Here’s a thought…
“Once a man has tasted freedom he will never be content to be a slave. That is why I believe that this frightfulness we see everywhere today is only temporary. Tomorrow will be better for as long as America keeps alive the ideals of freedom and a better life.”
WALT DISNEY
Salish Seeds Project in final steps of seed processing
"Cleaning” seed is complete, soon to be packaged and put in cold, dry storage ||| FROM CONSERVATION LAND BANK COMMISSION ||| The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a regular monthly meeting on November 14, 2025 from 8am – 11am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public
Community Dodgeball is back | Come play with us
||| FROM SUSAN STOLZ for ORCAS ISLAND EDUCATION FOUNDATION ||| The Orcas Island Education Foundation and Orcas Park and Rec invite the whole community to an evening of all-ages Dodgeball at the High School Gym. Friday November 28th from 7 - 9:30ish. Holiday attire STRONGLY encouraged — there will be
‘Here Comes the Sun’ visual art coming to Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| The Visual Arts Committee of Orcas Center welcomes visual art of all mediums, including painting, photography, sculpture, drawing, and ceramic art, for the community show "Here Comes the Sun." The opening night is on Friday, Nov. 21 from 5:30 to 7
OPALCO member survey coming up
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| OPALCO has been engaging with members this year about our shared energy future and the future of renewables in San Juan County. Regionally and throughout the entire country, industry experts are seeing an increase in demand for energy but
Jurors excused. November 17-21
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: November 17-21, 2025 All Jurors summoned for the jury period beginning Monday, November 17th through Friday, November 21st, are excused. Thank you.
A Community Conversation on Island Transportation
Colin Williams The following letter, originally sent to Island Rides and local transportation officials, raises questions about Orcas Island's transportation future that deserve community-wide discussion. Rather than keeping this conversation limited to government agencies and nonprofits, Friends of Rural Public Transportation has chosen to share these thoughts publicly—inviting all of
Larsen releases report on veterans in Northwest Washington
|||FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP RICK LARSEN||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) published ‘Listening to Veterans in Northwest Washington,’ a report capturing local veterans’ most pressing challenges and outlining policy recommendations for Congress and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to address these concerns. “The stories
Meet islanders with stories to share
First story night at Orcas Center ||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Frank Loudin The spoken word shared in community is humanity’s oldest form of art and a vital means of connection. Orcas Center, in collaboration with Phil Klein, is presenting Story Night, an evening
Orcas Christian students give back through Fall service projects
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| Students at Orcas Christian School (OCS) recently took part in their annual fall service day, volunteering at several sites across Orcas Island. From helping at the local food bank to cleaning up animal shelters and community spaces, the students and staff spent the day
Estate Planning with Phil George of Safe Harbor Legal Solutions
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| On Wednesday, November 19 at 1 p.m., Orcas Senior Center will welcome Phil George from Safe Harbor Legal Solutions for an in-depth discussion on estate planning. George will address four essential goals to keep in mind when preparing for the future,
OIFR Thank You to Community
||| FROM BEN LUNA for ORCAS ISLAND FIRE RESCUE ||| Thank you, Orcas Island. Thank you, voters. Together we passed Proposition 1, providing long-overdue funds to replace aging apparatus and equipment and make needed repairs to our facilities. This victory belongs to our community. You attended town halls, asked thoughtful
News Brief | Dolphins observed wearing sea sponge hats
Are they trying to woo the ladies? ||| FROM SCIENCE ALERT ||| Now, dolphins are wowing us with flamboyant sea sponge fascinators. ORIGINALLY POSTED BY SCIENCE ALERT Male humpback dolphins wear sea sponges on their heads as offerings to 'woo' females, a bit like offering a bunch of flowers. READ
Heating With Wood | A fireside chat
Exploring sustainable forestry, self-reliance, and ecological health ||| FROM STEPHANIE PRIMA for SAN JUAN ISLAND GRANGE ||| The San Juan Island Grange invites the public to a Fireside Chat on Heating with Wood on Thursday, November 20, from 5:30–7:00 p.m. at the Grange Hall in Friday Harbor. Local residents Roger
Ukuleles and Chair Yoga at Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Ukulele Kanikipila: Join the Musical Fun Experience the joy of making music at Ukulele Kanikipila, Hawaiian for "play music," Mondays from 1 to 3 pm at Orcas Senior Center. This gathering is open to everyone with an interest in playing music
Port Commission to hold special meeting on Monday
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will hold a Special Meeting on Monday, November 10th at 3:00 p.m. in-person at the airport terminal. The Agenda can be found at portoforcas.com.
Create comfort with fidget quilts at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join Brenda Bacon at Orcas Senior Center for a creative Fidget Quilt workshop on Wednesday, November 19, from 1 to 4 p.m. This hands-on session is designed to guide participants in crafting small, tactile quilts that offer comfort and engagement for
