Here’s a thought…
“When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.”
THOMAS JEFFERSON
Bring spiritual awareness to your life with Wu Style Tai Chi
||| FROM STEPHANIE ROSENBLATT ||| Bring a new level of holistic physical and spiritual awareness to your everyday life by learning how this ancient practice creates a mindful, personal journey. Stephanie’s presentation will illustrate the following benefits of Wu Style Tai Chi: What You Didn’t Know About Tai Chi Friday,
Food System Plan charts path to a more resilient local food future in San Juan County
||| FROM CAITLIN LECK for FOOD SYSTEM TEAM ||| Only 4% of food purchased in San Juan County is produced here. How can we grow more local food? That question—and many others—has guided the creation of the Food System Plan for San Juan County, now published and available to the
LWVSJ Observer Corps | Board of Health April 16, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMAN VOTERS ||| The CEO search process is underway at the Accountable Communities of Health. The Community Collaboration Committee (CCC) awarded a $16k grant to the SJI Food Bank, $6k for 2025 and $10k for 2026; the CCC hopes to provide further support
Sheriff’s Report | April 9 – 15, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9 25-001954 Property Damage, Non Vandalism 10:30:42 04/09/25 Orcas Island Deputies responded to a report of property damage. Upon investigation Deputies found damage to a fence along the road, as well as signs of a vehicle leaving the road. No
Reminder | We the People March in Eastsound on April 19
||| FROM DAVID TURNOY ||| April 19 is another national day of action to protest the madness being propagated by our national government. The Friday Harbor Indivisible group is holding a march that day, and we on Orcas will march to express solidarity with the rest of the country and
Latest from Lekanoff | Vision for the future; housing stability; juvenile justice reform
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| As we enter the final week of the 2025 legislative session, I am holding close the values that guide me—community, cooperation, and compassion. These final days are some of the most intense in Olympia. We’re working long hours, voting late into
The Exchange Update | April 2025
||| FROM ORCAS RECYCLING/THE EXCHANGE ||| Spring Legislative Update The Recycle Reform Act, SB5284, has passed in both the House and Senate. Learn more about this - and other zero waste-related bills that are moving forward in Washington State! Get Ready for the Spring Great Islands Clean Up The Great
Midnight Mutterings | PlayFest 2025
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| You still have a chance to see PlayFest 2025 at the Grange. (Or even see it again, as I will have done by the time you’re reading this.) Last performances are Friday, and Saturday April 18 and 19, 2025. 7:00 PM at the
Rep. Alex Ramel | 9 Days Left: Inside the final sprint of the 2025 legislative session
||| FROM REP. ALEX RAMEL, 40TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT ||| I hope this message finds you well as we move into spring. With just over a week left in the legislative session, I wanted to take a moment to share some exciting updates on the state budget, bills I’ve been working
Drop-in peer grief support group at Orcas Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join us for a supportive, non-judgmental space to process grief and mourning with the Drop-In Peer Grief Support Group Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. at Orcas Senior Center. This group is designed to help normalize your feelings, facilitate healing, and provide understanding.
WSF Weekly Report | Pizza box in the rain; reservations to open next week; work zone cameras
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve Sometimes, it’s the small gestures that reveal who we are becoming as an organization. Ordinary Sailor Evan Tarbell recently bought pizza for his crew, a kind and thoughtful gesture. But what he did next was even more
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.
Letter to Editor | More thoughts on OIHCD levy lift
||| FROM BOB THOMAS ||| USE OF LEVY LIFT FUNDS As with all Orcas commissions, once funding is established the Commissioners have authority for the legal use of the funds. Notwithstanding goals stated in Levy List meetings, correspondence and presentations are just goals and subject to change at the discretion
Gratitude for Springtime on Orcas
||| FROM LAURA WALKER for ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| Well spring has officially sprung. Calm yourselves by reading Suzette’s “Oops” article this month and know that you’re not alone in feeling like you are behind in your gardening tasks. Over this last week, I’ve planted up and are caring for
LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council April 15, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| The council held public hearings and approved ordinances to add members to the county Law and Justice Council; to amend sections of the code regarding recreation and fair advisory boards; and create a pathway to allow existing vacation rentals in
Island Ways | Third Nantucket undersea electric cable needed much sooner than expected
||| FROM THE NANTUCKET INQUIRER & MIRROR ||| Orcas and Nantucket Islands are each roughly the same size and the same distance off their respective coasts. We share the same concerns about the high cost of living, lack of affordable housing, tourist management, ferry problems and environmental degradation. We are
