islands' sounder, february 08, 2012

by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONGEditor/Associate Publisher

The school district has shaved off a hand-ful of expenses to make up an unexpected shortfall.

“We built a tight budget, we overestimated enrollment and we underestimated expenses,” said Superintendent Barbara Kline at a budget meeting last week.

The school board has been grappling with a $120,000 shortfall, and asked district staff to prepare a list of possible cuts. School adminis-tration looked at every possible angle, includ-

ing making changes to the bus routes. Ideas included canceling one day of service or after-noon service and changing the routes to take less time.

The board strongly disliked making major changes to transportation.

“The impact to the kids is not worth the $8,000 in savings,” said board member Chris Sutton. “For some people, it will be a big hard-ship. Some kids might not make it to school if we cancel one day. I think this is too disruptive to the kids.”

The board agreed to the following cost-saving measures, which are effective Feb. 27: reduction of .57 FTE para-educator, reduc-

by CALI BAGBY and COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG

Staff report

Twenty plastic bags, towels, sur-gical gloves, sweat pants, plastic, duct tape, and a golf ball were found in a gray whale that washed up on Arroyo Beach in West Seattle in 2010.

Whales and sea turtles often feed on plastic bags mistaking them for squid, and birds often confuse plastic pellets for fish eggs. A study of 38 green turtles found that 61 percent had ingested some form of marine debris such as plastic bags, cloth, and rope or string, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

“Nothing should die because it’s ingesting consumable products,” said Stephanie Buffum, director of Friends of the San Juans, who is pushing for the elimination of plastic bags at store checkouts in Washington state. “We could be doing better in terms of designing a better bag and modifying our behavior. It’s a pretty simple task.”

House Bill 1877 and Senate Bill 5780, both bills to ban plastic bags and promote reusable bags, were introduced last year and failed to

pass. Similar bills House Bill 2404 and Senate Bill 5780 were reintro-duced again this year by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon and Rep. Marko Liias.

Opponents of the bills say they would limit consumer choice and represent an unnecessary govern-ment overreach.

Although the statewide ban did not pass this year, Buffum said it’s not bad news.

“We had an amazing presence this year in the legislature. We had a great hearing, worked closely with the Chairs of the House and Senate Environment Committees, got support for the bill from the Speaker of the House and the majority leader, and some amaz-ing press, including an editorial from the Seattle Times,” Buffum said. “We started a great conver-sation, and it’s only going to get better.”

Local business have expressed their support of the bill, includ-ing Jennell and Brian Kvistad of Blossom Grocery on Lopez Island, Steve and Terri Mason of the Shaw General Store on Shaw Island and Verne Howard of Kings Market and Friday Harbor Market Place on San Juan Island.

In a press release signed by the above businesses, they wrote “as

grocery and retail store owners, we don’t need to provide plastic bags to customers at check out. Many people bring their own reusable bags and others may opt for paper sacks. This keeps plastic out of the environment and saves busi-nesses on overhead costs, which are passed on to the consumer anyway. We know that running responsible businesses means that we have to be good stewards of the environment.”

Jason Linnes, manager of Island Market on Orcas, says his store has never used plastic checkout bags.

“We’re not a fan and we never have been a fan,” Linnes said. “We only use plastic to put over meat and in the produce department.”

Linnes says he supports a state-wide ban of plastic at checkout stands.

Orcas Homegrown Market and Gourmet Delicatessen only uses recycled plastic bags in the pro-duce department. In addition, the store accepts clean, folded paper bags to reuse. Orcas Village Store also only offers plastic for pro-duce.

“Pretty soon I will be using just paper in the produce section – as soon as the plastic rolls run out,” said co-owner Ron Rebman, who is in favor of the proposed ban.

In a letter to Rep. Kristine Lytton, the San Juan County Council expressed their support of the bill, citing the unnecessary pollution of plastic on the islands as their main concern. The council wrote that

Orcas School District makes tough budget decisions

Meredith M. Griffith/Staff PhotoViking Lana Bronn during last year’s softball season. Currently, the school does not have funding for spring athletics.

Local grocers get on board with banning plastic bags at checkout stands

SEE PLASTIC, PAGE 6

SOUNDERTHE ISLANDS’ Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County

WEDNESDAY, February 8, 2012 n VOL. 45, NO. 6 n 75¢ www.islandssounder.com

How to reach us

Sounder deadlines

Office: 376-4500Fax: 376-4501Advertising: [email protected]: 1-800-388-2527, classifieds@ soundpublishing.comEditor: editor@ islandssounder.com

Display advertising: Friday at noonClassified advertising: Monday at noonLegal advertising: Thursday at noonPress releases, Letters: Friday at 3 p.m.

SEE SCHOOL, PAGE 6

Banning the bag

Booster Club working on funding for spring sports

Star power

Meredith M. Griffith/Staff PhotoSinger Marissa Veldman after winning Orcas Has Talent on Feb. 4. The annual competition is open to performers in all mediums. For coverage of the event, see the story on page 11.

V-day section – Page 7-10

WWW.ISLANDSSOUNDER.COM

People Call us at 376-4500, or email [email protected] to submit news items about weddings, engagements, graduations, awards and more.

Teddy McCullough, a 2011 graduate of Lopez Island High School, has just

been given the “Outstanding Youth Award” from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America.

McCullough is currently a freshman at American University in Washington, D.C. and is an intern at the Office of National Control Policy.

He founded the San Juan County Youth Council while in high school.

Alex Cook, also of Lopez, received the same award last year.

Lopez High graduate given national award

“We’ll review, then pick up where we left off, focusing on INFANTS’ AND PRESCHOOLERS’ thoughts and feelings.

New attendees welcome!” - Catherine

Returning by Popular Request!

FREE CHILDCARE at the Senior Center for attendees. FREE PIZZA and refreshments.

Catherine Henderson, Ph.D., A.R.N.P., is an advanced registered nurse practitioner with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. She is a training and supervising child and

adult psychoanalyst at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Institute and a faculty member at the Center of Infant Mental Health at the University of Washington.

Her private practice is in Bellevue, where she sees mothers and infants, children, adolescents and adults for psychotherapy and psychoanalysis.

Catherine is a member of the Orcas Medical Foundation board of directors.

THREE-HOUR SEMINAR FEB. 18 5 to 8 p.m., Saturday

Betty Lundeen Room, Senior Center

FREE!

Part 2: Knowing Your Child,Your Child Knowing You

Sponsored by

PUBLIC WORKS OPEN HOUSE

San Juan County Public Works is hosting an Open House on Thursday, February 16 at the Fire Hall from 11:30 to 3:00. Orcas Island projects listed on the 6-Year Transportation Improvement Plan will be displayed. Please plan to stop by and give us your thoughts on some of the upcom-ing projects.

• Meet the new PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR

• Learn about the SIGN REPLACEMENT & HAZARD MITIGATION PROGRAM

• See the latest plans for the MT. BAKER ROAD IMPROVEMENT PROJECT

Go Italian! lunch @ Enzos!Dinner @ Sazio/Chimayo

Facebook photoTeddy McCullough

Orcas Christian School invites everyone to the second of this year’s free all-you-can-eat Community Dinners on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

They will be serving from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. so gather all of your friends, neighbors and sweethearts to join you for a great eve-ning, say organizers.

“OCS does such a great job making these dinners special. It is a fantastic way to have

a delicious meal with everyone you love hanging out with!” said islander Lynsey Smith.

The Italian meal will feature lasagna, spaghetti with red and white sauce, steamed broccoli, string beans, salad bar, french bread, Valentine cakes, and a drink. The gymnasium will be open for play.

The final Community Dinner of the year will be on March 13.

