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
Center for Whale Research encounter with J and L Pods
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 06:56 PM ObservEnd: 08:36 PM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson Other Observers: Rajan Chauhan, Abigail Carmichael Pods: J, L IDsEncountered: J36, J37, J40,
Bill Gates | The turbulent AI era is here. The choices we make now are critical
AI will either be the greatest equalizer ever invented, or the worst source of injustice ||| FROM BILL GATES ||| The transition to the AI era will be one of the most turbulent times in
Council letter to community | Increased oil tanker traffic in Salish Sea
Council's letter expresses concern for heightened risk of oil spills in the region; requests government partners to take all possible action to address risk ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| From Lime Kiln Park
Update and construction schedule for Port of Orcas runway rehabilitation
Better, not bigger: Port asphalt production ||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| In June we shared an overview of our "Better, Not Bigger" runway rehabilitation project — a partnership between the FAA,
Council letter to community | Increased oil tanker traffic in the Salish Sea
Council's letter expresses concern for heightened risk of oil spills in the region; requests government partners to take all possible action to address risk ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| August 25, 2026 From
Free farm and ranch succession workshop offered Oct. 29 in Friday Harbor
||| FROM REBECCA MOORE for SAN JUAN COUNTY EXTENSION ||| Farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners thinking about the future of their land or business are invited to Planning for the Future of Your Farm and
News Brief | Scientists explain mysterious Orca boat attacks
||| FROM NEW SCIENTIST |||
Beaverton Marsh Trail Update II | Open House September 2
Plans for the grant-funded project to develop a structure across the marsh are complete ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Conservation Land Bank staff and Commissioners are ready to share the *final* design for
News Brief | ‘Roadless Rule’ repeal would affect 2M acres of Washington forest land
||| FROM KING-TV SEATTLE ||| The Trump Administration is paving the way to increase logging and road construction in national forests, including two million acres of land in Washington alone, in a move that would
2026 Fall Native Wildflower Sale
Don’t miss this opportunity to purchase locally grown wildflowers native to San Juan County ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Mark your calendar for the San Juan County Conservation Land Bank’s Fall Native Wildflower
K Pod back in the Salish Sea
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 09:48 AM ObservEnd: 11:30 AM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit Other Observers: Charli Grimes, Navi Zwart, Aspen Kendrick-Cisneros, Henry Moreau-Smith Pods: K IDsEncountered:
Garden Club Presentation | Gardening with mushrooms
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Please join the Orcas Island Garden Club on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, when we welcome Alex Winstead to share helpful advice for Gardening with Mushrooms in the Pacific
News Brief | Marine biologists finally found what scares orcas
And it makes no sense ||| FROM APEX PALEO |||
Prospective Critical Areas Ordinance update process
San Juan County is currently reviewing and revising its Critical Areas Ordinance. The County expects to complete the process by the end of the year. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County
Upcoming Garden Club Event | Flower pressing workshop with Tony Suruda
Saturday, August 22nd, 2:30 pm at the Orcas Library (please note the change in time) ||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| In this workshop participants will use microwave oven presses to dry flowers and
