Here’s a thought…
“I am so convinced of the advantages of looking at mankind instead of reading about them, and of the bitter effects of staying at home with all the narrow prejudices of an islander, that I think there should be a law amongst us to set our young men abroad for a term among the few allies our wars have left us.”
LORD BYRON
Letter to Editor | Concern expressed in open letter to OIFR, et. al
||| FROM TONI KNUDSON ||| An open letter to Orcas Island Fire and Rescue Chief Scott Williams, Orcas Island Board of Fire Commissioners and Jeff Richey, Executive Director of Airlift NW: There is concern in our community about our 911 system [*Editor's Note below], as has been exhibited by the
Regular Port meeting scheduled for Monday
||| FROM JEANNIE SHARPE for PORT OF ORCAS ||| Please see attached Agenda with Zoom link for the Ports Regular Meeting Monday 1/24/22 at 5 p.m.
Newest State Health Dept COVID-19 numbers
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 997,703 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 19. There have been 10,339 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit
State launches at-home rapid COVID-19 test portal
Tests can be ordered and shipped directly to Washington households at no-cost ||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – In an effort to increase access to at-home rapid tests across the state, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is launching a statewide portal that will allow COVID-19 tests
Happy Fantastic Friday from Rep. Lekanoff
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF REP. DEBRA LEKANOFF ||| Happy Fantastic Friday! Join us for the 40th LD Virtual Town Hall on January 27! You're invited to join Sen. Liz Lovelett, Rep. Alex Ramel and me on Thursday, January 27 from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. for a virtual town hall! There are
Since last update, 106 new COVID cases in San Juan County
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday January 14, there have been 106 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 856. LOPEZ ISLAND: There are nineteen new cases on Lopez Island since the last
Clean out your closet to help Community Resource Center: it’s a win-win
||| FROM MEGAN EHRMANTROUT for ORCAS COMMUNITY RESOURCE CENTER ||| Are you interested in the idea of cleaning out your closet and making a difference? Now is the perfect time! The Orcas Community Resource Center (OCRC) has an account at Sequel Consignment Shop in Eastsound. Our community needs your help
Request for Proposals issued for 2022 Lodging Tax Facilities/Promotional Grant Program
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| San Juan County has established a tourism facilities program, funded by a portion of the revenue collected under the State Lodging Tax excise statutes and is seeking proposals from qualified entities interested in 1) funding single project proposals concerned with acquiring, improving, or
‘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.
WSF still has crewing issues, but surprise marriage proposal was a success
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| COVID-19 crew relief requests continue to affect service We continue to have hundreds of coronavirus-related relief requests among our frontline terminal and vessel employees. As a reminder, we are operating our alternate service schedules on most routes until further notice. The
Master Gardener native plants on sale beginning Jan. 28
||| FROM DIANNE MACONDRAY for SJC MASTER GARDENERS ||| As the snow subsides, I feel we gardeners are ready for spring and warmer weather. If that’s the case, be sure to check out the San Juan County Master Gardener website mgfsjcshop.org beginning January 28. That will be the date you
WA State lawmakers propose year-round Standard Time to get around Congress
||| FROM NWPB ||| Washington state senators are trying a new gambit to stop the twice-yearly ritual of changing our clocks from standard time to daylight time and back again. A previous effort to move the whole West Coast onto permanent daylight saving time failed to win requisite congressional support.
Two years ago today, Novel Coronavirus discovered in WA
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Today marks two years since the first case of 2019 Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) was found in Washington and in the United States. Our state lead the nation in the early days of the pandemic response by being proactive, transparent, and tough in
Revisiting John F. Kennedy inaugural speech from 1961
||| REPRINT AT REQUEST OF SPIRIT EAGLE ||| Following is John F. Kennedy's inaugural speech, 1961. It is so pertinent to all of us, right now! It lifted my heart, I hope it does yours, too. Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon,
Soon joining Medicare? Get the scoop on how to do it
||| FROM PEGI GROUNDWATER for SHIBA ||| Are you joining Medicare sometime in 2022? If so, there’s a lot of new information for you to understand. Medicare has its own vocabulary and rules. There are deadlines you need to meet and penalties (some lasting a lifetime) for not doing things
Orcas Senior Center seeks home maintenance, repair pilot program coordinator
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Orcas Senior Center is recruiting for a part-time independent contractor to coordinate its Home Maintenance & Repair (HM&R) pilot program. The HM&R Coordinator will be responsible for receiving maintenance and repair requests, facilitating agreements with contractors, and assuring that work is