Free community meal

LOCAL ART: ‘SHORES AND TIDES’

Marj Franke photo“Shores and Tides,” a collection of paintings, photos and seashells at the Orcas Senior Center. It runs Jan. 31 to March 1. The above image was taken by Marj Franke of Eastsound.

by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONGEditor/Associate Publisher

When Lisa Maier’s aunt passed away four years ago, she brought home some of her belongings. The last thing Maier imagined was that one of the boxes contained explo-sive materials.

A frequent seller on Ebay, Maier recently posted her aunt’s 1930s first aid kit on the website. It gar-nered an unusual response.

“Another seller said to me, ‘You should know that this has an explosive in it and you should call the fire department,” Maier says.

The item in question is called “picric acid,” a chemical compound commonly used as an explosive. In the early 20th century, picric was used as an antiseptic and a treatment for burns, malaria, her-

pes, and smallpox. It was often included in first aid kits.

In Maier’s case, there were sev-eral packages of picric acid gauze pads in the aid kit. When wet, the compound is not dangerous, but over time it can dry out and crystallize.

“It can be an explosive from friction or movement – anything can set it off,” Maier said.

Upon learning about the dan-gerous item in her home, Maier carefully carried it outside and put it on the farthest corner of her property on Scenic Lane in Eastsound.

“It probably wasn’t the wisest thing, but I just wanted it out of the house,” she said.

Maier called the sheriff and Orcas Fire and Rescue. The picric acid was roped off and a deputy

stood guard all night until the regional bomb squad could arrive the next morning, Feb. 1.

Members of the bomb squad responded to the scene and made the item safe for transport to the public works yard, where it was safely detonated.

“I commend all those involved

for taking all the necessary steps to bring this situation to a safe resolution,” said Sheriff Rob Nou. “Improper handling or disposal could have resulted in a tragic outcome.”

Maier says bomb responders

told her picric acid is one of the most explosive materials they deal with.

“I want people to know about this,” she said. “I had absolutely no idea.”

Bomb squad makes visit to Orcas

contributed photosAbove: Firefighter George Schermerhorn shakes hands with Division Chief Patrick Shepler after responding to the call. Left: the picric acid pads.

S A N J U A N C O U N T Y P U B L I C N O T I C EComments Requested on the revised SMP Update Inventory and

Characterization Report, now availableThe SMP Shoreline Inventory and Characterization Report is a vital element of the County’s SMP update process. The report splits the County’s 440+ miles of shoreline into management areas and then subdivides these based on the presence of different environments, land use patterns, or ecosystem processes. The Inventory and Characterization Report is intended to set the baseline for the County’s shore-line ecological functions and values. It is this baseline that ‘no net loss’ calculations will be based on and therefore determine the level, if any, of protection needed for a specific resource.The County will collect comments, criticisms, and corrections from the public until 1 p.m.Thursday, March 15, 2012. The Inventory and Characterization Report is approximately 340 pages long and is accompa-nied by 110 different maps. The report and maps are available online at:http://www.sanjuanco.com/smp/SMP_CoreDocs.aspx, Electronic copies are available on CD, free of charge, from the Community Development and Planning Office (CD&P) at 135 Rhone Street in Friday Harbor. Please send your corrections, comments, or criticisms to Colin Maycock, AICP [email protected], or mail to SJC CD&P at P.O. Box 947, Friday Harbor, WA, 98250. If you have any questions, please call Colin Maycock, AICP at 360-370-7573.

Washington NewspaperPublishers Association

Call today to buy a Region or the Entire State!

360.376.4500

Save the date for the Friends of the Orcas Island Library’s annual Winter Book Sale.

It will be held Feb. 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the cafeteria of the Orcas Island Public School.

All books are $2 for hard-backs and $1 for paper-backs.

This year’s selection

includes art books galore, children’s books aplenty, plus oodles of mystery, fic-tion, classics, poetry, and boating and sports books as well as history, memoir, and rare books.

Winter book saleThe Pulitzer Prize winning novel “To Kill a Mockingbird”

by Harper Lee will be performed at Orcas Center on Friday and Saturday, February 10-11 and 17-18 at 7:30 p.m.

The play is renowned for its warmth and humor, despite dealing with the serious issues of rape and racial inequality. The production is directed by Robert Hall and performed by a local star-studded cast. Tickets are $15 for adults and $11 for students, $2 off for Orcas Center members. Go to www.orcascenter.org or call 376-2281 ext. 1.

‘Mockingbird’ play at Orcas Center

Where can you get calzone, fresh kale salad with dried fruits and cheeses and chocolate pudding cake for just $5? Try the public school cafeteria on Feb. 15 where Anne Garfield will be serving up this delicious lunch for our kids and anyone else wishing to partake between 11:30 a.m. and 1 p.m. Garfield will also be visiting Paula Towne’s food class, where she will discuss kale, the “Veggie of the Month.”

School celebrity chef MCKINSTRYCONSTRUCTION, INC.

[email protected]

376-5367


Secure your trash load Tough times or good times, it seems to me that the very best way to make sure our society can be successful for all is to make sure we have well educated people to run that society. The only way to do that is for all of us to join together to support good education. We’ve been waiting for the state to fully fund since the 1977 Doran deci-sion – so we’d best not wait for the latest State Supreme Court decision to force the legislature to fully fund our schools. We need to do it! And we need to do it now!

Yes, after working at OISD for just under 30 great years, the Orcas schools are dear to my heart. And yes, I do have three terrific grand-sons attending the schools and I care mightily that their educational needs be met. That’s my full dis-closure, but beyond all that, there are hundreds more children on our island who need the best we can give! Please join me in voting yes for our schools’ levy.

Coleen O’BrienOrcas Island

Providing our island children with a strong education is vital to the health of our community. Achieving this in a state ranked 38th in the nation for funding pub-lic schools is especially challenging during one of the toughest eco-nomic times in recent history.

Our school district leaders have worked diligently to create a sen-sible proposal that asks voters to approve a four-year levy to provide about 25% funding for vital operat-ing expenses including the salaries of all personnel, and such basics as keeping the lights on and books to read. The new four-year levy would replace an existing operational levy at a savings to tax payers of one cent per thousand.

It is important to note that the capital levy passed by islanders last November paid for critical upgrades to the elementary school like heat-ing and clean water.

We have a great school! Teachers, staff, students, parents, commu-nity members and leadership have worked hard to create a positive environment where all children

receive a strong education. That strong education yields graduating seniors who go on to successful lives as contributing citizens.

Please join us in support of our fantastic school and vote “yes” for the Orcas Island School District Levy.

Kevin and Nancy O’BrienEastsound

Vote yes for the Maintenance and Operations Levy in February that will be replacing the expiring M & O Levy. Revenue from this levy makes up about 25 percent of the district’s budget and helps to pay for teachers and staff that are not covered by the state, as well as other essential costs the district has. With additional cuts from the state ahead, it will be more critical than ever that the Orcas Island School District’s M & O Levy is passed in February!

Also, please contact your state representatives ASAP to insist they: find new revenue to adequately support, rather than continue to cut, education, social services and public safety that make our com-munities healthy and strong; sup-port our existing public school classrooms and alternative learning programs with adequate funding, instead of siphoning off millions to create charter schools that voters in our state have already rejected 3 times; reject a state takeover of K-12 educators’ health benefit plans; and retain the current K-12 educators’ health benefit plan, which costs less and provides more than the proposed state health plan.

It’s easy and so important! Call or e-mail today. Their names and

contact info are: Rep. Kris Lytton (on Education Committee!) [email protected], 360-786-7800. Senator Kevin Ranker [email protected], 360-786-7678; Rep. Jeff Morris [email protected] 360-786-7970.

Anne Ford McGrathMarny Gaylord

Pam JenkinsMandy Randolph

Lyn PerryCatherine Laflin

Lorena StankevichThe Orcas Education Association

Executive Board

CAO is not balancedUnder the council’s proposed

Critical Area Ordinance, applicants will be required to navigate a com-plex set of rules and restrictions to get the county’s approval for the use of their land. Applicants will have to prove they will not “impact” the environment with the “develop-ment” they propose on their land and implement expensive “mitiga-tion” of the theoretical impacts.

