Here’s a thought…
“Elections belong to the people. It’s their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
Letter to Editor | Consider a No vote for the Land Bank
San Juan County: The Next Nantucket? ||| FROM LISA CROSBY GUARD ||| I’ve long been drawn to Nantucket, often compared to Friday Harbor, where I’ve lived as a native islander and farmer. My family has lived in the San Juans for over seven generations. In September 2022, a trip to
Letter to Editor | Reauthorize SJC Land Bank
||| FROM TODD KADEN ||| I am writing in support of reauthorization of the San Juan County Conservation Area REET. As most know, the local County Conservation Land Bank provides stewardship for a select number of land parcels. These are truly local treasures. Some are made available for low-impact, public
Workshop: Grant Writing for Farmers
October 23 helps San Juan County farmers learn tools for effective grant writing ||| FROM REBECCA MOORE for WSU EXTENSION ||| Join a free virtual farm grant writing workshop hosted by WSU San Juan Extension on October 23rd, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. This workshop will feature a presentation by
Community Wildfire Protection Plan needs your input
||| FROM PAUL ANDERSSON for SAN JUAN ISLANDS CONSERVATION DISTRICT ||| A diverse group of local emergency responders, land managers, and forestry experts from over a dozen agencies and tribes are updating the San Juan County Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP), and we need your input! Join us in October
NOAA predicts severe geomagnetic storm
||| FROM NOAA ||| Space weather forecasters at NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) have issued a Severe (G4) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Thursday, October 10 into Friday, October 11. Experts at SWPC are monitoring the sun following a strong X -class solar flare and resulting coronal mass ejection (CME)
5th Annual Funhouse/Island Market Gingerbread House Contest approaches
||| FROM NICOLE SPINOGATTI for FUNHOUSE COMMONS ||| Get ready for the Fifth Annual Gingerbread House contest sponsored by The Funhouse & Island Market! A holiday Gingerbread House Contest for ALL AGES with cash prizes! AND.....if you're a teen between the ages of 13 - 18 and want to
Letter to Editor | McVeigh owes an apology if not withdrawal
||| FROM JOHN NANCE ||| It appears that Kari McVeigh’s “camp” is panicking, and embracing dirty tricks to suppress, deflect, dismiss, or attempt to discredit a verifiable legal decision concerning not only her record as the Superintendent of the Beverly Hills School District more than a decade ago, but also
Orcas Community Resource Center to host lecture on building a stable community
||| FROM MEGAN METCALF for COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center (OCRC) invites you to join them for an educational lecture, Building a Stable Community, at the Orcas Island Public Library. This discussion will explore the impact of trauma, systemic barriers, and life challenges that prevent individuals
School Board vacancies announced
||| FROM SUZANNA SMITH for ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Orcas Island School District - School Board Vacancy Announcement-Position # 3 The Orcas Island School District Board of Education is accepting applications for a School Director to fulfill an unexpired term for Position # 3. This position expires on 11/30/2025.
Senior Center now owns its building
||| FROM LYNNETTE WOOD for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| At 3:10 pm on October 3, it became official: The Orcas Senior Center nonprofit now holds 100% ownership of the senior center building at 62 Henry Road. This marks the fulfillment of a dream for the original investors who, 25 years
Mayor declares National Domestic Violence Awareness Month
||| FROM TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| PROCLAMATION Heal, Hold & Center WHEREAS, October is annually recognized as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month and this year’s theme: “Heal, Hold & Center” invites the community to come together, embrace the many cultural ways we can heal from violence and oppression, commit to holding space
Guest Opinion | The Salish Sea is not “pristine”
||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| I frequently see people use the term “pristine” to describe the environment here in San Juan County. Perhaps for a visitor who stays but a few days this is understandable. Standing on the shoreline on a sunny summer day, it’s a beautiful view, as long
Letter to Editor | McVeigh is best candidate
||| FROM DARLA JUNGMEYER ||| Kari McVeigh is the best candidate for County Council District 1. Her combination of common sense, strong ethics, and extensive experience positions her as an effective leader. Kari’s practical approach and commitment to transparency will ensure decisions benefit our island communities. With a background in
Letter to Editor | O’Day’s County Charter expertise gets my vote
||| FROM ALAN MIZUTA ||| I support Stephanie O’Day for San Juan County Council, Position 1, because of her responsiveness and commitment to addressing life and safety concerns for residents and visitors of the outer islands. The Decatur Emergency Brigade has raised issues about policy changes made without public notice
Orca tally ‘frustrating’ for those trying to save J, K and L pods
||| FROM PHYS.ORG ||| There are only 73 southern resident orcas left in Puget Sound, according to the most recent count released by the Center for Whale Research. It is one of the lowest tallies since the center counted 71 orcas when it began its survey in 1976. The 2023
County’s restoration work in Zylstra Lake corridor continues
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The False Bay watershed on San Juan Island, with its wetland habitats, agricultural uses, and impact on water quality, has been a high priority watershed for the County for several years. The False Bay corridor, including Zylstra Lake, continues to be an important
