Here’s a thought…
“Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and the government when it deserves it.”
MARK TWAIN
Poetry | Glory to Ukraine
||| FROM W. A. SCHMIDT ||| Glory to Ukraine A poem by wasakalobo Zelensky's unmatched bravery His life-affirming fame Put Putin's endless knavery And cowardice to shame A soulless bully who likes death Who sends his thugs to kill Will hopefully end like Macbeth For Putin's only thrill Is naked
Save now! Pay later! OPALCO’s Switch It Up program expands
||| FROM KRISTA BOUCHEY for ORCAS POWER & LIGHT COOPERATIVE ||| OPALCO members can now finance up $100,000 (per membership) in efficiency upgrades for their home or business. Projects that qualify include home heating units (ducted and ductless), smart thermostats, weatherization measures like windows, doors and insulation, solar and battery
The glaring divide of COVID-19 death rates between red and blue America
||| FROM MSN.COM ||| Political polarization in the U.S. was evident and intensifying long before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, two years ago. Americans were already deeply divided about a multitude of issues, with differing opinions concerning healthcare, immigration, voting rights, gun reform and climate change, often leaving little
President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. approves major disaster declaration for Washington
||| FROM DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY FEMA ||| WASHINGTON -- FEMA announced that federal disaster assistance has been made available to the state of Washington to supplement state, tribal and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides and mudslides from Jan. 1-15,
New Leaf Cafe welcomes new executive chef
||| FROM AYN GAILEY for OUTLOOK INN ||| Chef Andrew Martin and his wife, executive pastry chef Amy Nack, have been visiting Orcas Island for the last fifteen years. While their son attended Camp Orkila every summer, Andrew and Amy explored the island, falling more in love with it year
Local musicians do us proud in recent contest performances
||| FROM SHARON HO for MUSIC ADVOCACY GROUP ||| The Orcas Island Middle School Strings group received a Silver Performance Award at the American String Teachers Association Contest at Western Washington University on March 11 this year. This is the first time this group of 7th and 8th grade students
Register now for upcoming Community Car Show at fairgrounds
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County Parks and Fair Is a proud sponsor and supporter of Cody Balcomb-Bartok's Community Project. He is putting on a Community Car Show on April 23, from 1-4 pm. If you wish to show your car, pre-register your car at http://www.sjcfair.org. For
Deputy Eric Peter announces candidacy for county sheriff
||| FROM ERIC PETER ||| Eric Peter, San Juan County Sheriff candidate Relationships matter. I am Eric Peter, and I am announcing my candidacy for San Juan County Sheriff. It is time for law enforcement to evolve past the current model of policing to relational policing, using the
Madeleine Albright: Resilience of spirit, more than intellect, is the key to life
Several months before her death, former secretary of state Madeleine K. Albright wrote some reflections on the importance of making the most out of life. Her thoughts are excerpted here from the new afterword of the paperback edition of her most recent book, “Hell and Other Destinations: A 21st Century
What is happening with PlayFest?
||| FROM DOUG BECHTEL for ACTORS THEATER OF ORCAS ISLAND ||| The past few years have had major impacts on live theatre, in person performances, and human interaction in so many ways we will probably never be aware of the total effects, positive or negative, that will remain as a
Poetry | Cherry Blossoms
Cherry blossoms Toi Derricotte - 1941- I went down to mingle my breath with the breath of the cherry blossoms. There were photographers: Mothers arranging their children against gnarled old trees; a couple, hugging, asks a passerby to snap them like that, so that their love will always be
Shakespeare Society needs a few more roles filled for all-female ‘Hamlet’ production
An important note from Michael Armenia, Director of the upcoming production of one of Shakespeare's most important plays. ||| FROM MICHAEL ARMENIA ||| Our Orcas Island Shakespeare Society's production of 'Hamlet' with an all-female cast is at a critical juncture this month. I've had some casting issues and need to
Larsen secures $10,662,665 for 10 Second District priorities in bipartisan spending package
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, President Biden signed into law the Fiscal Year 2022 bipartisan omnibus spending package which funds the government through September 2022, invests in Northwest Washington communities and working families, and provides critical emergency aid to Ukraine. Rep. Rick Larsen (WA-02)
Prune Alley construction update for next week
||| FROM JESSE DOUGLAS-SEITZ for SAN JUAN COUNTY ||| Road Closure between Fern Street and Main Street for Stormwater Main replacement. Road Closure may run 24hr a day. Utility excavation and potholing throughout the project limits. Please respect temporary traffic control measures, the construction zone speed limit, directions by our
Upcoming Island Health classes
||| FROM RACHEL LAMBERT for ISLAND HEALTH ||| Island Health offers online cholesterol class Join Registered Dietitian Amber Phillips for an informative 30-minute talk on small changes you can make to your diet beyond the standard advice to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol intake. This will be a virtual class, held
Sun Days on Orcas | Kate Jewell is headed to Poland
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by EDEE KULPER ||| This Thursday, March 31, Kate Jewell will be headed to Oświęcim, Poland, for six weeks to help Ukrainian refugees and orphans with One Humanity Institute and Airline Ambassadors International. Kate Jewell Kate was a flight attendant for 37 years,