In the draft ordinance being writ-ten by the county’s planning staff the rules are vague, with the “direc-tor” being given the final authority to decide on the approval or denial of a citizen’s permit application. Under the proposed ordinance, the un-elected director becomes the most powerful and authoritative person in the permitting process. Let’s hope the county has a director with the wisdom of Solomon – not likely based on recent experience.

When it comes to balancing the CAO with the other normal plan-

Editorial

You’re driving down the road, car loaded up with recycle and garbage, on your way to the transfer station.

Along the way, you see a flattened cardboard box by the side of the road. Then you encounter a truck with loosely secured re-cycle items in the back. You watch as the wind works paper towels free of the load.

This may not happen every time you venture out on a dump run, but most islanders will agree that this scenario is not unfamiliar.

We would like to remind everyone that there are penalties for not adequately securing your trash items.

There is RCW is 46.61.655, “Failure to Secure Load,” which carries a $216 fine. If the action causes property damage, such as a flat tire or broken windshield, it is a misdemeanor crime. If the debris injures somebody, it could be a gross misdemeanor crime.

In addition, a county ordinance requires all loads to transfer stations be covered with a tarp. There is a fee surcharge for non-compliance.

Then there are littering laws. RCW 70.93.060 sets minimum fines for littering and illegal dumping. Local sheriff’s offices or health departments carry out most enforcement of litter laws. The fines range from $50 to $5,000, depending on the kind of littering. Littering more than a cubic yard is a gross misdemeanor and can bring up to a year in jail.

Citizens who witness littering acts can call the litter hotline at 1-866-LITTER-1 and report basic information such as date, time, location, the license plate of the vehicle, and a description of the vehicle. Department of Ecology staff will cross-reference the reported license plate with the Department of Licensing to get the name and address of the vehicle’s registered owner.

When you are loading up your vehicle with trash or recycle items, take the time to make sure debris will not be carried away on your drive to the dump. Enforcing litter laws is difficult, so you may not get “caught” or fined. But being careless with your waste makes our earth just that much more dirty.

To the Editor:

OPINIONIslands’ Sounder The Islands’ Sounder welcomes letters from its readers. Letters should be

typewritten and not exceed 350 words. Preference is given to local writers and topics. They must be signed and include a daytime phone. Send to [email protected] or PO Box 758, Eastsound, WA 98245. Letters may be edited.

Marcia Van Dyke [email protected]

Colleen Smith Armstrong [email protected]

Meredith Griffith [email protected]

Scott Rasmussen [email protected]

Cathi Brewer

Administrative Kathy Everett [email protected]

Gail Anderson-Toombs administrative gandersontoombs assistant @islandssounder.comMarketing Artist Scott Herning [email protected]

[email protected]

P.O. Box 758, 217 Main Street, Eastsound, WA 98245

(360) 376-4500 (800) 388-2527

Fax (360) 376-4501 The Islands’ Sounder (USPS #764-230) is published weekly for $30 a year to San Juan County addresses; $55 per year to Washington state addresses; and $55 per year to out-of-state addresses by the Islands’ Sounder at 217 Main

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Periodicals postage paid at Eastsound, Wash., and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Please send address changes to The Islands’ Sounder, P.O. Box 758, Eastsound, WA 98245-0758.

SOUNDERTHE ISLANDS’

Independently Audited

Scan the code with your phone and

look us up online! Keep the app and

look us up anytime!

[email protected]

THURSDAY, FEB. 9

Recreation District, East-sound Fire Station, noon to 1:30 p.m.SATURDAY, FEB. 11

Charter Review Commission,

p.m.

TUESDAY, FEB. 14

Water District, East side of Airport, at end of Cessna Lane, 4:30 p.m.

-sioners meeting, 7:30 p.m.,

Public meetings

SEE LETTERS, PAGE 5

ning goals such as housing, the economy, transporta-tion, or the property rights of citizens, only the natural environment is of impor-tance to the majority of the council. Nothing else mat-ters. There has never been a serious attempt to see how

the CAO proposals would play out against the other requirements of the GMA.

As citizens, we should be asking our elected officials to balance and consider all of the interests of the islands residents; not just the nar-row agendas of a small group of environmentalists.

Joseph RyanRoche Harbor

LETTERS FROM 4

by MARK DETRAYSpecial to the Sounder

Many of readers may recall a Dec. 9, 2011 story in the Islands’ Sounder, “A new bank for Orcas Island: the Time Bank.”

It detailed some of the experiences of Diane Emerson, a global volunteer, in working with time banks, particularly in New Zealand, and her advocacy for establishing a time bank here in San Juan County. Emerson has witnessed repeatedly the capacity of time banks to increase the economic and social resiliency of the communities where she has worked. In the two months that have passed since Emerson’s visit, through considerable research, com-munication with Timebanks USA and

the efforts of a core group of local volunteers, the task of establishing a county-wide time bank (aka, time exchange) is well underway.

The local time exchange initiative is now ready to adopt a name and motto – this will be accomplished through an informal county-wide ballot. A tempo-rary website has been set up with the ballot link at: www.VisionOnOrcas.com. Both the “Home” page and the “Programs” page, which details the initiative, have the link to the ballot.

Once the name and domain name and motto have been determined and affiliate membership has been received from TimeBanks USA, the tempo-rary webpage will be replaced with an interactive website specific to our county-wide time exchange. Morgan Meadows, acting coordinator for the time exchange initiative, anticipates the website and database will be up and running and ready for folks to enroll no later than March 1.

Ongoing workshops and presenta-tions, as well as fundraising events,

are now being organized by a growing number of volunteers; dates and times will be posted in local community cal-endars. The first fundraising endeavor, hosted by Samara Shaw, is a pie sale that will be held on Feb. 11 and 12 at Island Market. If you are interested in helping with this pie sale, please call Samara at 376-6771.

Emerson has kept in touch with Morgan Meadows to encourage and learn from the local initiative. She wrote, “I can see how important it is for an effort like this to get off to a good start. What you are doing, Morgan, looks to me to be a model for all other new time banks. So please document the heck out of it if you can. I cannot tell you how delighted I am at the progress you are making. Wow.”

Simply put, this initiative is indeed off to a good start and is on its way to providing a county-wide network that will strengthen our island com-munities.

Mark DeTray lives on Orcas Island.

The following was submitted by the San Juan County Ferry Advisory

Committee.

Ferry funding has been an ongoing issue every year since the motor vehicle excise tax (MVET) disap-peared 12 years ago. And each year, after threatening cuts in service, the legisla-ture has been able to beg, borrow and steal funds from other transportation accounts to keep the ferries going.

Fares have gone up dra-matically over the last 12 years, but the cost of fuel has tripled and labor costs have gone up. Fares continue to pay for about two-thirds of total operating costs, with the remainder split between dedicated funding (various license fees) and the “bor-rowed” funds. No other pub-lic transit system (including

roads) has anywhere near that level of ridership con-tribution, and as fares go up, ridership goes down.

We are once again fac-ing service cuts, and this time there won’t likely be any “leftover” transporta-tion funds to borrow from. Work has started on a series of mega-projects, including the Alaska Viaduct replace-ment and new 520 bridge, all with enormous appetites for cash.

Ferries are not alone, funds are also needed for highway maintenance and preservation also, but roads deteriorate over time while ferries stop running imme-diately without operating funds.

The governor has pro-posed a 10-year funding package totaling $3.7 bil-lion to fund transportation maintenance and preserva-tion, including $1 billion (over 10 years) for ferries. This would provide the operating and maintenance funds needed to maintain current service levels and maintain existing facilities.

