Here’s a thought…
“This legislature knows how to keep going. The challenges ahead will not weaken the
momentum of what we’re doing here. So Washington, I bid you fair winds and
following seas.”
JAY INSLEE
Reminder | Celebration of Life for Artha Kass
||| FROM RACHEL NEWCOMBE ||| In Hebrew, the number 18 is associated with the word "chai," which means life. So please join us as we share memories and celebrate the life of an island gem. Saturday, January 18th 2pm - 4pm Madrona Room, Orcas Center (Nosh to follow)
FH Film Festival to receive a $20,000 grant from National Endowment for the Arts
||| FROM ELLEN ROBERTS for FRIDAY HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL ||| Friday Harbor Film Festival is pleased to announce it has been approved by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) for a Grants for Arts Projects award of $20,000. This grant will support the FHFF Documentary In-Person Festival in October,
Happy New Year from The Exchange
||| FROM THE EXCHANGE ||| Happy New Year from The Exchange! 2024 was a great year at The Exchange—we reused and recycled more material than ever, saved a ton of carbon emissions thanks to our new Baler (which dramatically reduces the number of trucks that go off island), and added
WSF Weekly Report | Apprenticeship program; spring reservations; ridership increase
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve When I finished high school in England, Chevron sponsored me for a maritime deck officer apprenticeship. Without this opportunity, I wouldn’t be where I am today. Every maritime organization I’ve worked for since offered similar programs and
LWVSJ Observer Corps | Board of Health January 15, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The board elected Justin Paulsen as chair and Jane Fuller as vice chair. The council was briefed about committees the board has seats on. Mark Tompkins will attend the Accountable Communities of Health partner and board meetings next week. County Health Officer
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Welcome to our weekly feature, Occam's Razor, from local artist S.C. Watson.
Rekindling Community Lunches
||| FROM HILARY CANTY ||| For many years, there was a community lunch served in the Community Church on Tuesdays. It was free and open to all. For some community members, this was their one warm meal of the week, for others it was one of the few meals that
Grounded – Met Opera at Orcas Center
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center screens the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Grounded on Tuesday, January 21 at 12pm on the big screen at Orcas Center. Filmed live in HD, these on-screen events offer a diverse sampling of the world’s best performers at the height of
Orcas Island’s Moose Kinsey stars in Princeton Triangle Club’s “Pageant Pending”
||| FROM MOOSE KINSEY for PRINCETON TRIANGLE CLUB ||| PRINCETON, NJ – Moose Kinsey, a performer from Orcas Island, shines in the Princeton Triangle Club’s latest original musical comedy, Pageant Pending. Premiering in November 2024 at McCarter Theatre, the show, Directed by Sam Hay, embarks on a US tour this January
LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council January 14, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The council continued its retreat with an update from the Department of Community Development (DCD). On permitting, the permit reviewing contractor has increased speed/efficiency as they get familiar with SJC code and will add a fifth staffer. The average time to process a
Land Bank to meet
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY LAND BANK COMMISSION ||| The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a regular monthly meeting on January 17, 2025 from 8:30am – 11:15am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the San Juan Island Grange, located
Council reviews major initiatives and priorities for 2025 at two-day retreat
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| This week, San Juan County Council completed a two-day retreat where they reviewed significant projects from 2024 and began setting priorities for 2025. Main topics included preparing for the new biennium budget process, re-engaging in lobbying efforts in Olympia, and moving key infrastructure
Local Power Generation | Why the Bailer Hill Microgrid: Part 2 of 3
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| The Bailer Hill Microgrid project on San Juan Island is a future Community Solar and battery storage site. Community Solar is a local solution to offset expensive mainland power and offer renewable power to co-op members who do not
Celebrate the life, legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
||| FROM SHARON ABREU for IRTHLINGZ ||| “A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.” – Martin Luther King, Jr. A Community Event Celebrating the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
JURY DUTY: JANUARY 21-24, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| All Jurors summoned for jury duty the week of January 21 - 24th are excused. Thank you.
Suspect successfully extradited for residential burglary charges
||| FROM ERIC PETER, SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF ||| On December 28, 2022, a deputy with the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office (SJC) initiated an investigation into a potential felony crime on Orcas Island. The investigation revealed that the suspect had left Washington State. After thorough investigation, the deputy determined
