Sandwich board signs should stay
I read with surprise that as of July 6 the County Code Enforcement Officer has begun removing without notice those unauthorized “sandwich board signs” from the entrance to Eastsound and elsewhere in the county. This Draconian response to complaints by unnamed and unnumbered citizens seems ludicrous in the best of times and an absurd misuse of county resources in the midst of a fiscal crisis that calls for cutbacks in every area of our infrastructure. To instruct our Enforcement Officer to spend one moment of his time or require additional miles of his vehicle in taking these outlaw notices to storage locations indicates a confused sense of priorities.
The more basic question is how do most residents view the signs. I personally do not find them offensive despite presentations that range from the professional to casual notices of casual events. Most are informative. Some are amusing. Some are misspelled. But they are part of our landscape and should not be regulated, let alone removed.
Now that Eastsound has elected its mayor I urge the sign supporters to write in and sing out in praise of the outlaw “Sandwich Boards.” Don’t let the grumblers win this round.
David K. Schermerhorn
Deer Harbor
Thank you for help with recovery
I want to thank all the wonderful Island people who have supported me through their thoughts and prayers in my recovery from cancer. I learned last week that the cancer is gone from my system. So all of your good works on my behalf have been successful!
I give my doctor and the Cancer Care Center at Skagit Valley Hospital (part of the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance along with the UW and Fred Hutch) 50 percent of the credit, and the rest goes to the spiritual energy sent my way by family and friends like you. I feel blessed by your support.
Chuck Owen
Eastsound
Get involved with fire department meetings
I saw a bumper sticker, “If you don’t exercise your rights, you will lose them.” We pay taxes for services such as fire protection, and we have elected commissioners to oversee the funded services, and we have public meetings to be aware of how things are going. The fire and emergency medical technician services budget is some 3.3 million dollars. Elected commissioners are to reflect the interest of the taxpaying people on Orcas.
Only a few people attend the public meetings such as the last one July 14. I have been to several this year. I implore you to attend as many as you can. Meetings are big on rhetoric, light on substance, but very enlightening. Often it is difficult to be enlightened. Go to the meeting (next August 11 regular meeting). Your interest in continuing good fire and emergency medical technicians is important.
My opinion is that we need replacements for the existing commissioners more responsive to the “average us”. Go to the meetings, look at the budget, ask questions, make up your own minds. Go.
Larry McNair
Deer Harbor
Support for street vendors
We think the opposition to street sellers of seasonal fresh fruit is ridiculous. On Orcas they’ve been serving a very valid purpose – selling fresh Skagit raspberries that are simply not available at Island Market, Home Grown or any other Orcas retailer, and haven’t been for at least 25 years. All Island Market sells (some of the time) are Watsonville, Calif. raspberries, but Skagit Valley raspberries in July are the finest in the world, far better than from Watsonville, and many people know this. We are at the edge of Skagit Valley, and should be able to buy them without having to go to the mainland. So we firmly applaud and support the summer berry sellers who bring them over in the morning. They are providing a valuable service that fills a very real demand – witness how many boxes they’re selling this week!
The new $50/day fee imposed by SJC will just be added into the price these vendors have to charge, but it will still be worth it.
Lee Goodwin
Eastsound
Street vending should be allowed
In these depressed economic times it is sad to see that we have begun turning on one another over diminished sales in the area.
If a street vendor wishes to set up a stand, and that vendor is courteous and does not openly solicit the passersby with a sales pitch unless spoken to, then I feel that person has as much a right to make a legal dollar as does the next “shop keeper.” Money brought into our county economy fuels that economy when spent on a local level. I agree that if a vendor comes here from outside of our inter-island community that they should pay the county for the right to peddle their wares in this more lucrative location.
I had the desire to set up a small vending cart for the summer season and it is disheartening to find a hostile attitude just because someone may not have been lucky enough to have the money to lease a space for six months to a year at a time. A lot of folks are really struggling right now, and we should help each other out instead of picking a fight over who pays this rent or that permit. It makes no difference as long as someone can pay their bills and not lose their home. Have a heart, Eastsound!
David Dunlap
Orcas Island
Thank you to Orcas EMTs
Our guests arrived at the Blue Heron B&B, a family celebrating their parents’ 60th wedding anniversary, and had just gotten settled in when their daughter asked if there was a hospital on Orcas. Her father (in his 80s) was not doing well and she was very concerned. I told her I could call 911 and that EMTs would arrive and diagnose her father’s condition. If necessary, he could be flown to the mainland to be treated in a hospital. The family was skeptical, but when Medic One arrived and three EMTs bounded up the stairs, everyone was visibly relieved. Two more people arrived and they ran tests and determined that he could stay if he wanted to. The family decided that he needed to return home to Michigan for treatment with his regular doctors for various heart issues and they left the next morning on the early ferry.