New vessel construc-tion is also needed, but is not included in this pack-

age. The package would be funded by a $1.50/barrel fee on processed oil, a fee on studded tires to compensate for road damage, and a fee for electric vehicles, which use roads but don't contrib-ute to gas tax.

Without this funding package, we’re told that five routes would need to be cut in 2013, including Bremerton, Port Townsend and our Anacortes/Sidney run. With the Sidney boat also goes 25 percent of our spring and fall mainland service, (the international boat spends 11 of its 18 hours providing domestic service). And deeper cuts would be needed in the fol-lowing years.

The governor’s proposal has been introduced to both the House and Senate (HB-2660 and SB-6455, respectively). We attended the public hearings, as did FAC members and elected officials from other com-

munities, to testify on the need for ferries funding and the likely impacts if not found. Most of the discus-sion, however, focused on road maintenance (which is easily deferred) and the potential effect of the barrel fee on local refineries.

Feedback so far is that, given the short session and pressures on the general budget, this proposal – and in particular the barrel fee – is meeting significant resis-tance.

Our questions to legisla-ture have been: “If not this, then what? And if not now, then when?” No answers, yet.

Please join us in asking the legislature to support long-term sustainable fund-ing for ferries. Twelve years of kicking the can down the road is enough!

For more information see our website at http://san-juanco.com/fac.

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TEMPERATURES, RAINFALL

Jan. 30 48 44 —Jan. 31 50 45 —Feb. 1 49 34 .34Feb. 2 59 33 —Feb. 3 54 34 —Feb. 4 60 37 —Feb. 5 61 32 —

Precipitation in January: 2.34”Precipitation in 2012: 2.68”

SUNRISE, SUNSET

Feb. 8 7:31 a.m. 5:22 p.m.Feb. 9 7:30 a.m. 5:24 p.m.Feb. 10 7:28 a.m. 5:25 p.m.Feb. 11 7:26 a.m. 5:27 p.m.Feb. 12 7:25 a.m. 5:28 p.m.Feb. 13 7:23 a.m. 5:30 p.m.Feb. 14 7:21 a.m. 5:32 p.m.

What is the Time Bank?

State of the ferries

We WILL BE OPENValentine’s Day!

Offering a Sweetheart’s Menu& lots of Bubblies! Reservations

376-ORCA (6722)

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ÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀÀ

February: Better Marriages Seminar Series@ Your Orcas Island Community Church

call Scott Harris 376-6422 for info

The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission will be hosting a public meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 15 to discuss forest health issues around the Moran State Park Retreat Center and Primitive Campground areas.

A portion of the Retreat Center is currently closed due to significant tree disease issues. Park staff noticed a gradual – but growing – pattern of dying trees around these areas. Tree pathogens were identified throughout portions of these sites and the adjacent forest. This pathogen can cause trees to fail with little or no warning, thus posing a signifi-cant risk to visitors, staff, and facilities. State Parks has iden-tified the need to remove trees on approximately 12.5 acres. A public meeting will be held on Feb. 15 from 6:15-7:15 p.m. at the Camp Moran Environmental Learning Center. To receive additional information or provide comments, contact the park at [email protected] or 376-2326.

Meeting about tree removal at Moran


more than 10,000 pieces of micro-plastic were picked up in just one day on Orcas

Island and that University of Washington-Tacoma have found plastic in every water

sample they have taken from Puget Sound. Buffum said the bags also break into

PLASTIC FROM 1

tion of library hours, cut-ting Waldron aide position in half, reducing classified non-rep positions by 668 hours, slimming down prof/tech positions by one hour a day, reducing custodial positions by two hours a day and maintenance posi-tions by one hour a day, and applying for a waiver of two

snow days because it was a “public emergency.”

Audience member and parent Tess White voiced concern about cutting hours for para-educators, who work under teachers and provide direct serves to kids and their families.

“You might save now, but you will eat it later,” she said. “The special ed teachers are already pushed to their lim-its … para-educators can’t

Faith ‘Fowler’ DeedsFaith Arlene "Fowler"

Deeds of Orcas Island passed away peacefully in her sleep on Jan. 29 sur-rounded by her family. She was 93 years young.

Faith was born in St. Paul Minnesota to John Gugler and Perna Gruber on Sept. 9, 1918.

After graduating from college, Pearl Harbor was attacked and Faith joined the Navy Waves. She served the duration of WWII in Washington D.C., and helped crack the Japanese code.

After an honorable dis-charge from the Waves, she traveled to Alaska to visit her mother in Anchorage. It was on the ship to Alaska that she met and fell in love with George Charles Fowler of Portland, Oregon.

They married and returned to Alaska in 1948 to open a gunsmith shop and then to homestead.

Ten years and five chil-dren later they moved to the outskirts of Portland, Ore., where they had one more child.

In 1970 she and George moved to Orcas Island with their three youngest chil-dren.

George passed away in 1983 and in 1987 she mar-ried long-time family friend John W. Deeds. They lived at her home in the Orcas village area.

Faith was a proud mem-ber of the American Legion Auxiliary Post 93, the St. Francis Catholic Church, Orcas Garden Club, the Orcas Power Squadron, the H.A.M. Radio Club of S.J.C.

and served as a greeter at the Orcas Senior Center. From 1972 until 2007 she spent countless hours as a vol-unteer at the Orcas Island Library.

She leaves behind her children: Colleen Billings of Chewelal, Wash.; Charles Fowler and his wife Marlene of Winlock, Wash.; Marie Fowler of Spokane, Wash.; Maureen Wight of Chewela, Wash.; Joan Roll and her husband Christopher of Melbourne, Fla.; Jay Fowler and his wife Teri Williams of Orcas Island, Wash.; and Marion Deeds and her husband Dave Manley of Sebastopol, Calif. and cousin Mae Lucill Gruber of Duluth, Mont.

Faith had 14 grandchil-dren, 13 great-grandchil-dren and three great-great-grandchildren.

All who wish to visit and share memories of Faith are welcome to join her fam-ily on Feb. 19 between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Orcas Senior Center. Refreshments will be provided by the American Legion Auxiliary.

Please remember her with your time or other donations to your favorite charity.

Submitted by Faith Deeds’ family.

Obituary

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give enough support as it is now.”

Board members whittled the transportation cut to $6500, but the Orcas Island Education Foundation plans to help fundraise for the amount, ensuring kids will not feel an impact to their bus route.

“Kari Schuh, a teacher, has also come up with the ‘OIEF $100 Campaign,’” said Janet Brownell, OIEF president and school board member. “The idea is to find 1000 family, friends, friends of friends – all to donate $100 to back-fill the $100,000 budget hole.”

Spring sportsBecause of state funding

cuts, the district was unable to include winter and spring sports into its original bud-get. Softball, baseball and golf, which start in a few weeks, are not funded.

This past fall, the Orcas Booster Club raised $11,000 from the community to pay for winter athletics. Private donors stepped up to answer a $5,000 matching grant challenge offered by the Orcas Island Education Foundation.

The Booster Club is

hopeful the Orcas Parks and Recreation District will join in creating a long-term solution, similar to what the rec district on San Juan Island does. Of Island Rec’s 17-cent levy, seven cents goes to maintaining Friday Harbor school sports. But that is far into the future.

For now, the club is seek-ing community partners to help solve funding chal-lenges faced by the school district. While the Boosters are now focused on rais-ing $25,000 for spring sports programs, volunteer Kevin O’Brien says they are “respectful” of the other fundraising that Orcas School plans to do.

“We don’t want to get in the way of the fundraising for core school offerings,” he said. “We plan to host a forum to brainstorm ideas and see how important sports are to the commu-nity.”

