Here’s a thought…
“Peace is not something we ask for — it’s something we practice, together.”
WALK FOR PEACE
Poetry | Advice from a raindrop
||| FROM ANITA COUCHMAN || ADVICE FROM A RAINDROP Kim Stafford You think you're too small to make a difference? Tell me about it. You think you're helpless, at the mercy of forces beyond your control? Been there. Think you're doomed to disappear, just one small voice among millions? That's
Orcas Community Resource Center to host “Financial Disaster Recovery” seminar
||| FROM ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center will present a "Financial Disaster Recovery" seminar at the Orcas Senior Center on Wednesday, February 18th, at 1:00 p.m. Part of the Orcas Talks Money program, this specialized session is designed to help seniors navigate financial crises and
Town Council to hold special meeting
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARB0R ||| NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council will hold a special meeting after the regular business meeting on February 5, 2026, to participate in the first portion of the AWC/RMSA mandatory training for elected and appointed officials regarding the
Jurors for February 9-13 excused
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: FEBRUARY 9-13, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the jury term beginning Monday, February 9th through Friday, February 13th, 2026, are excused. Thank you!
Larsen rejects Trump’s agenda; demands ICE accountability
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement on the Fiscal Year 2026 funding package, which provides full-year funding for jobs, education, health care and national security priorities along with two weeks of funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS): “These funding bills are a rejection of Trump administration’s agenda. “Eliminating
Vehicle reservations for spring open next Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 10 a.m.
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations for the spring 2026 schedule (March 22 through June 13) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 10. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, we will continue using a virtual waiting room during the reservations release.
Larsen releases statement on government funding package
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement on the Fiscal Year 2026 funding package before the House of Representatives: “These bills provide full-year funding for jobs, education, health care and national security priorities along with
Guest Speaker | The Constitution, the Supreme Court and the Executive Branch
Where are we today? ||| FROM INDIVISIBLE SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| Indivisible San Juan Islands (ISJI) is pleased to announce our upcoming Guest Speaker, Garrett Epps. Professor Epps, a nationally renowned Constitutional scholar, law professor, podcaster, and journalist, formerly with The Atlantic and now with the Washington Monthly, will provide
Mid-Sale Reminder | SJC Master Gardeners native plant sale still open for online orders
Orders placed online will be available for pickup on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at convenient locations on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Master Gardeners remind island residents that the 2026 Native Plant Sale is in full swing, with
Join us for the first ever Floating Valentine’s Ukulele Jam
Thursday, February 12 ||| FROM ANITA ORNE for FLOATING UKULELE JAM ||| Bring your uke, your voice, your loved ones, friends, and relations and maybe a love song or two to share (or just come enjoy the ride). And let’s wear red! It will be lovely. Boat departs Friday Harbor
Noxious Weeds | Does winter mean ‘time for a break’ or is it an opportunity?
Use this winter to get ahead of your weeds before the growing season hits. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| While winter conditions slow plant growth and may encourage us to stay indoors, this might be the best season to get on top of your noxious weeds. Consider the
Unscripted and Unleashed | Improv with Brian James O’Connell
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Improv isn’t just for the stage, it’s for every facet of your artistic life! Join Brian James O’Connell — actor, writer, director, producer, and creator of the ALL IMPROV guidebook and curriculum — as he guides you through a three-day workshop
Jennifer Swanson announces County Council candidacy
||| FROM DICK GROUT ||| Jennifer Swanson is excited to announce her candidacy for the San Juan County Council, District 3. A longtime resident of Shaw Island, Jennifer lives in District 3 with her husband and is the mother of two college-aged children. Public service has been at the heart
Guest Opinion | OPALCO and the double entendre
||| FROM RIKKI SWIN ||| I'd like to respond to the OPALCO criticism of my column regarding our high rates: Quoting OPALCO: " Krista from OPALCO here. This article is so rife with misinformation it’s hard to know where to start. You can disagree with OPALCO and some of our methodology,
Library display | See what Dave Kosiur has snapped around Orcas
||| FROM ANDREA COHEN for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Photographer Dave Kosiur’s work will be on display at the Orcas Island Library during the month of February. Dave’s exhibit, entitled The Little Things, is a departure from his usual landscape photography. In this work, he has focused, with a touch
Salish Sea Early Music returns in concert
||| FROM JEFFREY COHAN FOR SALISH SEA EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ||| Very special guests Ukrainian Olena Zhukova, coming directly from Kyiv. Canadian viola da gambist Susie Napper, and Canadian player of pardessus de viole Mélisande Corriveau, both coming from Montreal, will join baroque flutist Jeffrey Cohan in presenting France and