This is the second time we have witnessed the efficiency and care of our wonderful EMTs and we just wanted to say a big thank you and for them to know how much we appreciate them. We also wanted to thank the Healing Arts Center for being so understanding when we had to cancel the two massages the family had booked for their parents’ anniversary gift.
Bogdan and Carol Kulminski
Eastsound
Thank you for support
This is to express my heartfelt appreciation for all of the expressions of love and care concerning the loss of my husband, Bob, that came from many friends of all the San Juan Islands. Very special thanks to Dr. David Shinstrom and the staff of Orcas Family Health Center for their caring support through Bob’s illnesses, for the patience of the visiting nurses and therapists from Island Hospital, and finally to the several dedicated caregivers, especially Jim Kruse who made many extreme efforts to make Bob’s life meaningful to the end. God bless you all!
Carol Tully
Orcas
ORCAS CENTER’S “IMAGINE” FUNDRAISER
An epic evening
Saturday night the Orcas Center gala featured a Beatles-themed evening of music from the band Abbey Road followed by dancing to DJ Bruce Pavitt’s eclectic mix of sixties tunes accented by a nostalgic video montage of the Beatles images and performances. The rich, many-layered experience was a fantastic delight. The Orcas Center volunteers, staff and board knocked the ball out of the park. The folks at my table danced until they ran out of tunes, fueled by the wonderful food created by the center’s many volunteers, from ingredients donated by many supportive businesses and patrons on the island. What a perfect evening and fun way to support the arts. Thank you to all.
Jay and Sue Kimball
Orcas Island
A night to remember
An afterglow lingers after a nostalgic and exciting evening at Orcas Center. From start to finish, last Saturday’s fundraiser, “Imagine,” far exceeded our expectations. The evening began as we assembled at the entrance for wine and elegant hors d’oeuvres, where a host of fun-loving individuals came dressed in 60’s garb wearing wigs, sunglasses, and colorful Woodstock type costumes. A few wore fashions from the Kennedy era, others just came as they were. All of this set the scene for what was to come.
It was impressive to see the stunning decor and table settings under the big tent, where we sat and enjoyed the elegant four-course meal, a menu just perfect for a summer’s evening. Artfully plated, each course was delectable, so it was obvious to us all that the volunteer kitchen crew had outdone themselves. Special recognition goes to volunteer Juliana Capdeville for the menu creation and execution, a truly artful and successful dining experience. The planning and attention to detail and the work involved in serving such a beautiful dinner to so many of us in a timely manner seemed effortless, but we know better.
The hard work going on behind the scenes was a labor of love by such an efficient crew, so they deserve a special thanks from all of us.
It was a precedent-setting event in every way. The people in charge deserve kudos for a job well done, resulting in giving, which will indeed boost feelings of energy and incentives for the coming year ahead. I mention no names, as invariably some get left out, but to those who gave of their time, we appreciate their work, their imagination and their culinary skills.
The Auctioneer was entertainment himself, cleverly convincing us to bid up, so few people sat on their hands. At this early date, we are told the final figures also far exceeded expectations. The evening ended with many of us dancing in the aisles to some incredible music from the Beatles era. People of all ages were out there, so the place was virtually jumping as we left the auditorium. It was a night to remember!
Harlan and Anne Pedersen
Orcas Island
Thanks for donating to student bus fund
We would like to thank everyone who donated at our bake sales. The two bake sales were held on July 5 and 18. Put together, we made over $300, which can buy more than six student summer bus passes. To get a bus pass, simply get on the bus, show your student ID, and ask for one. Be sure to get yours soon! Thanks again to everyone who helped out and donated!
Freeda and Liana
Orcas Island
Some concerned about fire dept. spending
Recently I was privy to a meeting of citizens ruminating about the large expenditures of our fire department. Their concern seemed to be that the department’s budget was far in excess of the rural level of service needed. They felt that bigger, better and more expensive equipment and personnel could never overcome the rural level of service that was based upon the topography of the Island. No matter how much you spent, it would never, ever be possible to deliver the urban level of service budgeted.
Further, they questioned the statement of the Commissioners at a recent meeting that the citizens of Orcas “demanded” this highest level of urban service. They also went on to avow along with the Fire Chief that the veritable “health, safety and life of every household and business is in the hands of the fire/medic department.” The group commented that the Commissioners did not seem aware that Orcas has a fine medical support system staffed by many doctors and a clinic and was not completely dependent on the fire department for medical aid.
Someone asked why more money in certain areas wasn’t being spent on the volunteers, rather than for iPhones, expensive equipment and things like memorial gardens.
One person related that a strategic study on moving equipment had been done several years ago that called for more standard and less costly equipment that would fully meet the needs of the department, but that study was never accepted by the Commissioners.
In summation, I guess what I heard from the group was that they wanted an efficient and effective fire/medic department that lives within a budget appropriate for a rural level of service. They wanted to make sure that the community was aware of what they felt were extravagant uses of taxpayers’ dollars and for them to be extremely circumspect in who they voted for in the upcoming elections.
Walter Corbin
Orcas Island
