Here’s a thought…
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Letter to Editor | An open letter to the sensible
||| FROM EDWIN WORDSWORTH ||| An open letter to the sensible, How few of us there are, of late. I know I don’t speak for myself alone when I announce that I for one have no temperament for this socialist hubbub about minimum wages and affordable housing. My America is
High quality masks are now available locally – for FREE
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| For islanders who are still using cloth masks in higher risk situations: the County Health Department is making higher quality N95 and KN95 masks available to the public at no charge. They may be obtained at the following locations while
Guest Opinion | Coronavirus and our island ecosystem
||| FROM RUSSEL BARSH for KWIAHT ||| Thus far, efforts to contain and combat the SARS-Cov-2 virus that causes Covid-19 have focused on humans. Reasonable enough, given that there are billions of us, mainly packed into dense population centers, traveling and socializing persistently, and therefore a generous viral host. Not
Reps. Larsen, DelBene to highlight federal bridge repair funding in Skagit County
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. RICK LARSEN ||| SKAGIT COUNTY, WA – On Tuesday, January 25, Reps. Rick Larsen (WA-02) and Suzan DelBene (WA-01) will hold a press conference with local officials to highlight how historic investments included in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will enable Washington communities to repair
Order from SJC Court: Due to COVID, no jury trials until mid-February
||| FROM MELLISSA DERKSEMA, SJC COURT ADMINISTRATOR ||| As of January 19, 2022, San Juan County Superior and District Courts have entered new emergency orders postponing all jury trials until mid-February, due to high transmission rates of the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. San Juan County has experienced a resurgence of COVID-19
Guest Opinion | We need to resolve our working community housing crisis
||| FROM BILL BANGS ||| Most of us know or have heard of someone who has been a hardworking neighbor in our county for many years and who has lost their long-term rental home. Some of these friends and neighbors have been forced to move to the mainland to find
Orcas Health Care District will meet January 25
||| FROM TOM EVERSOLE, INTERIM HEALTH CARE DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT ||| The Board of Commissioners of the Orcas Island Health Care District will meet Tuesday, January 25 via Zoom at 5:00 PM. Members of the community are encouraged to attend this public meeting. Elizabeth Corcoran, Assistant Audit Manager of the WA
Port to hold meeting to submit goals for 2021-2023
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| The Port will be submitting DBE Goals for 2021-2023 and are required to have a public meeting and post the goals. If you are interested, please see our attached proposed goals and public notice. If you have questions please
Paradise full: Finding space to rest at Lopez Island cemetery
||| FROM SALISH CURRENT ||| On a clear day, from the hill at Lopez Island’s Union Cemetery, the Olympic Mountains range across the southern horizon and Mount Baker peeps out to the northeast. Sheep here, cattle there range in the pastures below the rural-Gothic-style Center Church. Lilacs brighten the air
Endangered coho salmon spotted returning to CA spawning grounds after well-timed precipitation
||| FROM THE GUARDIAN ||| The heavy rains that soaked California late last year were welcomed by farmers, urban planners – and endangered coho salmon. “We’ve seen fish in places that they haven’t been for almost 25 years,” said Preston Brown, the director of watershed conservation for the Salmon Protection and Watershed
Couple of Orcas road closures coming up on Tuesday
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County will be closing Cormorant Bay Rd to through traffic on Tuesday, January 25 from 7 a.m. to noon for road work. Also, we will be reducing traffic to one lane on Killebrew Lake Rd, east of Laporte Rd, on Tuesday
Funhouse — where winter and hot apple cider merge into fun
||| FROM THE FUNHOUSE COMMONS ||| One day in early December just before Orcas schools went on winter break, our new Board President, Maia Vechey, spent an afternoon at The Funhouse making hot apple cider with the kids. “It was a nice break between playing tag and making crafts,” said
Sun Days on Orcas | What do you exude?
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS BY EDEE KULPER ||| There was a tragic accident here a few weeks ago. I’ve been thinking about the person whose life completely changed after the moment of impact. Seeing as I’m not a family member, a close friend, a news reporter, or even an
Department of Health to make significant changes to COVID-19 data dashboard
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Today, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) will make a number of changes to the way it presents information on its COVID-19 Data Dashboard. The goal is to display current trends and information that are most applicable to the current phase of
Blood shortage impacting Washington
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| As a nationwide blood supply shortage affects health care in Washington state, leaders in the medical community are encouraging the public to help. Washingtonians can donate to a range of organizations, including BloodWorks Northwest, the Red Cross, and Vitalant. Some organizations are also seeking volunteers
Library Endurance Series continues with rock star stonemason
“If you are one of those people who can see poetry in stone, then the story of Richard Rhodes may need no explanation.” - New York Times ||| FROM CAROL DAPOGNY for ORCAS ISLAND LIBRARY ||| Richard Rhodes Join us for Episode 6 of the Orcas Library Endurance
