Dear Editors,

Stan Matthews sent you an email with an attachment of a News Release from San Juan County called “Return the Grants for Odlin Park Improvements?”  What they failed to tell you is why so many people on Lopez are upset about the renovation plan for Odlin Park.

Two main points:

First, the Odlin Park Master Plan 2006 put out by the San Juan County Parks Department shows the elimination of the only baseball field in a park on Lopez.  Even teams from San Juan and Orcas have came over and played on this field.  Locals use this field as I have placed a couple of youtube links below.  Parks now has some new drawings that have the baseball field included.

Second, the San Juan County Parks Department wants to remove from Odlin Park an old cannon that was placed 63 years ago by the Lopez Island American Legion as a memorial for the war dead.   The origional Legion members used this cannon as a hands on display, they played on it,  they brought there children to play on it, and the children brought there children to play on it.

Orcas Angels' float bedecked with balloons wins a "Community in Action" parade award

Record-setting number of entries & record-setting prizes handed out

By Lance Evans,Executive Director
Orcas Island Chamber of Commerce

The crowds turned out in large numbers and the parade entries were as varied as one could imagine this past Saturday in Eastsound. The record number 66 entries all took part in the annual Orcas Island parade, with the theme of “Community in Action.”

Led by our very ‘community active’ Grand Marshals, Dick & Velma Doty, the parade line-up featured floats, classic cars, honor guards, and imaginative entries to fascinate all who watched it go by.  This year there was $600 in prizes handed out by the Chamber of Commerce. The judging was conducted by the volunteer parade helpers, with final approval by the Board of Directors.

The Chamber saw more creative entries this year than ever before, and thanks all who entered.  Picking the winners was an extremely tough challenge. The winners in this year’s parade were:

Float-related Entries

• First prize ($250)           Orcas Off Leash Area
• Second prize ($150)       Cub Scouts Pack 4091
• Third prize ($100)         Orcas Angels

Non-float Entry

• Prize winner ($100):       Orcas Island Community Foundation

The Chamber thanks all those who helped, and took part in the parade, including our always-outstanding announcers – Ken & Karen Speck, and the Orcas Island Community Band!

By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager

As San Juan County begins an intensive effort to revise its Solid Waste Management Plan, the County’s system of handling and disposing of garbage, recycling and solid waste finds itself surrounded by controversy.

The solid waste utility is running in the red, the County Council has [recently] approved a 14% increase in tipping fees, the Town of Friday Harbor has backed out of its offer to sell the County land for a planned new transfer station, there is currently no revenue source to pay for the more than $2.5 million dollars in planned and needed capital improvements county-wide, there are calls for more local control of waste disposal systems on Lopez and Orcas Islands; and major contracts for hauling, recycling, and disposal of waste will be up for renewal within the next two years.

The County solid waste utility will spend more than $18 million on operations and capital projects over the next six years and, despite two failed attempts in recent years, the County has not completed and adopted a long overdue update to its Solid and Hazardous Waste Management Plan (SWMP).

By Stan Matthews
County Communications Program Manager

Many of the Lopezians attending a public meeting at Odlin Park on June 30 suggested that the County Parks and Recreation Department consider returning grants for $400,000 worth of renovations to the park and leave the property as it is.

More than 60 Lopezians turned out to offer feedback on design options for the renovation of Odlin Park. Four years earlier similar meetings, asking input on the park’s master plan, drew a half-dozen or fewer people; however more than 280 Lopezians signed a petition supporting the master plan when it was completed.

For more than 40 years Odlin Park has served a dual role on Lopez Island as a local use park and a tourist destination. Some campers have been bringing their families to Odlin Park for three generations.

The County won a $150,000 the state grant to make capital improvements in the park through a highly competitive process involving cities and counties across the state, after a planning and public involvement process that has lasted several years. The balance of the funding is to come through grants from the Public Facilities Financing Assistance Program.

Note: Registration for most of these classes closes on Friday, July 9. Don’t miss out!

By Linda Sheridan
Orcas Rec Coordinator

Orcas Rec Programs July 11^th – July 19^th

Join us for these fun upcoming programs! Pre-register this week to save your spot!

SEAWEED RAMBLE When: Sun, July 11, (9am-1pm) Where: Meet at Camp Orkila Parking Lot at 8:45 to start walking to the beach at 9am Ages: 9 to adult Cost: $27 Minimum of 17 participants You must pre-register by Friday July 9^th!

GOLF CLINIC When: July 12-23 (9am-10am class, plus 10-10:30 open golf)   Ages: Youth (10-17 yrs old) Mon and Wed, Adults (18 and up) Thurs. and Fri. Where: Orcas Golf Club Cost: $60 You must pre-register by Friday July 9^th!

