Local
Youth crew find plenty to do in the ‘Great Outdoors’ page 7
Island Scene
Not so ‘tame’ after all: It’s Shakespeare under the stars with Stage Left page 9
Letters
Island property values are bound to slide without better broadband — in fact, some already have page 6
Journal
The 75¢ Wednesday, July 10, 2013 Vol. 106 Issue 28
of the San Juan Islands
Heart failure claims former elected
www.sanjuanjournal.com
New markets bolster island ‘Ag’ By Steve Wehrly Journal reporter
Journal staff report
Former San Juan County commissioner and councilman Alan Lichter died Saturday at his Orcas Island home. Lichter had reportedly suffered heartrelated medical complications at the beginning of June, and elected to leave the hospital and return home to spend time Alan Lichter with family. Championing a “smartgrowth” political agenda, the former University of Kansas professor of American Literature was elected in 2004 to the then three-person county commission. Running as a Democrat, Lichter, who embraced much of the local Green Party platform during his time in office, won a four-year term to the county’s top elected office by defeating Republican candidate John Evans in his bid for a fourth consecutive term. Lichter was himself unseated in 2008, coming in third in a three-way non-partisan primary for the position representing Orcas West on the newly created 6-person county counSee Elected, Page 7
Contributed photo / Pelindaba
The color purple dominates the landscape with rows of lavender in full bloom at Pelindaba Farm’s annual Lavender Festival.
Mending the wounds back home
See markets, Page 4 Friday Harbor middle school students bestow gifts and notes of appreciation upon Vietnam veteran Peter DeLorenzi and fellow vets as part of the Quest Class’s yearly Veterans Day observance.
By Cali Bagby
Islands’ Sounder reporter
Survivors of war have traveled between worlds – from conflict to peace. As they traverse these two planes of existence they struggle to understand what they saw and how to move forward. Sometimes this journey takes years, for others traversing the road from memory to reality is a life-long battle. “You don’t go through those experiences and not come back permanently changed,” said
Agritourism is the latest buzzword for economic development and tourism professionals in San Juan County, but processing and marketing of island grown products on a commercial scale is becoming a prevalent topic of conversation among farmers and small-business food companies on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands. Businesses like Pelindaba and San Juan Pasta on San Juan Island, Jones Family Farms on Lopez Island and Red Rabbit Farm on Orcas Island are leading by example in producing, processing and marketing products ranging from lavender to meat to apple and pear butters and various chutneys. In the first third of the 20th Century, agriculture was big and many of the 600 or so farms in the islands were busy and prosperous. According to Al Sundstrom, perhaps 100 of those farms were commercial operations, sending tons of raw and processed agricultural products to a variety of markets up and down the West Coast. About 70,000 acres were farmed for “Canadian peas,” grain, vetch and vegetables,
Journal file photo
Michael Baker, a veteran who served in Vietnam. Baker is also the chairman of the Veterans Advisory Board, which provides emergency services to veterans in need, their children, widows, widowers and/
or orphans. In 2007, the advisory board was formed and put in charge of distributing money from the Veterans Assistance Fund, which comes from San Juan County property taxes. See Mending, Page 3
2011 Special Award; Second Place: General Excellence from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
IN YOUR COMMUNITY SHOP SAN JUAN ISLAND FOR THE HOLIDAYS!
LUSH
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Happy Holidays from
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San Juan Island’s Total Service Bicycle Shop
Thank you for your support on Black Friday! New inventory is arriving weekly! Just in time for the Holidays…
Be Chic Boutique
B&G
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PEDICURES
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435 Argyle Ave.
In Jeri’s Mall | 260 Spring St. | Friday Harbor
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Thursday Night Shop Late!
December 9th & 16th, 2009 from 5pm to 7pm
Petro San Juan Fuels, Lubricants, Welding Supplies 605 Mullis Street, Friday Harbor • 378-5122
Register for the DVD Player GIVEAWAY! Cider & Treats • Savings from 15% to100%! Purchase any accessory, then check your discount stocking on the tree!
On Sale…Talking Rain 99¢ 2 liters
Win a SMOKING LOON Beach Cruiser Bike! New owners, same great location! 360-370-5950 • 365 Spring St. Friday Harbor
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Harbor Rental & Saw Shop
www.harborrentalandsaw.com • 890 Guard Street • Friday Harbor • 378-2220
Available at participating dealers while supplies last. © 2011 STIHL
SAN JUAN ISLAND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
4th ofShop JulyLocal flashback
Find buys and the perfect Visitbest www.sanjuanjournal. giftcom right with this to at seehome a slideshow edition the Journal of the of festivities from ‘Shop this Local’ year’s guide. 4th of July.