Here’s a thought…
“I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us.”
LORD BYRON
A study out of Cornell suggests a happiness hack for our chaotic times
||| FROM THE WASHINGTON POST ||| Evidence that the most efficient route to human flourishing may be a lot simpler than we’ve been making it. ORIGINALLY POSTED BY WASHINGTON POST Of all the depressed and anxious Americans, nobody is by reputation more depressed and anxious than Gen Z. Read full
Port Commission will meet on Monday
||| FROM CHIP LONG for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port of Orcas Board of Commissioners will hold a Regular Meeting on Monday, October 27th at 4:00 p.m. online via Zoom and in-person at the airport terminal conference room. Access and agenda information can be found at portoforcas.com.
German magician to bring comedy and wonder to Sea View
||| FROM HENRY 'OZ ||| After a magical summer of private performances across Orcas Island, professional magician Henry 'Oz is bringing his unique blend of comedy and illusion to the Sea View Theater stage on Sunday, November 2 at 6 p.m. Known locally as "The German Magician," Henry has been
OICC Fall Carnival is coming | Celebrate together on October 31
||| FROM ALICIA WIGFIELD for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| We’re so excited to celebrate together on October 31 from 5–7pm with games, prizes, food, and music! But we can’t do it without YOU! We need volunteers to help make this event a success. Please reach out to OICC office
WSF Weekly Report | Crew rescues kayakers; winter reservations start 10-28; new policy for transporting damaged EVs
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve One of the things that makes me proudest to lead Washington State Ferries is the extraordinary dedication and swift response of our employees when lives are at stake. Time and again, they go above and beyond, whether
LWVSJ Observer Corps | County Council October 20, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| Friends of the San Juans made public comment on the Transportation Element of the Comprehensive Plan asking for clarifications on multimodal corridors and for revisions of service level map designations to better reflect actual width and safety. The council heard
Wind advisory posted this morning
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Seattle WA 158 AM PDT Fri Oct 24 2025 San Juan County-Lowlands of Western Whatcom County-Port Townsend Area-Island County- Including Friday Harbor, Langley, Port Townsend, Bellingham, and Freeland 158 AM PDT Fri Oct 24 2025 ...WIND ADVISORY
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.
Garden Club, Master Gardeners Program | Sow & grow native wildflowers
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB |||
Annual membership meeting coming to Orcas Center
||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| Orcas Center members and the general public are invited to attend Orcas Center’s annual meeting on Sunday, Nov. 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Madrona Room and over Zoom. Refreshments will be provided. The Governance Committee is nominating four
Volunteers needed for OICC severe weather shelter
||| FROM ALICIA WIGFIELD for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| As the colder months approach, the Severe Weather Shelter at Orcas Island Community Church is preparing to open its doors once again — offering a safe, warm place for those in need during dangerously cold nights. We’re looking for volunteers
CWR locates 26 Bigg’s Killer Whales traveling together
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| FULL ENCOUNTER REPORT ObservBegin: 05:05 PM ObservEnd: 05:27 PM Vessel: KCB III Staff: Dave Ellifrit, Michael Weiss, Katie Jones Other Observers: Rachel John Pods: Bigg's killer whales IDsEncountered: T63, T65, T65A5, T75B, T75B2, T75B3, T75B5, T90, T90B, T90C, T90D, T100, T100C, T100F, T101,
News Brief | Inside ‘data centre alley’
||| FROM SKY.COM ||| Down at ground level you can see the hallmarks as you drive around what is known as "data centre alley". ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY SKY.COM There are enormous power lines everywhere - a reminder that running these plants is an incredibly energy-intensive task. Read full article
Jury Duty for 10/27 – 10/31? You’re excused
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| JURY DUTY: OCTOBER 27-31, 2025 All jurors summonsed for the week beginning Monday, October 27th through Friday, October 31st are excused. Thank you. View it on website
A night of storytelling coming to Library
||| FROM SAM GAILEY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Stories want to be heard. Poems want to breathe. Essays want an audience. Join us for Island Voices, a special evening where ten local writers bring their work to life—reading excerpts from novels, short stories, poems, and essays. It’s a celebration
News Brief | The internet may break again
||| FROM THE ATLANTIC ||| When a technical issue disrupted operations yesterday, it was enough to temporarily crash the internet for users around the world. ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY THE ATLANTIC The Amazon outage revealed just how consolidated the web has become. Read full article