WHALE WATCHING TRIP with Deer Harbor Charters When: Fri July 16^th (9am-1pm) Where: Deer Harbor Marina Ages: 7-to adult Cost: $30 ages 7-17; $45 ages 18-up Limit: 32 participants total and adult spots will be limited. You must pre-register by July 14^th!

BEGINNING VIOLIN CAMP When: July 12-23 Mon, Wed, & Fri (10am-1pm) Fri July 23 noon final recital. Where: public elementary school Ages: 7 & up Cost: $85 You must pre-register by Friday July 9^th !

Farm to Cafeteria Garden Keeper Chelsea Cates hangs flags for Farm to Classroom kids while they harvest some radishes from the Garden.

By Madie Murray
Farm to Cafeteria Committee Chair

Vicki Bartram’s grandson, Jordan, made a flag for soccer camp last year.  That keepsake gleefully wafted and waved in her garden all summer long and ultimately planted another seed in the school garden.

Vicki brought her idea to Jordan’s mom, Mandy Randolph, as a project for Mandy’s Farm to Classroom kids.  It was a great idea for several reasons:  it provided an independent project for the kids to do while in the garden, the flags might act as a deterrent against birds that always try to invade the strawberry patch, and they just look fun and playful.   Needless to say, the kids took this project on with great enthusiasm.

Old sheets torn into squares, a quick lesson about the attributes of flags, and some brainstorming of garden objects (veggies, fruits, sun, water, soil, worms, even rabbits, to name a few) formed the elements of the project.  Over the course of a few weeks, the kids were sent into the garden to create their own special flags.  As they did so, they made a positive wish for the school and its garden.

San Juan County Public Works Department is holding an Informational Open House Wednesday, July 14, 2010, 4:00pm at the Olga Community Center, to present the Point Lawrence Road Culvert Replacement.

The purpose of the meeting is to present the new replacement bridge plans and answer questions about the project. It is anticipated that construction of the new bridge will take place in the summer of 2011.

The public is encouraged to attend and/or write to San Juan County Public Works, PO Box 729, Friday Harbor WA 98250, or email pubwks@sjcpublicworks.org. For further information, contact Dan Vekved, Project Manager, at (360) 370-0504 or John Van Lund, County Engineer, at 370-0510.

By Kathi Ciskowski

The 60^th annual Orcas Island Community Parade began on Saturday, July 3 at 11 a.m under gray, dappled skies.   Before it was over though, the sun broke through and shone, punctuated by a light breeze, for the rest of the day.

“Community in Action” was the theme for the 2010 parade. Approximately 65 organizations slowly made their way down North Beach Road to the admiration and enthusiasm of a crowd that lined the entire route. Announcers Ken and Karen Speck described each group as it stopped in front of Cherie Lindholm Realty on their journey through Eastsound.

There were regal horseback riders, decorated classic vehicles, local businesses, and a range of political candidates. The Grand Marshals, Velma and Dick Doty, waved to the crowd from a yellow convertible.

The Orcas Center featured a “Let Us Entertain You” feather- and sequin-bedecked float while the Salmonberry School honored the First Nations with greenery  and masks in their entry. The Orcas Island Public School had a several groups of walkers including students, staff, parents and alumni celebrating their support for the school.

By Justin Paulsen
BPI Certified Building Performance Analyst
& Envelope Professional

Over the past several months there has been a healthy discussion in our community related to the issue of maintenance of our schools and how that issue pertains to the current proposed bond issue on the August ballot.  For months, I have also peppered the school board with similar questions.  After doing much research, here is some pertinent information:

When the Middle School Complex was built, what was the objective life cycle estimated for the buildings being constructed?

Based upon accounts of past board members, the decisions made concerning building materials and methods were focused on providing a 15-20 year life for the buildings.  Based on this projection, the buildings have out-performed their intended lifespan by a decade, regardless of maintenance related issues.

Is there any level of maintenance that would allow for the current buildings to meet ADA and/or current seismic codes?

The buildings don’t meet current, and in some cases, the code requirements at the time of construction.  Lack of shear paneling and lack of insulation in the building structure could not have been changed by better maintenance.  Based upon a 2005 engineering study by Coughlin, Porter, Lundeen Engineers, the buildings “…do not meet the requirements for a complete lateral force resisting system” causing them to fall short of the “Life-Safety Performance Goal”.

Kandis Susol and her artwork, which will be on display the month of July at the Artworks

The Orcas Island Artworks will feature “Novellas” – encaustic paintings by Kandis Susol, through the month of July.

Encaustic is an ancient medium consisting of beeswax, damar resin and pigments mixed and applied under heat. Kandis carves, scrapes, presses and adds oil stick and collage materials to her surfaces in an abstract expressionist manner. She has been experimenting with this medium for five years.

