News briefs from San Juan County

Support island seniors

San Juan County’s Health and Community Services is calling for volunteers to support senior services on Lopez, Orcas and San Juan Islands.

HCS Senior Services provides and supports programs and services that assist seniors in remaining independent and in their own homes for as long as possible. Senior Services is also a resource for those who provide care to parents, older family members or neighbors. Available services include Meals on Wheels, including both home-delivered meals and onsite community meals at the senior centers as well as case coordination, caregiver support, and transportation.

The Meals on Wheels program and transportation services rely on volunteer assistance. If you are interested in contributing to your community by becoming a Meals on Wheels driver, helping in the kitchen, or providing transportation to off-island medical appointments, please contact the Senior Services Specialist on your island for more information:

• Lopez Island: Roni Becker-Wilkie, ronib@sanjuanco.com, 360-468-2421

• Orcas Island: Jami Mitchell, jamim@sanjuanco.com, 360-376-7926

• San Juan Island: Debbie Haagensen, debbieh@sanjuanco.com, 360-370-7526

Request for proposals for Lodging tax grants

San Juan County has established a tourism facilities program, funded by a portion of the revenue collected under the State Lodging Tax excise statutes and is seeking proposals from qualified entities interested in:

• Funding single project proposals concerned with acquiring, improving, or developing facilities for enhancing the tourism experience; and/or

• Matching grants for operating tourism facilities that enhance the tourism experience; and/or

• Matching grants for events that draw tourists; and/or

• Projects that carry out the goals of the San Juan County LTAC Tourism Master Plan.

The expected outcome of the funded activities is to increase economic activity in San Juan County in 2023 and beyond through the overnight lodging of tourists, through tourism-related expenditures, and construction of tourism-related facilities. Program categories are funded through either the Promotional or the Facilities portions of LTAC funds. Program categories are: emphasis on tourism facilities capital program (only for facilities in which the county has an ownership portion); construction; improvement; renovation; matching grants for tourism events and festivals designed to attract tourists; matching grants for operation of existing eligible tourism facilities that meet the criteria of this RFP and the long-range tourism plan; special investments that help to accomplish objectives of the LTAC Master Plan (http://sanjuanco.com/614/Lodging-Tax-Advisory-Committee).

Proposals are due no later than 5 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 6, 2022 and all projects must be completed in this funding cycle by Dec. 31, 2023. For information and an application packet, contact Debbie Boyer at the Public Works Office 360-370-0502 or debbieb@sanjuanco.com. Requests by mail should be sent to: San Juan County, Lodging Tax Facilities Grant Program, 350 Court Street #1, Friday Harbor, WA 98250.

COVID booster clinics

San Juan County Health and Community Services is bringing back Bird’s Eye Medical the week of Oct. 17 to provide bivalent COVID-19 booster vaccinations on San Juan, Lopez and Orcas.

HCS will be on San Juan on Oct. 17 and 18, Lopez on Oct. 19, and Orcas on Oct. 20 and 21. Bivalent booster vaccines are available to anyone 12 and older. Moderna and Pfizer bivalent boosters will be available. However, Pfizer doses will be prioritized for children 12 to 18 since this is the only vaccine available to that age group. Islanders 18 and older will still be able to receive primary doses of Moderna at these clinics.

Appointment slots will be released online Oct. 3 by 9 a.m. on www.sjccovid.com. If you need the bivalent booster sooner than our October clinics or if you are not able to make our clinic offerings go to Washington State Department of Health’s Vaccine Locator tool to explore other provider availability. We are also planning to hold clinics in November and December depending on demand.