News Flash

Breaking Ground at the Fairgrounds – New Projects Underway

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 24, 2023 – The San Juan County Fairgrounds is beginning a series of projects beginning in late March. Projects will enhance the annual County Fair and year-round use of the Fairgrounds.

Fairgrounds Updates

In late March,...

Work to complete ADA upgrades at Orcas Ferry Terminal Begins

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 17, 2023 – San Juan County (SJC) and the Washington State Ferries (WSF) are eager to announce a public access upgrade for the Orcas Island Ferry Terminal. Thanks to this partnership, the project will provide improved A...

Land Bank Requests Seasonal Sheep Grazing Lease Proposals for 2023-2024

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 16, 2023 – The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank is requesting proposals from anyone interested in a short-term seasonal sheep grazing lease on areas of the Fowler’s Pond Preserve Property, on Orcas Isla...

Community Development Building Department Closed for Training

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 16, 2023 – During the week of March 20, the Building Department of San Juan County Community Development will be closed. Staff will be offsite for yearly in-service training. The Fire Marshall will also be una...

San Juan County Seeks Ferry Advisory Committee Member from San Juan Island

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 15, 2023 – San Juan County Council is soliciting volunteers to serve on the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC). The Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) studies and recommends resolutions on ferry transp...

San Juan County Parks and Fair Readied to Respond to Opioid Overdose

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 10, 2023 – Staff at San Juan County Parks are now better equipped to respond to opioid overdoses, thanks to a partnership with the Health & Community Services Department (HCS). Parks staff now have access to Naloxo...

San Juan County Honors Lucinda Elizabeth Stewart Boyce’s Legacy of Care with Community Health Van

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 10, 2023 – Lucinda Elizabeth Stewart Boyce lived on San Juan Island in the late 1800s and, through radical acts of public service, cultivated a legacy of care. She was known to travel by horseback, buggy, and canoe to ...

County Hosts “Meet Your Elected Officials” Event on Lopez Island

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 9, 2023 - San Juan County is pleased to host its final “Meet Your Elected Officials” event of the series on Lopez Island. After two previous meetings on Orcas and San Juan Islands, the group of elected offici...

Planning Commission Volunteers Needed for San Juan and Lopez Islands

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 7, 2023 – San Juan County is looking for interested volunteers to fill two vacancies on the Planning Commission. Position #5 representing San Juan Island will serve until December of 2024. Position #3 representing Lope...

You’re Invited: Luci B Community Wellness Van Launch Party on March 15

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. March 2, 2023 – San Juan County Health & Community Services (HCS) is hosting a launch party for the new Luci B Community Wellness Van at the San Juan County Fairgrounds main building from 12:30 to 1:30 pm. Light refreshm...

County Answers FAQs About Proposed Public Works Relocation on Lopez Island

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. February 16, 2023 – San Juan County is in the process of exploring the possibility of relocating its Public Works facilities on Lopez Island to the MacKaye Harbor area. This multi-year process has included ...

County Begins Work on Orcas Island’s Fish Trap Creek Culvert Replacement

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. February 15, 2023 – The County is beginning a project to replace a culvert and repair a section of Cormorant Bay Road near Deer Harbor. The FEMA-funded project will install a ten-foot-wide box culvert, specially designed to improve fi...

County Begins Planning for Zylstra Lake Trail and Answers FAQs

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. February 15, 2023 – San Juan County is eager to begin developing a plan for a multi-use trail connecting the Town of Friday Harbor to the Zylstra Lake Preserve. Recently awarded $5.28 million in federal transportati...

County Council Awards Five Year Lease at Coffelt Farm Preserve

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. 10 February, 2023 – San Juan County is pleased to announce Lum Farm has been awarded a long-term lease at Coffelt Farm on Orcas Island.  

Eric and Amy Lum have been stalwart stewards of Coffelt Farm since 20...

Open House for Three Lopez Island Preserves

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. February 3, 2023 – Join the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank for an open house meeting to provide input on three Lopez Preserves: Spencer Spit, Richardson Marsh, and Lopez Hill.

Spencer Spit Preserve is 18 fore...

Washington State Department of Health Approves Use of Expired COVID-19 Tests

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. Jan. 26, 2023 – If you have a stockpile of expired at-home COVID-19 tests, don’t throw them out. You can still use them! The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) approved the use of expired at-home COVID-19 tests.

