The
INSIDE Senior spotlight
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Village sculpture fundraiser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4 George Willis photo
Star library report
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www.islandsweekly.com 360-468-4242 • 800-654-6142
Islands’ eekly W
VOLUME 36, NUMBER 49 • DECEMBER 3, 2013
Property values have dropped Annual Craft Fair Sat., Dec. 7 10 am-3 pm and Sun., Dec. 8 10 am-3 pm Come join us for a wide array of arts and crafts from all islands.
Any questions, call Kathy or Sydney 468-2233.
Islander
Resort
Family owned since 1997
Submitted by San Juan County
Notices of value for 2013 were mailed in midNovember to 11,078 San Juan County property owners representing a total of 14,020 parcels. Notices were not mailed for 4,000 parcels whose values did not change since 2012. This is the second year for annual valuations in San
Juan County, so changes in valuation are significantly less than what was seen in prior years when they were reappraised on a three- to four-year cycle. County- wide, values have dropped by 0.8 percent since 2012. The largest average change in value was in the Town of Friday Harbor, which decreased by 4.9 percent. The overall decrease in value for
San Juan Island was 2.1 percent. Shaw, Lopez and Orcas Islands showed minor increases in assessed values of 1.7 percent, 0.4 percent and 0.3 percent respectively. Under the new system of annual valuations, all properties are re-assessed every year at market value, creating improved fairness, uniformity and equity county wide and eliminating large
10th Annual
Port Stanley School Holiday Show
Spirit of Giving
Saturday, Dec. 14,
Sponsored by the Lopez Island Family Resource Center
2013
10am - 3pm
Hand Felted Gifts Ceramics
Debbie Collins
Beaded Flatware & Faux Deer Heads
Jules McLeland Jewelry & Mixed Media
ing m o C
... LOPEZ n o o S
THRIFT SHOP ANNUAL CHRISTMAS SALE December 7th 9 am - 1 pm
Lopez School Multipurpose Room All proceeds from sale stay on Lopez Island
Terri Roush Fused Glass
Tamara Shane
Copper Crafts & More
Stina Soderlind Handcrafted Beach Jewelry
S.W.A.P.
T-shirts, Junk-Bonds & Fashion Show DVD’s
Sponsoring a family Grabbing a Tag from a Giving Tree at the Bay Café, Sunset Builders, Lopez Village Market, The Galley, or Islanders Bank Making a donation to the LIFRC Call 468-4117 for more information. Contributions can be mailed to PO Box 732, Lopez, WA 98261.
Clean, recently-ground island wood mulch ➨ $35 a yard for a single grind ➨ $40 a yard for double grind ➨ Delivered with a 10 yard minimum
Kristin Twigg
Screen Printed Linens & Stationary
Linda Ann Vorobik
Botanical Art & Silks
Janet Yang
Willow Studio Jewelry
Light Refreshments & Music 2970 Port Stanley Rd. Lopez Island, WA
Safety tips for the holiday season Submitted by the Lopez Island Prevention Coalition
Featuring 11 Local Artists Jennifer Armstrong Leslie Austin
increases (or decreases) in assessed values that sometimes resulted from a multiyear cycle. If taxpayers have questions about the valuations reflected on their Notices of Value, contact the Assessor’s Office at 3782172. To see a chart of value changes by service distric, go to sanjuanco.com/news/ NewsRelease.aspx?nr=63.
Call Sam, 468-3000
With the holiday season in full swing, many of us will be hosting and/or attending holiday parties. With that in mind, below are some reminders that will assist you in having a safe and enjoyable party: 1) Control access to the alcohol you provide. • Avoid serving from common sources such as kegs or punch bowls. • Consider hiring a trained professional to serve drinks at your party. • Be sure that whoever does pour the drinks is not consuming alcohol and monitors other guests’ consumption. 2) Offer soft drinks, fruit juices, bottled water and coffee so that your quests have an alternative to alcohol. 3) Allow guests to have only one drink at a time. Discourage competitive or rapid drinking. 4) Provide plenty of appetizers, snacks and other foods. 5) Plan entertainment and other activities so that drinking alcohol is not the primary focus of the party. 6) Model appropriate behavior for your guests and be sure to communicate SEE SAFETY, PAGE 2