Here’s a thought…
“I don’t know why we are here, but I’m pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.”
LUDWIG WITTGENSTEIN
WSF fare changes coming up on May 1
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Starting this Friday, May 1, there will be changes to our fares and multi-ride pass expiration: Passenger and vehicle ticket prices will increase by an average of 3%. The Washington State Transportation Commission approved these changes last summer. A 35% peak season surcharge
No jurors required for May 4-8
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: MAY 4-8, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the Jury Period beginning Monday May 4th through Friday May 8th, 2026 are excused. Thank you.
Health Dept. confirms all SJC shellfish growing areas meet public health water quality standards
An annual review finds no downgrades or risks to classifications ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has completed its annual review of shellfish growing area classifications and confirmed that all growing areas in San Juan County continue to meet the state’s stringent
Celebrate World Labyrinth Day at Emmanuel
Three islands, one path ||| FROM NANCY AYER ||| WORLD LABYRINTH DAY SATURDAY, MAY 2, 2026 - EMMANUEL LABYRINTH AVAILABLE ALL DAY - Lopez, Orcas, San Juan Join all of us as we walk in community with pilgrims from all faiths and spiritualities in a worldwide meditation on PEACE. Come walk
Registration open for WSF Community Meetings, Tuesday, May 26
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We’re hosting two online community meetings on Tuesday, May 26. This is a great chance to share feedback and ask us questions. We’ll cover topics including the upcoming FIFA World Cup, an updated pet policy, new vessel construction, and our Service Contingency Plan. Both meetings will cover the same topics, and most
Story-sharing event for LGBTQ+ islanders at Orcas Library
||| FROM PARKER PAVITT for ORCAS ISLAND HISTORICAL MUSEUMS ||| Orcas Island Historical Museums invites you to a story-sharing event for LGBTQ+ islanders from 6-8pm on May 28th at the Public Library. During this casual after-hours event, mingle for an evening of community and collaboration over a shared meal hosted
Go Fund Me account launched for West Side Kitchen
||| FROM ANDRE NORRIS for GO FUND ME ||| A popular Orcas Island lunch spot is at risk of closing as its owner faces mounting financial challenges. The West Side Kitchen has been hit by unexpected setbacks, including the sudden arrival of owner Andi’s son, staffing losses, and repeated closures
News Brief | Targeted hunts were supposed to curb ‘Zombie Deer Disease.’ Now what?
||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| Over two decades, Illinois has been one of a number of states that have set up culling campaigns to slow the spread of chronic wasting disease, a strange illness that one expert likened to a “disease from outer space.” First discovered in wild
A collaborative conservation with Land Bank, Conservation District
Lessons from five years of habitat restoration at Mount Grant—and what’s next ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Join the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank and the San Juan Islands Conservation District on May 6th for a conversation on collaborative, landscape-scale restoration at Mount Grant Preserve on San
Yellow Island lecture coming up April 29
Limited seating so arrive early ||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB |||
Don’t touch bats | Tips to prevent rabies exposure
Spring environmental health tips from your local public health department ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Your local public health team wants to remind you of a few tips to help make your spring season as fun and healthy as possible. Bats are highly beneficial to people, as
Center for Whale Research encounters J Pod in Haro Strait
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 10:05 AM ObservEnd: 01:05 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Pods: J IDsEncountered: J16, J19, J26, J27, J36, J38, J39, J40, J41, J42, J44, J45, J46, J47, J49, J51, J53, J56, J58, J62, and J63
Early Childhood Education Initiative launches new website
||| FROM ED ANDREWS for EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION INITIATIVE ||| The Early Childhood Education Initiative is excited to announce the launch of its new website at theecei.org. The redesigned site offers a new look with an easier way for families, donors, educators, and the community to learn about the mission,
Disposing of unwanted prescription medication
||| FROM INGRID MATTSON for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| You may know the Orcas Island Library provides notary services, wi-fi hotspots, and board games, but did you know we also distribute envelopes for prescription drug returns/take-backs? In partnership with the Coalition for Orcas Youth (COY), you can grab a mail-back bag
The Whale Museum announces open house event
||| FROM CONOR AGNEW for THE WHALE MUSEUM ||| The Whale Museum will be hosting an Open House event on Friday, May 1, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM. This is a great opportunity for the community to meet the new faces at The Whale Museum and learn more about
Center for Whale Research honors L25 with new logo
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| As we celebrate our 50th year, we’re proud to share our new logo for the Center for Whale Research. Our new logo features L25, the oldest living matriarch in the Southern Resident orca community. She is not just an individual whale, but a
