Here’s a thought…
“I don’t know why we are here, but I’m pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves.”
LUDWIG WITTGENSTEIN
REET renewal
||| FROM HILARY CANTY ||| The Land Bank real estate excise tax (REET) is up for renewal and will be on the ballot this Fall. The Orcas Island Community Foundation Board is endorsing continuing this REET, as it provides funding to the Land Bank for preservation and conservation of land throughout the
OIFR responds to morning structure fire
||| FROM CHAD KIMPLE, ACTING CHIEF, ORCAS ISLAND FIRE & RESCUE ||| Orcas Island Fire & Rescue was called for a structure fire Friday morning in the Orcas Road area near the Golf Course. OIFR Battalion Chief Greg Sawyer was first on the scene and confirmed a working fire and
Letter to Editor | Wake up, Orcas Islanders
||| FROM LEITH TEMPLIN ||| Wake up people especially current Eastsound Water members. Orcas Community you need to wake up and stand up to all this mean-spirited behavior that is ruining the very fabric of our community and our island institutions. With our freedom of free speech, it is our
Wildfire smoke safety tips
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Wildfire smoke made its way to the islands this week from Canada. It’s a good reminder to brush up on smoke safety tips. Here are a few tips to keep you and your loved ones safe in the event the islands experience unsafe
Letter to Editor | Clarifying Farmers Market policy
||| FROM STEVE DIEPENBROCK for ORCAS ISLAND FARMERS MARKET ||| As the current President of the Orcas Island Farmers Market I would like to take this opportunity to respond to Carol Ann Anderson’s letter from July 23. In that Letter to the Editor Carol Ann expressed her frustration with her
Letter to Editor | Bring Rick Hughes back to Council
||| FROM AMANDA AZOUS ||| District 2 is lucky to have three well intentioned candidates for County Council. However, what has been missing for a number of years are council members with governing experience. Most recently this resulted in a council agenda driven by the county manager instead of the
WSF Weekly Report | ADA anniversary; contract for new ferry propulsion; sailing stats
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve Tomorrow, July 26, is the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a watershed piece of legislation that instituted the protection of civil rights of people with disabilities across our nation. The ADA was intended to make public
Is B.C.’s precarious resident orca population swimming a path to extinction?
||| FROM PEACE ARCH NEWS ||| 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
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.
Understanding the Washington Cares Fund and Initiative 2124
||| FROM SARA PELFREY ||| The Washington Cares Fund, previously known as the Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Act, is a pioneering effort in public long-term care insurance designed to support Washington state workers with the costs of long-term care services. This innovative program, funded by a 0.58% payroll deduction,
County seeks pro & con committee members for Land Bank statements in Voter’s Guide
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is seeking volunteers to write supporting and opposing statements regarding the proposed renewal of Land Bank funding. These statements are due by August 13 and will be placed in the Voter’s Guide for the upcoming November 2024 General Election. The
Free Concert and Street Taco Pop up
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND WINERY ||| THIS FRIDAY July 26: Free Live Music at Orcas Island Winery with PNW Favorite Nathaniel Talbot and Street Taco Pop Up with The West Side Kitchen. Doors at 5 PM , 2371 Crow Valley Road It's a busy life for songwriter and farmer Nathaniel
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
