by Dov Dingman, Larry Coddington and Suzanne Gropper. This play was the directorial debut of Cara Russell, who also wrote Thought for Food;
Square One, written by Lin McNulty, shows an uncomfortable reunion of two family members. McNulty said later she was encouraged to expose her characters more deeply as she wrote drafts of the play. The result, as enacted by Maria Massey and Rebecca Ferrell, is incredibly sad to contemplate, “what might have been,” or more pointedly, “what should never have been.”
In Thought for Food, Indy Zoeller returns as a Genius (not Muse) to lift writer Tom Fiscus over his writer’s block — or is it a lover’s block? Fiscus, who was last seen on the Orcas Center stage as the principled Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, is a marvel to watch as a frenzied dreamer.
Held, written by Ron Herman, is another painful look at family dynamics gone terribly wrong, as the daughter, played by Vanessa Ryder, “mothers” her demented mother, played fretfully by Suzanne Gropper, as they revisit the past.
May the Force is another Michele Griskey suburban sit-com with that renowned imaginative craziness Orcas audiences have come to expect from Griskey. And she doesn’t disappoint, nor do the actors — Freddy Hinkle as a deluded Star Wars fan, Pat Ayers as his understanding, career wife and Gary Bauder as, well, as the “slighly wicked and squeaky clean” spirit guide Darth Jedi, who haphazardly leads Hinkle back to reality (as it is known in the suburbs).
Hearty congratulations are due PlayFest Director Ron Herman for this year’s palette of local drama, and to Actors Theater Director Doug Bechtel, for bringing the acting muse to Orcas audiences — and to a new crop of local theater “people.”
The plays will be presented at the Grange Saturday May 5, and Sunday May 6. Then Friday May 11, Saturday May 12, and closing on Sunday May 13. All performances are at 7:30PM. This family-friendly event is $5 for adults and children. Tickets are available at Darvill’s, on the web at www.orcasactors.com and at the door. For additional information call Ron Herman, (831) 234-4960. And remember no one is ever turned away for inability to pay.
May 5th, 2012 |
April 29th, 2012, by Madie Murray
By Madie Murray
I had the privilege of having one of our wonderful business owners confide in me how very concerned they were about whether or not they would be able to sustain their business through this tough economic time on our Island. It made me think very hard about what I might be able to do to help besides shop, eat and play more locally myself.
I realized I could tell others in our incredible community how very much they are needed to help our precious population of unique businesses and restaurants survive. It’s done very simply…we go out of our way to patronize them any time and every time we can. If we’re going to practice sustainability, we can’t forget our fragile commerce.
We need to have dinner at the restaurants and buy items at businesses we rely on so heavily when we are looking for donation for fundraisers. How can we expect them to give something to us when they are barely hanging on themselves? Sometimes we haven’t even purchased anything there lately or ever, yet we’re asking them to give.
Granted. We are all trying to pinch our pennies, keep our non-profits going and save a nickel wherever we can. But we can’t forget that our businesses need US to keep them alive. If we are going to expect them to contribute to our causes, they should be able to expect us to support them, recommend them and patronize them – more now than ever before.
Summer is coming and the tourists and summer vacationers will once again visit our town, our businesses, our marinas, our restaurants and our many wonderful tourist activities, and I hope the town is bursting once again with renewed vigor. We need to remember, however, that they will go away come September and our businesses have to rely another long winter solely on us who live here. It’s time to pay it forward.
April 29th, 2012 |
April 28th, 2012, by Margie Doyle
From Janet Brownell, President,
Orcas Island Education Foundation
What are you doing Saturday of Memorial Weekend? Why barbecue at home — when you can attend the Orcas Island Education Foundation’s ““Picnic and Barbeque by the Sea” at Four Winds Camp in Deer Harbor?
This is OIEF’s most important annual fundraising event. OIEF’s sole mission is to support our public schools. This is year alone donors to OIEF have helped fund: lab tables for a Science Room, the Farm to Classroom program, the 6th grade class to the Olympic Park Institute, a knitting club, the school library, Applied Physics in the High School, the Elementary Secretary, the k-8 Waldron school, High School Winter Sports, and the restoration of a full bus schedule so every child could get to school!
Enjoy great barbequed brisket, hamburgers, veggie options, all the delicious sides, and dessert. Beer and wine will be available. Entertainment provided by the fabulous JP and the OK Rhythm Boys.
And what would a fundraiser be without an auction? This year our students have made “ocean inspired” projects for both the live and silent auction. There will also be a “paddle raise” to support the schools. Childcare is available.
We will even be offering a shuttle from school to Four Winds camp if you don’t want to drive! So there’s no excuse not to attend. What a great way to spend your Saturday, and a great way to support our schools. For more information contact Janet Brownell (maxdigger@gmail.com), but here’s what you need to know:
DATE/TIME: Saturday May 26th, 6p-9p
LOCATION: Four Winds Camp
TICKETS: $40 for a single OR $75 per couple on sale at Darvills, the Elementary school, OR buy online at: http://oief.org/events.html.
To ride the bus from school to camp contact: Cathy Ferran (376-1500). To reserve childcare contact Barb Skotte at: bskotte@yahoo.com
April 28th, 2012 |
Lin 
Janet Brownell 
Lisa Nakamura 
Kathleen Lunde 
Carol Owens 
Eska Wilson 
Peg Manning 
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What a great idea for such wonderful folks!