Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Local contractors gather to foster resilient, vibrant shorelines in San Juan County
||| FROM ELISE COPE for FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS ||| On Friday, January 17, 38 contractors—excavators, general contractors, arborists, landscapers, and gardeners—from five different islands came together at the Mullis Center on San Juan Island for a Shore Friendly workshop hosted by Friends of the San Juans, in partnership
Council sets public hearing for agricultural leases on Conservation Land Bank properties
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The County’s Conservation Land Bank has been working to develop agricultural leases for portions of the Beaverton Marsh and Frazer Homestead Preserves on San Juan Island. During today’s Council meeting, additional lease details were reviewed in advance of a public hearing set for
Kick off the new year with a new role
Multiple County Advisory Board & Committee Seats Open ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is seeking volunteers to serve on various boards and committees that help shape daily life in the San Juan Islands. Key positions on the Ferry Advisory Committee, Lodging Tax Advisory Committee, and
New WSF sailing schedule for spring
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations for the spring 2025 schedule (March. 23 through June 14) will be available tomorrow, Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 10 a.m. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, we will also continue using a virtual waiting room during the reservations
Letter to Editor | Meaning of searing words still relevant to today
||| FROM SAN OLSON ||| With sincere apology to Pastor Martin Niemölle, I am rewriting his searing words to be relevant to today’s political and cultural environment. He made his historic and present statement in 1946 as an indictment of passivity and indifference of the German people during the Nazi Regime and subsequent Holocaust. First then they came for the immigrants, and I
Where’s Tahlequah?
And how do we clear the glass? ||| FROM THE CLIMATE ACCORDING TO LIFE ||| In my last post I shared the tragic story of Tahlequah, the bereaved mother Orca who, for a second time, has carried a starved calf on her nostrum through the waters of the Salish Sea
Lawsuit filed over delay of federal protections for Olympic Peninsula Steelhead
||| FROM EMMA HALVERSON for WILD FISH CONSERVANCY ||| Edmonds, WA – On January 17, 2025, The Conservation Angler and Wild Fish Conservancy sued the National Marine Fisheries Service (“NMFS”) for delaying Endangered Species Act (“ESA”) protections for Olympic Peninsula steelhead. Olympic Peninsula steelhead are a distinct population segment of
Town of Friday Harbor shares highlights of 2024
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| At the January 16, 2025, Town Council meeting, Mayor Raymont Jackson highlighted the Town’s 2024 achievements, significant projects, and programs serving the Friday Harbor community. “I’m proud of the Town’s community partnerships, initiatives, and other positive achievements over the past
Scientists make disturbing new discovery while studying human urine samples: ‘We urgently need to classify [this]’
This common item is responsible for 25% of all microplastic pollution — and it's worse than we thought. ||| FROM THE COOL DOWN ||| What's happening? A recent study found high levels of two potentially deadly chemicals in human urine. The study sampled the urine of 150 people and had "detection frequencies
Coming up at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join the Needlework Circle at the Orcas Senior Center Join our weekly gathering for knitters, crocheters, embroiderers, and all needleworkers at the Orcas Senior Center, every Friday at 2 p.m. Come hang out—no project required! Whether you haven’t knitted in years,
Two jazz greats at Orcas Center: Frank Vignola and Pasquale Grasso
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| The incredibly versatile guitarist Frank Vignola teams up with rising jazz guitar star Pasquale Grasso to create a unique and intimate musical experience on Friday, January 31 – Presented by Orcas Center and the Orcas Island Jazz Festival! Frank Vignola is one
Twelve Songs for Twelve Poets
Live Music and Poetry Special Event ||| FROM ELLEN ROBERTS for FRIDAY HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL ||| On Friday, January 31 at Brickworks from 7 – 8:30 pm, immerse yourself in an evening where the power of music and the beauty of poetry converge. The Friday Harbor Film Festival invites you
The other Washington State Ferry
The Keller Ferry is a service connecting State Route 21 on the Columbia River between Lincoln and Ferry Counties ||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| The Keller Ferry, M/V Sanpoil, is a ferry service connecting State Route 21 on the Columbia River between Lincoln and Ferry Counties. Hours of Operation
Should Washington’s Fish and Wildlife Commission be dissolved?
It’s one of the possibilities raised in a new report that describes the citizen-led panel as “dysfunctional.” Lawmakers and commissioners are weighing next steps. ||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE STANDARD ||| The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is under scrutiny after a report last month found the organization’s structure was “dysfunctional”
Port of Orcas meeting
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will hold a Regular Meeting on Monday, January 27th at 5:00 p.m. online via Zoom and in-person at the airport terminal conference room. 01_27_2025Agenda.1 Access information can be found at portoforcas.com.
Simple Buddhism through an interfaith lens
||| FROM SUSAN SHANNON for EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL ||| An engaging series for those new to Buddhism, seasoned practitioners, or those simply “Buddhist Curious” at Emmanuel Parish Hall. In each class, Rev. Susan Shannon will present the basic teachings of Buddhism in accessible and inclusive language and offer tools and perspectives
