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
What if you’re aboard a ferry when a tsunami watch is in effect?
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, theORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| When a recent tsunami alert, following an 8.7 earthquake in Russia, began to show up on our screens on July 29, we were afforded the opportunity to view
Proactive boat recycling saves Washington waterways and resources
||| FROM KGW-TV PORTLAND ||| Twenty-nine vessels were recently removed from the Salish Sea and brought to a Bellingham recycling facility to be broken down as part of a state program aimed at preventing a
Have a garden question? Ask an Orcas Master Gardener
Now at the Market Garden Nursery ||| FROM JULIA TURNEY and JAY LUCAS for MASTER GARDENERS ||| Do you have a question about your soil, have a problem with your fruit tree, or are thinking
WDFW to host meeting on planned westside Lake Rotenone treatment to remove invasive Northern Pike
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and San Juan County Conservation Land Bank (Land Bank) are co-hosting an in-person public meeting to hear community input on
3 reports of cougar sightings on San Juan Island
||| FROM KING-TV SEATTLE ||| Three people reported cougar sightings on San Juan Island over the last three days, according to the San Juan County Sheriff's Office (SJCSO). The first two sightings occurred on Monday.
San Juan Preservation Trust launches effort to protect 30 acres on San Juan
||| FROM KELVIN BAKER for SAN JUAN PRESERVATION TRUST ||| The San Juan Preservation Trust (SJPT) is thrilled to announce a major new conservation initiative on the west side of San Juan Island: the future
Rhythms and Blooms | Come learn about algal bloom on Orcas
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Scientists from the University of Washington and Georgia Tech conducted research on Orcas Island in the summers of 2021 and 2022, studying East Sound's algal bloom
Volunteers needed to help monitor vital eelgrass beds around Orcas Island
||| FROM KATIE JOHNSON for SJC MARINE RESOURCES COMMITTEE ||| Do you have an interest in marine science and a passion for protecting local ecosystems? The San Juan County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) is looking
Become a WSU extension master gardener
||| FROM CAITIE BLETHEN for MASTER GARDENER PROGRAM ||| Are you interested in learning more about horticulture, gardening and becoming a WSU Extension Master Gardener, but don’t quite know what that means? Join us for
Deer Harbor Charters celebrates fun on the water in the San Juan Islands
||| FROM KIM BEALES for DEER HARBOR CHARTERS ||| Orcas Island based Deer Harbor Charters, infuses Orca awareness initiatives in daily activities including whale watching, sunset cruises, boat rentals, water taxi transportation to Sucia Island
Island Stewards | Late July Dispatch
||| FROM ISLAND STEWARDS ||| It's that time of year again—when locals refresh ferry schedules like they're tracking stocks and abandon all hope of parking in town. Even the grass has thrown in the towel,
SJC Monthly News Digest – July 2025
This column is part of a series detailing San Juan County’s recent news. Follow along each month to learn about important County projects, Council initiatives, department updates, and more. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS
Interested in discussing the potential property purchase on Decatur?
Join us for a Brown Bag Lunch ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Public Works Department is exploring an option to purchase additional property adjacent to the Davis Bay boat ramp
Community Alert | Fire risk in the islands
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| As summer continues, fire risk increases. While a bit cooler than normal, this summer has been drier and windier than usual (though there is a chance of rain
Tsunami Warning Center briefing on 8.7-magnitude Russian earthquake
||| FROM BNO NEWS ||| UPDATE FROM KOMO NEWS: A tsunami watch has been issued for coastal Washington and the Puget Sound area, as well as the Oregon and California coasts, British Columbia, and Alaska.
