Here’s a thought…
“Be always at war with your vices, at peace with your neighbors, and let each New Year find you a better man.”
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
Latest update on COVID numbers from the state
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 693,335 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 8. There have been 9,535 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics, and more,
Get your booster! San Juan County’s weekly case count is up
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Since the last update on Friday December 3, there have been 13 new confirmed or probable cases in San Juan County. Current case count is now 450. There are approximately two unvaccinated close contacts of positive cases currently in quarantine
Meeting of the Minds | “Wild Plants of the Field, Forest, and Sea: Medicinal Plants of the San Juans”
||| FROM LENA KASS for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Kristy Bredin Join herbalist Kristy Bredin as she discusses regional plants with remedial uses found in the field, forest, and sea of the San Juan Islands. Kristy is passionate about exploring the natural world and working with local medicinal
WSF Weekly Report | Reservations, rescue, roundtables, & raves
||| FROM PATTY RUBSTELLO for WASHINGTON STATE FERRIES ||| Vehicle reservations reopen Friday, Dec. 17 We’re nearly three weeks into trialing a return to a full four-boat fall schedule on our Anacortes/San Juan Islands route and while it hasn’t been perfect, we’ve been able to reliably crew well over 90%
‘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.
Be on the lookout today for possible high winds
||| FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ||| * What, South winds 35 to 45 MPH with Gusts Up to 60 MPH Possible. * Where, San Juan County, Western Whatcom County, Western Skagit County, Admiralty Inlet Area, North Coast and Central Coast. * When, from Friday Evening Through Saturday Morning. * Impacts,
Socrates Cafe continues with upcoming session
||| FROM LENA KASSA for ORCAS SENIOR CENTER ||| Orcas Senior Center continues to virtually host the Orcas Socrates Café from 4-6 p.m. on the second Sunday of each month. It’s an opportunity to engage in an open discussion on philosophical perspectives. This is not a book club, but rather
Turtleback Mountain and Turtlehead Preserves upcoming Zoom presentation on forest health, resiliency
Orcas Socrates Café @ Orcas Senior Center by Zoom: Sunday, December 12, 4-6pm ||| FROM TANJA WILLIAMSON for CONSERVATION LAND BANK and PRESERVATION TRUST ||| The Conservation Land Bank and the Preservation Trust recently completed a forest assessment at Turtleback and Turtlehead Preserves. The resulting report (click here to view
“Home for the Holidays” returns to Orcas Center
||| FROM BETHANY MARIE for ORCAS CENTER ||| The Crow Valley String Band, Brograss and friends invite you to join them for their annual “Home for the Holidays” show. Although it was fun streaming from the living room last year, they are so excited to return to the Orcas Center
County Council has extended VR Moratorium for six more months
||| BY MATTHEW GILBERT, theORCASONIAN OP-ED REPORTER ||| Another large and passionate group of islanders weighed in on whether to extend/expand or end the VR moratorium and cap-setting resolution that was extended for six months on July 12 and is set to expire on January 12, 2022. Although many who
Food Bank Director says Orcas workers must be able to live healthy lives
An interview with Amanda Sparks, the first executive director of the Orcas Island Food Bank, by Food Bank volunteer and board member Rick Rhoads. ||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND FOOD BANK ||| Rick: Amanda, you were hired as manager of the Food Bank in April 2020, a few weeks after Covid-19
Newest news, numbers from State Health Dept.
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| Statewide Response Updates Newest numbers. The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) reported a total of 691,077 confirmed cases as of 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 6. There have been 9,460 COVID-19 deaths in Washington. For the most recent number of cases by county, demographics,
Support our food bank tomorrow, on ‘Unique Donor Day’
||| FROM ORCAS ISLAND FOOD BANK ||| WHAT IS UNIQUE? Unique: One of a kind, special, singular, outstanding, extraordinary, unequalled, second to none, unparalleled, peerless, unsurpassed, incomparable, beyond compare, inimitable. On Thursday, December 9, YOU can become all of the above by participating in the Give Orcas "Unique Donor Day"! The non-profit that has the most number of unique donors in this
Hot Topic #57 | The new Omicron variant and what it may mean for the islands
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| The rise of a worrisome new variant is front and center in headlines for good reason, but as is so often the case, finding the balance between irrational fear and legitimate concern is difficult. This hot topic will attempt to
Woman in the Woods has some good news to share
||| FROM WOMAN IN THE WOODS PRODUCTIONS ||| Woman in the Woods Productions (WIWP) has exciting news to share this holiday. The 501c3 arts organization has added three new powerhouse board members: Jeff Henigson, Ayn Carrillo Gailey, and Julie Gottman. They join an already dynamic board, lead by founder and
Roses bids farewell, welcomes new owners
||| FROM JONI & JOHN TRUMBULL ||| Very dear friends and neighbors, Joni and I would like to announce that as of November 30th, the old fire station building that Roses Bakery Cafe inhabited over these past years in Eastsound has new owners. Erin Gainey and Philip Kramer of Deer
