Here’s a thought…
“Deep breath. Deep breath. The air is free. You can take as many as you want.”
BUDDHIST MONK
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
5-year study: West Coast orca population falls to lowest level in almost 50 years
||| FROM NEWSWEEK ||| A population of orca that resides off the West Coast is at its lowest level in almost 50 years, with just 73 individuals now remaining. The Southern Resident killer whale population has not fallen below this number since 1974, when the first complete count was undertaken.
Emergency declared by governor due to winter weather
||| FROM THE OFFICE OF GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency proclamation [yesterday] around winter weather and flooding due to a series of severe winter storms that have produced extensive rain and snow. The storms have caused hazardous driving conditions, flooding and extended road closures. State agencies
Midnight Mutterings | David and me
||| MIDNIGHT MUTTERINGS BY JACKIE BATES ||| David Sedaris. I don’t have a much in common with David Sedaris, but we do share a couple of things. Notably, while Sedaris was born in New York state, he and I both grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina and both
Sheriff’s Report | December 29, 2021 – January 4, 2022
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE ||| WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 29 21-010986 Accident-NonInj 10:32:42 12/29/21 A San Juan Deputy responded to a 2-car, non-injury, reportable collision in Friday Harbor. Investigation revealed it was caused by icy conditions. Information was exchanged and a collision report was generated. 21-010987 Welfare Check 12:16:54
Current COVID case count may seem alarming at first
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday December 31, there have been 127 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 657. LOPEZ ISLAND: There are seventeen new cases on Lopez Island since the last
Important COVID-19 message from Island Hospital Chief Medical Officer
||| FROM ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Island Hospital Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jason Hogge As we fight the steepest peak of the pandemic, it will take the collective efforts of the entire community to get through this. Our medical team and support staff are working tirelessly, dealing with a
Recap of recent statewide COVID-19 news and updates
||| FROM STATE HEALTH DEPARTMENT ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 805,459 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 5. There have been 9,974 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more, visit the Department
WSF looks back at 2021’s stormy seas
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| My first year at the helm of Washington State Ferries felt like navigating a series of stormy seas. I know it’s been a challenging time for the millions of customers who rely on our ferry system, day in and day out. We are
