HEALTHY HALLOWEEN Recipes for the entire family to enjoy this Halloween Page 9
MISSING WHALES Four orcas have fallen off the radar Page 13
SOUNDER THE ISLANDS’
BUSINESS | New thrift shop opens in Eastsound [3] COMMENTARY | Senator Ranker opposes prop 1 [7] SPORTS | Vikings get close to wrapping up the season [10]
Serving Orcas, Lopez and San Juan County
www.islandssounder.com
WEDNESDAY, October 30, 2013 VOL. 46, NO. 44 75¢
An aging island
OIFR looks at 2014 budget
Concerns about seniors and home care services by CALI BAGBY
by MEREDITH M. GRIFFITH
Staff reporter
Contributor
Orcas Fire Department’s recently released draft budget includes a 7.9 percent increase from last year, amounting to $125,388. Fire Chief Kevin O’Brien said the budget increases are made necessary by the organization’s growing needs. He cited four main areas: an increase in requests for emergency services, including after-hours walk-in care; a need to staff appropriately to serve Orcas Fire’s volunteer membership; the need to comply with current laws, standards and business practices; and the need to maintain and upkeep seven fire stations and 22 pieces of rolling stock. O’Brien said the organization’s call volume is up 58 percent since 2006, and 25.9 percent since 2011.
Dimitri Stankevich/contributed photo
Having a ball with fall
Camp Orkila hosted its annual festival on Oct. 25. It featured games and activities for kids, rides on the zipline and a haunted hay ride for adults. To see more photos from the all-day event, see page nine.
SEE BUDGET, PAGE 6
Summer commerce was on the upswing by COLLEEN SMITH ARMSTRONG Editor/Publisher
Slow but steady can win the race, and the San Juans are proving that with strong numbers in the tourism business after several years of struggling. “Beginning in July and continuing through August, the island economy was thriving for many of our chamber businesses,” said Orcas Chamber of Commerce Director Lance Evans. “In fact, the uptick was felt as early as June for some, with the overall number of visitors during the middle of summer reaching totals not seen in recent years.” The chamber sent a survey to all of its members, asking how their summer went. They had 60 total responses, including 17 lodging businesses, 11 retail, eight service, six dining establishments, and an assortment of other types of businesses. Question 1: For the months of July and August, how would you say your business
success compared to the same period in 2012? Seventy-five percent indicated “much better” with 20 percent noting it was about the same. Only five percent of businesses indicated business was worse. Question 2: Looking back a few years, how did this summer season compare to the same period pre-recession (2007 or 2008)? A total of 55 percent replied it was much better with 33 percent indicating it was about the same. Only 12 percent felt it was worse. For April through June, Washington State Ferries reported an overall rider increase of 1.8 percent for the San Juans routes. Anacortes to Shaw was up 6.5 percent; Lopez was down 1.3 percent; Orcas was up 4.6 percent; and Friday Harbor increased by .5 percent. Interisland rider traffic went up 3.8 percent. The numbers for July, August and September are not yet available. Lodging tax figures for the county are also on track. Previous numbers are as follows.
In 2008: $409,292; 2009: $347,506; 2010: $383,231; 2011: $383,428; 2012: $442,157. So far, for 2013, the numbers are at $293,516. The San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau reports that lodging tax for Orcas was up 22 percent for June and 3 percent for July. The figures for August and September are not yet available. Orcas Island Shuttle reports business was up 12 percent in June, three percent in July and 32 percent in August.
Real estate On Orcas, realtors are reporting an upswing in home and land sales. “This summer was much better than years’ past, for sure,” said Mariah Buck, manager of the Windermere office on Orcas. “In terms of pricing, properties that were selling this year were priced comparatively to 2002 or 2003
SEE SALES, PAGE 6
Transportation, housing and nutrition were all mentioned as top concerns when it comes to seniors on Orcas. Yet the prevailing theme for a large part of a recent meeting was the subject of home care. “We need a bigger pool of care givers to screw in a light bulb or heat up a cup of soup,” said one attendee. “As well as certified health care givers who can do things like a bandage dressing change.” The town hall meeting on Oct. 24 was held at the senior center to discuss how islanders look toward retirement and beyond and what can be done to help them stay on Orcas as they age. Councilman Rick Hughes planned to co-host the meeting, but his ferry was
SEE SENIORS, PAGE 8
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