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
Alaska harvests millions of Canadian salmon while Canadian fishermen tied to the dock
||| FROM ANNA KEMP for WATERSHED WATCH ||| VICTORIA, B.C. — As salmon runs in British Columbia hit record lows, commercial fisheries along the Alaska panhandle are catching a growing share of salmon bound for B.C. rivers, according to a new technical report. The report, which includes a detailed analysis
Applications open for Dakota Creek Industries 2022-2023 trade apprenticeship program
||| FROM CARRIE KING for DAKOTA CREEK INDUSTRIES ||| Dakota Creek Industries is very proud to publish our first Apprentice Program Application for the July 2022-July 2023 session. Dakota Creek Industries will be apprenticing four trades: Machinery Assembler, Marine Electrician, Production Welder, and Shipfitter/Fabricator. The Dakota Creek Industries, Inc. Apprenticeship
2022 annual docket application period is January 1 – March 1
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The deadline for proposed amendments to the San Juan County Comprehensive Plan and Unified Development Code (UDC) is 4:30 pm on March 1, 2021. The “Annual Docket of Comprehensive Plan Amendments” or “Docket” process allows interested persons, community members, hearing examiners, and
Upcoming Garden Club meet to discuss growing vegetables from seed
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND GARDEN CLUB ||| On Wednesday, January 19, at 10:30 a.m., the Orcas Island and Lopez Island Garden Clubs’ virtual (Zoom) meeting will feature Carol Miles who will discuss Growing Vegetable Crops from Seeds. Carol Miles This presentation will be recorded. The link to the
Letter to Editor | Disastrous handyman encounters
||| FROM KEVIN and JENNIFER BERRINGER ||| I am writing in about our recent encounters with so called handyman on San Juan Island. An epic topic amongst most all my neighbors. Do qualified, skilled and licensed handymen really exist? We have been working on a year long house renovation. We
Governor’s statement on start of 2022 legislative session
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee released a statement today on the first day of the 2022 legislative session. “As the Legislature starts its work in a supplemental budget year, it should be anything but a quiet few months. This may be a short
CWR logs first Orca pod sighting of 2022
||| FROM CENTER FOR WHALE RESEARCH ||| Mark and Joe were with a pair of humpback whales on the Victoria waterfront when they received reports of multiple groups of killer whales in the vicinity of Active Pass. They set a course for Active Pass and were passing Clover Point by
PeaceHealth urges judicious use of emergency care
||| FROM ANNE WILLIAMS for PEACEHEALTH ||| BELLINGHAM, WA – With local and regional emergency department capacity stretched by extremely high patient volumes, PeaceHealth is asking people with non-emergency healthcare needs to seek care at primary care, same-day and urgent care clinics. Reducing the volume of patients visiting the ER allows
Challenging week at Orcas Schools with COVID testing, weather, return to distance learning
||| FROM ERIC WEBB, ORCAS SCHOOLS SUPERINTENDENT ||| Dear Students, Families, Staff, & Community, It’s been an interesting and challenging first week of 2022 for Orcas Island School District, to say the least. This last week included lots of snow and ice, late starts, increased COVID testing, a spike in
Poetry | Holding the Light by Stuart Kestenbaum
||| REPRINT AT REQUEST OF JOELLEN MOLDOFF ||| Holding the Light by Stuart Kestenbaum Gather up whatever is glittering in the gutter, whatever has tumbled in the waves or fallen in flames out of the sky, for it’s not only our hearts that are broken, but the heart of the
Sun Days on Orcas | Cohabitating with moss, mud, and mold
||| SUN DAYS ON ORCAS by EDEE KULPER ||| You experience your worst winter of mold because you’ve foregone burning wood and running the heater over 62°, and instead worn your knee-length down jacket inside. It was supposed to be a good financial move. You’re now “paying” for it by
Upcoming class schedule from Island Hospital
||| FROM RACHEL LAMBERT for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Swallow Screening at Island Hospital Determine if you might have a swallowing disorder at a free screening on Tuesday, January 25, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapy clinic at Island Hospital, 1015 25th St., Anacortes. Appointments are
Fire Commission is meeting on Tuesday
||| FROM KIM KIMPLE for BOARD OF FIRE COMMISSIONERS ||| The Board of Fire Commissioners will hold the January meeting early due to scheduling and holiday conflicts. The Board will meet on Tuesday, January 11 at 5:30 p.m. online via Zoom. Meeting access and agenda can be found HERE. We
One more WSF community meeting scheduled for Tuesday
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Washington State Ferries will host the last of two virtual community meetings next week. The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 11. Come join WSF staff to get the latest updates on service and learn more about what's in store for 2022. For more
Orcas man uses squirrel puppet to talk about mental health. Audiences love it
||| FROM SEATTLE TIMES ||| Evan Wagoner-Lynch is a squirrel with a soothing, East Coast drawl — or rather he is on some days. He dons a furry gray hand puppet, aptly named Squirrel, and takes audiences on a walk through old-growth forests on Orcas Island, all while talking about
Alchemy Art Center, Conservation District launch new youth program
||| FROM GLENN HENDRICK for ALCHEMY ART CENTER ||| This spring, Alchemy Art Center is partnering with the San Juan Island Conservation District and the Madrona Institute to offer a FREE 10-week art and environmental stewardship program geared toward middle and high school age kids! In this program, guest artists
