Here’s a thought…
“Before we work on artificial intelligence, why don’t we do something about natural stupidity?”
READER BOARD
Town, County councils to meet on April 1
||| FROM TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Town Council and San Juan County Council will hold a special joint meeting on April 1, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. -12:00 p.m. The special meeting will take place in Council Chambers located at 60 Second Street. For
Letter to Editor | No Kings rally missing an issue
||| FROM BEV LEHMAN ||| At the Orcas Island No Kings Rally on March 28th the most important issue in this country was absent—voting to change the majority party in the United States Congress. The SAVE America Act — similar to its predecessor the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act
News Brief | Inside a rare sperm whale birth
||| FROM INSIDE CLIMATE NEWS ||| Two landmark studies of a rare sperm whale birth observation in the Caribbean are reshaping scientists’ understanding of cooperation in the animal kingdom, revealing that whales in unrelated family lines work collectively to help newborn calves survive. Witnessing such an event is extremely uncommon.
CWR logs encounter #18 with J Pod
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 03:35 PM ObservEnd: 05:08 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss Pods: J IDsEncountered: J16, J19, J22, J27, J31, J35, J36, J37, J38, J39, J40, J41, J42, J44, J45, J46, J47, J49, J51, J56, J57, J58, J59, J62, J63 LocationDescr: Haro
OICF supports new program bridging indigenous and islander communities
||| FROM KIM WEST ACTKINSON for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) is excited to announce its fiscal sponsorship and support of a new community program, Island Allies of Indigenous Lifeways - a grassroots organization that fosters decolonization, Indigenous sovereignty and adaptive culture through Tribally-led
LWVSJ Observer Corps | San Juan County Council regular meeting notes
||| FROM BARBARA SHARP for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| Deputy County Manager made a presentation on the Wildlife Protection Working Groups’ discussions and recommendations. This group was formed because residents sought county intervention to address human interference with wildlife, especially foxes on San Juan Island. The group has been
Larsen demands Trump admin mobilize all options to prepare for upcoming wildfire season
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined twelve of his colleagues from Washington and Oregon in a letter to the U.S. Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Administrator Dr. Neil Jacobs expressing their concern about the heightened risk
Spring brings new programs and partnerships
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The trees are full of blossoms, the spring bulbs are popping up, and the days are finally feeling brighter. Spring is here, and along with the new color showing outside, new projects and partnerships are budding. For the first time,
Join us at Senior Center for a free Alzheimer’s presentation
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER Orcas Senior Center, Orcas Island Caregiver Project, and San Juan County Senior Services invite you to a free community presentation on Friday, April 3, from noon to 2:00 p.m. at Orcas Senior Center. The program will be presented by Jerri Wood, Program
News Brief | Retired WSF Captain: ‘In 10 years time, WSF will be crippled’ by a lack of vessels
||| FROM CNL3 ||| Retired Washington State Ferries’ Captain Ken Burtness has been thinking about going public with his worries about the state of the WSF fleet for the past year. "(My) main goal is to get the Legislature to understand that they have to fund new boats, that they
Sheriff’s Report | March 18 – 25, 2026
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18 26-001518 Wanted Person 09:19:33 03/18/26 Deputies on San Juan Island arrested an individual with an outstanding Department of Corrections (DOC) felony warrant for escape community custody. The subject was booked into jail. 26-001528 Animal Bite 16:07:09 03/18/26 A San
CWR encounters J pod near Spieden Island
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 12:49 PM ObservEnd: 03:58 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Pods: J IDsEncountered: J19, J22, J27, J31, J35, J36, J38, J39, J40, J41, J42, J44, J45, J46, J47, J49, J51, J53, J56, J57, J58, J62, J63
OICF supports new program bridging indigenous, islander communities
||| FROM THE ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| The Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) is excited to announce its fiscal sponsorship and support of a new community program, Island Allies of Indigenous Lifeways - a grassroots organization that fosters decolonization, Indigenous sovereignty and adaptive culture through Tribally-led education and participatory
Letter to Editor | Vote YES for county levy: save the services we value most
||| FROM JAMIE STEPHENS ||| I am writing to point out the importance of voting YES on Proposition No.1, the County's regular property tax levy lid lift. This levy is to continue funding valued community services that are not mandated by law. These services include foundational public health, senior services,
WSF Weekly Report | Celebrating women in workforce; Wenatchee shifting to normal operations
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve One of the questions I hear most often is: how can one ferry being out of service cause so much disruption? It’s a fair question, so I want to explain it in plain terms. Our system runs
Pick up the book TILT and be a part of AIR (All Islands Read) on April 11
||| FROM SAM GAIEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Join your fellow islanders in this group event. The All Islands Read (AIR) annual community book event returns on Saturday, April 11 at 11:00 a.m. at Emmanuel Episcopal Parish Hall with an in-person event with the author! This year’s shared read
