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
Letter to Editor | We can build bridges and move a mountain; What a community!
||| FROM CINDY WOLF, COUNTY COUNCILMEMBER ||| The relative calm of this afternoon before Thanksgiving Day is a perfect moment to pause and reflect on the last week with gratitude. In the face of a storm I once again watched our community and our County team build bridges and move
Letter to Editor | Contributions to Community Emergency Fund help direct resources where they are needed most
||| FROM HILARY CANTY for ORCAS ISLAND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION ||| Recently, the Orcas Island Community Foundation (OICF) received a significant anonymous gift to the Community Emergency Response Fund (CERF). This fund was established in March 2020 as the pandemic began to provide a vehicle for the Orcas community to quickly
Crow Valley Road is now a ‘go’ in both directions
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| The green light is lit for Crow Valley Road Crow Valley Road (Orcas Island) emergency repairs are now complete and the road is open in both directions. Thanks to everyone for your patience!
Celebrating our island farm heroes
||| FROM MARCY MONTGOMERY for SAN JUAN MAKERS GUILD ||| Fall is a great time for learning about local food and supporting island farms. As we move into Thanksgiving after the successful Farm Tour events, ‘where’ our food comes from becomes an increasingly relevant conversation. Recognizing Island Farm Heroes is a
New doctor joins PeaceHealth Peace Island medical group
||| FROM ANNE WILLIAMS for PEACEHEALTH PEACE ISLAND ||| Steven Hoang business portrait. Bellingham, WA. © 2021 Mark Turner Steven Hoang, DO, has joined the PeaceHealth Medical Group Family Practice at PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical. Dr. Hoang comes to Peace Island from Spokane, Wash., where he recently completed
Moderna booster appointments are now available
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| San Juan County Health & Community Services has just released 4,000 Moderna booster appointments for clinics occurring on Lopez, Orcas, and San Juan Islands the week of December 13. Full details and links to register are available at: https://www.sanjuanco.com/1737/COVID-Vaccine-Info These boosters
Gratitude from Doe Bay community to all the miracle workers
||| FROM THE DOE BAY COMMUNITY ||| With heartfelt gratitude from all of us in Doe Bay! November 24th, 2021 FROM THE DOE BAY COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION To the miracle workers who restored our road … To the helpful folks at Doe Bay Resort who became our lifeline … To the
Letter to Editor | We need to ask ‘why’ of our Fire Department
||| FROM COLEEN O'BRIEN ||| I write in support of our Volunteer FireFighters and EMTs and the employees of the Orcas Island Fire Dept. We Orcas livers and lovers depend upon them to save our homes (three times for me! Yup!) and to support us in illness. It is quite
Pt. Lawrence Road opens at NOON on TUESDAY NOV. 23rd
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Emergency repairs to Pt. Lawrence Road have been completed and the road will be open to traffic beginning at noon on Tuesday, November 23. The road is only one lane. Caution must be used, and cars traveling westbound (towards town)
Giving thanks for island farms
||| FROM MARCY MONTGOMERY for SAN JUAN MAKERS GUILD ||| This Fall the Islands saw a great response to the annual Farm Tour. September and October saw over 500 people out visiting island farms on San Juan, Orcas and Lopez and enjoying a preceding online film and discussion. Spanning three
Prepare your property for the next big rain event
||| FROM ANGELA BRODERICK for SAN JUAN COUNTY PUBLIC WORKS ||| The massive rain event last week caused a wide range of impacts in the county and caught many islanders off-guard. The severe weather was caused by an atmospheric river: a long, narrow band of water vapor that often is
Melody a strong addition to Fidalgo Medical Associates’ Women’s Health team
||| FROM LAURA MORONEY for ISLAND HOSPITAL ||| Lisa Melody, PA-C, joined Fidalgo Medical Associates this month as part of the Women’s Health team. Melody earned her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Samuel Merritt University in Oakland, CA. Her work in obstetrics and gynecology (OB/GYN) includes physician
County provides a quick update on Pt. Lawrence Road repairs
||| FROM BRENDAN COWAN for DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT ||| Things are looking good for a potential opening tomorrow (Tuesday - knock on wood). Public Works is awaiting delivery of barriers for the road edge that are due to arrive on the 5:30 a.m. ferry on Tuesday from Anacortes. Once
Huh. So, what we just experienced is called an atmospheric river
||| FROM SAN JUAN COUNTY COMMUNICATIONS ||| The massive rain event last week caused a wide range of impacts in the county and caught many islanders off-guard. The severe weather was caused by an atmospheric river: a long, narrow band of water vapor that often is released as rain or snow
Letter to Editor | Thank you to our public health workforce
||| FROM TOM EVERSOLE ||| Today is “Public Health Thank You Day,” a day to recognize the hard work and resilience of the public health (PH) workforce. I would like to thank San Juan County PH staff, their co-workers and volunteers who worked together this year to promote and protect
New rule opens door to widespread testing for harsh chemicals in drinking water
||| FROM STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH ||| OLYMPIA – Drinking water for over 6 million Washington residents will be tested for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under rule changes adopted by the Washington State Board of Health (SBOH). The rule now sets State Action Levels (SALs) and requires widespread testing of public drinking water
