Here’s a thought…
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”
READER BOARD
NORAD Track Santa 2024 – Live Tracker
||| FROM THE LAUNCH PAD ||| Welcome to The Launch Pad's 2024 Santa Tracker! Join us LIVE as we track Santa from the North Pole as he delivers billions of presents across the globe! Merry Christmas Everyone! OUR MISSION: Our mission is to inform and inspire the explorers of tomorrow;
High wind watch for Christmas
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| = URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Seattle WA 345 AM PST Tue Dec 24 2024 San Juan County-Western Whatcom County-Western Skagit County- Admiralty Inlet Area- Including the cities of Anacortes, Bellingham, Burlington, Port Townsend, Friday Harbor, Sedro-Woolley, and Mount Vernon ...HIGH WIND
J Pod brings us tidings of great joy for Christmas
Whale researchers say they remain cautious as about half of newborn orca calves don't survive their first year ||| FROM CBC CANADA ||| A newborn orca calf has been sighted in Puget Sound in Washington state, sparking cautious hope for the endangered southern resident killer whale population. The Centre for Whale
Orcas Island Health Care District: Relationships are the cornerstone of community health
||| FROM CHRIS CHORD for ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| Orcas Island Health Care District (OIHCD), formally known as San Juan County Public Hospital District #3, was established in 2018 to ensure access to primary care and urgent healthcare needs for our island residents and visitors. Our clinic, now
Soroptimist Education Awards for San Juan County women
||| BARBARA SHARP for SOROPTIMISTS OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| Soroptimist International of Friday Harbor is now accepting applications for its 2025 post-secondary educational and vocational skills training program awards. The $2500 Educational Opportunity Award is for a San Juan County woman who is enrolled in, or accepted into, undergraduate study
Some whales may live nearly twice as long as believed—if we let them
Study extends lifespan estimate for one whale species and suggests researchers have been underestimating others as well ||| FROM SCIENCE.ORG ||| Among mammals, whales are the longevity champs. Members of several species have lived past age 100, and one bowhead whale reached its 211th birthday. But estimates of whale longevity
Out-of-control invasive species has met its match: Cute and hungry otters
||| FROM USA TODAY ||| SAN FRANCISCO – A California ecosystem has gotten a big boost from an adorable, fluffy and hungry friend. At Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, a newly-reinvigorated population of native southern sea otters has eaten so many invasive European green crabs that researchers say the otters have locally
Peace and Light is seasonal message from White House
||| FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ||| The White House celebrates the 2024 holidays with a theme of “Peace and Light.” Each room is adorned with thoughtful design elements that reflect the spirit of tranquility, unity, and festive cheer, transforming the historic residence into a symbol of hope and seasonal beauty.
OCS guitar class strikes a chord with community
||| FROM ORCAS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL ||| “Alright, guitarists! Let’s play B7 (a chord) in three, two, one…!” Orcas Christian School (OCS) began a guitar class in 2018 as a high school elective course taught by Andy Rivera. Today, after six years of classes and performances, the OCS Guitar Orchestra has
Yoga with Sam at Orcas Senior Center
Nourishing Body, Mind, and Spirit ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join Samantha Fisher in a holistic movement practice suitable for all experience levels, prioritizing an attuned connection to your body's inner wisdom. Drawing from her training in Hatha Yoga and Integrated Movement Therapy, Samantha integrates insights
2025 Airhawks scholarship recipients
||| FROM ROBERT WAUNCH for AIRHAWKS FLYING CLUB ||| The Airhawks Flying Club has awarded three $4,500 Flight Training scholarships to Orcas High School students Jack Carson, Knox Key and Sophia Mahony-Jauregui. In addition to their normal school courses, they have now added a number of additional STEM subjects they
Sheriff’s Report | December 11 – 17, 2024
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11 24-007863 Citizen Dispute 13:36:43 12/11/24 A San Juan Deputy responded to a report of a citizen dispute. The incident turned out to be non-criminal in nature, with one party requesting the other be trespassed from their place of business.
Be the light
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The holiday season is upon us, a time many of us gather with family and friends, reflect on the past year, or simply cozy up to the fire with a good book and a warm drink. Some head south to
Bird flu kills Olympic Peninsula cougars in WA
||| FROM THE SEATTLE TIMES ||| Two wild cougars on the Olympic Peninsula have been killed by bird flu, as the disease continues to spread to more species. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and Panthera, a global wild cat conservation organization, confirmed the deaths Thursday. One of the big
Orcas neighborhood concerned after suspicious male armed with a knife shows up on porch
||| BY LIN MCNULTY, ORCASONIAN EDITOR ||| On November 9, an Orcas Island neighborhood was rocked by a late-night incident that has left residents taking extra efforts to ensure their safety. A homeowner reported hearing a noise on their porch and, upon turning on the porch light to investigate, observed
Explore vibrant watercolors art show at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join us at Orcas Senior Center for the colorful Watercolors Art Show, running through November and December. This joint exhibition features works from Robbie Walker’s watercolors class, held Mondays at 9:30 am at Orcas Senior Center, alongside pieces by local artist
