Here’s a thought…
“One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us. It’s simply too painful to acknowledge, even to ourselves, that we’ve been taken. Once you give a charlatan power over you, you almost never get it back.”
CARL SAGAN
News Brief | High severity blazes influence bee species
||| FROM THE WILDLIFE NEWS ||| To the degree that wildfires are seen as somehow non-destructive, it is usually couched in phrases like the fire was low intensity and most trees “survived” the blaze, as if tree survival is the important criterion for judging wildfires. We hear constantly about “good
Orcas Island Garden Club newsletter
||| FROM ROBIN SULLIVAN for ORCAS GARDEN CLUB ||| From my rainy-day window, the garden looks calm and peacefully at rest. As daylight slowly lengthens and rain settles into the soil, this quieter season invites reflection on the living community beneath the surface—plants, fungi, soil, and water working together with
Letter to Editor | Solar power just doesn’t work here; doesn’t make sense
||| FROM RIKKI SWIN ||| Solar power works well in many places — but NOT HERE The San Juan Islands have some of the lowest solar potential in the continental U.S. due to latitude, persistent clouds, fog, and rain — among the most difficult and lowest output in the lower 48. For site-specific
Jurors excused February 23-27
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: FEBRUARY 23-27, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the jury term beginning Monday, February 23rd through Friday, February 27th, 2026, are excused. Thank you!
Town to hold special meeting for training
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council will hold a special meeting after the regular business meeting on February 19, 2026, to participate in the second portion of the AWC/RMSA mandatory training for elected and appointed officials. The third
Lahari dissolves, turns assets over to Lions Club
||| FROM TERI WILLIAMS for LAHARI ||| Lahari, an Orcas Island non-profit corporation (previously known as the “Circle of the Spirit” corporation), announces that it has requested and received WA State approval to dissolve the Lahari non-profit organization. The State also approved the plans approved by Lahari’s BOD, to distribute its
An evening with guitarist Diego Salvetti at Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Guitarist, composer and teacher Diego Salvetti is coming to the San Juans for a special night of music. He comes to the Orcas Center stage on Sunday, March 1, at 7 p.m. Born in Bergamo, Italy, Salvetti grew up listening to
News Brief | Marine authorities consider stunning wild orcas to stop yacht attacks
||| FROM SECOM.ES ||| Since 2020, over 500 sailing vessels have reported aggressive encounters with orcas along the Iberian Peninsula. These aren’t random collisions or playful interactions. The attacks show disturbing patterns of coordination and persistence that have baffled scientists and terrified sailors. Captain Maria Santos felt the first jolt
Breathe Deep | All Islands Read returns April 11
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| The All Islands Read (AIR) annual community book event returns on Saturday, April 11, at 11:00 a.m., at Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall. This free event is a collaboration between Orcas Island Public Library and HALO (Hub for Arts & Literature on
League of Women Voters issues appeal for community volunteer observers
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| Four years ago, the League of Women Voters of San Juans stood up a local Observer Corps. Many local Leagues have one; members attend local public meetings to follow what is happening in local government and to ensure that public
Rep. Lekanoff | Your invitation to upcoming legislative town hall
||| FROM REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| I’m looking forward to spending time with you in Mount Vernon later this month for a community town hall conversation. What: 40th LD Town Hall Who: Senator Liz Lovelett, Representative Alex Ramel, and Rep. Debra Lekanoff (me!) When: Saturday, February 21, from 11:00 a.m. to noon
EGC Announces OPALCO Board Candidates
Nominations by Petition Due March 2 ||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| The volunteer member Elections & Governance Committee (EGC) has completed their nominations process and selected a slate of candidates for the 2026 OPALCO Board of Directors election. There are two open positions; one
Speaker Event Tuesday | Indivisible San Juan Islands
||| FROM INDIVISIBLE SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| Presidents' Day began as George Washington’s Birthday, a federal holiday created in the 1800s to honor the first president. Washington didn’t make much of his own birthday, unlike the current president's demand for a military parade for his birthday last June. Washington was
EWUA Union Update Notice | Public accountability notes & questions
||| FROM CORY HARRINGTON ||| Eastsound Water (EWUA) recently distributed a member notice regarding staff unionization and collective bargaining negotiations. The notice contains broad assurances about progress, good faith bargaining, and support for the union. However, many members and community stakeholders have raised concerns about transparency, rising legal costs, and
Join Song Circle at Mountain Lake hut
February 21 and March 21, 11 a.m. ||| FROM ELIZA SKY ||| Join this Saturday midday Song Circle at the Mountain Lake Hut. Come sip on bone broth around the fire and sing together! This is a casual event intended to ignite a special harmony that comes over group singing,
CWR enjoys afternoon with the T69s
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 04:15 PM ObservEnd: 04:55 PM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson, Joe Zelwietro Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T069, T069C, T069E, T069F LocationDescr: Sooke EncSummary: Following up on a report of inbound Bigg’s killer whales approaching Sooke, Mark and
