Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
‘Murder Hornet’ has been eradicated from the U.S., officials say
||| FROM NEW YORK TIMES ||| The hunt for the “murder hornet” in the northwest corner of Washington State began like a criminal investigation, with bee carcasses creating a crime scene and the public being asked to send tips about the potential culprit’s whereabouts. Search grids were created. Traps were
County to accept salmon recovery project proposals through January
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Environmental Stewardship Department is eager to accept Salmon Recovery project proposals for the Salmon Recovery Funding Board (SRFB) 2025 grant funding cycle. Private residents, non-profit organizations, local, state, and tribal governments, and special districts are invited to apply. Interested applicants
Rotary Club presents $7,000 check to SJI School District’s STEAM Program
||| FROM BARBARA MARRETT for ROTARY CLUB OF SAN JUAN ISLANDS ||| On December 9, the Rotary Club of the San Juan Islands proudly presented a $7,000 check to the San Juan Island School District’s STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) program. The funds will be used primarily to
County kicks off element review portion of 2025 Comp Plan Update
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is in the process of updating its Comprehensive Plan (Comp Plan) as part of its 2025 Growth Management Act Periodic Update – and your input is welcome! Over the coming months, the County will begin reviewing specific elements in an
LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council and LSWDD
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| Special Meetings December 16, 2024 County Council members convened as the Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District (LSWDD) governing body in a special meeting and approved the 2025 annual budget recommended by the LSWDD managing board by a vote of two in favor and one opposed.
Volunteers needed for Solstice Parade road closures
||| FROM TARA ANDAYA for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The winter solstice luminary parade is this Saturday at 5 pm! The parade is in need of volunteers to help with road closures for a brief amount of time. Can you help or do you know anyone that can help? Please email
Shoreline Workshop for Local Contractors
||| FROM TINA WHITMAN for FRIENDS OF THE SAN JUANS Join local and regional shoreline experts from Friends of the San Juans, the Northwest Straits Foundation, Peninsula Environmental, the San Juan County Department of Community Development and the State Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation on Friday, January 17 from 8:30am
Optimistic gardeners
||| FROM LAURA WALKER for ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| It’s often difficult to be optimistic when faced with the current state of the world, but we gardeners are a lucky lot. We have the good fortune to naturally see possibilities. With hope and positivity, we look beyond the weeds
‘Tis the season
||| FROM ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY ||| Orcas Choral Society members and Orcas Christian School students carol at Island Market Dec. 16, led by Christian School teacher Andy Rivera.
New winter sailing schedule starts on Sunday, Dec. 29
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| The new winter sailing schedule for the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route begins Sunday, Dec. 29. These schedule changes will help improve on-time performance and provide more certainty that boats will arrive and depart on time. Learn more about how we developed the new schedule on our project
WSF: Expect a bumpy ride
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| All ferry passengers should be prepared for possible service disruptions starting this afternoon through tomorrow morning due to weather. The National Weather Service is forecasting high winds throughout the region that could impact service. Anacortes/San Juan Islands and Port Townsend/Coupeville routes: With stronger winds in
Wind, again
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Seattle WA 1251 AM PST Tue Dec 17 2024 San Juan County-Western Whatcom County-Western Skagit County- Including the cities of Bellingham, Mount Vernon, Anacortes, Burlington, Friday Harbor, and Sedro-Woolley 1251 AM PST Tue Dec 17 2024 ...WIND
Health Care District Board Meeting
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island Health Care District Board will hold a Special Board Meeting on Wednesday, December 18, 2024 from 5:00 - 7:00 PM in the Community Room at the Orcas Island Library, 500 Rose Street, Eastsound. The agenda and board packet are available below. Agenda
OCS students volunteer to build classrooms for nursing students in Belize
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| A group of 14 high school students, three parents, and two teachers from Orcas Christian School (OCS) are giving up their spring break this year to travel to Belize for a mission trip aimed at building classrooms for nursing students at Belize Adventist Junior
Sing in Orcas Youth Chorus or Kids’ Chorus this Winter!
||| FROM LYNNE BAKER for ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY ||| All Orcas kids and youth are invited to have fun making music together this winter with the Orcas Youth Chorus (grades 6-12) and Kids’ Chorus (grades 1-5). The two choruses will meet for an 8-week winter session January-March, with a spring
Council extends agreement with Lopez Solid Waste by three months
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Council held a special meeting today and voted to extend the existing interlocal agreement with the Lopez Solid Waste Disposal District (LSWDD) for three months. The LSWDD’s managing board had signed the extension during a meeting on Friday, December 13. This extension enables
