Here’s a thought…
“There’s rarely been a bigger political mess in a national security strategy than we’re now undergoing.”
GENERAL BARRY MCCAFFREY (RET.)
Urgent need for advocates for long-term care residents in NW Washington counties
||| FROM KRISTIN HYDE for LONG TERM CARE OMBUDS ||| An estimated 4,000 Washingtonians live in 103 long-term care homes in Northwest Washington, including nursing homes, assisted living and adult family homes. Many residents don’t have frequent visits from family or friends who can ensure their rights are respected and
Public Meeting | Limited deer hunting considered for two Orcas Island preserves
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The public is invited to join the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank (Land Bank), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and representatives of area treaty tribes on March 23, 2026, to learn about a collaborative proposal for allowing limited opportunities
Resource Center offers free credit education workshop
||| FROM MEGAN METCALF for ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center is hosting a free financial literacy workshop, "Raise Your Score," on Tuesday, March 17th at 5:30pm at the Orcas Library. The seminar is designed to help community members understand and improve their credit scores. Credit
The Whale Museum announces new virtual art class
||| FROM CONOR AGNEW for THE WHALE MUSEUM ||| The Whale Museum is hosting a new, virtual art class on Saturday, April 4th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The class, “Drawing Inspiration From the Salish Sea”, centers on nature journaling. Through expertly guided exercises, participants will practice noticing patterns,
Orcas Island Market named 2026 IGA USA Centennial Retailer of the Year
||| FROM JESSICA VICIAN for IGA ||| Orcas Island Market has been named a 2026 IGA USA Centennial Retailer of the Year, an honor recognizing independent grocery retailers who demonstrate excellence in operations, innovation, employee development, and community leadership. Presented by the Independent Grocers Alliance (IGA), the Retailer of the Year award recognizes independently owned
A message from Council Member Fuller | ‘An honor and a privilege’
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| "After much deliberation I have decided I will not be seeking re-election this year," writes Councilmember Fuller. "In the meantime, I will continue working in service to the residents of the County through December as has been my privilege throughout." To my San
Guest Opinion | Four long-term EWUA employees have left in six months
||| FROM CORY HARRINGTON ||| EWUA Turnover: 13 Staff and 6 Board Members gone since 2021 13 staff members have left Eastsound Water Users Association (EWUA) 7 resigned 5 terminated 1 retired 6 board members have left the EWUA Board of Directors prior to the end of their term 1
OPALCO candidates announced
Vote in OPALCO's election! Voters eligible to win prizes. ||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| The 2026 OPALCO election opens March 18th! To allow members to meet each candidate and hear about their vision for the co-op, OPALCO will be hosting two virtual candidate forums
No Place Like Loam | The myth of pruning
What abandoned orchards reveal about fruit trees, pruning, and the advice we repeat without questioning ||| NO PLACE LIKE LOAM by ALEX TAMAYO WOLF ||| The Argument Made Palatable A century ago our island wasn't the quiet pastoral place people imagine when they step off the ferry. It was working
Early Music Festival | Three centuries of folk songs
||| FROM JEFFREY COHAN for SALISH SEA EARLY MUSIC FESTIVAL ||| “Folk, Baroque and Beyond: Airs from Three Centuries” brings guitarist/lutenist Oleg Timofeyev and flutist Jeffrey Cohan together in a performance featuring three centuries of variations on popular music including 17th-century psalms, 18th-century Irish and Scottish folk melodies and 19th-century popular opera
News Brief | Washington House passes bill giving state board power to remove an elected sheriff
||| FROM KOMO TV NEWS ||| A controversial bill that could allow the state to remove an elected sheriff moved closer to becoming law after it passed the Washington House early Friday morning following hours of debate. Senate Bill 5974 passed in a party-line vote in the House of Representatives
‘Art of the First Nations’ | Honoring the creative legacy from an ancient past
||| FROM VISUAL ARTS COMMITTEE for ORCAS CENTER ||| "Art of the First Nations" features the work of Indigenous artists, including Luke Marston (known for the form, design and detailed finishing of his carvings) and Stan Greene (master of Tsimshian design and carving techniques). The show will be on display
Time Check | Sigh…Here we are again
||| FROM CBSNEWS.COM ||| Daylight saving time, the yearly time change colloquially known as daylight savings, is set to start for 2026, meaning most Americans will lose an hour of sleep when they "spring forward" this weekend. For nearly 20 years, the annual ritual of moving clocks an hour ahead
Latest from Lekanoff | Thanks for joining + House budgets
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| To everyone who joined our recent town halls - in person, online, and by phone - thank you for showing up with thoughtful questions, honest concerns, and deep love for our communities. These conversations matter. They ground my work in Olympia
You’re invited to OPAL’s Annual Meeting
||| FROM OPAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ||| OPAL’s 2026 Annual Meeting, an opportunity to hear updates, celebrate milestones, and connect with the community that makes affordable housing possible on Orcas Island. Thursday, April 23 · 5:00–6:30 PM · Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall During the meeting, we’ll share highlights from the
OPALCO asks to roll back restrictions on Decatur solar site
Plans for a new solar project on Decatur Island in San Juan County have met with yet another complication after new deed restrictions on the proposed site. ||| FROM SALISH CURRENT ||| Orcas Power and Light Cooperative — aka OPALCO — is asking the county to revise the restrictions on