To donate to the sports program, mail a check to the Orcas Island Community Foundation (“Booster Fund”) at P.O. Box 1496, Eastsound, WA 98245 or online at oicf.us. To donate to OIEF, go to www.oief.org.

small pieces full of deadly chemicals like PCB.

“This is horrible, especial-ly since Southern Resident Orcas and Chinook Salmon have some of the highest concentration of PCBs in their bodies compared to other populations along the West Coast,” wrote Buffum in a letter about the issue.

Buffum said that if the statewide bill fails then they

will push to ban bags at the local level. Passage of either bill would make Washington the first state to ban plastic grocery bags. As of Jan. 11, Edmonds, Mukilteo, Seattle and Bellingham have pro-hibited plastic grocery bags.

“We’re living on the edge of Salish Sea and Puget Sound and we can reduce plastic pollution and save wildlife,” Buffum said.

Treat your Sweet to a treasure from Nest. The shop will have an abundance of lovely plants and fl owers as well as new jewelry, scarves, candles and gift basket inspirations

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Love notes

Valentine’s Day special highlighting romance

What does love mean to you?Answered by Marny Gaylord’s fourth grade class at Orcas Elementary School.

“Love makes me feel fuzzy, like I was reborn. My heart stops for a sec-ond and then restarts.”

– Gabriel

“Love makes me feel like I am not alone. If I am sad, it makes me happy.”

– Destiny

“Love makes me feel com-fortable.”

– Joey

Feather Your Nest


Charlie and Mandy: steady loveby COLLEEN S. ARMSTRONG

Editor/Associate Publisher

Third time is the charm.Charlie and Mandy

Nigretto nearly got to know each other twice. But it took a third encounter for love to take hold.

“I was supposed to go to prom with him,” said Mandy, who is four years younger than Charlie. “Neither one of us remem-bers why, but it never hap-pened.”

She graduated that year, and worked at the gas sta-tion on Main Street. Charlie

would fill up his car there frequently and always flirt-ed with Mandy. That was as far as it went. Then Mandy moved to New York to live with her dad. A year later, she came home for her friend Christy’s graduation from Orcas High School. Christy was dating Charlie’s best friend, so the two decided it would be fun to set Mandy up with him for the short time she was on the island.

“I absolutely fell in love with him,” remembers Mandy. “I never went back

to New York. I told my dad to send me all my stuff back. It was a blind date taken seriously.”

Charlie says he fell in love with Mandy’s sense of humor, beauty and easy going manner.

“I knew her because she went to school with my sisters, but we had never dated,” he said. “I was definitely looking forward to that date.”

The couple lived togeth-er for a year before getting married. Soon they expand-ed their family to include Alexa, now 23, Tyler, 20, and Bella, 15.

“Our kids are everything to us,” Mandy said. “Charlie is so devoted to them, espe-cially coaching sports … we focus everything on the kids. It’s going to be weird when they are all moved

out. There won’t be any games to go to or bunches

of laundry to do. My dream is to get an RV and travel the coun-try with C h a r l i e . Just the two of us.”

M a n d y owns and o p e r a t e s

“Mandy’s Hair Haven” in Eastsound and Charlie is a foreman at Orcas Excavating. Between work and their kids, it’s hard for alone time. They say their marriage is a success because they listen to each other, work through problems and laugh.

“Our biggest problem is money: he makes it and I spend it,” laughs Mandy.

Charlie says they “just get along really well.”

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Love notes Valentine’s Day special section

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contributed photosRight, middle: Charlie and Mandy in 1986. Above: The Nigretto family – Charlie, Bella, Tyler, Alexa and Mandy.

SEE NIGRETTOS, PAGE 10

Literary &

Intriguing Gifts for

Your Valentine

Music

Whimsical Gifts

by COLLEEN S. ARMSTRONGEditor/Associate Publisher

Ed Lago has been married to his wife Keri for eight years, but he likes to think of her as his girlfriend.

“I treat her like when we were first dating,” he said. “I often tell the kids, ‘I have a crush on your mom.’ … I flirt with Keri all the time. I have that passion for her after all these years. I tell her

she is cute everyday.”Adds Keri, “He doesn’t

say it because it’s routine. He really means it.”

The very private Lagos were reluctant to sit down for an interview, but when Ed teased Keri that she didn’t want to because she didn’t love him enough, the gloves came off.

The Orcas couple began their relationship 12 years

ago over the phone. Keri was working as a marketing director at a software firm in Bellevue when she called Ed to schedule a conference in the hotel where he was sales manager. They spoke sev-eral times over the course of three weeks, building a rap-port with one another.

Keri was intrigued and wanted to meet the allur-ing man behind the phone, but the sales conference was four months away. One day, instead of faxing over some paperwork to Ed, she swung by to drop it off.

“I had no idea he was Filipino,” Keri said about her first impression. “He was wearing a suit, and I was definitely attracted to him.”

Ed was also surprised. He thought Keri was Korean because her last name was Duenn. While he enjoyed their conversations, he just assumed she would make a nice friend. After meeting her, he thought, “Well hello there. You’re cute.”

Keri was fresh out of a relationship and Ed was recently divorced with two young sons. Neither wanted to embark on new love, but despite their intentions, their romance blossomed quickly. Within three months they

were living together. Then came buying a house and having their first child, Lani, who is now eight. They were married in 2004 at Rosario Resort.

“We did everything back-wards,” laughs Ed. “But I

knew I was going to marry her three weeks in. She just didn’t know it.”

Keri says she fell in love with Ed because he could cook and was a really great dancer. Now, after being

Ed and Keri: still passionate

contributed photosTop: The couple on an early date. Left: Hurricane Lago.

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Church ServicesEMMANUEL EPISCOPAL

Parish of Orcas IslandEastsound (by the water)

Bishop Craig B. Anderson, RectorSUNDAYS: Holy Eucharist1st Sunday in month - 10:00 a.m. Other Sundays - 8:00 & 10:00 a.m.

Church School & NurseryTHURSDAYS:

12 noon Rector’s Forum & Holy Eucharist

376-2352

LUTHERAN CHURCH IN THE SAN JUANS Sundays Sundays 1st & 3rd Mondays 9:15 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 2:00 p.m. St. David’s Church Center Church Emmanuel Church 760 Park St. 312 Davis Bay Rd. 242 Main St. Friday Harbor Lopez Island Eastsound Pastor Ann Hall

CHRISTIAN SCIENCE 10:00 a.m. Sunday

7:00 p.m. Testimony MeetingFirst Wed. of the month

Orcas Elementary School Library376-5873

ST. FRANCIS CATHOLIC CHURCHORCAS

St. Francis Church in Eastsound

Mass 1:00 p.m. Sunday

LOPEZ ISLANDCenter Church

Mass 4:30 p.m. Saturday

ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH

Madrona Street, EastsoundSunday Worship Services

9:00 a.m.10:30 a.m., with a

Nursery & Sunday School Pastor Dick StaubPastor Scott Harris

Pastor Grant Myles-Era376-OICC

ORCAS ISLANDUNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST

FELLOWSHIP2nd and 4th Sundays at 11:00 am

West Sound Community HallAll are welcome!

www.orcasislanduu.org

The Lady Vikings will take on Evergreen Lutheran this Friday, at home, during a district play-off game.

Last week the girls played three games in three days. On Feb. 2, the team faced off with Mount Vernon Christian. They led by one at the end of the half but the Lions pulled ahead in the second half to earn the win, 44-37. Bella Nigretto led in scoring with 20 points.

The seniors were honored during “Senior Night” at the home game against Cedar Park Christian on Friday, Feb. 3. It proved to be a much better night for the Lady Vikings.

Senior players Kathryn Tidwell and Claire O’Neill

were on fire with 7 and 8 points respectively. Nigretto led the charge with 10 points and Tidwell pulled down a record high 22 rebounds. The final score was 41-23.

On Saturday, the Vikings traveled to Friday Harbor, hoping to take down the Wolverines.

