Here’s a thought…
“We must do democracy. That goes far beyond simply casting your vote. We must all actively champion the causes that ensure the common good.”
MARTIN LUTHER KING III
LWVSJ Observer Corps | San Juan County Board of Health Oct 21, 2026
||| FROM BARBARA SHARP for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS SAN JUAN ||| Community Collaboration Council: Approved funding for Safe San Juans ($20K); and San Juan Island Winter Shelter ($15K), with a full time shelter at the fairgrounds’ Marie Boe Building. Behavioral Health ASO: A temporary agreement will maintain the Intensive
Larsen, Dexter introduce bill to stop Trump admin from rolling back veterans’ benefits
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, U.S. Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Maxine Dexter, M.D. (OR-03) introduced the Veteran Breast Cancer Fairness Act to restore male breast cancer as a presumptive illness under the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act (PACT Act). October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month,
Questions about San Juan County’s new Generative AI Use Policy
||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| San Juan County has adopted a policy governing the use of generative AI by County employees. It lists approved AI tools, including Microsoft Copilot, Claude, Grammarly, and Canva, and also includes tools such as Verkada security cameras with facial recognition and KnowBe4 AIDA that could
CWR encounter #89 with Bigg’s Killer Whales T60D+T60E
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 10:04 AM ObservEnd: 11:32 AM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson Pods: J IDsEncountered: All of J Pod LocationDescr: Otter Point EncSummary: Mark left Victoria harbour at 0830 to take advantage of the perfect weather and survey the western Juan
Washington, Denmark establish formal ties around maritime and industrial expertise
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR BOB FERGUSON ||| SEATTLE — Governor Bob Ferguson and Ambassador Karen Eva Abrahamsen, Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Denmark in the United States established a new era in trade and partnership between Washington and Denmark with the signing of the first cooperative agreement
Guitar virtuosos Frank Vignola and Pasquale Grasso at Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH-SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Two of today's most acclaimed jazz guitarists will share the stage at Orcas Center on Sunday, Nov. 8, at 7 p.m. Frank Vignola has been the go-to guitarist for an extraordinary range of artists, including Ringo Starr, Madonna, Donald Fagen, Tommy Emmanuel,
Port Commission will meet on Monday
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will hold a Regular Meeting to include the 2027 Budget Hearing on Monday, October 26th at 4:00 p.m. online via Zoom and in-person at the airport terminal. Access information as well as the Agenda,
Help our community thrive. Volunteer at the Food Bank
||| BY THE ORCAS ISLAND FOOD BANK COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ||| In 2025, 40% of island households (1,160 households) relied on the Orcas Island Food Bank to help meet their nutritional needs, freeing up money for other necessities, such as gas, heating fuel, medical care, and housing. As seasonal work winds
Letter to Editor | Why I support Katherine Bryant Ingman for Council
||| FROM EMILIO SANTIAGO ||| This is a rallying cry to my fellow San Juan Islanders! I enthusiastically support Katherine Bryant Ingman for San Juan County Council, and I hope you will too. District 3 covers Lopez, Shaw, and Decatur, but we all know that our County Council's decisions affect
Coming home to community
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| It's Homecoming season, and not just for Orcas Island High School, but for all of us who feel that familiar pull back toward the people and places that make us feel a sense of purpose and belonging. Homecoming is about
Neighbor to neighbor shelter seeking community volunteers
||| FROM ALICIA WIGFIELD for NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR SHELTER ||| Neighbor to Neighbor Shelter opens November 8, and we’re looking for volunteers to help welcome and support our neighbors. There are lots of ways to pitch in—whether you can take a shift, help with laundry, or make a meal. Morning
Notice of special meeting on land use
For elected and appointed officials ||| FROM JENNIFER M. KREMBS, TOWN CLERK ||| NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council will hold a special meeting on October 26, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m., to participate in an AWC/RMSA mandatory training on Land Use for elected and appointed
Annual Halloween Dance coming to Odd Fellows Hall
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND ODD FELLOWS ||| Get your costumes ready and join us for a Halloween night at Odd Fellows Hall! Our Annual Halloween Dance returns on October 31 from 8:30 PM to midnight, with live music from The Studs, dancing, costumes, and plenty of Halloween spirit. Come dressed
Help Rotary and Its PolioPlus partners deliver more than vaccines
||| FROM BARBARA MARRETT for SAN JUAN ISLANDS ROTARY CLUB ||| World Polio Day, October 24, is an opportunity to unite in support of Rotary International’s longstanding mission to eradicate polio. That effort goes beyond vaccines: polio cases can reveal gaps in health systems, and contaminated water can spread the
Letter to Editor | Jennifer Swanson: A Shaw islander for all of San Juan County
||| FROM RANDALL GAYLORD ||| I’m voting for Jennifer Swanson and I hope you do too. County Council members represent islanders county-wide and must serve them well. Where the candidate lives helps define their character. Swanson lives on Shaw Island. With that, Swanson recognizes the central values we share of
BELONGING: Five writers, five perspectives, one universal question at Library
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| What does it mean to belong? To a place, a community, a family—or simply to ourselves? Join the Orcas Island Public Library on Thursday, October 29, at 6:30 p.m. for Belonging, an evening of readings and conversation exploring one of the
