Here’s a thought…
Some recreational fires are now allowed
||| FROM CHAD KIMPLE, SJC FIRE MARSHAL ||| The San Juan County Fire Marshal in conjunction with the San Juan County Fire Chiefs are allowing Recreational Campfires as of September 1st at Noon (12pm). Recreational
WSF Report | It’s going to be one busy weekend for ferry travel
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Busy Labor Day weekend ferry travel We’re expecting nearly 400,000 people aboard our ferries today through Tuesday, Sept. 5. In addition to the usual long vehicle lines and
Council to gather on Lopez for September 12 meeting
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Council will hold its next regularly scheduled, September 12 meeting on Lopez Island. The public is invited to join the three councilmembers and County staff
Plan ahead if you hope to ride a ferry over Labor Day weekend
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Customers should plan ahead for what is anticipated to be one of the busiest travel weekends in the last few years. About 400,000 people are expected to travel throughout
Letter to Editor | The bad soap opera at OIFR continues
||| FROM GREG AYERS ||| Wow, OIFR is a bad soap opera, and they are spending OUR money to make it. You just gotta scratch your head. Only these commissioners can successfully, and repeatedly “snatch
Larsen: Inflation Reduction Act is lowering drug costs for NW Washington seniors
HHS announces first 10 drugs selected for Medicare price negotiation ||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced the first 10
Threat of firefighter blood cancers reduced with FIIRE Grant
||| FROM KAT BARNARD for ORCAS FIRE & RESCUE ||| The OIFR Safety Committee, consisting of Safety Officer Bob Nutt, Volunteer Lt. Greg Sawyer, Capt. Don Swain and Chief Holly vanSchaick have been awarded a
DCD News: New building official, new state building codes, website updates
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Department of Community Development (DCD) is pleased to share a series of department updates as staff continue to address issues identified at recent community meetings. DCD
Open letter to community from Fire Chief van Schaick
||| FROM HOLLY VAN SCHAICK, ORCAS FIRE & RESCUE CHIEF ||| Dear Orcas Island Community, Orcas Fire Chief Holly van Schaick On Monday, August 21st, I was appointed Fire Chief of Orcas Island
Letter to Editor | No new ferries any time soon?
||| FROM DAVID TURNOY ||| The governor and legislature are quite aware of the need for new ferries, and accordingly money has been budgeted for this. The goal is to produce new ferries that greatly
Sheriff’s Report | August 16 – 22, 2023
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16 23-006618 Animal at Large 08:10:31 08/16/23 A Deputy on Orcas Island responded to a dog-at-large complaint. The owner had recently installed an electronic fence.
2023 Lodging Grant applications due by September 29
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is pleased to announce the 2023 Lodging Tax Grant Application is now live. Applications are due by September 29, 2023 at 5:00pm. San Juan County has established
WSF Weekly Report | Chelan mishap, Seattle/Bainbridge work, new flagpole at Bainbridge
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Chelan damaged after likely hitting Shaw Island shore It’s believed Chelan hit the northern shoreline of Shaw Island Sunday night. The boat was sailing into the eastern entrance of
Fire Commissioners officially appoint Holly vanSchaick as our new Fire Chief
||| FROM KAT BARNARD for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| Holly vanSchaick is the new Fire Chief for Orcas Island Fire & Rescue Holly vanSchaick is the new Fire Chief for Orcas
An open letter to the San Juan County community about wildfire risk and preparedness in the islands
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN, et. al, for SJC DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Fellow islanders, Following the catastrophic Maui fires earlier this month, there has been an understandably heightened level of concern about fire risk
Letter to Editor | Very embarrassed person who opened his mouth without the facts
||| FROM JOHN ERLY ||| I have been very vocal about letting the new Fire Commissioners choice the next Chief. What I didn’t know was that in 2021, the board interviewed numerous candidates for the