At the end of the first quarter, the score was tied at 9. Friday Harbor pulled ahead in the second quarter by 10 and the Lady Vikings could not recover. The final score was 49-38.

If the Vikings win district play-offs on Feb. 10 – the game is at 5:30 p.m. – it secures a place for the team at the Feb. 11 play-offs.

The Met: Live in HD’s “Götterdämmerung” is the final chapter in the Met’s new produc-tion of opera’s definitive epic, Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” It will be On Screen at Orcas Center on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 1 p.m.

Robert Lepage’s technologically advanced new staging of Wagner’s “Ring Cycle” comes to an epic climax with “Götterdämmerung” (“The Twilight of the Gods.”) The opera uses high-tech video projections and a set of 24 planks known as “the machine” to real-ize Wagner’s ambitious vision for the final chapter in his saga.

Deborah Voigt stars in one of the most demanding roles in all of opera as Brünnhilde, the warrior-maiden-turned-mortal whose actions lead to global apoca-lypse. Jay Hunter Morris, who stepped into the title role of Wagner’s Siegfried ear-lier this season to great acclaim, returns as opera’s ultimate doomed hero.

The running time is six hours with two intermissions. Tickets are $15 for adults and $11 for students; $2 off for center members. Go to www.orcascenter.org or call 376-2281 ext. 1.

Lady Vikes move on to district

contributed photoDeborah Voigt in “Götterdämmerung.”

Chris Gill/WestBoundary photographyViking senior Claire O’Neill drives the baseline during the game against Cedar Park Christian on Feb. 3.

‘Götterdämmerung’ opera

What does love mean to you?Answered by students at Orcas Christian School.

“Love is like loving your mom and dad; you can take care of them.”

– Maddox

“Love is not being greedy, not being selfish. Love is when you share what you have.”

– Meriel

together for 12 years, Keri most loves her husband’s work ethic and commitment to his family.

“I love his drive,” she said. “He is very motivated. And he’s very aware of his fam-ily and has strong family values. Family is his number one focus.”

Ed says he most appreci-ates Keri’s selflessness.

“She has always put oth-ers first, even before we had kids,” he said.

Keri runs Cherry T’s con-signment shop in Eastsound with her mom, and Ed is a member service engineer at OPALCO. He also teach-es group power classes at

Orcas Spa and Athletics at 5:45 a.m.

“Keri comes to nearly every class, even if she’s only had four hours of sleep,” Ed said. “It’s one more way for us to sneak in some time together.”

The couple says humor plays a big part in their relationship and working through problems.

“I feel life is too short to hold a grudge,” Ed says. “I tell her I love her and I’m sorry I was a jackass.”

One of their rules is to always say good night to one another and say good-bye and ‘I love you’ in the morning, even if they are angry at each other.

In addition to Lani, their kids include Diego, 7, and

Remy, 5. The Lagos have blended their families into what Keri’s dad calls “Hurricane Lago.” Ed’s two sons from his previous marriage, Mario, 18, and Antonio, 15, live in Issaquah, but everyone gets together several times a month.

“I get to grow old with Keri and watch our kids grow up,” Ed said. “I feel lucky to have that.”

The Lagos balance their family-oriented life with one-on-one dates.

“We make time for each other to catch up,” Ed said. “Just to sit down, uninter-rupted, and hear what she thinks, how she feels. And vice versa.”

LAGOS FROM 9

and we don’t argue a lot,” he said. “What we argue about is the typical married stuff: money and kids. Other than that, we enjoy each other’s company. We let each other do our own thing. We’re equally independent. She can go on trips with her friends, and so can I.”

His favorite thing about Mandy is her zest for life.

“She always wants to go somewhere and do some-

thing,” Charlie said. “She keeps the household mov-ing.”

Mandy loves her hus-band’s honesty, humor and calm demeanor.

“Nothing ever seems to be a big deal for him,” she said. “He never gets worked up.”

Charlie says he is “game” for another 25 years with his wife at his side.

“I’m looking forward to raising our grand babies,” Charlie said. “I am excit-ed to see where the next

25 goes. She will be good grandma and I will be a good grandpa. I think it will be fun.”

Mandy says the hard-est part of being married is compromising. She wants to travel more but Charlie wants to save up money.

“We balance each other out,” she said. “We might get annoyed but it’s only for a minute. We’re laughing again right away … It just works. Sometimes there are no words to say why. It just does.”

“Love is being nice, not greedy ... not being unkind.”

– Cailin

NIGRETTOS FROM 8

WEDNESDAY, February 8, 2012

Island Living

NOW TO APRIL 17HELP WITH TAXES: Tax ser-vice for low and moderate income islanders, Orcas Senior Center, Tuesdays, now through April 17. Call 376-2488. The cost is $5.

LEARN ABOUT CAMP NOR’WESTER: Families want-ing to hear about Camp Nor’wester are invited.

At the Home of Jeff and Jennifer Pietsch, 329 Dolphin Bay, refreshments at 7 p.m., 2011 summer video at 7:15 p.m. R.S.V.P.: Jeff at [email protected].

BOOK READING: Island author Maura O’Neill will speak and sign from her book “Mending A Torn World,” a conversation about listen-ing to conservative and pro-gressive women’s voices in

the world’s major religions. Darvill’s Bookstore, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

ORCAS ANGELS: Benefit Prime Rib Dinner, 5 to 8 p.m. at The American Legion Hall. $19 per person. Tickets available at Country Corner, The American Legion and at the door.

FIDELIS FLEA MARKET: 10 a.m.

to 2 p.m., West Sound Community Hall. Variety of items for sale, hand crafted goods and baked goods. WRITER’S ROUNDTABLE: “Don’t Cut Your Own Hair,” by Jennifer Brennock, 1-3 p.m., Orcas Library. Novelist Robert Stone says, “Revising is like cutting your own hair.” Bring your invisible lit scissors.DEER HARBOR TALENT SHOW: During the monthly pot-luck, 6:30 p.m. at the Deer Harbor Community Center. Come strut your stuff, call

Pam at 376-4110. Bring a dish to share, your place setting, and beverage.OLGA POTLUCK: Olga Community Center, socialize at 5:30, dinner at 6:30. Dale Coburn, Olga Postmaster, and his wife Peggy will give a slide and video show of their diving trip to Fiji. VALENTINE’S DAY DANCE: At the Odd Fellows Hall. Dance theme is “Love Makes the World Go Round” and fea-tures a global music mix including Cuban, Salsa, Reggae, and Afrobeat,

played by DJs Bruce Pavitt and Jay Kimball. The hall will be decorated in flowers and candlelight.

VALENTINE’S PARTY FOR BRUCE: There will be a “fun!raiser” for Bruce Harvie to welcome him home and help with medical expenses: musi-cians will be at the Lower Tavern, 7 p.m. An account has been set up at Islanders Bank to help with medical expenses.

CALENDAR

by MEREDITH M. GRIFFITHStaff reporter

Enthusiastic attendees voted singer Marissa Veldman to stardom last weekend at the 2012 Orcas Has Talent competition.

“I wanted to win very badly because I needed money for the mission trip I’m going on to Costa Rica in March,” said Veldman, a junior at Orcas Christian School. “And I wasn’t expecting anything, really. I just love doing it and I love performing! I want to thank the community for voting and supporting me in all that I do!”

As expected, the competition was sizzling, with local talent making the voting painfully difficult for the audience. AllMost Canadian band drummer Kellen Comrie accompanied Veldman on piano for her first two songs, and she came in a cappella on the third round with “Amazing Grace” to beat out final round contestants Carl Burger and AllMost Canadian. Orcas Has Talent is a fundraiser for Orcas Island Prevention Partnership.

