Here’s a thought…
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.”
ROBERT LYND
Be ‘Plastic Free in the Salish Sea’ this boating season
A FREE boat shrink wrap recycling program kicks off this summer in the San Juans ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship and Plastic Free Salish Sea are piloting a recycling program to make it easy for people to recycle the plastic
Come meet the new pastor of OICC
||| FROM ALICIA WIGFIELD for ORCAS COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| We are truly delighted to welcome Pastor Scott Harris and his wife, Sandi, to our church family. Scott and Sandi come to us with full hearts and a deep love for the Pacific Northwest, a place that already holds special meaning
Letter to Editor | OPALCO the elephant in the room
||| FROM RIKKI SWAN ||| OPALCO (YOU) purchased 2 million dollars worth of solar panels for the Bailer Hill microgrid. Those panels? Still sitting outside the Friday Harbor office under tarps, gathering moss and questions. Over 5,200–5,700 panels, depending on who's counting. OPALCO didn't nail the due diligence on Bailer
Wildfire smoke still impacting local air quality, national report says
Skagit, Whatcom counties, Bellingham among cleanest areas for ozone ||| FROM NORTHWEST CLEAN AIR AGENCY ||| Harmful fine particles in wildfire smoke continue to show impacts on air quality in northwest Washington, according to the annual national “State of the Air” report. The American Lung Association’s 27th annual report includes
Council approves funding to 2026 senior & disabled rental subsidy program
The program provides funding to help extremely low-income seniors and people with disabilities keep their housing affordable ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During today’s April 21 Council meeting, the San Juan County Council voted to approve funding for all applicants to the 2026 Senior and Disabled Rental Subsidy Program, made
Decatur solar expansion project continues with modification to site plan
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| The OPALCO Board held a special board meeting on Tuesday, April 21 to discuss the Decatur Community Solar project and determine next steps. In a 5-2 vote, the OPALCO Board approved a motion to proceed with the project and
No jurors needed April 27 – May 1
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: APRIL 27 - MAY 1, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the Jury Period beginning Monday April 27th through Friday May 1st, 2026, are excused. Thank you.
Orcas Christian School presents May Day play celebrating spring and faith
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| Orcas Christian School (OCS) is inviting the community to a special May Day celebration on May 1st at 5:30 PM. The event will feature a heartfelt student performance centered on the beauty and meaning of the spring season. According to Vice Principal Kami Griffin, The May
News Brief | WSF making changes to handle thousands of FIFA World Cup riders
||| FROM KOMO NEWS ||| Hundreds of thousands of soccer fans from around the world are headed to Seattle for the FIFA World Cup in June and July - and many of those visitors will want to ride our state’s iconic ferries. This new crush of riders will come on
GoFundMe account for family of West Beach fatal crash victim
|||FROM JEFF PLATT ||| Antonia Valenzuela's family is identifying her as the woman who died the other day in the fatal crash in West Beach on Orcas Island. Her family is now asking for help transporting Antonia's body to Mexico for burial. They are also asking for help covering family travel
Odlin County Park to celebrate 100 years as a public park
You’re invited to a series of free events at the park to celebrate the centennial! ||| FROM SAN JUAN DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Parks and Fair Department is planning a handful of events this summer to mark the centennial celebration at Odlin County Park. On
In Memoriam | Catherine Ann Ledingham Pederson, 1932 – 2026
||| FROM JENNY PEDERSON ||| Catherine Ann Ledingham Pederson, age 93, of Eastsound, Washington, passed away peacefully on April 12, 2026. Catherine cared deeply about family and community, and got great pleasure in sharing her many talents. She loved beauty and wildlife on Orcas Island and greeted people with her
Earth Day celebrations all week in the islands
||| FROM EARTH DAY ORCAS ||| Nature, Peace, Arts, & Song The week is full of ways to honor the Earth and strengthen our values for stewardship, peace, and compassion for all life. Come celebrate in Community! Save your seat for The Sacred Covenant on Sat. the 25th at 2pm,
Enter | Town is sponsoring Poetry Gardens contest
||| FROM JULIE GREENE for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| San Juan County residents of all ages are encouraged to submit your best original poems to the 2026 POETRY GARDENS CONTEST. Winning entries will be displayed in the town’s four Poetry Gardens! Deadline for submission: July 31, 2026. Guidelines for
Health Care District Board to meet on Wednesday
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island Health Care District Board will hold a regularly scheduled board meeting on Wednesday, April 22nd from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Orcas Island Library, 500 Rose Street, Eastsound. The Board Meeting Public Packet is available below. The
News Brief | Lyrid meteor shower to peak Tuesday night, with better views than usual
||| FROM SCIENCE ALERT ||| This year's Lyrid meteor shower is getting a boost thanks to a dim crescent moon. Skywatchers could see 10 to 20 shooting stars per hour soar across the spring sky, according to NASA, when the fiery display peaks Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. The show
