Here’s a thought…
“Old age is no joke, but it can feel like one.”
TAD TOMPKINS
Long-standing local businesses partner in support of islanders in need
||| FROM MEGAN EHRMANTROUT for ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| Orcas Island Market and Ray’s General Store & Pharmacy are teaming up to support the most vulnerable in our community. We are proud to partner with the Orcas Community Resource Center (OCRC) to help those in need. Combining our resources and matching
CWR’s Dave Ellifrit launches new blog: Blow by Blow
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Excerpt from Dave Ellifrit’s new BLOG Blow by Blow / A step-by-step account of a CWR orca encounter: “CWR’s photo-ID encounters usually start with us being notified in one way or the other about a group of whales in the area that we
The price of paper
Coastal communities around the world contend with the toxic legacies of pulp and paper mills. ||| FROM HAKAI MAGAZINE ||| REPRINT AT REQUEST OF ORCASONIAN READER Opened in 1957, this pulp and paper mill in Crofton, British Columbia—like many coastal mills around the world—leaves behind a legacy of toxic
Weather Service warns of high winds today, tonight
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| High Wind Warning Description * What, East to Southeast winds 30 to 40 MPH with Gusts Up to 55 MPH Expected. * Where, San Juan County, Western Whatcom County, Western Skagit county and Admiralty Inlet Area. * When, from 4pm this Afternoon to 7am
Oodles of happenings coming up at Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Watercolors Art Class @ Orcas Senior Center: Mondays, 9:30-11am Are you interested in exploring your artistic side? Orcas Senior Center will host a watercolors class for beginners on Mondays, 9:30-11am. Basic supplies are required to participate and the cost per class
DOH unveils free teacher resources to bring public health and climate change data into classrooms
Innovative lessons use state data to teach students about issues impacting their communities ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) announces new educational resources created to introduce students and teachers to public health and climate change data. Free Professional Development Course In
Two Betty Hall quilts up for bid at Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Silent Auction: Holiday Quilts by Betty Hall @ Orcas Senior Center Two holiday themed quilts by the late Betty Hall have been generously donated to Orcas Senior Center for a silent auction. Betty’s expertly crafted and festive quilts will be available
State Broadband Office offers $120 million in grants to build “last mile” infrastructure
Grants up to $12 million each offered as Washington state pushes toward goal of high-speed internet access for all residents and businesses by 2028 ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE ||| OLYMPIA, WA --- The Washington State Broadband Office is accepting applications now through January 17, 2023 for grants of up to
Letter to Editor | My thoughts on snow driving on beautiful Orcas Island
||| FROM UZEK SUSOL for ORCAS TOWING ||| Winter after winter of pulling people out of ditches after/during a snow storm (30 years), seeing senseless injuries/fatalities from lack of proper snow traction devices, driving too fast for conditions, poor snow driving skills, not leaving enough following distance, fogged up windows,
Celebrate Indian Island virtually December 8
||| FROM RUSSEL BARSH for KWIAHT ||| I will present Kwiaht's 2022 annual monitoring and research report on Fishing Bay and Indian Island by Zoom on Thursday December 8 at 4:30 p.m., including time for questions and discussion. Eastsound’s unique urban waterfront, with acres of eelgrass meadows and tide pools,
SJI Sculpture Park partners to plant Sequoias, Redwoods
||| FROM KRISTEN ARNIM for SAN JUAN ISLANDS SCULPTURE PARK ||| PropagationNation and the San Juan Islands Sculpture Park (SJISP) have joined forces to plant 6 Giant Sequoias and 14 Coast Redwoods at the sculpture park for future generations to watch grow and enjoy the beauty of these historic trees.
Washington state’s COVID-19 response website to be decommissioned Dec. 1
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will decommission the Washington State Coronavirus Response (COVID-19) website coronavirus.wa.gov on Dec. 1, 2022. As of that date, site visitors will be redirected to the DOH COVID-19 landing page. This streamlining of online resources reflects the end of the COVID-19
Everyone is welcome to attend Olga Strawberry Council annual meeting
||| FROM LINDA ELDER for OLGA STRAWBERRY COUNCIL ||| The 2022 Annual Meeting of the Olga Strawberry Council is scheduled for December 13 at 9:30 a.m. Everyone is welcome to attend via Zoom. Topics will be: Review of 2022 accomplishments including completion of repairs to the Strawberry building northside paneling
Last chance to comment on WSF fuel surcharge
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| At the request of the Washington State Transportation Commission, WSF is sharing this survey on a potential ferry fuel surcharge. With fuel costs rising, do you support the idea of a surcharge being added to ferry fares in the event fuel funding is insufficient? If
Check out December’s Leaping Fool winter writers’ series
||| FROM NIK SCHULZ for INTERMODAL SPIRIT ||| Join SOURCE Paper and The Intermodal Spirit on December 15 (doors 5:30 p.m., reading 6:30 p.m.) for another installment of “The Leaping Fool” winter writer’s series at Orcas Island Winery. If you’d like to read your work, please send your submission to hello@source-paper.com by Dec. 5
People in Portland planted trees. Decades later, a stunning pattern emerged
||| FROM SCIENCE ALERT ||| Money may not grow from trees, but something even better does. In a new study led by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, researchers found that each tree planted in a community was associated with significant reductions in non-accidental and cardiovascular mortality among
