Local
Celebrate summer, support film fest on Odyssey ‘Solstice’ Cruise page 2
Island Scene
Climax of color, new works featured in San Juan artist exhibit
Editorial
Future unfolds with double dose of adventure; Brickworks grand opening, ride on the Byway bus page 7
page 9
Journal
The 75¢ Wednesday, June 12, 2013 Vol. 106 Issue 24
of the San Juan Islands
www.sanjuanjournal.com
Bridge repair delayed
Sheriff gets nod for new boat
Replacement work on I-5 bridge pushed back one week
By Steve Wehrly,
Journal reporter
By Steve Wehrly Journal reporter
The aftermath of the Skagit River bridge collapse claimed its first death on Friday, May 31, on the detour route in Conway. Sean O’Connell, a 38-year-old Washington State Patrol motorcycle trooper, was killed that afternoon when his motorcycle was hit by a truck near the intersection of Fir Island Road and Main Street in Conway. In another development, Jay Drye of the Washington Department of Transportation told the Journal on June 7 that the expected completion date for installation of the temporary bridge was being pushed back a week or more beyond the previous mid-June estimate. “Unexpected modifications that need to be made to supporting structures set us back a week,” Drye said, adding that crews are working around the clock” and that additional steelworkers and laborers were being “added daily.” In San Juan County, the Skagit River bridge collapse resulted in minimal disruption of tourist travel to the San Juan Islands, according to Deborah Hopkins-Buchanan of San Juan Islands Visitor’s Bureau and Victoria Compton of the Economic Development Council, both of whom updated the County Council about the latest visitor numbers at its June 4 meeting.
Journal photo / Scott Rasmussen
Friday Harbor High School Class of 2013 graduates Ryan Allen and Jean Melborne stroll through an enthusiastic crowd at the outset of the school’s 101st commencement ceremony, Saturday, at Turnbull Gym.
New journey begins
Community bestows $328K in scholarships on Class of 2013 By Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
Much can be said about the many accomplishments of Friday Harbor High School’s Class of 2013. But in the glare of Saturday’s graduation in Turnbull Gym, and under the spotlight of Friday Harbor High School’s 101st commencement ceremony, one quality shined above the rest. These young adults, on the doorstep of the next stage in life, are ready, willing and able to give credit to those whom they feel that credit is due. “In case you weren’t aware, it’s because of you,” Aaron Prager said in signaling out the many parents, teachers, school officials, family, friends and various supporters crowded into the gymnasium for the recent recognition of Friday Harbor High
School as the fifth-best ranked high school in Washington state. In introducing to the assembly the newly minted 63 graduates of Friday Harbor 101st graduating class, Prager also noted that it’s been the support offered by those in the crowd over the years, both in good times and bad, that became building blocks for the knowledge, determination and resiliency that members of Class of 2013 will rely upon as they become the chemists, surgeons, nurses, lawyers, entrepreneurs, fishermen, teachers, economists, athletes, journalists, politicians (the list goes on) that they will become. Still, supporters of the class were not yet done. In total, the Class of 2013 received from various community and civic organizations roughly 120 scholarships, amounting to $328,000 in support of continuing education (the total includes the value of renewable scholarships as well). Following in Prager’s footsteps, class Salutatorian Brett Paul paid homage to the love and support See Journey, Page 5
See BRIDGE, Page 4
2011 Special Award; Second Place: General Excellence from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
San Juan County Sheriff Rob Nou on Tuesday presented the County Council with more than 20 pages of documents and almost as many reasons why the council should approve obtaining a new boat for law enforcement, firefighting, EMS and marine rescue purposes in San Juan County. One other reason that the Council gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up to the project may have been that the Department of Homeland Security has already approved a competitive grant of $785,000 to fund construction of the boat. See BOAT, Page 4 IN YOUR COMMUNITY SHOP SAN JUAN ISLAND FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
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