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
County publishes guide for reviewing OPALCO’s proposed solar project on Decatur Island
Members of the public interested in engaging in the County’s review of OPALCO’s project can use this guide. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Department of Community Development (DCD) received an
Mid-Sale Reminder | SJC Master Gardeners native plant sale still open for online orders
Orders placed online will be available for pickup on Saturday, March 14, 2026, at convenient locations on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Master
Noxious Weeds | Does winter mean ‘time for a break’ or is it an opportunity?
Use this winter to get ahead of your weeds before the growing season hits. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| While winter conditions slow plant growth and may encourage us to stay indoors, this
Guest Opinion | OPALCO and the double entendre
||| FROM RIKKI SWIN ||| I'd like to respond to the OPALCO criticism of my column regarding our high rates: Quoting OPALCO: " Krista from OPALCO here. This article is so rife with misinformation it’s hard
CWR | A sunny encounter with Bigg’s
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 10:50 AM ObservEnd: 11:30 AM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T34A, T34A2, T34B, T37,
Letter to Editor | Renewable energy done right
Powering our future without sacrificing our lands ||| FROM EVA SCHULTE for FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS ||| The Town of Friday Harbor approved an important proposal from the Port of Friday Harbor last week
Reminder | SJC Master Gardeners native plant sale still open for online orders
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY MASTER GARDENERS ||| The San Juan County Master Gardeners remind island residents that the 2026 Native Plant Sale is in full swing, with online ordering open now through March 9,
Letter to Editor | OPALCO bill too high? Here’s why…
||| FROM RIKKI SWIN ||| As a concerned OPALCO member, I am writing to highlight factors contributing to our high electricity rates and to encourage open discussion. These issues affect all members, and constructive dialogue
It’s time for ticks | A message from Kwiaht
||| FROM RUSSEL BARSH for KWIAHT ||| Tick season is here! In the San Juan Islands, ticks go “questing” for new hosts from January through June, usually peaking in March and April. While ticks are
Honoring four decades of spill response in San Juan County
||| FROM BILL SYMES and ELAINA THOMPSON ||| One day in 1985, oil and oiled birds began washing ashore on the west side of San Juan Island. Arresting and then remediating the resulting damage to
News Brief | Scientists are using drones to sniff out deadly diseases in whales
||| FROM AZ ANIMALS US ||| Scientists used drones to collect whale blow, allowing them to test for diseases without harming or stressing the animals. The study detected cetacean morbillivirus in Arctic whales for the
Guest Opinion | OPALCO is building without consent
||| FROM KAREN PEARSON ||| OPALCO's posting on January 20th 2026 of December 2025 Member Survey "Materials" Results is a building Materials list. "Materials" means physical objects for manufacture and construction. Materials does not mean
Final report available for county’s Marine Transport Services pilot project
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During the Council retreat earlier this month, County staff discussed past and future efforts to support transportation initiatives throughout the islands. One of the most notable initiatives from
No Place Like Loam | Landscape as orientation: Inheritance
||| NO PLACE LIKE LOAM by ALEX TAMAYO-WOLF ||| We moved from Ohio when I was in fourth grade. 1978. I loved it there. A small town that knew itself. Friends who showed up without
Island Stewards | Grounded participation in a time of change
||| FROM ISLAND STEWARDS ||| Humans have been adapting to accelerated change for a long time, often without being given real choices about how that change unfolds. Since the industrial revolution, daily life has been
