Here’s a thought…
“When the last tree is cut, the last fish is caught, and the last river is polluted; when to breathe the air is sickening, you will realize, too late, that wealth is not in bank accounts and that you can’t eat money.”
ALANIS OBOMSAWIN
Jigsaw Puzzle event at the library 7.26
||| FROM WOODY CISKOWSKI ||| Do you love jigsaw puzzles? Put your skills to the test and join fellow puzzle fans for fast-paced, friendly, speed puzzling at the Orcas Island Library! The event will be on Sunday July 26th at 3pm. Teams of four will race to complete a 500-piece puzzle. All teams will receive the
Larsen releases statement on petty, pointless tariffs on Canada
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) released the following statement: “What the hell, Mr. President? Cut the BS. End the tariffs. Renegotiate USMCA. Lower prices.” Today, the Trump administration announced new 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods starting next month. The 50% tariffs would include goods that
Vehicle reservations for fall sailing season open today, July 21 at 10am
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations for the fall 2026 sailing season (Sept. 20 through Dec. 26, 2026) will be available at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 21. For the Anacortes/San Juan Islands route, the two-week and two-day reservation releases will remain at 7 a.m. The fall 2026 sailing schedules are now online:
Free book event this Wednesday, July 22, at 6:30 pm at Darvill’s Bookstore
||| FROM AYN GAILEY for DARVILLS BOOKSTORE ||| Please join Michelle & Joel Levey, the founders of Wisdom at Work, International Center for Corporate Culture and Organizational Health, and the International Center for Contemplative Inquiry, for a conversation about their new book. The Leveys were invited by Pentagon leaders to develop the once-secret
Have a garden question? Ask an Orcas Master Gardener
Wednesday July 22nd at the Market Garden Nursery ||| FROM JULIA TURNEY and JAY LUCAS for 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
Eastsound Water Users Association reaches first-ever collective bargaining agreement with IBEW Local 77
||| FROM DAN BURKE for EASTSOUND WATER USERS ASSOCIATION ||| The Eastsound Water Users Association announced it has reached a collective bargaining agreement (CBA) with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 77 on Friday, July 17, marking the first union contract in the association's history. The three-year agreement
LWVSJ Observer Corps | San Juan County Council, July 14, 2026
||| FROM BARBARA SHARP for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| Public Access Time: residents deplored a swastika recently painted on San Juan Island; supported the SJC Public Works Department on Shaw Island; and supported the Environmental Stewardship Department. The Council heard the Department of Community Development’s (DCD) recommendations for each
Charlie Porter quintet summer concert coming to Village Green
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center is proud to present its annual Summer Concert Series on the Village Green, bringing free, live music to the heart of Eastsound. This vibrant outdoor series, supported in part by Joe Brotherton and the Doe Bay team, celebrates community,
Letter to Editor | Jennifer Swanson is kind of candidate we need
||| FROM RHEA MILLER ||| Jennifer Swanson is a different kind of leader. She is the thoughtful listener sort and yet intrepid in her outreach. On the 4th of July, Jennifer drove her boat to Lopez, and despite the windy weather conditions after the parade, braved the white caps to
Stranded orca freed following coordinated response in Strait of Juan de Fuca
||| FROM KGW.COM ||| FRIDAY HARBOR, Wash. A young killer whale that stranded on a beach in the Strait of Juan de Fuca freed itself Thursday after a coordinated response from Washington leaders. A team of trained biologists and wildlife veterinarians from the SeaDoc Society and The Whale Museum gathered
Larsen’s water resources bill clears committee hurdle
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – This week, U.S. Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02)’s Water Resources Development Act of 2026 (WRDA 2026) passed out of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee by a unanimous vote of 66-0. The bipartisan, biennial bill protects Northwest Washington’s environment, supports
I’m Not the Church Lady | Who do I pray to?
I’m so confused ||| I'M NOT THE CHURCH LADY by ROSIE KUHN ||| Hello. Thank you for your call. Your prayers are important to us. Press 1 for Jesus, Press 2 for your Guardian Angel, Press 3 for prosperity and abundance, Press 4 for issues with people, pets and lost
Letter to Editor | Why we should all support Jennifer Swanson for Council
||| FROM SOOZ STAHL ||| Jennifer Swanson is an amazing community advocate who is well-versed in the history of our beautiful islands. In my many interactions with her, she has always been warm, welcoming, responsive and thoughtful. I'm very grateful to know her and was thrilled to learn that she's running
The room knew it | Katherine for Council
||| FROM ED ANDREWS ||| On July 15, the League of Women Voters held their Voter Forum in the heart of District 3, Lopez Island. In true Lopez fashion, it felt like the entire island was there, including an amazing contingent from Orcas. Okay, it wasn’t the entire island, but
Help inspire the next generation of scientists
||| FROM INGRID MATTSON for ORCAS ISLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY ||| Established in 2023, the Ken Gibbs Fund for Youth Science Education provides lasting support for science education at the Orcas Island Public Library. Funded entirely through community generosity, the endowment makes it possible to offer inspiring science programs, purchase educational
WSF Weekly Report
||| FROM JOHN VEZINA for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from John With my boss Steve on a well-deserved break, I’m using this space to share gratitude for colleagues – many of whom you never see – in this five-minute video. I hope you share not only my appreciation
