Orcas News and Views Retrospective: 2015 Notable Moments

— by Margie Doyle, Publisher and Historian —

2015 Stories and Links — an incomplete list, browse our archives (go to the link in the left-hand sidebar) and add your interests:

Southern resident orcas increase, with an uptick in southern-resident killer whales born — eight new calves born since Dec. 30 2014, bringing the number to 85.

Washington State Ferries implements the Ferry Reservation system on the Anacortes-San Juans route; in April, the system was overloaded to the point of shutdown https://theorcasonian.com/wsf-reservations-system-simply-on-overload

• • New WSF Samish, launched and dedicated to the San Juan Islands route: orcasissues.com/welcome-aboard-samish-new-olympic-class-ferry-joins-wsf-fleet

• Adding to the wrinkles being ironed out in the ferry reservation system, the Elwha  was out for the summer in July, just as the Samish began route operatons:  orcasissues.com/elwha-out-for-the-summer 
• State Legislature awards $760,000 to develop a park and ride facility on  4.5 acres of state-owned property adjacent to the ferry staging area at Orcas Landing, due to Council member Rick Hughes successfully lobbying efforts: orcasissues.com/relief-for-parking-transportation-problems-at-orcas-landing

Orcas Power and Light Cooperative (OPALCO) acquires Rock Island Communications. Rock Island will merge its staff, infrastructure and operations with OPALCO “to deliver modern, scalable and reliable broadband services”

County Council work:

• Eastsound Subarea Plan update hearings begin final stretch of public meetings that result in the Council moving the ESAP’s uses and zoning into the county Uniform Development Code: orcasissues.com/notice-of-public-hearing-on-eastsound-subarea-plan
• No moratorium on growth or sales of marijuana;  the Council recognized the complexities of the legalization of marijuana and dropped plans to regulate marijuana growth and greenhouse regulations, after extensive pubic input on regulations primarily aimed at marijuana grow operations
• Orcas Road Plan: the “curvileinear alignment, alternative  #2” is chosen for the work ahead on the , following public comment: orcasissues.com/orcas-road-plan-chosen-take-look
• County lodging taxes awards $471,050: orcasissues.com/county-grants-471050-in-lodging-tax-awards
• The county restructures the Orcas Senior Center personnel with three new “hires:” orcasissues.com/with-more-personnel-a-renaissance-at-senior-center
• The Sam Gibboney, Director of Community Development (formerly Community Development and Planning), moves to become Deputy Director of Public Works; Erica Shook becomes new head of San Juan County Community Development  Department:  orcasissues.com/county-switches-up-departments
• The San Juan County Council delays work on completing the Shoreline Master Program update following a public hearing with extensive public input: orcasissues.com/Shoreline-Master-Program-progress-delayed
• The County Council votes to reduce the Solid Waste tax from 16% to 14.5% after paying off the $800,000 debt incurred in previous years: orcasissues.com/council-reduces-solid-waste-tax

Fuel leaks in residential/service light industrial Seaview Street, cause evacuation of area

• Propane leak from VanderYacht Propane service light industrial zone at north end of Seaview Street in Eastsound occurs
• Second fuel spill at Vanderyacht Propane property on Seaview Street this year: orcasissues.com/weary-responders-save-the-day

Orcas Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin O’Brien leaves to become Fire Chief at Lake Stevens, Wash.: orcasissues.com/chief-kevin-obrien-says-farewell-and-thanks
Orcas Island Fire and Rescue Commissioners appoint Mik Preysz as new  Chief: orcasissues.com/fire-commissioners-appoint-preysz-as-permanent-chief

Orcas Island Artworks was finally welcomed home to the historic Strawberry Building in Olga, devastated by arson in July of 2013. The Catkin Cafe opens in the building:   orcasissues.com/artworks-re-opened-in-olga

Orcas Recycling Services/ TheExchange

• The County Council re-arranged allocations for Public Facilities funding and awarded Orcas Recycling Services/The Exchange $25,500 for construction of a road through the leased transfer station site: orcasissues.com/190726-for-public-facilities-assistance-recommended;

  orcasissues.com/breaking-news-council-reallocates-funding after significant public input.

• The third year of the Great Islands Clean Up is a great success county-wide, especially on Orcas, with 65 volunteers total and 2,400 pounds of litter picked up in 3 hours. 320 pounds were sorted and recycled. orcasissues.com/over-a-ton-of-litter-gathered-in-just-three-hours

Dinosaur fossil found: An 80 million years old bone that researchers determined was part of the left femur of a theropod dinosaur was discovered on the shores of Sucia Island State Park. The fossil measures 16.7 inches long and 8.7 inches wide. By comparing the bone to other museum fossils, Burke Museum scientists calculated that the femur was likely over 3 feet long, just smaller than that of a tyrannosaurus rex:  orcasissues.com/dinosaur-bones-found-on-sucia-island

OPAL Trust holds public meetings to discuss plans for a 30+ units affordable rental housing on four acres on the east side of North Beach Road across from the Funhouse:  orcasissues.com/opal-affordable-housing-meeting-asks-what-could-go-right-or-wrong

Orcas Island School District

• Orcas School renovation completed on time and under budget: orcasissues.com/we-did-it-and-orcas-school-district-begins-a-new-era
• Meanwhile, Tiger Construction and local subcontractors finish the repairs to Orcas Elementary School necessitated by the Mother’s Day Flood in May: orcasissues.com/flooding-flaws-fixed-at-elementary-school
• One year after Eric Webb becomes Orcas Island School District Superintendent, the Elementary School welcomes its new principal, Theresa Mayr: orcasissues.com/meet-theresa-mayr-new-elementary-principal
• In other school news, the State Supreme Court continues to prod the legislature to fund basic education through the mandates of the McCleary decision: orcasissues.com/state-supreme-court-fines-state-100k-a-day-in-mccleary-decision

Orcas Public Library moves ahead with its expansion project, “The Next Chapter:” https://theorcasonian.com/orcas-library-signals-decisive-start-to-expansion-project

The Orcas Interfaith Council of Churches opens an overnight cold-weather shelter at the Orcas Island Community Church: orcasissues.com/churches-unite-for-cold-weather-shelter

Orcas Boosters Club and others help private funding campaign to develop an “athletic”  four-wheeled full suspension mountain bike specialized for paraplegics: orcasissues.com/Griffin-and-Sare-campaign-for-athletic-wheelchair