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
Inslee prioritizes poverty reduction efforts
||| FROM THE OFFICE GOVERNOR JAY INSLEE ||| Gov. Jay Inslee took steps in Dec. to help address the matter as he proposed supplemental budget funding for 2022 that represents a significant investment - more than $1 billion – to reduce poverty, address housing and provide resources to many Washingtonians left behind."In 2017, we created the poverty reduction
2021 ferry ridership nears 75% of pre-pandemic levels
For second year in a row, vehicles outnumber passengers in 2021 ||| FROM IAN STERLING for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| SEATTLE – Annual ridership aboard Washington State Ferries rebounded from 2020 pandemic numbers by almost 3.3 million customers in 2021 to nearly 17.3 million. The arrival of COVID-19 vaccines and a boost
Increase in breakthrough cases related to current COVID-19 surge
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA --The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is seeing an increase in the number of “vaccine breakthrough” cases related to the recent increase in overall cases statewide. Even with the increase in breakthrough infections, data continue to show that vaccination is highly protective
2021 was a record year for orca and humpback sightings in Salish Sea
||| FROM CANADA'S NATIONAL OBSERVER ||| VANCOUVER — The agency that represents 29 whale-watching companies in British Columbia and Washington state says its members report 2021 was a record year for whale sightings in the Salish Sea. The Pacific Whale Watch Association says based on its figures along with data
Letter to Editor | OIFR is not timely in fulfilling public records requests
||| FROM BRIAN EHRMANTRAUT ||| Orcas Fire has a problem with Public Records Act compliance. Hopefully they can learn to do better in the future. Nearly two months ago, I made a very simple request for public records from Orcas Fire, (San Juan County Fire District #2). I merely asked
Firehouse Foundations | A look into what’s behind the fracas at OIFR
||| BY MIA KARTIGANER , SPECIAL TO theORCASONIAN ||| There are some curious and valid questions being put forth by this community out of concern for the well-being of everyone at the Orcas Island Fire Department. Until they are answered I hope the OIFR Management and Board will treat the
Upcoming Meeting of the Minds presenter will compare orca, Bigg’s behavior
Meeting of the Minds: “Orca Behavior: Comparing Two Killer Whale Populations in the Salish Sea” presented by Monika Wieland - Wednesday, January 19 at 1 p.m. by Zoom ||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS ISLAND SENIOR CENTER ||| Monika Wieland The Salish Sea houses two different populations of
See the richness of artists exhibiting in SJIMA Artists Registry show
||| FROM DIANE MARTINDALE for SAN JUAN ISLANDS MUSEUM OF ART ||| Over 80 local artists are participating in this year’s Artists Registry (AR) show at the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA). Notably, 19 sculpture artists submitted pieces, some well-known and others showing their work for the first
Newest COVID numbers from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 876,167 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Jan. 10. There have been 10,026 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more,
Letter to Editor | Behavior at last night’s Fire Commission meeting was appalling
||| FROM ALI BOE ||| It was disheartening (to put it mildly) to see how a recent tragedy was discussed in this public meeting [Board of Fire Commissioners]. I came to the meeting grieving for my friend. Grateful, absolutely, for the assistance and care provided by the skilled and compassionate
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
