Here’s a thought…
“I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us.”
LORD BYRON
In case you had not heard
||| FROM HILARY CANTY ||| Today Is Unique Donor Day! Head to www.giveorcas.org and make a donation of $10 or more to the proposals you care about. Together, we make Orcas stronger! Didier Gincig makes the change he wants to see through Give Orcas Today is also the launch of
“My Beloved Orcas” Art Exhibition
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Experience the enchanting "My Beloved Orcas" Art Exhibition at Orcas Senior Center April 29 to June 28, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 3 pm. Delight in a vibrant display of multimedia artwork celebrating the essence of Orcas Island through its
Loring files to continue serving as Superior Court Judge
||| FROM KATHRYN LORING ||| Judge Kathryn (Katie) Loring Kathryn (Katie) Loring has filed for reelection to continue serving our community as San Juan County Superior Court Judge. Judge Loring began her term on the bench when Governor Inslee appointed her at the end of 2017, and she
Square Dancing on tap on Saturday at Odd Fellows
||| FROM NIK SCHULZ for ORCAS ODD FELLOWS ||| Square Dance, Saturday, May 11th Odd Fellows Hall, 7pm–9pm featuring The Cully Cutups (Caleb Klauder, Reeb Willms, and Chris Miller) and caller Kelsey Nelsen Sliding scale, kids free No partner or experience necessary, all dances taught. Join us for an evening of
Orcas Island Fire & Rescue team up with DNR for Wildfire Ready Neighbors program
||| FROM KAT BARNARD for ORCAS FIRE & RESCUE ||| Fire Chief Holly vanSchaick and PIO Kat Barnard met with representatives from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), San Juan Fire & Rescue, Lopez Fire & EMS, emergency management, the National Park Service, and San Juan Islands Conservation
Gray whale washes ashore in Oregon after orca attack
||| FROM FOX12 OREGON ||| BANDON Ore. (KPTV) - A juvenile gray whale washed ashore at Tish-A-Tang Beach in southern Oregon this week after being attacked by orcas. According to a statement by the Coquille Tribe, the tribe will handle the removal of the whale. Jim Rice, the Marine Mammal
WSF Weekly Report | More HS vessel tours; new quality assurance dept; a nice kudo from SJs
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve Continuous improvement, fueled by lessons learned, is essential for any organization striving for operational excellence. I’m excited to share some news from Washington State Ferries as we continue our journey towards operational excellence: the recent establishment of
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.
Uke Float on ferry
||| FROM ANITA ORNE for JP AND THE OK RHYTHM BOYS ||| It’s Floating Ukulele Jam time again! Grab your uke, your voice, a song or two to share, and your friends and relations and join us on the interisland ferry on the traditional Third Thursday of the month –
Boyd Pratt debuts new book that features our Pig War and more
||| FROM MICHELLE HASSEBROCK for ORCAS HISTORICAL MUSEUMS ||| Neither island newcomers nor old-timers will want to miss Boyd Pratt's upcoming presentation at the Historical Museums' log cabin campus on Friday, May 10 at 4:00 pm. A labor of love involving decades of research and much thoughtful writing, the Friday
County announces resurfacing of nearly 16 miles of roads this summer
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Public Works Department is announcing its annual summer road resurfacing schedule to chip seal nearly 16 miles of roads on San Juan and Orcas Islands. Chip sealing is a pavement treatment that extends the life of the road surface. Learn
Council to consider three finalists for County Manager position
|||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County nears the end of the County Manager hiring process after interviewing three finalists. The County Council will deliberate during a closed session at the May 14 Council meeting where they will select a County Manager or determine next steps for
Fueling Action: San Juan County gets prepared with Wildfire Ready Neighbors launch
New initiative connects residents with free resources, including experts and tools, to get prepared for fire season. ||| FROM DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES ||| Representatives from the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) joined San Juan County fire district partners, emergency management, the National Park Service, and San Juan
Free tooth extraction clinic
||| FROM TERRI TRIPLETT for ORCAS ISLAND DENTISTRY||| Dr. Triplett’s dental office at 445 Madrona Street in Eastsound has reserved Wednesday May 22 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
Update #3 on F/V CHIEF JOSEPH sinking on the west side of Henry Island
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| After a successful defueling of diesel tanks from the F/V Chief Joseph on May 4, the United States Coast Guard, the Washington Department of Ecology, and the San Juan County Department of Emergency Management are now overseeing preparations to raise
Environment Canada agrees to priority assessment for chemical linked to salmon deaths
||| FROM NANAIMO NEWS NOW ||| OTTAWA — The federal government has agreed to prioritize environmental assessment for a chemical used in tire rubber that has been linked to the deaths of Pacific salmon. The move follows a request by several environmental groups represented by Ecojustice, which shared a copy
