Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
USPS rule changes may complicate mail-in voting, risking late ballots in November election
||| FROM KOMO NEWS ||| Ballots go out starting next week for the November general election but people who mail them back through the United States Postal Service (USPS) could risk not having their votes counted. ORIGINALLY FROM KOMO NEWS That means that the date stamped on letters and parcels
Sheriff’s Report | October 1 – 7, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 1 25-006783 Parking Problem 08:18:39 10/01/25 A Lopez Deputy responded a report of a vessel moored overnight at a county dock. The Deputy tagged the vessel with a warning sticker. Three days later, the vessel had still not been moved.
WSF expects service disruptions on all routes this evening
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Washington State Ferries is expecting service disruptions that may impact all routes this evening due to a shortage of crew. If you're attending the Mariners game plan accordingly. Take public transportation or walk-on if at all possible. Expect extensive delays returning home after the
Marineland marine park threatening to kill 30 whales
||| FROM THE U.S. SUN ||| Some 18 beluga whales, one killer whale and one dolphin have died at Marineland since late 2019. ORIGINALLY FROM BY U.S. SUN It was also infamously home to the world’s loneliest whale, Kiska, who died aged 47 after living alone for decades in one
Guest Opinion | Vote NO on the Orcas Fire District bond proposition 1
||| FROM ROBERT DASHIELL ||| A NO vote on the Orcas Fire District bond proposal on the November 4, 2025 ballot can result in an estimated $10 Million in Fire District additional capital funding at lower or same cost to Orcas Island taxpayers. Orcas Fire District commissioners had two sensible
Land Bank’s fall newsletter is here
||| FROM SJC CONSERVATION LAND BANK ||| Director's Note Lincoln Bormann It’s migration season – Whimbrels (Numenius phaeopus) at Weeks Wetland on Lopez Island, Snow geese (Anser caerulescens) at Zylstra Lake on San Juan Island and Red breasted mergansers and harlequin ducks in our coves. continue reading → What's Happening
Darvill’s launches first-ever drop-in book club
||| FROM DARVILL'S ||| A lot of Orcas Islanders have said they’d love to be in a book club—but finding the time, or finding one that’s accepting new members, can be a challenge. Darvill’s Bookstore has found a solution to both: the launch of their first-ever Drop-In Book Club, with
WSF Weekly Update | ‘You can’t fire a cannon out of a canoe’
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve “You can’t fire a cannon out of a canoe.” I heard this a few weeks ago, and it made me chuckle. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized how perfectly it describes the
San Juan County policy change would streamline energy projects
Renewable energy generation and storage facilities would be added to a list of essential public facilities — such as ferry terminals, airports and recycling or waste facilities — if an OPALCO proposal is approved. ||| FROM SYDNEE CHAPMAN for SALISH CURRENT ||| A change in San Juan County’s comprehensive plan would ease
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.
This is Actually Good | Tahini Cauliflower recipe
||| THIS IS ACTUALLY GOOD by RACHEL FACTOR ||| We're at the time of year when summer veg is a thing of the past. Our tomatoes aren't ripening like they used to, zucchini is long gone, and berries are a distant memory. What could we possibly look forward to at
News Brief | Canada’s Marineland ‘threatens to euthanise 30 beluga whales’
||| FROM SKY NEWS||| "The park wants to send them to Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, which it says would be a "humane relocation" and is the "only viable option.” ORIGINALLY FROM SKY NEWS "All whales belong in the ocean, not in tanks for entertainment purposes," Read full article
Vehicle reservations for winter sailing season open Tuesday, Oct. 28 at 10am
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations for the winter 2025 schedule (Dec. 28, 2025 through March 21, 2026) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28. To ensure a smooth and fair experience during this high-demand period, we will also continue using a virtual waiting room
Be an Early Bird | Pay your property taxes before Oct 31
The second half of property taxes and personal property taxes are due Friday, October 31, 2025. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The second half of property and personal property taxes is due Friday, October 31, 2025, and the San Juan County Treasurer’s Office is making it easier than
Upcoming at Orcas Center: Community art show ‘The Art of Recycling’
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH for ORCAS CENTER ||| The Visual Arts Committee of Orcas Center welcomes wall art, 3-dimensional work, and wearable fashion made from discarded or found materials for the community show "The Art of Recycling." There will be a fashion show and artist talk on opening night on
Federal shutdown impacts on local public health
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The federal government shutdown is affecting the public health services San Juan County can provide. At the Department of Health & Community Services (HCS), we’re doing everything we can to continue offering essential services and to support the individuals and families who rely
