Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
San Juan County announces departure of Community Development Director
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| As of Friday, May 5, 2023, San Juan County’s Director of Community Development, David Williams, is no longer employed at San Juan County. The County is appreciative of the contributions David has made during his tenure, but at this point, the vision for
The Community Band is getting back together: Join ’em!
||| FROM KAREN KEY SPECK for ORCAS COMMUNITY BAND ||| Hey Orcas (and beyond) the Community Band is getting back together to rehearse for the Fourth of July parade which will be on the Saturday, July 1. We will be practicing at 124 Warm Valley Lane on Mondays starting at
Suciasaurus rex named Washington state’s official dinosaur
||| FROM THE EVERETT HERALD ||| REPRINT AT REQUEST OF ORCASONIAN READER OLYMPIA — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has signed a bill designating the Suciasaurus rex as the official dinosaur of the state. Inslee signed into law House Bill 1020 on Thursday, local television station KING5 reported. The new law
County hosts Lopez neighborhood meeting regarding Public Works facilities relocation
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is in the process of relocating its Public Works facilities on Lopez Island to the MacKaye Harbor area. In advance of this move, the County is holding a community meeting on Monday, May 15, 2023 from 5:30pm to 6:30pm for
Second generation of Coho Salmon found at Land Bank’s Coho Preserve on Orcas Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Local Fisheries Biologist, Jenny De Groot, shares an update on the emergence of Coho salmon at Coho Preserve on Orcas Island. "Spring is a time for optimism and hope. A time for rebirth. I am reminded of this each spring when camas bloom on Turtleback
Summer on Orcas will include 12 bands scheduled for Village Green
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| What started out as a means to gather safely during COVID has now turned into an annual Orcas tradition. Join us this summer as Orcas Center presents 12 great bands on the Village Green – FREE to the community! The eclectic lineup
Reminder: Airport runway to be closed 8-4 on Tues, Wed, Thur
||| FROM PORT OF ORCAS ||| KORS CLOSURE REMINDER: May 9th- 11th 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Be advised, construction work will take place on the Runway 34 PAPI starting this week. This will result in full runway closures at Orcas Island Airport between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and
Larsen to visit Pathfinder Manufacturing, meet with student apprentices
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| On Monday, May 8, Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02) will join Pathfinder Manufacturing CEO Dave Trader and his team to tour the aerospace manufacturer’s Paine Field facility. During the tour, Larsen will meet with junior and senior high school students who will
PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center nationally recognized with an ‘A’
||| FROM BARBARA PONGRACZ LAMB for ST. JOSEPH MEDICAL CENTER ||| BELLINGHAM, Wash. – PeaceHealth St. Joseph Medical Center was awarded an ‘A’ in the spring 2023 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade, a distinction recognizing PeaceHealth St. Joseph’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer health care. The Leapfrog Group
Yoga, ukulele classes are what’s happening at Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Slow Yoga and Chair Yoga with Susie Frank @ Orcas Senior Center – Thursdays, 9:15-10:15am (Slow Yoga) and 10:30-11:30am (Chair Yoga) Slow Yoga, offered on Thursdays, 9:15-10:15am at Orcas Senior Center, incorporates the use of props and supports to help gain access
Sun Days on Orcas | Tape your mouth shut
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by EDEE KULPER ||| I was constipated most of my young life. I thought it was normal to sit in the bathroom for half an hour every few days, and to have small hemorrhoids protrude on extreme days. It wasn't until I was in sports
SJI Sculpture Park seeks artists to exhibit
||| FROM KRISTEN ARMIN for SJI SCULPTURE PARK ||| The San Juan Islands Sculpture Park is actively seeking artists who would like to have their works exhibited at the Park. All sculptors are welcome to submit works that follow the Park’s guidelines. The Park normally has about 150 separate art
Adrift | I never learned how to scream
||| ADRIFT BY LIN MCNULTY ||| I never learned how to scream, nor did I realize that it was important that I do so. And, of course, as I often learned from my father, a kidnapper (or rapist, or pretty much any man) would turn me loose as soon as
Conservation Land Bank events: May Round Up!
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County’s Conservation Land Bank is excited to share a series of events throughout May. From guided walks to habitat tours, there’s something for everyone! North Shore Property Guided Tours | Orcas Island | May 5, 13, 18 Acquired in 2022, the
Spring 2023 GiveOrcas – OIHCD funding request
||| FROM CHRIS CHORD for ORCAS ISLAND HEALTH CARE DISTRICT ||| Orcas Island Health Care District is participating in the Spring 2023 GiveOrcas Campaign organized by the Orcas Island Community Foundation. For our funding request this season, we are looking for support of our new family medicine physician, Dr. Jennifer
Midnight Mutterings | Guns (again)
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| On April 28, 2023, we heard there was another mass shooting in the US, this time in Texas. Five people died including one nine year old child, allegedly by a neighbor who objected to being asked to stop shooting his weapon in his
