Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
CWR locates 26 Bigg’s Killer Whales traveling together
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| FULL ENCOUNTER REPORT ObservBegin: 05:05 PM ObservEnd: 05:27 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Other Observers: Rachel John Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T63, T65, T65A5, T75B, T75B2, T75B3, T75B5, T90, T90B, T90C, T90D, T100, T100C, T100F, T101,
News Brief | Inside ‘data centre alley’
||| FROM SKY.COM ||| Down at ground level you can see the hallmarks as you drive around what is known as "data centre alley". ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY SKY.COM There are enormous power lines everywhere - a reminder that running these plants is an incredibly energy-intensive task. Read full article
Jury Duty for 10/27 – 10/31? You’re excused
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: OCTOBER 27-31, 2025 All jurors summonsed for the week beginning Monday, October 27th through Friday, October 31st are excused. Thank you. View it on website
A night of storytelling coming to Library
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Stories want to be heard. Poems want to breathe. Essays want an audience. Join us for Island Voices, a special evening where ten local writers bring their work to life—reading excerpts from novels, short stories, poems, and essays. It’s a celebration
News Brief | The internet may break again
||| FROM THE ATLANTIC ||| When a technical issue disrupted operations yesterday, it was enough to temporarily crash the internet for users around the world. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE ATLANTIC The Amazon outage revealed just how consolidated the web has become. Read full article
News Brief | In Alaska, land is easy to come by. But energy and food are not
||| FROM THE NEW YORK TIMES ||| Alaska tests a theory: Solar farms help nearby crops grow. The purpose is to study how food and energy can be produced together, in a place where food and energy cost a lot of money. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE NEW YORK TIMES For
Floating Halloween Ukulele Jam is coming
||| FROM ANITA ORNE for FLOATING UKULELE JAM ||| Join us for the first ever Floating Halloween Ukulele Jam on Thursday, October 30 . Costumes encouraged. Bring your uke, your voice, your friends and relations and maybe a song to share (know any scary songs???) or just come enjoy riding
Island Blood Drives Nov. 4th & 5th
||| FROM HANNAH MCNUTT for BLOODWORKS NORTHWEST ||| When the leaves begin to change and the air turns crisp, it’s the perfect time to consider donating blood. With the holiday season fast approaching, hospitals need blood for patients more than ever. Donating blood is a quick and easy way to
Letter to Editor | Why I’m picking which races to vote for
||| FROM BEA VONTOBEL ||| When my Voters’ Pamphlet arrived in the mail, I sat down to acquaint myself with its contents. I was surprised to see 18 uncontested nonpartisan races for office. I was even more surprised to see that for two positions for the OISD race and one
New J Pod calf documented
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 02:55 PM ObservEnd: 04:30 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Other Observers: Rachel John Pods: Southern Resident: J Pod IDsEncountered: J16, J19, J22, J26, J27, J31, J35, J36, J37, J38, J39, J40, J41, J42,
Dr. Triplett offering a free tooth extraction clinic
||| FROM TERI TRIPLETT for DR. TRIPLETT'S DENTAL OFFICE ||| Dr. Triplett’s dental office at 445 Madrona Street in Eastsound has reserved Wednesday November 5 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
Samish Indian Nation cuts ribbon on new early learning center
New facility will serve approximately 40 children, expanding access to quality childcare in Anacortes ||| FROM AMANDA SHOR for SAMISH INDIAN NATION ||| ANACORTES, Wash. (October 20, 2025) – The Samish Indian Nation celebrated the completion of its D Avenue Early Learning Center with a special ribbon cutting ceremony and
Letter to Editor | In support of school levies
||| FROM ORCAS EDUCATION FOUNDATION BOARD ||| The Orcas Island Education Foundation (OIEF) Board believes that one of the most important things we can do is invest in our children’s future. For over 40 years, OIEF has helped enhance the OI public schools through our fundraising efforts. There are some
Roll up for the Magical Mystery Tour at Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH-ARMSTRONG for ORCAS CENTER ||| Rock on the Rock Choir and Orcas Center is presenting a Beatles Music Extravaganza on the main stage for three weekends in November. Magical Mystery Tour is a one-act show featuring an all-island cast of singers, actors, dancers and musicians who will
Letter to Editor | Please support the Orcas Island Public Library – Vote YES for Proposition #1
||| FROM SAM BLACKMAN et. al ||| On behalf of the Orcas Island Library Advocacy Committee, I’d like to ask my fellow islanders to vote YES for Proposition #1. Our library is primarily funded through a property tax levy, and our last levy lift (in 2016) of $0.45/$1000 assessed value
Odlin County Park to host interagency prescribed burn on Lopez Island
This burn will help with fuels reduction as well as providing a training opportunity for San Juan County Fire District 4 ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Parks, Recreation, and Fair Department, in cooperation with WA State Department of Natural Resources and San Juan County Fire
