Here’s a thought…
“We are not an endangered species ourselves yet, but this is not for lack of trying.”
DOUGLAS ADAMS
Letter to Editor | OPALCO General Manager makes how much per year?
||| FROM ALEX MACLEOD ||| I saw OPALCO’s notice the other day inviting candidates on San Juan and Orcas Islands to consider running for open seats on its board. To any mulling the possibility, and to those already holding seats on the cooperative, I’d like to pose a question: Why did
The Whale Museum, Alchemy Art Center partner to launch new workshop series
||| FROM CONOR AGNEW for THE WHALE MUSEUM ||| The Whale Museum is partnering with Alchemy Art Center to launch a new artistic workshop series, “Digging into Bones!” This series brings art and science together through fun, exciting workshops focusing on different skeleton and bone themes. The series starts on
Regular Monday WSF schedule for MLK Day
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We are running our regular Monday schedule on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Jan. 19,except on the Fauntleroy/Vashon/Southworth and Seattle/Bremerton routes. These two routes are on reduced service due to urgent vessel repairs. Visit our schedules webpage to view your route schedule and learn more about our holiday schedules.
Learn all about how birds fly at upcoming pesentation
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Peter Cavanagh, a dedicated bird photographer, pilot and expert in the fields of biomechanics and anatomy, has dedicated a decade to crafting this remarkable book, How Birds Fly. Through awe-inspiring photography and conversational prose, Peter unveils the complex evolutions and physics of
News Brief | He voted for George Washington AND Abraham Lincoln
||| FROM WASHINGTON POST ||| There was once an American who voted for both George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. In this year of the nation’s 250th anniversary, you should know his name. We always remember Lincoln and other great presidents. We build them monuments and name things after them. But
Guest Opinion | When a Water Board stops listening, a community loses its voice
||| FROM ELISABETH BRITT ||| Water is a public trust, and on an island it is a lifeline. That is why the recent direction of the Eastsound Water Users Association should concern every member it serves. In recent years, EWUA has shifted toward less transparency and more centralized control. Rates
Action alert for San Juan Islands, Salish Sea
||| FROM AYN GAILEY ||| This action takes less than a minute to complete and is a simple way to show support for efforts to protect Southern Resident killer whales, salmon, and human health. If you care about the Salish Sea and its future, please take a moment to sign
As the Paradigm Shifts | Let there be peace on earth — and let it begin with me
||| AS THE PARADIGM SHIFTS by ROSIE KUHN ||| Peace isn’t an idea. Nor is it a concept to agree with or a value to defend. Peace is a manifestation of energy. That’s all!! I want to see peace in the world—on the planet, in cities, in families—because seeing it out
Sheriff’s Report | January 7 – 12, 2026
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 7 26-000128 Controlled Substance Problem 13:26:17 01/07/26 A Deputy in Friday Harbor received some prescription medications from a citizen that had been left by another person. The Deputy took the medication and booked it into evidence. 26-000129 Accident-NonInj 14:01:40 01/07/26
Building a legacy of hope and opportunity
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| During these continued dark times in our country, with threats to the safety of
Larsen and colleagues secure reinstatement of addiction, mental health funding
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) cheered the reinstatement of nearly $2 billion in grants to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), including seven Health Care Authority-administered grants in Washington state. The reinstatement of this funding,
Health Care Board Retreat | Special Board Meeting – January 17, 2026
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| The Orcas Island Health Care District will be holding a Special Board Meeting on Saturday, January 17th, 2026 from 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM at the Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Benson Hall Building - 218-242 Main St, Eastsound, WA 98245. The purpose of this
LWV | County Council notes for January 13, 2026
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The council recognized January 19, 2026 as Martin Luther King Day and a Day of National Service. The WSU Extension Service reviewed programs in the county including Master Gardeners, 4-H, Native Plant Sales, Agricultural and Forest management programs, and Agricultural Summit.
WSF Weekly Report | Repairs, replacements; upcoming online meetings; ridership increased almost 1M
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve Thanks to the hard work and creative thinking of our employees, we made good progress this week getting our system back on track. We quickly fixed a stern tube problem on Tacoma using an underwater habitat instead
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Welcome to our weekly feature, Occam's Razor, from local artist S.C. Watson.
WSF to host two online meetings next week
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We’re hosting two online community meetings on Wednesday, Jan. 21 at 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. This is your chance to share feedback and ask us questions. Each meeting will start with a short presentation that looks back at 2025 and previews our 2026
