Here’s a thought…
“It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God such men lived.”
GEORGE S. PATTON
One Month Mark | County’s pilot transport services shows steady ridership & variety of uses
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Today marks one month of San Juan County’s Marine Transportation Services Pilot Project. These services include emergency barge and foot-passenger transportation during disruptions to Washington State Ferry (WSF) service as well as travel to and from the mainland (Anacortes) on a daily basis.
Orcas Senior Center charts exciting future for its newly acquired building
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Orcas Senior Center (OSC) has officially taken full ownership of its building after purchasing the remaining 49% share from San Juan County in October 2024. Now, the focus shifts to the future—ranging from essential maintenance, like a roof replacement, to potential
Midnight Mutterings | I (don’t necessarily) love a parade
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS by JACKIE BATES ||| There are a lot of nice things to say about some parades and I won’t bore you here with what I think makes a parade worth watching. Except it just might be local, include people some of the watchers will recognize, horses, small
Sheriff’s Report | May 7 – 13, 2025
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, MAY 7 25-002638 Suspicious Person/Circumstance 11:31:09 05/07/25 A Lopez Deputy responded to an individual experiencing delusions. A mental health referral was generated. 25-002641 Vehicle Theft 13:13:46 05/07/25 A Lopez Deputy responded to a report of a juvenile taking a vehicle without
Master Gardener Spring Plant Sale happening this weekend
||| FROM CAITLIN ARIEL BLETHEN for SJC MASTER GARDENER FOUNDATION ||| The San Juan County Master Gardener Foundation Spring Plant Sales takes place this weekend. Please come early for the best selections. Popular varieties go quickly. San Juan Island When: Saturday, May 17th, 9 a.m. to noon Where: Mullis Center,
Maximize Your Future | Essential estate planning workshop
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Join us Wednesday, May 21 at 1 p.m. for a valuable estate planning session led by local attorney Barbara Nesbet, JD, MBA. While contemplating the future can be daunting, addressing it with courage and preparing legal documents in advance is a
San Juan County Conservation Land Bank seeks community input
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| Got questions for your Conservation Land Bank? We want to hear from you! We will host a county-wide public meeting on Thursday – May 28th from 6pm - 7:30 pm. We’ll kick off the meeting with brief project updates from Preserve Stewards and
Building the Team | County welcomes new Deputy County Manager and HR Director
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County is pleased to welcome a new Deputy County Manager as well as a new Director of Human Resources (HR) to the County’s staff. These new additions will help strengthen the County’s workforce and provide additional capacity in County leadership.
GiveOrcas | Together we thrive
||| FROM LINDSAY JENNINGS for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| When we come together as a community and give what we can, it’s amazing what we can accomplish. Thank you for standing with local nonprofits during this Spring’s GiveOrcas campaign and supporting what makes Orcas Island truly extraordinary. The spirit
On a remote Australian island, the birds are so full of plastic they crunch
Seabirds have been fishing plastic from the ocean and feeding it to their chicks, researchers say. One bird was found to have ingested nearly 800 pieces. ||| FROM WASHINGTON POST ||| On a remote Australian island renowned for its natural beauty, researchers have made a grisly discovery: Seabirds have ingested
WSF Weekly Report | Bids open on new ferries; unlawful passenger conduct; online community meetings next week
||| FROM STEVE NEVEY for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| A message from Steve We need new ferries – 26 according to our Long Range Plan – with a current fleet of 21 vessels. This week, we took a big step closer to getting them. On Monday, we opened bids to
Occam’s Razor | Our island, our world through the eyes, pen of S.C. Watson
Welcome to our weekly feature, Occam's Razor, from local artist S.C. Watson.
Inaugural Orcas Island Paddlers Group gathers at Moran State Park
||| FROM DARRELL KIRK for ORCAS ISLAND PADDLERS GROUP ||| WHO: Nearly twenty enthusiastic water lovers gathered for the first-ever meeting of the Orcas Island Paddlers Group on Wednesday evening. Co-organizers Tenar Hall and Darrell Kirk welcomed paddling enthusiasts from diverse backgrounds, including experienced guides and newcomers alike. WHAT: The
San Juan County Courts hold second annual Law Day celebration
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| On May 1, 2025, San Juan County Superior and District Courts invited seventh grade students across the county to participate in their second annual Law Day celebration. Sixty-five students from Friday Harbor and Orcas Island visited the courthouse and participated in a host
OrcasFest | Island-style music and dance ramble coming to Orcas
|||. FROM TASHI LITCH for ORCASFEST ||| OrcasFest is a new roots music festival coming to Orcas Island. This island-born celebration of folk and roots music takes place May 29th - June 1st and opens with a high energy evening square dance with headliner musicians on Thursday, May 29th. Ferry
LWVSJ Observer Corps* | County Council May 12 & 13, 2025
||| FROM NECIA QUAST for LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS ||| On May 12, during public comment the OPALCO ED spoke about the importance of siting renewable energy facilities and adequately planning for essential electrical facilities in the utility element of the comp plan. They cancelled the May13 hearing on budget