At-home COVID-...

Early Bird Registration now open for the San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit March 3 & 4

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. January 24, 2023 – Early Bird Registration is now open for the 11th Annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit March 3 & 4, 2023 through 5pm January 29. The Summit will be held on San Juan Island, and ...

County Invites the Public to “Meet Your Elected Officials” Events

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. January 13, 2023 – San Juan County is pleased to host a series of “Meet Your Elected Officials” events. Scheduled during the first three months of the year, these events will offer the public an ...

Council Meeting Review: January 10, 2023

This meeting included adopting legislative priorities, setting public hearings, and more.

This document is a review of the County Council meeting, Tuesday, January 10, 2023. Information related to agenda changes, Consent Agenda, and Public Comment are on the County website.

DISCUSSION/ACTION: Approve a Resolution Declaring an Emergency and Waiv...

San Juan County Launches New Oral Health Program for School-age Children

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. January 11, 2023 – San Juan County Health and Community Services will be providing “Smile Checks” as part of an oral health prevention program. Healthy teeth are part of overall health and wellness. In pa...

San Juan County's 2022 Year-In-Review

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. January 4, 2023 – San Juan County releases a recap of 2022, highlighting accomplishments, favorite projects, and notable statistics. The public is encouraged to access the document on the County website by scrolling the PDF below, cli...

San Juan County Opens Resident Camping Reservations for 2023

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA.  January 3, 2023 - San Juan County Parks, Recreation, and Fair Department is offering advanced camping reservations for San Juan County year-round residents beginning January 25 at 6:00 am until February 8 at 4:00 pm. This tw...

Rescheduled: Retirement Send-off for San Juan County’s Auditor, Milene Henley

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA December 28, 2022 – The retirement send-off for San Juan County’s Auditor, Milene Henley, has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 29 from 11am-12pm at the San Juan County Courthouse. As warmer weather permits sa...

2023 Dog Licenses Now on Sale

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 28, 2022 - The San Juan County Auditor’s office is ready for the 2023 dog licensing season! Each year, the department has the pleasure of recognizing a ‘Celebrity Dog’ and issuing them the first dog tag. Competition in 2023 w...

Melting Snow is Stormwater – Protect Your Property and Drains

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 23, 2022 – With high levels of expected snow melt (stormwater), San Juan County’s Public Works Department encourages residents to be proactive in monitoring and reporting potential blockages to culverts an...

San Juan County Swears-in Eight Elected Officials

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 22, 2022 – San Juan County is pleased to announce the swearing-in of eight elected officials on Thursday, January 5, 2022. The ceremony will take place in the Superior Court Courtroom with Superior Court Judge Kathry...

San Juan County is Prepared for Inclement Weather – And You Should Be, Too

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 16, 2022 – San Juan County is pleased to provide the public with a reminder of Public Works services, priorities, and mission during inclement weather. Additionally, there are several ways in which the public can su...

County Asks Residents to Help Secure Broadband Funding

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 16, 2022 – San Juan County urges residents to check Federal Communications Commission (FCC) data to help secure future broadband funding before January 13, 2023. This effort to address broadband deficiencies could b...

San Juan County Launches “Text-to-911” for Emergency Response

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 16, 2022 – San Juan County is pleased to announce that cellular phone users in the county can now send text messages to 911 in an emergency. This new feature increases accessibility to emergency services and helps San Juan Co...

San Juan County Fair Seeks Artists for 2023 Poster

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 14, 2022 – San Juan County Parks and Fair staff are already planning for the 2023 Fair! It is with great excitement that San Juan County announces the theme: “Dancing with the Steers,” a play on ...

Postponed: San Juan County’s Auditor, Milene Henley's, Retirement Party

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA December 20, 2022 – UPDATE: Retirement party postponed due to inclement weather. San Juan County is grateful for Milene Henley's 16 years of service and hopes to be able to celebrate her when the we...

San Juan County Seeks San Juan Island Member for Housing Advisory Committee

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 7, 2022 – Are you a San Juan Island resident who is passionate and knowledgeable about affordable housing in San Juan County? The County is seeking a new member for the Housing Advisory Committee (HAC) to fill the S...

