Here’s a thought…
“As a general truth, communities prosper and flourish, or droop and decline, in just the degree that they practise or neglect to practise the primary duties of justice and humanity.”
WILLIAM HENRY SEWARD
Hazardous Waste Round-Ups: What Lopez and Orcas residents need to know before drop-off day
Guidelines aim to improve safety and efficiency at Lopez and Orcas collection events ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County has two more spring Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) round-up events in the coming month—vital opportunities to safely dispose of flammable, corrosive, or poisonous materials. The Lopez Island
Queer New Year is approaching
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND PRIDE ||| Mark your calendars! Orcas Pride’s Queer New Year is only two weeks away! Keep reading to find out the amazing events we have planned - get your tickets now, while supplies last! Find below a timeline of all the events happening and help us
Madrona Club awards Robin DiGeorgio Grant to severe weather shelter
||| FROM BRIAN MOSS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| Orcas Island Community Church is grateful to announce a $4,000 grant from the Robin DiGeorgio Endowment Fund, stewarded by the Madrona Club of Orcas Island. This generous gift will support the church’s Severe Weather Shelter, which provides emergency overnight shelter
The final hours of GiveOrcas
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for GIVE ORCAS CAMPAIGN ||| This spring’s GiveOrcas campaign has been our largest request yet of the community to support many programs and projects that help our community thrive. We don’t take this lightly. We know it’s a big ask, and we know it’s a busy
Choral Society in concert this weekend
||| FROM ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY ||| This weekend, Orcas Choral Society will blow the roof off Orcas Center with Glory, Grandeur & Gospel, its joyful, brash and brassy spring concert, Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 18, at 2 p.m. Bruce Langford leads the choir in a
County Council approves internal solution to coroner services
The County explored two options – contracted services via an interlocal agreement and in-house staffing – before appointing a staff member to the role. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Over the past few months, San Juan County has been working to establish a new system for coroner services
Island blood drives coming up on June 3rd & 4th
||| FROM BLOODWORKS NW ||| Did you know only 3% of us donate blood each year? Summer blood shortages are real, and you can help save lives in our local hospitals by rolling up your sleeve. To celebrate your blood donation this June, you can enter for a chance to
Systemwide community ferry meetings coming up
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| On Wednesday, May 21 and Thursday, May 22, we will host two virtual community meetings. At the meetings, we'll outline plans for summer service, provide project updates, and invite public input on the Washington State Transportation Commission’s fare proposals. Both meetings will cover the
Odd Fellows community potluck this Saturday
||| FROM DIDIER GINCIG for ORCAS ODD FELLOWS ||| There will be a community potluck at the Odd Fellows Hall on Saturday May 17 from 5-7. Everyone is invited. This potluck is intended for the community to get together, celebrate spring, share a meal, connect, laugh, maybe make some music,
Emergency maintenance power outage scheduled for tonight, countywide
Starting Tuesday, May 13 @ 11:00 pm until 7 am on May 14 ||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| All of San Juan County will be affected by an emergency power outage from our mainland power supplier to do critical maintenance on the system that
Guest Opinion | What are we really protecting?
||| FROM ISLAND STEWARDS ||| Island Stewards began this year with a simple belief: the future of the San Juan Islands should be shaped by those who live here — not just by markets, mandates, or well-funded visions from afar, but by people rooted in place, memory, and responsibility. This
Airhawks Flying Club celebrates two special events in May
||| FROM ROBERT WAUNCH for AIRHAWKS FLYING CLUB ||| The first special event celebrates our very first Airhawks student, Josh Izakson, who participated in our initial introduction class, the Basics of Flight, in 1995. Josh received a scholarship to the US Air Force Academy in Colorado and graduated in 2004.
Tiny artists. Big ideas. See why art class matters.
Without donor support, elementary art classes would not exist. ||| FROM A*OK, ART FOR ORCAS KIDS ||| From paint-splatterings to cardboard self-portraits, Art for Orcas Kids (A*OK) helps over 170 Kindergarten–5th grade students each year express themselves, build confidence, and discover the power of creativity. A*OK bridges the gap between
Free tooth extraction clinic coming up
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF DR. TRIPLETT ||| Dr. Triplett’s dental office at 445 Madrona Street in Eastsound has reserved Wednesday May 28 for free tooth extractions for our Orcas, Shaw, and Waldron residents in financial need. Services are limited to both routine and surgical extractions (including wisdom teeth). At
Monthly Land Bank Commission meeting this Friday, May 16
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY CONSERVATION LAND BANK COMMISSION ||| The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold a regular monthly meeting on May 16, 2025 from 8:30am – 11:10am via Zoom. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the San Juan Island Grange, located at
Liberal Oregon and Washington vowed to pioneer green energy. Almost every other state is beating them.
||| FROM PROPUBLICA ||| On Feb. 17, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek released a video assuring Oregonians that Donald Trump would not derail the progressive state’s efforts to combat climate change. As promised during his presidential campaign, Trump had issued executive orders during his first week in office aimed at halting