Kandis’ work is influenced by her studies in Zen Buddhism, Japanese garden design and the Japanese tea ceremony, which follows four basic principles: harmony, purity, respect, and tranquility. Her studio is located in a 120 year old apple orchard she calls “Jaku An”which means “arbor of tranquility.”

“I am forever inspired to create beauty just by living on this island,” she says. “The quiet, sacred vibration of the island allows me to slow down and be with the medium to let it unfold into being.”

The Artworks is open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sleepwalking Towards Silent Seas

Islanders who use well water know that a small plumbing fault, such as a running toilet, left unattended for long enough can run a well dry. Wells near the shoreline can be ruined by  saltwater intrusion when they are over pumped. Thus, given enough time, a seemingly small plumbing fault can cause major expense to the well owner and damage the aquifer. Ignoring small problems can have large consequences.

Following World War II the development of synthetic petroleum-based chemicals for home use accelerated, and the accumulation of tiny insults to our environment began. We mostly viewed these chemicals as positive additions to our lives until Rachel Carson published Silent Spring about the devastation caused by DDT on bird populations.

Today, we are slowly moving towards Silent Seas that are devoid of fish, orca whales, seals, and sea birds. Seemingly insignificant doses of synthetic chemicals are transported by storm water into our wetlands, streams, lakes, and marine waters. If we continue to deny our impact as homeowners on our environment, our seas will eventually become dominated by the slow pulse of jellyfishes and the ebb and flow of toxic red tides.

WSU Extension Beach Watchers Latest Graduating Class -- June 2010

By Shann Weston
WSU Extension Beach Watcher Coordinator

WSU San Juan County Extension is proud to announce the graduation of the
2010 WSU Beach Watcher Class. Students of all ages traveled the islands and
learned about the Salish Sea Ecosystem from many talented instructors. WSU
Beach Watchers give back to the community by assisting scientific research,
stewardship projects and by providing education and outreach to residents
and island visitors.

Friday Harbor
1-Peter Goddu
2-Margaret Langlie
3-Paulette Brunner
4-Margaret Johnson
5-Steve Porten
6-Chris Curtin

Orcas
7-Win Rhodes
8-Sarah Wixom
9-Ronald Kinner
10-Rusty Cynthia Johnson

Lopez
11-Kitty Dolan
12-Josef Blanc-Ridings
13-Ann Goss
14-Dandy Porter
15-Earnie Clifton
16-Kay Keeler

To reach Shann Weston, call (360) 370-7666; email:  sweston@wsu.edu. For more information about WSU Beach Watchers, go to www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu

Contributed by Helen Venada, SJC Solid Waste Division

Free Agricultural Plastics Recycling Events – San Juan County

Please don’t throw all those nursery pots away!  You can give them a second life by recycling them this October on the Islands.  You’ll also be able to recycle CLEAN plastic nursery flats, plant labels, hay bale wrap, drip tape, strapping, tarps, reemay row cover, and possibly more (depending on fall markets)!  “Clean” means dry and free of loose dirt, hay, etc.

Mark your calendars!  San Juan County Public Works, San Juan County Fair, WSU Master Gardeners/Ag Program, San Juan Islands Conservation District, and the Agricultural Resources Committee are co-sponsoring the Islands’ fourth series of “agricultural plastics” recycling collection events:

ORCAS:       Monday, October 4th, time to be determined, Solid Waste facility

LOPEZ:        Thursday, October 7th, time to be determined, Solid Waste facility

SAN JUAN:  Saturday, October 9th, 9am to 1pm, County Fairgrounds

[You’ll be hearing more about the October 9th county-wide “Flea Market / Swap Meet / Agricultural Plastics Recycling” combination event in the near future.]

Recycled agricultural plastics are re-used in the manufacture of truck bed liners, black plastic landscape supplies, drain pipe, plastic lumber for benches, posts and pilings, pallets, automotive components, tool handles and black trash bags.  More than 26 tons of agricultural plastics have been recycled from San Juan County since 2007!

The first meeting of the OPALCO MORE (Member Owned Renewable Energy) Steering Committee is scheduled for July 8^th, 2010, from 10:30 – 12:30 at the Orcas Ferry Landing.  The meeting will take place in the county’s meeting room below the Russell’s Landing Store (10 Killebrew Lake Rd).    The doors will be open at 10 a.m.

OPALCO extended an invitation for members to nominate themselves or other members to a Steering Committee that will lead a public process to build a new green power program.  Energy Services is calling the new program MORE (Member Owned Renewable Energy) – although it may also include some additional conservation measures above and beyond what OPALCO can currently offer through its Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) funded program.

OPALCO members who were interested in this new program and in leading a public process applied to join the MORE Steering Committee which will work through the summer to come up with a proposal. The MORE Steering Committee will publish meeting notices and keep all meetings open to the public. Meetings will be held in venues that rotate around the islands.