Project Update: Lopez Village Stormwater Improvement Project

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 5, 2022– San Juan County Public Works is pleased to provide the public with updates on the Lopez Village Stormwater Improvement Project.  The Public Works crew has completed the new stormwater channel which...

Hot Topic 63: Changes to COVID-19 Data Reporting

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. December 5, 2022 – Key changes in COVID-19 data reporting that everyone should be aware of.

As of December 1, 2022, Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has decommissioned the Washington State Coronavirus Response (COV...

Councilmember Jamie Stephens Retires, Leaving a Legacy for Lopez

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA December 1, 2022 – San Juan County’s most senior council member, Jamie Stephens, retires this month after 12 years of public service. They say good things come in threes, and after three terms on the Council, Stephe...

Hot Topic 62: Influenza Treatments

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 30, 2022 – With influenza spreading rapidly throughout Washington and our own community, it is important to be aware of treatment options.

Rates of influenza in our community and throughout Washington state are very high, with...

Newly Adopted Comprehensive Plan Will Serve as the County’s Road Map for Next 20 Years

County Council officially adopted the Plan on November 30 – marking the culmination of six years of work

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 30, 2022 – San Juan County Council adopted the 2036 Comprehensive Plan Update today after six years of meetings, public hearings, and input. The several-hundred-page document will serve as the road map for future de...

Sharing is caring—except when it comes to viruses

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 23, 2022 – Washington state is seeing an increase in cases of RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). RSV is a common respiratory virus that causes cold and COVID-like symptoms, including runny nose, coughing, sneezing, ...

San Juan County Council Briefed on Ferry Updates

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 23, 2022 – Ahead of the busy, upcoming holiday season, members of San Juan County’s Council met with Washington State officials and representatives from the Washington State Ferries (WSF) to express island...

Affordable Housing: The Future of Affordability

The need for affordable housing is a widespread and growing issue – not just in the Islands, but throughout the region and nation. The San Juan Islands are home to multiple organizations working to create long-term affordable housing opportuniti...

San Juan County Considers Relocating Lopez’s Public Works Facility

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 21, 2022– San Juan County is entering the planning stages of an exciting project on Lopez Island. County Council has directed staff to develop a plan to relocate Public Works operations from Fisherman Bay Rd to the ...

San Juan Island Library Board of Trustees Meeting

The San Juan Island Library Board of Trustees is holding a special meeting on Friday, November 18, 2022 at 1pm. 

The special meeting is being held for the purposes of a Budget Work Session and Trustee Interviews. The meeting will be held in-person...

Hot Topic 61: Best Practices for COVID, Cold, and Flu Season

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 16, 2022 – You’ve always been asked to stay home when you’re sick, but it’s not always that simple. This year, more than ever, it’s important to stay home when you have cold o...

Notice of Scheduled Prescribed Burn at Turtleback Mountain Preserve

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 14, 2022 – The Land Bank will begin burning small piles on Turtleback Mountain Preserve this week under a permit from the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). This work follows strict protocols designed t...

San Juan County’s Comprehensive Plan Update Nears Completion

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA. November 14, 2022 – San Juan County Council is expected to adopt the 2036 Comprehensive Plan Update by the end of the year. With a County Council public hearing on November 29, the exciting finale to a six-year proj...

San Juan County Courts Update Community Service Program

SAN JUAN COUNTY, WA.  November 8, 2022 – The courts of San Juan County are updating their community service program and are looking to add more local organizations to the roster. 

Please help the courts update the list with any ...

Affordable Housing: A Foundation for San Juan’s Future

Take a stroll through Friday Harbor’s neighborhoods and you’ll find the next wave of affordable housing. On Price Street, passersby will see walls being framed in, hear the hum of compressors hard at work, and feel the excitement in th...

Affordable Housing: Lopez’s Community-Driven Solutions

Leyna Lavinthal and her family of three are about to celebrate a major milestone – one year in secure, affordable housing. The Lavinthal family left Seattle behind and moved to Lopez Island in 2018 in search of a safe community to raise their so...

Affordable Housing: Providing Opportunity on Orcas

To some, the term ‘affordable housing’ means nothing more than a low monthly payment. But to Stephanie Nouvel and her family of four, ‘affordable housing’ means so much more. For the Orcas Island family, it means co...