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
Guest Opinion | Resilience or overreach?
Why OPALCO’s “Essential Public Facilities” Push Deserves Public Scrutiny ||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| San Juan County’s comprehensive plan is at a crossroads. OPALCO has proposed language that would designate its major energy projects as
Encounter #54 • Bigg’s Killer Whales
||| FROM THE CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 02:20 PM ObservEnd: 03:55 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Michael Weiss Other Observers: Taylor Redmond Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T75B, T75B2, T75B3,
Land managers convene for shoreline resiliency
||| FROM ELISE COPE for FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS ||| With more miles of marine shoreline than any other county in the lower 48, San Juan County’s land managers are well-positioned to lead in
News Brief | Reinsurers are taking new steps to shield themselves against financial fallout
||| FROM BLOOMBERG NEWS ||| "The situation has sent powerful tremors through the American homeowners market" Originally reported by Bloomberg News "Americans keep building in risky areas. As home values in these locations rise, so
Killer whales make their own tools
||| FROM INTERESTING FACTS ||| When they aren’t busy attacking yachts or starring in beloved children’s movies, killer whales have an even more impressive hobby: making their own tools. Scientists were initially unfazed by footage
Vacation Rental Permits now required in Eastsound & Lopez Village commercial designations
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Property owners within Eastsound Village Commercial and Lopez Village Commercial land use designations must now obtain a provisional use permit through the Department of Community Development (DCD) to
Let’s work together to protect and improve air quality
||| FROM SETH PRESTON for NORTHWEST CLEAN AIR AGENCY ||| Hi! We’re the Northwest Clean Air Agency, and we can’t wait to meet you and get to know you. You’re going to start seeing some
Protecting our homes, roads, and habitat | Sea level rise workshops this fall
The County is planning a series of community workshops to share information about sea level rise and solicit thoughts, concerns, and feedback from community members about how to address these challenges together. ||| FROM SAN
News Brief | Three things that could save your home from the next wildfire
||| FROM WASHINGTON POST ||| Originally reported by Washington Post "Why do some homes burn in wildfires while others do not? Researchers, insurers and government officials have been scrambling to answer this question, made urgent
News Brief | More Whales at Niagara Falls Marineland will die
||| FROM CHCH ||| "More whales at Niagara Falls’ Marineland will die without urgent action, expert says" Originally reported by CHCH "After the whale death toll rose again recently, experts say whatever is done must
Have a garden question? Ask an Orcas Master Gardener
Now at the Market Garden Nursery ||| FROM JULIA TURNEY for ORCAS MASTER GARDENERS ||| Do you have a question about your soil, have a problem with your fruit tree, or are thinking about starting a
News Brief | ‘We have a duty’ to protect our national forests
||| FROM CASCADIA DAILEY ||| "Saturday rally raises awareness about Roadless Rule change" Originally reported by Cascadia Daily "If the Trump administration is successful, the Roadless Rule repeal would allow for road building and logging
News Brief | 14 wildfires continue to burn across state
||| FROM SEATTLE TIMES ||| "14 large wildfires burn across Washington as crews face rugged terrain, shifting weather" Originally reported by Seattle Times "State officials report 1,602 total fires in 2025, with 122,301 acres scorched
Event | Island water at risk?
Local Experts Show How to Secure Our Future ||| FROM STEPHANIE PRIMA for SAN JUAN ISLAND GRANGE ||| Islanders from across the county are invited to join a free public panel on Thursday, September 19,
Guest Opinion | Bear Gulch fire immigration arrests
||| FROM WAYNE FOURNIER, THURSTON COUNTY COMMISSIONER ||| Thurston County Commissioner Wayne Fournier, a longtime firefighter, issued a statement Wednesday concerning the recent immigration arrests at the Bear Gulch Fire: "What happened at the Bear
