Here’s a thought…
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”
READER BOARD
WSF Weekly Report | Still battling availability issues | Go Hawks!
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Feb. 5, 2026 This week brougaht another reminder of how fragile our ferry system is. We simply don’t have enough vessels available to cover unexpected issues. Tuesday night, Kitsap had to be removed from service because of an engine issue. That
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.
Ditch the screen and connect to birds, to nature, and with each other
Take part in The Great Backyard Bird Count of 2026 ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank, in conjunction with the Joyce L. Sobel Family Resource Center (JLSRFC), invites nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers and families to join in The Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC)
OPALCO to hold virtual community town hall
||| FROM JO LANGE for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| OPALCO invites members to a virtual town hall with our leadership team to ask questions and share feedback. We've been seeing an increased level of concern around a variety of co-op topics. We would like to provide an opportunity
Learn from scientist/ecologist Peter Guillozet as he speaks about backyard ponds
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Please join the Orcas Island Garden Club on Wednesday, February 18th when we welcome Peter Guillozet to speak about Below the Surface of Backyard Ponds: Beneficial or Harmful? We are excited and grateful to Peter for accepting our invitation to speak on the pros and
Library After Dark | Writing night offers adults a quiet space to create
||| FROM SAM GAILEY fot ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Orcas Island Library invites adult writers to settle in after hours for Library After Dark: Writing Night on Monday, February 9, from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. This welcoming evening is designed for adults seeking focused writing time and a supportive creative community. The event
County publishes guide for reviewing OPALCO’s proposed solar project on Decatur Island
Members of the public interested in engaging in the County’s review of OPALCO’s project can use this guide. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Department of Community Development (DCD) received an application from Orcas Power & Light Cooperative (OPALCO) for a conditional use permit (CUP) for
How do our packages get here?
||| FROM YOUTUBE |||
Gray whales featured in new picture book
||| FROM NORA FERM NICKUM ||| I have a new picture book coming out next week (Feb. 10) from Candlewick/Penguin Random House titled Twelve Daring Grays: A Whale Migration Adventure. It's a true story about the adventurous gray whales, known as the Sounders, that make a long, risky detour off their usual
Calling all Orcas Island nonprofits | Applications for 2026 Spring GiveOrcas grants now being accepted
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| OICF is inviting all Orcas Island nonprofit organizations to submit grant proposals February 4 - 26, 2026. The application is open to 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) organizations, government agencies, schools, and public service organizations. Applications, qualifications checklist, and campaign policies can
Child Find Screening soon to be available
||| FROM LORENA STANKEVICH for ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| Any child, ages birth to five, whose family or caregivers would like more information about their child’s development can contact their local district to receive a free Child Find Screening. Tuesday, March 3 through Thursday, March 5, 2026 Orcas Island School
Letter to Editor | Property taxes in 2026
||| FROM BOB DISTLER ||| With virtually no change in assessed valuation, our home’s property taxes will increase by about 17% compared to last year. While I understand the somewhat byzantine relationship between assessments and mil rates, it would be interesting for someone in San Juan County government to explain
County Council continues discussing levy lid lift to maintain services
Council is interested in placing a levy lid lift on the April Special Election and is expected to adopt a resolution during its next meeting on February 10. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| This week, the San Juan County Council continued to discuss seeking a levy lid lift
Poetry | Advice from a raindrop
||| FROM NITA COUCHMAN || ADVICE FROM A RAINDROP Kim Stafford You think you're too small to make a difference? Tell me about it. You think you're helpless, at the mercy of forces beyond your control? Been there. Think you're doomed to disappear, just one small voice among millions? That's
Orcas Community Resource Center to host “Financial Disaster Recovery” seminar
||| FROM ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center will present a "Financial Disaster Recovery" seminar at the Orcas Senior Center on Wednesday, February 18th, at 1:00 p.m. Part of the Orcas Talks Money program, this specialized session is designed to help seniors navigate financial crises and
Town Council to hold special meeting
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARB0R ||| NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council will hold a special meeting after the regular business meeting on February 5, 2026, to participate in the first portion of the AWC/RMSA mandatory training for elected and appointed officials regarding the
