Here’s a thought…
“The politician wants men to know how to die courageously; the poet wants men to live courageously.”
SALVATORE QUASIMODO
Letter to the Editor: Fix this, OPALCO!
-- from Bill Thompson -- OPALCO Co-op member/owners along Victorian Valley Dr. (Orcas) were first in line in the summer of 2013 when OPALCO began trenching up and replacing the first of over 100 miles of defective cables, yet no one expected the wash-boarding, pot-holing and dust clouds resulting from
County Hosts Special Needs Transition Fair
Saturday, April 18 from 11 am - 3 pm at Friday Harbor High School Commons A Transition to Career and Special Needs Fair will be held this Saturday at Friday Harbor High School, walking distrance for the ferry landing. Families can meet all of the entities who will assist with
Guest Column: Wildcrafting as a Sacred Act
--by Erin Smith -- Wildcrafting, when done consciously, is not only an act of sustainability, it is a sacred act. There are now more than 160,000 national parks, wilderness and other protected areas worldwide. There is little else that says so loudly that as a whole we believe nature is
April Poetry: JoEllen Moldoff
In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate and highlight our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to again offer daily poetry during April. My art -- by JoEllen Moldoff -- fell in love with crayons, then pencils, then pen and ink. It printed
Letter to the Editor: Vote for OPALCO Incumbents
-- from Boyd and Lovel Pratt -- Ballots for OPALCO have arrived by mail. We thank all the candidates running for OPALCO’s Board of Directors. We are grateful for the many years of service Randy Cornelius provided as General Manager of OPALCO and we believe he would make an excellent
Summer Ferries Reservations Start Tomorrow
-- from Lance Evans, Director, Orcas Chamber of Commerce -- EDITORS UPDATE: At 9:31 a.m. according to Orcas Issues reader Janet Brownell, the internet system appears to have crashed; the phone. Calling reservation system's phone number 1-888-808-7977 results in a message saying the system is "experiencing technical" problems. Holding to
OI Green Drinks Returns
Tuesday, April 14, 5:30-7 p.m., upstairs in the Co-Op Commons -- from Regina Zwilling -- OI Green Drinks is re-launching at The Co-op Commons on Tuesday, April 14th. What’s Green Drinks? Started in London in 1989, it’s a worldwide collective of environmentally and community-minded folks who come together to meet
The Campaign to Save Mount Grant
-- from the San Juan Preservation Trust -- The San Juan Preservation Trust announces the launch of a major fundraising campaign to create a new nature preserve in the heart of San Juan Island. The Campaign to Save Mount Grant, if successful, will permanently protect one of San Juan’s most
As Seen on TV: Suspected Explosives Close Courthouse
-- by Lin McNulty -- Red indicating the safety zone closed off due to suspected explosives brought to Courthouse. At 3:24 p.m. on Sunday, April 12, 2015, Department of Emergency Management's Brendan Cowan, notified local press of a closure to the San Juan County Courthouse due to possible
Orcas Real Estate Sales Continue to Grow
-- from Sandi Friel -- Property sales on Orcas Island are up—significantly. In fact, the number of sales on Orcas last year far exceeded pre-crash levels. The recovery, which began in 2012, has firmly taken root. Distressed property transactions (bank-owned or short sales) continue at a steady pace and are
Come Ride the Zip Line!
-- from YMCA Camp Orkila -- Ride the Zipline at Camp Orkila! YMCA Camp Orkila would like to invite you to come out and take a ride on our 1000-ft Zip Line! We will be holding by-appointment only Community Zip Day on Sunday April 19 from 1:30 -
April Poetry: Polly Pratt
In recognition of Poetry Month, and to celebrate and highlight our treasure trove of Orcas Island poets, Orcas Issues is pleased and honored to again offer daily poetry during April. The Sign When Grace turned 80 in 1991 -- by Polly Pratt -- We honored our mother with a meadow
Chief Kevin O’Brien Says Farewell and Thanks
-- by Margie Doyle -- Orcas Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin O'Brien and his mother Colleen O'Brien Orcas Fire and Rescue Chief Kevin O'Brien formally leaves his post on April 15 to take on a new assignment in Lake Stevens, Snohomish County. There will be a farewell ceremony
Rep. Larsen Endorses Hillary Clinton for President
-- from Brooke Davis -- Today, Rep. Rick Larsen endorsed Hillary Clinton for President of the United States of America. “Today, I am endorsing Hillary Clinton for President because she shares my belief that our country needs an economy that includes everyone and works for everyone. “Hillary Clinton knows our
Orcas H.S. Band Students Receive Excellent Ratings at Regional Contest
-- from Kristen Wilson -- The small, but mighty Orcas High School Band brought home “Excellent” ratings from judges at a regional contest in Bellingham on March 25. Playing under the direction of Darren Dix, the nine-member Orcas band competed with more than 20 other high school bands at the
Shakespeare Festival a Photographic Delight
-- by Cara Russell -- [metaslider id=35905] “Can one desire too much of a good thing?” –Hamlet. Yes one-eth can! On Saturday April 11th from 12-3 p.m. on the Village Green, the 4th Annual Shakespeare Festival was unlike any of its preceding three. “Every year the festival takes on a
