Here’s a thought…
“If ever the time should come, when vain and aspiring men shall possess the highest seats in government, our country will stand in need of its experienced patriots to prevent its ruin.”
SAMUEL ADAMS
No jurors required, October 5-9
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: OCTOBER 5-9, 2026 All jurors summonsed for Jury Duty beginning October 5th, 2026 are excused. Thank you.
Letter to Editor | Swanson will be a great addition to county council
||| FROM CAROL CRISS ||| I endorse Jennifer Swanson for County Council. She is a great listener, and strives for communication, not conflict, to resolve issues. She has worked to better our community through communication and respectful dialog. She considers all sides of an issue before making a decision, and
Orcas Youth Chorus is back
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Don't miss this fabulous opportunity to work with local musician, Stormy Hildreth, for a reboot of the Orcas Youth Chorus! Middle and High School Students are welcome to attend this weekly class on Wednesdays from 3:30-4:30 in the Black Box to expand their
Shoe Drive provides shoes for 60 island children
||| FROM ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center is grateful to continue its long-time partnership with the Sons of the American Legion through the annual Shoe Drive, which provided shoes for 60 island children this year. This ongoing effort helps ensure local children have comfortable, properly fitting shoes
Weather delays work at Port of Orcas
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| Due to weather conditions, the crew at Port of Orcas is shutting down operations, and we are taking a weather day. This delay will push the runway opening and extend the remaining soil placement and hydroseeding work through Thursday. Our current
Letter to Editor | My enthusiastic endorsement of Jennifer Swanson
||| FROM SHIRLEY SPRENGER LANGE ||| I have been a voter in San Juan County for more than 50 years and am writing to enthusiastically endorse Jennifer Swanson for County Commissioner. Jennifer and I worked together on the Shaw Island school board for several years. During her term as
Japanese music masters Také to Ito perform at Odd Fellows
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS ISLAND ODD FELLOWS ||| The sounds of traditional and contemporary Japanese music come to Orcas Island when Také to Ito, featuring koto master Curtis Patterson and shakuhachi master Bruce Huebner, perform at Odd Fellows Hall at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 8. Také to
Letter to Editor | Candidate’s dreams are spendy
||| FROM BILL WATSON ||| I read Katherine Ingman Bryant’s goals to improve health care services in San Juan County and was struck by one glaring omission: How much will all of this cost—and where will the money come from? San Juan County is facing a serious budget crisis. Health Services have already
Leadership San Juan Islands to host open house
||| FROM GRETCHEN KRAMPF for LEADERSHIP SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| Leadership San Juan Islands invites you to an Alumni & Applicant Open House on Thursday, October 8, at 285 Geneste Street, Friday Harbor, between 3:30 and 7:00 PM. Join us for savories, sweets, libations and lively conversation. Hosted by our
Letter to Editor | Ingman has our full support
||| FROM TAM PAYNTER and DAVID PAYNTER ||| This is to share how my husband and I know Katherine Bryant Ingman candidate for San Juan County Council District 3, and why she has our full support. We first met Katherine when we began to volunteer at the Lopez Food Share
County to test vote counting equipment in October
Testing will take place on October 6, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Elections Office will be holding a “Logic and Accuracy” test of ballot tabulating equipment used for the County’s November 3, 2026, General election. The test is scheduled for October 6,
Our first wind advisory of the season
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| Wind Advisory Tue 2:00 AM - Tue 2:00 PM WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO 2 PM PDT TUESDAY WHAT South wind 20 to 30 mph with gusts 40 to 45 mph expected. WHERE Lowlands of Western Whatcom County and San
OISD Strategic Planning | Building our future together
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island School District is beginning a new Strategic Planning process to help shape the future of our schools. The goal is to celebrate what’s working, identify opportunities for growth, and establish clear priorities that improve experiences and outcomes for students. Your voice
David B. Williams comes to Orcas Library for ‘In the Range of Fire and Ice’
What stories can a mountain range tell? ||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| On Wednesday, October 7 at 6:00 p.m., the Orcas Island Public Library welcomes award-winning author and naturalist David B. Williams for a special conversation about his book, In the Range of Fire and Ice:
LWV interviews WA Supreme Court candidates
All 10 Supreme Courts candidates, provide vital — nonpartisan — information for voters ||| FROM AMY PELOFF for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| With a majority of state Supreme Court seats in play on the Nov. 3 ballot and controversial issues likely to come before the justices, the League of
Guest Opinion | San Juan County has a spending problem…
and it’s got nothing to do with the Department of Environmental Stewardship ||| FROM KEVIN RANKER ||| The County Council is considering a budget that eliminates the Department of Environmental Stewardship as an independent department in order to “save money” - which history has shown means there is no independent
