Here’s a thought…
“Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.”
HEATHER FRENCH HENRY
2027 San Juan County budget development process | A message from Council Member Justin Paulsen
Conversations to balance the 2027 budget will continue throughout summer and fall months. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| On June 30th, the County Council completed an initial step in what is a multi-step process aimed at reaching a balanced budget for 2027. This process involved gathering information from
New to Medicare? Here’s what you need to know
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Will you be turning 65, retiring, or qualifying for Social Security Disability Benefits for 24 months in the next year? Then you will be eligible to join Medicare. Enrollment is not automatic for most people, so you'll probably need to enroll
Friday Harbor to host UW football team scavenger hunt
||| FROM JENNIFER KREMBS for TOWN OF FRIDAY HARBOR ||| All 104 members of the University of Washington football team will arrive in Friday Harbor Saturday, July 18, 2026, for a town-wide scavenger hunt. The community is invited to join the Mayor and Town Council at 10:30 a.m. in Sunken
CWR encounter #46 • Bigg’s Killer Whales
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 04:35 PM ObservEnd: 05:10 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit Other Observers: TAR, AKC, NAZ, LLK Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T124A, T124A1A, T124A4, T124A4A, T124A6, T124A7 LocationDescr: North of Flattop Island EncSummary: After leaving the T46Bs and
No jury duty for July 13-17
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: JULY 13-17, 2026 All jurors summonsed for the Jury Period beginning Monday July 13 through Friday July 17, 2026 are excused. Thank you.
CWR encounter #45 • Bigg’s Killer Whales
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Full Encounter Report ObservBegin: 03:20 PM ObservEnd: 04:10 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit Other Observers: TAR, AKC, NAZ, LLK Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T46B, T46B2, T46B2B, T46B3, T46B3A, T46B4, T46B6, T46B7, T46B8, T49C LocationDescr: Western Boundary Pass EncSummary: With a
Join OPALCO on July 15 at Eastsound headquarters
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| OPALCO will be hosting monthly informal chats with the leadership team starting this month. Ask questions about the Decatur Community Solar Expansion and OPALCO’s renewable energy future. The first of these meetings will be held at OPALCO’s headquarters in
Letter to Editor | Fire Works – but doesn’t
||| FROM SUSAN SLAPIN ||| Fourth of July and New Years seem to be the times... There are other ways to commemorate holidays, and create something that benefits humans and animals in a kind, fun, entertaining and positive way. Fireworks Animals are absolutely shaking, trembling, and terrified…I’ve seen it again recently
No more Sheriff’s Report …
||| FROM SHERIFF ERIC PETERS for SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| Effective immediately, the Sheriff’s Office will no longer prepare or distribute the weekly media line report to local newspapers. The Sheriff’s Office remains committed to transparency and keeping the public informed. However, the publication of the weekly media
Celebrating Revolution | 250 years of independence
||| FROM SUZANNE OLSON for OPAL COMMUNITY LAND TRUST ||| As we mark the 250th anniversary of our nation’s independence, OPAL Community Land Trust homeowners and volunteers, along with friends from the Orcas Island Food Bank, marched in our island’s Fourth of July parade chanting: “Hope, not fear! We all
JP and OK Rhythm Boys coming to Warm Valley Farm
||| FROM ANITA ORNE for JP AND THE OK RHYTHM BOYS ||| Don't miss the inaugural Music in Warm Valley concert! Join JP and the OK Rhythm Boys at the Event Meadow on Saturday, July 18 from 5-7pm for a fine evening of summer music at Warm Valley Farm. JP
News Brief | Whale sightings are surging off Canada’s Pacific coast
But 10 grey whales have been found dead ||| FROM THE COOL DOWN ||| Researchers say the Salish Sea, the waterway between Vancouver Island and the mainland, is seeing an unusual concentration of whale activity, helped by plentiful food supplies and years of conservation work. However, as of mid-June, 10
San Juan County recognizes ‘America250’ with proclamation and local events
This anniversary is an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the foundational principles, structure, and purpose of both the nation’s and our county’s democratic system. ||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is proud to recognize the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of
Have a garden question? Ask an Orcas Master Gardener
Wednesday July 11th at the Market Garden Nursery ||| FROM ORCAS MASTER GARDENERS ||| Do you have a question about your soil, have a problem with your fruit tree, or are thinking about starting a garden? Is something bugging your plants, or you are curious about identifying a plant or
John Berry exposition at Orcas Public Library / July 2026
||| FROM JOHN BERRY ||| A lone traveler/hiker/pilgrim, kneels prayerful with a living divining branch , and meditatively so, on the top of a hillside mountain that has been stripped of trees. Amidst the apparent devastation of this nature area, water as a spring flows from the aerie, freely flowing
Olga Daze returns, Saturday, July 18
||| FROM SUSAN GORDON BENTLEY for OLGA DAZE ||| Don’t miss Olga Daze, the Island’s beloved celebration that captures the laid-back charm and artistic spirit of the historic hamlet of Olga. Beginning at 10:00am in Olga Park, start your day at the bake sale with world famous maple bars, then
