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
News Brief | Artificial intelligence technology is ‘changing every sector of society’
||| FROM THE COOL DOWN ||| At its current rate of growth, 26-48.5 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent will fill the atmosphere, and 731 million to 1.125 billion cubic meters of water will be
Coastal flood advisory
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| Coastal Hazard Message National Weather Service Seattle WA 1006 AM PST Sat Dec 6 2025 San Juan County-Lowlands of Western Whatcom County- Lowlands of Western Skagit and Northwestern Snohomish
‘Counting Orca’ free screening from Center for Whale Research
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| We’re excited to invite you to a FREE global virtual screening of 'Counting Orca’ on December 10th! To make the event accessible to viewers around the world, we’re
Letter to Editor | Regarding OPALCO rate hike
||| FROM ALLAN ROSATO and DARCEY MILLER ||| We are writing out of concern regarding OPALCO’s recently-announced plan to raise the fixed monthly service access charge for residential members. While this may appear to simplify
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
