Douglas/Bailer Hill Rd Power Planet
San Juan County to Appeal Town of Friday Harbor Decision to Shut Off Water at Fairgrounds
San Juan County will appeal the Town of Friday Harbor’s decision to shut off water to the San Juan County Fairgrounds at the regularly scheduled March 21, 2024 Town Council meeting. Withholding water from the Fairgrounds would end all current uses of the space including Island Rec programming, vaccine clinics, 4-H events, event rentals, the Emergency Operations Center for the County and Town, music and theater performances, County office operations, and more. ... Read on
The Blanket Primary System
In 1933, the WA State Grange was a very influential organization with many members. One issue that concerned Grange members at the time was water and public utilities for farms. Grange members wanted to vote for candidates, not based on their party affiliation, but how the candidate stood on the issue of rural water and electric power. In order to ensure that primary winners from both the Democrat and Republican parties would be those who agreed with the Grange stand on rural electric power, the Grange sued the state and won the case for being able to list all candidates from all parties on a single ballot. Having accomplished that, the Grange could then instruct its members on which candidates were most likely to support Grange issues.
That is how the state of Washington came to have a top-two primary system. In a top-two primary system, all candidates are listed on the same Primary Election ballot as opposed to getting an exclusively Democrat or Republican or Libertarian, or other single political party ballot. The top two vote-getters, regardless of their partisan affiliations, advance to the general election. Consequently, it is possible that two candidates belonging to the same political party could win in a top-two primary and face off in the general election. In many other states the primary is closed and only members of a political party receive the designated ballot for their party.
Rebuttal-Land Bank, Skoog, Brast, Azous
The January 10th issue of the Journal included an excellent letter of opinion submitted by Mark Fishaut, titled Moving forward with the Land Bank (LB). Mark noted the Town to Zylstra Lake Trail (TZLT) fiasco as reason for review of the entire LB operation. The January 24th issue of the Journal included three rebuttals. Jim Skoog wrote “the mysterious Zylstra Lake Trails fiasco has absolutely nothing to do with the Land Bank”. Cynthia Brast wrote “The mysterious Zylstra Lake Trail was NOT a Land Bank project” and “The Land Bank is completely transparent with their purchases and finances”. Amanda Azous wrote “The Conservation Land Bank did not promote or pursue the Zylstra Lake Trail project”
Now look at pages 3, and 24-27 of San Juan County Parks, Trails, and Natural Areas Plan 2023-2028;
https://www.sanjuancountywa.gov/DocumentCenter/View/27024/SJCP_Plan_Design_PublicReviewDraft-101022
Seven members of the LB Commission are listed on Page 3. LB Director Lincoln Bormann is listed as a member of the Planning Team.
Page 24 lists 5 trail projects with Lincoln Bormann as the Key Contact for 4 of them. The LB is listed as a funding source. The 2nd listed project prescribes “increase long-distance trails and trail connections on all islands via cooperative agreements with landowners, with a target of 10 miles. Does this sound a lot like the TZLT project? It does to me and it doesn’t square with the statements of Jim Skoog, Cynthia Brast, and Amanda Azous or their assertions of transparency. Lincon Bormann is the Key Contact for four more projects on pages 25-27. Maybe the LB didn’t initiate the effort for federal funds for the TZLT but to say the LB had nothing to do with it, was not a LB project, and did not promote or pursue the project is disingenuous at best. LB fingerprints are all over trail development. After island residents and County Council soundly reject the TZLT the LB attempts to distance themselves from being a part of the TZLT. That’s the opposite of transparency. It’s a smoke screen that all can see through. And…It’s gonna resonate this November!!
Ron Whalen
San Juan Island
An Open Letter to the American Psychiatric Association Regarding the Publication of Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care
On November 8, 2023, Gender-Affirming Psychiatric Care was released by the American Psychiatric Association’s official publishing house.
We the undersigned strongly support the following Open Letter to the APA. Our letter calls on the APA to explain why it glaringly ignored many scientific developments in gender-related care and to consider its responsibility to promote and protect patients’ safety, mental and physical health.
On Dec 28, 2023, this Open Letter was sent to the leadership of the APA, asking for a substantive response. We invite you to sign below to support our continued efforts to demand medical and mental health excellence from the APA.
We are a group of clinicians, educators, and researchers committed to treating every patient with respect and compassion while upholding excellence in medical and mental health care. We seek an unbiased scientific investigation and discussion of the harms and benefits of all types of care offered to those with gender related distress. We have grave concerns about the American Psychiatric Association’s GAPC textbook. Until those concerns are addressed and the textbook’s errors corrected, we call on the APA for its withdrawal.
Rick Larson Leaves 2nd Congressional District Questioning
By Cindy Carter
I was called last night by Rep. Rick Larson for a town hall. Doubtless, Rep. Larson will claim he held a town hall to hear constituents concerns. What he did was cut anyone off who started questioning anything not related to the US VA, even if it did relate to the Veteran's healthcare, such as military aid to Israel, and even if it was from a Veteran.
During the hour of calls, we heard from persons who were afraid their veteran would die before getting "rated" which comes prior to getting funding or healthcare. Another who complained they needed to get "rated" every time they had some issue, which took forever. So the veteran's healthcare was not that great apparently and Rep. Larson would not even discuss any other issue. Yet we can be sure he will be touting this as how he "listens" to people from the NW, even while he does not live here any longer. Why does this person keep getting elected to represent the people of the 2nd Congressional District? Who actually votes for this person? Definitely time for a change.
Money For Nothing
$1,000,000.00 from tax payers. $1,000,000.00 handed out for a job never done.
Early in 2023 San Juan County contracted with an off-island construction company to fabricate a 100-foot-long fish passage on Orcas Island for one million dollars. Few of us know about the project.
Call for Vendors and Entertainment at 2024 San Juan County Fair
The Fair provides a great platform and exposure for vendors and entertainers alike!… Read on
SJC Monthly News Digest - February 2024
This is a round-up of recent San Juan County news. Follow along each month to learn about important County projects, Council initiatives, department updates, and...… Read on
Washington - The Second Best State for Life Expectancy
Factor in no income tax and the fact that the Pacific Northwest is one of the most beautiful regions in the US, and it is easy to see why those who live in Washington live so long.
- Cost Of Living For One Adult, No Children: $40,722
- Median House Price: $562,290
- Median Rental Price: $1,995/month
- Crime Rate: 5,759 per 100,000 people
- Safety Index Rating: 19th safest state in the US
- Great Cities To Live In: Westlake, Education Hill, Southeast Redmond
A Christmas Rock
Manger scene painted on the rock as designed by Michelle’s Loftus and Virelinda Foster and helped by Rami Amaro and Elaine Mason.
November 2023 "Volunteer of the Month" San Juan Island
Peggy Beller
The Animal Protection Society - Friday Harbor is pleased to announce Peggy Beller as the APS-FH Volunteer of the Month for November 2023.
Peggy pictured with her two dogs, Mojo and Emo, at our Treasure Hounds location.