Here’s a thought…
“For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people.”
JOHN F. KENNEDY
Midnight Mutterings | Planning
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| Pretty sure not one of us thinks planning for aging is simple. First of all, we have to decide at what age we will be officially old. That is until there’s really no question that time passed a long time ago. Then we
Letter to Editor | Why?
||| FROM SUSAN MUSTARD ||| Yesterday I was shocked to learn that Dr. Jennifer Simpson-Manske is no longer at Island Primary Care - Orcas. And yet, I have appointments with her in early fall on my calendar! For a good number ol years, I had suffered with unusual physical issues.
Schools Out party coming to Village Green
||| FROM FUNHOUSE COMMONS |||
News Brief | Blond Bangladeshi buffalo nicknamed ‘Donald Trump’ saved from Eid sacrifice
||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| A rare albino buffalo in Bangladesh nicknamed “Donald Trump” for its distinctive blond tuft has been spared from Eid al-Adha sacrifice after a last-minute government intervention. “At the last moment, the decision was taken to spare the buffalo from sacrifice due to security concerns and
CWR logs another Bigg’s encounter
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 11:15 AM ObservEnd: 12:48 PM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T011A, T046B, T046B2, T046B2B, T046B3, T046B3A, T046B4, T046B6, T046B7, T046B8 LocationDescr: Sansum Narrows EncSummary: Mark left Victoria on Mike 1 at 0930 en
The Nature Record comes to Friday Harbor for a public engagement event
||| FROM CONOR AGNEW for THE WHALE MUSEUM ||| The Whale Museum, UW Friday Harbor Laboratories, Friends of the San Juans and San Juan County Department of Environmental Stewardship are excited to announce a public engagement event on June 8 from 6:00-8:00 PM PT at Brickworks Event Center in Friday Harbor, Washington
Letter to Editor | I’ve lost my doctor on Orcas
||| FROM ANJI RINGZIN ||| I want to share my concern about the recent ‘letting go” of Dr. Jennifer Simpson-Manske from Island Primary Care – Orcas — and to invite others in our community who feel the same way to speak up. My granddaughter and I were so happy that
Early chamber music from Salish Sea Early Music Festival
||| FROM JEFFREY COHAN for SALISH SEA EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ||| 2026 SALISH SEA EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ~ early chamber music on period instruments on Orcas Island ~ WHAT: BACH & JACQUET Johann Sebastian Bach and Élisabeth Jacquet de La Guerre WHEN: Wednesday, June
WSF Weekly Report | Celebration of WSF 75th Anniversary
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve A lot of people have been asking what we have planned for our 75th anniversary. For months now there’s been a bunch of things in the works. With June 1 just days away, I’m excited to share
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.
News Brief | 23 Gray whale deaths on Washington shores since March
||| FROM MY NORTHWEST ||| Changes in the food supply on the whales’ Arctic feeding grounds are leading to a lack of food. Cascadia Research Collective said the public can help by protecting alternate feeding areas the whales rely on, like the ghost shrimp beds in North Puget Sound, and
Port of Friday Harbor invites community to June 4 Open House
Jackson Beach Cannery planning and Friday Harbor Marina office public art ||| FROM MIKE ROLING for PORT OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| The Port of Friday Harbor invites the community to a public open house on Wednesday, June 4, from 5:30 to 7:00 PM at the Mullis Community Senior Center (589
Celebration of life scheduled for Catherine Pederson
||| FROM SUSAN ASPLIN ||| There will be a Celebration of Life for Catherine Pederson on Sunday, June 7, 2026, from 2-4pm, at the Orcas Center. All are invited. SEE ALSO
Grow Your Own Food program cultivates skills and community in 2026
||| FROM CAITIE BLETHEN for WSU EXTENSION SAN JUAN COUNTY ||| The 2026 Grow Your Own Food program helped local residents turn curiosity into confidence, equipping participants with practical skills to grow their own food while strengthening community food resilience. Originally piloted in 2019 through a collaboration between the Joyce
Maria Burns, Orcas Christian School class of 2026
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| Maria Burns, a senior at Orcas Christian School, plans to attend Seattle Central College for two years after graduation to study pre-architecture before transferring to continue her education in architecture. Her favorite memory at OCS was the school’s mission trip to Hilo, which she
Orcas Senior Center June highlights
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Orcas Senior Center offers a variety of ongoing classes, social groups, wellness activities, and creative programs throughout the month. All programs are open to everyone, regardless of age, and new participants are always welcome. A full calendar with dates and times
