Here’s a thought…
“If you don’t vote you don’t exist. It is the only place where we’re all equal, the voting booth.”
GLORIA STEINEM
Celebrating the labor of love on Orcas
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| Labor Day began in the 1880s as a tribute to the American labor movement, honoring the contributions of working people to our shared prosperity. That spirit feels so true here on Orcas, where so much of what makes island life
9-11 memorial ceremony for fallen firefighters at OIFR Station 21
||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| Orcas Island Fire & Rescue (OIFR) will hold a ceremony on September 11, 2026, to honor the victims of the September 11th attacks and the 343 firefighters who died that day. The ceremony will take place at Station 21,
Skip the ferry. Get your mammogram right here on Orcas
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Leaving the island for a mammogram means a ferry, a long day, and a lot of hassle. Now you don't have to. Assured Imaging is bringing mobile mammography directly to Orcas Senior Center — making it easier than ever to take
German magician to present comedy magic show on Orcas Center Main Stage
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| After a string of full houses across the San Juan Islands, professional magician Henry 'Oz brings his comedy magic show to the Orcas Center Main Stage on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. It is his first appearance on the island's
WSF Weekly Report | WSF community meetings next week; kayak rescue; music aboard Suquamish
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve As summer winds down and we head into Labor Day weekend, I hope you’ll join me in thanking my colleagues across our system for their commitment to serving our customers, especially over the past few months. This
Free farm and ranch succession workshop offered Oct. 29 in Friday Harbor
The workshop will offer practical information and resources for navigating farm and ranch succession, land transfer and business transition ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners thinking about the future of their land or business are invited to Planning for the Future of Your Farm
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.
Coffee with Kari McVeigh event coming up
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| District 1 Council representative Kari McVeigh is hosting another ‘Coffee with Kari’ event during the month of September – an opportunity to ask questions, hear the latest County news, and chat about what matters to locals. McVeigh began hosting these open-house style meetings
Jury duty beginning Sept. 8? You’re excused
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: SEPTEMBER 8-11, 2026 All jurors summonsed for Jury Duty beginning September 8th, 2026 are excused. Thank you.
Town Hall meeting with Orcas Healthcare Advocates
||| FROM VICTORIA SMITH for ORCAS HEALTHCARE ADVOCATES ||| Are you feeling helpless, abandoned, and lost navigating the healthcare system on Orcas Island? If so, you are not alone. We are with you. And we are not willing to accept that we are powerless to change our situation. Quality, accessible healthcare
2026 Rotary Car Show kicked into high gear with record attendance
||| FROM BARBARA MARRETT for SAN JUAN ROTARY ||| Chrome, camaraderie, and community spirit were all in overdrive as August’s 18th Annual Rotary Car Show rolled into San Juan Vineyard. More than 500 spectators from across the country came to admire a dazzling line-up of 65 classic, custom, and innovative
Orcas-born K-9 from Skagit County joined missing person search
||| FROM PEGGY WILSON ||| Two Skagit K9 teams responded to the search for Kent Sawyer today. K9 Cricket was born on Orcas Island and was reunited with her breeder Sargent Bryce Peterson, who was in charge of the search.
Missing person search successfully concludes
||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| The missing person has been found. He is home and comfortably resting with family. Thank you to everyone who made that possible. More than 30 community members joined Wednesday morning’s search. Their willingness to show up was a huge
San Juan County announces annual road striping maintenance
Work is scheduled to begin on San Juan Island on September 8, with operations moving to Orcas, Shaw, and Lopez over a two to three week period ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Public Works Department is announcing its annual summer road striping schedule beginning on
New tool helps San Juan County emergency agencies respond to wildland fires
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for SJC DEPT. OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Island forests in late summer tell a familiar story: browning maple leaves, dry madrona litter underfoot, and brittle moss. Even with a bit of rain in the forecast, these are the weeks when wildfire risk in San Juan County
Audition notice for Kids Got Talent at Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Auditions for Orcas Center’s youth talent show will take place on Wednesday, Sept.16 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the Black Box Theater. Bring your talent and show us your act! Your performance can incorporate anything from song and dance to
