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
Project updates from San Juan County Conservation Land Bank
Join us In-Person or on Zoom, October 28, for a County-wide Community Conversation! ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Got questions for Your Conservation Land Bank? We want to hear from you! We will
We can streamline energy projects with San Juan County policy change
||| FROM SALISH CURRENT ||| A change in San Juan County’s comprehensive plan would ease one of the biggest barriers for new energy projects in the county: siting issues. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON SALISH CURRENT The county is
Fall 2025 Great Islands Clean-Up collects over 1,300 pounds of litter across San Juan County
137 community volunteers unite to clean 92.5 miles of county roads and beaches. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Islanders once again showed up in force to keep our shorelines and roadsides beautiful during
Islanders help shape county climate resilience plan
Grassroots project guides updates to San Juan County’s comprehensive plan by creating space for neighbors to share lived experiences, priorities and ideas. ||| FROM SOPHIE CADRAN for SALISH CURRENT ||| The idea was born around
CWR encounters T60 brothers in Swanson Channel
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 12:49 PM ObservEnd: 01:36 PM Vessel: Mike 1 Staff: Mark Malleson Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T060D, T060E LocationDescr: Swanson Channel EncSummary: Mark was
Burn permits now open in San Juan County
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Effective October 6, 2025, the San Juan County fire danger level has been downgraded to the LOW level. As such, residential burn permits are now open and available
OIFR seeks community properties for firefighter training
||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| Orcas Island Fire & Rescue (OIFR) is looking for properties and structures to use for firefighter training. Whether you have a new construction project,
News Brief | Orcas islander Jas Ikeda remains in an Israeli prison
||| FROM KING-5 TV||| "Israeli naval forces recently captured over 400 activists, including at least 22 Americans, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea” ORIGINALLY FROM KING-5 TV "When you have somebody in a small
OPALCO renewable energy community meetings recap
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| A few weeks ago, the OPALCO team held a series of community meetings about local, renewable energy. The meetings were held at all three
J36 and J Pod documented off San Juan Island
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 12:52 PM ObservEnd: 03:25 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss Other Observers: Rachel John, Taylor Redmond Pods: Southern Resident: J Pod
2025 San Juan County WSU Master Gardeners Garden Workshop Series
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY WSU MASTER GARDENERS ||| The series includes 4 one-hour presentations with additional time for questions and discussion. Our speakers are scientists, authors, naturalists, professional gardeners, and accomplished Master Gardeners who
Guest Opinion | AI’s dirty secret
Washington is subsidizing toxic data centers ||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| While the world marvels at the promise of artificial intelligence, a darker reality hums beneath the surface: the sprawling data centers that power AI
Port Commission approves ‘better – not bigger’ option for airport
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| At the Port’s September 2025 regular meeting your commissioners approved a motion to formally accept the FAA’s funding award and engage Granite Construction in Bellingham for
Larsen releases statement on Trump administration raising costs by cancelling clean energy projects
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF. U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| EVERETT, WA – Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after the Trump administration announced the cancellation of funding for the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Hub
Worm composting workshops coming up at The Exchange
||| FROM PETE MOE for ORCAS RECYCLING/THE EXCHANGE ||| The Exchange is sponsoring another round of workshops that will help you keep your household food waste out of the landfill and turn it into dark,
