Here’s a thought…
“That confidence — that the law cannot reach you because you are the one wielding it — is the oldest and most dangerous delusion in Washington.”
MILES TAYLOR
Free Kindergarten transition event at Camp Orkila on May 11
||| FROM THE RESOURCE CENTER COMMUNICATIONS TEAM ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center invites families to a free Kindergarten Transition event on Monday, May 11, from 5–7 pm at Camp Orkila’s Main Lodge. Designed for children entering kindergarten in Fall 2026 and their parents/caregivers, the evening features hands-on activities, social
Update | Proposed deer hunting at Turtleback Mountain and north shore preserves
After a series of public meetings and additional community input, the Land Bank Commission will discuss delaying the proposal and exploring ways to continue seeking public input during the May 15 commission meeting. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The Conservation Land Bank has proposed limited deer hunting on
Auditor seeks writers of arguments against ballot measures
If you are interested in writing an argument against the measure, please contact the Auditor at elections@sanjuancountywa.gov or (360) 378-3357. Statements are limited to 250 words and are due by May 11, 4:30 PM. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Auditor Natasha Warmenhoven is seeking people
Rep. Rick Larsen files for reelection
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| EVERETT, Wash. – Rick Larsen filed for reelection on May 4. In the next Congress, Larsen will work to lower costs for working families, including child care, health care, housing, groceries and gas. He will continue delivering federal funding to
Heather Lee announces candidacy for county auditor
||| FROM HEATHER LEE ||| My name is Heather Lee, and I am pleased to announce my candidacy for San Juan County Auditor. Heather Lee I served as Chief Deputy Auditor for San Juan County for three years, through March 2026, working across elections, licensing, and financial operations
News Brief | Experts tested what AI would do to save itself
||| FROM DIGITAL ENGINE |||
Letter to Editor | Incredible show “Indivisible” at the Orcas Center
||| FROM JAMES MOST ||| Wow. I just went and saw "Indivisible" at the Orcas Center today, and I was blown away. It is a wildly creative and powerful show blending dance, animation, giant puppets, spoken word, music, and aerials....I was so impressed with the geyser of originality and creativity on display.
SJC Monthly News Digest – April 2026
This is a roundup of April news ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| This column is part of a series detailing San Juan County’s recent news. Follow along each month to learn about important County projects, Council initiatives, department updates, and more. Sheriff’s Office Moves into New Substation on Lopez Island The San Juan County
Protect Your Flock | Tips to prevent avian influenza exposure
Spring environmental health tips from your local public health department ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Your local public health team wants to remind you of a few tips to help make your spring season as fun and healthy as possible. Avian influenza infections in people are rare. Still,
Orcas Choral Society to present songs, dance, quilts
||| FROM ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY ||| May 16 and 17, come celebrate our nation’s 250 years of creativity in song and dance and the traditional art of quilting, as Orcas Choral Society presents its spring concert, An American Choral Tapestry at the Orcas Center. All the songs in this concert
Guest Opinion | The wrong question … and a suggestion
||| FROM BILL APPEL ||| Over the past few years (who’s counting?) we have participated in, been treated to, or studiously ignored a fierce debate around the following question: “Should OPALCO be permitted to construct a utility-scale solar facility at Bailer Hill and/or to expand its existing solar facility on
News Brief | Nearly $100M to help support endangered salmon runs
||| FROM KOMO-TV SEATTLE ||| NOAA Fisheries has just announced up to $99 million for conservation and recovery projects in the West Coast states and Alaska. Much of the nearly $100 million is aimed at restoring habitat that is either blocked or damaged. The goal of the new money is
Rogue AI agent goes haywire, deletes company’s entire database in 9 seconds
||| FROM YOU TUBE |||
Walk with the birds at Cascade Lake ‘walk and talk’
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Spring is here and the birds are singing! But what might they be saying? Wake up early, get some fresh air, gift your body with exercise and learn about our local birds. Join the Orcas Island Garden Club for a free, open to
Guest Opinion | The issues surrounding our National Parks
||| FROM JOSLIN BROETJS BAIRSTOW ||| As a resident of Orcas Island, I have the privilege of being surrounded by natural landscapes and beautiful parks. Theodore Roosevelt, commonly known as the conservation president, believed that our forests, mountains, prairies, and deserts are sacred spaces that should be protected for future
May library art exhibit
||| FROM ANDREA COHEN for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| The photographs of Lewis Francis are on exhibit at the Orcas Island Library for the month of May. Originally from Gibraltar, Lewis moved to California in the 1990’s and moved to Orcas a few years ago. His show of black-and-white landscape photographs,
