Sports
Wolverines claim league crown in overtime thriller PAGE 17
Island Scene
Guest Column
New digs for IMA; future home for art sake
Old adversaries from opposite sides of the political aisle agree, just say ‘No’ to Prop. 1
PAGE 13
PAGE 7
Journal
The 75¢ Wednesday, October 30, 2013 Vol. 106 Issue 44
of the San Juan Islands
www.sanjuanjournal.com
Off course on the road to recovery By Scott Rasmussen Journal editor
Contributed photo /Jeanne Hyde
One of four orcas missing and presumed dead, J-8, an 80-year-old female, also known as Spieden, makes a big splash in the waters off of San Juan Island in 2011.
What only a few short years ago appeared to be an upswing in the population now seems like fleeting good fortune in the up-again, downagain saga of the Southern Resident killer whales. With four members missing and presumed dead, the population has fallen to 80 animals, according to the Center for Whale Research. The population totaled 88 in 2010. Center Director Ken Balcomb, citing this year’s dismal return of Chinook salmon to the Fraser River, maintains a combination of dwindling food supply and toxic materials accumulated in the blubber of the whales is largely to blame for the latest disappearances and drop in numbers. Without enough prey to satisfy nutritional needs, Balcomb said whales draw on blubber for fuel and that toxins are then released into their circulatory system in highly concentrated levels. “All whales use blubber as sort of a freezer storage area,” he said. “The PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) go from parts per billion to parts per million when they start drawing on the bank account of blubber and just like in humans it affects the immune system, the nervous system, the reproductive system. It’s what happens when you have bad years for fish.” The center, which maintains a census of the Southern Resident killer whales for the National Marine Fisheries Service, will list three whales missing in its 2013 survey, all from L-pod. The three are: L-2, a female, estimated age of 53, L-26 a female, estimated age of 57, and L-79 a male born in 1989. The census does not include J-8, a female whose age the Center estimates at 80, and which appears to be See RECOVERY, Page 4
Q&A: hospital board candidates
Hallow een Sa fety G ame
Never trick-o r-treat alone. Have at least 2 buddies go with you.
PET TREATS
Take along an adult or a responsible teen when you go trick-or-treat ing
OFF BLAIR AVE 378-8226
Visit only house s where the lights are on.
Jerry Wickman
771 Mullis
, D.C.
St. Friday Harbor 360.370.5500 Mon-Thurs 12 - 5:30pm Fri 7:30am1pm
Don’t accept rides from
til’ 5pm
ISLAND SATEL & INTERNET LITE Have a safe & fun Halloween!
Bonnie’s
360-375-7107 www.islandsa tellite.n
et
until 4pm
SAN JUAN
ISLAND
(360) 378-3600
Consider adding reflective tape or striping to costumes trick-or-treatand for greater bags visibility
FINISH
Journal reporter
Journal: What purpose does the hospital commission serve? The Commissioners are charged with overseeing the expenditure of two public tax levies. One is for our outstanding and award winning
!
50 Malcolm St Surina Business Park (360) 378-0978
By Steve Wehrly
Hospital district commission candidate: Howie Rosenfeld
Be Chic
Boutique
360.378.6454 • Gift Certificate 125 Spring Street s • FreeChic Gift Wrap
Go back spaces
strangers.
Rosenfeld, Schwinge up for election Nov. 4
The San Juan Island Public Hospital District is governed by a 5-person elected commission. A volunteer position, commissioners serve six-year staggered terms, and oversee financial and administrative matters of the district, which includes medical and emergency services. In 2012, tax revenue generated by the hospital district and EMS district together totaled roughly $2.7 million.
Carry a Flashlight at all times!
START HERE
Openly discuss appropriate and inappropriate behavior at Halloween time.
Open 7 Days • 8-6, Mon. Sat. • 9 -5 Sun. 340 Argyle Ave., Friday Harbor, 360.378.4622 • FAX 360.378.6 WA 006
Than Have a safe k you ALL for playing! and fun Hallo ween from all of us at the Jour nal!
Emergency Medical Service. The other is an ongoing (fifty years by the current contract) subsidy of 95 to 97% of the tax collected to support emergency and underfunded medical care at Peace Island Medical Center. Rosenfeld: The commissioners represent the taxpayers, not Peace Health. I’d like to see the commissioners be more active advocates for making sure the medical service needs of our community are provided, See CANDIDATES, Page 4
2011 Special Award; Second Place: General Excellence from the Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
Creativ Passio e ns 50 Malcolm St Surina Business Park (360) 378-6005
TRICK-OR-TREATING DURNING BUSINESS HOURS; LOOK FOR THE PUMPKIN FOR PARTIC IPANTS Wednesday, Octob er 31st
Before you go out trick-or-tr take a minute to play this Halloween eating, Safety Game it’s a great way – to learn how stay safe and to have a ghostly good time! HereHere are are the the rules Use a coin, a piece of candy rules: : as your playing or piece. If more some other small item decide who goes first. Put than one person is playing, Use dice or playing your playing piece cards Read the Halloween to find out how many on start. spaces to move. safety tips as you board, and follow the directions move around the The first player on the squares. to reach the jack-o’-lantern at the is the WINNER! end
A game for the little gobblins Follow path to your favorite shops in Halloween Safety Game on page 24.