Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Land Bank monthly meeting on March 17
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY CONSERVATION LAND BANK ||| The San Juan County Conservation Land Bank Commission will hold its monthly meeting on March 17, 2023 from 8:30 – 11:15 a.m. via Microsoft Teams. The meeting will also be available for in person public attendance at the San Juan County Fairgrounds
Library Board plans upcoming retreat
||| FROM JANET MARLOW for LIBRARY BOARD OF TRUSTEES ||| The Orcas Island Library Board of Trustees will have a Planning Retreat on Monday, March 20, beginning 2:30 p.m. Attendance will be both in person in Maria’s Room at the Library and via Zoom. This is an open public meeting,
San Juan County seeks ferry advisory committee member from San Juan Island
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Council is soliciting volunteers to serve on the San Juan County Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC). The Ferry Advisory Committee (FAC) studies and recommends resolutions on ferry transportation matters as these affect the San Juan Islands. This board consists of five
Double bill of Love, DEAN and Jacob Miller at Orcas Center
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| Join Portland-based artists Jacob Miller and Love, DEAN for a special co-headline bill of soul, folk and roots music at the Orcas Center on Saturday, March 25! Love, DEAN brings a handcrafted musical mosaic of vintage soul, gospel, and folk. Musicians, singer-songwriters,
SJC Parks will now have access to NARCAN
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Staff at San Juan County Parks are now better equipped to respond to opioid overdoses, thanks to a partnership with the Health & Community Services Department (HCS). Parks staff now have access to Naloxone, better known as NARCAN® Nasal Spray, which is used to
WSF medical preferential loading program’s application process moves online
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION ||| Washington State Ferries’ Medical Preferential Loading program will move online next week. Starting Monday, March 20, faxed applications will no longer be accepted, and customers will need to work with their health care providers to submit one online. Once submitted, both the customer
Important legislative update from Orcas Schools Superintendent Eric Webb
||| FROM ERIC WEBB for ORCAS ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT ||| At the Legislative Conference in Olympia, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal talked about the “perfect storm” that will take place if the Legislature does not step up and provide necessary support to school districts. Federal ESSER funds that have “propped up”
Medicare help is available through local SHIBA volunteers
||| FROM PEGI GROUNDWATER for SHIBA ||| Is 2023 the year you join Medicare? Depending on your circumstances you may be enrolled automatically by Social Security or you may need to submit an application. To make an informed decision about your coverage choices, you will need to understand a lot
Community Church to hold youth fundraiser on St. Paddy’s Day
||| FROM CAROL KULMINSKI for ORCAS COMMUNITY CHURCH ||| On March 17, there will be a four course amazing St. Paddy’s Day dinner from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at Orcas Community Church. The evening includes music from students, and missions and camp presentations. Tickets are $25 and other donations are gratefully accepted.
Letter to Editor | Who’s who in this homeless count?
||| FROM BEA VON TOBEL ||| Even though I’ve been officially retired for 10 years, my mind continues to ponder life on this island of residence, and has prompted several observation/questions. Some of them may be way out in left field, but because we’ve lived on Orcas for more than
Earthrise | How the Chinese spy balloon can inspire climate action
||| EARTHRISE BY JAY KIMBALL ||| The Chinese spy balloon entered North America on January 28th. Eight days later, it was shot down off the coast of South Carolina. During those eight days, the spy balloon had traveled over 5,000 miles, making its wind-powered way eastward at an average speed
Friends of the Library celebrates Ides of March with special book sale
||| FROM MICHAEL ARMENIA for FRIENDS OF ORCAS LIBRARY ||| The Friends of the Orcas Library (FOIL) is having a special “Ides of March” book sale from March 15th until April 2, 2023, located in the Old Lobby of the Public Library, 500 Rose St, Eastsound. The sale will be
Two great touring bands, one night at Orcas Grange, Thursday March 23
||| FROM RACHEL BISHOP for BROGRASS ||| Poster design courtesy of Printshop Northwest. Two great bands will be stopping on Orcas as part of their Washington tour to play one night at the Orcas Grange on Thursday March 23rd at 7pm. Tangled Up in Blue, known as “TUIB”
New ecotour company, Orcas Enchanted, to operate out of Brandt’s Landing
||| FROM MERMAID LIBERTY ||| The islands welcome “Orcas Enchanted,” a new ecotour company operating out of Brandt’s Landing Marina on Orcas Island by Captain and Marine Naturalist, Davina Liberty. “Liberty,” as she prefers to be called, grew up in the San Juan Islands, ultimately graduating from Anacortes High School
SJC Ag Summit: Skill-building for growers, chasing water
||| BY MATTHEW GILBERT, OP-ED JOURNALIST ||| In an era of $7 lattes, entrée-priced “dinner snacks,” and other assaults on the ethic of local affordability and community identity, it was refreshing to be reminded at the 11th annual San Juan Islands Agricultural Summit that there is a thriving network of
‘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.
