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WEDNESDAY, December 16, 2015 VOL. 108, NO. 50 75¢
Chief to start in January
Ice cream for a cause
Tax on garbage decrease
By Anna V. Smith
By Heather Spaulding
January brings a new year, and for San Juan Island this year it also brings a new Emergency Medical Services Chief. After months of reviewing applications and conducting interviews, San Juan Island EMS has chosen Jerry Martin to be the new chief, starting Jan. 1, 2016. “San Juan EMS and MedEvac has a long history of great people providing exceptional service to the community,” Martin said. “It is an honor to be selected as its next chief. My plan for the department is to maintain the level of excellence the community has come to expect from its EMS providers.” Martin currently lives in Blaine, Wash., north of Bellingham located on the coast and near the Canadian border. “My wife Karin and I are looking forward to being part of the San Juan community,” Martin said. “We currently live south of Birch Bay, west of Ferndale. It’s small, with the bay just three rock throws away. Very similar to San Juan Island, just without the ferry.” Martin added he is currently working on a SWOT analysis, a strategy to determine strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. He is also beginning to work on a 100 day plan that will focus on getting to know the current EMS system, the island’s responders and developing relationships with emergency response organizations and community groups, associations and individuals. “My passion is patient care,” Martin said. “As the island’s new EMS chief, I have the opportunity to combine my passion with years of preparation to become a chief. After all, it’s all about excellent patient care for those we have the privilege to serve.” He also said that getting to communicate with the community is a priority, and getting to know their
During their Dec. 9 meeting, the San Juan County Council voted to decrease the solid waste tax by 1.5 percent on Orcas and San Juan. A slow tax decrease was part of the original 2012 solid waste financing plan, as the county worked its way out of debt. Three years ago, some might recall, solid waste operations hit crises mode after tests showed the transfer station on San Juan Island was in need of work. After years of multiple studies and highly controversial proposals to move the transfer station from Sutton Road, the county came to a realization that the trash situation was seriously in the red, by approximately $100,000. Solid waste staff was forced to reevaluate their strategy. After countless meetings and input from the public two choices emerged before the voters. One option kept
Journal reporter
Journal reporter
See CHIEF, Page 4
Contributed photos/Sara Parsons
Top left, Henry Jensen gets excited about ice cream, bottom, volunteers serve up ice cream at the elementary school.
Elementary school students raised funds for diabetes research and education, and were rewarded with an ice cream party
By Anna V. Smith Journal reporter
“This is 28 carbs,” Sara Jensen said, handing an ice cream cone to her son Henry as he pulled his blood sugar test kit out of a silver iridescent fanny pack. You don’t often hear parents talking to their kids about watching their carb count, unless they’re a parent like Jensen with a child who has diabetes. After a finger poke and a reading, Henry shouts his numbers across the room. His mom gives him the thumbs up and he digs into his mint chip ice cream cone. The rest of the kids waiting in line eagerly discuss which flavors they want – birthday cake! Vanilla! Chocolate! Strawberry! Lopez Island Creamery donated around 40 gallons ice of cream to the students at Friday Harbor Elementary School on Dec. 8 after the school raised $798 towards diabetes foundation Beyond Type 1, almost $300 over their goal. Yo! Friday Harbor and Roche Harbor Resort also donated to the event. Henry Jensen, age 8, brought the idea to raise the money to the FHES student council, with the initial goal of raising $500 to contribute to Beyond Type 1’s overall fundraising goal of $1 million to go towards
Type 1 diabetes research and education. Henry was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in 2013 at age 5. Henry’s mother Sara is the creative director and helped design and brand Beyond Type 1, founded this February, along with other founders Sam Talbot, Sarah Lucas and Juliet De Baubigny and Nick Jonas (yes, the famous one). “I wanted to work with an organization that brought the focus to people with diabetes as individuals, instead of defining them by their disease,” Jensen said. According to Jensen, all operational and fundraising expenses are covered by a group of “founding friends” that fund the group. This allows for all the donations to go straight into efforts of diabetes Type 1 education, advocating and researching a cure. Henry, who is featured on the Beyond Type 1 website, presented the idea of a fundraiser to the school’s student council with his sister. “He has regularly made a point of donating parts of his Christmas and birthday money to charity, so it made sense for him to share that spirit of giving with the school,” Jensen said. See CAUSE, Page 4
See TAX, Page 4
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