During the first round, conductor Pamela Wright and her young strings group The Ceolinas, named after the cello, viola and violin, impressed the judges with their harmony on a number from the Pirates of

the Caribbean. Veldman sang Carrie Underwood's "Temporary Home," followed by Burger on a 1960's Bill Steele number, the environmental plea "Garbage." Former Buffalo, NY bread co-op manager Maura Pellettieri accompanied herself on piano on a soulful original composition, causing a hush to fall over the audience and leading judges to anticipate more songs from her during the evening.

Talent Junior winner Matthew Laslo-White appa-rated out of nowhere with his cheeky grin and mysteri-ous illusions, earning a "You've got magic!" from judge Bob Shipstad.

Saxophonist Al Bentley and tuba player Matthew “Wally” Wallrath appeared as “The Bicycle Horse Brigade,” starting their musical act with a skit com-plete with furry-hatted sidekick Michaud Sauvage as the “compost genie.” Rhiannon Lawson graced the stage with a number from the Burlesque Bombshells; KT Lazlo turned heads in a slinky outfit as she rocked KT Tunstall's “Black Horse and a Cherry Tree,” and AllMost Canadian members Dylan Thompson, twin sisters Emy and Lisa Carter, brother and sister Julia and Christian Bailey, and Comrie rolled out the high energy “If I Ruled the World” by Big Time Rush.

In round two, The Ceolinas rocked Coldplay's “Viva

la Vida” as only a strings group can. Judge Joe Babcock praised Veldman for the “enormous voice you've got packed in there” for her rendition of “Feeling Good” by Michael Buble. Burger showed off his fabulous musical dexterity and perfect pitch with a difficult and hilari-ous song by folksinger William Day, “The Key of ‘R’” and Laslo-White delighted the audience by smoothly pulling young Arla Sutton from the audience and appearing to balance her in midair with the help of a single helium balloon tied to her ankle. KT Lazlo took on Adele’s “Didn't I” in a dazzling white draped gown she designed and created herself. AllMost Canadian upped the ante on fun with “Walkin' on Sunshine” to finish out the round.

And then there were three. Veldman belted out “Amazing Grace,” and Burger had the audience in stitches with more quirky lyrics on Pat Donahue's “Would You Like to Play the Guitar?” AllMost Canadian took the stage for the competition’s last number, bringing even more energy and verve with “Old Time Rock and Roll.”

In the end, Veldman covered her face with emo-tion as she was announced the 2012 winner, and Julia Bailey swept across the stage (see above photo) to whirl her friend around in a big, excited hug.

Numberone

Orcas Has Talent crowns 2012 winner

Meredith Griffith/staff photoJulia Bailey (far left) hugs her friend and fel-low contestant Marissa Veldman after her win.


The Salish Sea Early Music Festival presents “A Broken Consort,” the second of five Salish Sea Early Music Festival performances in the San Juans.

The concert will be performed on Orcas on Sunday, Feb. 12, 1:30 p.m. at Odd Fellows Hall. The show is an exploration of renaissance chamber music on period instruments fea-turing Jeffrey Cohan on renaissance tenor and bass transverse flutes, Shula Kleinerman on the off-the-shoulder renaissance violin and John Lenti on renaissance lute.

The suggested donation for the concert is $15 to $20. For more information, call 376-5640 or visit www.concertspirituel.org.

Early music festival continues

The Marine Science lec-ture series presents “Shell Games: Smuggling of America’s Strangest Wildlife” on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 7 p.m. at the Eastsound Fire Hall.

Nail-biting stakeouts, sleaze ball informants, night-vision goggles, wild-life cops, hit men, and arson ... part of a marine science lecture? ... say what?

In a unique blend of natu-ral history and crime drama, author and Seattle Times environmental reporter Craig Welch will share a riv-eting tale of rogues, scoun-drels, and the poaching of nature’s bounty right here in Puget Sound. The talk is based on his award-winning book, “Shell Games: A true story of cops, con men, and the smuggling of America’s

strangest wildlife.”This is a stranger-than-

fiction true story centered on the pursuit of the worlds’ largest burrowing clam, the Geoduck (pronounced gooey duck). Geoduck clams can live to be 100 years old and are a seafood delicacy worth millions on the international black mar-ket.

Darvill’s Bookstore will have copies of “Shell Games” available for purchase and signing at the Fire Hall immediately fol-lowing the talk.

‘Smuggling wildlife’ lecture

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San Juan County


San Juan County

Reach thousands of readers by advertisingyour service in the Service Directory of the Classifieds. Get 4 weeks of advertising in your local community newspapers and on the web for one low price.Call: 1-800-388-2527Go online:www.nw-ads.comor Email: [email protected]


San Juan County

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Visit our web site for great deals nw-ads.com

PNWMarketPlace!

click! www.nw-ads.com email! classified@

soundpublishing.com call toll free! 1.888.399.3999

or 1.800.388.2527

Local readers.Local sellers.Local buyers.

We make it easy to sell...right in your community

Finding what you want doesn’t have

to be so hard.

ORCAS I SLANDBUSINESS HOURS

ISLAND MARKETEastsound

OpenMon-Sat 8 am-9pm

Sun 10 am-8pm

THE VILLAGE STOPWine, Beer, Ice, Pop

Hot Dogs, Groceries, Ice Cream,DVD Movies Next Door

LOTTOOpen Everyday

6:30 am – 11 pm376-2093

ORCAS ISLANDHARDWARE

North Beach Rd. EastsoundMon-Sat 8 – 5:30

Sunday 10 – 4

376-3833

RAY’S PHARMACYTemplin Center, Eastsound9:30 am – 6 pm Mon – Sat

10:30 am – 4 pm Sunday(Saturday Pharmacy 10:00 am – 4 pm

No Sunday Pharmacy Service)

376-2230

ISLAND HARDWARE AND SUPPLY

Open 7:30 - 5:30 Mon - Fri8:30 - 5:30 Sat.

Closed Sun.Crow Valley Rd.

376-4200

In honor of World Spay Day on Feb. 28 and Spay/Neuter Awareness month, the Orcas Animal Protection Society will offer discounted spaying/neutering for dogs and cats of Orcas Island residents.

A grant from the Bernice Barbour Foundation provides the funding to cover surgical costs with qualified volunteers pro-

viding the necessary pre- and post-opera-tive care. Spaying and neutering are routine surgical procedures that not only prevent unwanted litters, but also keep animals healthier, more content and better behaved.

To schedule an appointment, call the Orcas Animal Shelter at 376-6777.

Discounted spaying, neutering

The guest speaker of the Orcas Garden Club’s upcom-ing meeting is Fiona Norris, Ph.D., Science Director of San Juan Nature Institute. During her presentation, she will explore the ecologi-cal consequences of plant interactions in nature.

Following Norris’ seg-ment, Margaret Payne and Sally Hodson will provide a short presentation about the “Homestead Garden Tour” coming up in June.

“The Homestead theme is unlike any we have done before and we can’t wait to

show you how varied, beau-tiful and interesting it is,” say organizers.

The meeting is on Feb. 15 at 10 a.m. in the Madrona Room of Orcas Center.

Go to www.orcasisland-gardenclub.org for more information.

‘Plant interactions’ discussionThe latest production from Actors Theater of Orcas Island, “When Bullfrogs Sing Opera,”

will performed Feb. 17–18, Feb. 24–25, and March 2-4 at 7:30 p.m. at The Grange. Watch for more about the play in next week’s edition of the Islands’ Sounder.

SJI SAN JUANINSURANCE

YOUR PROTECTION IS OUR PROFESSION

360-376-2141 • [email protected]

Shop local, talk to a real live person, Save $$$!

