Here’s a thought…
“When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money.”
ALANIS OBOMSAWIN
Turtleback Summer Social on Saturday, July 30
From the San Juan Preservation Trust It's time to return to Turtleback to celebrate the 5th anniversary of that remarkable project, our community, and land conservation in the San Juan Islands. To that end, we cordially invite you and your guests to our 4th Annual Summer Social, held
Preserving Orcas’ Bounty for Haiti’s Noramise Project
Updated August 24, 2011 Island fruit that might go to waste can be donated to "Project Preserve" to benefit "Helping Hands Noramise," the project founded by Rosedanie Cadet in November 2009 to bring hope to as many Haitians as possible. The project is centered in Limbe, Haiti, Rosedanie's family town, and
The Weekend Awaits with a Very Full Plate
Friday, July 29 KindlingsFest Continues at Community Church Today and Tomorrow. KindlingsFest is a celebration of Art & Ideas where they intersect with the spiritual. Morning lecture, conversations with artists in residence and BagEnd Café in the evenings.The Kindlings is a relational, intergenerational movement whose mission is to rekindle the spiritual,
Off-Premises Signs May Be Cited, Picked Up
By Stan Matthews County Website and Communications Director San Juan County’s Code enforcement office reports that, now that tourist season is in full swing, it is receiving several complaints each week from business owners and organizations about illegally placed sandwich-board and other types of advertising signs. County Code prohibits off-premises
Power Outages Tonight through 4 a.m. on Orcas
There are two planned outages for different areas of Orcas Island during the early morning hours of Friday, July 29: Orcas Island West from 12:30 to 4 a.m. Eastsound from 11:45 p.m. July 28 until 4 a.m. July 29. Please read below see if and how your area may
Kwiáht and BeachWalkers to Provide Outreach at Summer’s Last Low Tides
The upcoming low-tide window July 29-31 will be the last big research-and-outreach event of 2011 for the Indian Island Marine Health Observatory. Kwiáht Director Russel Barsh says, "Hard to believe, but we have already had teams for 25 days and 2 nights on the beach this year! And
Orcas Storybird Follows Music in the Park on Aug. 14
Also appearing at the Library Fair Antoinette Botsford (known to many on Orcas as "Storybird") will be telling stories in the Eastsound Park on August 14, 7:00, immediately following the "Music in the Park" performance. The stories will be from a selection she calls, "Twilight Tales," and will include ghost
Temporary Lunch Closure in Recording and Licensing
By Milene Henley San Juan County Auditor Because of a staff shortage, Document Recording and Vehicle and Vessel Licensing services will be closed from noon until 1 pm daily from August 2 through August 12. The Recording and Licensing desks are located in the Auditor’s Office, in the administrative wing
Fun Sustainability at the First Ever Funhouse EcoFest!
By Krista Bouchey Saturday August 6, The Funhouse is hosting its first annual “EcoFest.” Looking to expand upon the success of the annual school science fair, EcoFest is a science-based event celebrating local sustainability, renewable energy and island eco-living. There will be booths and exhibits featuring local groups
Music and Poetry Lovers Come Together August 9
A “Music and Poetry Lovers’ Seminar” will serve as a prelude for the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival on Tuesday, August 9th from 6 – 8 pm at St. Francis Catholic Church. Poetry plays a big part in this year’s Festival. Major works inspired by four poets will
Pt. Lawrence Bridge Bridge Construction Well Underway
By Stan Matthews County Website and Communications Director Work is well underway on the new bridge over Cascade Creek on Orcas Island. The new bridge will replace 30-inch and 18-inch culverts which have not been able to convey high flows in the creek and are an obstacle to
Letter to the Editor: Arson on Orcas
The phone rings in the middle of the night – every mother’s worst nightmare. The caller id says it’s your son. Your mind fills with bad thoughts. You hear your son mumbling, his girlfriend crying and unfamiliar noises in the background. You feel fear, shock and confusion. Then you
Business as Usual at Airport (So Far)
by Lin McNulty Although the Federal Aviation Administration issued additional “stop work orders” over the last twenty-four hours to construction and technology contractors for critical modernization projects around the country after Congress failed to pass an FAA bill, the Orcas Airport is—so far—unaffected. The FAA halted dozens of major projects
Guest Opinion: Pave Paradise?
By Peg Manning, Orcas resident The County Department of Public Works has applied for funding (a total of $600,000) for something entitled “Roadside Hazard Mitigation Program,” whose stated purpose is to “identify and systematically mitigate . . . roadside hazards”-- trees, ditches, water and steep embankments. In other
Pastel Paintings by Patricia Slabaugh at Artworks
The Orcas Island Artworks features pastel paintings by Patricia Slabaugh through the month of August. When Patricia describes pastels, they sound like gourmet candy: “I bought a box of Nupastel hard pastels and Rembrandt soft pastels, but that was not enough. My beautiful collection now includes earthy pastel
Actors Theatre Presents “Trying” Next Two Weekends
By Doug Bechtel The Actors Theatre is pleased to present Fred Whitridge and Cara Russell in a fully staged reading of the play “Trying” by Johanna McClelland Glass at the Grange. This touching, sweet and ultimately uplifting play takes place when a young Canadian woman (played by Cara
