Here’s a thought…
Editorial: Vote — and Give a Little More
Late this week, most of us got an envelope from County Auditor Milene Henley with our county ballot to vote on one issue: the Orcas Island School District Levy. This measure isn't more taxes, it's
Letter to the Editor: Get Out and Vote!
Thank you in advance for joining us in supporting our local public schools. The operational levy that is on the ballot due February 14 is a replacement levy which funds 25% of the public school’s
Guest Opinion: M&O Levy – A Vital Thread
By Madie Murray When I moved to Orcas in 2003 from Southern California, I quickly learned how superior the Orcas public schools were to those in wealthy Orange County and thought, how could this be?
Letter to the Editor: Island Life is Changing
To the Editor: Decisions based on fear, emotion or irrational caution and few facts are seldom successful, yet that is where we are in the rules being written by County officials and planning staff to
Editorial: Homeless Count — What About Mario?
by Lin McNulty Today marks the state's official headcount of homeless. It's not conducted by lining them up and calling off numbers, nor by a request that they report in to make their status known;
Letter to the Editor: Council Ignoring Costs of CAO
To the Editor: The San Juan County Council is proposing new rules and restrictions on property owners in the county under what they are calling the Critical Areas Ordinance. The current draft has evolved into
Letter to the Editor: School at the Heart of the Community
To the Editor: We invite you to join us in support of the upcoming levy vote for the School District. This levy replaces the current levy, funding approximately 25% of our district budget, including everything
Guest Opinion: Economic Threat to Moran Park
By John C. Jackson Many State Parks are dear places to us and other citizens around the state.As an example, Moran State Park is one of the great accomplishments of the recovery plan in the
Harry Patton Reports from Olga
Updated Jan. 18 at 12:30 p.m. By Harry Patton Hi, gang, I'm still hangin' in there! This is just to advise of my status. At this moment in time I'm doin' okay. I'm warm in my
Letter to the Editor: Buffer Laws Concern You
To the Editor, I have been mulling over the non-conforming designation issue that is part of the proposed San Juan County’s rewrite of the Critical Areas Ordinance. The County is planning on extending a
Guest Opinion: Legislature’s Chair of Health & Human Services Appropriations Speaks Out
From The Stranger By State Representative Mary Lou Dickerson, who represents Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Ballard, is chair of the Health & Human Services Appropriations Committee. For many good reasons, elected officials rarely talk about
Letter to the Editor: LWV Urges Attention to Citizens United Corporate “Personhood”
To the Editor: On Jan. 21, the nation marks the second anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, a decision that enabled corporations and unions to spend unlimited
Letter to the Editor: Orcas Center Kudos
Kudos to Orcas Center for another amazing afternoon at the Metropolitan Opera this past Sunday! If I had been in New York, I might have seen Faust from the orchestra (for only $222.50), but I
Judges Decide State Shorts Public School Funding
On Thursday, Jan. 5,2012, the State Supreme Court issued a ruling on state funding of public education. The following is a statement from State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Randy Dorn, on the case (McCleary v.
Letter to the Editor: Land Bank Commissioners Seek Feedback
Happy New Year! As many of you know, the Land Bank was renewed for 12 more years in a close county-wide election this past November. Because there has been a lot of community discussion over
