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
Rep. Ramel | Building a cleaner, stronger future together
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. ALEX RAMEL ||| As we move into autumn, the signs of a changing climate are all around us. This summer, Bellingham faced one of its longest and hottest stretches since the 2021 heat dome. These extreme temperatures aren’t isolated events, they’re part of a
Choral Society to shine a midnight light
||| FROM MILLIE NOVAK for ORCAS CHORAL SOCIETY ||| It’s that time of year when Orcas Choral Society prepares its well-known seasonal wonderland of singing that is sure to bring sounds of magical notes bundled in the warmth of joy and the sparkle of delight to your wintery nights this
Council re-introduces Historic Preservation Grants program | Applications now open
Money collected for the Historical Preservation Grant Program is dedicated to promoting historical preservation or historical programs, which may include preservation of historic documents. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| During October, Council approved reopening the Historic Preservation Grant Program. This program requests proposals from qualified entities to use
Community lunch is thriving
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| Each week there is a free Community Lunch provided from 12-1:30 downstairs in the Community Church. This is a program of the Community Resource Center and is a great community building effort. 5-10 volunteers cook a fine spread, always a full
Exceptional people and documentaries honored at Friday Harbor Film Festival
||| FROM ELLEN ROBERTS for FRIDAY HARBOR FILM FESTIVAL ||| During a fantastic weekend of memorable films, inspiring and informative interviews with filmmakers, and special events, the Friday Harbor Film Festival was delighted to present many special awards. We welcomed 70 visiting filmmakers as well as film lovers from around
Staying for Good | How affordability builds community, one homeowner at a time
||| FROM OPAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ||| When Eros Belliveau arrived on Orcas in the summer of 2007, it was supposed to be temporary. He had a seasonal job at a restaurant after working hospitality in Seattle for years. He settled into employee housing—grateful for a bed, but living with
Watch Eth-Noh-Tec spooky tales on YouTube this week
||| FROM ETH-NOH-TEC ||| For one more week, you can join Nancy Wang and Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo of Eth-Noh-Tec for a Free YouTube Presentation of some seriously spooooky tales! Learn more about Asian ghouls, ghosts, and goblins and enjoy some stories that will make you want to keep the lights ON!
Dire warning for two orcas ‘left for dead’ in abandoned marine park
||| FROM LADBIBLE ||| At the now-defunct Marineland of Antibes mother and son orca remain trapped The tourist attraction closed its doors in January this year. Wikie, 23, and her 11-year-old son Keijo remain confined in an enclosure at the deserted attraction READ FULL ARTICLE
Checking in with J Pod | Where is J64?
||| FROM THE CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 12:22 PM ObservEnd: 12:40 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit Other Observers: Rachel John Pods: J IDsEncountered: J16, J19, J22, J26, J27, J31, J35, J36, J37, J38, J39, J40, J41, J42, J44, J45, J46, J47, J49, J51,
Eth-Noh-Tec new novel reading this week
Wednesday, November 5, 1-2:30 at Orcas Senior Center ||| FROM NANCY WANG for ETH-NOH-TEC ||| Nancy Wang of Eth-Noh-Tec will be reading from her new novel Red Altar that follows three generations of her family that sailed from China in 1850 and crashed into Carmel Bay, California as they fought
News Brief | Do we take COVID seriously enough?
||| FROM THE TYEE ||| We downplay the virus at our peril. And children are more at risk than we thought. ORIGINALLY POSTED ON THE TYEE The level of mortality is above what it was before the pandemic. This metric has not returned to normal and remains significantly elevated. READ
Special Town Council November 2025 meetings
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| The Town Council will hold the following special meetings in November: Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 11 a.m., the Town Council will take part in the Alhadeff Park ribbon cutting ceremony at the pocket park located at Spring and Second
Early sunsets and extra sleep | Washingtonians prepare to switch their clocks
||| FROM KOMO NEWS ||| It's that time of year to say goodbye to afternoon light, with the earliest sunset of the year expected Sunday at 4:49 p.m. and sunrise at 6:55 a.m. Washington state will "fall back" to standard time on Sunday, when clocks are turned back one hour
Midnight Mutterings |This coming winter
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| Somehow, I’m less enthusiastic about the approaching winter than usual. Is is that the early dark and late daylight seem to affect me negatively more than in the past? Or is that my little neighborhood seems to be clearing out for the season
Sheriff’s Report | October 22 – 28, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 22 25-007302 Suspicious Person/Circumstance 10:34:08 10/22/25 An Orcas Island Deputy responded to a suspicious incident near downtown Eastsound. The reporting party explained that a male with possible mental health concerns was acting suspicious. The Deputy conducted a search for the
Building Community Resilience | Supporting islanders through uncertain times
||| FROM MEGAN METCALF for ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| Communities nationwide — including here on Orcas — are bracing for potential devastating disruptions as the government shutdown extends beyond October 31st. At stake are critical federal nutrition programs such as SNAP and WIC, alongside healthcare challenges including limited insurance
