Here’s a thought…
“The competition between Nature and the economy is deep and broad.
In the short term, the economy usually wins. In the long term …?”
BILL APPEL
Coastal flood advisory in effect from 4am to 10am Saturday
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Seattle WA 145 PM PST Thu Dec 4 2025 San Juan County-Lowlands of Western Whatcom County- Lowlands of Western Skagit and Northwestern Snohomish
Step aside, Olga Red Gravenstein! The next generation of unique Orcas Island apples is ready for takeoff!
Novel Apples for Orcas! ||| FROM RUSSELL BARSH for KWIAHT ||| For the past five years, Kwiaht botanist Madrona Murphy has been relocating, mapping, and sampling fruits and (for genetic analysis) leaves from orchards planted
OPALCO launches opt-in Renewable Energy Survey to gather member input
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) is inviting all members to participate in a newly launched Renewable Energy Survey designed to gather community insight on
Severe Weather Shelter now open at dark, 7 days a week
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH |||
Despite the speed at which it is progressing, AI is getting far too little discussion in Congress
||| FROM THE GUARDIAN by BERNIE SANDERS ||| There is a very real fear that, in the not-so-distant future, a super-intelligent AI could replace humans in controlling the planet. "My staff and I will soon
Wild salmon and steelhead in Columbia River Basin are collapsing; endangered orcas that depend on them are starving
Feds concede new management plan is inadequate ||| FROM EMMA HELVERSON for WILD FISH CONSERVANCY ||| Wild salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River Basin are collapsing, and endangered orcas that depend on them are
Garden Club presents language of flowers & holiday tea party
||| FROM PERRI GIBBONS for ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Please join the Orcas Island Garden Club on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, at the Orcas Center when we welcome Kimberly Wilder of Botanical Bar and
CWR logs two encounters with J Pod
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 10:42 AM ObservEnd: 03:15 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Pods: J IDsEncountered: J16, J19, J22, J26, J31, J35,
Lopez author releases new novel about Southern Resident Killer Whales
||| FROM GENE HELFMAN ||| I’ve done it, a sequel to Beyond the Human Realm. Meet In the Realm of the Whales, a novel of transformation, tragedy, and triumph. Beyond the Human Realm explored the
News Brief | Lummi Nation declares disaster after invasive crab arrives
||| FROM KOMO NEWS ||| The appearance of the European green crab is a serious threat to their treaty fishing rights. The crabs threaten hatchery operations, Tribal shellfish harvests and may have larger impacts if
Encounter with Bigg’s in Puget Sound
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 10:45 AM ObservEnd: 02:02 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss Other Observers: Monika Wieland Shields, Jason Shields, Rachel John, Amanda Colbert
Guest Opinion | Success in the climate change battle looks like this…
"…Flogging a very dead horse…" ||| FROM DANIEL GOTTLIEB ||| From Yahoo: “…Commodities strategists at Wall Street’s top investment banks expect 2026 and 2027 to be tough years for the oil industry. And that’s after
‘The Share Table’ collaboration cultivates healthy eating, community in San Juan County
The collaboration between San Juan County WSU Extension Master Gardeners, San Juan County Health & Community Services, and the Friday Harbor Food Bank, completed its inaugural season and served hundreds of community members. ||| FROM
OPALCO Board passes 2026 budget and rates
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| The 2026 OPALCO annual budget was approved at the November 20 board meeting including changes to the rate structure and a ~6% rate increase
No Place Like Loam | Winter Garden: What my Grandfather’s war garden still teaches me – Part 2
||| NO PLACE LIKE LOAM by ALEX TAMAYO-WOLF ||| Mom asks why I’m always up so early, out there in the wind, picking greens for a smoothie as if I’m feeding some phantom army. My
