Here’s a thought…
“The belief in the possibility of a short decisive war appears to be one of the most ancient and dangerous of human illusions.”
ROBERT LYND
San Juan County hires new County Manager
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| New County Manager Jessica Hudson San Juan County Council is pleased to announce the hiring of a new County Manager – Jessica Hudson. Hudson is currently the Director at Fairfax County Public Library in Fairfax, Virginia where she oversees a system
Clean water, healthy futures: Orca Month targets toxics
||| FROM ROSEMARY CONNELLI for ORCA ACTION MONTH ||| Volunteers and advocates across Washington will speak out against toxic pollutants that harm orcas, salmon and people during Orca Action Month. This year’s theme is Clean Water, Healthy Futures. “We learn more every day about the harmful impacts of chemicals like
‘The Magic of Sailing’ film premier
||| FROM BURKE THOMAS for SAIL ORCAS ||| Calling all sailing enthusiasts! On May 28th, join us at 6:30 PM at the Orcas Center for an evening dedicated to the joy and community of sailing. The premiere of Carl Davis’s new film, "The Magic of Sailing," invites you to experience
OrcasHub celebrates milestone with launch of new groups feature
||| FROM TONY GROSINGER for ORCASHUB ||| OrcasHub, the island-grown platform designed for neighbors to exchange goods, is celebrating its first successful year (a few months late). There’s a thriving community of over 1000 members, and new listings every day. Today, OrcasHub is excited to introduce the OrcasHub Groups feature.
LWVSJ Observer Corps | San Juan County Council May 21, 2024
||| FROM LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS OBSERVER CORP ||| The Council held a public hearing on the Public Facilities Finance Assistance Program awards then approved the Advisory Committee recommended awards for three Economic Development Commission initiatives and core funding and for an upgraded entrance at the Orcas Community Center to make it ADA compliant. The applications
Rider survey indicates rough waters for Washington State Ferries
||| FROM THE CENTER SQUARE ||| Passenger unhappiness remains a major challenge for Washington State Ferries, according to the results of a recent survey. Members of the Washington Transportation Commission were briefed last week on the 2024 FROG survey of riders and non-riders. FROG stands for Ferry Riders Opinion Group. The survey
OHS alum releases debut experimental film
||| FROM MARIE BIGBEE ||| Orcas High School alum Ella James BigBee co-directs and captures the cinematography of the wilderness in Western America. In her debut experimental film, WHEN BACKWARDS IS FORWARDS, Ella shadows her father Matthew’s journey, silently documenting and filming the process. The film’s overall theme centers around
Letter to Editor | We owe Eastsound Water an expression of gratitude
||| FROM JOSEPH COHEN ||| There is much to celebrate in the progress achieved at EWUA over the past decade. Paul Kamin’s legacy was in reducing the leaks in the system to about 5%. Saving water enhances the system for all members and provides for increased capacity in the long
San Juan County files lawsuit against Town of Friday Harbor to protect access to water
County has a 21-day window to appeal Town’s decision before forfeiting right to engage in further action. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County made the difficult decision Tuesday, May 21, to file a lawsuit against the Town of Friday Harbor in an effort to protect access to water
Peace by Piece dance performance at Orcas Center
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| The Orcas Dance Collective, Junior Collective, and Mini Collective Present their newest dance performance: Peace by Piece, an all-ages showcase featuring everyone involved in Orcas dance! Peace begins in the family home and spreads into our community where we can collectively shine
Reminder: Community Preparedness Forum tomorrow
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for SJC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| REMINDER: The San Juan County Department of Emergency Management is hosting a community preparedness forum on Wednesday May 22nd from 5:30 – 7:00pm at Orcas Center. Partnering with Opalco and Orcas Fire & Rescue, this event will be an opportunity to learn
Protect your flock: Tips to prevent avian influenza virus exposure
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| (en español) – San Juan County Health & Community Services wants to remind you of a few tips to make spring as enjoyable and healthy as possible. Avian influenza is present in Washington, so here’s a breakdown of what you need to know to
Eastsound Water Board meeting
||| FROM DAN BURKE for EASTSOUND WATER ||| This is a notice that the May 2024 Eastsound Water Board meeting will be held tomorrow night. Details are as follows: MEETING AGENDA Board Members: Teri Nigretto, President, Jim Nelson, Carol Ann Anderson, Ron Claus, Michael Cleveland, Leith Templin and Jim Cook
Letter to Editor | Gratitude for our community GiveOrcas support
||| FROM DIDIER GINCIG for ODD FELLOWS ||| When my family moved to Orcas Island in 1995, one of our earliest experiences with this community took place at the Odd Fellows Hall. Nancy Koenig and her marimba band were playing a dance at the Hall. We were delighted by the
A different future is possible | Quaker organizations share a vision for peace in Palestine and Israel
||| FROM DARCY LEACH for ORCAS FRIENDS WORSHIP GROUP ||| In the name of peace and justice, the Orcas Friends Worship Group (Quakers), would like to share publicly with our island neighbors the fact that we have signed on to the following statement regarding the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. The statement was
Sculpture Park birdwalk
||| FROM KRISTEN ARNIM for SJ SCULPTURE PARK ||| Join us Wednesday, June 5 from 8-10am at the Sculpture Park for our monthly bird walk with avid birder Tyler Davis. “One of our summer breeding residents that we will keep an eye out for this month is the stunning Western
