Here’s a thought…
“We are not an endangered species ourselves yet, but this is not for lack of trying.”
DOUGLAS ADAMS
SJC Monthly News Digest | February 2026
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Maintaining Health, Safety & Community Services: Council Places Levy Lid Lift on April Ballot San Juan County is seeking a regular property tax levy lid lift to maintain public health, safety, and other community services in April 2026. This levy would support ongoing
Color, nature, whimsy at SJIMA this spring
March 6 – June 1, 2026 ||| FROM BARBARA MARRETT for SAN JUAN ISLANDS MUSEUM OF ART ||| Get ready for an artistic adventure at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA), in Friday Harbor. From March 6 to June 1, the museum’s galleries will burst with color, nature, and
Senior Center hosts 3 S’s of Healthy Aging
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| The 3 S’s of Healthy Aging Join us on Wednesday, March 4 after lunch for an engaging presentation on the 3 S’s of Healthy Aging. This talk explores modern research on Sleep, Supplements, and Socialization and how these three elements work
OIHS Vikings are the 2B State Chess Champions
||| FROM RANDY KAECH for STATE HIGH SCHOOL CHESS ASSOCIATION ||| The Orcas Island High School chess team scored 14.5 wins over the course of the two day, 60th annual Washington State High School Chess Team Championships this weekend in Everett, earning the title and repeating as State 2B high
Popular musicians to return for Chamber Music Festival residency
||| FROM LINDA SLONE for ORCAS ISLAND CHAMBER MUSIC FESTIVAL ||| The Polish accordion–violin duo that captured audiences’ hearts at the Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival in 2023 will be returning to the island for a three-day music residency. From March 11-13, Orcas Island Chamber Music Festival will host Festival
WSF schedule | For rest of today?
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Update - The Chelan will join the route as vessel #1 and will begin service with the 6:05 p.m. sailing from Anacortes to Shaw and Orcas. Before the arrival of the Chelan, Issaquah will shift to the #2 position, and the route will
More WSF schedule shuffles for today
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We’ll need to cancel sailings and adjust the Anacortes/San Juan Islands schedule today due to vessel moves. The current tentative plan is for Chelan to arrive in Anacortes on Sunday, March 1, in time to enter service later this afternoon. Sunday, March 1 We will operate without a
Ferry shuffle schedule for today
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We’ll need to cancel sailings and adjust the Anacortes/San Juan Islands schedule today due to vessel moves. The current tentative plan is for Chelan to arrive in Anacortes on Sunday, March 1, in time to enter service later this afternoon. Sunday, March 1 We will operate without a
Upcoming/ongoing fun stuff from Senior Center
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Revitalize Your Body and Mind with Tara Plank’s Yoga Workshop Join Tara Plank for an energizing LYT Yoga Workshop on Saturday, March 7, from 10:30 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. at Orcas Senior Center. This core-focused vinyasa practice, inspired by LYT Yoga
Letter to Editor | What EWUA members should pay attention to
The Clark Well Story ||| FROM CORY HARRINGTON ||| Eastsound Water recently released Episode #2 of its ongoing email series, “The New Clark Well & Treatment Plant.” The stated goal of the series is to help members understand the historical, technical, and financial context of the project and to build
Guest Opinion | Why we must speak up on deep sea mining in Alaska
Our Ocean, Our Voice | ||| FROM ELISABETH ROBSON ||| The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) recently opened a public comment period on a Request for Information and Interest that could pave the way for deep sea mining off the Alaska Continental Shelf, including ecologically precious areas like the
“Grease” is rolling into Orcas Center this spring
Updated time for upcoming matinees is 1 p.m. ||| FROM COLLEEN SMITH SUMMERS for ORCAS CENTER ||| We’ve got chills — and they’re multiplying. It’s not just the word, it’s happening! That’s right, “Grease” is rolling into Orcas Center this spring. An all-local cast is revving up to present this
Larsen joins leader Jeffries in statement on Iran strikes
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF U.S. REP. RiCK LARSEN ||| WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Representative Rick Larsen (WA-02) joined Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the New Democrat Coalition's statements on U.S. strikes against Iran. Leader Jeffries' released the following statement: "Overnight, Donald Trump announced the start of massive and ongoing
Here’s WSF plan for today — so far
||| FROM WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| We’ll need to cancel sailings and adjust the Anacortes/San Juan Islands schedule today due to vessel moves. The current tentative plan is for Chelan to arrive in Anacortes on Sunday, March 1, in time to enter service later this afternoon. Sunday, March 1 We will operate without a
News Brief | Why orcas don’t kill people
||| FROM A-Z ANIMALS ||| Orcas are fully capable of killing a human, but such incidents almost never occur in the wild. Orcas maintain a 0 percent fatality rate against humans despite being the ocean’s most capable predators. Orcas, by contrast, have zero confirmed fatal attacks on humans in the
Resource Center celebrates cold weather shelter’s impact
||| FROM ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| The Orcas Community Resource Center is extending heartfelt thanks and support to the Orcas Island Cold Weather Shelter following a season of consistent, compassionate service to islanders facing housing insecurity. “Operating nightly from Thanksgiving through March was both courageous and compassionate,” said Erin