‘When Bullfrogs Sing Opera’

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real estatefor sale

Real Estate for Sale

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real estatefor sale - WA

Real Estate for Sale

San Juan County


San Juan County

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San Juan County

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real estaterentals

Reach thousands of readers by advertisingyour service in the Service Directory of the Classifieds. Get 4 weeks of advertising in your local community newspapers and on the web for one low price.Call: 1-800-388-2527Go online:www.nw-ads.comor Email: [email protected]

Commercial Rentals

Office/Commercial

We can help make your Garage Sale a success with our Bottomless Garage Sale Special. For just $37 you can advertise in print and on the web for one week with no

limits on how much you want to say in the ad.*

Go on and on and on and on and on about your next garage sale for just $37!

*No estate sales & phone # cannot appear in ad.

800-388-2527Call us today

Employment

Media

[email protected]

financingMoney to

Loan/Borrow

announcements

Announcements

Found

jobs

Employment

General

ON-CALL CUSTODIAN

Open until filled,Screening begins 2/20/12


Find what you need 24 hours a day.

Employment

General

[email protected]

Employment

Transportation/Drivers

Schools & Training

Professional Services

Legal Services

homeservices

Home Services

Drafting/Design

domesticservices

Domestic Services

Adult/Elder Care

stuffAntiques &

Collectibles

Cemetery Plots

Firewood, Fuel

& Stoves

www.nw-ads.com

Open By AppointmentServing the San Juan Islands for 30 years

DOUG JAMESFLOOR COVERING

360-468-2460

BUILDING & CONTRACTING

CONSTRUCTION

THREE PHASE ELECTRIC

Phone (360) 376-3888 Cell (360) 317-6004

Bonded & Insured HARVEY ALDORT Lic. THREEPE121MA

WE SHOW UP

ELECTRICAL

REAL ESTATE

NANCY JONES Published Garden Writer BA: Graphic Design, Science

LICENSED, INSURED Post Office Box 254

Orcas Washington 98280

[email protected]

360-376-2048

LANDSCAPING

AUTOMOTIVE

Eastsound 1402 Mt. Baker Rd.

376-4901

FENCES GATES CUSTOM SPLIT CEDAR WORK DECKS LANDSCAPING OUTDOOR CONSTRUCTION

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

LANDSCAPING

360-376-2122

“DOING IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME”

ISLANDEXCAVATING INC.

EMPLOYEE OWNED

ISLANEI-136CQ

EXCAVATING

Earthworks Company Inc.John D. Thompson

Owner

Phone(360) 376-6390 Fax(360) 376-6391 Cell (360) [email protected]

Over 35 years of construction experience on Orcas Island

EARTHC1012DJ

• Complete Septic Inspection, Installation, O&M, Septic Design • Complete Excavation Services

EXCAVATING

ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS HERE !



TREE WORK

The Woodsmen

Monty Coffey

360-376-3812

LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING

ORCAS LOVING CARE, INC.Licensed Adult Family Home

“A home you can call your own”

Tim & Daphne Tyree 133 Michael Lane Eastsound, WA 98245

email: [email protected]

Ph: (360) 376-2463 Cell: (206)225-3028 Fax: (360) 376-2583

ADULT ELDER CARE

Marine

Power

wheels

Pickup Trucks

Toyota

garage sales - WA

Garage/Moving Sales

San Juan County

Automobiles

Cadillac

pets/animalsflea market

Home Furnishings

Miscellaneous

Sporting Goods

Dogs


Dogs

AKC GERMAN Shepherd

Dogs

Log on to a websitethat’s easy to navigate. Whether you’re buying or selling, the Classifieds has it all. From automobiles and employment to real estate and household goods, you’ll find everything you need 24 hours a day at nw-ads.com.

Find your dream home at pnwHomeFinder.com

Sell it for FREE in the Super Flea! Call866-825-90 1 or email the Super Flea at [email protected].

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LEGALS

Classifieds. We’ve got you covered. 800-388-2527

SAN JUAN COUNTY PUBLIC NOTICESSan Juan County, as an Equal Opportunity Employer, does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin,

age, disability, or veteran status in the provision of services, in programs or activities or employment opportunities and benefits. Direct inquiries to Administrative Services at (360) 378-3870. TTD relay at 1-800-833-6388.

GREAT GROCERY BUYS

PRODUCE

DAIRY

DELI MEATS

SEAFOOD

FROZEN

Fresh Express OrganicBaby Spinach

5 oz.

Fresh GreenAsparagus

New Crop,Imported

$199lb.

$279ea.

Fresh Large SizeSlicing

TomatoesHot House Grown

89¢lb.

Fresh JadeGreen

BroccoliCalifornia Grown

88¢lb.

PRICES EFFECTIVE:FEBRUARY 8 THRU FEBRUARY 14, 2012

Western FamilyFrozen VegetablesCorn, Green Beans, Peas,Mixed Vegetables orPeas & Carrots, 16-oz.

99¢

Western FamilyOrange Juice

Weight WatcherSmart Ones EntreesS12 oz. elected Varieties, 5.5 to10.5-oz.

$229Jimmy Dean

Breakfast BowlsSelected Varieties, 7 to 8-oz. 2/$53/$5

$159Lb.

$299Lb.

$299Ea.

JohnsonvilleSausage LinksOriginal, Maple or Brown Sugar & Honey, 12-oz. ............

$399Lb.

$399Lb.

F

Fresh BonelessPork LoinTop Loin Roast...

Fresh NorthwestSplit Fryer BreastJumbo Pack..............................

Heart Shaped16% HamburgerPatties.................................

resh BonelessPork Loin Top Loin Chops ................

$299Ea.

TysonPremiumGame Hens24-oz. ........................................ 99¢

Ea.

Fresh Crisp GreenRomaine LettuceCalifornia Grown ...................................

5/$10Hot, Lean orCroissant Pocketsor SideShotsSelected Varieties,6.5 to 9-oz.

$399BreyersIce CreamSelectedVarieties,48-oz. $299

General MillsCerealsCinnamon ToastCrunch, 17-oz.Lucky Charms,16-oz. orCheerios, 14-oz.

10/$6YoplaitYogurtSelectedVarieties,6-oz.

$149ProgressoRich & Hearty SoupsSelected Varieties, 18.5-oz. ..

$699Napoleon ExtraVirgin Olive Oil33.8-oz..................................

$249Western FamilyPeanut ButterCreamy or Crunchy,18-oz. ...................................

$399CriscoVegetable orCanola Oil48-oz. ...................................

$399Angel SoftBath Tissue6-Double Rolls or12-Regular Rolls .................

$299QuakerOatsRegular or Quick,42-oz. ...................................

CaliforniaSaladShrimp250-350 ct.

Western FamilyChunk CheeseSelected Varieties 16-oz.

$349

$229EarthwiseFruit JuiceSelected Varieties, 64-oz. .......

$699HemplerBaconRegular, Peppered or Natural, 20-oz. ..................................................

$379Hillshire FarmDeli SlicedLunch MeatsSelected Varieties, 8 to 10-oz. ...........

$379Ball ParkBeef FranksSelected Varieties, 16-oz. ...................

$599Lb.

69¢Lb.

Large Size Sweet Seedless Navel OrangesCalifornia Grown ...................................

SUPER MEAT BUYSUSDA ChoiceBeef RibeyeSteak,Boneless

$799lb.

ColdwaterLobster TailsPreviously FrozenCanadian Wild6 oz.

$699ea.

STORE HOURSMONDAY - SATURDAY 8 am to 9 pm

SUNDAY 10 am to 8 pm(360) 376-6000

BAKERY DELI

La BreaRosemary Bread.........

$819Roast Beef ............... lb.

lb.

ea.

$449Olson’s Muffins..... pkg.

pkg.

$469ea.

$349Island MarketCupcakes....................

$499ProvoloneCheese............................

$4994-PieceChicken..........................


islands' sounder, february 08, 2012

Documents

elimination of plastic

senate bill

plastic pellets

school board

reusable bags

similar bills house

shaw island

lopez island