Bullwings: Orcas Issues is proud to collaborate with the Stewardship Network of the San Juans to bring its series, “A Short Run to the Sea” to our readers.

We will reproduce daily articles from the series created and published on Stewardship Connections, an electronic publication of the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee and Lead Entity for Salmon Recovery.

The individual choices we make in our homes, with our cars and boats and on our land are not really individual choices.  They do not exist in isolation.  Collectively, our individual choices can have a significant affect our resources, particularly the health and safety of our fresh water and marine water as well as the numerous species that inhabit them.

We now know that currently the greatest threat to our water comes from numerous daily “non-point-source pollutants”.  It is the accumulation of many small sources of contaminants that add up to have a significant cumulative impact.   Fluid leaks from our cars and their brake pad and exhaust particles add up.   Contaminants from poorly maintained septic systems add up.

Bullwings: Orcas Issues is proud to collaborate with the Stewardship Network of the San Juans to bring its series, “A Short Run to the Sea” to our readers.

We will reproduce daily articles from the series created and published on Stewardship Connections, an electronic publication of the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee and Lead Entity for Salmon Recovery.

Smart Septic Use Saves Money

Careful product choices and just using less can protect your septic system, your wallet and our rivers

by Robin Jacobson

While living on a small farm in Oregon, we discovered that it can be really expensive and, to put it mildly, strongly odiferous to learn the hard way about septic tank maintenance.  We had recently purchased the property from a nice family with five children who, as we learned after two gardens, a lawn and a goat pasture had to be dug up, had never tested or pumped out their septic tank in eight years.  And they had apparently thrown anything and everything down it, according to the brave man who dug the trench and called out his increasingly interesting discoveries to us.  This followed the meltdown of the home’s furnace after its filter had also not been touched in eight years.  But that’s another story.  This story is about a short run to the sea from a home septic system.

Contributed by Steve Marler, San Juan County Fire Marshal

The open burning season comes to an end as of the first of July. All San Juan County burn permits expire at that time. Depending upon weather conditions at the time, burn permits will be available again starting in October.

Recreational fires are still allowable and do not require a permit. To qualify as a recreational fire, the burn area cannot be more than two-feet in diameter, and be centered in a clear area at least six feet in diameter. Designated campfire rings at developed campsites meet this fire safety requirement.

Should weather conditions become very warm and dry this summer or fall, a total ban on outside fires may be instituted. Should that become necessary, signs will be posted around the County, and all media outlets will be notified.

The San Juan County Fire Marshal’s Office is tasked with maintaining the fire safety of our beautiful County. Fire prevention services are provided throughout the entire County through a cooperative agreement between the fire protection districts based on Orcas, San Juan, Lopez and Shaw Islands.

Tree falls into Orcas Suites

On Monday, June 28, a sizable tree fell into the lodgings at Orcas Suites, above Rosario. Plans are being made to house guests elsewhere.

Photo courtesy of John Erly.

Contributed by Krista Bouchey of the Funhouse

During the Teen Night Meeting last Wednesday, June 23, we opened up the discussion with our proposed questions:

• Do parents see teen night as a safe option?
• If not, what can we do to make it safe and appealing?  Check in/out system?
• Lock in?  Do teens see teen night as safe and fun?
• How do we get them involved?
• Is the current middle school policy working?
• Should parents be more or less involved in teen night?  How can we get them to participate?

Additional concerns that were brought up were:

• The Funhouse being used as an ‘alibi’ location while teens actually went elsewhere
• drug and alcohol use during teen night hours.

Ideas generated at the meeting that we are considering implementing include:

• a check in/out system accompanied by parent contact information
• a parent/teen contract or first time registration to ensure that teens and parents are all in agreement to the rules at the Funhouse
• more extensive lighting around the building

We will also be encouraging more parent involvement/volunteers and more activities to engage parents and teens.

To contact the Funhouse,  go to www.TheFunhouse.org or call 376-7177.

From State Senator Kevin Ranker’s Office

Thanks to concerned and sustained prevention efforts at the state level, there hasn’t yet been a major oil spill in Puget Sound. State Sen. Kevin Ranker, D-San Juan, says there is still critical work to be done to keep it that way.

Ranker sponsored legislation that passed into law in 2009, capping a twelve year effort at the state and federal level to develop a sustainable funding mechanism for the Neah Bay Rescue Tug — the first and best defense to a Gulf of Mexico-type disaster in our ocean waters.  The bill required the shipping industry responsible for the billions of gallons of oil that is transported through the Puget Sound each year to permanently fund a rescue tug for distressed ships in the Strait of Juan de Fuca or on the open-ocean coast. Washington State taxpayers have paid for this expense for years. Ranker’s bill switched the burden from the tax payers to the industry that posses the risk — saving millions in taxpayer dollars while providing long-term sustainable funding for our best defense again a catastrophic spill.