Island Guardian

Monday, May 7th

Intermodal Transportation Committee Review F H Master Plan

(SEATTLE) The Friday Harbor Intermodal Transportation Committee will meet on Thursday, May 10 in the Key Bank Garden Room (95 Second Street) in Friday Harbor from 11:00 a.m. -1:00 p.m. The committee includes representatives from the Town of Friday Harbor, San Juan County and the Port of Friday Harbor who have advised Washington State Ferries as it develops a master plan for the area around the Friday Harbor Ferry Terminal. This will be the group’s final meeting.

This meeting will focus on discussion of the final Friday Harbor Master Plan and possible next steps. The public is invited to provide comment to the committee and Washington State Ferries staff at the end of the meeting.

The Friday Harbor Master Plan outlines recommended improvements to help relieve congestion around the ferry terminal. The plan includes a series of short-term, intermediate and long-term improvements that will help reduce the time it takes the ferry to load and unload in Friday Harbor. Reducing ferry “dwell time” could allow Washington State Ferries to add additional service in the future. A final Master Plan was completed earlier this month.

In spring 2005 the Washington State Legislature appropriated $250,000 for Washington State Ferries to study traffic improvements around the ferry terminal in Friday Harbor. This money was used for traffic analysis and development of master plan options. Additional funding sources will be needed to implement improvements identified during this planning process.
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Sunday, May 6th

SJ Initiative Second Public Meeting Monday on Orcas

ig_SS_Meeting_04-27-07 (71k image)
(First meeting of the Policy Leadership Group took place on San Juan Island)

The second meeting of the Leadership Sub-Committee .of the San Juan Initiative will take place Monday, (5-7) at the Orcas Island Fire Station

Amy Windrope, the Project manager stated “the public and the community is encouraged to attend”, and pointed out there will be an opportunity for some public comment and questions at the meetings.

The remaining meeting schedule is as follows:

● Lopez Island: May 21st 12 - 5t, Lopez Public Library (afternoon):
● June 13, Friday Harbor House, San Juan Island (afternoon) : with a reception
● June 25th Shaw Community Room (afternoon) – exact times will be determined soon.

In an email, Windrope said the “The San Juan Initiative is an ecosystem approach to improving the effectiveness of ecosystem, habitat and other protection programs of the San Juan Islands. The San Juan Initiative asks two questions:

1. How well are we protecting the ecosystem and is that protection fostering the prosperity of the human community?
2. What can we do to better protect the San Juan Island ecosystem and support the community?

The County Council and the non-profit, Shared Strategy for Puget Sound, have entered into a partnership to analyze how effective regulatory, voluntary, educational and incentive programs are at protecting the ecosystem health of San Juan County while also insuring a vibrant and prosperous community. The San Juan Initiative is led by a group of local leaders and regional resource managers having responsibility in the islands at the state and federal level. The San Juan Initiative has a two year time frame and is funded by private foundations.

All meetings of the Policy Leadership Group are public and we welcome your comments”

Click below for the agenda for Monday’s meeting on Orcas, and also a list of the Policy Leadership Group.

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Friday, May 4th

Low Income Seniors Free Produce Program

ig_WIC_Senior_Progam-1 (54k image) OLYMPIA -- The seasonal opening of farmers markets across the state brings an opportunity for fresh fruits and vegetables for low income seniors. In its sixth year, the popular Senior Farmers Market Nutrition Program , co-sponsored by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will make farmers market checks available to more than 14,000 eligible low income seniors 60 years or older. American Indian and Alaska Native elders are age eligible at 55.
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