Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Guest Opinion | Tourism and us, Part II
||| FROM MICHAEL 'MJ' JOHNSON ||| While the San Juan Islands Visitors Bureau continues to weaponize their mailing list by having just sent out their third round of action alerts to the County Council (see below), urging their membership to sign and send in their robo-letters of support, I've been reading
The 4 Lower Snake River Dams need to be removed
The Future of Southern Resident Orcas depends on it ||| FROM REMOVE THE DAMS.ORG ||| The Southern Resident Orcas are nearing extinction. While there are a total of 73 Orcas in L, J and K pods, there is currently only a few males of reproductive age among them, and nearly
Life returns to Ukrainian reservoir drained by Russian strike on dam
A year later, animals, birds and saplings are populating a new landscape of ponds and lagoons ||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| Standing in a scene of shimmering green, Vadym Maniuk pointed to a young white willow tree. “What happened here is a miracle,” he said. “Some of the saplings are
Can B.C.’s southern resident orcas be taken off the path to extinction?
||| FROM ST. ALBERT GAZETTE ||| The southern resident killer whale known as Tahlequah captured global sympathy in 2018 when she pushed the body of her dead calf for more than two weeks in waters off British Columbia's south coast. Some scientists and advocates called the scene a display of
Washington secures $28M for salmon habitat restoration projects
||| FROM FOX13 SEATTLE ||| U.S. Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Patty Murray (D-WA) announced on Monday more than $28 million in funding for three projects in Washington state aimed at restoring habitats for threatened salmon species. The grants, awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Transformational Habitat Restoration and Coastal Resilience Program, were
To stay or not to stay
||| FROM TOM EVERSOLE for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Relocation Most retired islanders came here to stay and contribute. Many do not have family or children nearby or available to help. Selling everything and moving to a nursing home on the mainland or starting over in a new community—frail and
Ferry system making a splash in upcoming WA governor election
||| FROM FOX13 SEATTLE ||| The state’s ferry system is emerging as a significant topic in this year’s gubernatorial race, with both candidates and voters expressing concerns about crew shortages, unreliable service, and outdated vessels. Efforts to address the ferry system’s problems are already underway, though progress will be slow
Guest Opinion | Tourism and us
||| FROM MICHAEL 'MJ' JOHNSON ||| Over the decades the overwhelming concern and the refrain from the people that live here regarding the numbers of tourists that visit our shores (including the number of, size of, and the duration of annual events), the amount of money being spent on tourism
August Bird Walk
||| FROM KRISTEN ARNIM for SJI SCULPTURE PARK ||| Join us at the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park on Wednesday, August 7 from 8-10am for our monthly bird walk with avid birder, Tyler Davis, leading the walk. His expertise will enhance your experience and knowledge of our local birds. Bring
PeaceHealth Family Medicine offering back-to-school sports physicals
||| FROM ANNE WILLIAMS for PEACEHEALTH PEACE ISLAND FAMILY PRACTICE CLINIC ||| The PeaceHealth Peace Island Family Practice clinic will be holding two all-day back-to-school sports physical clinics for both current and non-established patients ahead of the start of the fall athletics season: Wednesday, July 31, 8:30 a.m. to 4
County Compass | Navigating county communications
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is pleased to present the monthly series County Compass: Navigating Civic Participation that shares ways to understand County systems, get involved with local government, and be an informed resident. San Juan County continues to grow its communications program in an
Letter to Editor | No free speech on Orcas Island?
Teri Nigretto and Leith Templin illegally interfere with people’s right to hear ||| FROM CAROL ANN ANDERSON ||| EWUA Director Carol Anderson and a hundred others are seeking the recall of Jim Nelson, Teri Nigretto, Mike Cleveland, and Leith Templin. Anderson and the Recall team set up a booth at
House passes Larsen-DelBene bill to add Mount Vernon court location to Western District of Washington
Bipartisan, bicameral bill now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law ||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Representatives Rick Larsen (WA-02), Suzan DelBene (WA-01) and Tony Gonzales (TX-23) that adds Mount Vernon as a
All Islands Read event to unite San Juans through literature
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| The All Islands Read (AIR) event returns this year with a mission to build community spirit through a shared reading experience featuring acclaimed author and musician Willy Vlautin and author and poet Jane Wong. This year’s program will expand from Orcas
August 6, 2024, Primary Election | Vote! Sign! Send!
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| All registered San Juan County voters will receive a ballot for the 2024 Primary Election. The August 6, 2024 Primary includes races for Governor, Lt. Governor, State Senator, State Representative, additional Washington State government offices, United States Senator, United States Representative, and other
LWVSJ Observer Corps: County Council July 22, 2024
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The Council welcomed the new county manager to her first council meeting. During public comment, two Orcas residents spoke about the severe ferry service disruptions in July and the efforts of the Community Water Taxi Group to help those impacted. The
