Here’s a thought…
“It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the environment.”
ANSEL ADAMS
Health Care District Board to meet tomorrow
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT BOARD ||| Board Meeting - January 28, 2026 The Orcas Island Health Care District Board will hold a Regular Board Meeting on Wednesday, January 27th from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. in the Community Room at the Orcas Island Library, 500 Rose Street, Eastsound. The Board Meeting Public Packet
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 first time, a highly infectious and often fatal disease. Researchers say drone sampling offers a
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 information. OPALCO's use of "Materials" in their title sets the tone for objects, and tells
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 2025 was the County’s 10-week Marine Transportation Pilot Project. The final report is now available
Skagit Valley College announces newly approved Bachelor of Science in Nursing program
||| FROM MARISA PIERCE for SKAGIT VALLEY COLLEGE ||| MOUNT VERNON, Wash. — Skagit Valley College (SVC) has announced the approval of its new Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program, following a vote by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges at its Oct. 16 meeting
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 calling, even knocking. Summer heat that meant something because winter had teeth. We lived on
League of Women Voters | SJC Board of Health January 21, 2026
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The Accountable Communities for Health (ACH) began a second round for its CEO search and will hold a board retreat next week. They are seeking Medicaid data from the state. The Orcas Public Hospital district got an ACH grant to create
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 reorganized again and again around efficiency, scale, and extraction. Many people benefited. Many others lost
There is something for you at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Art with Carla Unleash your creativity at Art with Carla Fridays, 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Orcas Senior Center. Led by experienced artist Carla Stanley, this lighthearted class focuses on the creative process with a strong belief in your artistic
You are invited to a movie with Orcas Pride
This newsletter touches on mental health, the state of queer and specifically trans healthcare in the nation currently, and mentions death/suicide. Please read only if you are comfortable to. There is a TL;DR at the bottom for the event itself. Please stay safe, and stay vigilant. ||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND
Larsen calls for Secretary Noem to be fired or resign
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U .S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined the New Democrat Coalition in mourning the killing of Alex Pretti carried out by federal agents in Minneapolis and calling for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired
LWVSJ Observer Corps Notes | San Juan County Council January 20, 2026
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| During public access time a resident raised concerns that the county recently issued a permit for a large hangar on a Tarte Rd. property which would impact the rural character of the area with a determination of non-significance (DNS) which
Costs up for Washington families; Larsen fighting back
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Rep. Rick Larsen released the following statement after the Joint Economic Committee published a report outlining the higher costs Washington families paid in 2025: “The average family in my state spent a whopping $2,008 more in 2025 than
Larsen calls for Secretary Noem to be fired or resign
||| FROM THE OFFICE OR U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined the New Democrat Coalition in mourning the killing of Alex Pretti carried out by federal agents in Minneapolis and calling for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to be fired immediately
CPB votes to shut down
||| FROM U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| This month, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) voted to shut itself down. Here is an excerpt from their press release: "CPB's Board determined that without the resources to fulfill its congressionally mandated responsibilities, maintaining the corporation as a nonfunctional entity would not
Larsen votes no on more money for ICE
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement after voting no on the Homeland Security (DHS) Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) spending bill. The bill provides funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), passed the House 220-207, and now heads to the
